FL: Port St. Lucie - Update on Possible Domestic Defense, Victim and Aggressor both Killed

"It appears that Juliun [Stokes] was standing beside the open driver's door reaching into the vehicle when Carl [Loubeau] approached him from that same side of the vehicle and opened fire on him," Chief Niemczyk said. "Dwayne [Walker] was in close proximity, probably around the trunk of the Mustang when he was approached."

Walker, who investigators say is a close friend of Stokes, was also in the driveway. Detectives say he immediately returned fire, shooting Loubeau in what they believe was self-defense.

Investigators say Stokes never fired his weapon. Detectives also believe Loubeau may have mistaken Stokes for Walker, who police say was involved in some type of relationship with Loubeau's girlfriend.

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CA: Cerritos - Man with Knife Shot, Killed by Armed Samaritan

"A lady was saying, 'He's got a knife, he's got a knife," a witness who wished to remain anonymous told CBS LA. "Then he started dipping and dodging in between the lines, and then you hear two shots."

LASD officials say that the suspect, who remains publicly unidentified, was confronted by the customer, who was "lawfully armed and possessed a valid concealed carry permit."

"The customer ordered the male adult to drop the knife. The male adult then charged toward the customer while still armed with the knife, and the customer discharged their firearm," the release said. 

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AZ: Phoenix - More Details on Domestic Defense by Armed Samaritan

A 40-year-old man was found shot at the bottom of a stairwell, along with a knife. Paramedics with the Phoenix Fire Department tried to help the man, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two women, aged 27 and 30, were also found suffering from severe stab wounds inside an apartment. They were immediately transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Dig deeper:

Detectives said the deceased man had arrived uninvited at the apartment and assaulted one of the women. When a second woman, who is related to the first, tried to intervene, she was stabbed. One of the women was romantically involved with the suspect.

"The disturbance drew the attention of neighbors, and one neighbor shot the suspect as he continued attacking both women," according to police.

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RCMP ‘Crime Gun’ Story Has a Major Numbers Problem

 

CTV News recently published an article about "crime guns" traced by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Careful analysis of the information provided shows the article is as much about spin as enlightenment.

Only 8% of firearms crime result in a firearm being recovered. Of those, only 20% of firearms seized by police are sent for tracing. Of the ones sent in for tracing, the sample in the CTV News article excluded most of the traces done in Ontario and Quebec. Of those, the definition of a "crime gun" is broad, and includes many non-violent crimes.

Ontario and Quebec have their own firearm tracing systems. Information from those systems was not included in the article. Quebec and Ontario contain about 61% of Canada's population.  Information from the most populated parts of Canada was not included. The sample for the article for CTV news was not representative of the Canadian population.

The way the numbers are used is confusing. For example: the article says the RCMP completed 6,951 firearm traces. Then it says 4,197 of those were identified as "crime guns". Of the 4,197 "crime guns" it says 2,814 had a known source. The implication is: of the 4197 "crime guns" 1,384 did not have a known source. If the 1,384 did not have a known source, how could a trace have been completed? Perhaps the author meant to write the RCMP attempted to trace 6,951 firearms, but was only successful in tracing 67% of those.

The article then states 71 percent of the firearms traced in 2024 (by the RCMP) were domestic long guns. Long guns are the vast majority of firearms in Canada (89%). We know 2,654 of the 6,951 guns "traced" were not crime guns.  Those would be 39% of the firearms traced. If the vast majority of those were long guns, as would be expected, over half of the 71 percent of long guns traced were not "crime guns".

The definition of "crime guns" is broad and worth considering. From the article:

The RCMP centre defines crime guns as firearms that were used or suspected to have been used in criminal offences, guns whose serial numbers have been obliterated or altered, firearms that were found but not reported lost or stolen, and replicas, toys, 3D-printed guns, pellet or air guns that have been used in criminal offences.

The article does not break out the numbers of toys, replicas, pellet and air guns from the total. The article lists 67 home manufactured guns or "ghost guns".  Those can be made in a number of different ways than 3D printing.  3D printing can be used to make replicas or toy guns.

Of the guns which were traced, or perhaps attempted to be traced, 17% were identified as smuggled handguns, or 1,165. Presumably, these were all classified as "crime guns", because they were smuggled. Handguns in Canada are required to be registered. Nine percent (616) were domestically sourced handguns. This probably means they were registered in Canada at some point. Handguns do not appear to have been commercially manufactured in Canada since Para-Ordinace moved to the USA in 2009.   From the above numbers, about 65% of the handguns were smuggled handguns. 9+16 = 26, so only 26% of the total firearms mentioned in the RCMP traces were handguns. Only two percent (137) were smuggled long guns.  Almost 1% (67) were privately manufactured firearms sometimes called "ghost guns".

Of the 2,814 "crime guns" where the source could be identified, 86% were found to have come from within Canada. Only 14% were smuggled. The number may be biased because Canadian guns are more likely to be successfully traced.  The vast majority of traces for the largest Canadian urban centers were not included. This could explain the relatively low handgun figures.

In an official Canadian government report published in 2025, 49% of violent firearms crimes in Canada were committed with handguns.  It is obvious "crime guns" includes a great many non-violent crimes. When firearms are involved in violent crime, very few are recovered. From the article referenced above:

  Where these data were available, more than nine in ten (92%) incidents of firearm related violent crime did not involve the recovery of a firearm, eight in ten (81%) did not involve the seizure of a firearm and nearly all (99%) did not involve a firearm being reported as stolen.

In a separate Parliamentary report using data from 2020, 58% of firearms traced in Canada were reportedly from Canada, and half of those were handguns.  This means 29% of the firearms which were traced were handguns from Canada. The same report states 28% of handguns traced were domestically sourced.  If 29% of all firearms traced are handguns from Canada, and 28% of handguns traced are from Canada, then 29% of firearms traced cannot be long guns from Canada. The use of percentages instead of raw numbers allows many statistical games to be played.

The percent of successful traces done by the RCMP in 2024 matches precisely with the report for all of Canada for 2023. 67% of traces were successful.

The raw numbers show there were only 277 firearms homicides committed in all of Canada in 2020. Less than half of those, only 135, were committed with handguns. 135 deaths, or even 277 deaths of the 300,000 annual deaths in Canada is a very small percentage. Homicides are shocking events, but less than .1 percent of deaths is a very small number. For handguns alone, it is .044%. Nearly three times as many people die in drowning accidents each year in Canada.

Analysis: One of the ways to lie with statistics is to pick a sample which delivers the result you want. When the Canadian government wants to ban handguns, the reports emphasize the percent of homicides committed with handguns. When the Canadian government wishes to ban large numbers of long guns, the article attempts to frame firearms crime in Canada as mostly involving long guns. Firearms in Canada are not a serious problem. 

In Canada, 80% of firearms related deaths are suicides, about 19.8% are homicides and .8% are accidents. The numbers of Canadian suicides by firearms were listed  at 80% without precise numbers. Rounding results in slightly over 100% total.

Draconian firearm restrictions may reduce the number of suicides committed with firearms. They do not reduce the total number of suicides. Draconian firearm restrictions may reduce the number of homicides committed with firearms. They do not reduce the total number of homicides.  The per capita rate of firearms ownership in the United States is unrelated to the homicide rate.

Playing games with the number of firearm traces reduces the credibility of the source.

©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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TN: Memphis - Gunfight in Line at Market

Once the two were face-to-face arguing, victim/suspect #1 lifted his shirt to show a firearm in his front waistband. Police said victim/suspect #2 started to reach for the firearm, and the two began fighting.

They said that’s when a third man, later identified as the brother of suspect #2, came into the store, pulled out his firearm, and began shooting at victim/suspect #1.

Police said video also showed victim/suspect #2 pulled a handgun from his waistline and started shooting at victim/suspect #1, and his brother picked up victim/suspect #1’s firearm, and the two left the scene in a White GMC.

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MI: Detroit - Gunfight in Detroit, Person with Victim Returned Fire

Responding officers located the scene, however the victim had already been privately conveyed to Sinai-Grace Hospital in a black Chrysler 300.

According to information provided to officers, an individual with the victim returned fire at the suspects, who were described as two B/Ms in a white Chevy Traverse, last seen fleeing southbound on Manor from Fenkell.

Investigators located multiple shell casings at Manor & Fenkell. The investigation was subsequently turned over to the #DetroitPolice 12th Precinct after it was determined the incident occurred within their area of responsibility.

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TX: Houston - 70+ Year-Old Employee Shoots 20+Year-Old Burglary Suspect

Investigators said the employee, who is in his 70s, heard loud banging behind the business and went outside armed with a handgun to see what was happening.

According to HPD Lt. Willkens, the employee encountered one person acting as a lookout while another suspect came from behind the building carrying burglary tools, including a crowbar and hammer. Police said the second suspect then charged toward the employee, who fired one shot, striking the man in the leg.

The wounded suspect, believed to be in his 20s, ran from the scene and was later found at a nearby Jack in the Box after employees called 911. Police said the man had asked workers to contact his girlfriend instead of calling police.

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OK: Tulsa - Intruder Shot During Home Invasion

Police say a person in a house shot the suspect in self-defense during a home invasion near West 46th and Union around 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Officers say the people in the home and the suspect knew each other.

TPD says they found the suspect in a pickup truck at I-44 and Union.

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OK: Tulsa - Homeowner Shoots Man who Attempted to Steal Truck, Threatened Death

When deputies arrived, they spoke to a homeowner who said a man came onto their property, threatened to steal his truck and told him he would kill him if he resisted.

The homeowner said he turned to go back inside his house, but the man followed him into the home.

At that point, the homeowner said he grabbed a baseball bat and hit the suspect.

The struggled continued outside where the homeowner said the man charged at him. That's when the homeowner pulled out a gun and shot the suspect in the leg.

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VA: Lynchburg - Domestic Defense? Man Shot, Car Crashed

First responders found a man and a woman, the only occupants of the vehicle involved in the crash. The man, Corey Beaddles, 32, was found to be suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, according to police. He was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The woman was checked for injuries by medics on scene.

Police say they determined that just before the crash, Beaddles was driving recklessly while reportedly assaulting the woman. He was apparently shot during the incident, according to police, who haven’t revealed specifics.

Beaddles is charged with assault and battery, reckless driving, abduction and attempted malicious wounding.

Police say they found a gun at the scene and they are not seeking anyone else believed to be involved. They say there is no ongoing threat to the community.

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NY: Rochester - Thrown Out of Bar, Man Returns wtih Handgun, is Shot, Killed.

Rochester police said a disturbance broke out inside Condado Bar and Grill around 1:30 a.m. The man was removed by security and left the area.

Police said the man then went to a parked vehicle, retrieved a handgun and returned to the bar while holding the weapon. As he approached the entrance, security confronted him and attempted to stop him from re-entering.

Multiple verbal commands were given, but police said the man ignored them, pointed the gun at a security officer and opened the entrance door. The security officer then fired multiple rounds from a legally possessed handgun, striking the man.

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Wolf Attack in 2012 Contains Clues to Wolf Mystery of 1939

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In January, 2012, Glenn Villeneuve was attacked by a pack of 20 wolves. It was a very unusual event.

Villeneuvea detailed the event, including pictures of the extremely large pack. He gave an extensive interview to Joe Rogan. Villeneuve has been one of the stars of the reality show, Life Below Zero. The attack event is discussed starting at 13:30 on the video.  Villeneuve explains he never expected such an attack to happen. It was far outside many years of experience dealing with wolves. He does not know why the wolves came after him that day. They had never been aggressive toward him before.  The reason for the attack may have something to do with the extremely large wolf pack.

The discussion of the wolf event starts at 13:30 on the video. Glenn Villeneuve sees a pack of 20 wolves on a kill on the lake ice, 500 yards from his cabin. This is an extremely large pack of wolves for the area. It is very unusual. His cabin is far above the arctic circle. In January, it is twilight in the middle of the day.

At first, Villeneuve grabs a camera and walks to about 350 yards from the pack of wolves to take pictures.  It is not clear if he is armed on this first foray. His batteries go bad and he starts to go back to cabin to get fresh batteries.  Villeneuve looks back and the wolves are running at him. He is 30 yards from the cabin. He sprints to the cabin and gets inside. He looks out the window. The 20 wolves are milling around 50 yards from the cabin. In a short time, the wolves go back to the kill on the lake. Villeneuve goes back out to take more pictures. This time he has his rifle with him, but no spare ammunition.

Villeneuve goes out about 150 yards from the cabin. The wolves are about 350 yards away. Some of the wolves start moving toward him, but slowly, hesitantly. He slowly retreats. The wolves move a little closer. When he is about 100 yards from the cabin, they start galloping toward him. Again he sprints to the cabin. He drops the camera tripod. He has only 4-5 rounds in his rifle, and is unsure whether he could stop the attack.  Again the wolves are milling around 50 yards from the cabin when he is inside. Again the wolves go back to the kill on the ice.

Villeneuve thinks about the situation. He needs to teach the wolves he is not prey. He needs to teach them he is a dangerous predator to be avoided. He decides to see if he can lure the wolves closer to the cabin before he starts shooting. He makes sure he is ready. He checks his rifle, a .30-06, and grabs extra ammunition. He goes outside the cabin. To lure the wolves closer, he starts running back and forth from the cabin to the lake shore, about 50 yards. The wolves come running at him again. This time he sits down at the lake shore and takes aim.

He starts shooting when the wolves are 264 yards away, killing one wolf. He shoots two more as they keep coming. They are no longer all galloping toward him, but continue coming in spurts, some milling about. As the third wolf is hit, the wolf pack has had enough. The "prey" is far too dangerous; they run off. The tracks show some wolves came as close as 50 yards from Villeneuve before they all retreated.  The shooting probably took less than a minute. It took that long because Villeneuve had to reload with individual cartridges while the wolves were coming at him. His rifle only has a four round magazine. He does not say how many shots he fired, presumably somewhere between six and nine. One wolf's back had been broken, but it was still alive. Villeneuve ran back to the cabin to obtain his .22 rimfire to finish off the wolf which was wounded, becuase  it is important to minimize destruction of the fur. Wolf fur is valuable to construct parka hoods. He discovers the animal they had killed on the lake ice was a 1 1/2 year old bull moose.

Glenn Villeneuve is very careful to explain this is an extremely rare event. The circumstances remind me of the case of Crist Kolby, who was almost certainly killed by wolves in 1939, at his trap line on the Thorn River, on Prince of Wales Island in Alaska. When Kolby did not return as expected, an investigation was mounted. The evidence recovered indicated Kolby was on his trapline when he found the mainspring on his new Smith & Wesson .357 magnum revolver was broken. On the way back to his cabin, he was pursued and attacked by wolves. His remains were found near the shoreline of a lake, just short of trees he might have been able to climb. These sort of attacks are very rare, but consider what might have happened to Glen Villeneuve if he was miles from his cabin, and did not have a working firearm. No one knows why the wolves came after Villeneuve or Kolby. Perhaps it was because he retreated. Maybe the size of the pack is important. Perhaps this was what happened with Kolby. A single man, without firearms, can be brought down by a pack of wolves. A small team of men, even two or three, armed with spears and clubs, presents a far more difficult problem for a pack of wolves.

Wolves have learned over many millennia to respect and fear humans. Historically, as recounted in "The Gray Wolf Revealed" by Kaj Granlund & Will Graves, p.127, most wolf attacks on humans are on children, then on women, then on lone men. The vast majority (88%) of human victims of wolves were people under the age of 20. Above the age of 20, 86% of the victims were women.

A person with a working firearm, if they have rudimentary skill, will nearly always win in a fight against wolves.

©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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AL: - Tuscaloosa Gas Station Shooting, Self Defense?

A Sunday evening shooting at a Tuscaloosa gas station could be a case of self-defense, authorities said.

Tuscaloosa police responded at 6:41 p.m. to the shooting at Circle K at 6718 Highway 69 South,

Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy said one person was found with critical injuries and taken to DCH Regional Medical Center.

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Turkey President Erdogan Gives Revolvers and Ammo to NATO Heads

 

 

On July 8, 2026,Turkey's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave presents to the other leaders of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member nations. The gifts were given at the meeting in Turkey. The present appears to be a rare Gümüsay .357 revolver, which was made by the Turkish company MKE about 30 years ago. Giving presents to NATO leaders is not unusual.

Giving firearms to leaders of other countries was not unusual before WWI. Over a hundred years of demonization of civilian ownership of firearms has made it unusual. The revolver came in a presentation box which seems to have a lower compartment. What might be in the lower compartment has not been revealed.

While most of these revolvers will never be fired, the present has been reported to include live ammunition. Reuters reported the revolver presented to Prime Minister Kier Starmer included 500 rounds of ammunition and a cleaning kit. This is a wonderful joke and poke in the eye to England, which has outlawed the possession of handguns by its citizens.

Reaction to the gift varied considerably by country. Reuters reported some leaders are waiting to have the revolver deactivated before sending it to their home, others are having it processed by their customs services. All appear to be careful to follow the legal procedures their governments have in place. It appears all the revolvers are identical except for the engraving. They were likely made in one run of presentation revolvers for such purposes. As such, they may be one of the rarest of production revolvers in existence.

Armyrecognition.com reports the Gümüsay is not a clone of the Colt Python .357 revolver, but has a simplified lockwork. Overall production of the Gümüsay   revolvers in all barrel lengths is unknown and estimated at between 500 and 10,000. The revolvers are reported as being produced with 2.5, 4, and 6 inch barrels.  Also unknown is whether the presentation revolvers were a batch which was held in inventory, recovered and refurbished from some other stock in government or private hands, or newly manufactured using previous drawings, tooling or components created for this one run.

As shown, the revolver has a bright finish. It seems unlikely to be made in stainless steel. This correspondent has not found any information to indicate if it has a nickle plated or chrome plated finish.

The Turkish firearms industry has established itself as a major exporter of rifles, shotguns, and handguns in the international market. The United States has the largest market for civilian owned firearms in the world. It seems likely a large portion of Turkish made firearms for civilian use end up in the United States. Reviews of various Turkish made pistols have revealed them to be serviceable firearms. Much depends on individual models and manufacturers.

Turkey is exporting .357 magnum revolvers made by Sarsilmaz at present. The Sarsilmaz revolvers look very similar to Smith & Wesson revolvers. The internal parts of the mechanism may be different. Colt is making a new version of the Python in the United States. A bright finished Colt Python with a six inch barrel has a suggested retail price of $1,699.00.

Analysis: The gift of presentation revolvers by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been a master stroke of marketing. The exposure of Turkish firearms to the world has been on a viral scale which is difficult to achieve without expenditure of enormous amounts of money. There may be another unintended consequence. Other world leaders could follow Erdogan's example. It might again become a mark of prestige for a firearm to be presented to world leaders as a gift.

©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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CA: Longbeach - Off Duty Officer and Suspects Gunfight, no Hits

The shooting happened around 1:30 p.m. in the area of Bixby Road and Orange Avenue.

Long Beach police say two suspects approached the off-duty officer and tried to rob him. One of the suspects was reportedly pointing what appeared to be a firearm, while the other robbed the off-duty officer.

That's when police say the off-duty officer fired shots at the suspects.

The men fled, and it's unknown if either of them was shot. The officer was not hurt.

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June NICS Checks Jump as NFA Background Checks Surge 177%

The National Instant background Check System (NICS) shows significantly higher numbers for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) adjusted NICS checks for June of 2026. The total NICS checks show only a small decrease. From NSSF:

The June 2026 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1,123,006 is an increase of 11.7 percent compared to the June 2025 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,004,986. For comparison, the unadjusted June 2026 FBI NICS figure of 1,886,539 reflects a 1.2 percent decrease from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 1,909,294 in June 2025.

The adjusted NICS checks are designed to approximate actual firearm sales by removing the large numbers of NICS checks which are used for firearms permits and firearm permit rechecks.  In some months of previous years, the number of checks done for permits and permit rechecks exceeded the number done for sales. Those excesses, primarily done in Illinois, have been reduced. The adjusted NICS checks appear to be a good approximation of firearm sales done through the NICS system. Some people are able to purchase firearms without NICS checks. There are about 28 states which have at least one type of permit where the permit is a valid substitute for a NICS check. More than one firearm may be purchased with one NICS background check.

 

This year, the NSSF has started listing checks done for the National Firearms Act. There is a time lag between when a check is done and an NFA firearm is built or transferred. The number of checks for NFA purposes do not directly correspond to new firearms or suppressors. Silencers/suppressors are defined as "firearms" in the NFA.

The June number for National Firearms Act (NFA) checks was 166,677, an increase of 177.1 percent from June of 2025. The number for June of 2025 was 60,147. Another way to state the same statistic, the NFA checks for June of 2026 were 2.77 times as many as for June of 2025. Much of the increase has to do with the removal of the $200 excise tax on silencers suppressors and on short barreled shotguns (sbs) and short barrled rifles (sbr).  The ATF has announced a proposed rule which will eliminate the need for fingerprints and photographs as part of the application process for "tax stamps" to obtain NFA items. There are several lawsuits challenging the validity of the NFA for items on which zero tax is required.

The uptick in firearms sales in June, at over 11% from last year, is significant. May and June continue the annual pattern of having sales lower than most of the other months. The only month in 2026 which shows lower firearm sales than the same month in 2025, (as shown by the adjusted NICS numbers) is January of 2026.

Analysis: The continued unsettled situation in and around the Persian gulf may be contributing to greater firearm sales. The stalemated war in Ukraine continues. Fuel prices have started to come down, leaving consumers with more disposable income. Firearm sales in July tend to be higher than firearm sales in June. Ammunition prices appear to be stable or slightly increasing. The mid-term elections are approaching, but political threats from the Left should be off-set by the Second Amendment victories at the Supreme Court. NFA sales will continue to break records. July firearm sales are predicted to be higher than June sales and higher than July sales were in 2025.

 

©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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IN: Anderson - Attempted Robbery and Gunfight, Suspect and Victim Wounded

Among the six — including Novotny — injured, a 19-year-old male was shot in the back and transported to IU Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where he underwent emergency surgery. None of the other wounded people suffered life-threatening injuries, according to authorities.

In the court document, the 19-year-old told police that he was in a grass field near the intersection when Novotny approached and started patting him down before shooting him in the back. Police believe Novotny was trying to rob the 19-year-old.

After he was wounded, the 19-year-old pulled out a gun and fired several rounds at Novotny. He later told police that he believed one of the rounds he fired hit Novotny.

The probable cause affidavit said officers saw Novotny run toward a car wash, where officers stopped him and ordered him to drop the handgun he was carrying.

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MO: St. Louis - Gunfight From Attempted Home Invasion, 1 Suspect Shot, Killed

SLMPD said officers were in the area of Union Boulevard and Terry Avenue when they saw a gunfight around 9:30 p.m. Four suspects were detained, and a 44-year-old man was found shot on the ground.

According to police, the preliminary investigation shows the 44-year-old man, along with a 42-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman, were attempting to break into a home when they were confronted by a 35-year-old man.

The man called the police and attempted to hold the suspects until officers arrived, but the 44-year-old man ran off and fired shots towards the 35-year-old man. The 35-year-old man fired shots back at the 44-year-old man, striking him.

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Japan’s Bear Attacks Are Breaking Records. Strict Gun Laws Leave Rural Residents Waiting for Help

 

In 2025, Japan broke records for total and fatal bear attacks. There were 230 attacks and 13 fatalities, more than double the previous record of 6 fatalities in one year. Japan collects bear statistics by fiscal year, from April 1 to March 31.

2026 is off to a bad start. Five fatalities have been identified from April 1 to June 30. The previous record was two fatalities during April 1 to June 30. Bear attacks tend to trail off in July and August, and pick up significantly in September, October and November. Bears in Japan start hibernating in December. Another fatality is being investigated in a mountainous area of Tohoku. If found to be a bear caused fatality, it would be the sixth in 2026. Before 2025, the record for bear fatalities in Japan was six in one year. The record number of people killed by bears in North America continues at six in one year.

All five verified bear fatalities in 2026 have been inflicted by Asiatic black bears. Only Asiatic black bears live in Tohoku.  Japan is home to two types of bears, the Asiatic black bears and the Ussuri brown bears. The brown bears only occur on Hokkaido, the most northern of the Japanese islands. There are about 12,000 brown bears on Hokkaido. The brown bears are a subspecies of Ursus Arctos, also known as grizzly bears, Kodiak bears, and European brown bears. The are all slight variations of Ursus Arctos.  Large differences in sizes are the result of how common food supplies are where the bears live.

In 2025, only two fatalities were from brown bears on Hokkaido. Eleven were from Asiatic black bears on the other Japanese islands. The Asiatic black bears are related to the American black bears, but are reported to be more aggressive. There are reported to be about 54,000 Asiatic black bears in Japan. The human Japanese population is shrinking. Many small farms in rural areas are being abandoned. This increases habitat for the bears, and brings the bears into closer contact with humans. The bears become habituated to humans and lose their fear of humans.

The increase in bear attacks is attributed to an increasing bear population. The bear population has increased for several reasons. Hunting of both species of bears was severely restricted since 1990. Before 1990, bears were treated as pests.

The population of licensed bear hunters dropped from 517,000 in 1975 to 218,500 in 2020.  Extremely strict firearms regulations have made it difficult to obtain a license to shoot a bear.  According to the Guardian,  in 1975, 98% of people in Japan with a license to hunt bears, had a license to shoot bears. In 2020, only 42% had a license to shoot bears. The other 58% are allowed to trap bears, but not to shoot them. In order to obtain a permit to have a rifle, a person must obtain a permit to have a shotgun. After ten years of shotgun possession with a spotless record, one can apply to obtain a rifle. Japanese hunters are limited to 50 rifle cartridges a year for all purposes.The shrinking number of bear hunters in Japan are aging. 60% of bear hunters in Japan are over the age of 60.

Japan has started to take measures to reduce the population of bears on the islands. The Japanese government is setting goals to reduce the bear population by about a third in the areas where there are the most problems. According to asianews.network, the  bear populations in Chubu are to be reduced to 63% of the present population, to 62% in the Tohoku prefectures, and 67% in the Kanto prefectures. The bear population in Hokkaido is projected to be reduced to 71% of current levels. The annual population growth of bears is estimated at 14.5%, with target harvest numbers of 20%.

This correspondent has not found a single case where a handgun was fired in defense against a bear in Japan. It is nearly impossible for an ordinary person to obtain a permit to own a handgun. Some police officers sometimes carry handguns. The officers with handguns are almost never where the problem bears are. This year, a police officer was attacked by a bear while searching for a missing person. The bear was killed by a licensed Japanese hunter about 10 minutes later.

When there are bear problems, the bears are usually trapped. Sometimes bears are shot, in highly restrictive circumstances. Often, the person shooting the bear needs to obtain permission to do so seconds or minutes before the bear is shot.

Problem bears in North America tend to be shot rather quickly, often by the intended victim. The lower 48 states of the United States have about 17% of the numbers of ursus arctos (brown bear/grizzly) which exist in Japan. In the lower 48 United States, 211 ursus arctos were killed in defense of human life from 2002 through 2023.  Those are bears killed in the act of being aggressive toward humans. In the United States, the ability to carry a handgun for self defense is a Constitutional right.

In Japan, during the same period, one or two ursus arctos (brown/grizzly bears) may have been killed while being aggressive toward humans. This is because only hunters are allowed to carry firearms, and only when they are hunting. A couple of Japanese hunters may have killed bears in Japan while the bears acted aggressively toward them. Carrying firearms for self defense in Japan is not allowed. Police are virtually never where the bear attacks occur. When a bear needs to be shot, local hunters or the military are called in. There is a reform movement to allow police to kill problem bears without asking permission of the local governments just before they shoot.

©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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TN: Memphis - Road Rage Gunfight, Victim Wounded, Aggressors Drive Away

When they arrived at the scene, officers said they found a man sitting in the front seat of a silver Jeep, suffering from a gunshot wound.

The man told them he had been shot in a road rage incident involving a white Ford Fusion. He said there were five people in the car, all of whom were armed with weapons.

The victim says they were driving southbound on South Mendenhall Road when a Ford Fusion approached the driver’s side of their Jeep and opened fire, police reported.

In an effort to defend himself, the man stated that he returned fire with his handgun.

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MS: Hattiesburg - Man Shoots, Wounds Assailant

A short time later, a person arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg. Police said the injury was not considered life-threatening.

Investigators also spoke with a man who remained at the scene and told officers he fired the shots after being assaulted during an altercation. The man cooperated with detectives throughout the investigation.

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AR: Jonesboro - Gunfight During Attempted Robbery, 1 Victim Killed

Jeremiah Northern, 23, was booked into the Craighead County Detention Center Tuesday on suspicion of first-degree murder.

Jonesboro police were dispatched to the 3500 block of Fairview Drive shortly after 7:30 p.m. Monday following a report of shots fired.

Police said Northern and another man were involved in a robbery in which gunfire was exchanged.

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America Turns 250 as the Second Amendment Movement Keeps Winning

 

 

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, gun owners should take a moment to remember how unlikely today’s victories once seemed. In 1976, when the nation marked its bicentennial, many Second Amendment supporters believed the right to keep and bear arms was slowly being written out of American life. The law schools were hostile. The courts were hostile. The media was hostile. Most politicians treated the Second Amendment as a historical inconvenience. The future looked grim.

We chose to keep fighting. Giving up was not an option. The Constitution was clear, and we intended to fight to keep the Republic, even if the chance of success seemed nil. 

A strange thing happened. The Second Amendment movement became the seed of the movement to restore the American Republic. This correspondent doubts it would have happened without the clear words of the Second Amendment. They created a rallying point, an anchor of certainty in the righteousness of our cause, a clear guide to who was with us and who was against us.  Voting against the Second Amendment showed a politician might say he valued the Constitution, but his actions showed him to do the opposite.  We educated ourselves. 

The NRA played a critical role. They slowed the advance of the administrative state. It appears they believed the fight was lost, but they were determined to fight long rearguard actions to delay the inevitable. They stopped the registration and licensing of handguns in the National Firearms Act of 1934. They stripped registration of handguns out of the Gun Control Act of 1968. In 1977, Second Amendment supporters took control of the NRA in the Revolt in Cincinnati, where NRA life members voted in Second Amendment supporters and outed the old guard.  The NRA would become powerful and rich with its rearguard actions in Washington, DC.  Second Amendment supporters wanted more. They wanted to win. 

From the perspective of July of 2026, what happened seems miraculous. Second Amendment supporters organized from the ground up. Powerful voices such as Neil Knox educated those on the ground. (Neil was kicked out of the NRA in 1982).  Newsletters and telephone trees were fashioned to educate on local politics. The NRA had a significant role in opposing anti-Second Amendment legislation.  The Second Amendment became an important item for politicians who wished to be elected. The Second Amendment Foundation was established. Gun Owners of America was established. Academics and intellectuals started writing about the Second Amendment from a historical instead of a Progressive perspective. In 1979, Don B. Kates, Jr. published "Restricting Handguns, The Liberal Skeptics Speak Out. In 1982, with Ronald Reagan in office, the Senate issued a Report on the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, confirming it as an individual right.  In 1987, the NRA and local Florida groups were able to pass a "shall issue" concealed carry bill. 

By 1989, Sanford Levinson felt compelled to write "The Embarrassing Second Amendment" in the Yale Law Journal.  The grass roots had made the Second Amendment so prominent in national politics, left wing academics were forced to mention it. In 1996, the Supreme Court struck down the Gun Free School Zone Act as exceeding the power of Congress under the Interstate Commerce Clause (USA v Lopez). Justice Clarence Thomas declared he would like to see a Second Amendment case before the Supreme Court. 

The Shall Issue revolt against Second Amendment infringements was well underway. Those who sought to restore the right incrementally were shown to have the more effective tactics. In 2008, the Supreme Court ruled the Second Amendment was an individual right which must be respected in the Heller decision. In 2010, the Supreme Court confirmed the Second Amendment applied to the states, not just the federal government, in the McDonald case.  

These things did not happen in a vacuum. The organizational ability of grass roots Second Amendment supporters was magnified by talk radio. It found a favorable medium in the early Internet. It became clear the problem was primarily one of an oppositional national Media more than who was elected to Congress, because the Media were the gatekeepers to Congress and the Presidency. In 2016 a loud mouthed New York billionaire upset the apple-cart by supporting the Second Amendment and being elected President. We had entered the Trump era. 

The old Media could not control the narrative. President Trump appointed three originalists and textualists to the Supreme Court. For the first time in 80 years, the Supreme Court had a reliable originalist and textualist majority. Last week, the Supreme Court removed more infringements on Second Amendment rights. They agreed to hear cases involving semi-automatic rifles. Those rifles will be ruled to be protected by the Second Amendment. The states which are defying the Supreme Court are having their fingers slapped. The requirements for courts on how to handle Second Amendment cases are being made more stringent and precise, all in favor of the Second Amendment. 29 states have permitless carry. 

All of the above appeared to be fantasy unobtainium in 1976. To get where we are today took billions of hours of work by millions of activists and Second Amendment supporters. It took billions of dollars of money. Much was wasted. Much had significant effects.

The Second Amendment can be read by anyone who can read English. It was, and is our lodestar. Along the way, we found we needed the whole Constitution to protect the Bill of Rights, and the Bill of Rights to protect the Constitution. We learned most politicians are more concerned with holding office than with protecting us. We learned to lobby and pressure and persist. 

More than half the country has learned with us. The Donald Trump administration is the most pro-Second Amendment administration in the history of the United States since before 1860.  To all Second Amendment supporters out there; these victories belong to you. The future belongs to you. We are winning. We are not finished. Keep fighting. Keep lobbying. Keep pushing. The future looks much brighter than it did in 1976.  

God bless America. God bless the Constitution. God bless the Second Amendment. 

©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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PA: Fayette County - Man fires at Home, Resident Returns Fire, no Injuries

Aubele said Vernon began following a man home after this incident.

When the victim got home, Vernon fired multiple shots into his house and nearly hit a woman who was showering inside, Aubele said. Neighboring homes were also endangered.

The victim returned fire in self-defense. Aubele said he will not be charged.

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NH: Peterborough - Knife and Gun Fight, Off Duty Officer Stabbed, Other Shot, Killed

Authorities responding to the scene found Jack Hutchings, 24, dead from gunshot wounds outside of his residence. An off-duty police officer was found at the same property with stab wounds, and was taken to the hospital, where he continues to receive medical treatment.

“The investigation is active and ongoing and includes whether the person who appeared to have shot Mr. Hutchings acted in self-defense,” the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office said Monday. “Additional information will be released as it becomes available while protecting the integrity of the investigation.”

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday on Hutchings. The name of the off-duty police officer has not yet been released.

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TX:Houston - Intruder Reported Shot while Breaking In

According to the Houston Police Department, officers responded to a shooting call at an apartment complex in the 11000 block of Harwin Drive at about 10 a.m. Investigators said that the resident reportedly shot a person who was breaking into the home.

Police said that one person was shot and rushed to the hospital, while another person was detained.

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VT: Pownal - More on Intruder Shot by Resident

Vermont State Police said they were notified by Pownal Rescue Squad that members were transporting a man with a gunshot wound to Southern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington.

The burglary victims, Ryan Cote, 41, and Joyce Colegrove, 42, were at the private residence when Gardner entered and engaged in a physical dispute with both people, Detective Sgt. Jesse Robson said.

He said during the dispute, Gardner received a minor wound on his leg from a small caliber firearm.

Robson said the firearm was used in self-defense against Gardner who entered the residence uninvited and engaged in a dispute.

 

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FL: Tampa - Man Claims Self Defense in Tampa Shooting

The shooter, identified only as a man, told police that the victim walked up to his car and opened the driver’s side door with a gun. The shooter drew his own weapon and fired, striking the man.

Police did not say if the two men knew each other or if there was any prior confrontation before the shooting.

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GA: Atlanta - Legally Armed Man Survives Gunfight, Assailant Wounded, Arrested

Preliminary information: On Friday, July 3, 2026, at approximately 11:20 a.m., Atlanta police responded to 859 Oak St. NW regarding a person shot call. Upon arrival, officers located a male suffering from two gunshot wounds. Officers quickly detained one male at the scene, while the other male, 38-year-old Brandon Harper, was transported to the hospital alert, conscious, and breathing.

During their preliminary investigation, officers determined there had been a verbal dispute between Harper and the detained male. Investigators determined Harper was the primary aggressor and had fired a firearm multiple times at the detained male. The detained male, who was uninjured, returned fire in self-defense, striking Harper twice.

Additionally, investigators determined Harper is a convicted felon and was wanted on multiple outstanding warrants. Harper was charged accordingly in connection with this incident and will be transported to the Fulton County Jail upon his discharge from the hospital. The other male will not face any charges.

Please keep in mind that the information released is preliminary in nature and could change as the investigation progresses or new information comes to light.

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TX: Houston - Argument leads to Physical Confrontation, Car v. Gun, Driver Killed

Investigators said the shooting happened outside a business known as the JV Ranch Ice House. Deputies interviewed witnesses who told them the victim had been involved in a verbal argument that escalated into a physical confrontation with another man.

Witnesses told detectives the victim then got into his vehicle and drove toward the other man. The other man fired one shot into the vehicle, striking the driver. The vehicle then crashed, and the driver was transported to the hospital, authorities said.

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AR: Centerville - Medic Shoots Combative Patient

At approximately 6 a.m., YCSO deputies and emergency medical services were called to a home in the 10000 block of Prairie Lane in Centerville. During the incident, a 29-year-old at the home reportedly became combative with paramedics. During the disturbance, a paramedic fired a weapon, striking the man.

He was transported to Dardanelle Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. No one else was seriously injured during the incident.

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FL: Nakomis - Man Intrudes, Assaults, is Shot, Dies

Murphy entered the gated apartment complex by scaling a perimeter fence, it states.

Video footage shows the resident unsuccessfully attempting to prevent Murphy from entering his residence, it states.

The video also shows Murphy assaulting the resident and repeatedly threatening to shoot him while keeping one hand behind his back in a manner that caused the resident to believe he was armed, in an attempt to force the resident to leave the apartment against his will, it states.

There had been prior conflicts between the two men, with the resident providing evidence of prior threats allegedly made by Murphy toward him, the release states.

During the confrontation, the resident retrieved a firearm from a bedroom. It was discharged during a physical struggle, striking Murphy, it states.

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AR: Hot Springs - Gunfight at Motel, Three Injured, Five Arrested

Suspect and witness accounts differed as to who started a gunfight at a local motel early Wednesday that resulted in three non-life threatening injuries and the arrest of five Hot Springs men, according to affidavits obtained Thursday.

Henry Master Love, 23, who was staying at the Kings Inn, 2101 Central Ave., where the shooting occurred, was charged with one count of terroristic act, punishable by up to life in prison, and two counts of first-degree battery, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Shawn James Sanello, 20, Monico Joseph Contreras, 18, and Dustin Gene Wayne Devore, 18, all of whom share the same Wood Street address, and Andrew Elisha DeWeber, 18, who lists a South Rogers Street address, were each charged with one count of first-degree battery and one count of terroristic act.

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AL: Huntsville - Armed Intruder Shot by Occupant

On Wednesday, July 1, around 3 a.m., HPD officers responded to a report of a shooting at a residence on Salem Drive. When officers arrived, they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

The preliminary investigation by HPD’s Violent Crimes Unit found that the injured man unlawfully entered the home while armed with a firearm. During the incident, he allegedly threatened the occupants inside the residence before one of them fired a weapon in self-defense.

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OH: Cincinnati - Fatal Shooting at Apartment Complex considered Self Defense

Police said the shooting happened after an assault, and they described it as a “justifiable homicide.”

“You’re allowed to use deadly force if you’re in fear of death or great bodily harm to yourself or another,” explained FOX19 NOW legal analyst Mike Allen.

The prosecutor’s office could pursue charges down the road if new evidence should come to light, Cincinnati police added.

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FL: North Lauderdale - Argument over Parking Spot, Woman Shoots Man

A 62-year-old man has died after being shot by a woman following an argument over a Walmart parking space in North Lauderdale, Fla.

The fatal scene, which happened around 12:28 p.m. local time on Tuesday, June 30, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, was captured on cell phone video by others in the parking lot. The footage, shared via WPLG Local 10 and NBC 6, showed the woman holding up the gun while the two appeared to be in a heated argument. 

At one point, Bart Diguglielmo, 62, took a step toward the woman and she fired into his stomach, before he was seen falling to the ground. The woman then waited for police to arrive. 

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PA: Domestic Defense, Woman Wounds Man with "Warning Shot"

A woman told police that Diante Sherrill, 42, of New Brighton, assaulted her while they were both in a car, then refused to leave her home, and that's when she fired a shot, according to the criminal complaint.

"(The woman) stated that she was fearful and fired one shot that she described as a 'warning shot.' (The woman) stated that Sherrill sustained a gunshot wound, she rendered aid and called 911," police said in the complaint.

The complaint shows that Sherrill is charged with simple assault.

 

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TX: Fort Worth - Domestic Defense by Armed Samaritan? Neighbor Shoots Man

After speaking with witnesses, officers learned that the man was involved in a verbal and physical argument with a woman and dragged her down the street while being armed with a machete.

Witnesses told police that the woman was screaming for help, and one neighbor came outside to tell the man to stop.

Police said the man who witnesses said was dragging the woman then approached that neighbor while he was still armed with the machete, and the neighbor shot him at least once.

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Tennessee Fights to Revive “Going Armed” Law After Court Rules It Unconstitutional

 

 Video link

On June 23, 2026, oral arguments were heard in the Tennessee Court of Appeals Western Section, before a three judge panel, on the Tennessee case of Stephen L. Hughes Et Al. v. Bill Lee Et Al. The case is a challenge to two parts of Tennessee statutes which infringe on rights protected by the Second Amendment.  The first is the Tennessee Going Armed Statute, Tenn. Code Ann.§ 39�J7-l307(a),38. The statute makes it illegal for anyone, anywhere in the state to carry a firearm or club with the intent to go armed. The second is the Parks Statute, Tenn. Code Ann.§ 39-17-131 J(a), which prohibits carry in large areas of public land. The laws are leftovers from the Reconstruction era, when they were designed to keep freed slaves and other disfavored groups disarmed.  Here is a link to a copy of the order of the three judge panel.

The case was filed as a civil lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the two statutes. The case was referred from the Chancery Court in Gibson County. Chancery Courts in Tennessee are equity courts. They do not hear criminal cases. The Gibson County Court referred the case to the Tennessee Supreme Court, which created a three judge panel Chancery Court, as required by Tennessee law, specifically to hear civil cases challenging the constitutionality of Tennessee statutes.

The Supreme Court created the three judge panel to hear the case in accordance with Rule 54, as meeting the requirements of a civil challenge that:

(1) challenges the constitutionality of a state statute, including a statute that apportions or redistricts state legislative or congressional districts; or an executive order; or an administrative rule or regulation; and

(2) includes a claim for declaratory judgment or injunctive relief;

The three judge Chancery Court, created by the Supreme Court, held for the plaintiffs the challenged statutes were facially invalid. They infringed on rights protected by the Second Amendment. From the last page of the opinion:

 "For the foregoing reasons, Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED, and Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED. As a result, the Going Armed Statute, Tenn. Code Ann.§ 39�J7-l307(a),38 and the Parks Statute, Tenn. Code Ann.§ 39-17-131 J(a), are hereby DECLARED unconstitutional, void, and of no effect.

The State of Tennessee appealed the decision. It is the oral arguments of the appeal which were heard on June 23, 2026. Judge Andy D. Bennet asked most of the questions.

Mr. Edwin A. Groves, Jr. submitted oral arguments for the state. The major argument appeared to be a claim the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction in the case. The claim was Chancery Courts cannot hear criminal cases. But, the case is a civil challenge to the validity of a criminal statute, no a criminal case. The Supreme Court appointed the panel.  Judge Bennet appeared skeptical of the idea the Supreme Court would appoint a court without jurisdiction in the case.

Mr. Groves also claimed the Appelees could not win a facial challenge, because the laws could apply to "dangerous and unusual weapons" and/or that the intent to go armed could mean the same as going armed to the terror of the public.

Judge Bennet asked if the case is about the Second Amendment, because the Tennessee Constitution cannot have less protection than the Second Amendment. This clarified the merits of the case were about infringements on the Second Amendment.

John I. Harris, II. gave the oral arguments for the appellees. He first decreed this was a civil case, not a criminal case, and the three judge Chancery court had jurisdiction. Then he made clear the statutes in question infringed on Second Amendment rights.  He cited law to the effect states may not use procedural mechanisms to defeat a right the federal courts would uphold.

Harris also stated the Supreme Court in Heller, Bruen, and Rahimi held the fringe issues of "Dangerous and unusual weapons" or "going armed to the terror" of the public did not invalidate the facial challenge, because they did not invalidate the challenge in the Supreme Court decisions Heller, Bruen, or Rahimi.

Analysis: It is difficult to understand why the State of Tennessee is challenging the three judge Chancery court on this issue. The Tennessee statutes clearly infringe on Second Amendment rights. The State is primarily arguing procedural issues. It is difficult to see how this benefits Governor Lee or the State of Tennessee.

©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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AK: Fairbanks - Homeowner and Burglars Exchange Gunfire

At around 5 a.m. on Sunday, Alaska State Troopers responded to Old Steese Highway after receiving a report of a burglary with shots fired.

According to investigators, two individuals were allegedly stealing copper, fuel, and other items when the homeowner arrived on the scene.

Troopers say the suspects fired shots at the homeowner, who then returned fire.

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AZ: Phoenix - Drive by Gunfight in Parking Lot, Man Wounded

When officers arrived, they found a man who had been shot by someone in a white sedan as he was driving through the parking lot, Phoenix PD said.

Police said the victim was armed and returned gunfire, striking the suspect’s sedan. The suspect then fled the area.

First responders took the man to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said.

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