CO: Auto lot owner warned he'd kill any burglars: "A business owner cleared by a grand jury in the fatal shooting of a burglar at his Colorado Springs auto shop last April had warned police after an earlier burglary that he was prepared to kill to protect his property. Jovan Milanovic, 30, called police on Easter to report a burglary at Southwest Auto Sales on Platte Place and told an officer that he was “pissed off” enough about a spate of break-ins that he would shoot any thieves who returned, according to a police report released Thursday. A week later, after lying in wait inside the business, the mechanic fatally shot 20-year-old Robert Johnson Fox after Fox and an accomplice scaled a fence and climbed into the auto lot. Fox’s friend, who escaped uninjured, told police that the shooter and another man ran toward the pair, one of them shouting, “I’m going to (expletive) kill you!” Fox, of Colorado Springs, had a knife strapped to his ankle and others in his pockets, but Milanovic did not report seeing the weapons and said Fox did not approach him or the two other men. Police did not release the report to the public until after a grand jury convened by 4th Judicial District Attorney Dan May ruled last week there was insufficient evidence to indict Milanovic, who was never arrested."


La: Post-storm killing ruled self-defense: "In the only reported homicide in Jefferson Parish during Hurricane Katrina's immediate aftermath, a Harahan man was acquitted Friday night of second-degree murder for shooting a man outside a River Ridge home. A Jefferson Parish jury, which heard three days of testimony about drunken men with firearms in the chaotic post-Katrina days, deliberated about three hours before finding that Patrick Barker, 42, acted in self-defense when he shot Dennis Devooght Jr. four times on Sept. 8, 2005. Two of the jurors believed Barker was guilty of the charge. Barker never denied shooting Devooght, 34, as they stood outside a home in the 8600 block of Melrose Place. But he insisted he fired his 9mm semiautomatic pistol only in response to threats Devooght made with his pistol. Barker was tried on a charge of second-degree murder and faced a mandatory life sentence in prison. The shooting happened at the foot of Anthony Shephard's driveway after an evening in which Shephard and Devooght drank a bottle of whiskey, according to testimony. All the men were armed. Barker told detectives: "I pointed my gun at him and said, 'Slowly put the handgun on back of the truck.' He got this mean look and his hand went straight for it (his pistol). And I shot him."


NC: Court restores felon’s gun rights: "The North Carolina Supreme Court says a 2004 law that bars convicted felons from having a gun, even within their own home or business, is unconstitutional. The state’s high court ruled Friday in the case of Barney Britt of Wake County that the General Assembly went too far five years ago when it toughened restrictions on felons owning guns as part of a broad anti-domestic-violence bill. Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson said in a dissenting opinion the decision could encourage challenges against state bans on felons and the insane owning guns. Britt was convicted of felony drug possession in 1979. He completed his sentence in 1982, and his right to own a gun was restored five years later.”


Virgina Tech shooting 2009: Another reason for Right to Carry while hunting: "“The 2009 tragic shooting of two Virgina Tech students visiting a campground in the nearby Jefferson National Forest legitimizes the belief that the ruling handed down last January for ‘right to carry’ within National forests should have been a given. The rule allows Right-To-Carry permit holders to carry concealed firearms in national parks and wildlife refuge areas in states that recognize their permits. In the past, the Bureau of Land management and Forest Service lands allowed the carrying of firearms, while lands managed by the Department of Interior did not. In recent years, the right to carry has risen from 10 states to 40 states which is an all-time high.”

CO: No charges in "Make My Day" killing at apartment complex: "The man who shot and killed an 18-year-old last month at the Greentree Apartments was acting in self-defense under Colorado’s “Make My Day” law and will not face charges, the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday. Eric Blancas was shot in the chest July 26 by 35-year-old Joseph Fleming, a resident of the apartments on North Carefree Circle. A group of people “with potential gang involvement” were arguing outside the apartments when Fleming grabbed his shotgun for protection, the District Attorney’s Office stated. Attempting to let a friend inside, Fleming “was rushed by several members of the group,” beaten and stabbed. Blancas was in the group that rushed into Fleming’s apartment and were attempting to take Fleming’s gun. “Concerned that they would kill him or his family with the shotgun, he tried to discharge all of the cartridges into the floor,” the DA’s office said in a release. In the struggle, one of the shots struck Blancas, killing him. Fleming was hospitalized. “In reviewing the facts surrounding the shooting, the District Attorney’s Office determines that pursuant to Colorado law, Joseph Fleming, 35, was justified in his use of deadly physical force to defend himself and his family and to defend against an intruder."


Canada (BC): Stolen shotgun used to blast abusive ex-boyfriend: "A gun stolen during a break-and-enter last August in Coldstream was used by a Kelowna woman to shoot an abusive ex-boyfriend, Kelowna provincial court heard this morning. Christine Connelly turned in herself and the sawed-off shotgun to police after the Oct. 7, 2008 shooting, which she claimed was an act of self-defence. The victim, who showed up at Kelowna General Hospital with a leg wound early that day, was unco-operative with police so Connelly was not charged directly with the shooting. She was, however, charged with three related weapons offences, and was sentenced on one of them this morning. Court heard that in the early morning of hours of Oct. 7, Connelly was scared when a man with whom she had a previous violent relationship showed up at her house and took off with some of her belongings. He re-appeared at the door and began kicking at it. Fearing for her life, Connelly fired a single blast through the door, hitting the man in the upper left leg. Staff at Kelowna General Hospital called police when he showed up there later, although he was unco-operative. Later that day, however, Connelly, who’s in her mid-20s, phoned police to disclose what happened. She told the investigating officer she found the gun in a box in an alley. “She was involved in a pattern of severe abuse from this individual and she was afraid for her life,” explained defence counsel Blaine Weststrate. He noted that Connelly was acting as a “responsible citizen” when she turned herself in, and “Crown wouldn’t have a case if she didn’t call police.”


Police Run Roughshod Over Lawful Handgun Owner: "No good deed goes unpunished — that’s a lesson George Boggs of Fayetteville, North Carolina, learned earlier this month when he voluntarily turned his handgun over to the local police for safe-keeping while he went into the hospital following an automobile wreck. When Mr. Boggs (who maintains a valid concealed-carry permit for the handgun) later attempted to retrieve his firearm, the police said, sorry, we’ve sent it out for ballistics testing and can’t give it back to you yet. Apparently the police in North Carolina believe themselves empowered to retain a law-abiding citizen’s firearm, and test it to see if it matches any firearms or ammunition on which the police have records that were used in crimes, regardless of whether they have any suspicion whatsoever that the firearm is illegal or has ever been used in the commission of a crime. And, the police do this even if the person has voluntarily and temporarily left a firearm with the police for safe keeping. In this case also, the owner of the handgun did not want the firearm fired because it had never been fired since he purchased it new, and he believed its value would be diminished. Tough luck, according to the law enforcement authorities"


LA: Gun dealers prepare for “Second Amendment Tax Holiday”: “The Second Amendment is one thing a gunsmith never forgets. Now the state’s Legislature is creating Louisiana’s first ‘Second Amendment Weekend Sales Tax Holiday.’ The holiday is scheduled to run from 12:01 AM on Friday, September 4th through 12 midnight, Sunday, September 6th. During this three-day period all fire arms, ammunition, and hunting supplies will be exempt from the state sales tax. Hunting supplies include archery items, hunting apparel, and miscellaneous hunting equipment.”

Alabama man acquitted of murder charges in shooting death during dispute over $20: "After five hours of deliberations today, a Mobile jury found a 27-year-old accused of shooting a another man in a scuffle over $20 not guilty of murder. Christopher Cunningham, 27, went on trial earlier this week over the March 2008 shooting death of Daniel McGee, 25, outside an apartment complex near the intersection of Florida and Emogene streets in midtown. The defendant said he shot McGee in self-defense after the latter threatened to kill him and struck him with a pistol as Cunningham sat in a car. Defense attorney Jeff Deen said McGee's death was tragic, but his client had a right to defend himself when he believed his life was in danger. Cunningham testified before that when he shot McGee, McGee's gun fell inside Cunningham's car and he picked that up and emptied it into McGee. Deen pointed out that Cunningham had never been in trouble with the law, in contrast to McGee, who had an arrest and conviction record that included robbery, assault, illegal possession of a gun and drug-related cases."


CA: Sheriff considers allowing armed self-defense: "“California has long been a gun control breeding ground. It has some of the strictest gun control laws in the country, and though has a process for obtaining a license to carry a concealed handgun, it is a ‘may issue’ permitting process meaning California sheriffs can issue licenses but only if they want to. Most don’t. That may be changing for on sheriff as budget cuts have forced him to realize that some people really are on their own and need to be able to protect themselves.”


CA: Escondido man wants people to take unloaded guns to weekly rallies: “A retired Navy petty officer in Escondido is organizing weekly rallies for next month during which people are encouraged to bring unloaded guns to highlight the right to openly carry the firearms. Gerald Reaster, 69, said he is asserting his Second Amendment rights and the freedom to carry unloaded firearms openly without a license, as allowed by state law. A permit is needed, however, to carry a concealed weapon. ‘I am a disabled vet, a member of the American Legion, a good patriot. The older I am, the more I see the need for self-defense,’ Rester said. He plans to gather a group of like-minded people to show up at the rallies with their unloaded guns.”


Political parties and your right to bear arms: "“Let’s play a little game called Name That Party …. Choose the political party to which the following people belong: 1) The original sponsor/author of the bill that repealed Alaska’s license to carry requirements: Dem or Rep? 2) In response to the repeal of Alaska’s licensing requirement, what is the political party of the person who said the following: ‘I am a strong gun advocate and very concerned that every time someone misuses a gun, particularly a handgun, we lose in the court of public opinion:’ Dem or Rep? 3) What is the political affiliation of the group [which] wrote the following in their DC v. Heller Amicus Brief: ‘the individual right guaranteed by the Second Amendment is subject to reasonable restrictions and important exceptions:’ Dem or Rep?”

TX: Business owner shoots burglar: "A local businesses owner prevented himself from becoming a victim of burglary. Police say just after midnight Wednesday, the business owner of this t.v. repair shop fired his gun at a suspected burglar. He told police he happened to be sleeping at the business, when he heard glass break and someone come through the front door. The business owner also happened to have a gun and shot the 33-year old intruder, who got away. Then, around 1 a.m, the gunshot victim walked into the Bay Area Hospital Emergency Room. The suspect is under guard at the hospital until he is well enough to be booked into the City Detention Center.”


ND: Homeowner fires at intruder: "There is no suspect in the burglary attempt that occurred August 18, in Eagle Run at 1139 38 1/2 Ave. W., where the homeowner, Jason Fonder, fired a single shot at an intruder discovered in his residence. Also home at the time were his wife, and two-year old daughter. There were no injuries and nothing was taken.”


IL: Shootings rampant despite gun ban: “You cannot legally buy a handgun in Chicago, yet the city is the nation’s most murderous city. You can own one, but only if you’ve owned it since before 1982, and it’s registered every year with the Chicago Police Department. Gun-control advocates and gun-rights advocates don’t — or can’t — agree on how a city with a handgun ban can lead the nation in murders. To proponents of owning guns, it means the ban doesn’t work. ‘Laws are only for law-abiding citizens anyway,’ said John Riggio, owner of Chuck’s Gun Shop and Pistol Range in Riverdale. ‘Criminals, by definition, don’t follow the law.’ But to proponents of regulating guns, it means the ban isn’t big enough.”


Gun groups to sue over Montana-made and retained firearms: "The Montana Shooting Sports Association (MSSA) and the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) have formed a strategic alliance to litigate the principles of the Montana Firearms Freedom Act (MFFA), passed by the 2009 Montana Legislature and signed into law by Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer. The MFFA declares that any firearms made and retained in Montana are not subject to any federal authority, resisting Congress’s dramatically expanded use of the interstate commerce clause to justify Washington’s regulation of virtually all of the private economy.”

MI: Driver recounts firing at robbery suspects: "Almost striking two masked men as they darted away from a N. West Avenue gas station, Daniel Szymanski turned left and stopped to pinpoint their direction of travel. Before his son, a back-seat passenger, could call 911, one of the men stuck what appeared to be a shotgun in the passenger window just inches from the face of Szymanski's wife. "I wanted to kill him immediately," said Szymanski, a corrections officer at the Jackson County Jail who legally carries a gun and pointed it at the masked man, believed by police to be accused armed robber Devon Glenn, 18. The man dropped back and Szymanski, 55, got out of the car. As the suspect ran away, he pointed the shotgun — a deceivingly real-looking fake — at Szymanski and Szymanski fired, sending the masked man quickly fleeing over a fence. Glenn and two others — Georval Pennington, 18, and Kyle Ybarra, 16 — were later arrested on armed robbery charges. They were arraigned Aug. 4 and their cases are pending. Pennington's preliminary examination was scheduled for today. Ybarra is accused of driving Glenn and Pennington to the gas station at 1612 N. West Ave., according to a Jackson police report obtained this week. Glenn, armed with the Airsoft gun, and Pennington went into Buddy's Mini Mart while Ybarra waited in a vehicle nearby, according to the police report. Neither Glenn nor Pennington got back into the vehicle after Szymanski fired his gun. Jackson County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Mark Blumer said Szymanski acted appropriately by shooting at the man."


Gun registration not supported by history: “As for those on ‘our side’ who feel a compelling need to volunteer that the Heller decision combined with Militia Act intent now makes mandatory gun registration ‘legal,’ remember that the Constitution is the ’supreme law of the land.’ They and those who would exploit their ‘reluctant’ admissions would do well to remember that some of us know you don’t need to wear black robes and speak all the ritual judicial incantations to understand the intent behind our right to keep and bear arms — and our commitment to preserving and restoring it.”


Can’t suspend civil rights: "Seattle’s officially lame-duck Mayor Greg Nickels and the District of Columbia’s delegate-for-life Eleanor Holmes-Norton have something in common that has already gotten one in a lot of trouble and the other may be asking for some. Both seem to believe that constitutional rights can be suspended. Nickels lost the gun owner vote in Seattle and has now lost his job, coming in third in the primary election last week, because he’s spent the last 14 months waging a quiet war on gun rights and Washington State’s model preemption statute. He had threatened to ban all firearms … from city property by executive order. Advised that he lacked the authority, he promised to do it, anyway."


The media gets it wrong, again, on guns: "In Portsmouth, New Hampshire recently, a man carried a handgun a few blocks away from the site where President Obama was scheduled to hold a town hall a couple of hours later. Was it a danger or not? The man carrying the gun, William Kostric, even had permission to have the gun on private church property while he was protesting Obama’s appearance. … Obviously no one wants to see a president even remotely threatened and people need to be sensitive to such things. But worrying over a law-abiding citizen legally carrying a gun several blocks and a couple of hours away from an indoor event that the president will attend is overdoing it. … Yet, the most amazing thing about the news coverage was how much the media missed. Far from being a hothead, Kostric and a friend had been roughed up by a union member. … Kostric and his friend notified the police of the incident, but the police officer shrugged and went away. Kostric’s gun did however defuse the volatile situation with the union member — once the union member saw Kostric’s gun in its holster he backed up and moved away.”

MI: Teen tries to rob Detroiter, ends up shot by victim: “A 17-year-old would-be armed robber had the tables turned on him this morning when his intended victim pulled out his own gun and shot the teen, police said. Now, instead of the money he allegedly sought to steal, the teen will get a lengthy hospital stay — and, if he recovers and is convicted, a lengthy prison sentence. … ‘The 17-year-old came up behind a 32-year-old man behind the apartment building and tried to rob him at gunpoint,’ Roach said. ‘But the 32-year-old had a CCW (a license to carry a concealed weapon), and had his own sidearm with him. He pulled his weapon and they exchanged gunfire.’ When the shooting was over, the 32-year-old had only suffered a minor injury to the head, while the alleged bandit was seriously wounded.”


Ark. shooting suspect claims self defense: "The man arrested after the shooting death of a Cabot man near Mayflower is claiming self defense. Authorities arrested 43-year-old Audie Taylor in the Saturday morning shooting of 37-year-old Sean Michael Engle outside a camper near Mayflower. Faulkner County Sheriff's Maj. Andy Shock says Taylor told police he was at the camper when Engle came to the door with a club-like weapon and threatened him. Engle was shot below the ribs with a .22 caliber pistol. Taylor is in custody on $10,000 bond on a charge of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. No charges have been filed in Engle's death."


Now a gun ban dreamland, is crime in Britain out of control? “Great Britain has long been held as the shining example of what can be accomplished via gun control. Handgun ownership is all but unheard of and rifles and shotguns are tightly controlled and citizens require a ‘good reason’ to be issued a permit to own one. Historically, self-defense has not been considered a good enough reason.Now, the Daily Mail reports that while law abiding citizens have been nearly universally disarmed, the criminals have not and flaunt their power. According to the Mail, ‘the level of violent crime in Britain has risen by 70 per cent. Gun crime is up by more than half and there are more than 100 serious knife crimes each day, with fatal stabbings having reached the highest level on record.’”


SCOTUS: Second Amendment cases up early: “The Supreme Court will consider two new cases on the scope of individuals’ Second Amendment right to have guns at its first Conference for the new Term, on Sept. 29 … Both petitions challenge a Seventh Circuit Court ruling that the Amendment does not restrict gun control laws adopted by state, county or city government, but applies only to federal laws. The cases are National Rifle Association v. Chicago (08-1497) and McDonald v. Chicago (08-1521). The so-called ‘incorporation’ issue is the most significant sequel issue raised in the wake of the Court’s 2008 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, recognizing for the first time a personal right to have a gun for self-defense, at least in one’s home.”

TN: Man charged despite apparent self-defense: "When a prominent black businessman shot and killed a reputed outlaw in an East Knoxville parking lot Saturday, it was a clear case of "self defense" triggered by years of threats, a defense attorney hired to represent the accused said today. Reginald Stacy Sudderth, 43, of Louisville, was killed just after 7 p.m. in a parking lot at 2515 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., according to the Knoxville Police Department. Sudderth stood trial in 2006 for his alleged role in a bloody series of events in Blount County surrounding the death of an 18-year-old man but was ultimately acquitted. His killer, 41-year-old Troy D. Whiteside of Knoxville, has been charged with second-degree murder and is free on a $750,000 bond. According to Isaacs, Sudderth approached Whiteside while Whiteside was at a clothing store Saturday evening on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and threatened him. Sudderth was kicked out of the store but apparently waited outside in the parking lot for Whiteside to leave. "Mr. Sudderth was escorted out of the business where he encountered Mr. Whiteside," Isaacs said. "After Whiteside exited the building, Mr. Sudderth exited his vehicle, approached Mr. Whiteside, and threatened Mr. Whiteside." Sudderth "appeared to be reaching for a weapon" when Whiteside shot him, Isaacs said. Immediately after the shooting, Whiteside left the scene and flagged down a KPD officer, Isaacs said. He then "cooperated fully with law enforcement investigators" and gave a statement, he said. Whiteside, a Republican who has been active in financially supporting various political candidates, owns or has owned a number of business in the Knoxville area."


TX: Guard who shot 15-year-old robbery suspect says he had no choice: "The Dollar Store owner hired Paige after the store was robbed at gunpoint four times by the same group of teens. Police say one of the teens tried again on Tuesday, but this time he didn’t get away. “I told him to drop his pistol and he turned his pistol toward me and I fired a shot,” said Paige. Surveillance video shows the suspect walking into the store, pointing his gun at the clerk and demanding money. Paige says he sprung into action when he heard the clerk screaming. That’s when I came around the corner with my 12-gauge shotgun,” said Paige. Paige said that he asked the 15-year-old suspect to drop his gun and lay on the floor. “He kept reaching for his gun. I told him, 'Don’t reach for the gun or I’m going to shoot you.' He reached for his gun and I shot him again on his shoulder and still no reaction,” said Paige. The teenage suspect has two bullet wounds, but he's expected to be OK. No one else was hurt."


Plaxico Burress: Two years for fumbling a Glock: "If this is true, there is no such thing as a ‘Constitution.’ That once august document known as The Supreme Law of the Land has no more legal heft than an old dog-eared Daffy Duck comic book. Former Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg in a nightclub last November and, because of New York City’s anti-self defense laws, shot himself in the foot as well. For committing the act of harming no one, except himself, Mr. Burress gets two years in the state slammer.”


The liberal fear of guns: "“Liberal columnist David Sirota is scared, and he believes that the First Amendment is intended to eliminate his fear. In a column entitled ‘Freedom from Fear — and the Second Amendment,’ Sirota argues that because some people get scared when they see guns and think that the gun owner is going to shoot them if they say the wrong thing, the Second Amendment is a threat to the First Amendment. The purpose of the Constitution was to call into existence the federal government and, at the same time, to protect us from that government through the grant of very limited powers to the government.”

NC: State senator shoots intruder: “State Sen. R.C. Soles shot one of two people who he said were breaking into his Tabor City home about 5 p.m. Sunday, officials said. Columbus County Sheriff Chris Batten said Kyle Blackburn was taken to Loris Community Hospital in South Carolina. Late Sunday night, a spokeswoman at the hospital said that Blackburn was in good condition. The shooting occurred on Soles’ property when two men went to the senator’s house and tried to kick in his front door, Batten said.”


ID: GOP leader pulls .357 Magnum on delinquent homeowner: “The Republican Party chairman of Boise County in Idaho was arrested Thursday for aggravated assault after he pulled a gun on a man whose house he was photographing. Charles McAffee, 33, was among Idaho’s anti-tax tea-party activists, and is a member of the Idaho Republican Party Central Committee. He was arrested after pulling a handgun on a homeowner whose mortgage his employer sought to photograph for being delinquent. His employer is a contractor for Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo called McAffee’s behavior ‘horrific and absolutely inexcusable.’”


Open carry as a political act: “We’ve seen Chris Matthews foaming at the mouth while the calm ordinary citizen made him look like a raving loon. Anti-gun editorialists have opined how horrible the icky gunnies were, and how it detracted from the message of the protestors. (Rather missing the point that *I* think the activists made rather effectively, but then I’m not a trained newsie, so I am undoubtedly missing many of the subtle nuances.) Then there’s the spectacle of (supposedly) pro-gun editorials fretting about how counterproductive and unwise this open carry protest was. Perhaps I am old fashioned, but I much preferred the REAL pro-gun editorials gleefully countering every silly point made by both overt and closet hoplophobes. MSNBC got caught with their hand in the cookie jar, when not-so-clever editors carefully cropped video to ‘prove’ their pet theory that all pro-rights advocates are white supremacists … despite the inconvenient truth that the activist toting the AR15 they wanted to use as their poster boy was black. Oh yes, I forgot to mention the Secret Service putting out a statement that the President was never in any danger from legal armed citizens … first sensible thing I’ve heard out of the Praetorian Guard in years. I wonder if any of the hoplophobes running around screaming the sky is falling have realized that they have quite successfully spent the last week showing the public that open carry is legal and safe.”


Gun owners helped oust Seattle mayor: “Seattle gun owners can take much credit for the ouster of anti-gun Mayor Greg Nickels in this week’s primary election, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said this morning following what amounted to a concession speech at his press conference. Nickels came in third in the city’s ‘Top Two’ primary, signaling that voters in Seattle were fed up with his bully pulpit style, and perhaps more than anything, his arrogance, said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb.”

Chicago man who shot intruder released without being charged: "A man who was questioned after fatally shooting another man who allegedly held a knife to his throat during an attempted robbery Wednesday morning in the South Side’s Englewood community was released without being charged. Maurice Willis, 36, of the 1600 block of W. 61st St., was found in a trashcan at 1244 W. 61st St. and was pronounced dead on the scene at 10:55 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office. The officer approached the 59-year-old man on the porch and the man allegedly said, “Yep, I shot and killed a man in the basement,” according to police. The man and the officer entered the man’s basement apartment, where the suspect showed the officer the weapon he allegedly used -- a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver -- and Willis, who had multiple gunshot wounds to his face and chest and was sticking halfway out of a city garbage can. The man told police the incident began when he was entering his basement apartment and Willis ran up behind him and held a knife to his throat. The man told police he said words to the effect of, “OK, don’t hurt me, I got money here in the mattress,” according to police. He then went to the mattress he produced the revolver and shot Willis, police said... A source said Willis was recently arrested for aggravated battery."


MN: Duluth man kills father-in-law in self defense: "Police say a Duluth man killed his father-in-law in self defense Friday night. Mora Oliver, 44, died around 8:30 p.m. in Dacula after an argument erupted into gunfire, Gwinnett County Police spokesman Cpl. David Schiralli said. Oliver was riding in a van with Danilo Arevalo, 21, on Jones Phillips Road near Indian Shoals Road. The two men began to argue and Oliver pulled a handgun, police said. Oliver tried to shoot Arevalo, Schiralli said. The men then began to struggle over the gun. That’s when Arevalo grabbed the gun and climbed out of the van, police said. Officers say Arevalo was trying to flee the area, but Oliver ran after him and continued to fight. “The suspect in an attempt to defend himself shot the victim killing him instantly,” Schiralli said Saturday morning. Arevalo immediately called 911 to report the shooting. Oliver, of Lawrenceville, was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives interviewed Arevalo, of Duluth, but decided not to file charges."


NC: 15-year-old robber shot dead: "A 76-year-old who was robbed inside his home Saturday afternoon chased down and fatally shot a 15-year-old suspect, according to his family. Now, the District Attorney will determine if C.L. McClure, a retired building fireproofer who spends most of his days gardening and fishing, according to his family, will face criminal charges in the shooting death of Marcus Antonio Steven Fluker. According to police, four men broke into the house, on Grier Road in north Charlotte, about 12:45 p.m. Saturday. Fluker was the youngest. C.L. McClure was in his basement hobby shop eating ice cream when the attackers entered, his son said. The robbers, one of whom had a handgun, tied him up with duct tape and held his wife at gunpoint as they ransacked the house, making off with some jewelry and McClure's wallet. After they left, McClure broke free. “He checked on my mother,” Larry McClure said, “and he assumed he knew their route. He thought they might have been driving, and he wanted to get a tag number.” His son said he grabbed his gun, got into his dark, green van and guessed the thieves would head toward nearby Ginger Lane. Police say the robbery victim caught up with the suspects on Ginger Lane and fired the gun, striking Fluker at least once. Larry McClure said his father told him that he was in his van when he saw one of the robbers, who he thought was armed. C.L. McClure said he fired his pistol when the robber turned toward him, Larry McClure said. Officers took C.L. McClure to police headquarters uptown for questioning, but he was released Saturday without being charged. In North Carolina, it's legal to kill someone in defense of yourself or another. N.C. law also protects homeowners who shoot to defend their property."


TX: Shootout leaves clerk wounded but robbers flee: "Gladewater police on Friday were investigating a robbery where a store clerk was shot, according to Chief Farrell Alexander. Imtiaz Hussain, 43, of Gladewater was shot in the hands Wednesday at the SuperStop Laundry convenience store, Alexander said through a news release. Alexander said two men entered the store with handguns. After one of the suspects demanded money, Hussain retrieved a handgun, and one of the men shot him. The release said Hussain returned fire but did not hit the man. "He was holding the gun in both hands, and the bullet actually hit the bottom of the gun and destroyed the grip," Alexander said. The men fled the store immediately after the shots were fired, Alexander said."

Indiana Special Deputy Shot Intruding Neighbor: "An off-duty Marion County special deputy and code enforcement officer shot and killed his neighbor during a dispute on Indianapolis' east side Wednesday, police said. Bruce Jacobs, 53, called 911 to report that he had just shot his neighbor, Edward Light, 48, near 20th Street and Forest Manor Avenue just after 5:30 p.m., said Sgt. Paul Thompson. Light was pronounced dead in Jacobs' back yard. Thompson said the gun used in the shooting was not issued by the city and that Jacobs was not acting in an official capacity. Jacobs was detained by police for questioning Wednesday night, but was not arrested." [More details here. The guy shot was a schizophrenic off his meds]


MI: Woman said she had no choice but to shoot: "A 70-year old Bedford Township woman said Friday she had no choice but to shoot a man coming at her with a shovel. “I didn’t want to hurt him but I didn’t want him to hurt me,” Virginia Hawes said today in an interview. Battle Creek police said Hawes shot Nicholas Beltz, 24, in the leg in her yard about 7:30 p.m. Thursday. “He kept coming at me. I pointed the gun at his head but I didn’t want to shoot him in the head. I wimped out.” Hawes said Beltz threatened her after she called police because his girlfriend, Emily Bannister, said she was being assaulted. She said she warned the man to stay off her property and she went inside and retrieved her .38 caliber revolver when Beltz took a shovel away from her grandson. She came back outside and said the man continued to approach her until he was within three feet of her and she fired. Warrants have been issued for Beltz and Bannister for domestic violence and a report on the incident was sent to the prosecutor today."


How the repeal of all gun laws will free America: "“Most Americans do not make the connection between American Gun Control and today’s scandals of bank bailouts, corporate takeovers, immense failures, government intrusion and indifference, massive disrespect for the electorate, and other harassment of the sovereign. There is a connection. For a long time, I have urged the repeal of all gun laws. Since the very inception of gun control in this country, abuses of powers has served the public servants more than the electorate, and few of the promises have ever come true.”


AZ: Man was making a point of his legal right to bear arms: "“Neatly dressed in a white shirt, black tie and gray slacks, a man who identified himself only as Chris joined the healthcare debate outside the Phoenix Convention Center on Monday with a pistol at his side and an AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle on his shoulder. Arizona is an ‘open-carry’ state, which means anyone legally allowed to have a firearm can carry it in public as long as it’s visible. A permit is required if the weapon is concealed. ‘Because I can do it,’ Chris said when asked why he brought guns to the rally outside President Barack Obama’s speech to the national VFW convention. ‘In Arizona, I still have some freedoms left.’”

WI: Good Samaritan flees: "Police are searching for an armed suspect after two would-be robbers were shot and killed this week while reportedly robbing a convenience store at N. 12th and W. Chambers streets. Police say Kenneth J. Whitaker, 28, and Robert L. Givens, 22, were attempting a robbery when a customer in the store interrupted the crime by firing deadly shots at the pair. After firing his gun, the customer fled the store.... As it turns out, police say the alleged hero customer is a known felon who could face serious charges and prison time if convicted for the use of the gun. Chances are he fully understood his predicament and didn't stick around for that reason, but there's no confirmation from witnesses about whether the customer's actions during the robbery were totally in self defense. Police are still trying to find the other people in the store at the time."


FL: Court OKs force against retreating attackers: “Florida’s ’stand-your-ground’ law allows the use of deadly force for self-protection even if an attacker or intruder is in retreat …. A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal issued that explanation for last month releasing Jimmy Hair from jail, where he had spent two years awaiting trial on a first-degree murder charge. Hair, 28, was charged with fatally shooting Charles Harper …. Harper had forced his way into a car in which Hair was a passenger and then tussled with him. The car was parked outside a Tallahassee nightclub where Harper earlier had argued with the driver. … spokeswoman for Attorney General Bill McCollum, said no decision had yet been made on whether to ask for a rehearing.”


IL: Appeals Court: Government Can Require Gun Registration: "An appeals court in Chicago has ruled that the federal, state or local government can require all citizens to register their firearms under penalty of law. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals said that, even after the Supreme Court's high-profile gun rights decision last year, the Second Amendment is no obstacle to mandatory gun registration. The case arose out of the Chicago-area town of Cicero's mandatory registration requirement for firearms. A local man named John Justice was raided by the Cicero police on suspicion of violating business ordinances including improper storage of chemicals; the police discovered six unregistered handguns during the raid... In a 3-0 opinion published last Friday, the judges said that this was a different situation from the District of Columbia v. Heller case, which led the Supreme Court to strike down D.C.'s law effectively prohibiting the ownership of handguns."


More liberal inanity on guns: “In separate op-eds, liberals Marie Cocco and E.J. Dionne are exclaiming against those people who have the audacity to exercise their right to keep and bear arms at political rallies. Cocco says that the ‘gun guys’ were ‘displaying their perfectly state-permitted firearms.’ State-permitted! How about that? The right to keep and bear arms isn’t a right at all. It’s a state-granted privilege, one that the state can revoke at any time.”

Congo: An African village’s armed self-defense story : “Their community leader called a town meeting, and told everyone to bring whatever weapons they owned. People showed up with rifles made before World War II, homemade shotguns, bows and poison arrows, knives, and even the wooden pestles that are used to pound yams into flour. Using these weapons, the villagers drove off two attacks by the rebels, saving themselves from torture and death. Perhaps best of all, not a single civilian was killed in the first repulsed attack. Compare that with the hundreds of people who the rebels had killed in the previous weeks when they attacked other villages. Hearing the news, hundreds of other villages have reportedly formed self defense groups.”


Another triumph for strict gun control laws: "A German pensioner went on a shooting rampage that left three people dead and a fourth seriously hurt before surrendering to armed commandos after a three-hour siege, authorities said on Wednesday. The gunman, named in media reports as 71-year-old Hans P, shot the four at a house in the small western town of Schwalmtal late on Tuesday, police in nearby Duesseldorf said in a statement. Police said they rushed to the house reportedly belonging to the man's daughter and her ex-husband after shots were heard about 4.30pm. They found two people outside, one dead and one seriously injured. Pictures showed the portly, grey-haired pensioner being taken to a police van by masked commandos with his hands behind his back. Authorities gave no indications on the possible motives but media reports said it was over the planned sale by auction of the house as part of his daughter's divorce settlement. The Bild daily reported that the pensioner was lurking - armed - inside the brick house when his daughter Barbara, 44, arrived with two surveyors and two lawyers to look around the property. When they entered, he opened fire, shooting dead two of the group, Bild said. Two others managed to escape despite being shot, but one later died, the paper said on its website. "I think it was meant to be me," 44-year-old Hubert K, the pensioner's former son-in-law, told rolling news channel NTV. "He didn't want me to get anything [from the sale of the house], from my property, which was mine." "He hated us because my dad split up with my mum," the man's grandson Christian, 18, told Bild."


The tyranny of the bigoted: "One of the greatest threats to the free exercise of civil rights is the promulgation of catch-all offenses such as ‘disorderly conduct.’ With no clear definition of what constitutes behavior that is ‘disorderly’, many in law enforcement use such laws as a way to control and punish citizens for otherwise legal and constitutionally protected behavior. … The Madison WI Police Dept appears to be one such agency. On August 8th, they received a call from a ‘concerned citizen’ who reported a ‘man walking … with a holstered gun on his hip.’ They found 28 year-old graduate student Travis Yates legally and peacefully wearing a properly holstered sidearm and cited him for disorderly conduct because ‘his actions disturbed other citizens.’ … Never mind the fact that this is EXACTLY the type of open carry that Attorney General Van Hollen stated was constitutionally protected and NOT grounds for a disorderly conduct charge.”


Anti-gun bigotry may be losing traction: “As the Obama health care program continues to descend from debate to debacle, increasing attention is being given to a handful of activists who have attended protest rallies openly carrying firearms, leaving some television reporters and commentators having to acknowledge there is nothing illegal about it. When I wrote about MSNBC’s Chris Matthews joining in the vitriolic attacks on gun owners here, and about anti-gun bigotry here, it brought the hoplophobes out of the proverbial woodwork. At least a few of these folks were not shy about displaying their prejudices, to the point of race baiting, which — thanks to an incident in Phoenix on Monday — has now left them with feet firmly inserted in mouths.”

CA: Jury says Oxnard gang shooting was self-defense: "A jury Tuesday found that a gang member acted in self-defense when he shot at rival Colonia Chiques gang members in 2007, across the street from an Oxnard school as students were being let out of classes. The Ventura County Superior Court jury found Librado Navarette, 22, not guilty of shooting at an occupied vehicle, street terrorism and possession of a firearm. “It was very clear to the jury that they were there to kill,” said Navarette’s lawyer, Christopher Welch, who works at the Public Defender’s Office. Welch said almost all the jurors stayed after the trial to talk to attorneys and discuss the case. “Jurors said it was clear that it was self-defense,” said Welch. “The Colonia Chiques weren’t there to bring him flowers.”


GA: Man shoots at intruder: “A Macon man told police he was protecting his wife, three kids, and his home after he shot at an intruder. … The man told officers he was asleep on his living room sofa, when he heard a noise. The man says he woke up to find a man coming through his window. He says he yelled at the intruder, but he kept coming through the window, according to the police report. The man says he sleeps with a gun, so he pulled it out and fired two rounds at the intruder, according to the police report. The intruder backed out of the window, according to the police report. The man says he doesn’t know if he hit the intruder, but he did hit his big screen television. The officer says he ran a check on the man and his gun, and both came back clean.”


Florida robber shot and killed: "A Hollywood, Fla., man, who died over the weekend after he was shot earlier in the week, apparently had been trying to rob another man when he was fatally injured, Lake City police reported. Lenoris Owens, 27, was found semiconscious and bleeding shortly before 10 p.m. on Aug. 12 near the intersection of Congress and Saint Clair streets, according to the Lake City Police Department. He died Saturday. Police described Owens' injuries as a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators now believe Owens was trying to rob a Lake City man when he was wounded. The two had struggled over the weapon when the other man, Oteger Greene, 24, got the gun and fired twice, hitting Owens once, according to officers. Initially, police identified Greene as a person of interest in the case. But officers now think Greene was trying to protect himself, Capt. Rudolph Davis said. "The evidence points that he was defending himself," he said."


AZ: Guns now visible outside Obama appearances: "President Obama spoke to a veterans group in Phoenix Monday, KVIA News reported. Outside, amidst protesters, were roughly a dozen people carrying guns, one of them with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. This was the latest case of firearms openly visible at a presidential event. Last week in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a man stood outside an Obama healthcare town hall meeting carrying … a pistol strapped to his leg. According to Second Amendment advocates who do not trust the present administration’s stand on gun rights, they are just exercising their constitutional right to bear arms. Advocates of more gun control call this a disaster waiting to happen.”

Mississippi: Armed pervert beaten nearly to death: "Police had been watching Vincent Goff for years, convinced he was the masked man who sexually assaulted couples at gunpoint on the Mississippi coast. But before investigators closed in, they say Goff picked the wrong victim and was beaten nearly to death with his own rifle. Goff, a 37-year-old unemployed Biloxi man with a wife and two stepsons, was being held Wednesday in the Harrison County Jail after spending five days in a hospital recovering from severe head wounds. Little is known about Goff's background or the unidentified man who beat him so hard that the wood stock of the rifle broke. But authorities say Goff's arrest caps a terrorizing series of attacks that began on the sandy banks of the Biloxi River in 2006. Goff allegedly approached a man and woman last Thursday afternoon on an isolated logging road in Harrison County and forced them into the woods with a rifle, Sheriff's Maj. Ron Pullen said Wednesday. They were forced to strip off their clothes and told to perform sexual acts when the male victim, described as a physically fit member of the military in his mid-30s, wrestled the gun away. "He beat him until the stock broke over his head and then continued to beat him until he thought he had him incapacitated," Pullen said."


Louisiana: No charge against business owner who shot intruder: "No charge is expected to be filed against the owner of Central Station who fired a shot at an intruder when the man lunged at him Tuesday afternoon. "We're not new to this," Joseph Giglio, 68, of Shreveport, said of someone breaking into the defunct railroad terminal-turned-bar. The business in the 1000 block of Marshall Street has been burglarized 20 or 30 times, he said. Jason Funderbunk, 35, hometown unavailable was rushed into emergency surgery at LSU Hospital in Shreveport in serious condition for treatment of a gunshot wound to his torso, according to a Shreveport Police Department news release. Funderbunk was charged with one count of burglary and placed in police custody at the hospital Tuesday night. Hospital officials said they could release no information about his condition because of his status as a prisoner. The security company that monitors Central Station detected an intruder in the unoccupied business shortly before 4:30 p.m. and alerted Giglio, who was at another of his operations, a plumbing outlet, according to police. Giglio armed himself and he and an unidentified bartender went to the bar, authorities said. Giglio found someone hiding behind the counter and him to get on the ground while he called police, Giglio and authorities said. Instead, the intruder leapt over the counter toward Giglio and tried to disarm the business owner. Giglio said he held the man away from the weapon with one arm and fired one shot. "I tried to shoot him in the leg, but I don't know where I got him," Giglio said, explaining that police soon arrived and whisked him into a police cruiser. The intruder "apparently entered the structure through a hole in the roof and was burglarizing the business there," the police news release states."


A few words on gun control: “Almost everyone here in the US can tell you what was to be the first battle in our War of Independence. The Battle of Lexington Green in Massachusetts in April, 1775. … But what’s now conveniently left out of the US History textbooks today is why the British were coming.And why was that? … General Thomas Gage, military governor of Massachusetts … decided to counter these moves by sending a force out of Boston to confiscate weapons stored in the village of Concord. Confiscate the weapons .… And why did the British want the weapons confiscated? Well, to be able to properly control one’s subjects, first you must be able to take away their ability to resist.”


Australia has a Shooters Party with real power: "The Shooters Party MP Roy Smith is as emphatic as he is resolute. The Premier's chief of staff, Graeme Wedderburn, and the Treasurer, Eric Roozendaal, have been schmoozing him and his colleague Robert Brown in recent weeks to try to get them back on the Government's side in voting in the upper house, all to no avail. The Shooters Party insists that the Government must agree to its bill, which would allow shooting in national parks, or face the Shooters opposing many Government bills - a situation that led to bizarre scenes two months ago when the upper house was shut down unadjourned after the Government lost control of it. Mr Smith said: ''Our talks, as far as I'm concerned, are limited to us reiterating our position as it was when Parliament rose.'' Mr Wedderburn is understood to have offered the Shooters Party the right to shoot in national parks under Department of Environment and Climate Change supervision. However, that was not shifting Mr Smith yesterday. ''They said [that] last time round. We're not interested in that. The bill we have put forward is entirely reasonable. It's best practice around the world and in other states in Australia - why shouldn't we do it in NSW?''

South Carolina: Armed wife holds robber: "An Horry County husband and wife fight off would-be robber inside their business. According to a press release, a man tried to rob Ron’s Busy Corner, 5709 Juniper Bay Rd, Conway, Thursday afternoon when he placed a knife to the back of the store’s owner. Police said Roger Lee Green, 34, of Galivants Ferry came into the store and pointed a knife to the back of the store owner while he was sitting at a table. The owner stood up, struggled with Green, along with a customer, and took the knife away. The owner’s wife was then able to get a pistol and hold the man there until police arrived. Green is currently in J. Ruben Long Detention Center charged with Armed Robbery".


South Carolina Man Shot Intruder, Turned Out To Be Neighbor: "Authorities said a homeowner shot and killed a teenager trying to rob him Friday morning. Turns out, that teenager lived right next door. Lancaster County sheriff's deputies said 18-year-old Jarkevious Ingram walked out of the woods on Culp Street late Thursday night with two other men. One was wearing a ski mask and two of them, including Ingram, had guns, deputies said. Detectives said they approached 34-year-old Ed Patterson Jr. who was just getting home. According to deputies, the three men demanded Patterson's wallet and his keys. Patterson struggled for the gun and was shot twice, once in the stomach and once in the groin. He managed to wrestle the gun away and shoot Ingram, deputies said. Ingram walked more than 100 yards down Culp Street and collapsed on Fahbian McCullough's front porch. Patterson was able to drive himself to Springs Memorial Hospital, and he was later flown to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Deputies said his injuries were not life- threatening. Mikesheia Wade is Ingram's cousin. She was at his side at the hospital when he died. Lancaster County sheriff's deputies said they don't yet know why it appears Ingram tried to rob his own neighbor. Cousins said the two families have lived next door to each other for more than a year. Major David Belk said detectives are still investigating, and it's not known if Patterson will face charges. Deputies said they did recover the gun, a .38-caliber revolver that Patterson left in his sport utility vehicle when he drove to the hospital."


Texas clerk armed and ready for robbers, kills one: "Life can change in a second. It can also end. Cell phone store owner, Javid Iqbal saw both on Wednesday afternoon, in just 17 seconds... Security video released to 11 News showed Iqbal behind the elevated counter, when the would-be robbers rush the store. Two men with bandanas covering their faces, the leader gun in hand, vaulted over the case. But in the five seconds that it took, Iqbal was already around the corner in the back, gun in hand. “I see that guy come in the back pointing a gun. I just started shooting,” Iqbal says. The two men were just inches apart, arms and guns extended. Iqbal fired three times, hitting 34-year-old Bryan Thorn. Both robbers tried to flee after shots were fired, the second (still unidentified) man made it out, but Thorn did not. He collapsed dead in the doorway.... In all he’s been robbed four times, but no suspects were ever caught. That is why his wife forced him to buy a gun and learn how to use it. “Four robberies? Now I am not going to go through that again. All this happens. I have to take a stand somewhere,” Iqbal says. The store is now open again after the shooting. His customers are standing with him. Iqbal said that being robbed four times in a little over a year is all that his family can take. They are planning to move on soon."


Texas: Handgun scares off robber: "A wallet was stolen in a brazen nighttime robbery of a Guadalupe Street resident, according to reports. A resident of the 2100 block of North Guadalupe Street woke up at 11:40 p.m. Sunday when he heard a noise in the front of his house, and then a man came into his bedroom and demanded, “Give me your money.” The victim reached for his wallet and a handgun, and the two fought over the weapon before the suspect jumped out a window and left, the report said. No shots were reported fired in the incident, which is being investigated by police detectives."

WI: Robbery target kills Would-Be Robber: "A man was being robbed at gunpoint when he pulled out his own gun and shot one of the suspects. It all happened early Thursday near 1st and Clarke. The 23-year-old Milwaukee man was in the area when two teenagers pulled out a gun and tried to rob him. That victim also had a gun. He shot and killed one suspect, 17-year-old Kevin Ollie. Ollie's gun also went off, and he accidentally shot the other teen robber. The robbery victim's family says he had no choice but to fight back. That robbery victim has never been convicted of a crime and is not in custody. The 19-year-old surviving robber is behind bars. The DA is deciding whether he will face felony murder charges for his role in the botched robbery. The robbery victim was not hurt during the ordeal. Friday detectives brought him to a line up to identify the robbery suspect."


Texas store owner fatally shoots would-be robber: "Police say a cell phone store owner took action when two people tried to hold up his northeast Houston business. According to the store owner, two men walked into his store on Laura Koppe near Lockwood around 5pm yesterday and tried to rob him. That's when he says he pulled out a gun and fatally shot one of the suspects. The other suspect got away."


Nevada: Woman, intruder shot during home invasion attempt: "An attempted home invasion late Tuesday in North Las Vegas resulted in an exchange of gunfire and a woman and an intruder being shot. Police said someone tried to enter a home shortly before midnight in the 4100 block of Karma Drive, between West Craig and Alexander roads, when the homeowner opened fire. The intruder fired back and injured the woman, authorities said. Officers were dispatched to the home at 11:52 p.m. and upon arrival found a 31-year-old North Las Vegas resident with gunshot wounds to her leg. The injured woman said she had exchanged gunfire with unidentified men who had entered her home and threatened to shoot her 14-year-old son. The boy wasn’t injured. Police found a blood trail that left the residence and ended in the street in front of the house. Sgt. Tim Bedwell of the North Las Vegas Police Department said he isn't sure who fired first. He said the woman suffered a minor non-life threatening gunshot wound and was transported to University Medical Center. At the hospital, officers were notified a male gunshot victim had recently arrived to be treated who matched the description of one of the suspects. His injuries are described as serious but non-life threatening."


TN: One month later, only holes are in anti-gun argument: “Is it safe to go back to the restaurants? Has the smoke cleared? It’s almost been almost a month since the law allowing gun-carry permit holders to carry in bars and restaurants if they’re not drinking, and I haven’t heard of even one violent incident. Have you?”

Harlem shop owner, 72, shoots dead armed robbers: "A shotgun-wielding septuagenarian killed two men and wounded two others who tried to rob his shop in New York. Charles Augusto Jr, 72, bought a 12-gauge pistol-grip shotgun 30 years ago after a similar attempt, so he was prepared when four young men entered his restaurant supply company in Harlem yesterday afternoon and announced that they were carrying out a "stick-up". One of the robbers, a 29-year-old with a criminal history, produced a 9mm pistol and beat a 35-year-old shop employee identified as "JB" over the head while his accomplices attempted to restrain the shop’s other employee with plastic ties. Seated across the room, Mr Augusto reached for his weapon, took aim at the gunman and fired, killing him almost almost immediately. He fired two more shots, striking all three of the remaining robbers, who ran out of the shop bleeding. One of the men collapsed in the street, where he was pronounced dead soon after. The other two suspects were apprehended after police followed blood trails, and were taken to hospital. The gunman was said to be the nephew of a police officer. The other three, all aged 21, were also thought to have criminal histories. Mr Augusto’s family refused to comment to the media, but locals described him as a soft-spoken, gentle man. Early reports suggest his gun was licensed, and police have not filed charges or taken him into custody".


North Carolina: Duke U student shot during struggle with would-be robber: "A Duke student struggled with a man who tried to rob him, resulting in gunfire that wounded him and possibly the would-be robber, Durham police said. The student and a woman were walking in the 500 block of Watts Street shortly before midnight Saturday when a man armed with a gun approached them from behind, police said. He ordered the pair to put their hands on their heads and started to search them. A struggle ensued over the gun, and two shots were fired, police said. The student was shot in the abdomen, and the attempted robber fled. The victim, whose identity hasn't been released, was treated at a nearby hospital. The woman was uninjured. The gunman was limping when he fled and might have been shot, police said. He was described as black, approximately 40 years old, 5 feet 11 inches tall, with a stocky build. He has bulging eyes. He wore a gray shirt and dark jeans."


Indiana: Armed homeowner stops enraged drunk: "A Columbus resident is accused of trying to break into a rural Whiteland home. Patrick F. Ianni, 33, 4440 Post-horn Court, Columbus, was arrested on charges of residential entry and public intoxication. At about 1:40 a.m. Thursday, Ianni kicked the door of a rural Whiteland home and broke the door jamb but walked away after the owner threatened to shoot him if he entered the home, according to a police report. "The only smart decision he made was not to enter that home," Johnson County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Doug Cox said. "He's alive today because he didn't enter that house." Ianni had visited a comedy club in Indianapolis with his girlfriend earlier that night and they got into a fight, according to a police report. He demanded to be let out of the vehicle and she let him out near the Whiteland Road interchange of Interstate 65. He woke two rural Whiteland residents by pounding on their door. He claimed he was a police officer who wanted to ask them a question. The homeowner warned Ianni that he had a gun and would shoot him if he entered the house and Ianni responded that he had a knife and would stab the homeowner. A sheriff's deputy found Ianni staggering down the road with a bloody nose and he asked the officer if he could give him a ride."


California: Would-be armored truck robber flees after guard pulls gun: "A man tried to rob an armored truck security guard Tuesday morning before running away, police said. The robbery attempt took place as the armored truck was parked near the intersection of South California Boulevard and Botelho Drive. The story was first reported by the blog Claycord.com, which obtained its information from a police radio broadcast. At 10:30 a.m., the truck was parked as the guard was making a money pick-up at a business, Lt. Tim Barrett said. A man approached the guard and demanded he give him money. Instead, the guard went to pull out a firearm, and the would-be robber got into a white Dodge Caravan and drove away. He did not appear to be armed, Barrett said. Police did not have a detailed description of him."

Illinois intruder shot and wounded: "Officials said a man who lives in the 2300 block of State Street shot and wounded an intruder about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. St. Clair County sheriff's deputies said the intruder tried to break in because his ex-girlfriend was there. The male resident twice fought him off and then resorted to two shots to stop him, officials said".


Florida Man Shoots Intruder Who Climbed In Window: "Police said a Fort Pierce resident shot a man who climbed in through a bedroom window of the home. Carlos Contreras was arrested Wednesday after he checked himself in to a Port St. Lucie medical facility to be treated for what he claimed was a stab wound from a screwdriver. Fort Pierce police said Contreras was the same man who tried to burglarize Bulmaro Aguilar's home earlier that morning. Officers were called to home on South 25th Street after Aguilar reported that he shot an intruder. Aguilar told police that while he was at home, Contreras knocked on his door, but Aguilar didn't answer. Aguilar said Contreras climbed in through a bedroom window a few minutes later, so Aguilar got a gun from his brother's bedroom and shot him. Police said Contreras fled after being shot."


California: Resident Shot, Suspect Killed in Home Invasion: "A resident shot and killed an intruder in southwest Bakersfield after the suspect shot the resident twice, a Bakersfield Police official said. At 11:11 p.m. Thursday, police received a report of a shooting at an apartment in the 1800-block of Canter Way, police said. Police said they found an adult man outside the apartment suffering from two gunshot wounds to the torso. The man informed officers that the suspect was still inside the apartment. Officers entered the apartment and found Roosevelt Mitchell III, 21, dead with a gun. The victim told them he was home with his wife and several friends when two suspects forced their way into the apartment. The resident armed himself with a gun and both exchanged gunfire, police said. The victim was taken to Kern Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries."


Tennessee: One invader dead. Another surrenders: "A juvenile has surrendered to Knoxville police in a home invasion that left another youth dead. The Knoxville News Sentinel reported 17-year-old Don Christopher Ealey turned himself in Monday after negotiations with the District Attorney General's Office. He will face only juvenile charges. Police also arrested 20-year-old Thomas Eugene Mays [the driver for the two teens], who was held in lieu of $100,000 bond. Investigators said Ealey and 17-year-old Antonio Wooten went to a home in the southern part of the city around dawn on Aug. 5 and knocked on the door. When the homeowner answered the knock, police said Ealey and Wooten tried to push their way in, but were repelled by gunfire. Wooten's body was found in a gully beside the driveway leading to the home."


NH: Open carry activist outside town hall meeting: “Outside the event where President Obama will conduct his town hall, there is an anti-Obama protestor with a gun — a pistol strapped to his lower leg. The local police chief said it’s legal for the man to have a registered handgun — as long as it is not concealed. What’s more, he is on private property, a church yard, which has given him permission to be there. … The local police say he is within his rights to carry a handgun openly under state law. He was carrying a 9-mm Smith and Wesson strapped to his lower leg. … He’s passing out a bookmark that says, ‘Join the Second Amendment Revolution, the most exciting pro-liberty movement in over 200 years.’”

IL: Robber pleads not guilty: "A Waukegan man shot in the chest by a store owner he is accused of robbing pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Lake County Circuit Court. Demitrius Newbill, 29, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of aggravated robbery of the Pasteleria Panaderia, 701 Yeoman St., Waukegan, on July 5. Assistant State's Attorney Brett Henne said Newbill, of the 500 block of Poplar Lane, entered the shop about 8:15 p.m. and handed a note to the store owner stating he had a gun and wanted money. The store owner said he believed he saw a gun in Newbill's waistband as he handed over the cash, Henne said. As Newbill was backing up toward the door, the owner told police he believed he saw Newbill reaching for the object. The owner then drew a .38-caliber revolver from underneath the counter and fired three times, hitting Newbill once. Officials said police interviewed Newbill at the hospital and he admitted the robbery and that he told the store owner he had a gun. Police said they did not find a weapon."


WI: Man Shot During Attempted Armed Robbery: "A 25-year-old Milwaukee man was shot during an attempted armed robbery early Tuesday. Milwaukee police said the man and a relative were walking near 16th Street and Kilbourn Avenue shortly after midnight when three men with a gun tried to rob them. During the robbery, the victim was shot. The relative then disarmed the gunman, and the injured victim shot at the suspects with their own gun. He fired several shots at the suspects, but did not hit them. Police say a Marquette University student was nearby and administerd first aid to the victim until paramedics arrived. The victim’s relative flagged down Marquette Public Safety officers. Marquette Public Safety was able to locate and detain two of the three suspects until Milwaukee police officers arrived. Milwaukee police said they are still seeking the third suspect. The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment and is expected to survive his injury."


The fight over the Second Amendment: "“[T]he right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. — Amendment II Those 14 words, perhaps more than any others in the U.S. Constitution, have inspired discussions, arguments and legal debates for years and years. Now, legislation introduced in January by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) and lingering in the House Judiciary Committee has stirred up emotions on both sides of the gun control issue and once again brought these words into the spotlight. Rush’s bill, the Blair Holt’s Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act (H.R. 45), establishes a federal licensing and registration regime under the direction of the U.S. Attorney General and would make it a criminal act not to register as an owner of a firearm.”


Plaxico Burress’s doomsday weapon: “The inanity of gun control is manifesting itself in the case of former New York Giants’ wide receiver Plaxico Burress. Thanks to New York City’s strict gun laws, which carry a mandatory minimum sentence, Burress is facing 3 1/2 years in the penitentiary. Burress, who had an expired concealed carry permit issued by the State of Florida, took his 40-caliber Glock with him to New York. While he was at a bar, the weapon slipped down his sweatpants and discharged when Burress was reaching for it. Burress was injured on the thigh. No one else was injured.”

Montana man answers punch with his gun: "A man who police said shot his Wal-Mart co-worker in a dispute over the length of a work break has been released from custody because his actions may be protected by Montana's recently enacted "castle doctrine" law. When police arrived at the Wal-Mart on King Avenue West at about 9:15 p.m. Monday, they found Daniel Lira, 32, inside the store's loading dock area with a gunshot wound. Billings Police Sgt. Jay Berry said that Lira hit co-worker Craig Schmidt, 49, in the face. Schmidt fell backward, then pulled out a .25-caliber semiautomatic Beretta handgun and shot Lira, police said. The single shot was fired at a range of 10 to 15 feet. Lira, 32, was taken to St. Vincent Healthcare and later released. Police Sgt. Kevin Iffland said the bullet grazed the side of his head from front to back. Paxinos said that prior to passage of House Bill 228 authorities would have had probable cause to arrest Schmidt for assault with a weapon. Now, he said, they need more details about whether there was a history of aggression between the two men, what they may have said to each other when the incident occurred and other information that will shape whether it was reasonable for Schmidt to believe his life was threatened. Other details such as the size of the two men - Schmidt weighs 150 pounds and Lira weighs 300 pounds - could also affect whether a self-defense claim is reasonable, Paxinos said."


Nevada: Liquor Store Clerk Wounded Would-be Robber: "Las Vegas police say a liquor store clerk gunned down during a botched robbery Friday night shot one of his assailants. The Clark County coroner's office identifies the dead clerk as 62-year-old Arthur Miller of Las Vegas. Police arrested his two alleged assailants - 24-year-olds Antonio Duenas and Michael Cruz - at a hospital where Duenas was treated for a gunshot wound to the abdomen. They're due in court tomorrow"


Australia: Toy gun bandit shot during break-in: "A Burglar armed with a Buzz Lightyear toy pistol was shot with the real thing by the occupants of a house during an attempted break-in, a court heard. George Humphries was attempting to enter a house in Fairbairn Drive at Corio when he was blasted in the left shoulder with a sawn-off shotgun. David Gray, for Humphries, told Geelong County Court yesterday his client was retreating when shot. Crown prosecutor Paul Darcy said no one was ever charged over the shooting because Humphries had declined to lodge a complaint. Humphries, 28, of Nixon Court, Corio, pleaded guilty before Judge Anthony Howard yesterday to a charge of attempted aggravated burglary". [drug-related]


DC: New gun rights suit tests 2nd Amendment limit: “One question left unanswered by the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Second Amendment ruling last year is this: When do law-abiding Americans have the right to carry firearms in public for self-defense? In a lawsuit filed against the city of Washington, D.C. on Thursday, the Second Amendment Foundation aims to find out. The plaintiffs are four gun owners who were denied licenses to carry firearms in public on their person … The District of Columbia is a special case. Its city code says nobody may carry ‘either openly or concealed on or about their person, a pistol, without a license.’ But a law enacted in December 2008 appears to have curbed the ability of the police chief to grant those licenses.”

TN: Robber shot: "Ashley Brannon, 22, has been charged with facilitation of attempted aggravated robbery. Brannon, boyfriend Calvin Jefferson, Mitchell, and another man, Edgar Smith, 24, spent the early morning hours Thursday gambling, and Smith was seen with "a large amount of money." Brannon later drove Mitchell and Smith to the Exxon, ostensibly to get money Brannon's boyfriend owed Smith. Brannon went inside the Exxon, then came out holding money she'd pretended to withdraw from the ATM. Mitchell then pulled a gun and turned to rob Smith, who was sitting in the rear seat. But Smith pulled his own gun and shot Mitchell. Brannon then drove south on Third, stopping briefly after Smith, who was trapped in the back seat by the child safety locks, told her to let him out. He ran away. Brannon then turned west on Raines and drove to Westmont, about a mile and a half from the Exxon, where she stopped the car and called Jefferson, who came to the scene. Jefferson has not been charged in the case. Mitchell died on Westmont from his gunshot wounds. The shooting has been ruled self-defense"


FL: Gun permits jump 67%: “Florida is seeing a huge increase in applications for concealed weapon permits. The state is on pace to handle 150,000 requests — a 67 percent increase over 2008. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services was so overwhelmed that Commissioner Charles Bronson petitioned the Legislature for 61 temporary employees, giving him 202 workers to wade through a spring backlog of 90,000 requests. That amount alone represents as many petitions as the state received in all of 2008.”


Legal ignorance of Second Amendment not new: “I just got done sharing the current issue of Guns Magazine with Gun Rights Examiner readers. They’re the folks who publish my monthly ‘Rights Watch’ column. They also do something each month I’ve talked about before, and that I think is very cool: They post the corresponding monthly issue of their magazine from 50 years ago on their website. It’s amazing going through it and seeing the guns, the prices … like opening up a time capsule. But it’s more than just entertainment — we get recent history that allows us to understand today’s climate and how it got that way.”


Gun buybacks miss the bullseye: “Gun buyback programs are based on the belief that some ill defined ‘excess’ of handguns can be taken out of the hands of criminals if only enough legal tender is tendered for them. Like other buyback schemes in other cities, the Guns for Groceries gimmick hopes to get people to turn in a working weapon for a gift card worth $50 in groceries. It’s generally understood by all involved — city officials, police officials, gun owners — that these buyback programs never accomplish their stated goal.”

Truck dealer gives good replies to CNN interviewer over "promotional" AK47s

CNN tried to make him look a kook but instead he kept his cool and used CNN to get gun-ownership points over. I'm guessing he's one heck of a good salesman for trucks too. Note to CNN: Don't mess with salesmen!





PA: Suspect shot in pizza-joint robbery attempt: "The attempted robbery occurred at 11:43 p.m. Saturday at Tony's Place, a pizzeria on Frankford Avenue near Cambria Street, in Kensington. A masked gunman in his mid-20s burst into the restaurant, demanding money, police spokeswoman Officer Christine O'Brien said. The 43-year-old store owner pushed away the would-be robber's gun, and then a friend of the owner who was inside the shop tried to wrestle the gun away from the man, police said. During the struggle, the robber fired two shots, but no one was injured, O'Brien said. The owner, who had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, then pulled out his own firearm and shot the man in the back and shoulder, police said. The gunman, who was not identified by police, was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he was in critical condition and being held as a prisoner. He was expected to be charged with robbery and related offenses once he regains consciousness, police said. The owner and his friend were not identified by police but neither is expected to face charges.


MS: Robbery suspect shot in Jackson: "Police do not expect to charge a Jackson homeowner who shot and wounded a man he found breaking into his car early Sunday morning. About 5 a.m., a homeowner in the 200 block of East Ash St. saw two men breaking into his Chrysler Sebring parked in front of the house, Jackson Assistant Chief Lee Vance said. The homeowner got a gun and shot one of the suspected burglars, Vance said. Michael Evans, 26, was shot in a thigh while still inside the Sebring, he said. The second suspect, who has not been identified, was able to get away. Police are searching for the other man. Evans was taken to a hospital and treated for injuries that were not life-threaten-ing, Vance said. Once Evans is released, Vance said, he will be charged in the burglary. He did not appear on the Jackson arrest docket Sunday night. Jackson police will turn the findings from the investigation over to a Hinds County grand jury, which will determine whether the homeowner will be charged. Vance would not say whether the case falls under the Castle Doctrine but said "the homeowner has a right to protect his property."


The road to Damascus: "Where gun rights are concerned, a ‘Road to Damascus’ moment occurs when a formerly anti-gun or gun-shy person decides to become a gun owner. For some, this comes after careful consideration of the issue. For others, it comes after a traumatic event illustrates to them just how critical self-defense is to a law-abiding citizen. In either case, being able to help such a new gun owner is one of the most rewarding things that an instructor gets to do.”

WV: Deadly shooting began over comments about interracial dating: "The confrontation between neighbors that turned deadly Thursday night was over a son dating a black girl, the father said Friday morning. Chad Friend, 20, of 39th Street, Parkersburg, was shot and killed Thursday evening after he and his father, Ronald Friend, went to speak with the neighbor over the comments about a younger son, Cory, and the girl. Friend identified the neighbor, but the newspaper is withholding the name pending charges. "I didn't go over there for a gunfight," Friend said. "I had no idea he would do what he did." The Parkersburg Police Department issued a press release shortly after noon on Friday stating the investigation was continuing and numerous witnesses had been interviewed. The release also raises the possibility of self defense. Prosecutor Jason Wharton wouldn't identify the neighbor or speak to Friend's account of what happened. He did say no one was in custody and no one had been charged. Friend said he confronted the neighbor about the remarks and once put his hands on the neighbor's shoulders. The neighbor became agitated and chased Friend around the corner of the house and off the property, Friend said. Friend went into his house for a drink of water and said he decided to return to the neighbor's and asked Chad to accompany him. The neighbor answered his door armed with a shotgun, Friend said. "He pushed the door open with the barrel of the gun," Friend said. Fearing that he and Chad would be shot in the back if they retreated, Friend said he pushed the weapon upward and knocked it away from the neighbor. "It happened so fast," Friend said. The neighbor regained control of the weapon and fired one shot, striking Chad in the chest."


NC man fights off robber with sword: "Normally you lose when you bring a knife to a gunfight, but not Ramiro Silva. He and his 14 year old son stopped their truck when they smelled some wires burning and were confronted by a robber. Ramiro Silva Jr. says "when we pulled over this man came to our door and he had a gun." That gun was a sawed off shotgun, but it didn't frighten the 42-year-old landscaper. He was thinking about the cash he lost and how difficult it was going to be to feed his wife and six children. The gunman stuffed the shotgun into a bag and ran into the woods and Mr. Silva grabbed his machete, a fearsome looking blade, and went in after him. "He said to give him his money back, he's not really going to kill him, but he wants his money back cause he had the machete ready, so he throw the money back to him," says Silva. Silva wacked the suspect with the sword, using the face not the blade. He still left his mark bending the weapon. "Yeah bend like that...my dad used all his force to get his money back," says Silva. Turns out the gun was not loaded, and the suspect dropped it during the confrontation. He did do one thing right, he escaped and police are trying to find him."


GA: Invaders fought off: " Three Loganville men and two juveniles are sitting in jail after police said they kicked in a man's door and tried to rob him at gunpoint Friday morning. John Al Harris, 21, Jeremiah Remyto Lanier and Daniel Julius Olbert, both 18, are charged with armed robbery in the incident, which authorities said happened about 12:30 a.m. According to reports, the five suspects went to the Ryland Avenue residence armed with a shotgun, rifle and small handgun. Police spokesman Cpl. David Schiralli said they forced their way in the door and demanded money. "At this time, it is believed that the suspects knew the victim and thought he was in possession of a large amount of cash," Schiralli said. An ensuing struggle between the male victim and one of the suspects ended when the shotgun discharged, reports said, and all five suspects ran to a nearby car. The vehicle was spotted by a Snellville police officer a short time later, police said, and all five suspects were taken into custody without incident. Schiralli said all three weapons allegedly used in the robbery attempt were found inside the vehicle. The victim received minor injuries in the struggle and was treated and released from an area hospital, according to reports. Harris, Olbert and Lanier are being held without bond at the Gwinnett County Jail while the two juveniles are being held at the Regional Youth Detention Center."


Choose Your Weapons: "There exists a great choice in handguns that provides the unique ability to fire either a .410 shotgun round or the 45 Colt center-fire round. This handgun is made by Taurus and is called "The Judge." It comes in blue or stainless finish and a choice of several barrel lengths. A .410 shotgun round would be devastating at short range and best of all would not penetrate inner walls within the house unless hit at very close range. .410 shotgun ammo is usually readily available although .45 Colt ammo is harder to find, due mainly to its use in Cowboy Action Shooting. Please note there is a difference between .45 ACP and .45 Colt firearms and ammo and they are not interchangeable! While the size and weight of the "Judge" make it impractical for concealed carry for many, the potential devastation of five rounds of .410 shotgun rounds make it ideal for home defense and a nightmare for any potential carjacker when carried in your automobile or truck.... The caliber of your chosen handgun is much less important than your ability to hit the target and correct any malfunctions of that firearm under duress. After all, one hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .44 Mag."

AZ: Robbery fails when cab driver grabs gun, bites suspect: "A cab driver fought back against a man, who attempted to rob him at gunpoint on Friday morning, by biting his ear and taking his gun. Detective David Ramer with the Chandler Police Department said a cab driver pulled into an apartment complex near Dobson and Ocotillo roads around 1 a.m. to drop off his passenger. As the cab came to a stop, the passenger allegedly pulled a gun on the driver and demanded cash. Ramer said the cab driver grabbed the suspect's gun and pulled it down between the front seats, forcing the suspect to lean over the seats closer to the cab driver. With his hands holding the gun down between the seats, the cab driver reportedly bit the suspect's ear. "I almost bit his ear off," said the cab driver, Mwengi Gachii. "I'm okay because I am always suspicious of people like that.” The suspect then fired one shot, striking the driver seat of the vehicle and then responded in turn by biting Gachii, according to the police report. At one point, Gachii says the suspect bit him in the chest. "He was really drunk." After a struggle, the suspect fled from the cab. Gachii ran after the suspect while carrying his gun. After a brief chase, Gachii stopped and called police. Police were able to catch the alleged robber in the complex. The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Matthew Mailhot of Chandler, was taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries. Once released from the hospital, Mailhot will be booked into the Maricopa County Jail for armed robbery."


TX: Store Clerk Shoots Robber: "Beaumont police are looking for a man witnesses say has a gunshot wound to the arm after he robbed the Gulf Street Liquor Store in Beaumont. Beaumont Police Officer Crystal Holmes tells KBMT 12 news around 10:30 a.m. Friday patrolmen were called to the 3000 block of Gulf Street in Beaumont where a 9-1-1 caller reported an armed robbery. The store owner told police a man with wearing a black cap, long sleeve black shirt, black baggy jeans and an orange bandanna used a large-caliber handgun in the robbery. As the robber started to leave the clerk grabbed his own handgun and chased the suspect into the parking lot. Police say the clerk told officers the suspect turned and pointed a gun in his direction so he fired a number of shots at the suspect. He said one of the slugs hit the man in the arm. "I ran out to get his license plate," said Farid Ali who owns the Gulf Street Liquor Store in Beaumont. "When he saw me he tried to shoot me and that is when I shot back." Although he and witnesses say the suspect was hit, there was no evidence found at the scene to show that a bullet had actually hit the man. The suspect fled the scene in a green Ford Mustang with a ragtop. At 12:45 p.m. officers found the suspect car in the 5000 block of Landry. Police obtained a search warrant and found the suspects bloody clothing. Police also searched his car where they discovered blood stains and bullet holes on the side of the car. Authorities say they know the suspects identity but they are not going to release his name until they obtain a warrant for his arrest."


Book review: The Great New Orleans Gun Grab: “I recently finished reading The Great New Orleans Gun Grab: Descent Into Anarchy by Gordon Hutchinson and Todd Masson. To give you an idea of how interesting this book is, I finished all 190 pages PLUS the Appendix materials in just under three hours. Both Hutchinson and Masson are professional writers, and they do an excellent job conveying a story that is fascinating, frightening, horrifying, and often, beyond belief. I found myself muttering, numerous times, ‘Certainly this did not happen in the United States.’ Well, it did happen. And every gun owner owes it to himself to at least know the story of Katrina and the complete failure of law enforcement vis-a-vis the law-abiding gun owner.”


New anti-gun strategy: Demonize CCW holders: "Bigotry assumes many forms, hides behind many facades, but always it is the same; the social demonization of entire groups, classes or races of people in an effort to make them appear inferior and detrimental by their very existence. In the wake of a nasty multiple shooting at a Pittsburgh, PA-area fitness club by a not-so-clearly psychotic man identified as George Sodini, America’s gun prohibitionists – led by the Violence Policy Center and Freedom States Alliance – are clamoring for restrictions or repeal of concealed carry statutes. In the case against legally-armed citizens, the VPC has even manufactured an innuendo-riddled “study” to support their prejudices. My colleague, Cleveland Gun Rights Examiner Daniel White, writes about the shooting here. Their hardly subliminal argument appears to be that citizens licensed to carry concealed handguns for personal protection are a threat to the community. This contention is based on six shooting incidents over the past couple of years in which the gunman had, or apparently had, a carry permit. Meanwhile, proponents of public disarmament haven’t said a thing about the estimated five million other citizens who are licensed to carry, and haven’t harmed anybody. There hasn’t been a peep from the gun prohibition lobby about the armed citizen who shot a convenience store robber in Virginia recently, heading off a bloodbath."