CA: San Rafael Homeowner fires Shots, Burglary Suspect Arrested

SAN RAFAEL (CBS SF) — A burglary suspect who allegedly was thwarted by an armed San Rafael homeowner who fired several shots to defend his residence has been arrested, authorities said.

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VA: No Charges for Chesapeake Resident who Shot, Killed man During Altercation

Police originally said the man who was apprehended shot the victim during a fight in front of a home in the 200 Woodford Drive around 3 a.m. They said the victim, 26-year-old Jonathan Cason, confronted the man in front of the man’s home.

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AZ: Domestic Defense, Woman Shoots at Man during Argument

She told sheriff's deputies that he came at her with clenched fists.

“The victim, fearing assault, discharged a firearm and retreated from her garage into the home. The defendant then broke down the interior door by shoulder checking to the door,” the deputy wrote.
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TX: Skateboarder Shoots Pit Bull that Attacked his Dog

Tsuchiya said the situation unfolded quickly.

He said he tried to pull the dogs apart, Togo by his leash and the pit bull by a heavy chain it was dragging.

The pit bull’s owner ran out of a house during the attack yelling "don't shoot my dog,” Tsuchiya said.

"I was not going to have any help separating the animals once I saw her go back inside,” he said.
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Followup MI: Domestic Defense was Justified in Shooting of Damon Hodges

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton determined the shooting was in self-defense and she will not be charged, the prosecutor's office said.

"I believe her actions were reasonable under the law and I will not seek criminal charges against her," Leyton said.
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GA: Armed Clerk Shoots Man who Charged him with Knife

"Surveillance video showed a black male run into the Shell, with a red shirt covering his face armed with a knife," a release said.

Police described how the "male continued to run in the store towards the cashier area still armed with the knife," before he was stopped in his tracks by the store's armed cashier.

"At this time, the cashier shot the armed male one time in the left leg," the release said.
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TX: 13-Year-Old Shoots Man Assulting Grandmother

BROWN COUNTY — A 13-year-old male in Brown County on Sunday allegedly shot a man assaulting the teen's grandmother, according to a Brown County Sheriff's Office news release.

The man sustained a gunshot wound to his lower back from a 30-caliber rifle and was transported by helicopter to an out-of-town hospital, the release said.
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Delaware's Attack on Second Amendment: Making Your Own Gun to Be Banned

Individuals have been making their own firearms for the entire history of the United States and before. Homemade guns are not as popular as factory made guns, because factory made guns are easily and cheaply available in the United States. The Second Amendment has guaranteed that right.

It is a part of the right to keep and bear arms to be able to procure arms. A basic and fundamental way to procure arms is to make your own. Most home manufacture of firearms is for hobby or experimental purposes, although considerable homemade guns are produced in localities with extreme restrictions on the ownership of guns.

Delaware is in the process of passing a statute to make it illegal to make your own firearms, or to even possess a piece of metal that is intended to be used to make a receiver. From the proposed statute, HB 277:

( ) “Unfinished firearm frame or receiver” means a firearm frame or receiver that requires further machining or molding in order to be used as part of a functional firearm, and which is designed and intended to be used in the assembly of a functional firearm.

( ) “Untraceable firearm” means an unlawfully manufactured firearm for which the sale or distribution chain from a licensed retailer to the point of its first retail sale cannot be traced by law enforcement officials.

 The law makes it illegal to make your own firearms:

§ 1463 Untraceable firearms; Class E or D felony.

(a) A person is guilty of possessing an untraceable firearm when then person knowingly possesses an untraceable firearm.

(b) A person is guilty of manufacturing an untraceable firearm when the person knowingly manufactures, assembles, causes to be manufactured or assembled, sells, or transfers an untraceable firearm.

(c) A person is guilty of manufacturing or distributing a firearm using a three-dimensional printer when the person does any one of the following:

(1) Uses a three-dimensional printer or similar device to manufacture or produce a firearm, firearm frame or receiver, magazine, or major firearm component when not licensed as a manufacturer.

(2) Distributes by any means, including the internet, to a person who is not licensed as a manufacturer, instructions in the form of computer-aided design files or other code or instructions stored and displayed in electronic format as a digital model that may be used to program a three-dimensional printer to manufacture or produce a firearm, firearm frame or receiver, magazine, or major component of a firearm.

(d) Possession of a untraceable firearm is a Class E felony.

(e) Manufacturing an untraceable firearm or manufacturing or distributing a firearm using a three-dimensional printer is a Class D felony.

The law, if passed, will be challenged in court, on both First and Second Amendment grounds. The law applies to people without any criminal record. People with felonies are already forbidden from owning firearms. This law is to prevent people who are not criminals from making their own firearms.

It is very new law to forbid law abiding individuals from making firearms for their own use. Such a law has only been passed in the last two years, to my knowledge.

It is a direct violation of the First Amendment to forbid the transmission of knowledge on how to make firearms with digital code.

This sort of law is common in countries without a Bill of Rights to limit the power of the government. It is an easily followed path of logic. The government forbids most people from buying guns. The people start to make their own. Then the government forbids the buying of gun parts. Then i forbids the buying or transfer of information of how to make guns.  It may forbid the ownership of machinery that can be used to make guns. Some raids in India, for example, show confiscated drills, welders, and files.

Nothing in the Second Amendment allows the government to create a registry of guns or to require them to be traced to the first retail sale. Such a thing is of virtually no use in solving crimes. Its sole purpose, it appears, is to pave the way for a registration system.

If Delaware passes this law, it will be following the steps of California (requires state serial number (following state manufacturing requirements), New Jersey (flat out ban), New York (firearm parts may only be sold to authorized buyers),  Washington (bans "undetectable" guns), Connecticut (requires a state issued serial number). These five states, and Delaware, if it passes the law, are all treading new ground with laws passed in just the last two years.

The Washington state law may not be precisely in this group, as the law bans "undetectable guns", and the vast majority of homemade guns are easily detectable.

I have yet to see any court challenge to these laws. There was a court challenge on the legal ability to make your own machine guns, in Arizona, in the 1990's. The Ninth Circuit upheld that right, and the Supreme Court refused to hear the case. However, the case was complicated by other factors, and the Supreme Court had not yet decided Heller.

It is not surprising the five states above, sans Washington, all heavily infringe on the exercise of Second Amendment rights, by refusing to allow legal carry of firearms by most of the population. They all have "may issue" laws, aggressively preventing most people from carrying firearms for self defense.

©2019 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

NY: Resident is shot as he Disarms Home Invaders, Fires Back

Police say the resident who was shot was taken to the hospital and is expected to be okay. Police say he was able to get the gun he was shot with and fired at the people as they fled the scene. No one else was hit.

Police say three people left out of the window and got away on foot.
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AZ: Family Relative Shoots Man of Couple Found in Closet

A family found a man and woman hiding in the closet of a newly purchased home and  shot the man Sunday, police said.

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NH: Clerk Stabbed, Fires at Attackers

RINDGE, N.H. —
A store clerk was stabbed during a robbery at a Rindge convenience store Friday night, police said, before shooting at the two suspects as they fled.

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Stephen Hunter Receives POMA award at 2020 Shot Show

On 22 January, 2020, the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) awarded novelist Stephen Hunter with the Grits Gresham Shooting Sports Communicator Award.

From POMA: 

The award recognizes extraordinary achievements in communications and in support of our hunting heritage and firearm freedoms.

Hunter is 40-year veteran author of more than a dozen novels and is known for exacting technical details about firearms and shooting. His 1993 novel "Point of Impact" was made into the movie "Shooter," starring Mark Wahlberg, which grossed almost 100 million dollars. Hunter is an avid shooter. His latest novel is "Game of Snipers," which continues the wildly-successful series featuring American sniper Bob Lee Swagger. In his 2001 novel "Pale Horse Coming," Hunter built the plot around characters which were based loosely on famous gun writers of the past.  

As the film critic for the Washington Post, Hunter received the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 2003.

Grits Gresham's son, Tom Gresham, host of the nationally-syndicated Gun Talk Radio and a book author, presented Hunter with the award during the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas, NV.

Hunter lives in Maryland and is working on his next novel.

"As a lover of hunting literature from Hemingway to Ruark to Capstick, and particularly the work of the great gun writers," said Hunter, "it's an unexpected honor to be selected by POMA and the National Shooting Sports Foundation for this award. It's a pleasure to be included with some of the best outdoor and firearms writers of our time."

Stephen Hunter said the purpose of his first novel was to show how good, accomplished, smart and effective a top level shooter was. He wanted to present a master shooter as a hero instead of a villain. He said we find ourselves in a culture unable to honor those who kill in our name.  He wanted to show those outside the shooting culture how much restraint, stamina, and emphasis on safety exists among shooters.

Stephen Hunter stated: "My adventures in the gun world have always been positive and decent".  Hunter said, when he started writing, he knew practically nothing about guns.

Tom Gresham recognized Stephen Hunter's skills in his remarks:

"I've been a Stephen Hunter fan since 1980, when I read 'Master Sniper,'" said Gresham. "I remember thinking then that this guy knows guns and is bringing technical accuracy to popular fiction. The attention and wide-spread following Hunter's novels garnered have caused other writers to work harder to get the details right on firearms. Stephen also has exposed the world of the law-abiding gun owner to a greater audience."

Recognizing the importance of getting technical details right in reporting about guns would be a significant step forward in the way guns are treated in the Legacy media. Stephan Hunter sets an example for other writers to follow.



©2019 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

GA: Homeowner Shoots, wounds Man Who Threatened Him

"The homeowners could hear the individual talking making threats against them," Atlanta Police Department Capt. Jessica Bruce said. "At that point, the homeowners felt threatened for their life."

Bruce said that the homeowner fired one shot, hitting the suspected prowler in the arm.
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SC: Domestic Defense Gunfight, Ex Boyfriend Wounded

Deputies said Harkless tried to get into the home by shooting a glass patio door.

That's when the homeowner grabbed a gun from inside the home and shot Harkless, hitting him in the upper body, deputies said.

WACH FOX News obtained an incident report that showed a breakup led to the 21-year-old suspect opening fire.
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FL: Armed Samaritan Credited with Stopping Attack on Four People

“It just got heated and it got heated so quick,” Rossi said. “They ran in front of my car, they jumped in my truck and they were just like, ‘Go! Go! Go!” And the next thing I know, this guy’s reaching in my car trying to grab me up and that’s when I got my firearm and at that point, he realized that I had a gun and he backed off the car and he disappeared.”

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Brady in Urinals at Shot Show 2020

Before billionaire Michael Bloomberg began throwing tens of millions of dollars to subvert Second Amendment rights in the United States, the primary push to subvert the Second Amendment was associated with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

It is ironic that for several years, the urinals at the Shot Show in Las Vegas have all had "Brady" urinal screens at the bottom. It is simply a coincidence a totally unrelated company, Brady Industries, is the producers of the mats. They also produce numerous other cleaning supplies, primarily for the Western United States. From bradyindustries.com:

Brady Industries is the premier cleaning solutions provider throughout the Western United States. We provide cleaning solutions to our customers while exceeding their expectations with quality, service, and integrity.

An intrepid Second Amendment warrior, as an act of political theater, did not place Brady mats into the urinals. The Brady with arrow symbol is a trademark of Brady Industries.

It seems unlikely, but with former Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg pushing to disarm the American population, maybe there is a cleaning company which could produce "Bloomberg" urinal screens.

Before the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the organization has had a number of reorganization and name changes.

In 1974, it started as the National Council to Control Handguns. By 1980, the name was changed to Handgun Control incorporated.  To take advantage of the victim status of James Brady, in 2000, the name was changed to The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

The focus shifted from handguns to the latest term, "gun violence".  Gun violence is used as an Orwellian term to include suicides. Homicide rates dropped while the number of firearms per capita in the U.S.A. rose. The number of fatal gun accidents is a tiny fraction of what it was 70 years ago. It has  became harder and harder to sell "gun control" as a crime fighting or safety measure.

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence is still active. One of the latest themes to push to infringe on Second Amendment rights, is to stop individuals from making their own guns which are not tracked by the government. They call homemade guns "Ghost Guns".  From the bradycampaign.org:

What exactly is a "Ghost Gun"? How are "Ghost Guns" made? Are a lot of criminals using "Ghost Guns"? Have there been any efforts to regulate "Ghost Guns"? What can I do to help stop them?!

If you've asked yourself any of these questions, then you belong at our next meeting! We'll be answering all of your questions and discussing the next steps. Join us and find out what you can do to help end gun violence!

"Handgun Control" and "Gun Control" no longer appeal to the American electorate. The new, focus group tested meme is "Gun Safety". Who can be against "Gun Safety"?

Many Gun Show attendees remember how the Brady campaign has worked against Second Amendment rights.

Many of them are smiling when they see the Brady name in the urinal mats in front of them.

If most people would pull out a camera in a restroom and start taking pictures, there might be a problem. Put on a media badge, and no one is concerned. 

As a highly respected member of the gun media, no one blinked when I did it.

 ©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.

Link to Gun Watch

TX: Man Says he Shot back after Being Wounded in "Drive-by shooting"

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) — The Abilene Police Department (APD) is investigating a reported drive-by shooting that happened early Friday morning.

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CA: Armed Homeowner Shoots, Kills, one of two Car Burglary Suspects

The suspect, identified by police as 20-year-old Malik Mustafa Shwiat of Anaheim, was taken to a hospital, but died of his injuries, Carringer said.

Homicide detectives were investigating and the homeowner was being cooperative, police said. The homeowner, whose name was not released, has not been arrested.

Detectives said a second person was with Shwiat at the time of the shooting and were attempting to identify and locate that person.
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Followup PA: Employee who Shot, Killed Armed Robber was Justified

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - A robbery victim was justified in shooting and killing a 27-year-old Bethlehem man who committed armed robberies at a strip mall Thursday night, the Lehigh County district attorney's office said.

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CO: Security Guard who Stopped School Shooting, Promoted, with minimal Prosecution

Sundara, a Marine veteran who served in Afghanistan, won’t be charged because under Colorado law, “deadly physical force may be used” if a person believes they are in imminent danger of being killed or injured, Richards said.

Under the agreement, Sundara will enter a program that includes participating in a forum with the victims and complete 50 hours of community service, she said. Once he completes all of the elements of the program, his case will be closed, Richards said.

Sundara was promoted by his employer, BOSS High Level Protection, after the shooting, said Grant Whitus, the company’s chief operating officer.

“I’ve been through two school shootings and I understand how difficult they are,” Whitus said. “We stand behind him 100%.”
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IN: Armed Victim Shoots Robbery Suspect, Quentin Steffler

Darrian Parkhurst, 23, of Anderson told police he shot Quentin Steffler, 18, of Anderson in self-defense around 4:09 a.m. Friday, according to Maj. Joel Sandefur with the Anderson Police Department.

Parkhurst told police he shot Steffler multiple times after Steffler tried to rob him while Parkhurst was sitting in his car in the 1500 block of Nichol Avenue, Sandefur said.
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MS: Domestic Defense Gunfight, Girlfriend and Ex both Wounded

Investigators say 42-year-old Carlos Henderson was trying to kick in the door of his girlfriend’s trailer.

They say he fired a shot inside striking her.

That's when another female inside returned fire hitting him.

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CA: Homeowner Holds Burglary Suspect for Police, who Had Suspect 3 hours earlier

SANGER, Calif. (FOX26) — Sanger Police say a homeowner caught a burglar in his home, and held him a gunpoint until officers arrived.

And it turns out, that was the accused burglar's second run-in with police in a matter of three hours.
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FL: Pine Hills Resident Shoots Intruder as He Climbs Through Window

PINE HILLS, Fla. – A man climbing through a window into an Orange County apartment was shot and wounded by a resident, deputies said.

The shooting was reported at 1:54 a.m. in the 2000 block of North Pine Hills Road in Pine Hills.
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MI: Bounty Hunters Shoot, Wound Parole Violator with Woman and Child in Car

The two bounty hunters pinned the parole violator’s SUV in after following him. Police said the 29-year-old thought he was being robbed and tried to back out. That’s when a bounty hunter fired a shot, shattering the back window and shooting the man.

The bounty hunter’s attorney is calling the shooting justified.

“His life flashed before his eyes, he responded as anyone would respond,” attorney James Galen said.

The parole violator wasn’t the only person in the SUV. His 4-year-old child was in the back in a safety seat and there was a 25-year-old woman in the passenger seat.
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MO: Armed Homeowner Shoots, Kills Person in Homeowner's car

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Police say a homeowner shot and killed a man Thursday morning who wasn't supposed to be on his property.

It happened near 83rd Street and The Paseo, in the Marlborough neighborhood.

Kansas City police say the shooting happened at about 6 a.m. Officers were in the area and actually heard the gunshots.
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FLIR Discontinues Riflesight, Various outdoor and Tactical Systems

After  rumors of FLIR discontinuing weapons sights sales to individuals, FLIR released a press message at the Shot Show on 21 January, 2020.

From flir.com:

FLIR is discontinuing certain Outdoor product lines as it further heightens its focus on the professional user. Select handheld product lines will continue to be offered commercially, but remaining products will be further focused toward law enforcement, public safety, and other professional users. FLIR will offer discontinued products through existing channels until inventory is fully depleted, and FLIR will continue to honor qualified warranties for all registered products. For warranty information, visit www.flir.com/support.

FLIR Outdoor thermal handheld products FLIR will continue to sell include:

• Scout family
• Scion series
• LS series
• Breach

FLIR Outdoor products to be discontinued pending inventory depletion:

• All thermal bi-oculars and thermal monoculars except for the products detailed above
• All night vision and thermal riflescopes and clip-on systems
• All night vision multi-purpose systems and goggles
• Laser systems
• All outdoor and tactical accessories

I spoke with Heider Lazzarini at the FLIR booth. He stated this was a decision by the CEO of FLIR. There will be thermal handheld products available to individual sportsmen, as stated in the press release, but not weapons sights.

There are 13 models of weaponsights now available at the FLIR online catalogue.  Prices of the models, from a quick survey of the FLIR website, showed a range from $1,695 for the FLIR T-Maim multi-laser aiming system, to $6,995 for the FLIR CO-XLR-LRF clip-on night vision with high-performance intensifier tubes.

He stated there were at least three or four competitors who offered weapons sights.

FLIR's booth at the Shot Show was impressive, with well done videos of air and land drones being used for various security purposes.

Warfare is entering a new phase, where drones, autonomous and semi-autonomous systems are gaining ever increasing importance. The ability to see in darkness and with various sensors is another area where possession of the capability offers large tactical advantages.

If you wish to obtain one of the FLIR systems to be discontinued, no more will be available after the existing stock is sold.

FLIR will not be selling these sort of systems to individuals in the future. All sales of weaponsights, for example, will be to law enforcement, public safety agencies, and other professional users.

Technological advances are rapid; retail prices are expected to continue to fall over time.  A system that cost $20,000 dollars a decade ago might cost $4,000 today.

Alternate systems to dedicated weapons sights exist. For example, a helmet mounted optic might be used with a red, green, or infrared laser mounted on a rifle, handgun, or shotgun.



©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch





 

Followup GA: Kelvin Orr, who Broke Down Door, was Shot, Dies

The report says the homeowner's wife stated someone was trying to break their way in. Orr reportedly stated, "Open the d*** door, get out the way," and tried to push the homeowner, who pushed him back and told him to leave.

Orr then charged at the homeowner, who fired up to three shots at Orr, the report says. According to investigators, Orr had tried to use a key to get into the house at first, before he forced his way in.
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PA: Gunfight on 700 Block of Greensburg Pike

County police said they learned from witnesses and evidence that two people had been standing on a porch in the 700 block of Greensburg Pike when a dark colored SUV drove past, turned around and parked at the curb. An unidentified heavy-set black man got out of the vehicle, shouted something at the house and started shooting.

A person on the porch with access to a firearm returned fire and fled into the house. Another adult and three small children were also in the house, police said.
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MI: Armed Victim Shoots Armed Robby Suspect

A 22-year-old resident was returning home from a concert when he was approached by another man armed with a handgun. Police say the suspect announced a holdup.


The resident, a CPL holder, pulled out his own pistol and shot the would-be bandit twice, according to Warren police.


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Richmond Virginia Buzz at Shot Show Industry Day at the Range

The day before the Shot Show held in Las Vegas, there is an Industry Day at the Range. Attendance in the morning is for the Media, by invitation only.

The Shot Show is an industry show, and is not open to the general public.

I have had the pleasure of attending several Industry Days at the Range. The exhibits are always interesting. It is a place to get an early look at new products.

At this Industry Day at the Range, I was able to shoot the new Colt Python, the Glock 44 (.22 LR), and the Kel Tec P17. 

Shooting new products and being able to talk to industry personnel and design engineers was not what caught my attention this year. It was the buzz about Lobby Day in Richmond Virginia.  Lobby Day is an event for citizens to interact with the Virginia General Assembly in the State Capitol.

The Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) has been a major presence at Lobby Day since 2002. During the entire period, Virginia Citizens could carry personal firearms in the Capitol while interacting with their government representatives. There were never any problems. Second Amendment supporters built a reputation for factual, polite, lobbying.

In the 2019 elections, for the first time in decades, the Democrat party in Virginia was able to take control of the General Assembly and the Senate, with a Democrat Governor, a trifecta.

Suddenly, legally armed citizens were no longer welcome in the State Capitol.

Second Amendment supporters were not happy with the threats of numerous infringements on the exercise of Second Amendment rights conveyed by the incoming government.

VCDL organized a massive presence for Lobby Day, to show the new government its infringements were not welcome and would be opposed.

Second Amendment supporters were smeared as white supremacists and racists, with violent intent to overturn an election.

Numerous writers and strategists warned of the potential for agent provocateurs, false flags, and intentionally set up of confrontations. VCDL Board Member Philip Van Cleave warned Second Amendment supporters "Don't Take The Bait".

Within the gun culture, people prayed that Lobby Day would be as peaceful and polite as it has been for 20 years. Richmond, Virginia proved it is not Portland, Oregon.

One of the advantages of the Industry Day at the Range for the media is the bus ride to and from the range. You are thrown into proximity with many of your peers you may never have met. The conversation and contacts made are priceless.

This year, one common subject was what was about to happen, or already happening, in Richmond Virginia, at Lobby Day.

No one knew. Cell connections were poor. It was a common topic for speculation. People hoped for the best while fearing for the worst. No news was considered good news.

One of the first things people asked, on arriving back at their accommodations, was: What happened at Lobby Day in Richmond, Virginia?

I received word from my brother who had been monitoring events over the Internet.

Massive turnout, crowds of Second Amendment supporters from 50,000 to 80,000. A peaceful, polite presence. One arrest of a young woman who refused to remove a mask (bandana).

I attempted to convey the news to other members of the gun culture media...

Everyone I talked to already knew what had happened and what had not happened.

It was obvious a majority of media at the Industry Day at the Range had been waiting and watching, with considerable anticipation, for news of the events in Richmond.

The response was universal: pleasure Second Amendment supporters had been successful in demonstrating their positive attributes; a belief the Legacy Media would downplay their success, and admiration for the massive, peaceful response to the provocations of the Virginia government.

In retrospect, it is obvious gun industry media would be aware of Lobby Day, the situation in Virginia, and be intensely interested in what happened.

It shows gun culture in the United States has been able to create its own media and means of transmitting information, which is not constrained by the prejudices, politics, and bias of the Legacy Media.

The response in Virginia, and the awareness at the Industry Day at the Range in Nevada, are both indicators Second Amendment supporters are winning, not losing the fight to restore Second Amendment rights.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

GA: Bibb County Firefighter Accesses Rifle to Stop Fight after Being Stabbed

According to the Bibb County Sheriff's Office, Mims said he was standing behind a man who then cleared his throat. The suspects allegedly turned on Mims, yelled at him, paid for their items, then approached Mims and cursed him out. Mims and two suspects began a physical fight that moved out of the store, where Mims "went to his truck and got his rifle." That's when the fight ended, according to the report. Mims told deputies he was "just trying to scare the two people he was fighting."

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IL: Danville Homeowner Shoots one of Several Home Invaders

DANVILLE, Ill. (WAND) - A Danville homeowner confronted men in ski masks who kicked in his door and ended up shooting and killing one, police said.

Police were called to a home invasion in progress with shots fired Sunday around 8:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of Franklin St.
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OH: Attack, Disarm attempt, thrown Magazine

According to court records, Young went to Scott's door and when he answered, Young started hitting him in the head.

Scott then pulled out a .40 caliber handgun to try to ward off the attack, police said, but Young did not stop.
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2019 Ended With Heroic Actions by Lawful Gun Owners

As we enter 2020, lawmakers in several states are gearing up for high-profile fights over gun control legislation that could severely limit the Second Amendment rights of many law-abiding citizens.

This makes it all the more critical that we continue to emphasize the important role lawful gun owners play—not just as a long-term protection against tyrannical government, but as an immediate and regular defense against crime.

As we have regularly noted, a 2013 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that almost all major studies on defensive guns uses have found that Americans use firearms defensively between 500,000 and 3 million times every year.

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Trump Administration finalizes Removal of ITAR "Gunsmith License"

The Trump administration is at the point of finalizing reform of antiquated cold war rules which were used to target gunsmiths and small gun manufacturers. Included in the reforms are transfer of responsibility for export of most firearms and ammunition from the Department of State to the Department of  Commerce.

In 2016, the State Department, under the Obama administration, "clarified" the definition of "manufacturers" who were required to register under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). The registration fee was $2,250 per year.  PNJ.com reports the actions of the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC):

The DDTC defined manufacturing as, among other things: The production of firearm parts, the systemized production of ammunition, modifications that change round capacity, the machining or cutting of firearms resulting in enhanced capability, and use of any special tooling or equipment upgrading in order to improve the capability of assembled or repaired firearms.

 The change in definition appeared to cover everything from drilling and tapping for scope mounts to threading a barrel. It impacted  the small gunsmith, for whom $2,250 a year would be a large expenditure, more than large manufacturers. Those small gunsmiths are the least likely to be a threat to the United States military.

Attempts to reform the bureaucratic attack on gunsmiths began immediately. Return to the status quo was opposed by those who wish a disarmed population.

The Trump administration worked to return to the original situation for gunsmiths, while reforming antiquated, restrictive rules of firearms exports which had accumulated under ITAR.

The final form of the new rules is expected to be published on 23 January, 2020. There will be a 45 day period after that before the rules go into effect. From NSSF:

WASHINGTON — NEWTOWN, Conn. — The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry, applauds the Trump administration’s posting for public inspection of the final rules that modernize the export regulations for sporting and commercial firearms and ammunition products. The formal publication of the final rule is scheduled for Jan. 23. The rules will be implemented 45 days after formal publication.

President Donald Trump’s administration successfully completed the long-promised modernization of the export control regulations that began more than eight years ago under the prior administration, but which was never completed due to domestic gun control reasons.

“This is a tremendous achievement for the firearms and ammunition industry. We salute the Trump administration for modernizing our nation’s outdated Cold War era export controls and putting American manufacturers on an even playing field with their foreign competitors,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President for Government Relations and Public Affairs and General Counsel. “This initiative will enable U.S. manufacturers to create more good-paying jobs in America while also helping to strengthen our national security.”

The rules issued today transfer export licensing of sporting and commercial firearms and ammunition products to the Commerce Department from the State Department. This change removes unnecessary and outdated regulations and allows the State to focus its export control resources on those items that give our warfighters a tactical advantage. It makes no sense to treat the commercial sale of hunting or target shooting rifles with the same level of scrutiny as nuclear weapons, tanks and fighter aircraft.

The new rules also eliminate a punitive annual $2,250 registration fee that gunsmiths and small companies who do not manufacture, nor export firearms or ammunition products were forced to pay.

The new rules will need to be examined carefully to see what they do and do not cover. It appears silencers/suppressors for sporting firearms will not be included in the transfer to Commerce. They should be. They are a simple technology shown to be beneficial in non-military settings. Many countries in the First World have little or no regulation of silencers/suppressors.

For example, any child with a few dollars in New Zealand, can walk into a store and walk out with a silencer/suppressor, yet silencers/suppressors are almost never used in New Zealand crimes.

Some are saying the transfer to Commerce will remove the restrictions that were placed on the publication of files for the 3D printing of firearms parts.  That would be a welcome change, and a fulfillment of parts of the settlement the Department of State made with Defense Distributed, in conformance with respect for the First Amendment.

A reading of the explanation of the proposed rules shows that files containing code for 3D printed firearms will still be controlled by the Department of Commerce. From the file to be published in the Federal Register, listed on amazonnews.com:

Given concerns regarding First Amendment restrictions the control is appropriately tailored to only impact technology and software in an electronic format, such as AMF or G-code, that is ready for direct insertion into a computer numerically controlled machine tool, additive manufacturing equipment to produce the firearm frame or receiver or complete firearm.

It is not clear this will stand a court test on First Amendment grounds. The controls will not impact the distribution of such files in drives or printed on paper.

The rule might  be circumvented by rendering AMF or G-code files in such a manner they would have to be corrected or altered before use.

The reason given for the necessity of control of these files is suspect:

As a result, Commerce has reached the conclusion that U.S. national security and foreign policy necessitate that BIS maintain controls over the 3D printing of firearms when such software and technology is posted on the internet. The potential for the ease of access to the software and technology, undetectable means of production, and potential to inflict harm on U.S. persons and allies abroad present a grave concern for the United States.Without regulatory oversight, U.S. foreign relations and national security interests could be seriously compromised. For these reasons, this final rule provides that technology and software ready for insertion into an automated manufacturing tool that makes use of the software or technology to produce a firearm frame, receiver, or complete firearm is subject to the EAR, consistent with the regulation of such software and technology when previously controlled under the USML.

None of the above rational is based on a "military advantage" of the United States. It seems, peculiarly, to be based on the idea of preserving foreign governments' limited ability to keep their populations unarmed. It is based entirely on subjective hypotheticals and potentials. All of those are based on the assumption armed populations (other than those of the United States) are entirely detrimental.

The transfer of controls from the Department of State to the Department of Commerce, the elimination of the burdensome fee for gunsmith activities, and the easing of export controls for common, commercially available firearms and parts, are all welcome and useful reforms.

Exactly how the regulations will work in practice remains to be seen.

©2019 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch











 

NC: Pizza Driver Shoots, Wounds Three of Four Armed Robbery Suspects

Police said the victim was delivering pizza to the apartment complex when four suspects approached him and aimed what he thought was a rifle at his head.

The victim, who was armed with his own weapon, fired it at the robbers.
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GA: Off-Duty Deputy Steps into Armed Robbery, Stops it at Gunpoint

“The deputy was confronted with an armed robbery in progress,” King told The Union-Recorder in a telephone interview from the scene. “He exited his vehicle. The clerk was able to get out and run away from the store. As the two perpetrators attempted to leave the store, he (the deputy) fired a single gunshot.”

The deputy managed to hold the robbery suspects at gunpoint until other deputies and officers with the Milledgeville Police Department could get there and render assistance.
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CA: Home Carry Works, Man Stops Bold Burglar at Gunpoint

LODI, Calif. (KTXL) -- A would-be burglar was caught by surprise recently after entering a woman's downtown Northern California apartment.

The woman was not home but her boyfriend was and when he saw a man he didn’t know, he pulled out his gun.
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TX: Clerk Shoots, Wounds Robbery Suspect at Valero Gas Station in Houston

HOUSTON – A clerk shot a suspected robber Monday at a Valero gas station in northeast Houston, police said.

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MO: Mass Killing Stopped by Security Guard in Kansas City

A 25-year-old woman was killed and 15 people were injured outside a Kansas City, Missouri, nightclub on Sunday night when a gunman let loose a barrage of shots before he was gunned down by a security guard, authorities said on Monday.

(snip)

He said the security guard heard the gunshots and went outside and confronted the gunman, fatally shooting him.

"It appears he saved lives," Smith said.

Smith said it remains unclear how many of the 15 injured people treated at hospitals suffered gunshot wounds.

No shots were fired by any of the 50 officers who responded to the scene.
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MS: Man with Baby Breaks into Home, Owner Shoots, Misses

Cavett says suddenly the man burst through the door. He raised his gun and fired, and then stopped stunned to see what was in his arms.

“I saw he had a baby girl and he was holding the baby like a human shield," Cavett said. “He ran through my house and went in there and got in my bed holding the baby as such in my bed.”
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FL: Glitch Bar Owner Shoots Woman who Attacked him with Knife

A woman was shot after attacking a nightclub owner with a knife, Fort Lauderdale police said.

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SC: Porch Pirate Held at Gun Point in Moncks Corner

A man who took a package from a homeowner’s porch found himself in the sights of a gun Friday, according the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies arrested and charged Marvin Marshall with petit larceny following his attempt to snatch the package from the home, an act in which participants have become known as “porch pirates.” The home is on War Admiral Lane in Moncks Corner, the sheriff’s office said.

Read more here: https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article239422843.html#storylink=cpy

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FL: Domestic Defense, Man Attacked, Stabbed, Attacker Shot, Killed

RUSKIN, Fla. — A man who attacked a woman and someone she called for help with a knife was shot to death, deputies say.

Law enforcement responded just after 12:30 a.m. Sunday to the area of 7th Street SW and Oceanside Circle on a call about a shooting, according to a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office news release.
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TX: Domestic Defense, Stepfather Shoots, Wounds, Stepson

Deputies responded to the 800 block of Isetta Lane near Sweeney Road after a man was allegedly shot by his stepfather during a dispute.

Police believe the shooting may have been an act of self-defense.

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TN: Domestic Defense Gunfight, no one hit

Covington Police officers responded to the scene at around 2 a.m. Sunday morning. The victim told he had dropped off a woman at the Cottonwood Apartments and left when Taylor, who is the woman’s ex-boyfriend, started following him to the area of Logan Drive.
Taylor started firing shots at the victim after they got into a verbal argument. Police say the victim returned fire.

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MS: Homeowner Shoots Man who Entered through Window

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - A homeowner shot a man who climbed into his house through a window, according to Jackson Police Department.

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NH: Armed Neighbor Hold Piggy Bank Burglary Suspect for Police

PELHAM, N.H. (AP) - A man who broke into a New Hampshire home was caught at gunpoint by the homeowner’s neighbor, police said.

Andrew Billcliff, 31, of Plaistow, was arrested and charged with burglary and breach of bail Wednesday after his attempted break-in was thwarted by a neighbor.
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CO: Intruders enter Mans Apartment; He Shoots One

Police said intruders entered a man's apartment. After a struggle, the man shot and wounded one of the intruders, according to a police spokesperson.
Investigators are working to determine whether there's a connection between the man and the intruders.
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VA: Man Shot after Forcing Entry into House (not the recent Duffield case)

A Nelson County man attempting to force himself into a residence is being treated for life-threatening injuries after shots were fired inside the home.

Virginia State Police are investigating the incident reported Thursday in the 500 block of Hunting Lodge Road in Wingina.

The Nelson County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call around 8:30 p.m. Thursday about a shooting inside the residence. A Nelson County adult male had forced himself into the residence.

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Memo from David Horowitz on Virginia gun restrictions

As I'm sure you've heard by now today thousands of patriots are marching on the Virginia State Capitol.

And the Left is doing to them what they did to me.

Left Wing journalists are calling the demonstrators "white nationalists" and "white supremacists" for defending their Second Amendment rights -- just like they called me a "white nationalist" and "white supremacist" for telling the truth about Jihad.

Because it's never about "white nationalism" or "white supremacy." It's about the Left's need to silence and discredit anyone that challenges their radical agenda.

It doesn't matter who you are or what you stand for: if you pose the slightest threat to the Left and their sick conspiracy, they will do everything they can do to destroy you and everything you love.

Because remember, to the Left, the ends justify the means. They don't care how many good people they have to go after, or how many lies they have to tell to achieve their Marxist, open borders, godless dystopia.

Donate  

Arrived in Las Vegas for Shot Show

I arrived in Las Vegas for the Shot Show last night. The weather was excellent, cool and partly sunny, temperature in the middle 50's for most of the trip.

Today I will be going to the Industry Day at the Range. Where industry media get a chance to see and shoot the latest products.  I have been fortunate to have an invitation to attend for the last few years.

It is not impossible to write at the Industry Day at the Range, but it is not as easy or convenient as at the hotel room.

Dean Weingarten

Followup CA: Girfriend of Man who Died in Gunfight Charged, Armed Victim Survived

MAMMOTH LAKES, CA

The girlfriend of a man who died in a shootout at the Shell gas station in Bishop last week will be charged with multiple felony charges.

The shooting occurred on the evening of Jan. 6 when an armed, out-of-area man tried to rob a local man who was parked at the gas station. However, the local man, whose name is still being withheld, was carrying a permitted concealed weapon and returned fire. Both men were wounded in the gun fight but the robber, whose name is also still being withheld by law enforcement, died at the scene.
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WA: Domestic Defense, Grandfather Shoots Grandson

One man is in jail after his grandfather shot him in an act of self defense last night in Federal Way, according to police.

Federal Way police responded to reports of a shooting in the 31400 block of 4th Ave. S. around 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 15, said FWPD Cmdr. Kurt Schwan. The incident was later found to be a case of domestic violence.

The caller, a 72-year-old male, said he shot his 25-year-old grandson.
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CA: San Rafael Homeowner Shot at Man Attempting Break-In

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - San Rafael police are searching for a man in his 50s who attempted to break into a home before the homeowner shot at the man. It is unknown if the man was struck by gunfire.

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NM: Homeowner Fatally Shoots Person Attempting to Break-In

Police say they received a 911 call saying a homeowner shot a person trying to break into a home in a neighborhood near Coors and Paseo del Norte.

More Here

Virginia Governor Sets a Trap for Lobby Day, 20 January, 2020

graphic from Matt Bracken essay

Second Amendment supporters face a daunting challenge in Virginia for Lobby day, at the Virginia Capitol in Richmond, on 20 January, 2020.  Those who wish to disarm Virginians have created a trap to frame Second Amendment Supporters as violent white supremacists, going to Richmond to destroy duly elected government.

Do not take the bait.

Armed Virginians have been going to the State Capitol in Richmond to lobby to restore Second Amendment rights since 2002. The Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) has been very successful in these efforts. VCDL was instrumental in moving Virginia from a may issue to a shall issue state in 1995. It has made the shall issue law better and better by such things as eliminating many gun free zones and eliminating the requirement for fingerprints to obtain a permit to carry. It has kept improving the state preemption law, to prevent local governments from chipping away at Second Amendment rights.  It has been one of the most effective of the state organizations working to restore Second Amendment rights.

In 2019, a combination of a lawsuit used to gerrymander Virginia voting districts in favor of Democrats, millions of dollars of money spent by billionaires aimed at destroying Second Amendment rights, the influx of immigrants to areas next to the District of Columbia, the successful get out to vote campaign by supporters of Communist China for new immigrants, and the restoration of voting rights, but not the right to arms, to convicted felons, has resulted in the Democrat takeover of the Virginia General Assembly and the Senate, by Democrats who have vowed to impose severe restrictions on the exercise of Second Amendment rights.

Virginians have seen Lobby Day as a place to focus their actions to show how much they oppose the restrictions and violations of their rights.

It seems the opposition, lead by Governor Northam, has seen it as an opportunity to paint Second Amendment supporters as violent white supremacists, against whom any action will be deemed moral and legitimate.

If we are to win the war to restore our rights, Second Amendment supporters must win the war to convince a majority, or at least, a majority of voters or judges, they have the moral high ground. The entire weight of the legacy media has been against Second Amendment supporters for 50 years, but Second Amendment supporters have been winning battles, gradually, for the last 30 years. We have organized, built networks, built alternate media, and educated much of the public over that time period.

The provocations by Governor Northam and the elected Democrats seem meant to destroy that progress and to portray Second Amendment supporters as lawless, violent white supremacists.

Matt Bracken has written an excellent essay on the potential for Lobby Day to be used to create a terrible media defeat for Second Amendment supporters. It is worth the read. Bracken lists several ways Lobby Day could be turned into another Charleston, or worse, to discredit Constitutionalists.

The opposition has the entire legacy media on their side. Northam and his allies control the ground at the Capitol. While many of the Capitol police are likely to be sympathetic to their oath and the Constitution, Northam and his allies will have control of the Capitol police. Northam and allies will control all the high ground.

It is known that agent provocateurs have been used by the Democrats to provoke violence, to discredit the Trump presidential campaign in 2016. It is plausible that similar tactics will be used to provoke Second Amendment supporters on January 20th in Richmond. Violence by leftists will be excused by the legacy media. Self Defense by Second Amendment supporters will be portrayed as criminal.

This is ground of the opposition's choosing, where they have most of the advantages. The only chance of winning is a moral victory, where the General Assembly and the outside world are shown an overwhelming presence of peaceful Second Amendment supporters lobbying for their rights.  That can be a difficult goal to achieve, when agent provocateurs and false flags are serious possibilities. The majority of the anti-Second Amendment politicians, are unlikely to be moved.  The legacy media will sensationalize any violence. They will downplay even massive majorities of Second Amendment supporters.

Those who want a disarmed population have been losing. President Trump has appointed 25% of federal judges. A third Supreme Court pick by President Trump could enable restoration of Constitutional government. The current governing elite is getting desperate. Desperate opponents do desperate things.

Second Amendment supporters who attend will need to be extremely vigilant. This is not a place where an open carry protest is likely to succeed. The law is not clear. A court has upheld Governor Northam's emergency order as lawful. 

To those who say, you do not defend your rights by agreeing to allow them to be infringed: If simple disobedience of unconstitutional laws were enough to protect our rights, we would never have lost them.  Many refused to obey. They were unorganized, marginalized, lied about, arrested, prosecuted, jailed, beaten, and killed.

To win, Second Amendment supporters have the be smart, pick their battles, and work hard.

This particular exercise of the rights to assembly and free speech has been turned into a media trap.  All the usual suspects will be there, and they will be actively looking for any incident to smear Second Amendment activists. It is reasonable to believe some opponents will be working to create a violent event.

As a defense against the trap, everyone should be capable of recording incidents during the event. Every thing should be recorded from multiple perspectives, if only to assure accurate portrayals of the events and to have the ability to identify bad actors. The other side will be recording everything. Second Amendment supporters need to be able to prevent them from creating a singular, selective, and false portrayal of what happens. 

Extreme measures should be employed to avoid any appearance for the national media to use to smear Second Amendment supporters. At this event, a Second Amendment supporter will serve his country better by taking recorded abuse than by defending themselves. Second Amendment supporters should use every opportunity to defuse any abusive or violent situation.  The opposition will, very likely, be looking to goad a Second Amendment supporter into violent self defense. The action would almost certainly be mischaracterized by the media. They are desperate. They lie without compunction.

If you go, wearing an orange Guns Save Lives sticker will be far more effective than camouflage.  Wearing camouflage aids the opposition at this event.

The more women, children, and minorities who are Second Amendment supporters at this event, the better.

There will be more opportunities for media events that favor Second Amendment activists. The Second Amendment sanctuary county and city movement has been very effective. That can, and should, be built upon. 

Only 40% of Virginians voted in the last election. Virginians can win at the ballot box.

Those attending Lobby Day need to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Virginians need to show courage,  exercise discipline, and be shrewd to avoid the trap this Lobby Day has become.

©2019 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

SD: Mountain Lion Shot after Killing 800 lb Steer

Sources say the 118-pound yearling tomcat took down an 800-pound steer as his last meal.

More Here

NC: Man Shoots out Tires of Own Car as it is Being Stolen

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A man fired several shots at his own vehicle Thursday morning after police said a group of "kids" tried to steal his car from a west Charlotte gas station.

The incident happened around 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 16 at a Circle K gas station located in the 500 block of Little Rock Road.
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MI: Man Shot in Hand in Disarm Attempt in Detroit

Detroit — A 34-year-old man was injured in an early Thursday morning shooting on the city's east side, police said.

They said the suspect in the shooting is a 17-year-old male.

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OH: Armed Cashier Thwarts Amed Robbery in Hermies Party Shop

LIMA — An armed cashier at Lima business thwarted an armed robbery attempt Tuesday night.

According to a statement released Wednesday by the Lima Police Department, two males entered Hermies Party Shop on St. Johns Road shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday with pistols drawn. They demanded the cashier give them money from the cash register.
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TX: Road Rage, Driver Shoots Man who Assaulted Him in Vehicle

Witnesses stated that Ton began assaulting Kim while Kim remained in his vehicle. That is when, police say, Kim fired a handgun, striking Ton twice. Ton received first aid from bystanders and Kim, but later died on the scene.

Kim cooperated with the police and does possess a valid Texas License to Carry.
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Followup WA: Man Shot in Road Rage Defense Case Identified

A man shot to death during a road rage incident in University Place has been identified.

Darek Williams, 48, of DuPont, was spotted driving recklessly downhill on Chambers Creek Road West about 6 p.m. Wednesday.

In his Chevy Silverado, Williams passed several vehicles on the two-lane road and eventually stopped in the middle of the road.

Read more here: https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/crime/article239353318.html#storylink=cpy

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West Virginia Bill SB 96 Would Extend Preemption to Non-Firearm Weapons

Public domain as an edic of a government

West Virginia has a strong preemption statute to insure the state has reasonably uniform laws about the carry and use of firearms by individuals, throughout the state. It is §8-12-5a:

Limitations upon municipalities' power to restrict the purchase, possession, transfer, ownership, carrying, transport, sale and storage of certain weapons and ammunition.

 §8-12-5a does a pretty good job of limiting the power of local governments to in fringe on the right to keep and bear firearms. But the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution is not limited to firearms.

As affirmed in the Heller decision, the Second Amendment covers all bearable arms. The Heller decision was re-inforced by the Caetano decision, where the justices on the Supreme Court unanimously held the Second Amendment protects all bearable arms. From Caetano v. Massachusetts:

The Court has held that “the Second Amendment extends, prima facie, to all instruments that constitute bearable arms, even those that were not in existence at the time of the founding,” District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U. S. 570, 582 (2008), and that this “Second Amendment right is fully applicable to the States,” McDonald v. Chicago, 561 U. S. 742, 750 (2010).

Senate Bill 96 has been filed in West Virginia to expand the state preemption protection from firearms to most bearable arms. From the Senate Bill 96:

(b) For the purposes of this section:

“Deadly weapon” means an instrument which is designed to be used to produce serious bodily injury or death or is readily adaptable to that use. The term “deadly weapon” includes, but is not limited to:

(A) A blackjack, gravity knife, knife, switchblade knife, nunchuka, metallic or false knuckles, pistol, revolver and firearm, as defined in §61-7-2 of this code, or other deadly weapons of like kind or character which may be easily concealed on or about the person; and

(B) A rifle and a shotgun.

“Deadly weapon” does not include explosive, chemical, biological and radiological materials, or any item or material owned by a school or county board of education intended for curricular use, and used by a student solely for curricular purposes.

 Later in the bill, pepper spray is included in the preemption law:

“Pepper spray” means a temporarily disabling aerosol that is composed partly of capsicum oleoresin and causes irritation and blinding of the eyes and inflammation of the nose, throat, and skin, intended for self-defense use.

While SB 96 expands the protections of the preemption bill to most concealable weapons, there are a number of bearable weapons which may not be protected, depending on whether a judge or jury would believe them to be "concealable on or about the person.

Would most swords be considered to fall under the law? Would spears, quarterstaves, or other polearms? It seems unlikely they would be considered to be concealable. Most people do not carry a spear with them. But swords are popular, and a spear was used to stop a mountain lion attack in Canada, when the firearms law was found to be burdensome.

It is unclear why the protections of the bill were limited to concealable weapons. Perhaps it was because the prohibition were originally applied to concealable weapons.

The bill may or may not be passed in the current legislative session. The extreme restrictions on the exercise of Second Amendment rights being proposed in the neighboring state of Virginia may aid in the bills passage, simply to differentiate West Virginia's approach to the protection of the right to keep and bear arms.

©2019 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

TX: Domestic Defense, Ex-Boyfriend Kicks in Door, is Shot, Killed

Initial investigation indicates that he forced his way into the residence and a disturbance ensued before he was shot. Police declined to say whether or not he had a firearm, but did say several other people were in the home at the time of the incident and are all cooperating with the investigation.
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TX: Domestic Defense, Father Wounds Son who Fired Flare Gun at Him

The father told officers on scene that his son fired a flare gun at him.
The father alleges he then fired a handgun at his son, striking him at least once.
The son fled the scene and was driven to a local hospital by a neighbor.

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NC: Burger King Robbery Suspect Shot by Armed Victim

A man attempting a robbery outside a Burger King on Monday morning was shot when the victim pulled a handgun and fired several shots at him, according to the Fayetteville Police Department.

More Here

Followup SC: No Charges for Glenn Wilbur Rowe Jr. in Self Defense Shooting at Party

LEXINGTON, S.C. — A man who fatally shot another man at a company Christmas party won’t face criminal charges because he acted in self-defense, authorities in South Carolina said Wednesday.

Lexington police told news outlets that no charges will be filed against Glenn Wilbur Rowe Jr., 46, in the death of Wesley Warren-Camp, 26.

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OK: Domestic Defense, Mother Shoots, Kills Adult Son

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Tulsa police are investigating what led up to a mother shooting and killing her son outside her home near North Peoria and 51st Street North on Tuesday afternoon.
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MO: Shots Fired During Burglary Attempt

WEBB CITY, Mo. — Webb City police are searching for a man after an attempted burglary, where shots were fired.

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NC: Gunfight Between Homeowner and Robbery Suspect

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Winston-Salem Police are investigating after a shooting between a homeowner and a robbery suspect.

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TN: Armed Victim Wounds 1 of 3 Robbery Suspects

According to Metro Police, the victim was approached by three men on Lemont Drive in Madison near Maplewood Lane. The suspects pulled a gun on the man and attempted to rob him, but that's when the victim revealed he was also armed.

The victim shot at the men robbing him, and they fled the scene. At least one was struck by a bullet.
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December 2019 NICS Increase, lead to All time Record for 2019

The December, 2019 National Instant background Checks System numbers were the highest month in the year, at 2,936,894 checks for the month. Those numbers lead to the highest number of checks for a year on record. 2019 saw the most background checks ever done in a single year, with 28,369,750 checks done in 2019.

Increasing numbers of checks done for carry permits and permit rechecks skew the totals from reflecting only gun sales.

In December of 2019, permit checks were 343,649, and rechecks were 1,000,887. This shows the trend of rechecks becoming much more common than permit checks. The numbers for December are nearly the reverse of what they were in January of 2019. In January, the permit checks were 820,224, and the rechecks were 343,649.

This is a combination of more accurate reporting and the growth of the total number of permits nationwide. Many permit rechecks were recorded as permit checks in Kentucky.  Between May, 2019 and July, 2019, Kentucky went from over 300,000 permit checks per month to over 300,000 permit rechecks per month. This is simply accurate recording of reality. Kentucky does a recheck on every permit every month.

The growth in the number of permits nationwide, almost certainly now over 19 million, is bound to increase the number of permit rechecks.

Even with the large number of permit and permit rechecks, the overall number of firearm sales appears to be up slightly over 2018.

Small Arms Analytics estimates the 2019 gun sales numbers to be about 13.9 million vs 13.8 million in 2018.
More and more handguns are being sold compared to long guns.

It is likely the sales figures for 2020 will continue the rise shown in 2019. The Democrat candidates all seem committed to significant infringements on the right to own and carry firearms.

Bans on some firearms and firearms accessories are being continually pushed in the old media. Presidential candidate, Michael Bloomberg has asserted the "average citizen" should not be allowed to carry guns in crowded places.

Candidate Bloomberg has spent over $200 million in advertising in just a few weeks, nearly as much as the rest of the Democrat field combined.

That spending is likely to continue. Whatever the political effect, it is likely to inform more potential gun owners of legislative efforts to restrict their options.

Permit checks, permit rechecks, and firearms sales are all likely to increase in 2020, leading to another record year for checks, and a notable increase in firearm sales.

Supreme Court cases could lead to an increase in permits in states where the number of permits are depressed by highly restrictive state laws. About 25% of the United States population lives in states with highly restrictive "may issue" permit laws.

If the Supreme Court rules those laws are unconstitutional infringements on the right to bear arms outside of the home, it would be reasonable to see the number of permits increase to 25 million, nationwide.

Estimating how high the number of permits may rise is beyond the capability of this prognosticator. National reciprocity may become law. The increase in Constitutional Carry states might dampen interest in carry permits.

In the immediate future, gun sales will continue above the new base level, created by the Obama administration and fear of infringements on Second Amendment rights.

©2019 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

MO: Gunfight, Carjacker's Gun Misfires, Victim's Gun Works

The intended victim, a 22-year-old, told police he had just parked his car and got out of the vehicle when a red pickup truck pulled up beside him. An older man got out of the truck, pointed a gun at the victim, and demanded the keys to the victim’s car.

The victim handed over his car keys but the suspect tried shooting him anyway. Fortunately, the suspect’s gun malfunctioned. The victim was able to grab his own firearm and fired several shots at the carjacker.

More Here

MI: Woman Pulls Gun on Man in Macy's Restroom

"As I was going in, she was wrapping up, I’m in the stall, she's beating on the stall (saying) 'Ma am, ma'am' and I hear the urgency in her voice," Crawford said. "I'm like what's going on."

Crawford said when she opened the stall door she spotted a black man appearing to be in his mid-to late 30s touching himself. He was looking at the other woman who got so terrified - she pulled out a gun.
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FL: Road Rage? Driver Shoots, Kills Truck Driver who Blocked, Threatened Him

The SUV driver told officials the truck driver threatened to kill him and the passenger, making him fear for his life, so he grabbed a gun from his glove compartment, pointed it at the man and fired it.

The truck driver was taken with a gunshot wound to a hospital, where he later died. No arrests have been made, and neither of the men’s names have been made public.
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IN: Kris Bratton Shot after Breaking into Turtle Creek Apartment

The Kokomo Police Department says Kris Bratton, 49, broke into an apartment at the Turtle Creek Apartment complex on the west side of Kokomo. They say they were called to the scene and realized that Bratton had been shot in the stomach by the person who lives in that apartment.


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Virginia Democrats Break Precedent, Ban Guns and Knives in State Capitol

Image from wikipedia, public domain

Virginia Democrats changed the rules of the General Assembly to ban guns and knives in the state capitol. Nearly all knives are banned as well as any item capable of launching a projectile. There is an exception for folding knives with a blade of less than 3 inches in length.

All people entering the capitol, with the exceptions of full-time, on duty, paid law enforcement officers and military personnel, who are conducting official business at the state capitol, are subject to the policy.

To enforce the policy, Capitol police are authorized to search and seize all people entering the building, with the exception of current members of the General Assembly.  In practice, it is expected all people entering the building will have to go through metal detectors, with the exception of current legislators.

The rule change was passed on strict party lines. Democrats voted for the ban, Republicans voted against it.

The Democrats claim the ban is required for "public safety",  and that the Capitol Police recommended the ban. From vpm .org:

“This is a recommendation from our Capitol Police who we trust every day, and who have kept us safe, and I trust their judgment,” House Majority Leader Charniele Herring told the Joint Rules Committee meeting.

Capitol Police Chief Col. Anthony Pike said the Capitol Police had not recommended the ban.  From wfmz.com:

But Capitol Police Col. Anthony Pike said after the vote that he made no recommendations on whether guns should be banned, only on how to implement the ban Democrats wanted. The new policy will require that everyone entering the Capitol, except for lawmakers, must go through a metal detector.

The Democrats were able to cite one incident, in 2006, when a Republican delegate accidentally discharged a handgun into a bullet-proof vest hanging on a door. No one was injured. Another delegate forgot a gun in a conference room, in 2017, for about 20 minutes.

Perhaps that would be a reason to ban delegates from conduction dry-fire practice. It does not seem to apply to the general public.

In the last 30 years, several states have loosened restrictions on the exercise of Second Amendment rights in state capitols. Among those are Texas, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Kentucky. At least 20 state capitols allow some form of the practice.

This is likely the first of numerous restrictions on the carry, ownership, and use of firearms in Virginia by the newly minted Democrat majority. They are unwilling to bear arms themselves. Machiavelli spoke of the mindset that is generated when a government disarms its people:

When you disarm [the people] you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred against you. - Niccoló Machiavelli, The Prince. 1537.

The Democrat party seems to believe they can convince enough of "the people" that they will be safer without arms than with them.

The next election will determine if Machiavelli or modern Democrats were a better judge of political realities.

Machiavelli had an excellent understanding power politics and human nature, while modern Democrats have the advantage of mass media and propaganda techniques.

 ©2019 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

PA: Man Shoots, Kills Joshua Long, at Attempted Robbery/Home Invasion

Investigators learned the 22-year-old man, identified by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office as Joshua Long, of West Mifflin, had a handgun when he went to the apartment and tried to rob the victim. The victim then got his handgun and shot Long.

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LA: Resident Shoots, Kills, Kendal McCarroll, as he Attempts Break-in with Shovel

LIVINGSTON PARISH, La. (WAFB) - A husband and wife attempted to force their way into a Livingston Parish home before the husband was shot by a resident in the home, investigators from the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office said.
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OK: Tulsa Resident Shoots, Wounds Man who Kicked in Door

The man peered through vehicle windows at the residence, then went into the backyard and to the backdoor, police said. The homeowner’s son retrieved a gun and “issued several warnings” to the man, but the man kicked open the door and entered the house, according to a news release. The son then fired one shot, striking the man in the abdomen.
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FL: Gunfight, Homeowner Wounds Intruder

The Sheriff’s Office said investigation showed the homeowner exchanged gunfire with an intruder — a man who then fled in a white compact pickup truck. A short time later, police found the potential suspect at the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
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Followup FL: Shooting of David Norgard in Road Rage Incident Ruled Justified

A confessed shooter involved in a deadly road rage incident from last spring in Golden Gate Estates will not be criminally charged, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.

The shooter, whose identity has not been released by the sheriff’s office, was cleared of wrongdoing a few months after the shooting.
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TX: Armed Robber Shot While Attempting to Rob Party Goers

Officials say a homeowner was hosting a social gathering in the front yard of a house when three suspects robbed the party at gunpoint. One of the individuals at the party, who police say is a licensed handgun carrier, produced his weapon and shot one of the robbers.

One robber was shot and two others fled the scene. The injured robber was transported to the hospital and pronounced deceased.
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WI: 79-Year-Old Shoots 20-Year-Old who Pointed Toy Gun at Him

MILWAUKEE —

A 79-year-old man is accused of fatally shooting a man suspected of breaking into his car.

The shooting happened about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday near North 42nd Street and West Silver Spring Drive in Milwaukee.
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FL: Disarm, Intruder Drops Gun in Struggle, Homeowner Shoots Him

During a scuffle, deputies say the intruder dropped the pistol -- allowing the homeowner to grab it and shoot him.

The homeowner then ran next door for help.

When authorities showed up, they found a pistol and the back door open. But, they say they couldn't find the intruder who was shot.
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TX: Homeowner in Killeen Shoots, Kills Intruder

KILLEEN, Texas — A homeowner shot and killed a man who tried to break into his house Friday morning, according to Killeen police.

Police spokeswoman Ofelia Miramontez said James Centron Taylor Mitchell, 18, forced his way into the home on Corinne Dr. a little before 10 a.m.
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