TX: Man hospitalized after killing 4 horses: "A man is in custody after he killed four horses before he attempted to invade a home before the homeowner shot him. Nacogdoches County Sheriff Thomas Kerss said the suspect went on a shooting spree on County Road 232 in Nacogdoches County. The suspect shot and killed four horses on two properties in the area, before he tried to break into a home. Steven Spradley is in custody at a Nacogdoches hospital, listed in stable condition. He is charged with four counts of cruelty to animals, one count of burglary with intent to commit assault and one count of deadly conduct. Kerss said Spradley shot the four horses before knocking on the door of one neighbor and yelling at him that he was going to kill him. The neighbor instead shot Spradley in the lower torso. Kerss said Spradley's deadly conduct charge came after it was discovered one bullet from his gun went through a window of a third residence. He said this was not the first time his office had dealt with him, as he had a record of an arson charge, which was reduced to criminal mischief."


Pa.: Nut killed in self defense: "Police in Halifax County, N.C., said Carlton Burgess' post-traumatic stress disorder came to a head on Oct. 2, when he knocked at the door of Marcel Alston's home at 7 a.m. Police said Burgess, who grew up in North Carolina with Carolyn, was convinced that his wife and Alston had an affair in 1988 while the Burgesses were briefly separated. Despite Carolyn's adamant and constant denials, the perceived infidelity festered. When Alston opened the door that morning, police say, Burgess, 61, struck him in the head with a handgun, then shot him in the buttocks while Alston ran to an upstairs bedroom. In the bedroom, Alston grabbed his own handgun and killed Burgess with multiple shots to the torso. Alston was treated and released for his injuries and the District Attorney's Office in Halifax County declined to press charges against him. "We only have one surviving witness," said Maj. Bruce Temple, of the Halifax County Sheriff's Office. "We took his statement, the story was consistent, and the evidence at the scene corroborated that."


Mexico: Man cleared after shooting home intruder: "The La Floresta homeowner who shot a suspected burglar in September has been cleared of all charges relating to the incident. The shooting occurred in the early hours of September 21, when the homeowner was aroused by an intruder on the grounds of his property. According to Mary Martinez, head of Chapala’s Ministerio Publico (state prosecutor’s agency) number two, the shooter was absolved from legal responsibility after a preliminary investigation revealed that he had acted in legitimate self-defense. He was first required to accredit himself as the registered owner of the small caliber pistol used in the shooting and also subjected to forensic test for gunpowder residue to prove that he was the person who fired the weapon. The alleged perpetrator, identified as Mauricio Guzman Garcia, 45, was initially held in custody at Guadalajara’s Hospital Civil while undergoing treatment for gunshot wounds to his right shoulder and leg. The Ministerio Publico agent said he was later transferred to Chapala’s regional prison to face processing on criminal charges."


WA: County law could change to allow guns in parks: "As Seattle readies to defend in court its ban on guns at city parks, Snohomish County might move in the opposite direction. If a new law passes, you could feel free to tote a legally owned firearm into county parks. Just don’t shoot it, unless it’s in self-defense. County code, as it reads now, prohibits people from carrying or discharging guns in county parks. Lifting the long-standing ban is mostly a house-keeping measure to bring the county in line with state law, said Councilman John Koster, who submitted the proposal earlier this month. An opinion from State Attorney General Rob McKenna supports his stance. “You read through the attorney general’s opinion, it’s pretty darn strong,” Koster said. “The code is in conflict with state law.” Crossbows, slingshots and fireworks would still be against the rules if the law changes in Snohomish County. Seattle’s ban has drawn national attention and a lawsuit from gun-rights groups. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, who leaves office at the end of this year, pushed for that city’s new law after three people were shot by a Snohomish man during the 2008 Northwest Folklife Festival."