NC: Slaying ruled self-defense; murder charge dropped: "A first-degree murder charge has been dismissed against a Greensboro man after prosecutors determined the killing was in self-defense. The charge was dropped Sept. 13 against Edward Sherron Carter Jr., who was accused in the July 31 killing of Markis Corey Bennerman at 911 Caldwell St. in Greensboro. Assistant District Attorney Howard Neumann said they believe that Carter, 21, shot Bennerman, 26, as Bennerman attempted to rob Carter during a drug deal. Bennerman had called Carter to buy marijuana, Neumann said. When he arrived, Benner­man pulled a gun. A struggle ensued, and Carter shot Bennerman outside the house. A 911 call and investigation corroborated Carter’s version of the events, Neumann said. “We could not disprove it was self-defense,” Neumann said. However, Carter pleaded guilty to felonious concealment of a death and possession with the intent to sell and deliver marijuana. Carter tried to stuff Benner­man’s body under the crawl space of a home, Neumann said. For each crime, he received a suspended sentence of six to eight months. An autopsy released Monday showed that Bennerman was shot four times during the incident, with one bullet striking him in the head."


CA: Armed homeowner thwarts burglary suspects: "Three suspects arrested in Sutter County after an attempted home burglary ran into the worst of luck — a homeowner with experience fighting off intruders. Two women and a man, all Sacramento residents, broke into an isolated house at about 2 p.m. Monday in the 3900 block of O'Banion Road west of Yuba City, according to Sheriff J. Paul Parker. The owner, David Massey, armed himself with a handgun and discovered one woman in his kitchen while the other woman and the man fled out the back door, Parker said. The suspects got into a Ford Explorer parked on the circular driveway outside and drove it toward Massey, but he fired six shots toward the vehicle just before it rolled onto its side, the 63-year-old homeowner recalled Monday night. "They drove right across the center of the (driveway) circle towards me, and I yelled at them to stop and fired five rounds into the radiator to make them stop," said Massey. "The car was not three feet from me when it went by; they almost took me out. "I was in fear of my life. They wouldn't stop, so I shot." The passengers abandoned the Ford and ran through a flooded prune orchard, but deputies arrested them within a mile of the house. The sheriff's department identified the detained women as 31-year-old Tiffany Abila and 27-year-old Angelina Walters, and the male suspect as 26-year-old Marcus Campbell."


AZ: Defending self-defense in gun ban war: "Gov. Jan Brewer recently signed five pieces of legislation that foster gun-safety education in Arizona’s schools and reinforce the rights of gun owners in the state into law. The legislation was sponsored by Sens. Jack Harper and Russell Pearce, and mandates that Arizona’s Right-to-Carry permit holders are allowed to defend themselves in public restaurants, store their firearm in a locked vehicle while parked in a publicly accessible parking lot, and reveal their firearm to an individual threatening them or a loved one. Furthermore, the new law states that an individual who shoots someone in self-defense is innocent until proven guilty.”


AZ: Bars, eateries get ready for gun-toting patrons: "Starting Wednesday, those carrying concealed weapons are allowed to enter Arizona’s roughly 5,300 establishments licensed to sell alcohol, as long as they don’t drink. If those bar and restaurant owners don’t want guns on the property, they must post a sign indicating that they are not allowed. The law only requires one sign be posted in a ‘conspicuous’ place, near the establishment’s liquor license. … about a thousand official, laminated signs have been requested since they became available in mid-August, according to the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control, with the average establishment requesting four signs.”

Detroit: Cop-turned-pastor says he shot intruder at church in self-defense: "A man who broke into a west side Detroit church didn’t get very far in his attempt to rob the place, police said. Lawrence Adams, pastor at Westside Bible Church on Winston near 7 Mile, a retired Detroit Police lieutenant, said he shot the intruder around 6:45 p.m. Sunday in self-defense after responding to a call from the church's alarm company and discovering that the facility's front door was open. Adams said today he saw the man coming out of the church's front door with a large garbage bag, and once the robber saw him, the two struggled. "He took a swing at me," said Adams, who left the force in 2006 after 25 years. "At that time, I fired a shot at him. I was defending myself and not the property or the church." Detroit Police spokeswoman Yvette Walker said the robbery suspect remained hospitalized today in temporary serious condition. Police said they've forwarded their investigation to prosecutors for possible charges."


Oregon man, 93, pointed gun before he was shot: "The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says the shooting death of a 93-year-old man in southwest Oregon appears to have been in self-defense. Spokeswoman Andrea Zielinski said detectives learned Clarence Hartley had been pointing a gun before he was shot by 75-year-old Clement Dewart on Friday. She says Hartley was a relative of the Dewart family and lived on their property in Glendale. Zielinski says the investigation remains active. When it's finished, the results will be forwarded to a grand jury for a review of any possible criminal charges."


Gun locks and gun safes: Sensible or stupid?: "There is a long debate in America about gun locks and gun safes. Some people hold the view that all guns should be locked in a gun safe, or that the gun should be disabled by using a locking mechanism that prevents the trigger from being engaged. They cite the number of children who are wounded or killed each year when they find a gun in their home and play with it. They also tell stories of victims who have had their gun taken away from them and used against them in a crime. While that side of the debate sounds reasonable, it ignores reality. Gun ownership offers protection, even if the only reason you bought the gun is for sporting use. The truth is that in actual crimes, seconds count. Police show up in minutes or hours. So your personal safety and protection are YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. If you are forced to deal with an imminent threat of violent crime, fumbling with a gun lock or the key to your gun safe could easily cost you your life.”


SC: Candidate raffles off AK-47 at campaign rally: "A candidate to be South Carolina’s next National Guard leader skipped the fiery speeches for firepower, launching his campaign with what he called a ‘machine-gun social.’ The Greenville News reports some 500 people came out to a shooting range Saturday for Republican Dean Allen’s political rally. He wants to be the next adjutant general, the person who leads the state’s National Guard. Attendees paid $25 for barbecue, a clip of bullets for target practice and the chance to win a semiautomatic AK-47. Whoever wins the rifle will have to undergo a background check. South Carolina is the only state that elects its adjutant general.”

Montana: Car theft victim recovers car at gunpoint: "A Billings man driving home from work around 5 p.m. Monday spotted his car that had been stolen from him that morning. He chased the car until it stopped on the 2600 block of Fourth Avenue South and managed to hold one of the passengers at gunpoint until police arrived. "He was actually going home from work at the time of the call," Billings Police Sgt. Scott Conrad said. "It was a red Suburban. He chases it down and there's four occupants in the vehicle. Three run. He catches one of the passengers, with one hand at gunpoint and one hand on the phone calling police dispatch." Billings police arrived minutes later and ordered the man to the ground. They took the teen into custody and released the man once they realized what had happened. Conrad said the boy helped police identify those who had allegedly stolen the car, and the boy was later released. "He actually helped in the case," Conrad said. "We do know who we're looking for."


North Carolina: Homeowner opens fire at break-in suspect: "Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say a man in the University area spotted someone in his garage early Friday morning and opened fire at the suspect. According to The Observer's news partner WCNC, the homeowner on Glen Luce Avenue heard a noise around 3:30 a.m. When the man found the suspect in the garage, police said he shot at the intruder. Investigators found blood outside, but have not located the suspect."


South Carolina robber ends up running for his life after home owner shoots at him: "A man stealing a coin collection in a Hilton Head Plantation home at noon Wednesday found himself running for his life after the homeowner shot at him and chased him out of the house. The unidentified man, who was armed with a large stick or club, broke into a house on Teal Lane while the residents were inside, according to a news release from the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office. The intruder entered through the unlocked front door and walked down the hall into a bedroom, where he started stealing a coin collection, according to the release. The owner confronted the robber, who threatened the owner and kept taking the coins, according to the release. The owner ran to another room, grabbed a handgun and chased the robber. The owner fired a shot and missed, and the robber drove off in an SUV. Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Cpl. Robin McIntosh said she did not know if the shot was fired while they were inside or outside the home. The homeowner fell while chasing the robber and suffered minor injuries. His wife, who also was home, was not injured, according to the release. The intruder dropped some of the stolen coins as he ran off, according to the release. The collection was estimated to be worth about $150, a Hilton Head Plantation official said. The robber is described as white, [RACE mentioned for once. How strange!] in his mid-20s, about 6 feet tall and 180 pounds, with light brown hair, according to the release."


ATF to Tennessee: Screw the Constitution, you’ll do what WE say: "The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has told Tennessee gun dealers to disregard a state statute that exempts firearms made and sold inside Tennessee from federal gun laws and registration. The ATF says the federal laws still apply regardless of the state’s move. … ‘This bill simply asserts that if a firearms and/or ammunition is made totally within the state of Tennessee, then the federal government has no jurisdiction over that item in any fashion, so long as it remains in the state and outside of interstate commerce,’ Sen. Mae Beavers, R-Mt. Juliet, the bill’s sponsor, said on the Senate floor when it passed there in June.”

WI: Teenager Shot While Trying To Rob Shooter: "Police are spending Friday morning trying to find a suspect involved in a robbery that ended with gunfire. Witnesses say someone on a bicycle pulled out a gun and shot a 16-year-old boy in the head. The shooting happened at the corner of North 63rd Street and West Villard Avenue on Thursday night. The shooter left the scene. Police later found out the victim had a pellet gun and was trying to rob the man on the bicycle when the victim was shot. His condition was unknown as of early Friday morning."


Pa.: Victim shoots robber in Washington County: "The victim of a robbery attempt shot and killed one of the robbers in New Eagle early yesterday, state police said. Police said William Eyles, 25, of Monongahela, and Cole MacFarlane, 25, of New Eagle, tried to rob Joseph Gallick, who pulled a gun and shot Mr. Eyles. Mr. Gallick was treated at Monongahela Hospital for injuries incurred during the crime. Mr. MacFarlane was charged with homicide, attempted robbery, conspiracy and criminal mischief and is in the Washington County Correctional Facility.


SC: Robbery victim charged too: "A man who says he was a victim of a robbery ended up arrested and facing a more serious charge after he shot at the alleged robbers, police said. Byron Blake Haynes, 21, told police that he was walking away from the BP gas station at 3000 Augusta Street in the Pleasant Valley area on Monday night when two men approached him. He said the men grabbed him and stole his cell phone. Police said that Haynes went to his home and got two guns and came back and shot at the suspects' vehicle as they drove away. James Kanard, 59, and Furman Kanard, 55, are charged with strong-arm robbery. Haynes is charged with assault with intent to kill and discharging a firearm. All three have been released on bond."


Seattle mayor wants to be two-time loser: "The Second Amendment Foundation today renewed its pledge to sue Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels if he pushes through a proposed rule that would ban legally-carried firearms in city Parks and Recreations Department facilities. The proposed rule change was announced Friday morning. SAF founder Alan Gottlieb quickly noted that this rule would violate Washington State’s long standing firearms preemption statute, first adopted more than 25 years ago. That law has become a model for similar state laws all over the country.”

Detroit woman turns gun on purse snatcher: "A Detroit woman whose purse was snatched early Friday morning while she was pumping gas allegedly took matters into her own hands and shot the suspect with a concealed weapon. Police have yet to definitively identify whether a man who died at an area hospital Friday was involved in the robbery but say it's a "very strong possibility." The shooting happened around 5 a.m. at the Mobil gas station at Schoolcraft and Southfield, Detroit Police Sgt. Eren Stephens Bell said. A woman in her 40s was pumping gas when she was approached by a man who demanded her purse and said if she didn't comply, he'd shoot her. After the suspect snatched the purse, the woman, who has a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon, shot several rounds at the suspect who fled on foot, Bell said. The victim's purse was recovered but police aren't saying how. Investigators are running gun ballistic tests and will forward findings to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office to determine whether the victim will be charged."


TX: Pellet gun robbery suspect remains in hospital: "A man accused of trying to rob a 8-liner business with a pellet gun remained in serious condition Friday at a local hospital four days after being shot by a security guard. The 20-year-old suspect was shot twice during a botched robbery attempt Monday night at the Cherry 777 Arcade, 620 Paredes Line Road, said Brownsville police spokesman Sgt. Jimmy Manrrique. After the shooting he was transported to Valley Regional Medical Center-Brownsville where he remained under guard. The guard also shot a 15-year-old boy who police said took part in the robbery. He was transported to Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville where he was treated and released Wednesday evening. He was charged with attempted aggravated robbery in juvenile court, Manrrique said. On Friday he remained in custody at a juvenile detention center in San Benito. The shooting took place when the man and the teenager tried to rob the arcade with a pair of pellet guns only to be fired at with the guard’s .40-caliber Glock, Manrrique said. The two fled the scene in a silver Lincoln Navigator and were stopped shortly afterward by a Cameron County Sheriff’s Department deputy for running a red light."


Crime rate drops while Cleveland tries to kill golden goose: "The overall crime rate continues its four year decline in Cleveland despite the City’s efforts to overturn state gun laws and once again take gun rights away from residents. While criminal on criminal violence still continues to be a problem (mostly gang and drug related), the average citizen has become increasingly safer in the city over the last four years, which roughly coincides with efforts at the state level to expand concealed carry and gun rights in general. As citizens become increasingly able to protect themselves and thwart the efforts of criminals, those criminals have shifted their focus to property crimes such as burglary and theft.”


CA: Appeals Court to consider key gun rights question: "A federal appeals court in San Francisco on Thursday will confront America’s next big gun rights question: Whether or not the Second Amendment prevents state governments from enacting anti-gun laws. The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in a case that’s likely to decide whether the Bill of Rights’ guarantee of a right to ‘keep and bear arms’ restricts only the federal government and the District of Columbia — the current state of affairs — or whether it can be invoked to strike down intrusive state and local laws too. In an earlier ruling in April, a three-judge panel of the same court ruled that the Second Amendment did apply to the states, a different outcome than appeals courts in Chicago and New York had reached. On Thursday morning, a larger Ninth Circuit panel is scheduled to re-hear the case, meaning the earlier decision in Nordyke v. King could be upheld or rejected.”

Kentucky: Would-Be Burglar Stopped By Homeowner: "A Lexington man is behind bars after police say he tried to break into the wrong home overnight. A man says he was taking a shower early this morning at his home on West Fourth Street, when he heard something just outside his house. He told police he went around to check it out, and saw a man trying to break in through a window. That's when the homeowner grabbed a gun and held the would-be burglar at gunpoint, while he called 9-1-1. Police later caught up with and arrested Donovan Campbell. He's now in jail, charged with burglary. That homeowner runs a business out of his home, and he says he was tired of being broken into, so he decided to put a stop to it."


Tennessee: Woman In Shower Shoots At Intruder: "A woman in Mount Juliet got a scare this week when a man broke into her home while she was in the shower. The intruder quickly ran out, but the woman grabbed her gun and shot at his car. Police arrested Franklin Fish a short time later. The woman identified him as the burglar. Detectives believe Fish is wanted for several other home break-ins."


A runaway Amtrak of anti-gun hysteria: "Last week, the U.S. Senate approved an amendment to a transportation and housing bill that would require Amtrak to once again permit passengers to transport unloaded firearms in their checked baggage, or lose its $1.6 billion annual federal funding. Before the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and the subsequent Madrid train bombing, transporting locked, unloaded firearms in one’s checked baggage on Amtrak was uncontroversial. It was only after guns were not used to kill thousands of people in those two atrocities that the current total ban of firearms was put in place.”


WI: Proposal aims to boost self-defense: "Proposed state legislation would give more legal protection to homeowners and residents who use deadly force to defend themselves from an intruder who has broken in. The proposal addresses situations such as Jamie Chen’s shooting and killing of Roberto Vega-Gil Wednesday, after Vega-Gil broke into Chen’s Fitchburg home with what police officials said was the intention to carry out a burglary. Current law only allows a homeowner to use lethal force as a defense if he or she believes the force was necessary to prevent death or serious injury. District attornies typically review such situations to establish whether a homeowner possessed a credible belief.”

California Cow Palace Gun Shows Face End

(Sacramento, California) The California Legislature has passed a bill, SB585, to shut down gun shows at the legendary Cow Palace which straddles San Mateo and San Francisco Counties. Sponsored by uber-liberal San Francisco Democrat Senator Mark Leno, the bill will limit gun shows until 2013 when they will be completely outlawed.


According to the San Francisco Chronicle:

The measure has the potential to limit gun violence by ending sales.

Frankly, I contend that ending gun shows at the Cow Palace has a greater potential of limiting law-abiding citizens from obtaining guns to protect themselves. Violent criminals customarily don't obtain their weapons through legal means. They don't pass background checks, take safety courses and wait 10 days to take possession, all of which are reportedly required at Cow Palace gun shows.

In any event, the bill is expected to be on Gov. Schwarzenegger's desk shortly for signature.

Notably, the adjacent counties of Marin and Alameda have previously banned gun shows and it's presumed that statistics are being compiled reflecting a dramatic drop in gun violence -- uh, or maybe not.

GA: Shot 16-year-old during attempt to recover stolen vehicle but no charges: "Frank Lumpkin III, accused of aggravated assault in the October shooting of a 16-year-old — whom he found in his wife’s stolen sport utility vehicle — had his case dismissed Monday by a Muscogee County grand jury. The teen, who was allegedly driving the 2006 Lincoln Navigator, suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen and lower back. He was hospitalized, then transferred to a youth detention facility. He was later adjudicated on a charge of theft by receiving stolen property and sentenced to five years in a youth detention facility. A 15-year-old who was not in the vehicle the day of the confrontation but admitted stealing the SUV received the same sentence. Lumpkin, 51, was with three friends on Oct. 21, 2008, when he spotted his SUV at a Fort Benning Road gas station. The vehicle allegedly had been stolen two days before. Lumpkin pulled in behind it and, with a gun in hand, approached the vehicle, he testified at a juvenile court hearing. Lumpkin also testified that he accidentally shot the 16-year-old as he held the teen with his right hand and the handgun in his left. The teen threw the Navigator into reverse, slamming the SUV back into the front of Lumpkin’s truck, Lumpkin said. Squeezed between the Navigator and the gas pumps and caught by the side mirror, he hooked his elbows inside the window as he was dragged backward and that’s when his gun went off, he said."


SC: Victim points pistol at armed robbery suspect: "The victim of an armed robbery turns the gun on the suspect. It happened in Andrews, Monday night after 11 p.m. at the Exchange Bank of South Carolina ATM on Main Street. "He said I'm not playing with you don't make me have to kill you," Felix Hudson Jr. said. Hudson says the gunman approached him as he tried to make an ATM withdrawal. "Got my wallet out and got the card out, and when I went to insert the card, came a gun from this side," Hudson said. Hudson did what the robber said, handing over his wallet and ATM card, but he gave a fake pin number. He says the robber got angry and pointed the pistol even closer to him, right over his left shoulder. "By that time the gun was right here and I spin, grab it, and turn it back out the window and hit the gas, pulling him," Hudson said. Hudson says the robber struck part of the ATM and let go of the gun. "I got out of my truck, started chasing behind him, took the gun, fired it twice in the air. He kept on running," Hudson said. Hudson says he would have fired a third shot, but the gun jammed. He then began chasing the suspect down Main Street, but he didn't get a good look at his face."


Virginia Tech continues to promote defenselessness: "A year after the obscenity where a lunatic took full advantage of the helplessness guaranteed by Hincker-endorsed ‘No Gun’ zones, The New York Times blog invited me to participate on a panel to discuss ‘Virginia Tech: After the Shootings.’ Naturally, I opted to challenge the readers to ask ‘Guns on Campus: Could They Prevent a Repeat?’ I also had a chance to present some rebuttals here and here. Rebuttals? Well, yeah, it was basically six antis against me. I didn’t mean for representation to be so uneven, but I guess they felt the other side had enough members with gravitas to make it fair.”


PA: Feds launch frivolous prosecution of Philadelphia gun dealer: "A Philadelphia gun dealer that has been the target of religious activists is now charged in federal court with making false statements and failing to keep records required by law. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced charges against Colosimo’s Inc. after business hours Tuesday. … Activists have targeted Colosimo’s because of the number of guns sold there that end up being used in crimes. The owner has said that’s to be expected from a high-volume dealership like his. He has said he believes he has saved lives by selling guns to police departments.”

Nevada: Attempted Burglary Ends with Shot Fired at Homeowner: "Police are investigating after a Lemmon Valley homeowner was shot at by a Sheriff's Deputy while trying to defend his property from a suspected burglar Saturday night. Rocky Triplett with the Sparks Police Department says just before midnight Saturday, a drunk man, 35-year-old Christopher Pool, entered his neighbor's yard at 430 Paramount Ct. in Lemmon Valley. Pool was allegedly trying to either steal a car or burglarize the home. Pool didn’t know that the homeowners were home at the time. Police say they received a call to respond to the home after it was reported that a suspicious man had climbed a fence, and was trying to steal a car. The intruder was drunk and uncooperative when police entered the yard and began questioning him. According to Police, the homeowners, Vince and Veronica Henderson, were aware of an intruder on their property after seeing him in their yard. Mrs. Henderson quickly turned on lights around the garage. Mr. Henderson grabbed his gun and went after Pool. Deputies say they saw Mr. Henderson coming around the corner of the garage with a gun and a flashlight in his hands. One of the Deputies shouted at Henderson to drop his gun, but then fearing for his safety, fired a shot towards Henderson. Henderson was not hit. After realizing that police had arrived, Mr. Henderson put his gun down. He and his wife were briefly detained and questioned. Police then arrested Pool. No one was injured in the incident."


Illinois homeowner kills armed robbers: "Police say an eastern Illinois man shot two people to death after they forced their way into his home and tried to rob him. Vermilion County Sheriff Pat Hartshorn says the two masked men held the homeowner on the floor at gunpoint Monday night and choked him while demanding money. The sheriff says the alleged robbers were 22 and 17 but didn't identify them or the homeowner. Hartshorn says the men let the homeowner go when his wife said she had expensive jewelry upstairs. While the men focused on a jewelry box, the homeowner grabbed a handgun and shot them. Hartshorn says another 17-year-old waited in a pickup outside. He drove away but was arrested a short time later. Indianola is about 10 miles southwest of Danville."


Michigan: Resident expels intruder with handgun: "An allegedly drunken man who entered a Traverse City home in the middle of the night found himself at gunpoint. Aaron TwoCrow, 24, of Suttons Bay, allegedly entered a home on the 800 block of Fern Street at about 4:20 a.m. Saturday, police said. A female homeowner was up rocking her 15-month-old child in the living room when she heard her kitchen door open and saw a stranger in the home. "She's just sitting there in the dead of night ... and this guy comes in and scares the crap out of her," Traverse City Police Capt. Steve Morgan said. The woman ran into her bedroom and told her sleeping husband, who retrieved a handgun and confronted TwoCrow. He ran from the house and was arrested without incident as he walked along nearby Hannah Avenue. TwoCrow allegedly was intoxicated, Morgan said. Police said TwoCrow has no known past or present connection to the residence, and gave no indication why he decided to go inside. TwoCrow allegedly entered through an unlocked door, as did two intoxicated men who entered Traverse City residences in similar incidents in June. TwoCrow was charged with misdemeanor illegal entry."


Do supporters of restrictive gun laws sanction the rape of the handicapped?: "The rape of a handicapped man is, of course, just one example of the strong preying on the weak: an adult abusing a child, a large, strong man assaulting a smaller, generally physically weaker woman, and a gang attacking an individual are a few others. I chose to write about this today because of the incident’s personal relevance to my situation. The above story is short on details, but one assumption I feel rather safe in making is that the victim was unarmed — even the sickest of perverts tend to prioritize their deviant sexual pleasure (and the joy of imposing their dominance over others) rather a long way below their personal survival.”

Ohio: Elderly victim shoots would-be robber, 24: "A 24-year-old man who allegedly got out of his car and tried to rob an elderly man at gunpoint was shot by the would-be victim, who was licensed to carry a concealed weapon and fired to defend himself, police said. The younger man was shot twice on Saturday, Sept. 19, and was taken to Miami Valley Hospital, where he was under guard, Dayton police Sgt. Damon Castor said. The gunshot injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, Castor said. “Apparently he was trying to rob the older gentleman of something,” Castor said of the younger man. “He picked on the wrong person.” The would-be victim, in his 70s, was not injured, Castor said. The confrontation took place at West Third Street and Brooklyn Avenue in west Dayton, police said. It was not clear whether the alleged attacker was trying to steal the older man’s car or money, Castor said. No charges had been filed Saturday. Police are investigating."


Pennsylvania: 3 Men Force Their Way Into Home; Homeowner Chases Them Out with gun: "Police said three men who forced their way into a Washington County home were greeted by a homeowner with a shotgun. “It’s not a very nice thing to happen in McDonald, because McDonald is a very quiet town,” said neighbor, Don Feigley. Police said the homeowner, Joseph Tokarksi, who was one of several people in the house, came down the steps with the weapon in his hand. “I’m prepared to do what I have to do to protect my home and my family,” said Toarski. “I’m all for that. I think anybody should be allowed to defend themselves in their homes and defend their neighbors, if they want to,” said Feigley. Police later caught two suspects whom they indentified as 19-year-old David Carlisle, of Cannonsburg, and 20-year-old Jermell McCullough, of Mt. Pleasant. Both are being held in the Washington County Jail, each on $50,000 bond."


Alabama: Near fatal shot at burglar: "A Montgomery County man is in a Birmingham hospital with life-threatening injuries after a Wetumpka homeowner shot him during an alleged burglary. Michael Dale Roberts II, 36, of Hope Hull was in the critical care unit Thursday of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, said Jeremy Amerson, an investigator with the Elmore County Sheriff's Office. The incident occurred about 2:15 a.m. Thursday on Nancy Road in Wetumpka, police reports show. Sheriff Bill Franklin declined to release the homeowner's name since he hasn't been charged with a crime in connection with the shooting. The homeowner was awakened when he heard noises coming from his outside utility shed, Amerson said. The 64-year-old man told deputies he went to investigate and saw Roberts coming out of the shed carrying a grass trimmer and a chain saw. "The two men got into a struggle, and then Roberts went to his car to try and get away, but the car wouldn't start," Amerson said. "He then got out of the car and told the homeowner he was going to shoot him." Amerson said the homeowner went inside the house, and Roberts yelled from the yard that he was going to shoot him. The homeowner then got a 20-gauge shotgun and shot Roberts in the chest, Amerson said. Roberts faces three counts of theft, two counts of breaking and entering, and one count of burglary, court records show. Bond hasn't been set since he is in the hospital. The homeowner acted within his rights, said District Attorney Randall Houston."


Tennessee: Burglary/assault suspect shot by victim's mother: "A burglary suspect is recovering from a gunshot wound near his groin--a wound 75-year-old Ruth Robbins gave him after he fought with her son and then got in a scuffle with her. Jesse Williams, 28, sits in the Morgan County jail, charged with burglary, aggravated assault, and simple assault, as he nurses a gunshot wound to his leg. He was taken there after being treated and released at UT Medical Center. According to the Morgan County Sheriff's Office, Williams broke into David Brandenburg's Petros home Thursday night. Brandenburg, 43, and Williams fought, eventually making their way out into the yard. Ruth Robbins came over from her home next door and tried to intervene to help Brandenburg, who is her son. At that point, authorities say Williams turned his attack on her--so she shot him. Brandenburg was injured in the fight but declined treatment. No charges have been filed against Robbins."

NY: Police say home invasion victim acted in self defense: "North Syracuse Police say they are not filing any charges against the man who shot and killed two people who broke into his home around 1 o'clock Saturday morning at 115 Elm Street. They say Jeffrey Bush, 22 was acting in self defense when 23-year-old Thomas Lashomb and 26-year-old Wade Brown, both of Syracuse, forced their way into the home and attacked him. A friend, who was at Bush's home, jumped in and began fighting with Brown. That's when Bush fired a shotgun at Lashomb, killing him. He then shot Brown who died on the way to the hospital. Police also tell NewsChannel 9 that Bush's home was targeted and they believe he knew Lashomb in some capacity. However, they are still working to find out a motive."


Florida: Naked 91-year-old holds burglar at gunpoint: "This next homeowner is a force to be reckoned with. He's 91, he was buck naked, but he and his dog decided to go after a would be burglar. He held the man at gunpoint until police arrived. Deputies say they found the would be burglar on the back porch by the pool drunk and trembling, probably not how he thought it would all go down. He got more than he bargained for when he decided to mess with this elderly man and his trusty rottweiler mix. 91-year-old Robert Thompson and his 5-year-old dog Rett tag-teamed a thug trying to break into their Lake Worth home Friday night. Thompson jumped out of bed, totally naked he went to go check things out with Rett by his side. According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office 26-year-old Jose Pascual was the man on the porch. Rett pinned Pascual, but this purple heart World War Two Veteran wanted back-up. Thompson said, "I went in and got my cell phone and dialed 911 and got my gun." Thompson says Pascual was coming toward him so he fired a shot. Authorities say he held the drunk intruder at gunpoint until deputies arrived, but he's giving his best bud Rett all the credit for the happy ending. He said, "He's the hero." Pascual was arrested, Thompson was taken to the hospital. One of the shots he fired ricocheted giving him a minor battle wound. He hopes the bad guys learned a lesson about messing the boys at 504 North C Street."


TN: Anti-gun Knoxville pols allege “threatening” emails: "Knox County Commissioner Amy Broyles and Knoxville City Councilwoman Barbara Pelot say they have received ‘ugly’ and ‘threatening’ anonymous e-mail messages after announcing their support of a gun ban in county and city parks. Broyles said she has received 15 anonymous e-mail messages, including one that said, ‘Who do you think you are anyway? The next rape, the next robbery, the next murder on a bike trail is going to hang around your pretty little neck, my dear. Trust me.’”


NYC: Primary voters reject gun enemy: "‘Richard Aborn’s defeat in the race for Manhattan District Attorney is an unambiguous rebuke of the gun control movement by the residents of New York City. Aborn based his campaign almost entirely upon his work with Handgun Control, Inc., now renamed the Brady Campaign, and the policies which they advocate … His last place finish demonstrates just how far outside the mainstream of society gun control advocates are. A solid majority of Democrat voters in Manhattan have rejected their candidate and his ideas.’”

TN: Homeowner shoots teenager in his driveway: "Investigators are trying to piece together the series of events that led to a teenager being shot by a homeowner in South Knox county. Deputies with the Knox County Sheriff's Office responded to a shooting at 837 Lester Road, shortly before 11 p.m. Friday night. Jonathan and Kara Stevens told investigatoars they were at home when they heard their pit bulls barking. They armed themselves with a pistol and flashlight as they went outside to investigate. The couple told detectives a teenager jumped out from behind a car in their driveway and pointed gun a 12 guage shotgun at them. Jonathan Stevens said he shot the 15 year old twice and believes the teenager shot at them twice before they ran back into their home. Neighbors say the suspect collapsed in their driveway after the shooting. Deputies found the teenager laying in the road with two gun shot wounds in his upper torso. Rural Metro took the suspect to UT Medical Center. The homeowners were not hurt. Deputies say 3 other juveniles got away in a car. One has been questioned, but no arrests have been made and no charges have been filed. Detectives say Stevens and the teenager knew each other and they believe the motive was robbery. They are not releasing the name or condition of the teenager."


TX: Houston homeowner shot suspected teen burglar: "A homeowner who said he was fed up with crime fought back Friday morning. The 42-year-old shot and wounded a teenage burglary suspect who was climbing through his window, say police. “He was startled by the sound and opened fire with his gun,” said Sgt. W.P. Booth. He’s a homicide detective with the Houston Police Department. It happened just after 10 a.m. at a home in the 8100 block of Gladstone in the Sunnyside community. Police said four suspects attempted to rob the house, but the homeowner had a recently installed video surveillance system and was able to catch them in the act. Neighbors said that the wounded suspect was 14-years-old. They say that after the wounded teen was shot, he ran two blocks over, and collapsed in the bed of an empty pickup truck. He's now in critical condition at Ben Taub Hospital. Paramedics transported the wounded suspect to the hospital. Police arrested two other suspects who were also teenagers. The search continues for a fourth suspect who got away."


UT: Nevada draws fire after shooting down Utah gun permits: "Utah gun owners are protesting Nevada’s decision to reject Utah-issued concealed-weapon permits. On July 1, the Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Association, which sets the Silver State’s permit recognition requirements, dropped Utah from the list of states whose permit holders also may carry concealed firearms in Nevada. The reason: Utah does not require permit holders to prove their proficiency with a live-fire test on a shooting range. … Gun Owners of Utah sees no difference in safety records among states that require a shooting test and those that don’t, Clayton said. So the group does not support changing Utah’s requirements to regain Nevada’s confidence.”


Senate passes measure to allow gun transport on Amtrak: "Amtrak would lose its federal subsidies if it doesn’t put a system in place by early next year to check and track firearms so that passengers can legally put the weapons in their checked baggage, the Senate voted Wednesday. The measure, an amendment to the transportation and housing appropriations bill, passed 68-30. The House version of the bill, passed in July, does not include the provision, so further steps would be needed for it to reach President Obama’s desk.”

NC: No charges after man kills suspected robber: "No charges will be filed against a 76-year-old who shot and killed a 15-year-old robbery suspect last month, prosecutors announced Friday. The statement from Mecklenburg County District Attorney Peter Gilchrist follows his office's review of the Aug. 22 home invasion at the residence of C.L. McClure on Grier Road in northeast Charlotte. According to an interview that day with McClure's son, four teens entered the home while McClure was eating ice cream in his basement hobby shop. The robbers, one armed with a gun, bound him with duct tape and held his wife at gunpoint. They ransacked the house and made off with jewelry and a wallet, police said. After they left, McClure broke free, grabbed his gun, got into his dark green van and guessed the thieves would head toward nearby Ginger Lane, his son said. He ended up in a confrontation and killed Marcus Fluker, one of the teens. The law is clear that shootings can be justified inside someone's home after someone breaks in. But McClure drove after the robbers, plunging the case into a gray area, legal experts have said. Prosecutors said Friday that McClure's actions did not make him the aggressor. "His idea to find the vehicle and try to delay the escape of those who invaded his home did not make him the aggressor nor did that take away his right of self defense," the statement read. "Mr. McClure believed that his life was in danger and fired in self-defense." [This follows up a report here on Aug. 24. One bad guy will never bother anyone else again, however you look at it]


TX: Poker-room robber shot: "The funeral for Barron Glenn Boutte is today in Houston. He's the 24-year-old shot and killed while attempting to rob a Houston underground poker room earlier this month. His shooter is not being publicly identified, though police have determined Boutte's death a matter of self-defense. Club 203, where the fatal shootout occurred, has been indefinitely shut down. A few more details about the thwarted robbery, coming to us now secondhand, as opposed to thirdhand ... Apparently the robbery suspects confronted a player leaving the game in the parking lot, and a scuffle ensued. The first shots were reportedly fired at the door to gain entry, and the robbers continued shooting into the air once inside. They did indeed shoot one patron in the leg when he was slow to get on the ground as ordered. Boutte's armed nemesis and several others were smoking in the break room when the melee went down. One robber supposedly told these players they'd better not be coming out without cash - thinking maybe they were hiding it - and that's when the poker-room hero emerged brandishing his own gun. Boutte was shot at least four times in the abdomen and made it out to the parking lot before falling and dying."


Buying guns can be an ordeal: "If Congress were to pass a law that required voters to get permission, in writing, from government before going to the polls, citizens likely would be up in arms, at least figuratively speaking. For some, figuratively might be the only way they could take up arms against injustice. Since the Brady Firearms Act required prospective gun buyers to pass a National Instant Check System background check before they were allowed to purchase a firearm from a licensed dealer, almost 1.8 million people have been denied. … if statistics from 2008 are any indication, an NCIS denial isn’t proof-positive that one is a criminal, a fugitive or anyone else legally barred from owning a firearm.”


Not enough guns: "Larken Rose was recently quoted on a friend’s profile to the effect that 90 million Americans own guns. I find this figure laughable. It is far too low. There are 305 million Americans according to the census bureau-rats. I would not be surprised if they are failing to count many millions, as incompetent as they are at everything they do. But let’s take that as a given. This 90 million figure says that fewer than 30% of the population owns guns. That is completely at variance from my experience. On the contrary, I would say that about 70-80% of the population owns guns, or lives in a home where guns are owned. (Children are counted in the population.) I suspect that the argument that only 29.5% of the population owns guns is meant to suggest it is a weird and deviant and abnormal preference, not common to most people. What I will believe is that 30% of the population admits to owning guns when filthy, lousy, mealy-mouthed, stinking, belching, boozing, raping bureau-rats come around with their nosy questions. Maybe.”

Florida: Homeowner shoots intruder: "The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is investigating a late night shooting at a residence in the 1400 block of The 12th Fairway. A homeowner claims that two suspects broke into his residence just before 11:00 p.m. Thursday. One of the alleged intruders was shot during a struggle. The person who was shot ran away but later turned up at nearby Wellington Regional Medical Center. He was then transferred to the Delray Medical Center, where his condition is not known. The second suspect also fled, but remains at large despite a ground and air search. Friday afternoon the sheriff's office identified the homeowner as Jonathan A. Babilonia."


Mississippi business owner fires shots at would-be robber: "Around 5:30 a.m. Saturday, the owner of Starkville Ready Cash on Highway 12 West was arriving at the business to prepare to open for the day when a black male approached him, pointing a handgun at him. The owner, whose name SPD detectives would not release amid concerns for his safety, then pulled out a handgun of his own and fired multiple shots at the suspect, but none struck him, said Sgt. Chadd Garnett. The suspect then ran behind the building and fled north toward a neighboring residential area, Garnett said. Nothing was stolen in the robbery attempt, and no one was injured, Garnett said. The suspect was described as a heavy-set black male wearing a white T-shirt, khaki pants and some sort of head covering, Garnett said."


California: Home invader shot, killed by apartment resident: "El Cajon police Teusday investigated the fatal shooting of an intruder at an apartment complex in the East County city. A man armed with a handgun knocked on the door of an apartment at 1499 Broadway shortly before 5:25 p.m. Monday, then forced his way inside when someone opened the door, according to El Cajon police Lt. Tim Henton. An occupant of the apartment armed himself with a shotgun and shot the intruder, who died at Sharp Memorial Hospital at 6:30 p.m., Henton said."


Alabama: Pregnant woman holds intruder at gun point: "The lesson here is never threaten an expecting mother, especially if she's armed with a shotgun. "I was angry," Randi Fairley says. "I was really mad that he was in my house." At around 4 A.M. Sunday, Fairley was wide awake, because her unborn daughter was kicking. That is when she heard a noise; it sounded like someone touching a potato-chip bag downstairs. "I came and looked over the stairs," Fairley says. "I saw this kid, down at the bottom of the stairs. He was about to grab my computer." Fairley is six and a half months pregnant. So, she says she yelled down at Justin Delhomme, he walked out of the house and she grabbed a shotgun. In the street, Fairley confronted the 18 year old. "He pulled a gun on me, and I told him, 'You know, you need to put that away before I shoot you because mine's bigger,' and he put it back in his pocket." Fairley says she held Delhomme until the cops came with a little help from her husband and mother. Police say they believe Delhomme is responsible for at least 13 home and vehicle break-ins over the Labor Day weekend in the Regency and Pinehurst neighborhoods of Mobile."

Florida: Burglars Held Up By Homeowners: "Two burglars attempting to steal a car from a Brevard County home were held at gunpoint by the homeowners. Matthew Clark, 20, and Justin Sheppard, 19, are facing several charges including burglary and grand theft. Authorities say the pair was burglarizing a home near Titusville on Karen Drive when the homeowners confronted them with a 12-gauge shotgun. The woman and her son held the two until police arrived. Clark and Sheppard are now being held on $5,000 bonds."


Wisconsin: Man shoots, kills intruder near Madison: "Police say a man has shot and killed an intruder who entered his parents' home near Madison. Deputy Chief Donald Bates of the Fitchburg Police Department says Peter Chen and his wife were not at home on Wednesday afternoon when the incident happened, but he says their adult son was. The son shot the intruder, who was pronounced dead by the Dane County coroner's office. Bates wouldn't give the name of Peter Chen's son and hasn't yet provided details about the intruder. He says the son is cooperating with the investigation and that the shooting appears to be an act of self-defense."


Oregon Man Shoots Intruder Armed With Bat: "Police say a man shot an intruder who was armed with a baseball bat Tuesday night. Mark Farrell, 24, of Beatty, entered Jim Westman's house armed with a wooden baseball bat, said Klamath Falls Sheriff Timothy Evinger in a news release. Farrell attempted to assault Westman with the bat and Westman fired one round from a .22-caliber rifle, which hit Farrell in the right forearm. Farrell continued to assault Westman after he was shot, Evinger said. Roxann Klobucar, Westman's mother, was able to wrestle the bat from Farrell. Klobucar hit Farrell several times in the head until he was subdued, Evinger said. Prior to entering the house, Farrell damaged Westman's vehicle with the bat, Evinger said. Evinger said the motive appears related to a theft from Farrell about a month ago. Farrell was transported to a nearby hospital. He is expected to face charges of burglary, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment."


Florida: Burglar Shot In Buttocks: "A burglar who broke into a Lithonia home was shot in the buttocks by the homeowner, police said. The burglary happened at about 11:30 a.m. at the home on Gadwell Circle. The intruder was taken to a hospital with moderate injuries, police said. The intruder’s name was not released. Investigators said no charges are expected to be filed against the homeowner, who was not identified by police."

MO: Shotgun threat chases off robber: "Police were searching Monday for a man who broke in to a mobile home and held a 68-year-old man at knife point Sunday morning, said Detective Dave Tiefenbrunn with the St. Charles County Sheriff's Department. The suspect entered the trailer, located in the 1700 block of Veterans Memorial Parkway in Marquette Mobile Village, about 8 a.m. through an unlocked screen door, Tiefenbrunn said. "The suspect held the victim at knife point," Tiefenbrunn said, while he took the man's vehicle keys, a cell phone and prescription medication. "During this time, the victim, in fear for his life, thought he could remove the knife and a struggle ensued," he said. The burglar escaped through the front door and attempted to steal the man's van, but decided to flee on foot when the man yelled to him from behind the trailer that he had a shotgun, he said."


TX: Shot robber found guilty: "Jurors in the case of a man accused of robbing a Lazy Lane home found him guilty Tuesday of a lesser offense. Eric Garcia, 37, was being tried on an aggravated robbery charge, a first-degree felony. Jurors instead found him guilty of aggravated assault. Prosecutor Joe Mike Peña has said Garcia was one of three would-be robbers who was shot by a homeowner on Jan 23. Officers who responded to the scene have said they found Albert Medrano Jr., 34, dead outside the home in the 1500 block of Lazy Lane and Lorenzo Moreno lying paralyzed in the kitchen doorway. Garcia’s blood left a trail leading away from the home. His blood also was on a gun left in a nearby trash can and on a baseball cap found in some bushes, according to testimony. Garcia was arrested in February in San Antonio."


IL: Off-duty officer shoots, kills teen after shooting incident: "An off-duty Chicago police officer in the South Side’s Woodlawn neighborhood shot and killed a high school basketball palyer he saw shooting another person on Friday. … The chain of events began about 3:30 p.m. when another person was shot near 69th Street and King Drive, said Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford. The officer witnessed that shooting and chased Harris to the 6800 block of South Eberhart Avenue. The officer ‘announced his office,’ then opened fire on Harris, striking him, said Chicago Police Officer Michael Fitzpatrick, a police spokesman.A weapon was confiscated at the scene, he said.”


A victory for open carrier: "A federal judge has made a ruling that could change the way that law enforcement treats ‘We the people.’ The judge granted that the plaintiff has liability under the Fourth Amendment and that law enforcement does not have immunity. In my opinion, a major victory for liberty and freedom. The case: St. John v Alamogordo Public Safety, U. S. District Court of New Mexico, No. 08-994 BB/LAM. Mr. St. John went into a movie theater openly carrying a holstered handgun. New Mexico has no law forbidding the open carry of a handgun."

DE: Elderly homeowner cuts one burglary suspect, shoots another: "On Thursday night, the owner arrived at his home located in the 19000 block of Bee Jay Lane. … He walked to the front of his residence and found his front door kicked in. As the homeowner walked back to the side door he observed two men police identified as Paul L. Spencer, 43 and Gregory B. Stewart, 49, both of Lincoln. Spencer and Stewart approached the homeowner at the side door, advised him that they were ‘looking to purchase a dump truck,’ and attempted to make entry into his home. The homeowner told them to leave his property. However, they continued toward him. Spencer managed to enter the threshold and grabbed a landscaping tool and threatened the homeowner. The homeowner retrieved a machete/lopper next to the door and swung it at Spencer and struck him several times on his right forearm and hand. Both suspects continued toward the homeowner, who fired two .25 caliber rounds from a handgun. One of the bullets struck Stewart in his abdomen. Both subjects fled the victim’s residence.”


FL: Residents strike back at intruders: "With handguns and baseball bats, South Florida residents in recent days have been striking back at home invaders, beating and even killing those who violate the sanctity of their homes. Two cases occurred in Palm Beach County. Thursday night, during a struggle, a Wellington homeowner shot and wounded one of two men who broke into his home. On Sept. 5, a group of men in a Lake Worth home turned the tables on a burglar, seizing his baseball bat and using it to break his arm. And early Thursday in Miami, a man who jumped a fence and entered a home’s yard ended up dead after a confrontation with the father and son who lived there. His manner of death has not been released by police, who still are investigating.”


TN: Man shot inside home sues his gated community: "A resident in a gated community in Nashville who was shot in his home has sued his homeowners association and property management. The Four Maples condominium complex in the Donelson area has a gate that requires residents to swipe a pass or remotely unlock it for visitors. But Marquette Weaver said in a lawsuit filed in Davidson County Circuit Court that the gate meant to keep non-residents out was not working in June and had been broken for a month prior. That’s when people broke into his home at 2 a.m. and shot him several times, Weaver said, and he’s seeking $750,000 in damages, saying the home invaders couldn’t have gotten near his Coursey Drive home. Weaver’s attorney, James Harris, said Weaver’s health is now good, and he has no comment beyond the complaint.” [I think he's got a point]


Stimulus winners: Gun industry?: "Many gun-loving Americans are convinved that President Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress are bent on ripping rifles from their ‘cold, dead hands,’ as actor Charlton Heston once declared at a National Rifle Association meeting. But from the perspective of police departments — not to mention gunmakers — the Obama administration may go down as one of the most gun-friendly in history. Across America, police departments are using the taxpayer-funded stimulus bill to boost their arsenals with shotguns, handguns, and assault rifles. Among the general public, a record 1 million guns were sold across the United States in August alone, rebuffing expectations that, after 10 months, the post-Obama election gun-buying spree would abate. US gunmaker Smith & Wesson on Wednesday reported a 30 percent rise in sales in the first quarter, leading to unexpected profits and a rising stock price.”

FL: Man shoots home invaders: "A homeowner fought back Sunday, shooting at three suspects who tired to break into his house. Ormond Beach Police say two men and a woman entered Dane Rollins’ home at around 9 a.m. with guns drawn. The 34-year-old was asleep inside his Cypress Creek home when the trio barged in demanding money. Rollins gave them what they came for, but as they fled, the homeowner chased down the suspects with a shot gun and began firing at them in his front yard. "It happened so fast I don’t know what he was saying but he was screaming," said neighbor Ronda Holster. One of the men got in a car and fled while the woman and the other man ran away. All three were caught and are at Halifax Medical Center recuperating from gunshot injuries before they will be booked into the Volusia county Jail on home invasion robbery charges. The suspects have been identified 31-year-old William Bell of Daytona Beach, 38-year-old Christopher Young of New Smyrna Beach and 28-year-old Brandy Lee Harris of Ormond Beach. The homeowner was not hurt."


GA: Off-duty cop shoots suspected armed robber: "An off-duty College Park police officer shot a suspected armed robber early Sunday outside a Motel 6 on Old National Parkway, police said. The suspect, 17-year-old Jeremy Rashad Evans, was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. His condition was not immediately available. The officer, whose name was not released, was working a security job shortly before 2 a.m. when he spotted Evans armed with a handgun and heading toward the front of the motel, police said. When the officer ordered Evans to drop the gun, Evans “made a threatening move with the gun towards the officer, at which time the officer shot the suspect,” police said in a press release. Police believe Evans and two or three others had just robbed a woman staying at the motel. Evans' accomplices fled the scene in a Ford vehicle, police said."


76 reasons to have a gun: "In four decades and thousands of transactions with my fellow man I’ve neither initiated nor accepted force as a means to accomplish anything. And yet, I’ve decided to become more skilled in the use of a gun to keep force, violence, crime and tyranny out of my life where they belong. Even with a perfect record of non-violence my intuition tells me I’ve got some gun work to do — to keep it that way. And like car insurance, wearing a seatbelt or taking vitamins the most it will do is keep things the same, because: Investments in self-defense return a maximum of keeping what you already have.”


DC: City pols defend anti-gun law: "The city of Washington, D.C. is mounting an aggressive legal defense of its ban on carrying handguns, calling it ’squarely in the mainstream and eminently reasonable.’ In a 37-page legal brief filed this week, the District of Columbia says that refusing to grant licenses to its residents to carry handguns in public complies with the Second Amendment. The regulations ’serve important goals of public safety, especially here, in the nation’s capital,’ the brief says.”

Canada: Cab driver defeats gunman: "Mr. Slawter, 43, had just stopped his cab but left it in drive while he consulted a map to find the passenger’s destination. The passenger said something that was hard to understand but had a menacing tone that alerted Mr. Slawter to danger. Then he saw the man pulling a gun from inside his jacket. "As he pulled it out I saw it and grabbed it," he said. "I didn’t have time to think." Mr. Slawter, who stands about five-foot-eight and weighs just over 200 pounds, said he was able to pin down the suspect in the car. However, his foot came off the brake during the struggle and the car drove across a lawn and hit a tree, smashing the windshield. The passenger exited the car with Mr. Slawter still grappling with him. "We both went out the door together. I finally got the gun off of him." The passenger tried to get up, but Mr. Slawter told him to stay still. When the passenger tried getting up again, Mr. Slawter hit him. "When he got up, I took a big swing with the gun and smashed him across the head and down he went." The man stayed down and police soon arrived. Mr. Slawter found out later that the gun wasn’t loaded. His alleged attacker, Daniel Redmond Marsman, appeared in Dartmouth provincial court Tuesday afternoon. The 27-year-old faces 12 charges, including using a sawed-off shotgun to commit a robbery, assault and eight other gun-related offences."


Israeli opens fire on Palestinians: "An Israeli has shot and wounded two Palestinians in East Jerusalem, where Tel Aviv continues to expand its settlement activity despite international opposition. The 20-year-old man produced a pistol on Friday and shot a 13-year-old boy and a 40-year-old man from Silwan, a mostly Palestinian neighborhood. The shooter later told the police that he had been attacked by a group of six Palestinians who pelted him with stones and that he opened fire in self defense, Haaretz reported. Police said the two victims, who were injured in the legs, were taken to the nearby Makassed hospital for treatment. The incident sparked outrage among Palestinians who protested the shooting by throwing stones at police and some Israeli homes in Silwan."

TX: Off-duty agent Shot in Botched Robbery Attempt: "Houston police responded to a robbery in progress on Friday afternoon at the Hilton Garden Inn at the 3200 block of Sage Road in southwest Houston. TABC agent Michael Sehon was working an off-duty security job for a jewelry salesman when the two men stopped at the hotel to run an errand. While the jeweler went inside the hotel, Sehon stayed inside the car when he was approached by two masked men. "They broke out the window and placed a gun to the TABC agent’s head," said Houston Police Department spokeswoman Jodi Silva. The 40-year-old agent was shot in the left leg above the knee. He was taken to Memorial Hermann hospital but was released several hours later. Police say the agent did shoot at least one of the suspects. The pistol packing pair drove away from the hotel in a maroon sedan, but officers believe that they may have switched cars at the apartment complex across the street where blood now stains the pavement. Police think they might already have one of the suspects in custody. A man with two gunshot wounds to the back was left at Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital soon after the shooting took place. Police are questioning the man. His condition is not known."


AZ: Man held in gun death outside bar on east side: "A 31-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting outside an east-side bar, police said Tuesday. John Majalca was involved with others in an assault Friday night of a 24-year-old man outside the bar, according to a news release from the Tucson Police Department. During the assault, the victim pulled out a firearm and shot one of his assailants, police said. Majalca is facing charges of aggravated assault with serious injury or dangerous instrument, attempted aggravated robbery, attempted armed robbery and first-degree murder. He is facing the murder charge under the state's felony-murder rule. Arizona law allows those involved in the commission of a felony that results in the death of another person to be held responsible for the death. The fight left Shawn Conrad, 27, dead of gunshot wounds... Conrad and the other men assaulted the 24-year-old, Lopez said. One of the men had a weapon, Lopez said, but she would not say what type. The 24-year-old pulled out a handgun and shot Conrad, Lopez said."


D.C. Appeals Court Upholds Mandatory Gun Licensing: "An appeals court in Washington, D.C. has upheld the city's extremely restrictive law requiring residents to obtain licenses to carry handguns outside of their homes. The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling last year in the high-profile D.C. v. Heller Second Amendment case did not invalidate the District of Columbia's licensing requirements, and even appears to have endorsed them, the appeals court ruled. The case arose out of a criminal prosecution of a fellow named Manuel Brown, who was charged with crimes including carrying a pistol without a license. On appeal, Brown claimed the ordinance violated his Second Amendment rights. (The relevant law says: "No person shall carry within the District of Columbia either openly or concealed on or about their person, a pistol, without a license issued pursuant to District of Columbia law, or any deadly or dangerous weapon capable of being so concealed.") Still, it's worth noting that the Second Amendment Foundation filed a federal lawsuit against the District a few weeks earlier on a very similar question: the constitutionality, post-Heller, of the city's licensing scheme. Alan Gura, the Alexandria, Va. attorney who filed the civil suit, told me on Wednesday evening that he doesn't think the recent appeals court decision will make much of a difference. "We're not challenging the requirement for a license," Gura said. But, he added, "there has to be the ability for people to quality for a license."


Michigan legislator's proposal would allow concealed guns on college campuses: "Someone walks into your classroom with a gun and threatens to open fire. Your best defense is to try to escape the room or take out your cell phone and call for help, but under a proposed change to Michigan legislation, you may have another option. Sparked by the shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007, Michigan Sen. Randy Richardville, R-Monroe, has proposed a change to Michigan law to allow permit holders to carry concealed weapons on college campuses. Currently, the open carry of weapons is permitted anywhere, so long as the owner has a license to own the gun. Concealed carry is prohibited in churches, sports arenas, taverns, hospitals, casinos, day cares and college campuses including dorms and classrooms, according to the Michigan State Police. Richardville would like to amend the law to remove the clause prohibiting the carry of concealed weapons on college campuses, saying it would make campuses safer if students were prepared to defend themselves. Grand Valley State University President Thomas J. Haas, who leads the Presidents Council, said, "All 15 presidents and chancellors of Michigan's public universities favor the current law that bans firearms and weapons on campus."

TN: Teen robber shot: "A 60-year-old man who lives in Antioch, which is actually in south Nashville, arrived home about 9:30 p.m. Saturday night and, as he talked to a friend in his car, two younger men approached the automobile where they sat. One, who is 17, had a handgun in his hand while another, age 19, stood nearby with a shotgun. There is no doubt they intended to rob the driver of the car, but the 60-year-old immediately drew his own 38-caliber handgun and shot his 17-year-old assailant in a clear act of self-defense. The younger teenager was shot in the chest, but ran in terror. The older would-be robber, who we have since learned was Kevin Negron, grabbed the wounded kid and they roared away in Negron’s car, going to a nearby convenience store to request assistance after saying they had just been the victims of a crime. But the 60-year-old shooter had already called police and, with a witness present, told the officers what had really happened. He showed the police his valid “handgun carry permit,” which has since been credited for saving the older man’s life, and while he expressed remorse for shooting anyone, it was offset by the fact he wasn’t shot himself. It turns out the 19-year-old who was holding the shotgun was already on parole for an April felony where he evaded arrest. His history also includes theft and domestic assault charges. Further, he admitted his role in the botched robbery minutes after the 17-year-old was said to be in satisfactory condition and awaiting charges, which will be filed in Davidson County Juvenile Court."


Smith & Wesson making a packet: "Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation, parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary 157-year old company in the global business of safety, security, protection and sport, today announced financial results for the first fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2009. Net sales for the first fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2009 were $102.2 million, which was $23.8 million, or 30.3%, higher than net sales of $78.5 million for the first fiscal quarter last year. Gross profit of $35.6 million, or 34.8% of sales, for the first quarter of fiscal 2010 increased by 43.4% compared with gross profit of $24.8 million, or 31.7% of sales, for the first quarter last year. Net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2010 was $12.6 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, compared with $2.3 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2009. Smith & Wesson President and CEO, Michael F. Golden, said, "Ongoing consumer demand for handguns and tactical rifles fueled our strong growth and allowed us to deliver record financial results in the first quarter. Higher production levels in our Springfield factory allowed us to capture additional revenue in the quarter, and a focus on controlling costs helped translate that revenue into profitability."


Afghanistan: Gun prices soar: "The reliable measure of stability in many countries is the value of the currency or the price of equities, bread or fuel … but not in Afghanistan: here the key indicator that nearly every Afghan keeps tabs on is the price of a Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle. And the bad news is that the market is bullish. The stepped-up Taliban offensive and mounting discord over the outcome of last month’s election have seen the price of a Chinese-made AK smuggled in from Pakistan rise to $400 from $150 in just three months. ‘People are arming themselves,’ a Western official in Kabul noted with alarm.”


Open carry 101: "Many people around the world are interested in learning more about the growing open carry movement in the United States, particularly when and where they can open carry too! … Key points everyone should know about open carry, i.e., the practice of carrying holstered unconcealed functional handguns (functionality includes being loaded): * 42 states permit open carry in public * 26 states require no license to open carry * Only 7 states ban open carry in public * California allows open carry in many or most parts of rural areas, but figuring out precisely where it is banned (i.e., that guns must be unloaded) is so difficult that as a practical matter, open carry is not a realistic option.”

WI: Pawn shop owner shoots one of two armed, masked men: "A Kenosha store owner fought back when two armed robbers walked into his shop Wednesday, shooting one of the men. According to Kenosha police, the would-be robbers entered the Jewelry Exchange pawn shop, 2400 52nd St., at about 12:30 p.m., one of them pointing a handgun. Sgt. Hugh Rafferty, spokesman for the department, said both men partially concealed their faces and had “pulled up their upper garments to hide their faces” when they walked into the store. They then confronted the owner. Police said the 55-year-old store owner pulled out a handgun of his own from underneath a desk and shot one time at one of the men. After the shooting, the empty-handed robbers ran from the store into a parking area behind the shop, then cut through an alley to the next block where the injured man collapsed in the 2400 block of 51st Street. A pair of gloves and a trail of blood in the alley led police to the injured robber. According Rafferty, they found the man lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to his chest and a large pool of blood on the grass. A .44 Magnum revolver was also found on the ground next to him. Rafferty said the man was conscious but not able to communicate with police. Police have not named the man who was shot but described him as a 29-year-old black male who is on parole"


Alabama: Teen burglary suspect killed: "On Tuesday morning, 14-year-old Ta’veon Tashawn Mason should have been at his desk at Austin High School, but he and two friends skipped school. Police said the ninth-grader died in a Southwest Decatur backyard from a single gunshot wound. A press release said a resident shot him inside the house during a burglary at about 10:30 a.m. Noel Mclean at 1432 Fifth Ave. S.W. said he shot Mason. He said he was awakened by the intruders and he shot out of fear. Lt. Jonathan Green, public information officer, said Mason was one of three teen boys suspected in the break-in. Police said the trio broke a window at the back of the house and entered. “The homeowner was asleep inside and was awakened by the intruders,” said Sgt. Rick Archer, supervisor of the Violent Crimes Unit. “He retrieved a handgun and confronted them.” Archer said the man fired one shot, striking Mason, and the two other teens fled the house. Outside the home, a white sheet covered Mason’s body as it lay in the grass near the window where police said the break-in occurred. Officer David Shutt caught a 16-year-old male soon after the shooting, and detectives found the third teen, 14, at his home later Tuesday afternoon, Archer said. The 14 and 16-year-olds are Austin High School students, but the 16-year-old is in the alternative school program, sources told The Daily. Police charged both teens with second-degree burglary, booked them into Decatur City Jail and later transferred them to the Tennessee Valley Juvenile Detention Center in Tuscumbia. They will soon face a detention hearing, Archer said. Detectives questioned the homeowner about the shooting, but Archer said police did not file any charges in connection with Mason’s death."


NM: Federal judge rules police cannot detain people for open carry: "On September 8, 2009, United States District Judge Bruce D. Black of the United States District Court for New Mexico entered summary judgment in a civil case for damages against Alamogordo, NM police officers. The Judge’s straight shootin’ message to police: Leave open carriers alone unless you have ‘reason to believe that a crime [is] afoot.’ The facts of the case are pretty simple. Matthew St. John entered an Alamogordo movie theater as a paying customer and sat down to enjoy the movie. He was openly carrying a holstered handgun … In response to a call from theater manager Robert Zigmond, the police entered the movie theater, physically seized Mr. St. John from his seat, took him outside, disarmed him, searched him.”


MO: Uncertainties draw more people to firearms training: “Alan and Linda Laird can almost predict the answers. The certified firearms instructors ask students why they decided to take training in the proper use of a gun. Invariably, most responses range from fear of being a crime victim to concern about government limitations on gun rights. The Lairds have felt the same anxieties. That’s why they offer a monthly class that explores the logistical, legal and moral aspects of gun ownership, which is rising rapidly across the nation. ‘We know the world is growing more dangerous everyday,’ said Alan Laird. ‘I’m very encouraged to see the number of people who are sharing this interest. I believe it’s the right thing to do.’”

Missouri: Intruder Shot through door: "Police said an intruder was shot during an attempted break-in at a Northland apartment complex early Monday morning. Officers were called to the Wild Oaks complex at Highway 152 and Flintlock Road shortly before 3 a.m. Police said a man was trying to break into an apartment when the woman inside grabbed her gun and fired at the intruder through the door. The man pulled out his own gun and fired back. The intruder was hit twice and was taken to a hospital. He is expected to recover. The woman was not injured."


Florida homeowner shoots invader: "An Orange County homeowner says he shot a man in self defense late Monday night. The man told deputies he came home just before 11:00pm Monday night and found another man in his home on Faculty Drive. He says the man hit him in the head with a pipe and stabbed him. The homeowner then got his gun and shot the man. Both were taken to the hospital, but their conditions have not been released. Deputies tell Eyewitness News the two men knew each other."


Gun owners’ next victory in DC: "The Supreme Court, in District of Columbia v. Heller, declared that Washington’s 32-year ban on all functional firearms violated the Second Amendment. Justice Antonin Scalia’s majority opinion, however, applied only to possession of guns in the home. The court did not address, and was not asked to address, firearms carried outside the home. That’s the issue posed in a new lawsuit against the District by Tom Palmer (disclosure: my colleague at the Cato Institute) and four other plaintiffs — represented by Alan Gura, the lawyer who successfully argued Heller before the court. After Heller, the District relaxed its ban on residents seeking ‘to register a pistol for use in self-defense within that person’s home.’ But D.C. law still states that ‘[n]o person shall carry within the District of Columbia either openly or concealed on or about their person, a pistol, without a license.’ Currently, the city affords no process by which to issue such a license.”


Black football star praised for disarming girl on school bus: "Kaleb Eulls is used to hearing cheers for his heroics on the football field, but the Yazoo County, Miss., high school senior's quick thinking Tuesday morning on a school bus has earned him a different kind of acclaim. Eulls, 18, tackled and disarmed a 14-year-old girl who had pulled a .380 semiautomatic handgun from her bag and was threatening students and demanding the driver pull over, County Sheriff Tommy Vaughn said. Vaughn said the girl, who is being held in the county youth detention center, said she was the victim of bullies. She has been charged with possession of a firearm on school property and 22 counts each of attempted aggravated assault and kidnapping. Eulls, a 6-foot-4, 255-pound quarterback and defensive end for Yazoo County High School, said he was asleep when the girl boarded the bus. When she pulled out the gun, one of Eulls' three younger sisters — Kimberly Clark, 16; Ashley Dortch, 14; and Bobbie Dortch, 12, who were among the 23 people on the bus — shook him awake, he said. "I kept my distance for a second, she kind of glanced away or blinked and I got to her," he said. "I just basically thought about all the lives that were in danger. It all happened in about five minutes. I'm thankful that it turned out the way it did."

NC shooting was self defense: "Police do not expect to charge a 65-year-old Faucette Mill Road homeowner who shot an intruder in his living room Aug. 28. "At this point we believe he was acting in self defense," Lt. Davis Trimmer of the Hillsborough Police Department said Tuesday. Christopher Jerome Williams, 19, of 626 Wildaro Court in Hillsborough, was shot in the chest around 11:34 p.m. He was doing well after surgery, Trimmer said. Police charged Williams and Audricus Southerland, 18, of 316 Lakeshore Drive in Hillsborough, with first-degree burglary. They were found at a relative's home, less than a mile away. Police are not releasing the name of the homeowner. He told police he heard his door being forced open. He got a pistol and found three people standing in his living room, he told police. He fired one shot, hitting Williams. After the shooting, he saw four men running from his residence."


Israel: Community service for weapons charge against farmer: “The State Prosecutor’s Office has made a plea bargain with Shai Dromi, the Negev farmer aquitted of murder after shooting and killing a Bedouin thief who broke into his home one night in January 2007. In several prior incidents, several of Dromi’s dogs had been killed, and his horse and tractor had been stolen by Bedouin thieves. According to the deal struck Sunday between the state and Dromi’s attorneys, the farmer will serve five months of community service for carrying firearms without a license.”


The outsourced American: "I’m sure that most of you have seen the advertisement for Brinks … An attractive young mom … A menacing prowler … kicks the door in. The alarm sounds … and her fear is calmed … the police are on the way. I always shake my head when I see these commercials. … Response from law enforcement, in the best of times, will be several minutes. However, depending on conditions, can take considerably longer, even hours in some locations in the country. When did we start out-sourcing our safety and defense to others? Americans have always been an independent lot; throughout history, we have always been willing to take action in our own defense.”


Britain: Gun licenses could go on medical records: "A coroner has called for changes to the licencing of shotgun and firearms after it emerged a man who killed himself, his wife and 15-year-old daughter had mentioned suicidal thoughts to his GP. Christopher Foster killed his wife and daughter last August bank holiday before setting fire to their home at Maesbrook, near Oswestry, and killing himself. An inquest into the deaths revealed Mr Foster had been suffering from depression and had mentioned suicidal thoughts to his GP. John Ellery, the coroner handling the case, has recommended closer links between the medical profession and police in issuing gun licences. The British Medical Association (BMA) has since announced it is about to update its ethical guidance on firearms and it is in discussions with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) over ways that doctors can be made aware of patients who own firearms.The new guidance could result in medical records informing doctors that their patients either held a firearms or shotgun certificate, or had applied for one.”

GA: Attempted robber shot by pawn shop employee: "An 18-year-old man wearing a mask and carrying a sawed-off shotgun entered a south Fulton County pawn store Saturday. But an employee at the store grabbed a gun and fired first, according to police. Terrence Colton was hit twice and was taken to Grady Hospital. He faces an armed robbery charge, according Cpl. Kay Lester with Fulton police. Colton could face additional charges. Colton was in stable condition following surgery, Lester said. Another man may have been acting as a look-out during the attempted robbery at the AA Pawn Shop on Old National Highway, Lester said. The second man fled from the scene and has not been identified. The pawn shop employee has not been identified. “He was within the law,” Lester said."


NC: Cab Driver Shoots Man During Attempted Robbery: "Police said a man pulled out a gun and tried to rob a cab driver just before 10 p.m. Sunday. That’s when police said the driver fought back, shooting the suspect. Officers said the man had just picked up a person at an apartment complex near the intersection of South Tryon Street and John Price Road. Police said shortly after that, the man pulled out a gun and tried to rob the driver. That’s when they said the driver pulled out his own gun and shot the man. MEDIC pronounced the man dead at the scene. Officers recovered two handguns from inside the cab. Eyewitness News confirmed the car belongs to Professional Cabs of Charlotte. The cab driver was taken to police headquarters to be interviewed. Police said it’s too early to tell if charges will be filed. Police have not released the identity of the driver or the man killed."


CA: “Open carry” advocates wear guns to mall: “A group of people asserting the right to carry guns stood in the courtyard of an Escondido mall yesterday, sipping iced tea and coffee with their handguns holstered on their hips. The eight sported white T-shirts that read, ‘Unloaded Open Carry … by a Law Abiding Citizen Is Legal Anywhere.’ The gathering was organized by Escondido Open Carry, founded by Escondidans Gerald Reaster, 69, and Donna Woods, 77, in response to the growing movement nationwide to openly carry firearms. Many of the patrons and employees at the Signature Pavilion on West Valley Parkway ignored them, but some wanted to know what it was all about.”


Get a Gun in DC — Do you feel lucky?: "It took $833.69, a total of 15 hours 50 minutes, four trips to the Metropolitan Police Department, two background checks, a set of fingerprints, a five-hour class and a 20-question multiple-choice exam. Oh, and the votes of five Supreme Court justices. They’re the ones who really made it possible for me, as a District resident, to own a handgun, a constitutional right as heavily debated and rigorously parsed as the freedoms of speech and religion. … Reluctantly, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s administration set up a process through which about 550 residents — now including yours truly — have acquired a handgun. But as my four trips to the police department attest, D.C. officials haven’t made it easy.”

La: Killings Were Self-Defense, Police Say: "Two brothers who were shot and stabbed to death in a Carondelet Street apartment late Sunday night were killed in apparent self-defense, New Orleans police said. Carlos Calderon, 39, and Luis Calderon, 26, were found dead around 11:15 p.m. Sunday in an apartment at 1132 Carondelet Street. Two other men, a 38-year-old and a 31-year-old, were found in the apartment with multiple stab wounds. The Calderon brothers lived in the same building and had been involved in an argument with the two survivors earlier Sunday, police said. Later that night, the brothers -- armed with knives -- forced their way into the other men's apartment, police said. The roommates also armed themselves with knives and a handgun, and they managed to defend themselves by stabbing and shooting the men, police said. Homicide detectives and representatives from the District Attorney's Office met Monday and determined that the men's actions were justified."


MO: Shoplifter shot: "Did an Independence man go too far in shooting a suspected shoplifter? The store manager of a Sun Fresh grocery store in Independence was trying to stop a suspected female shoplifter when a bystander intervened and shot her. You won't hear Bill Miller apologizing. The 37-year-old is on crutches because of a broken foot, but he still sprang to action when he saw the store manager at Sun Fresh chase a female shoplifter into the parking lot. "The customer service girl coming out screaming, 'Help, help, my manager's on the hood,'" Miller said. Armed with a 9 millimeter and a conceal carry permit, Miller left his crutches behind and hopped on one foot toward the suspected shoplifter's car. "I had it pointed downward on her, I told her stop, she looked at me smiled, turned the wheel at me, acted like she was going to run me over," MIller said. "I fired one round, I thought she was going to kill me and the manager." Miller hit the suspect in the arm and fired another round at her tire. "He was legal to carry it, he was protecting somebody's life or livelihood and he did the right thing," customer Leslie Reid said. Miller said that police said they would not charge him and that what he did was justifiable. Police and prosecutors haven't confirmed that to FOX 4, but Miller hasn't been charged so far. The shoplifter has, though. Loucinda Carroll, 41, faces one count of robbery. Police said she was stealing meat."




FL: Man killed in Springfield bar was threatening patrons with nailer: "The man fatally shot by a Springfield bartender this morning was threatening people inside with a nailer that closely resembled a firearm, police said this afternoon. Police said John L. Lee, 20, [above] walked into the Shantytown Pub shortly before 12:30 a.m. wearing black clothing and waving what appeared to be a firearm at a bartender and patrons. The unidentified bartender, who police also said was the manager, thought the bar was being robbed, pulled out a handgun and shot Lee repeatedly. Lee, of the 1400 block of Cleveland Street, was taken to Shands Jacksonville hospital and pronounced dead. Investigators later determined Lee was carrying a .22-caliber shot tool/nail driver "which clearly resembles a firearm," a Sheriff's Office news release said. Neither the bartender nor a handful of patrons at the bar at 22 W. Sixth St. were injured. No charges have been filed against the bartender, who has been identified by a co-worker and patrons as Tex. Ian Ranne, co-owner of the bar, declined to comment. Court records show that Lee pleaded guilty to dealing in stolen property last month and was sentenced to 12 months of probation. He also was convicted of trespassing earlier this year and received nine months of probation in a domestic battery case in 2008."


More British insanity: "A couple who bought guns to protect themselves from thugs in Bulgaria were last night facing criminal charges back home in the UK. … pensioners Alan and Sylvia Cantwell could be jailed for at least five years if convicted, the manadatory minimum term for possessing an illegal firearm in the UK. ‘The shock threat emerged after the terrified pair contacted Tayside Police to hand in three self-defence weapons, which fire gas pellets, not bullets’ …. The couple had fled Bulgaria after a particularly violent attack in their new home in the countryside near Pleven. The gang battered and robbed them in their new home then returned to try to kill them.”