Alabama car repossession goes bad: "Alone in his mobile home off a winding dirt road, Jimmy Tanks heard a commotion at 2:30 a.m. just outside his bedroom window: Somebody was messing with his car. The 67-year-old railroad retiree grabbed a gun, walked out the back door and confronted not a thief but a repo man and two helpers trying to tow off the Chrysler Sebring. Shots were fired, and Tanks wound up dead, a bullet in his chest. The man who came to repossess the car, Kenneth Alvin Smith, is awaiting trial on a murder charge in a state considered a Wild West territory even by the standards of an industry that's largely unregulated nationally. Since Tanks' death last June, two other repo men from the same company Smith worked for were shot, one fatally. "It's gotten to where it's a crazy world out there," said Smith, 50, an ex-Marine who preaches part-time and sings gospel music. Smith said Thursday that he fired in self-defense after Tanks fired a shot. Federal law says workers can't "breach the peace" while repossessing items, but it doesn't go further to state just what that means, leaving definitions up to courts. All three Alabama shootings were in the middle of the night, which an industry leader said was a sign of a problem. It was June 26 that the repo man came for Tanks' car in Halsell, a tiny, rural Choctaw County town near the Mississippi line. Tanks already had filed for bankruptcy and was behind on his payments, court documents show. Tanks heard a noise and went outside with a gun, something anybody would do, said Choctaw County Sheriff James Lovette, who knew Tanks for years. Smith was indicted Tuesday, but no charges were filed against a man and his teenage son who accompanied Smith, said Lovette. Smith's defense lawyer, Rusty Wright, said Tanks came out of the trailer and fired, and that Smith "just wanted to stop him." "This is not the gunslinging cowboy that people think about with repo guys," Wright said. "(Smith) wasn't out to kill the guy."


Colorado: Pellet Gun Scares Would-Be Robber: "A suspect armed with a revolver ran away after a Woodland Park store clerk pulled out a pellet gun and told him to leave Thursday. He is considered armed and dangerous by police. The robbery happened at the 99 Auto Detail on 219 South West Street in Woodland Park just before noon. Police say the suspect walked into the business showed a small revolver and demanded all the money. The owner Glenn Kothe went to the area where the money is kept and picked up a pellet gun pointed it at the suspect and told him to leave. The suspect ran from the business. Nothing was taken, no one was hurt. The suspect is described by police as a white male [race mentioned! How surprising!], early 20's, approximately 6 foot, 175 pounds, short brown hair, GI haircut. The suspect was last seen wearing blue jeans and a long sleeve crew neck shirt which was darker than the jeans."


Disarming the poor: "One particularly insidious method employed by the citizen disarmament lobby is banning so-called `Saturday Night Specials,' alternatively referred to as `junk guns' - inexpensive handguns, in other words. Although the term `Saturday Night Special' did not exist in 1879, the first law of this type was Tennessee's `Army and Navy Law' of that year. . The motivation behind such a law is not hard to guess. With laws explicitly prohibiting gun ownership by blacks no longer feasible, because of the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1875, the racists had to be (slightly) more subtle in their efforts to keep blacks disarmed, and thus subject to domination."


MD: Bill to deny gun offenders bail advances: "One of Mayor Sheila Dixon's top priorities for the General Assembly advanced yesterday when the House of Delegates gave preliminary approval to a measure to prevent bail commissioners from releasing convicted gun offenders if they are arrested again. The law, which Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III has said will `take guns out of the hands of bad guys,' would require courts to hold convicted gun offenders on a no-bail status if they have a new arrest. The bill still requires final approval by the House and consideration by the Maryland Senate."

Minnesota: Gutsy woman honored "Two years ago, Susana Khalil, eight months pregnant and with a toddler daughter at her side, shot a would-be robber at her husband's convenience store on St. Paul's East Side. Police Chief John Harrington, who lives near the store at Earl Street and Maryland Avenue, honored Khalil on Thursday for her heroism. During a ceremony at police headquarters, he said he was amazed she had the presence of mind to protect herself and her daughter with a woman bearing down on her with her hand in a bag pointed at Khalil's head. "Horrific," the chief called the threat. The suspect, Angel Star Kaster, shot by Khalil in the left shoulder, pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated robbery in the 2007 incident. She'd used a TV remote control in the bag to simulate a handgun. She went to the store that night, she said, to have pizza with her husband, Joe Khalil, who then asked her to mind the counter while he made a quick run to Cub Foods. Before he left, she said, he told her there was a gun under the cigarette racks. Kaster entered the store, she said, while daughter Vivian was playing with lottery tickets beside her. The woman headed toward a cooler near the counter, but then charged at the pregnant Khalil. Khalil managed to push Kaster into a corner, she said, at which time she grabbed the gun. Kaster approached again, Khalil said, and made a move toward the girl. Without aiming, Khalil said, she shot her. "I don't know if she have a gun -- or if she have a knife," she said. Police said it was legal to have a gun at the store."


Grandpa carries a gun: "An old grandpa once said, `Son, there comes a time in every man's life when he stops bustin' knuckles and starts bustin' knee caps. Usually it's when he becomes too old to take an ass whoopin'.' He goes on to say the following: `I don't carry a gun to kill people. I carry a gun to keep from being killed. I don't carry a gun to scare people. I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.'"


Senate votes to ease DC gun restrictions: "District of Columbia residents would have far greater access to firearms, including semiautomatic weapons, under a measure the Senate approved Thursday. The 62-36 vote was a victory for the pro-gun lobby which has waged a lengthy battle against the tough antigun laws imposed by the district on its residents."


AR: Guns in church bill dies: "A state Senate panel has rejected a bill that would allow concealed handguns in Arkansas churches, a proposal that divided religious leaders. The measure would have removed churches and other houses of worship from the list of places where concealed handguns are banned in Arkansas. Only churches and bars are on that list. . Nathan Petty, a pastor at Beech Grove Baptist Church in Fordyce, said churches should have the right to decide whether to allow concealed handguns. `It's not the role of the state to preserve the sanctity of the church, and it's not the role of the state to impose religious judgment calls on churches,' Petty said."

Florida: Homeowner foils burglary attempt: "A resident on the 2100 block of Padlock Place heard what appeared to be someone breaking into their home earlier this morning. According to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the homeowner stated a burglar was attempting to break the glass on a window. “There have been several burglaries in this area in recent weeks,” said Sgt. Tony Drzewiecki, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office said about northwest Tallahassee. “We don’t know if this is related to those recent burglaries; however, we have uniformed deputies in the area now and we are working on any leads.” Drzewiecki said the resident, armed with a shotgun, investigated. Upon finding an unknown person breaking into the home, the owner fired a shot, which missed, and the suspect fled. No one was hurt in the incident, and deputies are searching for the persons responsible for the break in."


Delaware man wrangles handgun from would-be robber: "When a New Castle area man found himself being held up at gunpoint early today, he managed to wrestle the weapon away from the would-be robber, a woman, police said. The bandit, who was unsuccessful in the robbery attempt, then ran off before New Castle County officers arrived. The incident occurred about 12:30 a.m. at the Georgetown Village Apartments, county police spokesman Cpl. Trinidad Navarro said. Officers were called to Building R in response to the robbery report and spoke with the 51-year-old victim, who still had the woman's gun. He told the officers that he was about to enter his apartment building when he heard someone run up behind him. He turned around to see a woman approaching the building, so he held the door open for her only to be accosted at gunpoint. The man was able to wrestle the handgun away from the woman, run to his apartment and call police. The woman, meanwhile, ran out of the building and disappeared."


TN: Higher gun penalties pushed: "While the state legislature is pushing bills that would relax some gun laws, Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton and county commissioners are championing a pair of proposed laws that would boost penalties for repeat offenders and people who carry guns without permits. Commissioners will vote today on two crime-fighting proposals, one from Wharton that would make it a felony instead of a misdemeanor for first-time offenders who are caught illegally carrying guns.The second, sponsored by Commissioner Mike Ritz, would enhance sentencing for repeat felony and misdemeanor offenders. It is not specifically related to gun crimes and would basically require more mandatory prison time for repeat criminals."


MT: Montana loading another shot for states' rights : "Montana lawmakers are betting the words `Made in Montana' might be able to trigger a court showdown with the federal government, while also freeing some gun owners and dealers from background check and licensing requirements.Under a proposed law before the Legislature, firearms, weapons components and ammunition made in Montana and kept in Montana would be exempt from federal regulation, potentially releasing some Montanans from national gun registration and licensing laws. The legislation could also free gun purchasers in the state from background checks."

FL: Store clerk thwarts armed robbery: "A store clerk thwarted an armed robbery attempt late Tuesday night when he pulled out a weapon of his own, according to Tampa police. The two armed robbers fired back at the clerk as they ran out of the store, police said, but no one was hurt. The attempted robbery took place at the Friendly Meat 'N Grocery at 1910 N. 34th St. around 9 p.m, according to police. Two men wearing ski masks and gloves entered the store. One man pulled out a pistol and aimed it at the clerk. But the clerk, Mohammed Abu Sayed, 49, also had a gun. Realizing he was about to be robbed, police said Sayed quickly armed himself. Then the two men ran out of the store, police said, and the robber with the gun fired off a shot behind them as they ran. The bullet shattered a store window, police said. The men jumped in a dark-colored SUV and took off in an unknown direction. Police said no one was injured in the attempted robbery."


Texas: Homeowner Shoots, Kills Armed Man Angry Over Being Refused Entry To Party: "A homeowner in the Providence neighborhood shot and killed an armed man who may have been seeking retribution after being kicked out of a party on Saturday night. The name of the dead man hasn't yet been released, "pending forensic confirmation," the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said in a statement issued Monday morning. However, a law enforcement source with knowledge of the case said the dead man is believed to be "a pretty high-ranking member of a gang," whom the homeowner appears to have shot while "defending his property and his family." According to the sheriff's office statement, deputies responded to a disturbance and possible shooting incident at 10:48 p.m. Saturday at a home in the 8700 block of Warrenford Drive, between Bellaire Boulevard and Bissonnet St. west of State Highway 6. "Upon arrival, Fort Bend County deputies found an unidentified male lying in the street, the victim of an apparent fatal gunshot wound." The sheriff's office didn't name the homeowner or reveal details of the shooting incident. But the law enfocement source familiar with the investigation said the dead man and one or more companions had approached the homeowner's house and tried to enter, because one of his children was having a party there. But the dead man and his companions were told to leave, and initially did so, the law enforcement source said. But then they came back. "One of them approached the man" who owned the house "and threatened him." Both the homeowner and the alleged gang member were armed with handguns, the source said. At least one shot was fired, and the man who tried to crash the party was killed."


South Carolina: Homeowner holds suspect at bay in pool: "A Lexington County man suffered cuts - but still was able to detain a man police say was caught breaking into his home Thursday. The homeowner held the man - at gunpoint - in his swimming pool. Ruben Silva-Aguilar, 19, of Lexington, was arrested on charges of first-degree burglary and assault and battery with intent to kill in connection with the incident, the Lexington County Sheriff's Department said. Silva-Aguilar is being held at the county detention center, awaiting a bail hearing. Reports indicate a homeowner on Gilbert Springs Court near Batesburg-Leesville arrived home Thursday as a burglary was taking place. According to reports, items were being carried out of the home's back door when the homeowner was cut on the arm with a knife. The homeowner managed to throw the man into the pool. Deputies responded at about 3:35 p.m. to a call about a burglary in progress, Metts said. A neighbor directed them to the home's backyard, where they found the homeowner - armed with a rifle - had forced the suspect to stand in the middle of the in-ground pool, reports say."


What is wrong with guns in churches? : "The Arkansas state legislature recently passed a law which makes it legal for holders of concealed-carry permits to carry their guns in church, and Brown is upset about that. “I don’t know about you,” he writes, “but that sounds like something we would expect from Arkansas.” I beg to differ. Recall that Arkansas’s former governor, and recent presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee, wanted a nationwide ban on smoking. A state whose former chief executive happily promotes such Nanny State ideas seems an unlikely place for libertarian sensibility on firearms policy. But it is precisely that kind of sensibility that is being attacked by Brown. “I understand that about 20 states already allow people to carry guns to church, which really seems strange to me.” Really? A church is a publicly accessible piece of private property, like Wendy’s or Wal-Mart. I don’t wish to trivialize the experience; ours is a nation of churchgoers, and clearly the event is quite important to each and every one of them, different from grabbing a burger. My point is that, as far as risk assessment goes, there is no reason why a person who carries a gun for self-defense would arbitrarily draw a line at his church’s door."

California woman fends off suspected burglar with gunshot: "A woman fended off an alleged burglar by shooting at him after he tried breaking into her Octillo Drive home on Tuesday morning, according to Barstow Police. The suspect was later arrested in a nearby backyard. The 49-year-old resident fired one shot and missed the suspect, Eric Charles Anderson of Barstow, who allegedly tried to break into her home through several entryways. Police believe Anderson, 27, first tried to open at least one door to the home, according to a Barstow Police report. Anderson then removed a screen to a bedroom window and forced the window open. As Anderson started coming into the window, the armed resident threatened to shoot him from inside the home if he came nearer, according to police. He left toward the front of the home where he tried to break in again. The woman then shot at Anderson and he fled. Barstow Police officers responded to the incident at about 8:10 a.m. and found Anderson hiding in a nearby backyard, according to the report. No injuries were reported. Police could not release information on the victim or the type of gun involved in the incident, according to Sgt. Mark Franey. Police found that the bullet fired by the resident missed Anderson and struck a wall across from the home. The woman reported to police that she did not know the suspect. Anderson was taken into custody and booked into jail at the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Barstow station on a charge of burglary. His bail is set at $10,000."


Ohio Armed Robber Gets Shot At: "Daniel Lee and Erin Beckwith were eating dinner at the Green Papaya restaurant in Oakley around 6 p.m. Saturday when suddenly police swarmed the parking lot. "We were out celebrating a friends birthday. And didn't hear anything. Next thing we know we saw a number of cop cars and we saw the lights outside and had no idea what was going on," said Beckwith. Little did Lee and Beckwith know, just feet away the family-owned Natural Life Nutrition Center had just been robbed. The clerk face to face with the armed robber was the owner's son. "He complied with the demands that were made by the gunman. He turned over the cash that belonged to the store. As the gunman turned to leave, he felt threatened once again. The gunman raised his firearm towards the employee of the store. At that point, the employee then returned fire," said Sgt. Darryl Morton with the Cincinnati Police Department. Police say the store was robbed last year. Since then, the owner's son has been armed with a small caliber handgun. After shooting at the robber several times, the man ran out of the store. Police arrested a suspect less than a mile away in the Rookwood Pavilion parking lot just minutes later."


Louisiana homeowner shoots, wounds burglar: "A man police say was trying to rob a house ended up in the hospital after he was shot by the homeowner. It happened just after midnight Friday morning in the 2800 block of Corbitt Street. Police say the homeowner entered the house and discovered 28-year-old Fredrick Dickerson inside. Police say the homeowner grabbed a gun and shot Dickerson in both legs. Dickerson managed to run away but was caught just around the corner. Police say he could be connected to other crimes in the area. "Our detectives did locate some other items on his person that may have been stolen in other crimes," said Shreveport Police Corporal Bill Goodin. Dickerson was taken to LSU Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. After he was treated for his wounds he was booked into the Shreveport City Jail on a charge of attempted burglary."


AK: Second Amendment Task Force plans open carry days: "A growing group of Fairbanks gun rights activists will show their support for the Second Amendment today by openly carrying guns. `We're going to have an open carry day,' Schaeffer Cox, unofficial leader of the Second Amendment Task Force, said Thursday. Members of the task force, which he called a `movement' more than a group or organization, will be displaying their firearms openly across Alaska's second largest city on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the next two weeks, Cox said."

AL: House OKs bill banning seizure of guns during emergencies: "A bill to prevent state or local government from seizing lawfully owned guns during emergencies sailed through the Alabama House on Thursday and now heads to the Senate, where it was approved last year. Rep. Mark Keahey, D-Grove Hill, said his measure is aimed at ensuring the chaos that comes with disasters, such as hurricanes, is not made worse by overzealous government officials. `The Second Amendment gives us[sic] a constitutional right to bear arms, and this bill is just an effort, on Alabama's part, to help us maintain that right,' Keahey said. The bill was inspired by the events following Hurricane Katrina, when New Orleans police collected more than 1,000 firearms from residents."


TN: Bill filed to ban microstamping guns, ammo: "Sen. Doug Jackson, D-Dickson, has filed legislation that would ban the sale of `microstamped' firearms and ammunition, calling them an infringement on the Second Amendment right to bear arms. California has passed a law mandating microstamping of firearms, `and I predict that Tennessee will pass a law banning it,' Sen. Jackson said. Called the `Second Amendment Protection Act,' the bill would outlaw sale of firearms and ammunition that are laser-engraved, or microstamped, to identify the buyer of the firearm or ammunition after it has been shot. `This process does little to track criminals, but it does a lot to eclipse our Second Amendment right to bear arms,' Sen. Jackson said."


An unarmed nation: "The Second Amendment guarantees citizens the right to keep and bear arms - period. It didn't put conditions or restrictions on that right. It simply guaranteed `the right of the people to keep and bear arms' and that that right 'shall not be infringed.' It didn't state that troops who were given guns and sent to war to fight for the freedom of America and the liberties guaranteed under the Constitution, would return only to be declared `a risk' for firearm ownership because the government decided war injuries had rendered them `psychologically unstable' and therefore, they would be denied gun ownership as civilians."


Gun control in churches: "This is why I write for non-gun owners: there is too much anti-gun disinformation floating around that sounds sensible at first, but which is untrue, and therefore not sensible at all. Most Americans are interested once they find how gun control interferes with their homes, families, workplace, personal safety and other civil rights. As Pericles put it, `Just because you don't take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.' For those claiming to be apolitical, politics definitely takes an interest in all of us. How gun control adversely affects each of us is in how various mandates begin to sweep into seemingly unrelated political issues, gun owner or not."

Texas: Burglary attempt gets man shot: " man who Sheriff's deputies say was trying burglarize a home is taken by helicopter to the hospital after he is shot. The shooting took place after 12 a.m. Wednesday in a business at the intersection of Wadsworth Street and Talcott Street in Channelview. Harris County Sheriff's investigators have not determined if a clerk or a security guard shot the would-be burglar. The 44-year-old man accused of trying to burglarize the store was shot in the abdomen and taken by LifeFlight to Memorial Hermann Hospital."


Texas burglar fatally shot: "A burglar was fatally shot in northwest Houston early Wednesday, police told KPRC Local 2. Houston police said a man kicked in the door of an apartment on Pinemont Drive near Langfield Road at about 3:15 a.m. Two men entered the home and one of them had a gun, investigators said. One of the tenants, 30-year-old Matthew Rixner, grabbed a shotgun and opened fire on the attackers, police said. One of the attackers was wounded and died at the scene. Police said he was 18-25 years old, but his name was not released. The second attacker escaped, officials said.


What is a Three Percenter?: "During the American Revolution, the active forces in the field against the King's tyranny never amounted to more than 3% of the colonists. They were in turn actively supported by perhaps 10% of the population. In addition to these revolutionaries were perhaps another 20% who favored their cause but did little or nothing to support it. Another one-third of the population sided with the King . and the final third took no side, blew with the wind and took what came. Three Percenters today do not claim that we represent 3% of the American people, although we might... We DO claim that we represent at least 3% of American gun owners, which is still a healthy number somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 million people."


So much for Australia's gun ban: "Weapons offences in Victoria have doubled in the past decade. Almost 7000 offences involving guns, knives and other weapons, bombs and explosives were recorded last year. That is up from 6716 crimes detected in 2006-2007 and 3472 crimes in 1998-1999. Hundreds of Victorians were found to be illegally in possession of guns, including pistols, or ammunition, explosives and illegal fireworks. The most recent figures available show 19 people were caught possessing, carrying or using unlicensed long-armed firearms such as rifles and 17 were caught using a firearm in a dangerous manner. People caught with a gun while prohibited from possessing a weapon numbered 172. A further 16 people were caught trying to take a weapon into court premises, 24 were caught either carrying or using a gun in a public place and 44 using or carrying a gun in a populous place. Eleven people carried a gun while drunk. There has been a big rise in the number of people charged with arming themselves with pistols or handguns and 258 people were caught in possession of an unregistered handgun. Two people were charged with possessing body armour without approval, while 30 people were charged with selling a firearm to an unlicensed buyer."

Florida woman shoots husband. Acquitted: "A Brantley County jury acquitted a woman of murder and related charges Wednesday in the shooting death of her husband last year. Teresa McKinney, 47, of Waynesville was found not guilty of malice murder, felony murder and four counts of aggravated assault in the death of Jeffrey McKinney, 45. He was shot in the head with a .22-caliber rifle on Feb. 27 at their home and died a month later. Jurors deliberated 90 minutes before acquitting her in the death that her attorney, John Thigpen, argued was "justifiable homicide." "He beat her to pieces, just black and blue," Thigpen told the Times-Union after the verdict. "He beat her like she was a borrowed mule. She acted in self-defense, and it was justifiable homicide." McKinney, a retired school bus driver, testified she shot her husband after he repeatedly hit her in the head with a broomstick in an attack that began when he started cursing and verbally abusing her. After beating her, he left the house and she locked him out. Mc-Kinney told jurors she warned him that if he returned, she would kill him. She said he came back and smashed in a window with a bicycle in an effort to force his way into the home. McKinney said she feared for her life, so she fired several shots with a .30-06 rifle, .410-gauge shotgun and a .22-caliber rifle in an effort to scare him away. She said she didn't aim at him or try to kill her husband, an electrician. When he was shot, she called 911 for help. He was found wounded in the yard."


Nevada homeowner shoots and kills a suspected burglar: "Las Vegas police say a homeowner shot and killed a suspected burglar after coming home and finding the person in his home. Homicide Lt. Lew Roberts says the homeowner likely would not be charged for the Sunday incident west of Nellis Air Force Base, but said the investigation was still in its early stages. Roberts says he does not know whether the burglary suspect, identified only as a man in his 30s, was armed. Robert's says the homeowner's gun is registered."


Texas homeowner shoots robber: "The Ellis County Sheriff's Office is investigating a shooting incident that occurred before noon in the 200 block of Newton Road near Ferris. Sheriff Johnny Brown said the homeowners were in the process of moving when they returned to the residence to pick up another load of belongings. En route, they observed two male suspects coming out of the residence. As the two suspects went to drive away in an SUV later identified by authorities as stolen, the male homeowner exited his pickup to ask them what they were doing. The suspect vehicle then struck the homeowner's pickup and the homeowner, who suffered slight injuries. "The homeowner opened fire on them at that point," Brown said. The suspect vehicle then struck another vehicle that the homeowner's wife had exited before going out into a field and coming to a stop. "The passenger got out and ran. The driver-suspect was transported by air ambulance with gunshot wounds," Brown said."


Ohio intruder shot at: "Police are searching for a man who may have been shot while allegedly burglarizing a garage Wednesday night, Jan. 21. A man from the 200 block of West Southern Avenue reported hearing a burglar in his garage over a baby monitor he had installed to listen for break-ins, according to a police report. The man went outside with a handgun to investigate when the intruder lunged at him and the gun "went off," the victim told police. The burglar shouted "I'm dead, I'm dead" before escaping on foot, according to the report. Chief Stephen Moody of the Springfield Police Division said he could not confirm that the intruder had been wounded. "We found evidence at the scene which led us to believe he had been hit by gunfire," the chief said.

North Carolina robber caught red-handed: "According to the Sampson County Sheriff's Office and the homeowners, Richard Corderro Woods, 21, of Asbury Road in Fayetteville was arrested Tuesday morning after Bryan Tew came home and allegedly saw Mr. Woods coming out the back door of his home in the 600 block of Eldon Store Road in the Mingo community. Mr. Tew, a local turkey farmer, said he was driving his tractor down the road to fill it with fuel around 11:30 when he noticed an unfamiliar Buick Roadmaster with a burgundy top parked in his garage with the trunk open. He said he parked his John Deere in front of the car, jumped down and was reaching behind the seat of his pickup truck for his rifle when he heard Mr. Woods kick open the back door, heard broken glass and saw him step outside with an armload of electronics, Wii games and a jar of change. "You ever see those cartoons where their eyes get big as saucers? That's what he looked like," Mr. Tew said. "I yelled at him and when he saw that gun, he sat the stuff down on the freezer near the back door turned around and ran back into the house." Mr. Tew said he chased Mr. Woods and caught up with him when Mr. Woods slipped on the linoleum near the front door of the home. "I told him to stay down and put his hands out," Mr. Tew said.... Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton said as it turns out, Mr. Tew had apprehended a suspect his office had been looking for since the middle of January in connection with several break-ins in the area. "We didn't know who he was, but we were looking for the automobile," he said. "Every time the automobile was spotted in that end of the county, he was gone by the time we got there... "He had merchandise in his car that tied him to crimes in Cumberland County and Fayetteville," Sheriff Thornton said"


Texas Hispanic burglar shot: "Irvin Horton, 64, was notified by his burglar alarm company of an active alarm at his business at 1012 Avenue Oaks shortly before 3am. When he arrived, he observed a suspicious vehicle occupied by the suspect, parked in the driveway adjacent to his business. Horton also noticed the gate to his business had been forced open and articles had been removed from a locked storage trailer inside the property. Police say Horton confronted the suspect while the man was inside the vehicle and told him to get out. The suspect refused and made a sudden movement inside the vehicle and reached for an unknown article. The suspect then started the vehicle and attempted to strike Horton as he attempted to drive away. Horton fired at the vehicle's front tire. The suspect continued to drive away while Horton continued to fire additional shots at the fleeing vehicle. The suspect lost control of the vehicle and struck a concrete drainage culvert at Robertson and Woodard. The suspect, described only as a Hispanic male, was transported to Ben Taub General Hospital in critical condition from injuries sustained during the incident. Horton was not injured."


Washington man shoots thug: "A robbery suspect was shot dead by an armed civilian late Monday, the first incident of justifiable homicide city police said they could recall in recent memory. Franklin McWain, 33, died at a hospital from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest. An autopsy was performed Tuesday. A police news release said the shooting occurred in the 800 block of North Second Street about 11 p.m. Monday. According to the release, a 27-year-old Yakima man told officers he was waiting outside a residence for a friend when he was approached by McWain. The man, identified as Michael Valadez, 27, said McWain struck him on the head with a stick and demanded money. Valadez told police he was struck several more times before firing two shots at McWain. Valadez had a valid concealed weapons permit. Valadez ran from the area and flagged down a passing police officer. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of a head wound and a broken left arm. The release said police found evidence at the scene that backed up the man's story. He has not been charged with a crime. McWain was a longtime Yakima resident whose criminal history included six felonies, police said. Court records show he was found guilty of charges related to eluding, theft and drugs, among other offenses."




Florida intruder shot: "One man is dead and a couple is left shaken after a home-invasion robbery turned deadly early Monday. The intruder wound up dead after he was shot by Heath Miller, 34, a popular music teacher at Howell L. Watkins Middle School. The dead man is identified as Robert Rishard Tomlin, 22 [above]. According to Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office spokesman Pete Palenzuela, Tomlin entered the home Miller was renting through a back sliding-glass door at about at approximately 1:50 a.m. Miller told authorities he saw the silhouette of an individual with a handgun coming through the bedroom door and fired. Miller and his wife Mirelle were quite shaken and were staying with his parents, said his mother Harma Miller, a former Belle Glade mayor who served for 14 years as a city commissioner. Several youths in the neighborhood said they saw Tomlin, whom they knew as "Shard," Sunday night when he visited friends at their apartment complex. He has been arrested multiple times, according to records, for everything from assaulting police officers to domestic violence. Miller had concealed weapons permits from 1999 to 2003, according to records, which are no longer public. Detectives recovered a .40-caliber handgun Tomlin used in the home invasion, according to Palenzuela."

FL: Homeowner fires gun at attempted robbery suspects: "Collier County sheriff's deputies are on the lookout for three men in a light blue minivan who they say attempted a home invasion Wednesday night in Golden Gate Estates, but fled when the homeowner shot at them. Around 8:51 p.m. the three men attempted to enter a home in the 3600 block of 36th Avenue Southeast off Everglades Boulevard, Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Karie Partington said. The homeowner saw a light blue minivan pull up in the back yard. "She gets a shotgun and fires two rounds of birdshot at the van," Partington said. It is unclear if any of the three men, who were described as Hispanic, were shot, authorities said. Deputies, dogs and a Sheriff's Office helicopter were all searching for a minivan with damage."


Elderly man shoots burglar at Australian winery: "An elderly man shot an intruder at his winery after surprising two men in an apparent burglary attempt, police say. Police spokesman Rex Haw said the wounded man escaped from the Herne Hill property after the shooting about 9.55pm (WDT) last night, but was later located at a Perth hospital. "There appears to have been a burglary at this winery at Herne Hill," Mr Haw said. "The bloke has disturbed the offenders and shot one of them. "The wound wasn't fatal, and the offenders have shot through." The wounded man sought treatment at the Swan Districts Hospital and was taken to Royal Perth Hospital for surgery. The ABC reported the homeowner was in his 80s and was a carer for his wife.


Canada: Board of control defers decision on gun ban : "Challenged by Toronto Mayor David Miller to support his efforts to ban handguns across Canada, London's board of control ducked today, deferring the decision to another day. When no one on the board seconded Controller Gina Barber's motion to support the ban, her colleagues instead asked staff to prepare a second option: A ban that would create exclusions for those who own legally registered guns. . Controller Bud Polhill opposed the delay, noting that the second option simply mimicked the current federal gun ban, which also creates an exception. The delay came after a lengthy presentation by the East Elgin Sportsman Club, which argued that bans are ineffective and a waste of money."


Illinois panel OK's concealed-carry gun law: "An Illinois House panel overwhelmingly approved legislation Wednesday that would allow residents to carry concealed handguns or other weapons in public. Illinois and Wisconsin are the only two states in the country that do not allow concealed carry. The House Agriculture and Conservation Committee advanced two versions of the legislation by an 11-1 vote. One version would require the Illinois State Police to issue the concealed carry permits; the other would task county sherrifs with issuing permits. Both bills would require permit applicants to be "law-abiding citizens" and to complete a training course in handgun use, safety, marksmanship and laws pertaining to firearm use. "It's high time Illinois join the overwhelming majority" of states that allow concealed carry, said Todd Vandermyde, legislative liaison for the National Rifle Association. "Forty-eight other states can't be wrong." Vandermyde said carrying a handgun is critical for self-defense. "If I don't have the ability to have a firearm on my side, I don't have a fighting chance," he said."

OH: One robber dead, the other up on murder charge: "Terry L. Baccus may not have fired the deadly shot but he’s still facing the consequences. Baccus, accused of trying to rob a resident here last week, is facing a murder charge after his partner was shot to death by the robbery victim, Cincinnati homicide investigators said. Details of the last week's botched robbery emerged today when homicide investigators filed the charges against Baccus for the death of Antonio S. Rainey, 29, of Avondale. Rainey was found dead, lying against a fence in front of the Duke Energy Station at Lincoln and Ashland Avenues around 7 a.m. on Feb. 10. The discovery came more than eight hours after the shooting. At the scene, homicide investigators found multiple shell casings, said Cincinnati Sgt. Gary Conner. It took days before enough clues emerged to unravel the case. Investigators believe Rainey and Baccus, 28, of Lower Price Hill, tried to rob a resident in the 1300 block of Lincoln Avenue the night before Rainey's body was discovered. The two men showed a gun but the victim had his own, Conner said. "During the robbery, the victim drew a weapon and fired several shots as Rainey and Baccus fled," Conner said. Both Rainey and Baccus were struck. Baccus was shot once in the leg and was still recovering at University Hospital when police charged him with murder and aggravated robbery Tuesday afternoon. "If you're robbing someone and your partner is shot and killed, you can be charged with the homicide," Conner said. The robbery victim has not been charged as the incident remains under investigation."


KC police identify robber shot by store owner: "Kansas City police today identified a robbery suspect who died after being shot by a store owner and involved in a car wreck Sunday afternoon. Christopher L. Kublic, 28, moved to Kansas City from the state of Washington within the past month, police said. Along with another man, Kublic allegedly tried to hold up a hydroponics store using a stun gun about 5:15 p.m. Sunday in the 3600 block of St. John Avenue, in the city's Northeast neighborhood. The store owner told police he pulled his own gun and shot the robber. Shortly after the holdup, a vehicle matching the suspects' was found overturned about three blocks away. Kublic was lying next to the wrecked vehicle. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The second suspect remained at-large this afternoon, police said."


NV: burglary suspect fatally shot by homeowner : "A homeowner fatally shot a burglary suspect Sunday afternoon at his northeast valley residence. . Homicide Lt. Lew Roberts said that about 4:15 p.m., police responded to a shooting at a residence .. Roberts said the homeowner reported returning home and finding the suspect inside. Police did not identify the suspect, who died at the scene, or the homeowner. Roberts said the deceased appeared to be in his 30s. He did not know whether the suspect was armed. Roberts said it appears the homeowner would not be charged but emphasized that the investigation was in its early stages. Roberts added the homeowner's gun appeared to be registered."


What's next - a .499 caliber ban? : "After so-called `assault weapons,' the second most popular target of the gun prohibitionists would probably be .50 caliber rifles. The ostensible `logic' (being generous here) is that such rifles are `too powerful' to be entrusted to private citizens. Nightmare scenarios of airliners being shot down, or tanks of dangerous chemicals being breached, are breathlessly trotted out in efforts to frighten the public. One thing never mentioned in discussions of these potential disasters is an account of anything like that ever happening, anywhere in the world. The very simple reason for that is that nothing like that ever has happened."

New Zealand farmer cleared of murdering gangbanger: "A frightened farmer who shot dead a gang associate when threatened on a remote Eastern Bay of Plenty property was cleared of murder in the High Court at Hamilton late today. David Allen, 45, said he was acting in self defence when he fired once at Muni Rangi Sam Collier -- known as "Boxer" -- following a confrontation over a disputed debt. After deliberating for five hours, the jury of seven men and five women accepted his defence, also ruling out manslaughter. A single man, Mr Allen managed an isolated 607 hectare forest and cattle farm in the Takaputahi Valley, off Motu Road about 40km southeast of Opotiki, for the overseas owner. During the trial it was revealed that two weeks before the fatal shooting, Mr Allen had been brutally beaten with a fence post by two men who arrived on horseback demanding money. Mr Allen, who suffered extensive head and facial injuries, spent several days in Whakatane Hospital. The court heard that Mr Collier, 35, left his Opotiki home at 2.35am on September 15, 2007, to find Mr Allen, who allegedly owed Mr Collier's gang of workers money for tree pruning. Evidence was given that he had traces of methamphetamine and cannabis in his bloodstream when he died."


GA: Man shot in self-defense : "A man was killed last Tuesday, Feb. 3, resulting from an altercation with his alienated wife and her male friend. Boderick Horne, 31 of Milledgeville, was found dead with several gunshot wounds in the home of his alienated wife, Lakeisha Horne, 28, in her duplex apartment located in River's Edge Subdivision. Officials said that Boderick Horne had forcefully entered his estranged wife's home confronting Lakeisha Horne and her male friend, Keeno Weaver, a GCSU Employee.Authorities say that the males got into an argument taking the confrontation into the kitchen when Weaver shot Boderick Horne several times resulting in his death."


AR: Area clergy respond to concealed-gun proposal: "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition" could take on new meaning if a measure passed this week in the Arkansas House gains Senate approval and Gov. Mike Beebe's signature. House Bill 1237 would allow people licensed to carry concealed handguns to carry them in church and on church property.The possibility of armed members in the congregation received a mixed reaction among some Twin Lakes Area ministers.Dave Gadbaw, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Mountain Home, said he thinks the proposed bill is "not a bad idea" in light of church shootings across the country."I find the idea of carrying a handgun to church very disturbing," said Pastor Ron Rector of First Christian Church of Mountain Home."


An insurance policy that increases risk: "The Chi-Town Political Machine is flexing its gunhating muscles once more. The latest in your face harassment of Illinois' `law-abiding' gun owners comes from Representative Kenneth Dunkin .. House Bill 687. would force all of those individuals to obtain a $1 million liability insurance policy. This policy would cover any damages that take place from the use of a firearm owned by the individual. The bill also authorizes the Department of the State Police to revoke and seize the identification card from any firearm owner that does not supply proof of the liability coverage to the Department. So he's got you! If you abide by the state's restrictive firearms laws and this passes, you'll either need to be able to pony up for coverage, or lose the means to defend yourself and your loved ones in your own home. If you can't afford it, too bad."

FL: Gun-toting good Samaritan foils Pompano Beach robbery : "Police say Fabrizzo Sandovaz might want to work on his planning and execution. First, he forgot to put his Jeep in park when he allegedly pulled behind Walid Hamad's car and jumped out to rob the 48-year-old Palm Beach County man. Second, the spot he chose for the armed robbery happened to be in the driveway of a Pompano Beach surveillance and securities retail store where employees are particularly active in exercising their Second Amendment rights. `Friday the 13th wasn't a lucky day for this robber,' said Mike Jachles, a spokesman with the Broward Sheriff's Office."


Pork bailout bill could ban guns for millions of Americans : "The Obama administration is putting a lot of pressure on Congress to slam through the most recent $800+ billion bailout package before anyone has an opportunity to read it. The Obama administration intones that the details are unimportant. The only thing that matters is the `bigness.'"


Kerlikowske pick more proof of Obama's anti-gun agenda : "Reports that Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske has been tapped to become the nation's next `drug czar' offer more proof of the anti-gun intentions of the Obama administration, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today. `During his eight-year tenure as Seattle's police chief, Gil Kerlikowske has established himself as a devoted lobbyist for every restrictive gun law proposal,' said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb."


WI: Store offers deal on guns, diamonds: "Valentine's Day shoppers are getting more `bang' for their buck at one Eau Claire store. It's an unusual combination. Buy a pair of diamond earrings, get a free gun. General Coin and Gun Exchange owner Brian Zinn says since `guys like guns and girls like diamonds,' he figured he['d] `mesh the two together this year.' He says some wives have been sending their husbands into the store to take advantage of the `bang bling' deal. Zinn says if you buy a $400 pair of diamond earrings, you can pick any gun in the store worth under $300. The free gun deal runs through Valentine's Day."

Mississippi: Armed resident surprises thieves: "Three suspected burglars fleeing an angry and armed Jackson homeowner were arrested and charged Tuesday night, police said today. Precinct 2 Cmdr. Jesse Robinson said the west Jackson homeowner who lives in the 2300 block of Powers Avenue came home late Tuesday to find his front door kicked in. The owner found three strangers hiding in a rear bedroom and fired several shots. He missed, and the intruders fled, according to Robinson. However, a police officer later arrested and charged Corey Husbands, 20, Ceola Washington, 18, and Brandon Carter, 25, with house burglary. They are being held at the Hinds County Detention Center on $25,000 bond each."


California: Robber shot during coin shop heist dies: "An armed man attempting to rob a North Park coin shop Friday morning was killed after he and at least one of the store's employees exchanged gunfire, police said. The man and an accomplice went into the Old Coin Shop on El Cajon Boulevard, just east of Texas Street, at 9:16 a.m. and confronted two employees who were both armed with handguns, said San Diego police homicide Lt. Terry McManus. About the same time police received a 911 call about the robbery and while en route, shots were fired inside the business, McManus said. Officers found the would-be robber lying on the ground just east of the front door of the shop. McManus said his accomplice had picked him up from inside the store and brought him outside to a nearby parking lot before fleeing with the handgun. The man had been shot in the left leg and in the lower back, and he died at Mercy Hospital at 9:54 a.m., the lieutenant said. He has been identified as Michael Anthony Watkins Jr., 26, of San Diego. Witnesses said they saw the second man running from the store. He was described only as a young black man, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a thin build and was last seen wearing a gray sweater and dark pants, McManus said. Officer searching the area found clothing and a handgun in an alley behind a building on Hamilton Street near Howard Avenue, McManus said."


Are churchgoers' lives less worth defending?: "In several states, one of the fronts on which the battle between gun rights and citizen disarmament is being waged is over the right of worshippers to carry a defensive firearm in church. For me, the controversy is a little difficult to understand--why should going to church necessitate surrendering the ability to defend oneself and one's family? Churches may be sanctuaries, but going to one is clearly no certain defense against people bent on evil--with the killings at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church last summer being just one example. Some religious people might prefer to trust their faith to shield them, but personally, I much prefer the results of relying on a courageous, armed, private citizen. This debate has returned to the forefront in light of passage in the Arkansas House of Representatives of a bill to repeal the state's church gun ban."




The supergun that kills from a mile: "British Army snipers call it 'the Silent Assassin' and it is the weapon the Taliban fear the most. It is the British-made L115A3 Long Range Rifle which, in recent weeks, has killed scores of enemy fighters in Afghanistan. In a new initiative on the front line, the Army is using sniper platoons to target the Taliban and 'The Long', as the snipers call it, can take out insurgents from a mile away. The L115A3 Long Range Sniper Rifle - based on a weapon used by the British Olympic shooting team - weighs 15lbs, fires 8.59mm rounds and has a range of 1,100-1,500 yards." [Sounds a lot like the Barrett M107]

CA: Previously-Deported Illegal Arrested with Assault Weapon

(San Bernardino, California) A 33-year-old previously-deported illegal alien, Jose Hernandez, was arrested Thursday night for allegedly possessing an Uzi submachine gun with a high-capacity magazine.

Sheriff's officials said Hernandez had been convicted of felonies, including gang violations, and was deported after his last prison term.

He was arrested on suspicion of possessing an assault weapon, violating parole, participating in a street gang and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement violation.

Heh. Maybe next time Hernandez is arrested after being deported, he'll have a grenade launcher.

NH: Second trial for attempted murder ends in acquittal: "A Milton man was acquitted of nearly all charges yesterday for shooting his ex-wife in 2003, in a stunning reversal of an earlier conviction. Although Fichera received a reboot, he did not to go with insanity this time around. Instead, his lawyer, John Durkin, went after his ex-wife Monica King's credibility by highlighting a long-running "obsession" she had with a Dartmouth College professor and pointing out inconsistencies in her testimony about the day of the incident. "I think the jury got a picture of someone who was certainly injured, but either intentionally fabricated or was incapable of telling the truth about all of the circumstances," Durkin said after yesterday's verdict. King's testimony during the four-day trial may not have helped matters. She told a disjointed, emotionally erratic story of what happened in 2003 that lacked specifics. Also, email excerpts read in court revealed King has repeatedly contacted a Dartmouth professor to tell him how much she loved him despite his rejecting her advances. Durkin contends Fichera accidentally shot King as the two struggled over a shotgun."


Montana progress: "The Montana House is backing a plan to clarify self-defense laws and expand the right to carry concealed weapons. The bill would make it clear that those who use a weapon in self defense are innocent until proven guilty. It lets people carry concealed weapons inside city limits and declares that everyone has the right to self defense without an obligation to first run away. Supporters say the law needs to be changed to reflect the gun-rights beliefs of Montanans. Opponents argued House Bill 228 would make it easier for criminals to get away with intimidation and assault. The Senate has already endorsed its own self-defense legislation, which says people have a right to use self defense in their homes without first trying to run away."


Huge injustice: Raid victim convicted for act of self defense: "In Chesapeake, Virginia, Ryan Frederick was convicted by a jury of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of a burglar who was breaking down his door. It could have been worse; Frederick faced capital murder charges in the case, since the burglar was Jarrod Shivers, a police detective who was participating in a misfired marijuana raid on Frederick's home. But it also could have been better. Frederick could have received the same slap on the wrist that police officers usually get for killing innocent people during SWAT raids gone wrong. The case has been mired in controversy since the beginning. The raid was apparently sparked by a report from a freelance burglar who had earlier broken into Frederick's residence during the course of his work as a police informant who served as Fourth Amendment-evading eyes and ears for local law-enforcement. That burglar reported seeing marijuana plants growing in Frederick's home. In fact, while the resident apparently did grow a few illegal plants at one time for his own use, the crop the burglar spotted appears to have been an unrelated and perfectly legal plant -- at least, police found only a small baggie of grass when they raided the place. And raid they did. Ryan Frederick was in bed when he heard his door being knocked down. Fearing a return of the earlier burglars, he retrieved a gun and opened fire on his assailants, killing Shivers. During the trial, Frederick's neighbors testified that police made no audible announcement of their law-enforcement status, giving the man inside no warning of who he faced. For his act of self defense, Frederick was convicted of voluntary manslaughter by a jury, which rejected stiffer charges, but also recommended a maximum sentence of ten years."


Preventive arrest: Four Detroit teenagers are facing criminal charges after fleeing Southfield police officers in a stolen car and crashing into the vehicles of innocent bystanders Feb. 10. A sawed-off shotgun and ski mask were among the items recovered from the stolen car after its occupants were arrested. "We caught them going to an armed robbery - the shotgun was on the front seat," said Southfield Police Chief Joe Thomas. "This is not the first time we've done this, where we've spoiled bad guys' opportunity to commit a crime in Southfield. This is a pattern here, and evidently they don't get it. We've got a special unit on the street that does nothing but look for potential problems. Our arrest rate is extremely high." At 2:30 p.m., two police officers were on patrol in the area of Eight Mile and Northland Drive when they saw a 1998 Ford Taurus with defective equipment making erratic lane changes without signaling. Police checked the plate in the law enforcement network, and it was registered to a vehicle stolen in Garden City on Feb. 6. A traffic stop was initiated, but the vehicle fled the area, police said. Officers pursued the Taurus northbound on Southfield Road as it passed several vehicles by driving on the shoulder. As the vehicle approached 10 Mile it got into an accident, and three black males were seen running from the stolen Taurus. After a short foot pursuit, officers apprehended two teens, ages 17 and 18, who both resisted arrest and refused to comply with the officers' demands; a Taser was deployed. A K-9 unit found a third suspect, 17, hiding behind a tree. A fourth man who had been in the car was ejected during the crash and was initially unresponsive."

Arizona homeowner takes on four Hispanic invaders: "A homeowner, alerted of an impending home invasion by his security cameras, arms himself and takes matters into his hands last Thursday when four armed suspects attempt to break into his home. The video the owner caught is incredible, and you can see it by watching the video link to the left. You see a vehicle pull up, and four men run out. One of them is carrying what appears to be an AR-15 or M-16, a weapon which could be fully automatic. The robbery happened last Thursday in broad daylight at a home on West Vande Loo Street. All the action was caught by the homeowners outdoor surveillance system. "The victim was able to get back inside his house, close his door, semi barricade it, reach for [a] weapon that was easily accessible," says Pima County Sheriff's Deputy Earl Gieron. The homeowner shot at the suspects. He even put a bullet through the windshield of the suspects car, which is also caught on camera. The four men retreated and took off. All of them remain on the run."


Four states, among last holdouts, eye open-carry gun laws: "Four Southern states - Texas, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Arkansas - are considering legislation that would allow people to carry handguns openly in a holster. These generally Second Amendment-friendly states are among the last six holdouts against open carrying of guns. Openly carrying handguns is legal in most states, even those that ban concealed firearms. New York and Florida also bar openly carrying handguns. The four other states that ban so-called open carry `are extremely gun-friendly. They understand the individual-rights aspect. Yet for whatever reason, the carry laws in these states are restrictive,' says John Pierce, a co-founder of OpenCarry.org, which promotes gun rights."


How do we really get out from under the financial crisis? No, really?: "At this hour, twenty states are petitioning for state sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. This is new this month. California is among those seeking Sovereignty. Twenty more are likely to join the new movement. One of the first things we do in meeting this immense financial boondoggles along with others is to affirm our sovereignty .. What does this have to do with a Gun Rights Examiner? Shouldn't Longenecker be talking about the Second Amendment? Let's talk about both. Our independence from our own public servants is exhibited continuously 24/7 simply by our not needing them .. The only reason for gun control is to make the people helpless so the government can appear to be necessary."


Anti-gun land bill on the move: "Lost in all the news of the massive bailout bill that just passed the Senate is another enormous bill, one that increases federal control of public and private land. Of particular concern to gun owners is that the bill, S. 22, will greatly expand the amount of land controlled by the National Park Service. NPS land is currently subject to a gun ban."

GA: Shot man kills robber: "Cobb police spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce said Richard Ellis, 38, of Cauthen Court in Marietta was getting out of his car in his garage late Saturday night when he was approached by a man with a handgun. The man demanded money from Ellis and shot him in the leg, police said. Pierce said the incident was not a random crime and that the two men had "previous contact" in the past. "Within moments of being shot and while the male is briefly distracted, Ellis grabbed the gun and a fight ensued in the driveway of the residence over control of it," Pierce said. "Detectives believe that Ellis was eventually able to wrestle the weapon away from the male before shooting him twice with it." The wounded man, identified as John Harrison, 33, of Palmetto, ran to the front porch of a nearby house and collapsed, Pierce said. Harrison was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital but died of his injuries. Ellis was treated at the hospital for his wound and released.


Oklahoma robber shot dead: "Just after 1 a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 600 block of East 53rd Street North. They found Terrance L. Johnson, 16, dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Police at the scene said the shooting might have resulted from a botched robbery attempt. On Monday, however, detectives were still investigating what led to the shooting, Ashley said. Preliminary information indicates that Johnson had gained entry into the home and that a resident of the home saw him with a handgun. The resident retrieved a gun and shot Johnson, Ashley said. The man who shot Johnson was interviewed by police and released. The case will be forwarded to the District Attorney's Office for a determination on whether charges should be filed."


FL: Gun dealers experiencing shortages of bullets : "Selling bullets may be the most secure job in Florida as long as supplies last.After months of heavy buying, gun dealers across the state are experiencing shortages.Some say it began with the election of President Barack Obama. Others say it's about the economic downturn or fear of crime. .'The survivalist in all of us comes out,' said John Ritz, manager of East Orange Shooting Sports in Winter Park. `It's more about protecting what you have.'Demand for bullets is so strong that suppliers are restricting deliveries.'Where we used to get 20 to 30 cases [in a shipment], we may get two to three cases now,' said Vic Grechniw of Florida Ammo Traders in Tampa."


MT: Aggressive gun-rights bill widely supported, opposed: "Proponents of House Bill 228 said gun owners in Montana are now held captive by gray areas in Montana statute that could lead to them being prosecuted for defending themselves with their firearm, or even displaying a pistol to deter would-be attackers... If passed, the bill would, among other things: allow people to carry a concealed weapon without a permit; greatly strengthen self-defense protections in the state; allow people to display their gun to deter an attack; allow people to use a gun whenever at risk of physical harm; and, in shooting incidents in which the person who fired the gun claimed self defense, require the state to prove that it was not."

Va death called self-defense: "Police say last night's fatal shooting in North Richmond was a case of self-defense. Darrell Jerome Ross, 38, shot and killed Edward Mitchell Perry Jr. 29, after Perry came into Ross' home armed with a gun and looking for someone with whom Perry had had a previous disagreement, police said. Also during the ordeal, Perry shot an 18-year-old man in the hand, authorities said. The incident took place in the 3100 block of Griffin Avenue. Ross was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, and police said they do not anticipate additional charges in the case. Police declined to provide additional details about the incident. A woman and two men at the house on Griffin Avenue declined to discuss in detail what had happened".


Jim Crow gun laws : "In case you own a gun, or might someday want to own a gun, you should know that congressman Bobby L. Rush of the Obama State introduced HR 45 on the first day of the 111th Congress. Make no mistake; what this bill seeks to impose are Jim Crow laws for gun owners. Since the Supreme Court's decision doesn't allow gun haters to ban guns, they plan to ban gun owners instead."


RI: Gun-rights advocates take permit law to task : "A behind-the-scenes tug of war has been going on between the state's police chiefs and gun ownership advocates over how local departments should decide who is allowed to carry a concealed firearm in public.For more than a year, members and volunteers with the Citizens' Rights Action League Rhode Island, a group of gun-rights supporters, have been showing up in police stations across the state, demanding to see the individual department's standards for deciding who gets a concealed-weapons permit. Police departments were required to develop such policies under the terms of a 2002 Superior Court decision in a suit brought by Smithfield resident James W. Archer, head of the gun-rights organization."


Vermont's Red Badge of Courage : "Vermont is the most free `State' in the `nation' with regard to firearms ownership and self-protection (with only Alaska as a close second), and was given a score of 4 out of a possible 100 by the Brady Campaign. Ed Cutler, president of Gun Owners of Vermont, in a recent interview, quipped that he would've been happier if the Brady Campaign's score had been zero. Note also that this callous denunciation by the Brady and NECPGV crowd flies in the face of the fact that Vermont enjoys one of the very lowest crime rates out of all 50 'states,' yet their `perfect' rating of 100 would reflect a society in which only bureaucrats - and other criminals - would be armed. One look at crime rates in the neighboring People's Republic of Marxachusetts explodes the Brady crowd's myth in a single blow."

OH: Quick decision needed. Man killed: "Jerome Washington knocked on the door of a man he had previously fought with, apparently intending to accuse him of breaking into his apartment. Washington chose to bring a realistic looking toy gun with him. The man he confronted thought it was real and shot and killed Washington. Police ruled it a justifiable homicide. Washington's grandmother disagreed. Exactly what does she believe he intended to do? Judging from the circumstances, it looks like Washington had hoped to intimidate his victim with the fake firearm. The other man had no way of knowing the firearm wasn't real, and took action to protect himself. It would be no different if someone waved a toy gun at a police officer. A person has to make a quick decision with the information available at the time, and when faced with what looks like a real gun, you can't afford to conduct an investigation on the spot.


CA: Gun hater in trouble: "Eight months into office, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens is locked in a bitter power struggle with the same Board of Supervisors that appointed her. And the two sides could soon end up in court. What started as a debate over Hutchens' plan to reduce concealed weapons permits has morphed into a multi-faceted fight with supervisors, who accuse her department of spying, bullying and misusing public property. Twice in recent weeks, Hutchens has publicly apologized to board members . Supervisor Chris Norby responded this week by sending a mass e-mail accusing Hutchens of mounting a `misguided jihad' on gun-rights advocates, prompting calls from Hutchens' supporters for Norby to apologize."


The twin threats of socialism and gun control : "The confirmation of Eric Holder as the new U.S. attorney general is being celebrated as one more `historic' moment in American politics. Holder is the first African American appointed as the nation's highest-ranking law-enforcement officer. He may also be the most anti-gun attorney general in U.S. history. Reason magazine called him an `outspoken gun control advocate' who as deputy attorney general and then acting attorney general `pushed for sweeping and restrictive gun control measures throughout his career while also endorsing the now-discredited collective rights interpretation of the Second Amendment.'"


Total gun control? : "HR 45 is nothing more than total gun control/ gun registration. Under HR 45; to own a handgun or a semiautomatic firearm with a detachable feeding device (get real) you must obtain a license from the attorney general of the United States government or its assigned representative. This representative could be a private organization under contract by the United States Government. There is no grandfather clause in this proposed legislation, any firearm that is owned before or after this law goes into effect, you must get a government issued license to keep that firearm."

MI: Business invader shot: "Sometimes there's no other option, said Richard Creed, a Bay County man who found himself in a life-or-death situation last month. Two masked men stormed into his business, Evergreen Insurance in Auburn, on Jan. 21 as Creed was getting ready to leave work. They were armed -- with what Creed has since learned might have actually been air pistols -- and planned to rob the business. A survival instinct kicked in, Creed said. "You don't know what is going to happen. Do you pull the trigger? Are they going to tie me up? Beat me up? Hold me hostage? All this is flying through your head in a nanosecond," Creed said. "If this is going to be your last day, it's not going to be passively that you leave." The men forced him into the back corner of his office, right where his own gun -- bought for protection -- sat on a shelf. Creed picked up the gun and pulled the trigger, shooting one of the men four times. The other fled. In this case, the shot intruder lived. He spent several days at Hurley Medical Center and then was charged with assault with intent to rob while armed. Creed is not expected to be charged with any crime."


Texas: Homeowner, Suspect Both Hurt after Burglary: "A Bristol homeowner was hurt Sunday after he rolled up on a burglary in progress. But he was able to shoot and stop one suspect before he got away. According to the Ellis County Sheriff's Office, the homeowner and his family returned home at around 11:30 a.m. They noticed two men about the take off in an SUV with some of their belongings. The suspects tried to drive off, slamming into the homeowner's truck and hurting both him and is young children. The man told deputies he them pulled out his small-caliber rifle and fired shots at the SUV. One of the suspects was hit three times and is now in critical condition at a local hospital. The second suspect fled on foot. Ellis County sheriff's deputies arrested a man they believe is the second suspect Sunday after a convenience store owner reported seeing someone suspicious."


Texas: Intruder shot at storage business : "Investigators said an alleged intruder at a Kaufman County business was in stable condition Friday morning after the owner shot him. According to Assistant Chief Deputy Troy Graham, the owner reported hearing someone inside his storage facility in the 1000 block of Everett Drive around 2:30 a.m. Robert Sanders grabbed his loaded rifle, walked to the front and confronted the suspected burglar. He opened fire and struck the suspect, several times. Deputies found the wounded man lying just outside the door. Sanders leases a storage unit at the location, and lives in the back of that unit. At this time, no arrests have been made. Police say there are no plans to charge Sanders. Stolen items from another nearby property were found in the victim's truck."


Arbitrary denial of gun ownership rights?: "I don't remember where I saw it the other day - if you enter it on Google, you get 22,700 hits - but it appears that Barack Obama's henchman, Rahm Emanuel, has declared that, if you're on the government `no-fly list,' then you ought to be stripped of your right to own a gun. The unalienable individual, civil, Constitutional, and human right of every man, woman, and responsible child to obtain, own, and carry, openly or concealed, any weapon - rifle, shotgun, handgun, machinegun, anything - any time, any place, without asking anyone's permission .I am not kidding. Understand that, despite the whines and bluster of the Torture Party and its minions, now being taken up by what we'll soon be calling the Other Torture Party, the `no-fly list' itself is as illegal as can be. Anyone who created and has enforced it needs to be arrested, tried, convicted, and sent to prison."

FL: Man Attempting To Rob Undercover Officers Shot, Killed: "A man was shot and killed in northwest Jacksonville Thursday afternoon after he tried to rob two undercover police officers, police said. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said the officers were parked near Portsmouth Avenue and Fitzwater Road in the Sherwood Forest neighborhood posing as drug buyers when a man walked up to their unmarked vehicle with a gun, pointed it in their vehicle and ordered the officers to give him their money. "A shot was fired by the would-be robber into the undercover officers' vehicle, very narrowly missing both the undercover officers," Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Chief Rick Graham said. "The undercover officers, in defense of their own lives, returned fire to which the suspect was shot." Police have not identified the man, but Channel 4's Vickie Pierre was told by a family member that the man shot and killed was in his early 20s. "It's a shame it had to happen like this," said Marcus Hunter, who said the victim was his cousin. "Now his little girl ain't got no daddy; her daddy got gunned down."


FL: Man killed during attempted robbery : "Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are investigating a fatal shooting at a New Smyrna Beach pharmacy on Saturday morning. New Beach Beach Police officers responded to a 911 call around 10:15 a.m., reporting an attempted armed robbery at The Medicine Shoppe, located at 653 N. Dixie Freeway. According to a police report, an unidentified man entered the pharmacy wearing a mask. He pulled out a gun and demanded drugs from a pharmacist on duty. An armed security guard, employed by the pharmacy, took action and shot the man. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. The identity of the security guard has not been released and it is still unclear whether there will be any charges in the shooting. Investigators say The Medicine Shoppe was previously robbed on two other occasions in the last three years."




Woman scares off robber with gun shot: "MS: The owners of a Biloxi convenience store stopped an attempted robbery with a gunshot. Biloxi Police say Travis Tyrone McCoy pulled a knife on one of the owners of Double Down Discount Thursday evening and demanded money from the cash register. Police say surveillance video from the shop shows the robber struggling with the store owner until the man's wife appeared with a gun. Police say she fired a shot over the head of her husband and the robber. The man then ran off. Police arrested McCoy Friday and charged him with armed robbery. He's being held at the Harrison County jail on $50,000 bond.


Lancaster, PA. Stupid City gun statute: "Charges against a city man who fired a pistol into the air to stop a group from assaulting his cousin should be dropped because the city ordinance limiting the discharge of guns flies in the face of state law and the Constitution, the defendant's attorney told a county judge during a hearing Friday. Lancaster city's revised gunfire ordinance unconstitutionally restricts the right to protect oneself and others, a lawyer argued at a hearing Friday. Both attorneys agree that Swinton, 25, of the 100 block of South Pearl Street, fired a revolver at about 1:45 a.m. Dec. 30, 2007, in the parking lot of the House of Pizza restaurant, 23 W. Chestnut St., as alleged in a police affidavit. Swinton said his cousin was being attacked and beaten by a group of assailants and that he fired a warning shot to disperse them. He had a concealed-carry permit for the gun. Police charged Swinton with reckless endangerment and illegal discharge of a firearm. The latter is a crime under an ordinance that City Council strengthened in 2007 at the urging of Mayor Rick Gray. Each shot - even a blank - is a separate offense and can result in a $500 fine and 90 days in jail. Swinton is the first person to be charged under the amended ordinance. State law gives a person the right to fire a gun if he or she believes another person is in imminent threat of serious harm, Crystle said. The city ordinance, in contrast, says shooting is justified only in defense of one's home, business or "human life." The city can't deny a right to Swinton that he has under state law, Crystle said."

MD: No-Knock Gun Search Leads to Complaint, Lawsuit

"After a Howard County police raid on his house three weeks ago, Mike Hasenei says he has a sprained wrist, a dead dog, a bullet hole in his bed and a 12-year-old daughter who is scared every time she hears a knock on the door.

Hasenei, 39, of the 6600 block of Deep Run Parkway, Elkridge, said he was sleeping shortly after 9 p.m. Jan. 15 when a police tactical team kicked in the door to his house. He woke up and walked into his living room to find it swarming with officers, he said. When he asked what was going on, he was ordered to get on the ground, and when he asked again, he said, he was knocked to the ground and told he was under arrest.

Police then searched his house, looking for items stolen from two marked police cars that were reported broken into on Jan. 14 in the Elkridge community of Mayfield, according to Hasenei, who said he works as a computer analyst at Marriott International.

During the raid, Hasenei said, police shot his Australian cattle dog, in his bedroom." (Source)

They killed his dog! It's understandable that Hasenei plans to file a lawsuit.

Texas woman shoots successfully through the door: "A Tyler woman successfully defended her property and children from would-be burglars by shooting at and hitting one of them through her bedroom door while she was locked inside, police said this morning. Police responded to the report of a burglary in progress at the Southwest Pines Apartments shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday. The resident, a 31-year-old woman, said someone was in her apartment and she was locked in her bedroom with her children, police said in a prepared statement. The suspects, who entered the locked back door, attempted to get into the locked bedroom, and the victim shot through her bedroom door. Police arrived and a 14-year-old boy was detained for questioning. A few minutes later, officers received information that a black male near the front of the apartment complex was advising he had been shot. Other officers responded to this location and found another 14-year-old boy who had been shot in the left jaw. Fire and EMS personnel arrived and took over the care of the boy, who was transported to East Texas Medical Center. The investigation revealed that three males had entered the apartment to burglarize it, and one of them was shot, police said. The age of the third suspect was not revealed by police. The suspect who was shot was admitted to ETMC awaiting surgery. He was listed in good condition before dawn today, according to a police statement. He is under arrest for residential burglary.



How conservatives can be conned into supporting gun control : "In the 1980s thousand of Americas suddenly discovered that they were owners of child porn merely because Attorney General Ed Meese quietly changed the definition. Previously a child was considered to be anyone under 16. Meese moved it to 18. Magazines that were previously legal became illegal and Ed Meese and crew complained about the `rise' in child porn cases. A redefinition of the term can, of course, change the numbers. Of course they played down the role that the redefinition had in the increase. Now none of these people are criminals in any real sense of the word. Most of this was over-zealous police acting stupidly - as police are known to do. But under the Walsh Act merely charging someone with this crime strips these people of the right to self-defense. A constitutionally protected right is stripped away, not because they were convicted of anything, but because they were charged with it."

Washington man catches burglar: "A man wearing only his underpants caught a burglar breaking into his home and held him at gunpoint until officers could arrive, police said. The suspected prowler was facing serious charges after the alert homeowner caught him in the act and held him at gunpoint early Tuesday morning in northeast Vancouver. Police said Matthew Morris, 24, was trying to break into the family's cars and possibly their home, when he ended up facing the barrel of the homeowner's gun. Tuesday, a woman FOX 12 will refer to only as "Sandy" was still shaken up over her family's startling wake-up call. "We were afraid. I mean, my husband was afraid and I was afraid for my children and for our safety," Sandy said. After a recent string of car break-ins, including one right next door, Sandy and her husband set out a motion sensor in front of their house. So when the alarm was activated early Tuesday morning, they didn't hesitate."(We) went to the window and saw the person in between our two vehicles and then trying to look in the front window," Sandy said. Her husband grabbed one of their guns and ran out to confront the man. Sandy's husband ordered the suspect to get on the ground and he kept him there, at gunpoint, until deputies arrived. Sandy said she and her husband are trained to use their guns properly. Even though they hope they never have to fire them, she said she hopes her husband's actions send a message to other criminals. "This area has been burglarized for the past two weeks, methodically down the street so hopefully that will come to an end now," Sandy said. Morris was charged with attempted car prowling, trespassing and possession of meth. But officials said he has already bailed out of jail."


NJ: Harsher penalties for unlicensed guns: "Gun control legislation . was signed into law yesterday by NJ governor Jon Corzine. The new law imposes more jail time and a significantly increased fine for those caught possessing an unlicensed machine gun or assault firearm in New Jersey. The law raises the penalty from third-degree to second-degree crime for anyone carrying an unlicensed gun. `This legislation was designed to deter the unlawful possession of guns which may be used in serious crimes,' said Ramos today . `Too often, we are reading about our young people who are involved in senseless acts of violence. We must do everything in our power to show those who illegally peddle guns in our neighborhoods that the penalties will continue to grow more severe for such activity.'"


VA: Senate passes restaurant carry, rejects private gun sales ban: "Yesterday the Virginia Senate passed SB 1035 . to repeal the hated restaurant ban. A matching bill, HB 1821 . is pending action by the House of Delegates. Meanwhile New Mexico's House Business & Industry Committee unanimously recommended a bill to decriminalize gun carry in many or most restaurants serving alcohol, and a similar bill will be also considered by the Tennessee legislature this year. . And today the Virginia Senate rejected SB 1257 patroned by Senator Henry Marsh (D - Richmond) and amended by Senator Creigh Deed (D - Bath County) to ban most private sales of guns at gun shows."


Literacy test for gun ownership a threat to civil rights: "From the late 1890s through the mid-1960s, African-American citizens in the Deep South were systematically and egregiously denied their voting rights through the administration of so-called `literacy tests.' It took an act of Congress and some Supreme Court rulings to abolish this despicable form of bigotry. But apparently history is lost on Congressman Bobby L. Rush . Astonishingly, this black congressman has introduced a gun control measure that would, among other things, require potential gun owners to first apply for a firearm license and before that license would be issued, they would have to present `a certificate attesting to the completion . of a written firearms examination.'"

VA: Accomplice pleads guilty: "Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Elliott Casey told the court that Rawlings, his brother Christopher Rawlings and brothers Travis Scott and Levert Scott went to the apartment of Stacey Lamont Berry with the intent of robbing Berry of money and marijuana. Rawlings stayed outside while the other three entered the apartment to rob Berry, Casey told the court. Berry opened fire with a handgun, killing Travis Scott, seriously wounding Levert Scott and wounding Christopher Rawlings. Maricus Rawlings was not injured. Christopher Rawlings and Levert Scott also face attempted robbery charges. Second-degree murder charges against Berry were dropped and no other charges filed. "This is a difficult case because [Rawlings] has no criminal history," Casey told the court. "Unfortunately, because of a decision he and his compatriots made that day, a man is dead."


Draconian firearms legislation tabled in the 111th Congress: "H.R. 45: This bill would require a license for handguns and semiautomatics, including those currently possessed. The applicant must be thumbprinted and sign a certification that, effectively, the firearm will not be kept in a place where it would be available for the defense of the gun owner's family. The applicant must also make available ALL of his psychiatric records, pass an exam, and pay a fee of up to $25. The license may be renewed after five years and may be revoked. Private sales would be outlawed, and reports to the attorney general of all transactions would be required, even when, as the bill allows, the AG determines that a state licensing system is sufficiently draconian to substitute for the federal license. With virtually no exceptions, ALL firearms transactions (involving semiautos, handguns, long guns, etc.) would be subject to a Brady check. In addition, the bill would make it unlawful in nearly all cases to keep any loaded firearm for self-defense. A variety of "crimes by omission" (such as failure to report certain things) would be created. Criminal penalties of up to ten years and almost unlimited regulatory and inspection authority would be established.


IL: State bureaucracy causing problems for gun owners: "Illinois gun owners could fall prey to a state bureaucracy that fails to process firearm owner's identification cards promptly. The state's tardiness leaves some otherwise law-abiding firearm owners vulnerable to criminal charges because FOID cards often expire while the state police are still processing renewals. . The Illinois State Police agency is required by law to process FOID applications within 30 days. But the process is taking up to 60 business days . `Gun owners can't go shooting, can't go hunting, can't buy ammo, and can't legally own a gun. They're caught in a problem with the state police not complying with their own law,' said Richard Pearson of Chatsworth, executive director of [ISRA]."


PA: Court rules guns allowed in parks: "The Lower Salford situation revolved around resident Derek Price, of Meetinghouse Road, who brought to the attention of the supervisors and the park board that the township's regulation of prohibiting guns in its parks not only conflicts with state law, but also abridges the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that guarantees the right of citizens to bear arms. "There are stipulations in the state Constitution that permit that, and we are not in a position to try and supercede and go over what the state tells us what the rights are," said Kent Krauss, Lower Salford Township Parks Board chairman. Krauss said the parks board is an advisory board to the supervisors. His board met and discussed the issue and passed it on to the supervisors, he said.... The feeling is Lower Salford will allow guns to be visibly displayed on a person in township parks. Township policy is to question anyone bearing a gun in the park. The township does prohibit the discharge of firearms in township parks. "The solicitor reviewed it and we could remove the prohibition on legal carry," Lower Salford Township Chief Thomas Medwid said. "If one had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, then they could have been carrying in parks all along." He said on a constitutional basis, a local ordinance cannot supersede state law and you can't prohibit open carry."