PA: Facing gun, merchant shoots 3: "It was clear to John Lee that the four guys who came into his East Germantown deli Saturday night would not be paying customers. 'They all had their hoodies pulled tight, and it wasn't a cold night,' said Lee, 48, owner of the Chelten Market at Chelten Avenue and Musgrave Street. 'I said, 'You need to take off your hoodies,' then one of them came around the counter with his gun drawn, so I shot them.' Lee fired five rounds from his .38-caliber revolver, striking three of the bandits and rupturing a water line, police said. The gunman dropped his loaded 9mm pistol as he and his wounded partners fled the store. Lee found a fourth would-be robber -- who had not been shot -- hiding in the rear of the store. 'He had a BB gun on him, so I took it,' Lee said. 'Then I beat him up and took his boots and called police.'"


The 2nd Amendment: The original homeland security: "A few weeks ago in an article titled, 'Conscription, Standing Armies, and Love of Country' I wrote that the Federal Government had outlawed the state militias mentioned in the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This was incorrect. The state militias have been 'nationalized' into the 'National Guard' and are now being used unconstitutionally for foreign occupations. Governors across the country are complaining to the Bush administration that their National Guard units are being depleted for the War in Iraq, and that they do not have enough manpower to handle emergencies in their home states."

Vancouver, Washington. Home Invasion, Shooting: "Police are searching for two men they said were involved in a shootout with a Vancouver homeowner Monday night. Officers said the homeowner surprised two burglars inside his home on Northeast Benton Drive around 7 p.m. The homeowner told authorities that he confronted the burglars and he exchanged gunfire with the two men. There were no injuries reported. The men fled the scene and left in a newer model gray SUV-type vehicle, according to police. Police said it is unknown how many shots were fired, if the two men were hit or who shot first. Authorities are investigating a possible connection to the shooting. They said a man walked into a Portland emergency room last night with a gunshot wound.


Minnesota: Oldster kills home invader: "A 73-year-old Coon Rapids man who shot and killed an apparent intruder Monday night "appears unlikely" to face charges, a top Anoka County investigator said today. The resident told police he was awakened to sounds of what he thought was someone breaking into his house on Bittersweet Street in Coon Rapids, sheriff's Capt. Bob Aldrich said. He grabbed a rifle that he kept in his bedroom around the time a man in his late teens or early 20s entered the room. "(The resident) fired a single shot, and the suspect was struck in the torso," Aldrich said. "The suspect was able to stumble or stagger down the stairs and then collapsed near a door. And died." Authorities this afternoon were still trying to identify the suspected intruder, described as a man in his late teens or early 20s, Aldrich said. The resident declined to speak with reporters when he returned home early this afternoon. County prosecutors will make the final call on whether or not charges will be filed, but Aldrich said police released the resident without booking him."

Virginia home invasion fails: "Virginia Beach Police are currently investigating a home invasion case which led to a man being shot, and a suspect in custody. He's been identified as 19 year-old Terrel Anthony Bell. According to a police spokesperson, one of the residents was returning home this morning, and as he was entering his residence, a [black] man armed with a shotgun came up from behind and forced him inside. The suspect then tried to take control of everyone in the residence, but the men inside the home fought back and tried to take the shotgun from the would-be robber. Police said that during the struggle, a shot was fired, hitting the leg of one of the residents. The man who was shot has been identified as 29 year-old Darryl Chrismore. The remainder of the residents wrestled the man to the floor and called police. Chrismore was taken to a hospital where he underwent surgery. He's expected to be okay.


Kansas City, Missouri. Intruder killed: "A man was shot to death Monday evening in south Kansas City, officials said. At about 5 p.m., police responded to a shooting call at a home in the 7500 block of East 118th Place. When officers arrived, the homeowner told police he had shot and killed an intruder. The homeowner said he didn't know the man. A relative of the homeowner told KMBC that he had every right to defend himself. The homeowner wasn't injured. He was taken in for questioning, which is routine in a shooting investigation. No names were released."

NYTimes: Money Makes us Safe, Not Guns?: "In yet another anti-gun rant, the Times has once again sounded the good liberal mantra: Got a problem? Throw money at it. Apparently, outgoing Senator George Allen (R, Vir.) has introduced one of his last bills in the waning days of the 109th sitting of the Senate, a bill allowing concealed carry of firearms inside our National Parks. Naturally, the New York Times is not amused. After informing us that the bill has passed the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, they emotionally proclaim that they "hope it will die the miserable death it deserves".... But the howler of the piece is the claim that throwing money at crime, as opposed to allowing citizens to protect themselves, would make us all safer in our National Parks. "If Americans want to feel safer in their national parks, the proper solution is to increase park funding. "


Women take up hunting: "It's deer season in Maine and although the hunting department of outdoor retail specialist L.L. Bean is packed, this is no old-boy's club. Among the aisles of aerosol deer urine and digital duck calls, there are racks of women's clothing in mossy-oak camouflage, as well as plenty of fluorescent hunter orange. Lined up behind the counter are dozens of guns, many available with a "short-stock" designed to fit more comfortably into women's shorter arms. That's because an increasing number of women are heading into the woods, becoming one of the most enthusiastic segments of the hunting world. Take Laura Beth Fowler, an 18-year-old from McKenzie, Tennessee, who took up shooting three years ago and is now a member of one of the few all-girl trap-shooting teams in the country. With her coach and girls from the team, Fowler loves heading into the wild to shoot birds -- right down to getting out of bed at 4 a.m. and huddling in chilly duck-blinds. "It's a bunch of fun. And it's just so beautiful, being in the woods," she said. Fowler is not alone. The number of women hunters in the United States is on the rise."

AK: School fits gun education into curriculum: "Tom Milliron figures Juneau school children are going to encounter guns one way or another, whether venturing armed into nearby wilderness or visiting the home of a friend. 'Better they learn how to handle a firearm safely than to hurt themselves through ignorance, he says.' Milliron is principal of one of Juneau's two middle schools. Sixth-graders under his care last month completed an outdoor education course that included instruction in safe handling of guns and firing rounds from .22-caliber rifles. For some children, it was the first time they'd touched a gun. 'In gun-happy Alaska, teaching children how to safely handle firearms is just common sense,' Milliron said."


OR: Camper cleared in shooting of ATV driver: "An Idaho man acted in self-defense when he shot a man who was headed toward him in an all-terrain vehicle, a Baker County grand jury decided. Marvin Sauer, 52, of Boise shot Everett Durst, 38, of Vancouver, Wash., in the left leg following a Labor Day dispute near Phillips Reservoir. The incident started when Sauer and his wife arrived to camp in an area where Durst and his party were riding. The sides had a disagreement and Durst later drove a quad runner to Sauer's campsite. Durst began spinning the vehicle in circles, stirring up dust and throwing rocks on Sauer's wife, said Matt Shirtcliff, the Baker County district attorney. Shirtcliff said Sauer fired a warning a shot into the air. Durst stopped spinning the vehicle in circles and started driving in Sauer's direction. 'Once Mr. Durst drove the quad runner straight at Mr. Sauer, Sauer was entitled at that point to fire his gun at Mr. Durst to defend himself,' Shirtcliff said."


Update

I posted the following on 4 December, 2004:

Pennsylvania: Gun suspect uses "tight jeans" defense: "Sean Eldon Duvall, 36, was arrested Tuesday on charges including aggravated assault and reckless endangerment for the June 18 incident. Southwest Regional Police Detective Sgt. James Rega said in court papers that Duvall left his car with the .38-caliber revolver hidden under papers and aimed it at him when he stopped to see if Duvall needed help. Duvall told The Associated Press that he didn't need help; he said he was just stepping out of his car to go to a friend's house to play chess. Duvall acknowledged he had his gun with him, but said he has a permit to carry it, which he tried to show Rega. By law, the gun must be concealed, but Duvall said he couldn't conceal it under his pants while sitting in his car because his jeans were too tight." [Could be true]

Sean has now emailed me to say: "About a week ago, I was found "not guilty" of all charges, by a JURY"

WA: SAF sues library system over Net censorship: "The Second Amendment Foundation and three Washington State residents have filed a federal lawsuit against a north-central Washington regional library system for denying them access to websites that include information on firearms and publications dealing with guns. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington in Spokane. Joining SAF in the lawsuit are Sarah Bradburn of Republic, Ferry County; Pearl Cherrington of Twisp and Charles Heinlen of Okanogan, both towns in Okanogan County."


FL: Motorist with gun holds down tip thief: "A would-be robber found out the hard way Friday afternoon that restaurant workers aren't easily parted from their tips. The unidentified man grabbed about $20 from the countertop tip jar at the Chinese restaurant Chung Shing without saying a word, employees said. 'I said, 'Hey, that's my money,'' said restaurant manager Diane Lin. 'He didn't care.' He also didn't have a chance. Employees chased him outside into the parking lot of the strip mall on U.S. 301 and behind the stores. A passerby with a concealed weapons permit stopped and pulled his gun on the man, witnesses said. Minutes later, a Manatee County Sheriff's Office patrol car drove by and a deputy arrested the tip thief."

PA: Robber shot and killed by victim: "A 19-year-old Philadelphia man was shot and killed after he tried to rob another man early yesterday in the 1600 block of West Susquehanna Street, police said. The robber approached from behind as the man left a bar near 15th Street, police said. The robber stuck a gun in the man's back, and demanded money. The man began to comply, then shot the robber in the head, shoulder, chest and right arm with a registered handgun, police said."


Useless 911 calls: "But many crime emergencies are blocked by an armed citizen, and they often go unreported according to the FBI and diligent scholars. This is an invisible solution often ignored by officials, even thwarted by them. Throughout the history of 911, problems with 911 have been belligerence of operators, operator skepticism of reporting parties and repeat pranksters, unclear calls without precise locations, various policies on 911 hang-ups, an over-burdening and overwhelming of the system, and general burn-out of operators remaining on the job. As I mentioned in my last piece, some 911 operators have even been found asleep at the console. For many citizens, a placed 911 call simply goes unanswered or is met with a busy signal."

CA: Idiot hoplophobes go after toys: "Ice-cream vendors in San Diego who sell toy guns out of their trucks should probably think about getting rid of their nondairy inventory. A City Council committee, at the behest of law enforcement, wants to make it illegal for them to sell anything but food. It seems the number of children taking the weapon look-alikes to school has been increasing over the past several years. San Diego City Schools police Chief Don Braun said many of the replicas were bought from ice-cream vendors who congregate near schools. 'Student access to these weapons must be limited by reducing availability from mobile ice cream vendors,' he said."


Armed 92-year-old shot dead in raid: "Police who shot and killed a 92-year-old woman in Atlanta after she wounded three officers were looking for a man who sold drugs to undercover agents at her home earlier that day, authorities said today. The agents got a search warrant after buying drugs yesterday from a man in Kathryn Johnston's home, Assistant Police Chief Alan Dreher said. Johnston's niece, Sarah Dozier, said her aunt likely had reason to shoot the three investigators as they stormed her house. "My aunt was in good health. I'm sure she panicked when they kicked that door down," Dozier told WAGA-TV, adding that there were no drugs in the house. "There was no reason they had to go in there and shoot her down like a dog." Police insisted the officers did everything right before entering the home, despite suggestions from the woman's neighbours and relatives that it was a case of mistaken identity. Kathryn Johnston was the only resident in the house at the time and had lived there for about 17 years, Assistant Chief Alan Dreher said. The officers had a legal warrant, "knocked and announced" before they forced open the door and were justified in shooting once fired upon, he said."

A prize piece of nuttiness: "The FBI recently reported that the United States is facing a wave of murders and gun violence. Cities across the country are seeing significant increases in violent crime. In Boston, the number of homicides is threatening to eclipse last year's numbers, which were already the worst in a decade. These statistics prove that the current approach to reducing violence isn't working. ... A bill before Congress would establish a US Department of Peace. This measure would provide practical, nonviolent solutions for the problems of domestic and international conflict. It would apply the institutional heft of the US government to a serious effort not merely at avoiding war or waging war more effectively. It would take America to the next evolutionary step: It would proactively wage peace."


Ted Nugent's signature guitar doubles as gun: "Ed Roman's Quicksilver Guitars, the world's largest guitar store & builder of custom guitars, today announced that the company has completed the custom design, development and construction of a new custom guitar for world famous rocker, hunter and statesman Ted Nugent. Nugent, known for his hard hitting rock 'n' roll, as well as his strong support for the right to bear arms, his conservative lifestyle and love of his country, is one of Ed Roman's primary influences. 'We are proud to have had the opportunity to work with Ted again and to produce this truly unique instrument and piece of rock 'n' roll history,' said Ed Roman, founder of Ed Roman Guitars. 'Not only is this a top-of-the-line guitar, it is a precision firearm."

PA: Man shoots intruder, jailed on drug charges: "A homeowner shot a person apparently trying to break into his house overnight in Knoxville. ... Homicide detectives interviewed a 20-year-old male and, a 17-year-old female who were inside the residence with their two-month-old son when two black males entered the apartment. The intruder showed a handgun and demanded money from the 20-year-old man. The man retrieved a handgun and shot the intruder. The 20-year-old male was interviewed and has been charged with possession of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possessing an illegal firearm. He is currently in the Allegheny County Jail."


UCLA: Iranian student resists police, gets Tasered: "Mostafa Tabatabainejad, a UCLA student, was repeatedly stunned with a Taser and then taken into custody when he did not exit the CLICC Lab in Powell Library in a timely manner. Community Service Officers had asked Tabatabainejad to leave after he failed to produce his BruinCard during a random check at around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. UCPD Assistant Chief of Police Jeff Young said the checks are a standard procedure in the library after 11 p.m. "Because of the safety of the students we limit the use after 11 to just students, staff and faculty," Young said. Young said the CSOs on duty in the library at the time went to get UCPD officers when Tabatabainejad did not immediately leave, and UCPD officers resorted to use of the Taser when Tabatabainejad did not do as he was told."

Americans want to have security at home: "For most Americans, guns are not a political issue. People buy and own guns to protect their families, not to commit crimes. The truth is that even millions of Americans who support and vote for gun control own guns themselves, because deep down they share the basic human need to feel secure in their homes. The gun control movement has lost momentum in recent years. The Democratic Party has been conspicuously silent on the issue in recent elections because they know it's a political loser. In the midst of declining public support for new gun laws, more and more states have adopted concealed-carry programs. The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and last year's hurricanes only made matters worse for gun control proponents, as millions of Americans were starkly reminded that we cannot rely on government to protect us from criminals."


TN: Pol foils robbery, holds suspects: "Over the weekend county commissioner Greg Lambert foiled a robbery by drawing his gun on a suspect and Wednesday that scenario happened again to a state lawmaker. Volunteer TV has just learned that State Senator Tim Burchett had to draw his gun on four people as they were leaving his warehouse on Ball Camp Pike Wednesday morning. Senator Burchett had three motorcycles stolen out of the warehouse in recent weeks and had been staking it out. He called 911 after catching the burglars in the act, but told us he had to draw his gun to prevent them from escaping. Knox County deputies took three juveniles and one adult into custody. And the suspects led deputies to his stolen motorcycles."

TX: No charges filed in shooting of woman: "Preliminary findings indicate Tuesday's shooting death of Stacey Condit, a Texarkana attorney's ex-wife, was self-defense, and no charges have been filed. ... Condit, 39, was the ex-wife of attorney Bruce Condit. The shooting happened about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday at Bruce Condit's Wake Village home. Bruce Condit, his two grown children and two of their friends were at the house at the time of the incident. ... Schutte said Stacey Condit went to the home with a rifle, apparently intending to hurt her ex-husband, and entered the house. She was shot with a shotgun that belonged to someone in the house, he said. She was pronounced dead at the scene."


OR: Gunfire follows house blaze: "A two-alarm fire damaged a Salem home Tuesday night, displacing the family of a National Guard sergeant who told police that he exchanged gunshots with an intruder inside his house the morning after the blaze. Brian Mumey, who was not home when the fire broke out, told police that he returned to his house at 225 Stark St. N after the blaze to check his damaged possessions and saw an unidentified man inside his bedroom Wednesday morning. Mumey, 43, said the intruder, described as a white male in his 50s, fired a shot at him, prompting him to fire five to six rounds back. After another exchange of gunfire, the unidentified man reportedly fled."

Clumsy Kiwi cop accidentally stuns himself: "A clumsy New Zealand policeman attending a domestic dispute accidentally shot himself and a teenager with a stun gun before pepper-spraying an innocent woman, reports said on Friday. The constable was loading his weapon when he accidentally blasted himself with the stun gun's 50,000 volts while trying to stun a man at the centre of the incident last month, the New Zealand Herald reports. Another shot hit the man's 16-year-old son. After five attempts to hit the man, the officer eventually used pepper spray, but succeeded only in hitting the man's 21-year-old daughter - an unintended target. The wanted man eventually gave himself up."


OH: No Charges In Fatal Shooting Of Teen: "Prosecutors say no charges will be filed in the shooting death of a teenager last month. A Kennedy Heights homeowner, 61 year-old Bennie Hall Jr, shot and killed 14 year-old Quavale Finnell after police say the teen was driving away in the shooter's car. The Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office announced Friday: "Due to the rise in violence in his neighborhood and the fact his own grandson was a shooting victim right down the street, Mr. Hall had taken the proper steps to get a Concealed Carry Permit. Forensic evidence also confirms that at the time of the first shot, the car was moving directly towards Mr. Hall. This is consistent with the statements of Mr. Hall and a witness. It is the opinion of this office that Mr. Hall acted in self-defense and no charges will be filed against him. Prosecutor Deters: "It is a tragedy that this 14-year-old boy lost his life during this incident. Mr. Hall has a right to protect himself with deadly force if his life is in danger or he is in danger of great bodily harm. Based on the totality of the evidence and circumstances, he was doing just that." An earlier posting on this story on Oct 26th

New Zealand: Father disgusted at gun shop charge: "A gun-shop owner whose son shot a man carrying a machete is disgusted that he is to be charged. On July 31, a man entered the Small Arms International Gun Shop in Penrose, Auckland, allegedly threatening to kill staff unless they gave him a gun. A store director, Greg Carvell, 33, shot him in the stomach with a .45-calibre pistol. The man, Ricky James Beckham, 29, survived and was later charged with assault with intent to rob. He will appear in court on November 24. Mr Carvell had been subpoenaed to appear as a witness. Police said yesterday that they would charge Mr Carvell, a co-owner of the shop, with possession of a firearm without lawful, proper or sufficient purpose. He will appear in Auckland District Court on December 6. "


SC: Murder or self-defense? "On the night of February 5, 2005, Scotty Fowler was shot and killed, and April McCullough was the one who pulled the trigger. The defense is saying the shooting was a case of self defense. However the solicitor's office found enough probable cause on that night to arrest McCullough and charge her with murder. ... Scotty pushed past April's mother, bruising the mother. He then broke into the house and chased April to the back of the house and April fired one shot at him. It went into his arm and ended up going into his chest and killing him."

N.Y.: First guns, now bats: City Councilman James Oddo (R-S.I.) is pushing a bill that would ban aluminum bats because they're . . . dangerous. Earth to Oddo: Sports are dangerous. And even if we were to indulge your "logic," you're going after the wrong end of the equation: It's not the bat that's dangerous - it's the ball. Perhaps the hardball should be replaced with a Nerf ball? In the interests of safety, of course . . . New Yorkers: How long will you allow a bunch of arrogant "do-gooders" to ban whatever they decide is bad for you? Smoking and trans-fats weren't enough to satisfy their appetite. Now bats are on the agenda for those who envision a world without an iota of risk - and are happily willing to ram their dreams down your throats."


Self-defense isn't a privilege, it's a right: "The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today responded to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's latest outrage -- suggesting that citizens in his city don't need gun permits -- by reminding the anti-gun rights mayor that 'Self defense isn't a privilege, it's a right.' Bloomberg announced on his radio program that he wants to reduce the number of people who have concealed handgun permits in the Big Apple. He told his radio audience, 'If you tell me you need a gun permit, you're telling me you don't think the NYPD can do a good job in protecting you. Most people, I don't see any reason why they need it.'"

Foolish S.C. deputy: "A gunshot was fired into the floor in an Anderson County middle school after a student accidentally pulled the trigger of a deputy's holstered gun. The gun fired Wednesday morning after a student grabbed it as the deputy told them how hard it was to take a gun from an officer's holster, Sheriff David Crenshaw said. The student's finger apparently was small enough to get inside the holster and pull the trigger, the sheriff said. The bullet fired into the floor, and debris cut and scratched two students. But no one was seriously injured, school officials said. The sheriff's office has begun an internal investigation and the officer involved is on administrative leave, said Crenshaw, who would not identify the deputy or say whether he would be paid while on leave. "The officer there today had a major lapse in judgment," Crenshaw said Wednesday. "He was just trying to be nice to the kids and made a faulty decision. It was an accident. The good Lord blessed us that nobody got hurt."


Tennessee man is shot, wounds intruder during home invasion : "Jefferson County authorities are investigating a home invasion and shooting incident reported Monday afternoon at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Taylor on West Highway 25/70, Dandridge. Jefferson County Chief Deputy Bud McCoig said two unidentified attackers entered the Taylor home uninvited at 1:06 p.m. "Mrs. Taylor was struck over the head with a gun and her husband was struck in the shoulder by gunfire. As they were leaving Mr. Taylor shot at the intruders and we are positive that one of them was struck," McCoig said. The Taylor couple was transported to Jefferson Memorial Hospital where Mrs. Taylor was treated and released and her husband was admitted for treatment of the non-life threatening injury.... A short time after being alerted of the incident, deputies found a pickup truck matching the description of the getaway vehicle, abandoned at the Dolly Mart, formerly Don Kerr's Market on West Highway 254/70 at the Interstate 40 intersection.... Officers reportedly found blood in the pickup leading them to confirm that one of the intruders had been struck by gunfire."

W.Va. Gunman overpowered: "Four people taken hostage by a gunman at a pharmacy overpowered their captor Monday after he demanded prescription drugs and fired several shots, authorities said. The 90-minute standoff ended when the hostages, who were barricaded inside the store with the gunman, hit him with something, Sheriff's Deputy B.E. Ferrell said. None of the hostages was harmed, but the suspect was taken to a hospital, Ferrell said. The nature of his injuries was not immediately clear, but a witness said he had taken a painkiller and an anti-anxiety drug. The gunman arrived with a handgun and a sawed-off shotgun, taking six people hostage at the Family Discount Pharmacy in Stollings, about 60 miles southwest of Charleston, according to Logan County 911 Director Marilyn Crosby. Pharmacy technician Jessica Thompson, 24, said the gunman said he needed drugs but could not afford to buy them. The man told the hostages that he wanted to kill himself but did not want to hurt them, Thompson said. He was given an unknown quantity of Lortab, a painkiller, and Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, which he took, she said. He then became drowsy. Workers told the man there were more drugs in an adjacent building, Thompson said. She told the suspect she was going to get the keys to the other building but ran for help instead. "I was just afraid he would hurt the rest of them that were in there," she said. Another worker in the store also escaped after a similar ruse. Authorities identified the gunman as Jeffrey Harvey, 31. They did not release details about the last four hostages or how they overpowered him.


TX: Homeowner kills intruder: "A Fourth Ward townhome owner shot and killed a man who walked into his garage wielding a hunting knife Sunday night, police said. "It looks like it was an attempted robbery," said Detective B.W. Nebors of the Houston Police Department Homicide Division. The homeowner told police he was working in his garage at about 6:45 p.m. in the 1000 block of Ruthven when the intruder walked inside with a knife. The homeowner said he grabbed a gun he had stored nearby and fired at the suspect. The unidentified suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. "The area gets a lot of foot traffic ... and the homeowner said he had been burglarized in the past," Nebors said."

Arms bearing can bear the defeat: "The Second Amendment has emerged from the biggest Democratic victory since 1974 with relatively little damage. One reason is that in races all over the country, Democrats returned to their Jefferson-Jackson roots by running candidates who trust the people to bear arms. ... Nevertheless, the class of pro-gun Democrats who will be joining the House and the Senate includes some who will eventually become party leaders, and who will help move the Democratic party back towards its traditional position of respect for the civil liberties of the American people. A very constructive development, in the long run."


Knoxville, Tennessee: Armed commissioner faces down gunman: "A Knox County commissioner known for his pro-gun stance says he aborted an armed robbery at his car dealership Saturday with the aid of his .380-caliber pistol. Greg "Lumpy" Lambert, who represents the 6th District, said he was at Advantage Auto Sales on Clinton Highway early Saturday afternoon when a young man began acting suspicious while test-driving a 2005 Ford Focus. The man, identified as 19-year-old Kane Stackhouse, claimed to have $12,000 in his pocket and seemed intent on buying the car without any haggling or even a mechanical inspection, Lambert said. Later, as the paperwork was being drawn up, Stackhouse stepped outside to smoke a cigarette, Lambert said. When the commissioner went outside to tell him it was time to work on the title, Stackhouse is alleged to have pulled a .25-calber handgun from his jacket pocket. Stackhouse is being held on a charge of attempted robbery."

MI:Man shot dead after argument: "An argument turned deadly shortly before noon Thursday in an Albion car dealership parking lot when the owner pulled out a revolver and fatally shot a man, police said. JP Auto Sales owner Frank Murphy, 67, was outside the blue aluminum-sided business at 337 Bemer St. when he started arguing with Joe Lee Miles, 56, of Albion. The shouting ended when Murphy pulled out a .32-caliber revolver and fired two shots, said Detective Lt. Scott Kipp of the Albion Department of Public Safety. One bullet hit Miles in the chest. Officers descended on the scene in minutes to find Miles bleeding to death in the parking lot with Murphy still at the scene. Police whisked Murphy away, while Miles was scooped onto a stretcher and taken to Battle Creek Health Systems. He was pronounced dead on arrival. Police released Murphy after questioning; the prosecutor's office in Calhoun County authorized the release. Preliminary indications are that the shooting was an act of self-defense, Kipp said. "He felt he was in fear for his life," Kipp said. Friends and former employees of the dealership gathered behind the yellow crime-scene tape as police investigated the scene. "Frank's a good guy, he wouldn't hurt nobody," said Jimmy Huff, who said he used to work for Murphy. "He carries that gun for protection because he's been robbed before. ! He wouldn't have shot nobody unless he had to."


MD: Gunfight leaves 1 dead, 1 injured: "One man was killed and another was critically wounded Sunday during a "gun battle" at a Crofton home, Anne Arundel County police said. Responding after noon to a report of a shooting at 1709 Leisure Way, police found one man dead. He has not been identified. A resident of the house, Christopher Michael Haramis, 25, had been shot multiple times, police said. He was in critical condition yesterday at Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Police said the shooting may have been tied to an earlier confrontation during a party at the house. About 2 a.m., police said, a man and a woman who had stepped outside the house were confronted by two men looking for cash. "The persons inside the residence came out and basically interrupted the robbery and subsequently fought with the robbers," said Lt. David Waltemeyer, a police spokesman. "The robbers then ran away, making away with money, and no one was injured." Those robbers may have been the two men who came to the house midday Sunday, Waltemeyer said. Haramis, who was inside the house with three others, was armed and shot the intruder, who died at the house, police said. It is unclear who shot Haramis, police said, adding that the other intruder fled".

NC: Man shot by homeowner, not deputies: "A man wounded during a home break-in on Tuesday was shot by the resident, David Grice, the sheriff of Davidson County, said yesterday. A news brief in yesterday's paper incorrectly said that the man had been shot by deputies. Grice said that Zackary Allen Staley, 21, of 149 Clapp Farm Road was shot by the homeowner, Phillip Cross Jr. The shooting remains under review and no charges have been filed against the homeowner, Grice said. Grice said that deputies were sent to Cross' home Tuesday on a report of a home invasion and that shots had been fired. Grice said that deputies learned that Staley was shot after he kicked in a door into the basement of Cross' home. He was hit in the knee and hand."


WI: Wrong to shoot menacing black? "The teenager accused of killing a Green Bay man will go to trial. Carl Morgan, 16, faces first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree attempted homicide charges in the shooting death of 21-year-old Greg Smith. Smith's family members were visibly shaken as they listened to witnesses talk about what they saw happen in a downtown Green Bay parking lot in the early morning hours of October 13th. Carl Morgan was not in court for Friday's hearing because of a motion asking to keep his identity hidden while witnesses are on the stand. A written statement submitted by Morgan says he drank vodka with friends that night, and they were waiting in a car in the parking lot as one of them went into Hip Cats bar. Morgan's friend says a group of guys were standing nearby when "the people in the car asked if we had a lighter." Witnesses say somehow a verbal confrontation ensued between the two groups, and it quickly turned physical. That's when Morgan's statement to police says he reached in the trunk and grabbed a gun that he'd bought. Morgan's statement was read in court, "When I pulled the gun out, the black guy started walking up to me, saying, 'What's up? What's up?'" "I know I shot him but I don't know how many times. I don't remember where I shot him, but I put the gun straight out. The black guy staggered around and then fell." One of Morgan's friends who was with him that night says he thinks Morgan fired a warning shot toward the ground before opening fire but says Smith kept coming at him. The district attorney refutes any case of self-defense. "I think other testimony shows that there was a significant enough distance between those two people that this wasn't any kind of case where any kind of self-defense necessitating gun shots," John Zakowski said."

PA: Man cited again for firing gun: "Township resident Richard S. Seruga received his 10th citation for the same offense -- firing a weapon within 150 yards of an occupied structure -- Sunday afternoon, police said. According to police, Seruga violated a township ordinance when he discharged a pistol on his property in the 3800 block of Bee Line Drive. Police also ticketed him for disorderly conduct Sunday. The 62-year-old had been previously cited for the offense nine times since Oct. 18, usually after neighbors complained about his gunfire. Seruga's attorney has argued the township ordinance doesn't apply to people firing weapons on their own property and last week said his client may sue the township if police continue to cite him."


Gun control hypocrisy: "From Rosie O'Donnell's armed bodyguards to Dianne Feinstein holding one of the only ccw licenses in San Francisco, the anti-gun world is rife with pundits who don't practice what they preach. What is it about these people that make them believe that guns are perfectly ok for protection, as long as it is their guns; and that you can't be trusted with yours? Do they believe their lives are more important than yours? Or is it that they believe they are the only ones capable of handling such a responsibility? It says a lot about their views about the 'common folk' when they exercise a right they daily try to deny you."

Utah: Judge tosses wrongful-death suit against sheriff's deputy: "A federal judge has dismissed a wrongful death suit that claimed a Salt Lake County sheriff's deputy was "wholy unjustified" in shooting an armed Riverton man who was cornered by a police dog and being bitten by the animal.... "Officers need not acquiesce to an armed and threatening suspect's demands when they are attempting to apprehend him," Stewart wrote in his ruling. The confrontation was sparked by two 911 calls the night of April 18, 2004, reporting that Thomson was suicidal and was threatening family members in his home with a loaded gun. Court documents say that as deputies were arriving, Thomson, a 32-year-old Utah National Guardsman, left the home. After searching several yards, Morrical released a police dog to help locate the suspect. As he was hiding from officers, Thomson called his father on a cell phone and said he was in trouble. He also spoke on his phone to a sheriff's lieutenant who was in Thomson's home and said he wanted the searchers to back off, according to court documents. By then, the dog had cornered Thomson, who began yelling at deputies to call off the dog and threatening to shoot. The officers surrounded him, drew their weapons and twice ordered him to put down his gun. Morrical says that he saw Thomson place the barrel of the gun into his mouth briefly then take it out and point it at him. The deputy then fired one shot, striking Thomson in the head."


NC: Light sentence for shots in the back: "A Dunn woman pleaded guilty this week in Lillington to the October 2005 shooting death of her husband. Her attorney said she was an abused wife and was shooting in self defense. The prosecutor said there was no need to shoot the man seven times, six of those shots in the back. Under the plea agreement, the charge against Shonta Jones, 28, of 303 E. Duke St., was reduced from first-degree murder to voluntary manslaughter for killing Channing Leopold Strickland, 31, of 1025 E. Edgerton St., in the bathroom of her parents' home. Ms. Jones lived at the Duke Street residence with her parents, Lenzo and Evelyn Monk, and Ms. Jones' three young children. Superior Court Judge Stafford Bullock sentenced Ms. Jones to an active sentence of 24 to 38 months, with credit for time served and work release."

Funky Buddha owner sentenced in shooting : "The owner of a Denver bar who shot a burglar pleaded guilty Tuesday to tampering with evidence, and received a deferred prison sentence with no prison time. Christakes Christou, 60, was originally charged with attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault after he shot Dwayne Stepp, who broke into Christou's Funky Buddha Lounge, 776 Lincoln St., at 3:11 a.m. Jan. 3. A judge threw out the attempted first-degree murder charge earlier. Christou still faced the assault charge, which carries a sentence of 10 to 32 years on conviction. But prosecutors agreed Tuesday to dismiss that charge in return for his plea to tampering with evidence, a class 6 felony. The tampering charge stemmed from an allegation that Christou picked up a gunshell casing at the shooting scene and put it in his pocket. Lynn Kimbrough, spokeswoman for the Denver district attorney's office, said prosecutors agreed to the plea bargain because "we didn't believe there was a reasonable likelihood of conviction had we gone ahead with the first-degree assault charge." Denver District Judge Shelley Gilman gave Christou a deferred sentence. Christou will not, under the plea agreement, have to pay restitution to Stepp. The deferred sentence means the case will be dismissed as though it never happened if Christou doesn't break the law in the next two years."


MS: Pawnshop robber shot: "A man allegedly attempting armed robbery at a local pawnshop was shot in the head by a store employee Monday morning. The man is in critical condition at a local hospital. Three subjects entered Old South Pawn Shop on St. Catherine Street around 10 a.m., Police Chief Mike Mullins said. Two of the men had their faces covered and the third stayed by the door. One man was carrying a handgun in each hand, demanded money and soon fired into the store, Mullins said. "The employee returned fire and struck him in the head," Mullins said. The employee held the other two suspects at gunpoint in the parking lot until police arrived. Two men were arrested, while the third was transported by ambulance. "The employee appears to have fired in self defense," Mullins said. "No charges have been filed against him."

Jury finds Kansas man not guilty of murder: "Willie Rodriguez asked for it, he got it, and a jury Friday exonerated the man who did it. Deliberating barely two hours, the jury of 10 women and two men acquitted Judd Stephen Hurst of second-degree murder for gunning down Rodriguez, 19, in a gun-waving confrontation last year alongside a dark road outside Toppenish. In a separate verdict, the jury ruled the shooting was justified under a state law that protects the right of self-defense and ordered that Hurst, 27, receive reimbursement in the form of civil damages. A dollar figure will be decided later. Yakima County Superior Court Judge Jim Lust signed papers on the spot freeing Hurst from jail, where he had spent the past 14 months awaiting trial. A related gun charge was also dismissed.... The shooting on Aug. 28, 2005, culminated a confrontation that began at a party attended by Hurst, who is from Overland Park, Kan., and was visiting friends in the area. Witnesses testified Rodriguez, a member of a reputed street gang called the Outlaws, became angry when Hurst and a friend offered to give a woman named Angelica Gopher a ride home. Gopher was Rodriguez's off-and-on girlfriend, and they had a child together. Rodriguez pursued the Hurst car, forcing it off McDonald Road. Rodriguez's 2-year-old daughter was in the back seat with Gopher. Witnesses testified Rodriguez got out and began threatening Hurst and the other occupants of the car with a .25-caliber chrome-plated pistol. Hurst then grabbed a Glock semiautomatic pistol from under his car seat and opened fire at close range, firing 13 bullets in just a few seconds. Rodriguez was hit 11 times, including five or six times at almost point-blank range after he collapsed to the ground."


Fruitcake Mayor: "The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today responded to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's latest outrage -- suggesting that citizens in his city don't need gun permits -- by reminding the anti-gun rights mayor that "self defense isn't a privilege, it's a right." Bloomberg announced on his radio program that he wants to reduce the number of people who have concealed handgun permits in the Big Apple. He told his radio audience, "If you tell me you need a gun permit, you're telling me you don't think the NYPD can do a good job in protecting you. Most people, I don't see any reason why they need it." "There goes Mikey again," CCRKBA Chairman Alan M. Gottlieb declared. "He still thinks there's a Bill of 'Needs' instead of a Bill of Rights. Where did he get the arrogant notion that people need to ask him to exercise their rights, especially the right of self-defense? "But more importantly," he continued, "Bloomberg is fooling himself while he's trying to fool everyone else because he knows that police cannot be everywhere, and they are typically not around when a crime is committed. Even police will admit they can't prevent most crimes from happening. "Bloomberg doesn't care about any of this, of course, because he's got around-the-clock security," Gottlieb observed"

Chicago area: Comic book store owner shoots, kills armed robber in self-defense : "The strip mall was the scene of an attempted armed robbery that resulted in an exchange of gunfire and the death of the would-be robber Friday, police said. The shooting occurred at Westlake Cards, Comics and Coins, 1234 W. Lake St., police said. DuPage County State’s Attorney Joseph Birkett said the shooting was justified and no charges would be filed against the shopkeeper, Glen Soustek of Hanover Park. What ended in deadly gunfire began at around 10:30 a.m., when a man carrying a black bag walked into the comic book store, authorities said. He proceeded to the counter in the back of the store and pulled a handgun out of the bag, police said. He then jumped over the counter and pointed the gun at Soustek. Almost simultaneously, the owner — who was at his desk on the opposite side of the counter — pulled his own gun from the desk and the two fired at each other, authorities said. The armed robber — later identified as Geoffrey A. Webb of St. Louis, a 40-year-old convicted felon — was shot several times, including the head, and died at the scene. Soustek suffered a single gunshot wound to the arm. After the shooting, he ran out of his store, seeking help at the neighboring Silver Lake Restaurant. He was later treated and released from Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village.... Upon arrival, police discovered Webb behind the counter, gun still in hand, they said. Emergency workers attempted to treat him, but he was pronounced dead at 10:54 a.m. Authorities said they also discovered a mask, duct tape and handcuffs in his bag. Later, police learned Webb was convicted of an armed robbery in 1994 and served time in prison. He was on parole at the time of the shooting, authorities said.


Chicago area: Jury acquits man in bar shooting : A Lake Superior Court jury acquitted a Gary man of murder in the shooting death of 23-year-old Kevin Stephens in March 2004. Michael C. Andrews, 27, was found not guilty Friday afternoon. Andrews testified Thursday that Stephens produced a handgun after intervening in a fight between Andrews' uncle and cousin. The fight occurred at about 3 a.m. on March 20, 2004, in the alley behind Dena's Pub at 35th Avenue and Broadway. The bar has since closed. Andrews said Stephens leveled the gun at him, the two struggled and shots were fired. Stephens was shot in the chest, back and thigh. Defense attorney Herbert Shaps told jurors his client, acted in self-defense and out of fear his uncle would be shot. Police never found the weapon."

Authorities say Anchorage man shot teen in self-defense: "Authorities said Friday they will not bring charges against Matthew Schneider for killing a teenager in his driveway last summer. "The District Attorney's Office has reviewed this evidence in light of the applicable Alaska law and has determined that Mr. Schneider's actions were in self-defense," Department of Law spokesman Mark Morones said in a prepared statement. James Ifopo, 17, Rodney Maatafa, 16, and another unnamed youth were on bicycles and approached Schneider, who had just pulled into the driveway of his East Anchorage home just after 11:30 p.m. on June 28, authorities said. According to Morones, Schneider asked them to leave his property three times, and then said he would call the police. Witnesses said Ifopo then hit Schneider in the head a number of times. Schneider was still standing in the open door of his car. Officials said another teen pushed the car door closed and into Schneider. Schneider told officials he was knocked to the ground with all three teenagers punching him. Schneider told police he drew a gun he carries with him and shot Ifopo in the chest. Maatafa was hit in the arm. Ifopo died of the wound, and Maatafa was treated and released."


PA: Man not guilty in homicide charges but still in jail: "A Squirrel Hill man who said he shot his former girlfriend in self-defense was acquitted Friday of homicide charges. Former white supremacist Hardy Lloyd, 28, shot Lori Hann, 41, just above her left eye the night of Aug. 3, 2004, in Squirrel Hill. Lloyd gripped his attorney's hand as the jury foreman delivered the verdict, clearing Lloyd of first- and third-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter. He was convicted of a gun charge, carrying a firearm without a license. "We think the jury followed the law, and applied the facts. It was the appropriate decision under the facts," said defense attorney Caroline Roberto. "His statement to police was very convincing." ... Lloyd faces up to five years in jail on the gun charge when he is sentenced by Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Lawrence J. O'Toole. A sentencing date has not been set. Lloyd returned yesterday to the county jail, where he has already served about two years. Roberto said she will seek to have him released on bond."

CO: Victim fights back: "A man allegedly found trying to break into a car got a lot more than he expected when his intended victim fought back. Grand Junction police said 28-year-old Aaron Johnson pulled a knife on the man when confronted Tuesday afternoon, but the victim was armed with a gun and chased Johnson down the street. The incident prompted a brief lockdown after the suspect crossed onto Chatfield Elementary School property. No one was hurt, and police and sheriff's deputies caught the man within five minutes. Johnson faces multiple charges including burglary, and possession of more than a gram of methamphetamine. Police suspect he may be involved in other unsolved burglaries in the area"


Vigilante in trouble: "Adrial White did something many people think about – even if only for an instant. He saw someone breaking the law and took action. In an alley between Blaine and Arthur avenues, in the early morning hours of Jan. 18, 2005, White saw three young men rummaging through his girlfriend’s car. He came out the back door, police said, shouting and swearing and shooting. One of the young men was shot in the back of the neck, and a bullet lodged in his jaw. Another was shot in the back. One ran away, uninjured. The young men met back at the minivan they were driving that night, picked up their friend’s body, and drove to the hospital. Christopher “Eric” Carbajal was dead. Enrico Serra, Jr., needed surgery. Adrial White was arrested, and has been charged with homicide and attempted homicide. Days after the shooting, White’s attorney Robert D’Arruda said his client acted in self-defense. White’s supporters packed the courtroom for his early appearances. They wore shirts and carried signs saying “Free Adrial.” ... City residents packed Gethsemane Lutheran Church for a meeting called by then-police Chief David Spenner and Mayor Gary Becker. Some accused city officials of ignoring violent crime until it struck outside the inner city. Dozens of people leveled criticism at the police, saying they don’t do enough to respond to crime. Many publicly supported White’s alleged actions. They understood why someone would want to use force – even deadly force –- to protect their property. ... White is expected to take the stand in his own defense this week, and D’Arruda, his attorney, said they will be trying to show self-defense. “In my opinion this case boils down to what the jury believes,” he said. “The jury’s decision will be based on whether Mr. White acted in self-defense or not. That’s the jury’s call.”

IN: Woman scares off burglar : "A 41-year-old Muncie woman fired a gun at a man who had tried to break into her house, she told police. The thwarted burglary comes less than a week after another Muncie woman beat a suspected burglar with a cooking pot. The woman was asleep early Saturday morning in her home in the 1300 block of East Fifth Street when she heard noises and saw a figure outside her bedroom window, she told police. She went to her front door with her .38-caliber revolver and fired a shot in the direction of the burglar as he ran eastward from her home."


TX: Homeowner shoots intruder: "Investigators want to know why a man who was shot and killed was in a family's home. It's the first deadly shooting in Gillespie county in ten years. Deputies say it appears 30-year-old Dan Speight broke into the homeowners garage. That homeowner woke up, walked up to Speight and asked what he was doing. The homeowner told deputies Speight didn't answer, but ran towards him. Investigators say the homeowner shot Speight twice."

N.Y.: Neighbours from Hell shot: "A grand jury refused to file charges against a man accused of shooting at his neighbors after a running feud, killing one man and wounding two others. Jasper Lemon Jr., was freed from jail after authorities dropped murder, attempted murder and weapons possession charges. After evaluating the evidence, the grand jury panel concluded Thursday that Lemon was justified in his conduct and acting in self defense, prosecutors said. Lemon, 22, was accused of using a .22 caliber rifle to gun down Albert Maeweather, 33, and wound his brother, Timothy Maeweather, 27, and a friend, Amar Chavis, 25, June 22. Prosecutors said Lemon shot at his neighbors from the upstairs window of his home. Police spokesman Sgt. Tom Connellan had said the Maeweathers had moved in next-door to the Lemons about two years ago and the problems began almost immediately. Police were sent to the homes frequently to investigate reports of screaming, swearing and bottle and brick throwing, he said."


Woman Still Gets Jail In Self-Defense Drug Shooting: "A Pittsburgh woman cleared of shooting and killing a man who stole her stash of crack cocaine was sentenced on Tuesday to 1½ to three years in jail for illegally carrying a gun. Karena Dorsey had faced a maximum of seven years in jail. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that the 19-year-old Homewood woman apologized on Tuesday and asked for a second chance. In August, an Allegheny County judge found Dorsey not guilty of homicide, but convicted her of possessing a firearm without a license. The judge found that Dorsey acted in self-defense when she shot 42-year-old DeWayne Rankin during a confrontation over stolen drugs in Homewood on Sept. 26, 2005. Dorsey had testified that she confronted Rankin after he stole $750 of her drugs and that she shot him when he came at her in a threatening manner. The Trib reported that Dorsey was pregnant, suspended from school, working at a Foot Locker and dancing in a strip club at the time of the shooting, in addition to dealing crack in Homewood."

French conservative leader opposes guns: "The majority of private gun-owners and enthusiasts were getting ready to vote for Sarkozy until, during a radio show, the presidential Candidate answered a question about the right to keep a gun and the right of self-defence. It was on the RTL radio network on 22nd September:- "I'd like to say one thing about my conception of the Republic . Security is the responsibility of the State. I am against militias. I am against the private ownership of firearms, and I'm trying to make you think about that. If you are assaulted by an armed burglar, he'll use a gun more effectively than you anyway. So you're risking your life. If the criminal isn't armed and you are, and you shoot, your life will be ruined because killing someone over a theft isn't in line with the republican values (that are also my values). The private ownership of firearms is dangerous. I understand your exasperation if you have been burgled a couple of times. I understand the fear that your wife and daughter may have. But the answer lies with the efficiency of the police and the efficiency of the judiciary process. The answer is not in having guns at home." Thank you Monsieur le Ministre. It's always a pleasure to hear someone like you tell us we should have confidence in the police ... those same police who won't go into les banlieues with less than a hundred cars to arrest one "youth" for attacking the patrol car of a couple of terrified cops."


Trigger-happy police? "A teenager who carried a Bible and shouted "I want Jesus" has died in a St Louis hospital after being shot twice with a police stun gun, authorities said today. The growing use of stun guns by US law enforcement agencies has raised concerns among human rights groups. In a report released in March, the organisation Amnesty International said it had logged at least 156 deaths across the US in the previous five years related to police stun guns. In a statement today, police in Jerseyville, about 65 kilometres north of St Louis, said 17-year-old Roger Holyfield would not acknowledge officers who approached him and he continued yelling "I want Jesus". Police tried to calm the teen, but Holyfield became combative, according to the statement. Officers fired the stun gun at him after he ignored their warnings, then fired again when he continued struggling, police said. Holyfield was flown to St Louis's Cardinal Glennon Hospital after the confrontation on Saturday; he died there on Sunday, police said. [Sounds like a harmless nut died for nothing]