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.”