29 May, 2010

FL: Traffic mishap leads to shooting: "A Titusville fire inspector told authorities that he shot and wounded a man in self-defense while they argued about a minor traffic accident Thursday in Seminole County. No one has been charged in the apparent road rage incident in the Mayfair Oaks subdivision south of Oviedo. Mark Whorton, 50, a resident of Oviedo and a Titusville fire inspector for four years, told sheriff's deputies that a 2007 Honda Fit driven by Michael McClarin, 34, of Casselberry hit his 2007 Lexus at 6 p.m. on Chapman Road. Whorton said McClarin then "attempted to hit him with his vehicle while (Whorton was) pointing out a black scuff mark and dent on the driver's side door" of his Lexus, Christie Ganley, a Seminole County sheriff's deputy, wrote in the incident report. "McClarin stated that at this point, Whorton shot him point blank in the chest" with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun for which Whorton has a concealed-weapons permit"


Violent crime declines as American gun ownership rises: "For the third consecutive year, violent crime has declined in the United States during the same period when gun and ammunition purchases have increased dramatically, something that should not be happening, if one were to believe the gun prohibition lobby. The FBI on Monday released preliminary uniform crime data showing that the four major violent crime categories are all slipping. Overall, 2009 experienced a 7.2 percent drop in murders, an 8.1 percent decrease in robbery, a 4.2 percent decline in aggravated assault and 3.1 percent reduction in forcible rape. Yet, according to data from the FBI’s National Instant Check System and … the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, gun and ammunition sales are up dramatically.”


Jamaica banned handgun in 1974: "Do gun bans really stop criminals from getting guns? Americans need not look no further than the massive gun battle with armed gangs fighting police and soldiers that took place in Kingston, Jamaica today. At least 30 people were killed in the fighting. It is a huge number for a small island nation of fewer than 3 million people, but unfortunately murder is so common in Jamaica that these murders won’t even be noticed in the annual crime numbers. … Even before the recent rampage, Jamaica’s murder rate was about six times higher than before the ban went into effect.”


TN: Senate overrides veto of guns bill: “The state Senate voted 22-10 on Thursday to once again override the governor’s veto of a bill to allow handgun carry permit holders to bring weapons into bars and alcohol-serving restaurants. Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen last week vetoed the guns bill sponsored by Sen. Doug Jackson, D-Dickson, on the basis that ‘guns and alcohol don’t mix.’ The House had passed the bill on a 66-31 vote, while the Senate approved it by a 23-9 margin. The vote, essentially the third on the proposal in the last two years, took place after little debate. Jackson focused most of his comments on Bredesen’s objections to the bill, saying the governor had made no effort to resolve his problems with the legislation.”