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.”