WI: Followup to Polka Bar Shooting of Armed Robber

Mr. Kochanski is receiving considerable community support.  It has been reported that this was not the first time he defended himself and others with a firearm.  From  WITI :

MILWAUKEE (WITI) – Milwaukee Police are investigating the death of a 23-year-old Milwaukee man who was shot during a robbery attempt at a tavern in the 1900 block of S. 37th Street around 12 a.m. on August 16th.

Andy Kochanski, owner of Concertina Beer Hall, says three armed suspects attempted to rob him at gunpoint. That’s when Kochanski produced a handgun and shot one of the suspects.

(snip)

 “There was another attempted robbery during my Christmas party which I dealt with pretty much the same way. I have no regrets doing it and I would do it again,” said Kochanski.

 Wisconsin has come a long way in restoring Second Amendment rights in the last few years.    The biggest turning point was in 1998, when Wisconsin passed Art. 1, Section 25, which reads:

The people have the right to keep and bear arms for security, defense, hunting, recreation, or any other lawful purpose. (Art. 1, § 25)

 The amendment was passed through one of the most difficult processes to amend a state constitution in the United States.    The amendment must first be passed by the State legislature.   Then, in the next legislative session, it must be passed again, without amendment.  Finally, it is sent to the people in a referendum, and must be passed by them.   The Wisconsin amendment passed the referendum with an amazing 74% of the vote, 1,205,873 to 425,052.

A second point came in 2011, when Wisconsin became the 49th state to allow people to carry concealed weapons in public for their defense.  The shall issue law that passed is one of the most protective of individual rights in the nation.


 ©2013 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.