Texas: Pawn shop manager shoots would-be robber: "A robbery attempt in southwest Houston ended with gunshots and a suspect being taken to the hospital. Saturday evening, investigators say that two men walked into the Bayou pawn shop off Fondren near Clarewood with guns drawn. The manager reportedly grabbed a gun and fired at the men. One of the suspects was hit and the other surrendered. The condition of the suspect, who was hit by a bullet, hasn't been released. Police took three people in for questioning."


Russia: Hit Man Misses, Shot Dead by Target: "A hit man sent to kill a businessman in the Moscow region missed his target Tuesday night, giving the would-be victim enough time to return fire and shoot his attacker dead, regional investigators said Wednesday. At around 5 a.m. Tuesday morning, the businessman showed up at the police precinct in the Moscow region town of Shyolkovo and told the duty officers that half an hour earlier a gunman had ambushed him outside the home he is building in the village of Potapovo, firing at him with a gun equipped with a silencer but somehow managing to miss, Interfax cited a law enforcement source as saying. The man had just driven up to the gates of the house when the hit man ran up to the car and squeezed off two unsuccessful shots, according to Itar-Tass, Vesti Moskva reported. But the target kept a cool head and grabbed a Saiga 12-gauge rifle he happened to have in the car (take note, potential contract-hit victims reading this!) and shot the attacker dead. "My husband was born under a lucky star," Alexei's wife, Natalya, told Life.ru "There were five bullet holes in the car, but he didn't have a scratch. . . . What saved him is that he is a professional hunter. He is a dead-eye." In a surprising twist, Life.ru also informs us that police believe the attack may have been connected to Alexei's "professional activities."


TN: House passes guns-in-restaurants bill : "The House passed HB0962, the guns-in-restaurants bill that would allow handgun carry permit holders to take weapons into restaurants that serve alcohol. The bill, as amended, would ban those weapons from restaurants from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. The bill now moves to the Senate, where it currently sits in committee. The House vote, 70-26, would be enough to override a potential veto by Gov. Phil Bredesen, who has said he'll make his decision when, and if, a bill comes to his desk."


TX: A shot at campus safety? ""Holders of concealed handgun licenses could bring their weapons to college campuses if Rio Grande Valley lawmakers have their way. A proposal working its way through the state Legislature would lift a ban on handguns on campuses of both private and public institutions. Proponents of the bill view it as a way to preserve gun owners' rights while promoting safety on campus, arguing that if students or staff on campus had weapons, they would have a better chance defending themselves against a Virginia Tech-style shooting. Rep. Kino Flores, D-Palmview, one of the bill's co-authors, said he views the measure as a `defensive mechanism' at universities."