OK: Domestic Defense? 31-Year-Old man Shot by 34-Year-Old Mother in 16-Year-Old's Bedroom?

PAOLI, Okla. - An Oklahoma mother is accused of shooting a man she found in her 16-year-old daughter's bedroom, according to KFOR.

Police arrested 34-year-old Valerie Fowler Monday for assault and battery with a deadly weapon.

"We can say that there was a 16-year-old girl that witnessed the shooting a well as a young child," said Michael Lewis, Paoli police chief.

Police said they received two 911 calls around 7:30 a.m.

"We arrived at one location where we found a 31-year-old male who had been shot. He was on the porch of a residence," said Larry Rhodes, Garvin County sheriff. The shooting itself happened at a different home than that one.

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GA: Domestic Defense, Stalker Boyfriend from Another State loses Gunfight

A jilted boyfriend who was apparently stalking his former girlfriend was shot and killed late Sunday.

Although the slain man was carrying identification with different names, he was identified as 55-year-old Robert Peak, Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones said.

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FL: Man Shoots Suspected Car Thief

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said a man shot a suspect who was trying to steal his car in the Hillcrest area on the Westside.

It happened at the Deerfield Apartments on Lane Avenue near Normandy Boulevard.

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Followup NM: Police say Evidence Supports Police in Fuentes Shooting

The beating continued for a lengthy amount of time,” Tixier said.

Once he regained consciousness, the beating victim reached for a gun and fired a shot as Fuentes tried to flee. Police found Fuentes’ body in the backyard with a single gunshot wound.

“All evidence thus far indicates the shooting of Tony Fuentes was in self-defense,” Tixier said. “Tony has a history of drug abuse and had accused [the friend] and another friend of cheating with his girlfriend.”
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TX: Off Duty Officer Gunfight with Robbery Suspects

Houston Police said one of their own, an off-duty officer named I. Almasri, was working security. As he did his rounds near the Jewelry Dog store, he heard commotion and saw two men with bandanas over their faces walking toward the business.

As one robber smashed glass displays with a hammer, the officer pulled his gun and ran toward the robbers. Before he got there, the second masked man pulled a pistol and shot first. The two exchanged fire as witnesses ducked and took cover.

“I saw the two people run outside and the officer tried to chase them and I guess (the robbers) started shooting and (the officer) started shooting behind them,” said witness Wahed Rahman.
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TX: Campus Carry having Positive Effect on Austin Campus

image from YouTube

It has become a truism that a great many college campus environments have become toxic to rights that were once celebrated and are specifically named in the Constitution, Rights such as freedom of speech and the right to keep and bear arms. It used to be axiomatic that on a campus, people were able to argue about controversial ideas without being subject to censorship.  This was especially pushed hard by leftist groups in the 1960's. 

It was all a charade designed to gain power for the left. Those efforts led to professors such as Karla Holloway, pictured above, who used her clout to convict the Duke LaCross players without a trial in 2006. 

The Group of 88 was a term applied to 88 professors at Duke University who condemned the Duke's lacrosse team for their alleged involvement in a rape that was later declared a hoax.

Karla F.C. Holloway, a professor of English and African-American Studies was the person who initially thought of placing the ad.[1]

Now that the "progressives" control college environments, many topics are taboo, and the ability to bear arms has been extinguished for decades.

In Texas, there is a small light of hope.  The Texas legislature passed a statute that allows for a carefully vetted, small group of incredibly law abiding students to carry arms on campus; but only if those arms are carefully hidden, so as not to offend the sensibilities of the local gun haters.

The policy, while considerably short of full recognition of the right to keep and bear arms, is having a small, positive, effect on the campus population.  Some of the most vocal and least tolerant of the gun haters are choosing to stay away from the Austin campus. From mystatesman.com:

A University of Texas English professor says a law enabling Texans with state permits to carry concealed guns into classrooms has already caused prospective faculty, students and even speakers not to come to the Austin campus.

Lisa Moore said in an NPR interview aired Aug. 7, six days after the campus carry mandate took effect: “We already have concrete examples of faculty who have declined to apply for jobs here at the university or who, once offered jobs, have turned them down when they realized that this policy would go into effect, students changing their minds about coming to our graduate and undergraduate programs, and invited speakers declining to come when they realized that we couldn’t guarantee that they would give their talk in a gun-free space.”

The Austin campus has no shortage of gun haters.  It suffers from an amazing surplus of those who are unwilling to allow people to exercise their Constitutional rights.  Karla Holloway is the lecturer who refused to come to Austin because of the campus carry law. Austin is better off without her privileged, elitist voice that is used to condemn the society that she has so richly benefited from.

In this case, the Texas law acts as a mild filter, adding an incentive for those with disdain for the Constitution to stay away.  In the story cited, the fact checker,  was able to confirm only one speaker who would not come to Austin because of the new law, one prospective faculty member who decided to stay away, and one student who decided to cross Austin off his list of prospective schools.

It is a tiny bit of evidence that the law is having a positive effect; but it would be better if the numbers were much higher.

Two faculty members had such high levels of gun hatred and disdain for the Constitution that they felt compelled to mention that the new law had a positive impact on their decision to leave Austin for employment elsewhere.

Again , small, but positive numbers.

Austin is overflowing with boastful, intolerant "progressives" that  actively dislike American culture and the American Constitutiion.

Texas, Austin, and the entire country would be far, far better off if these intolerant individuals stayed far, far, away.  I watched the takeover of public universities during the 1960's, 70's, and 80's.  It was done with with the intention to remake America into the image that "progressives" desire, a centrally planned economy run by them, where those who value the rule of law, freedom, and structures that limit government power, are voices that should be silenced.

It was a mistake to allow our universities to be turned into indoctrination camps  for  intolerant liberal fascists. That a few are dissuaded from coming to the University of Texas at Austin is a positive side effect of starting to restore the Second Amendment in Texas.


©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch 

OK: Assault with BB Gun Ends with Return Fire from Real Gun

Tulsa, Okla. —

When you shoot at a vehicle with a BB gun, you better make sure nobody in the other car has a real gun.

A man learned that lesson the hard way early Sunday morning, near the River Spirit Casino.


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Followup NC: No Charges for Shooting of Teen Burglary Suspect

A Union County homeowner who fatally shot a 17-year-old burglary suspect will face no criminal charges, the Union County Sheriff’s Office said Friday.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/crime/article98219437.html#storylink=cpy



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IN: Domestic Defense? Teen Shoots Man

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — An ongoing altercation between a man and woman on the northeast side ended today when a teenager intervened, shooting the man multiple times around 11:55 p.m. Saturday night.

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Pew Poll Shows Gun Ownership at 44% of Households

The Washington Examiner’s Paul Bedard crunched some the new numbers on gun politics from Pew Research and found that almost half the country has a gun in the home. Pew found that 44 percent of all homes have guns, while 51 percent do not. It bucks the trend of other polls, namely CBS News, which found that the percentage of gun ownership hovered in the mid-30s.

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MN: Minneapolis Gun "Buy Back" Works for Second Amendment Supporters

image From facebook

The Minneapolise gun "buy back" held on 27 August, 2016 was a great success for everyone concerned.

Gun haters were able to buy 150 firearms to destroy.  It helped satisfy their urge to "do something"  symbolic and it made them feel good.  The people turning in old, cheap, broken down guns got money to upgrade to better things. Many, if not most, were Second Amendment supporters.

Gun manufacturers were able to manufacture new and better guns, and sell them to willing buyers. Private purchasers made some good deals.

The publicity was almost a draw.  Gun haters claimed guns were bad.  Second Amendment supporters showed that they were valuable and wanted.  I judge it a plus for the Second Amendment supporters.

The star of the show was the homemade shotgun made from $8 worth of pipe, some scrap wood, and tape, that brought a $100 for its owner.  The serial number was buybacksdontwork01, written in marker on the stock.

The police officers running the show were in on the fun. They did a great job.  From MNguntalk.com:

I stood there for those 2 hrs talking to the officers and they didn't know the rules so the first few people had no limits enforced. The officers didn't care about any of this and made plenty of jokes about how silly it was. 

A guy turned in a homemade slide fire 12 ga. made out of pipe and a 2x4. The officers thought it was hilarious.

Here is a picture of the line before the "buy back" started.

From MNguntalk.com:

They took four from me including an "AR" for $300 ... a Charter Arms AR-7 parts gun with a stripped barrel nut 
The cops there did a great job. No issues at all except for a late start.
Every single person in line was one of us

The AR-7 met the criteria for an "assault weapon" listed in the "buy back" announcement.  It was semi-automatic.  It was small caliber.  It has a detachable magazine.  As a bonus, it was an "AR" (Armalite Rifle) and it had a plastic stock.  The organizers were pleased.  The had scored an "assault weapon"!  Win-win.  Everybody happy!

image from startribune.com

The private buyers were happy too.  At least one got a rifle and a shotgun.  I would bet that the shotgun was a nice pump, double, or semi-auto.  Maybe the rifle was a Marlin 336, or a Winchester 94.  They are common in Minnesota.  Perhaps it was something more exotic, like a Remington model 8, or a full military 03A3.  Those were pretty common back in the day. From startribune.com:

The event also attracted several private firearms buyers who stood outside the fire stations promising more money for some weapons, and profiting after the buyback ran low on funds.

Gun collector Paul Joat drove from Chisago County to scope out what people brought in. He conducted two purchases on the street, for a rifle and shotgun for $175.

The Second Amendment supporters got in their share of comments. From cbslocal.com:

Some gun owners were skeptical of the program’s effectiveness.  One anonymous gun owner said he received $200 in gift cards for his firearm and plans to use the freed up funds for a new gun.

I suspect that this sort of event is headed for the dust bin of history.  The real purpose has always been propaganda; send the message "Guns bad.  Turn them in!" But with private buyers and Second Amendment supporters in attendance, the message becomes decidedly mixed.

Some friends wistfully wondered why they never have an event like that near them.  I suggested that maybe they could organize their own.  All they have to do is find a non-profit or philantrophy minded gun hater with a few extra tens of thousands of dollars.

It was reported that this event had $25,000 worth of funds, and it was out of money in less than two hours. It was scheduled to run for 8 hours.  They bought about 150 guns, so that is an average of $167 per gun.  Most of those turned in had to be .22 rifles and shotguns, or the average would have been higher.

Shotguns and .22 rifles that were not semi-auto, and did not have detachable magazines, brought $100 each.  Larger caliber rifles and handguns were worth $200.  "Assault weapons" were worth $300.

A good time was had by all.


©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch 

LA: Off Duty Guard and Robbery Suspect in Gunfight, No One Hit

A gunman walked into the store in the 400 block North Carrollton Avenue just after 11 p.m., entered the cash room and demanded money from an employee inside the room, according to the initial NOPD report. The Rouses location closes at 11 p.m. Fridays.

Police said an on-duty security guard shot at the robber as he was fleeing the location with the cash. The robber fired one shot back at the security officer before running away in an undetermined direction.
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GA: Robbery Suspects fall through Ceiling, Lose Gunfight

Two men allegedly trying to rob a south Macon check cashing store fell through the ceiling Saturday morning and one was shot during an exchange of gunfire, according to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.

The manager of Discount Check Cashing, 1411 Rocky Creek Road, and an employee reportedly heard noises in the ceiling sometime before 9:15 a.m., and as the manager investigated, two men fell from the ceiling, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

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Followup NJ: Woman Forced to Kill Attacker by Same

For hours, police said, the woman was bound to a chair as Theard spoke about death and suicide. Then he showed her how to use his handgun, gave it to her and ordered her to shoot him in the head, authorities said. When she refused, Theard told her to do it or he would kill her and then himself, according to the prosecutor's office.

The woman told the grand jury that she initially shot Theard in the shoulder, hoping to avoid killing him or getting herself killed. However, after that first shot Theard yelled and turned toward her, and she shot him a second time in the shoulder area, police said.

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Followup TX: Off Duty Deputy Cleared in Wade Austin Kloesel Shooting

A grand jury cleared an off-duty Refugio County deputy who fatally shot a home intruder of any wrongdoing Thursday.

"There is no finding of negligence, there is no finding of failure of duty and there is no finding of criminality," Victoria County Criminal District Attorney Stephen Tyler said Friday.
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FL: Victim wounded in Home Invasion Gun Fight

The victim of a home invasion in West Palm Beach was injured after exchanging gunfire with the intruders, deputies said Friday night.

http://www.wpbf.com/artMore Here

MO: Bloomberg Organization Pushes to Stop Override of Gun Reform Veto

One of Missouri Governor (D) Jay Nixon's most visible actions against Second Amendment rights was his veto of the gun reform bill SB 656.  SB 656 contains a number of common sense reforms to restore Second Amendment rights and protections for people who legitimately engage in self defense.  From the NRA-ILA:

Recognize Missourians right to Constitutional/Permitless Carry where open carry is not prohibited

Expand Missouri’s current Stand your Ground laws 

Expand Castle Doctrine protections for anyone legally allowed into your home, vehicle, business and property

Specify that except for credit card fees incurred, no additional fee beyond $100 may be charged to process concealed carry permits and allows military members extra time to renew their permits

Implement 10, 20 and 50 year options for non-reciprocity issued permits

Allow components of firearm training for RTC permits to be online

It is not surprising the former NYC Mayor, Michael Bloomberg would oppose such reforms.  He has been adamantly opposed to an armed population his entire career.  He has invested tens of millions of dollars in funding anti rights organizations.  Some of his money is being used in an attempt to prevent an ovverride of Nixon's veto.  Only two years ago, the legislature overrode another veto of a gun reform bill.  That bill was also numbered SB 656. An override in the House seems highly likely, so the anti self defense activists are targeting the Senate. From themissouritimes.com:

But in order for the House to get the chance to override the veto, it must clear the Senate. That chamber voted 24-8 along party lines for the bill during session. Opponents must only flip two votes to sustain the veto.

That’s where the campaign comes in. Moms Demand Action, a grassroots-style group made up of mothers seeking action on gun control measures (and backed by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund), has launched a social media and phone calling campaign to try to convince senators to vote to sustain the veto.

They’ve been calling their senators and representatives asking them to sustain the veto. They’ve also been aggressively courting the legislators on Twitter, tweeting at them every poll or column or endorsement that shows support for stopping the bill.

Missouri's Fraternal Order of Police and the Missouri Catholic Conference have joined with Bloomberg's organization to lobby to stop the veto override.

Both Democrat and Republican candidates for governor, one of which will replace governor Nixon, have said that they would not have vetoed the bill.

This means that if the override is stopped, a replacement bill is very likely to be passed and signed next session.

An override would make sure that such effort would not be necessary.  That is a  strong argument to override the veto.

Second Amendment supporters are likely contacting Senators as well.  There are usually 3-10 times as many Second Amendment activists as anti- self defense activists.  But the Second Amendment supporters do not have the funding of billion air elitists such as Michael Bloomberg.

The veto override will inform us if votes or money wins this contest.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch

NE: Rob Morse, Charges Dropped Against Paul Lathrop. His Story-

A friend of mine was arrested at a truck stop. The incident happened last February. Paul Lathrop was accused of brandishing a firearm and making terroristic threats. All charges were dropped earlier this week. Here is what we can learn.

Paul drives a truck for a living. He was instructing when this happened. His student driver was behind the wheel as they moved through a truck stop. An irate driver who was parked in the lot climbed onto Paul’s truck to yell at Paul’s student. Paul diffused the situation rather than call 911. That was a mistake, though no one knew it at the time.

It was a mistake because the irate driver later called police and claimed that Paul threatened him and “waved a silver glock revolver out the window of the truck”. The irate driver won the race to the phone. The police therefore considered the irate driver to be the victim. Video showed otherwise. The testimony of Paul and his student matched the video and indicated otherwise. The police only dropped the charges after Paul spent tens of thousands of dollars hiring a lawyer and being dragged through the legal system. The lawyer had the truck stop video to exonerate Paul. Here is the important lesson.

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MN: Armed Resident Avoids being Shot by Police

Armed with a handgun, Algizawi said he opened his door and was confronted by an unknown man who did not immediately leave. Algizawi said he fired a warning shot and then pursued the intruder down a hallway of the apartment building while his wife phoned 911.

Jacobson said it was at that point that officers arrived on the scene.

According to Jacobson, the situation became fraught with potential tragedy the moment Algizawi decided to open his apartment door instead of staying inside and calling 911. He said it was fortunate that Algizawi was pointing his gun in the direction he was when police arrived and that he complied with their commands.
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PA: Boyfriend Shoots Girlfriend's Ex after Break-in, Assault

So he found his way in a different way: A little later, police said, the man broke into the home through a second-floor window. Once inside, police say the man began to attack his ex, assaulting her. Her current boyfriend then produced a gun and shot him in the chest, police said.

He died a short time later at a nearby hospital. Police have not identified the man, only saying he is 33 years old. His two children with the woman were in the home at the time of the shooting.

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FolIowup IA: Manager who Never Fired a Gun Before, Wins Gunfight with 1 Shot

The manager at Ray’s Supermarket on Franklin Street said a police officer had once showed him how operate the .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol that was kept at the store.

That quick lesson came into play on the night of Nov. 18, 2015, when he found himself in a shootout with an armed robber.

Authorities said Chaudry wounded the assailant during an exchange of gunfire. Prosecutors allege the robber was Charles Earl Jones, the 21-year-old Waterloo man who was found across town with a gunshot wound minutes after the botched supermarket robbery.
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KS: Mon Shoots Burglary Suspect

According to police, a homeowner saw the burglar in action, got a gun and then shot the suspect.

The burglar is expected to survive.
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Followup: No Charges for 91-Year-Old Shooter

No criminal charges will be filed against a 91-year-old concealed pistol license holder who shot a suspected robber outside of a pharmacy in Eastpointe, according to police and prosecutors.

Instead, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office authorized an arrest warrant charging the man who was shot, Richard Ashford, with assault with a dangerous weapon, Prosecutor Eric Smith said in a news release.

“This is a textbook case for why concealed pistol licenses are issued in the first place,” Smith said in the release. “American citizens have the right to protect themselves in the face of clear assault.”
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Followup LA: Clerk Arrested After Shooting Suspect

Deputies were told by a store clerk that he noticed a man trying to shoplift several bottles of liquor. He tried stop the man and an altercation ensued inside the store.

Juan Villanueva, the clerk, said he activated the front door locking mechanism to help stop the suspect from leaving. He said the suspect was able to break through the door.

It was when the suspect was running toward the gas pumps that Villanueva, who had armed himself with a gun, fired a shot and struck the suspect in the leg, the Sheriff's Office said.
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TN: Armed Homeowner Holds Intruder for Police

SEVIERVILLE (WATE) – A suspect in a home invasion is in custody thanks to a homeowner in Sevier County.

The Sevier County Sheriff’s Office said Darrick C. Whaley, 23, was charged with aggravated assault, especially aggravated burglary, unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, gun possession during a violent felony and narcotic possession. Officers said when they arrived at 833 Douglas Dam Road, the homeowner was holding Whaley at gunpoint.
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Exclusive: 10mm Bear Defense; Interview with Shooter (some video)

Kim Woodman, dressed as he was when attacked by the brown bear on Humpy Creek (courtesy Kim Woodman)





Video from Kim Woodman


On 29 July, 2016, about 4 p.m. Kim Woodman was attacked by a sow brown bear at Humpy Creek.

Kim had a Glock model 20 10 mm pistol with him.  He was able to stop the attack by shooting the bear as it charged at him.  While backing away from the charging bear, Kim tripped and fell backward.  He instinctively attempted to fend off the bear with his foot, while he concentrated on firing the shots that saved his life.  The last shot was just short of contact.  It probably hit the bear in the chest, but also took off the tip of one of Kim's toes.

Kim Woodman was kind enough to grant me an interview. 

On Friday, the 29th of July, Kim impulsively decided to take a day hike up Humpy creek.  He did not expect trouble.  Almost as an afterthought, he put the Glock model 20 10mm pistol and a box of ammunition in his day pack.

I was just moving up Humpy crick there, I had just thrown the gun in my pack.

I saw bear scat, so I loaded the gun, with 15 rounds in the magazine, none in the chamber.  That is the way I grew up and was taught by my dad.

I put the pistol in my pants pocket.

Kim was born in Alaska. He is 57 years old. His father homesteaded in the state in 1938, and was one of the first bear guides there. Kim has spent nearly all his life in Alaska, with a few winters spent in Nevada going to high school. Kim is very familiar with bears and how to deal with them.  He has encountered many bears on a lot of creeks. From Kim:

I have been in that situation a lot, you are going up a creek, you see a bear, you back up.

Generally you can back out, and the bear will just slink off.

Kim did not want to shoot the bear.  But even more, he did not want to be mauled 4 1/2 miles from his skiff in dense woods and rough terrain.  He had hiked up Humpy creek instead of following the trail. As Kim puts it:

I did not want to be the guy shooting a sow with cubs.  But even more I did not want to be the guy mauled.

It was about 4 1/2 mile out from my skiff.  I had just downloaded an app to show topographic details.  I used that to find the trail for heading back out. It was very thick.  I did not want to fight the brush on the way back.

There was no cell phone connection.

Kim was making some noise as he went up the creek.  The cover was very thick. There were plenty of mosquitoes:

There wasn't a lot of noise, and I was not making a lot of noise.  I was busting through brush and mosquitoes and sweat.  It was a pretty ugly mosquito year.

It was just another creek with some bear sign, and the chance of meeting a bear.

You think it isn't going to happen until it does.  So it is best to be prepared.

Kim instinctively attempted to back away, but the sow was having none of it. The cubs saw Kim just as he saw them, from about 30 feet away, across a little opening in the dense woods.

I am moving up this really thick stuff, too much fallen over the creek itself to go up it. There was a deep hole in Humpy creek, and the bears were in the hole.

The cubs and I saw each other first, across about a 30 foot opening. The cubs went scampering off and the sow saw me and came straight at me.

She had to come up a little bit of bank, that gave me a little extra time to make sure I chambered a round. I was shouting at her when I realized that I had to shoot. I let about three go, and then she was right on top of me.

That is when I tripped backward and she was right up on me when I let go with the last round that took the tip of my toe off.

 Even if she had only got me for a few seconds, I do not know if I would have been able to crawl out.

Kim's description of how he perceived the situation is pretty common for deadly force events:

Hooked my heel on  something while backing up and firing.  Thick alders and brush.

 It wasn't even like I was falling.  There was tunnel vision, concentrating on the shot.

I instinctively put my foot up at the same time, and snapping a shot off.

Kim said that there wasn't any real choice.  The sow was totally committed.  She had made the decision to attack, and was in a full out charge. Kim said that he clearly remembers shooting two handed.

The whole situation only took about 4 seconds.  The final shot was very close.  Park Ranger Jason Okuly found Kim's sunglasses at the scene.  They had fallen off the top of Kim's head as he fell backward.

Okuly said that the sunglasses were only two feet from the bear's head.  He also retrieved two empty cases and returned them to Kim.  He told Kim that they noticed at least three hits.  One in the left eye, one in the mouth, and one in the chest.  They did not look too closely because the carcass was bloated and stinking pretty badly by the time they were able to reach it. 

The sow was eight years old, and about 400 lbs.

It wasn't until the action had stopped that Kim noticed that he had hit his own foot while shooting at the bear.  He saw blood coming out of his boot.

Everything happened so fast, 4 seconds, and you are standing there with a dead sow, and I see blood coming out of my boot.

 Photo courtesy Kim Woodman

Kim chose to walk out immediately, before the adrenaline rush from the defensive shooting wore off.  On the way out, his leg started to cramp up. That is when he made the video of his booted foot with the hole in it, on his iphone.

Once he got back to the skiff, he had a 12 mile ride back to Homer.  He tied up the skiff at the 160 foot landing craft that is parked there, walked to his truck, and drove to the emergency room.

 
The red arrow shows the approximate location of the shooting.  Satellite photo from Google maps.

Kim chose the Glock because he liked how light and tough it was.  He had two revolvers before the Glock, a Ruger stainless .357 and a Colt Anaconda .44 magnum.

When he learned how much the Anaconda was worth (it is a fairly rare, collectible revolver) he sold the Colt. He said that because he spent a lot of time on salt water, he knew the Anaconda would get beat up and lose considerable value. A few years later he picked up the Glock.

The ammunition that he was using was the HPR 10mm 180 grain JHP ammunition made in Payson, Arizona.  The velocity claimed is 1270 fps, for 650 foot pounds of energy. Kim says he expects to get some Buffalo Bore cartridges in the future.

 Photo courtesy Kim Woodman

24 years ago, Kim had to shoot another bear that was intent on doing him harm.  That bear was quite a bit bigger, about 850-900 pounds, with a very large head.  It squared at 9 to 9 1/2 feet.

Kim was hunting moose when it happened in 1992.  He had a bear permit, but he wanted to get a moose for meat before he went bear hunting.  The bear made the choice for him.  He was stalking a moose when it happened.  From Kim:

I saw a moose out on the swamp, real early in the morning.

I heard something behind me, and it was padding up on me. I had a bear tag, but I wanted a moose first. I had just enough time to swing the rifle around. I yelled at it, and got a real aggressive response.  There were a lot of problem bears around, a bad berry year, a guy had gotten eaten by a bear. 

The bear was so close that Kim could not use the scope on his .338 Winchester Magnum.  He sighted down the side of the barrel. Trophy hunters do not shoot bears in the head. It ruins the skull as a trophy, and makes the skull impossible to score for the record books. The bear was coming at him, but not full out.  It was only 15 feet away when he shot.  It went down as if he had scrambled its brains, but the bullet had gone through the muscle alongside the skull, just nicking the bone.  It knocked the bear out.  Kim thought it was dead.

All of a sudden I heard a growl, so I went back in there, obviously you can't leave a wounded bear around.   It was whirling in a circle, tearing out chunks of the tundra.

I stuck the barrel up against its neck, and the 250 grain .338 did not make it out the other side of its neck.

The bear Kim shot in 1992. Photo courtesy  Kim Woodman. It is a big bear, from the size of the front paws.

Kim said that he had learned lessons from the recent bear shooting. He is going to buy a holster or two.  He is consciously going to practice *not* backing up, and shooting rapidly.  He says that in a crisis, you act as you have trained to act.  He also said that when you are around bears a lot, familiarity can cause you to lose the healthy respect you should have.

Very few people have to kill two bears in self defense in their lifetime.  Kim does not view it as something to aim for.  It happened as part of the necessity of survival.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch 

GA: Woman with Gun Beats Man with Tire Iron

AUGUSTA, GA. | A Subway employee shot and killed one of two armed robbery suspects Sunday afternoon after the man struck her 14-year-old son in the head with a tire iron, police say.

Deputies discovered one of the suspects, Cornelius Harrison, 24, of North Carolina, bleeding from his side in the wooded area behind the business on the Gordon Highway. He was taken to Augusta University Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. The other robbery suspect has not been located.

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OH: Home Invasion, Intruder Wounded

The sheriff says a male that resides at the home fired several shots at the intruders. At the time, it was believed no one had been shot.

After further investigation, Rogers says they learned a suspect ,Richard Kafel, had been shot two times. He was taken to Coshocton Memorial Hospital where he was treated for non life threatening injuries and was then taken into custody.

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Followup TN: Grand Jury finds James Ives shot Bruce Roberts in Self Defense

The Grand Jury heard evidence from Hawkins Co. Sheriff's Office Detective David LaFollette.


“From all of which, the Grand Jury finds (that) Darrell Bruce Roberts died as a result of: James Ives shot Mr. Roberts in self-defense,” the report states.


Sheriff Ronnie Lawson wrote in a May news release that deputies responded to a call to Beechwood Hills Trailer Park about 10:15 p.m. on May 3 to investigate reports of a man in a roadway who was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

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IN: Wife is Robbed; Calls Police: Husband Investigates with gun, Gets Shot by Officer

The woman gave up her keys, and then went into her house and called 911. Her husband went outside with a gun.

“The husband was out with the weapon, and unfortunately the husband was shot by one of our officers,” Taylor said.

Police said the man was in serious but stable condition at the hospital, and was expected to survive. The suspect left the victims’ car in the driveway and fled the scene.
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TX: Father Shows Son Pistol; Son Uses it for Defense

HOUSTON - A homeowner shot and killed a teen and injured another in an attempted robbery in east Houston.

Police said a father and son were in the backyard of their home in the 800 block of Majestic near Market Tuesday night when two teens approached them.


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MO: Fatal Shooting Likely Self Defense

ABC 17 News reported a 25-year-old man was shot around 10:30 p.m. Sunday in the Hawthorn Park Apartments area.

The man police arrested on scene was released Monday and is no longer a suspect since he may have acted in self-defense, according to police.

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DE: Armed Homeowner Shoots at Burglary Suspect

CLAYTON, Del. (AP) — Delaware State Police say a homeowner shot at a burglar who ran away from his house after being caught in the act.

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Cheap Gun Opportunity/Profitable Gun Turn in; Minneapolis 27 August, 2016

Some guns turned in at a Phoenix event in 2013

There will be a gun turn in event on Saturday, 27 August, 2016 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  While these events are commonly labelled with the propaganda term "buyback" the guns were never owned by the people attempting to buy them.

The event will be held at two locations: Fire Station 17 at 330 E 38th St. in south Minneapolis; Fire Station 14 at 2002 Lowry Ave N in north Minneapolis.  Compensation will be in the form of Visa gift cards. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The compensation offered at this event is very generous when comparted to most of these events.  The total amount available for compensation is not stated.  From fox9.com:

People can receive Visa gift cards for the following amounts in exchange for various types of guns:

$300 = compensation for turning in an assault weapon, semi-automatic small caliber rifle with detachable magazine
$200 = compensation for turning in handguns and large caliber rifles, bolt action or lever action rifle
$100 = compensation for turning in shotguns, and small caliber rifles, bolt action or lever action rifle
$15 (or donated)= compensation for turning in inoperable guns of any kind, antique firearms, or BB guns.

Ammunition and firearm accessories are accepted for free.

Who will be making the determination of exactly what is an "assault weapon" is not clear, but last week there was a Savage semi-automatic small caliber rifle with a detachable 10 round magazine in WalMart, brand new, for $99 plus tax.

There are many old and tired handguns in the country that can be had for less than $100.  The RG-14 comes to mind.

I suspect that the supply of gift cards will be quickly depleted.  If you intend to drop off a couple of well worn RGs revolvers or Davis semi-auto, get there early.  There will likely be a line forming before the stated time.

It is not clear if there will be a police presence at the Fire Stations.

Some police departments are hostile to private buyers; others are friendly.  It is best to do local research before arriving to offer to buy firearms. Much depends on what public parking is available, and where private buyers are allowed.
Some private buyers have been able to overcome these obstacles and achieve considerable success.


Once the available funds are expended, people will be showing up with guns that they want to get rid of, only to find that the money they expected is gone.  Many private sales occur in these situations.


Across the country, communities, police departments and churches are sponsoring gun turn-ins to get "guns off the street". At many of these events, private buyers are showing up, offering cash for the more valuable guns. These private additions to the public turn-in are effective, no doubt, in getting more guns off the street, because they add to the resources that are available to those who want to get rid of guns for something of value, be it a grocery card or a number of twenty dollar bills.

You can help make the turn-in in your area more effective by standing on the curb with your "Cash for Guns" sign, or at a folding table, willing to offer more than the gift card for firearms that are more valuable. It would be best if numerous private parties were available, as more good guns could then be transferred into responsible hands.

This action serves many useful purposes. It stretches the turn-in budget so that more guns can be taken off the street. It helps keep fearful widows from being defrauded of most of the market value of the gun they are turning in. It prevents valuable assets from being destroyed by bureaucratic inflexibility. It is a win-win-win situation.

It also dispels the pernicious message that guns are bad and should be destroyed.

Private sales are legal in Minnesota.  There is no requirement to ask the government for permission to transfer a firearm, but transferring one to a known  prohibited possessor is against the law.

Here is how private buyers handled challenges in Jacksonville, Florida.

Link to article with numerous examples of private sales at gun turn in events
 
Link to most recent article about private buyers at Milwaukee event

Link to Phoenix Article: pictures of private buyers



©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Link to Gun Watch

Followup NY: Grand Jury Finds Teen Justified in Shooting Mother's Boyfriend

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) >> A grand jury has declined to indict a Long Island teen who fatally shot his mother’s boyfriend last week, finding the killing was an act of self-defense.

Newsday reports (http://nwsdy.li/2bwrNCE ) 18-year-old Tephonte Smith had been charged with second-degree murder in the death of 28-year-old Rashad Woolridge. But the North Amityville man has been freed after a grand jury returned a no true bill last week.

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Followup NM: No Charges Filed on

No criminal charges will be filed against a 91-year-old concealed pistol license holder who shot a suspected robber outside of a pharmacy in Eastpointe, according to police and prosecutors.

Instead, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office authorized an arrest warrant charging the man who was shot, Richard Ashford, with assault with a dangerous weapon, Prosecutor Eric Smith said in a news release.

“This is a textbook case for why concealed pistol licenses are issued in the first place,” Smith said in the release. “American citizens have the right to protect themselves in the face of clear assault.”

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Texas Judge Shoots Down Motion for Injunction to Delay Campus Carry

On 6 June, 2016, Two professors from the University of Texas, Austin and a Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor filled a lawsuit against the state Attorney General, the President of the University of Texas at Austin, and the members of the Board of Regents of the University of Texas at Austin.  The lawsuit makes a number of frivilous claims, including that the law is vague, the law violates the plaintiffs' First Amendment, Second Amendment, and Fourteenth Amendment rights.  The arguments were childish, irrational, emotional rants.  Here is an example:

48. The Texas statutes and university policies that prohibit Plaintiffs from exercising their individual option to forbid handguns in their classrooms violate the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, as applied in Texas through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. These policies and procedures deprive Plaintiffs of their Second Amendment right to defend themselves and others in their classrooms from handgun violence by compelling them as public employees to passively acquiesce in the presence of loaded weaponry in their place of public employment without the individual possession and use of such weaponry in public being well-regulated. This infringement lacks any important justification and is imposed without any substantial link between the objectives of the policies and the means chosen to achieve them.

A right to violate others Second Amendment rights in public places.  That is a novel interpretation of the Second Amendment.  Positively Orwellian.

The lawsuit was first heard on 4 August, 2016.  The Plaintiffs asked for a preliminary injunction to suspend the implementation of the law while the lawsuit proceeded. Preliminary injunctions are seldom granted.  The requirements are fairly rigorous. From the case documents:

(1) a substantial likelihood of success on the merits,

(2) a substantial threat of irreparable injury if the injunction is not issued,

(3) that the threatened injury that would result if the injunction is denied outweighs any harm that will result if the injunction is granted,and

(4) that the grant of an injunction will not disserve the public interest.

Judge Lee Yeakel of the US District Court writes a well thought out and easily understandable response to the request for a preliminary injunction.  He finds that the case does not meet the requirements for one. He examines several claims to reach his decision. First the claim of vagueness. From the decision:

The court concludes that the Campus Carry Policy does not fail for unconstitutional vagueness.

 Then the claim that the law violates First Amendment rights:

But the Campus Carry Law and Policy do not direct Plaintiffs either toward or away from any particular subject or point of view. See Univ. of Pa., 493 U.S. at 198. The provisions do not prohibit, require, or even mention any form of speech by professors of the University. The burden of which Plaintiffs complain therefore does not fit within any recognized right of academic freedom. See id. at 199.

Judge Yeakel expands on the First Amendment claim:

Their First Amendment claim is and must be bottomed on their right to speak and teach freely. Neither the Campus Carry Law nor the Campus Carry Policy forbids them from doing so. This is fatal to their attempt at this stage in the proceedings to establish a substantial likelihood that their case will succeed on the merits.

He shows that the Fourteenth Amendment claim of lack of equal protection fails at this stage, at least:

The court concludes at this stage in the proceedings that requiring public universities to allow licensed individuals to carry concealed handguns is a basis for the Campus Carry Law that bears a debatably rational relationship to the conceivable legitimate governmental end of enabling individuals to defend themselves. See Reid, 979 F.2d at 1087. Further, the court concludes that allowing private universities to prohibit concealed carry by licensed individuals bears a rational relationship to the legitimate governmental interest of respecting the private-property rights of private universities.

Here is more on the 14th Amendment claims, and a bit on the Second Amendment:

It appears to the court that neither the Texas Legislature nor the Board of Regents has overstepped its legitimate power to determine where a licensed individual may carry a concealed handgun in an academic setting. The court concludes that Plaintiffs have failed to establish a substantial likelihood of success on their equal-protection claim under the Fourteenth Amendment.

The conclusion sums up the failure to provide convincing arguments for a preliminary injunction:

IV. CONCLUSION

Because Plaintiffs at this time have failed to establish a substantial likelihood of ultimate success on the merits of their asserted claims, their request for immediate relief must fail. The court therefore need not and does not reach the remaining requirements for granting a preliminary injunction. Bluefleld, 577 F.3d at 253 ("[A] preliminary injunction is an extraordinary remedy which should not be granted unless the party seeking it has 'clearly carried the burden of persuasion' on all four requirements."). 

Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that Plaintiffs' Application for Preliminary Injunction (Clerk's Doc. No. 20) is DENIED.

It is the decision that was expected.  Anyone with money can file a lawsuit.  Some are designed to get headlines.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch 

MI: 91-Year-Old Shoots Robbery Suspect

EASTPOINTE, Mich. (WXYZ) - Eastpointe police say a 91-year-old man shot an attempted robbery suspect outside of a Rite Aid on 9 Mile around 10 a.m. Monday.
Police say the elderly man declared he was a CPL holder as he noticed the suspect approaching him erratically. The suspect then reportedly pointed an unknown object at the victim, and that's when the 91-year-old pulled out his gun and opened fire, striking the suspect in the neck.

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AZ: No Arrests in Shooting, likely Self Defense

Detectives said the visitor hit the resident in the head with the broken glass bong and then used it to stab him. The resident pulled a gun and shot the visitor twice.

The wounded visitor left in the car in which he arrived and called the police from another location.

Detectives have talked to both men and said neither one was cooperative.

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TN: Domestic Defense Woman Shoots Estranged Husband

A spokesperson for SCSO said the woman called and said she shot her husband in the chest at a home in Cordova.

The woman told deputies that her husband was not supposed to be in the home; they are separated.

Robert Jackson was taken to Regional Medical Center in critical condition.

His wife, Ashley Jackson, said she shot her husband in self-defense.
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Open Carry Restaurant in Utah hits Snag with Liberal Landlords

The Sea Bears Ogden Fish House has become prosperous as a restaurant that welcomes and practises the open carry of firearms.  They have done so well they needed to move to a larger venue.  That venue was Union Station in Ogden.

There are four museums at the station. One is the John M. Browning Firearms Museum, another is the Utah State Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, a third is the Browning Classic Car Museum, and the fourth is the Utah State Railroad Museum.  It seems like a good fit. From standard.net:

For more than a year now, owners, employees and patrons of the restaurant at 2550 Washington Blvd. have been invited to open-carry the firearm of their choice in the establishment. But with the recent announcement Sea Bears is relocating to the former site of Union Grill, Ogden’s Union Station officials now say they won’t permit openly carrying a gun there.

The Secretary of the Union Station Foundation, who did not negotiate the contract, said that several specifics were agreed to, including that owners and servers could only carry weapons if they had training, if they were in holsters, and if they were no more than 12 inches long. The secretary, Trentleman, claims that there was also a provision that open carry could be banned if "there were an issue".

I would like to see the contract.  It would be rather peculiar if one of a buisness' main draws were made subject to the whim of the landlord.

On Friday, 19 August, the Union Station put up "No Open Carry" signs.  It is not clear if the signs are legal or not.  Open carry is legal in Utah.  The Union Station is a non-profit.  It may be owned by the City of Ogden.  Most of its support comes from the City and the State of Utah.  I suspect the legislators will not be happy with Union Station putting up "No Open Carry" signs. The Union Station had never put up open carry signs before.

That they did this shortly after the Sea Bears announced that they would be moving to Union Station indicates a lack of good faith by the Union Station management. How could there "be an issue" when the restaurant has not even opened in the new location yet?

Just three days ago, on 18 August, Monica Seibers, one of the family owners of the Sea Bears, said that they would not be changing their format. From standard.net, 18 August:

The North Salt Lake couple are avid supporters of the Second Amendment. As such, servers at the restaurant are invited to open-carry firearms of their choice. Customers are welcome to carry firearms in their restaurant, too.

“We’re going to continue to be who we are,” Monika Seibers said.

The Sea Bears is a family owned and managed restaurant.  Monica, her husband, and their four children all open carry in the restaurant.

The Union Station management has said that having a restaurant in the space that was being emptied is important to their financial health.  They initially welcomed the Sea Bears.

It sounds as if the management of Union Station has had a change of mind. 

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch  

FL: Man Shoots Burglary Suspect

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. —A man was shot outside an Oviedo house after deputies say he allegedly tried to break in, and the homeowner opened fire.

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LA: Domestic Defense: Armed Man Violates Restraining Order, is Shot

A Gonzales man was fatally shot Friday night after he pointed a gun at a neighbor, who then returned fire, the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office reported.

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AL: Domestic Defense: Lesbian Relationship ends with Shooting

Deputies arrived to find a 32 year old female suffering from gunshot wounds. She was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Information on the scene is that the women had been in a dating relationship. The victim of the shooting was issued a copy of the protection order and had come to the house to discuss it. An argument ensued and she was shot.


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German Populist Party Favors Armed Citizens

image from theguardian.com

A populist German politician is saying that German citizens should have the right to weapons to protect themselves. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is a political party that has achieved some recent electoral successes.  It rejects subservience of Germany to the European Union, and rejects the recent mass immigration.   From reuters.com:

"Many people are increasingly feeling unsafe. Every law-abiding citizen should be in a position to defend themselves, their family and their friends," Frauke Petry told the Funke Media Group in an interview published on Saturday.

"We all know how long it takes until the police can get to the scene, especially in sparsely populated places," she said.

The excuse that has been common in European countries is that severe restrictions on guns has been necessary to reduce crime.  In fact, over the last hundred years, violent crime, as measured by the homicide rate, has always been low, both before and after gun control was initiated, mostly between the two world wars.  Claiming that restriction on guns is necessary to reduce crime is a simplistic bit of propaganda to justify disarming the population.  The elites have always been able to get guns.

As the invasion of Islamic immigrants has surged, German police have actually cracked down on gun permits:

The number of Germans applying for so-called "small firearms license", which are required to carry around blank guns and pepper spray, jumped 49 percent in the first half of 2016 to 402,301, according to federal statistics.

However, permits for firearms fell to 1.894 million as of the end of June compared to 1.898 million a year earlier.

One of the reasons that those who wish a disarmed population are so opposed to  having an armed United States citizenry, is that the United States serves as an example to other countries. 

Brazil has been considering loosening its highly restrictive gun laws.  Kenya has considered the possibility of loosening its highly restrictive laws.  Panama has been considering reducing the difficulty of getting a gun.  If you have a permit to own a gun in Panama, you may carry it concealed.  The United States and Switzerland are mentioned as positive examples for such legislation. 

It is the reason that the European elites, and socialists in Switzerland, have clamored for much greater restrictions on gun ownership. Switzerland has almost unbelievably low levels of crime, including crime with guns.  Switzerland serves as another example of an armed population with no ill effect.

The Czech Republic used the United States as an example as they instituted one of the least restrictive run laws in Europe. 

Will Germans be allowed to own, and carry, firearms for their own protection?  It could happen.  Have a few more well publicized attacks, and the political changes that have started could accelerate.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch

OK: Gun Beats Knife in Suspected Robbery

OFFICERS WERE CALLED TO THIS HOME NEAR NORTHEAST 23RD AND POST ROAD, FOR A POSSIBLE FIRST-DEGREE ROBBERY. SPENCER CHIEF OF POLICE ALLEN LANE SAYS THE VICTIM TOLD THEM THAT THE MAN HAD COME TO HIS HOME AND ROBBED HIM AT KNIFEPOINT.

More Here (video)

MO: Man Shoots, Kills Armed Robbery Suspect

The woman claimed she and a friend were parked in a truck with the windows down in a parking lot at Englewood Park just after 10 p.m., Thursday. She didn't want Fox 4 to reveal her name or her face because she said she was still scared Friday afternoon when we spoke with her.

She said as she and her friend were facing one another, a man with a gun walked up, pointed a gun at her head and demanded her friend's wallet. She said her friend had a gun of his own and shot and killed the man.
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WI: Domestic Defense: Father Shoots Son

DE PERE, Wis. (WBAY) – De Pere Police say a father shot his son in the leg in an act of self-defense.

Officers were dispatched at 4:24 p.m. Friday to the 500 block of North Erie Avenue.

Police say a 31-year-old man went to his father’s house, and a fight began. The 31-year-old was shot by his father in an apparent act of self-defense.

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TX: Man Shoots Burglary Suspect

SAN ANTONIO -- An alleged burglar was shot by a homeowner in a West Side neighborhood early Friday evening.

Police say the suspect tried to break into a storage shed outside a home on the 100 block of Overhill Drive, near West Woodlawn Avenue and Bandera Road around 6 p.m. Friday. The homeowner pulled a gun and opened fire on the suspect.

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Followup NC: Disarm and Fatal Shooting of Robber Justified

Investigators have said Brown and Cole went to Westview Valley Apartments at 426 Guilford College Road about 9:45 p.m. to rob a man. Neumann said the pair didn’t know the victim, but the robbery wasn’t random. He declined to comment further on the connection. Greensboro police said previously that a man at the address was robbed and beaten in front of his family.


Brown was shot after the victim of the robbery grabbed his weapon.

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MS: Gunfight, Homeowner Kills 1, Drives off 2 more Invaders

"Upon deputies arrival, the suspect was deceased. The preliminary investigation reveals that there is strong evidence it was three black male suspects. All three were armed, approached the homeowners door and shot into the home. The home owner returned fire hitting one of three suspects," said Lolley.

Investigators cleared the scene Friday morning. The men kicked in the door, entered the home and started shooting. According to Sheriff Lolley, the home owner shot in self-defense.


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FL: NRA and Jacksonville NAACP President Join Forces to Defeat Zimmerman Prosecutor

Angel Corey, Kenny Leigh, Melissa Nelson

Image from Jacksonville.com

Angela Corey knew that she was in the hot seat when she was assigned as prosecutor of George Zimmerman in the shooting of Treyvon Martin.  Governor Rick Scott assigned the hot potato to her.  Everyone understood that it was a highly political case.

  

There was virtually no evidence to prosecute Zimmerman with. That is why the county prosecutors and police did not charge him with any offense initially.  It is probably why Angela Corey refused to use a grand jury. Instead, she indicted Zimmerman directly. A grand jury would probably have refused to indict. In the trial, the prosecution witnesses became witnesses for the defense on cross examination.

The best analysis of the Zimmerman/Martin shooting and trial has been done by Massad Ayoob.  Massad is an expert witness on the use of deadly force and self defense.  He is one of the most successful authors in the armed self defense field, which is fairly crowded.  From his analysis at backwoodshome.com, in part 13 of a 20 part series: 

The most damning moment for Ms. Corey in this case was her commentary to the press after the acquittal. A prosecutor should respect the system, and the jury’s verdict. The man she assigned to spearhead the state’s case, Bernie de la Rionda, obviously understood that. One journalist asked both of them to describe the defendant and the deceased in a single word.

De la Rionda chose the words “lucky” for defendant George Zimmerman, and “victim” for the deceased Trayvon Martin. He knew how to straddle the line. Despite Zimmerman’s ordeal, a lot of people think anyone who is facing life in prison and gets set free is “lucky.” And “victim” is the term that is generally and automatically used for someone who is killed.

But Corey described the young man who was shown by the evidence as the one who started the fatal battle as “prey,” and the man the jury had just found Not Guilty of Murder as “murderer.”

The difference is profound. It doesn’t just show her to be a bad loser, it shows her to be utterly contemptuous of the jury, and the system she is sworn to serve. Her answer was simply egregious.

There are those who believe that Ms. Corey took the case and tried to destroy Zimmerman’s life because, in the cases mentioned in the links above, she had lost voter support in the African-American community and thought that prosecuting Zimmerman would be a good political move. If one accepts that, it begs the question, “How did that work for ya, Ms. Corey?”

Massad Ayoob's analysis from three years ago has proven prescient.
From jacksonville.com:

Many disagree with that statement and view Corey as both vindictive and hostile to critics. Corey also said her office and the criminal justice system is fair to black people, a point that prompts disagreement from minorities.

“She’s lost the trust of the black community,” said Jacksonville NAACP President Isaiah Rumlin. “And I think she’s too set in her ways to change.”

Rumlin, who has donated money to Nelson’s campaign, said Corey angered many with her prosecutions and been tone deaf to criticisms and concerns. That is frustrating when you consider how many people of color go through the criminal justice system, he said.

Corey has justifiably angered Second Amendment supporters as well. From abcnews.go.com:

Nelson, meanwhile, has won support from former prosecutors as well as groups including the National Rifle Association, which has criticized Corey for prosecuting people that NRA leaders say were defending themselves.

The NRA and the NAACP both want Angela Corey out and Melissa Nelson in.  Nelson is leading in the polls at present.  The Republican primary is on August 30th, in ten days.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch

Christians and Self Defense

This question comes up every so often and I'd like to hit it from a slightly different angle. When discussing any topic and using the bible as the final authority people tend to raise the objection - "That's only your interpretation, after all you can make the Bible say anything you want it to."

There are many methods that could be used to interpret any document. Some of these methods are so familiar that you naturally follow them without even realizing it.

Others are quite strange and include things like reducing each word to a numerical value in an effort to see hidden meanings in the text! It all depends on what you believe to be true about the document you are studying.

(skip)

Now in all of this, please do not miss the fact that the Jewish and Christian scriptures are not primarily about the use of force, though they do give us moral law that governs its use. The central teaching of the Bible is that mankind, all of us, are in rebellion against God and we need to lay down our arms and turn to Him for forgiveness. Fortunately, that does not mean you have to be a chew toy for the evil beasts that stalk this earth.
More Here

Followup OH: Domestic Defense found Justified

Columbus Police say that a woman who shot and killed her boyfriend Monday afternoon might have acted in self defense and is not being charged.

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OR: Second Amendment Supportes Enforce Rights at Douglas County Fair

A deputy tells an open carrier he has to cover up or leave. Open carriers win.

They were there to protest an incident in which police stopped a man who was open carrying a gun while bringing merchandise to a vendor at the Douglas County Fair last week. The man was bringing supplies to a booth run by the Oregon Firearms Federation. He refused to cover up his weapon and was challenged by several officers, including Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin before a call from one of the county commissioners established that the man could carry his gun openly at the fair.

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Venezuela, Bankrupt, Destroys 2000 Rusty Shotguns and Homemade Pistols

Image from nbcnews.com/reuters  

Venezuela is a country rich in oil made poor by the government takeover of a kleptocracy with socialistic underpining.

The solution to problems in that philosophy come with governmental edicts, followed by destructive policies.  In Venezuela's case, the drop in oil price made it much harder to buy votes.  Votes are hard to buy when you do not have any money.

The Venezuela government followed its predilections for solving society's problems by outlawing the private ownership of guns, with the purported purpose of reducing crime.

What happened was predictable for anyone who knows basic economics.  Guns became so valuable that police are routinely murdered for their weapons; local manufacture of crude but effective pistols has increased.

Crime soared, and the concentration of power by the kleptocracy was, temporarily, solidified.
The Venezuelan government made a public spectacle of their "success" in confiscating firearms from poor farmers, desperate citizens (admittedly most citizens in Venezuela) and criminals.

The regime destroyed 2,000 firearms a few days ago. Given the state of police in Venezuela, underpaid, riddled with corruption, and often murdered for their guns, I am sure the best guns never made it back to the police station, or escaped the eye of police management. In a kleptocracy, even the quality of the guns destroyed falls through the floor. From reuters.com:

"We are going to bring disarmament and peace," Reverol told reporters, while police officers drilled and sawed at rusty shotguns, home made pistols and some newer weapons.

Other guns were crushed in truck-mounted presses. Some members of the public watched, although more danced to a nearby sound system playing salsa music.

The ban on private gun ownership was imposed in 2012.  From businessinsider.com:

Gangs often get weapons from the police, either by stealing them or buying them from corrupt officers, experts say. Recent years have also seen an increase in criminals targeting police and security forces in order to take their weapons, especially after private gun ownership was made illegal in 2012.

Through the first five months of 2016, 163 police, military officers, and bodyguards were killed — a 14% increase over the same period last year. In 80% of those cases the assailants also took the victim's weapon. A government source told El Nacional that the victim's weapons were recovered only 3% of the time.

India had a similar problem years ago.  In the 1980's, I routinely read of police being murdered in India for their firearms.  I have not seen such reports recently, but the quality of "country made" guns seems to have gone up to meet demand.  Venezuela has only had a couple of years to develop a strong black market in firearms and ammunition.

Give it a few years.  The Brazilian criminals favor homemade or small shop black market submachine guns.  They are one of the easiest repeating firearms to make.

The head of the Organization of American States put it thus:

"This crisis is reaching a breaking point. These challenges cannot be blamed on external forces. The situation facing Venezuela today is the direct result of the actions of those currently in power," Almargo's report to the OAS Permanent Council said.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included. Link to Gun Watch

PA: Clerk Shoot, Wounds, Robbery Suspect

Police say the armed masked male walked into the store at 19th and Park streets in Harrisburg on Wednesday night and tried to rob a clerk. Police say another clerk shot the suspect.


More Here

OH: Gun Beats Knife: Armed Victim Stops Car Buglar Supect

The man was allegedly trying to break into and steal from cars on the city's north side near Wick Avenue and McGuffy Road when a man came out of his house and tried to stop him.

Officials say the suspect pulled out a knife, but the theft victim fired a gun.

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FL: Man Shoots Large Gator near Horses; Gator Attacks, Shooter Charged

Photo from Sumter County Sheriff's Office

About 6:30 p.m. on June 21, 2016, a 8.5-9 foot, 300 lb alligator was discovered near some agitated horses that belonged to Reginald Blanton, 74 years old.

Blanton shot the reptile with a 9mm handgun, reportedly hitting it two or three times.  Where he hit it is not clear, but the shots would likely have been  mortal, because the alligator was still there, lying in the grass, when the authorities "euthanized it".

While the story is two months old, there are important lessons to learn.

After the shots, Blanton's stepson, Jack Hildreth, 58, approached the alligator, believing it to be dead. It wasn't. From wfla.com:

His stepson then arrived and got about eight feet away from the alligator when it suddenly attacked. “Whenever he raised up after my stepson, it looked like he was shot out of a cannon. I had never seen nothing like it,” Blanton said.

Alligators can move amazingly fast for short bursts, as can be seen on this YouTube video of one predating on a feral pig. (If you are squeamish, do not watch this!)

Link to video on YouTube

The gator in the video seems close to the same size as the one in the Blanton/Hildreth situation.

The video shows the speed with which an attack can occur. Blanton's stepson, Hildreth, 58, was severely injured.

Do not assume your adversary is out of the fight simply because they are motionless and down.  They may be "playing possum".  Combat soldiers are taught to consider this when they approach downed enemy combatants.  A lot of people have been killed by "dead" adversaries.

This goes double for reptiles.  Snakes are particularly known  for being able to bite long after they are considered "dead".  Reptiles need far less oxygen to function; so it takes much longer for their systems to shut down.  A severing of the spinal cord stops them immediately, but it is a small target, as is the brain.

What happened six weeks later is also instructive.

After the attack, Jack Hildreth was medivaced by helicopter to have his severe leg and thigh injuries taken care of.

What makes the story current is what happened a few days ago.  Reginald Blanton was arrested for shooting the alligator, or for possessing alligator parts illegally.  Both charges have been mentioned in press reports. It is not certain if only one, or both have been charged.

This was not a civil summons, as is usually the case in game violations.  This was a full blown arrest, haul you off to jail, require you to post bail, situation.

Blanton was arrested on 4 August.  He had to post bond, rather unusual for an animal situation, where the arrested is a long time local resident who has property and animals in the area. A 74 year old man with property and animals seems an unlikely flight risk.  I would have expected a signature bond at most, but some amount of bond was required.


From dailycommercial.com:

Blanton was charged with possession of alligator parts. He was arrested and released on Aug. 4 after he posted bail.

Now, Blanton said his lawyer has told him the charges will be dropped Thursday.

Standing with his cattle and donkeys on his County Road 542 property Wednesday, Blanton said he was shocked that he was arrested for shooting at an alligator who was endangering his horses.

The charges came from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and may have involved a missing piece of alligator tail.

A FWC spokesman said that the missing piece of alligator tail was missing before the shooting; so just what part of the alligator Blanton is charged with possessing is uncertain.  The dead alligator  was removed from his property by the authorities after the attack.

The charges came over six weeks after the shooting. They were not initiated by the local authorities, but by the FWC.

The local population was outraged.  One television station received over a thousand comments, the vast majority favorable to Blanton.

Blanton says his attorney told him the charges will be dropped today.  It seems optimistic; but he does have strong, local, support.  That can make a difference.  It could be difficult to find a jury that would convict him.  Large alligators are not popular in rural Florida, from my reading.  They are not endangered, and many people, with justification, view them as dangerous pests.

You cannot assume that you are legally in the clear, even if the local authorities have not charged you.  There are thousands of statutes on the books, and more thousands (mostly federal) are added each year.  It is becoming increasingly difficult to know if you are breaking the law or not.  Some authoritative writers claim that an ordinary citizen commits three felonies a day, whether they wish to or not, simply because of the complexity and vagueness of the law.

This was a high profile case, locally.  Perhaps the Fish and Wildlife investigator wanted to send a message.  Perhaps there is evidence that we are unaware of.

But it is an example of the problems that face someone who is involved in a defensive shooting.  Legions of people who do not know you and who were not there will be second guessing your motivations.  Some of them have the power to cause you considerable difficulty legally, after the fact.

It is another good reason to avoid shooting if there is a reasonable alternative.

Animal attacks are usually far less of a problem to justify than shooting a human, and for many good reasons.  But there are numerous people who anthropomorphise animals.  Some of those are willing to attack anyone who shoots an animal, no matter how justified it may be.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.  Link to Gun Watch

AZ: Gun Beats Hammer in Shooting near Tempe Marketplace

The story says "deadly shooting", so I presume the attacker has died.

The shooter told police that he was leaving his workplace when a man with hammer tried to attack him, so he shot him.

The suspect has been detained and is being questioned by Tempe police.


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Followup MO: Shooting of Bobby Sullivan was Self Defense

McDonald County Prosecutor Bill Dobbs says the August 10th shooting death of 37-year-old Bobby Sullivan was self-defense. Dobbs says witnesses confirm 34-year-old Gavin Meredith’s story that Sullivan assaulted Meredith at Meredith’s home.


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SC: Armed Woman Shoots Man who Attempted Break-in

The homeowner’s father told News13 that a man tried to break-in around 4:30 a.m. and then left.  When he returned to the home, the female homeowner shot the man.

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AK: Guide Kills Attacking Grizzley with 9mm

In the last week in July, 2016, Phil Shoemaker had use a 9mm pistol to kill a grizzly that was threatening his clients and himself.  It worked.

I have been guiding brown bear hunters and fishermen and bear photographers from our homestead within Becharof National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska for 33 years and have had numerous close encounters with bears. Until now, I have never had to shoot an unwounded bear to protect either myself or clients, but the other week an event occurred and my good fortune changed. When it happened, I was fully aware of what was going on and how big the bear was. I also managed to stay aware of where my clients were, even when the bear was directly between us. The woman I was guiding said that while she did not remember smelling the bear’s breath, it was close enough to her face that it could have bitten her!

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