Do gun owners really want to stop attacks?: "On July 14, 2006, I did a column on the Richard Celata raid conducted by the FBI, Canadian BATF and the U.S. BATFE .... At the end of that column, I once again urged all gun owners to get the Dr. Edwin Vieira CD and begin the process of educating their state legislators as to the true meaning of the Second Amendment and the absolute necessity of reconstituting the organized militias of the Several States. If this critical mission were successful, there would be no more Angel Shamayas or Richard Celatas. ... Here's the latest on Richard's situation and I wonder if gun owners who only want someone else to fight for their Second Amendment rights even give a damn: Due to the stress of the raid and all the legal burdens, this past week Richard's wife miscarried and their baby died. They named her Grace Evangeline. There are no words to describe how I felt when I read Richard's mail letting me know how heart broken they were. After the feeling of utter sorrow, then came the rage. This increasingly draconian government is running amok because the feminized men of this country protect it with their fear, laziness or territorial imperatives for fund raising or membership drives."


Now is the time to kill the McCarthy gun grab: "Gun Owners of America has alerted you on a couple of occasions to a massive gun control bill that is currently working its way through Congress. H.R. 1415, introduced by New York anti-gun liberal Carolyn McCarthy (D), authorizes nearly $1 billion to the states to vastly expand upon the unconstitutional gun laws already on the books. (McCarthy, whose husband was killed by a lunatic who attacked dozens of unarmed commuters on a Long Island train, ran for Congress on a campaign to ban guns.) McCarthy and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) first introduced this bill in 2002 after a tragic shooting at a Long Island Catholic church. ... What is surprising, however, is how close this bill is to becoming law under congressional leadership that claims to be pro-gun."

First guns, then swords, then .....? "Swords will be banned from sale in Scotland in a new effort to tackle the country's "booze and blades" culture. Cathy Jamieson, the justice minister, will announce the move today. However, it is understood that exceptions will be made for weapons required for religious, cultural or sporting purposes. Retailers yesterday claimed the move was an over-reaction, as swords constitute just 1 per cent of knife crime. Ms Jamieson, who has the backing of the police, will also launch a range of measures to restrict the sale of non-domestic knives, including hunting knives, bowie knives and machetes. Almost 30 people are admitted to hospitals in Scotland every week with wounds from bladed instruments. Earlier this month, a Glasgow man was jailed for killing a woman with a sword. In a recent amnesty, more than 12,500 lethal blades, machetes and swords were handed over to police.... Gordon Nicolson, of Nicolson Highlandwear, expressed concern for the future of Scotland's sword manufacturers, who sell the items to collectors around the world. "It is part of our history and part of our culture and we have to be able to use it," he said. "In certain circumstances, it is required to give authenticity to our heritage and to throw that away in a blanket ban seems nonsensical." ... Campaigners argue that a ban is an unwarranted infringement of the rights of swordspersons, including collectors, martial artists, sports fencers, Highland dancers and historical re-enactors."



Australian gun bans at work -- gun crime doubles: "Crime across the state is either stable or declining, according to the latest crime statistics, but there remain significant pockets of problems. In the 17 categories measured by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, none registered a significant increased over the last two years, while three dropped: break and enter, car theft and stealing from a dwelling... There are still some problems. In inner Sydney, robberies with a firearm increased by 111 per cent over the last two years, robberies without a firearm went up 44 per cent in Canterbury-Bankstown, shoplifting in the Eastern Suburbs went up by 26 per cent, and fraud went up by a quarter in Blacktown."

Realistic females in Colorado: "Stop! I have a gun. Leave my house," shouted the 11-year-old girl. And with the words barely out of her mouth, Noel Smith opened fire. Any intruder would be dead on his back, but this was just practice. Noel, along with seven other women, was practicing her marksmanship at a session of Girls and Their Guns, a summer-long program that teaches women how to shoot and about gun safety. On the crisp Saturday morning at the Minturn firing range, shots echoed across the valley leaving the smell of gunpowder lingering in the air. Noel cocked her head, squinted her eyes, placed one leg in front of the other and squeezed the trigger. Five women lined up next to her in variations of the same stance. "I've always wanted to know what guns were like and how they were used," said Noel, who's been shooting for nearly two years and learned of the program from her karate teacher, Mathew Bayley, who teaches the gun class. "When I heard he was doing this, I really wanted to try it. ... I've been stuck to it ever since."


CA: Sheriff's deputies cleared in tasing death: "The Monterey County District Attorney's Office has completed its review of the death of Jaime Coronel, 27, from an officer-involved tasing in Castroville on Jan. 24. The office concluded that none of the deputies involved committed a crime, acting reasonably in self-defense and in defense of others. The office also determined that deputies used only the amount of force reasonably necessary to arrest or detain Coronel, to prevent his escape or to overcome resistance. The report details about 35 minutes of deputies' efforts to safely subdue Coronel atop a rooftop in Castroville the night of Jan. 24. A coroner's report determined Coronel died of acute methamphetamine and cocaine intoxication, with contributing conditions of Taser application and struggle with police. The coroner ruled the death "of accidental causes and origin."


Mad Iowa woman gets let off lightly: "Rachel Huggins,18, says she shot the man who sexually abused her. Monday she admitted to buying a shotgun, driving to Peter Sciarrotta's house, and shooting him the chest. Huggins faced up 75 years jail time for the shooting. But she will likely serve only a few. Monday, under a plea bargain, Huggins received two 5-year sentences that will run consecutively at the correctional facility near Oakdale. The sentence carries no maximum minimum, meaning she could be paroled at any time. Huggins told the court that she was a victim herself. In 2004, she accused sciarrotta of sexually abusing her. On the day of the shooting, Huggins was not taking her medication for her bipolar disorder. But she told the judge she knows what she did was wrong. Sciarrotta was investigated but never charged with sexual abuse. He was not at Monday's sentencing. A family member told Channel 13, that Sciarotta has recovered from the shooting and just returned to work at the Newton Correctional facility last week".

South Africa: Man shoots, kills burglar: "A home owner shot dead a burglar in his house at Sundra near Delmas, Mpumalanga police said on Tuesday. Inspector Thabiso Ncongwane said two men broke into Nicholas Botha's house on Monday morning. Botha was woken up by noise and found the pair trying to steal from him. "Botha, 38 , fired two shots with his 3.57 rifle and (hit) one of the suspects in his chest." The man died at the scene. Ncongwane said the other suspect managed to escape but that fingerprints left at the scene would help police to find him. "Botha was not arrested as it was self-defence, but the prosecutor will make the final decision on the matter," he said."


OH: Rape victim gets practical: "Twenty-three years ago three men broke into Cathy Lindsey's Middletown home, tied her up and raped her. Now she's steeling her nerves and preparing herself for two of those men to be released from prison. She still has nightmares and rarely leaves her house alone. Lindsey says she's ready but also scared for her safety because one of the men, Richard Reed, Jr., plans to return to her community after he's released Monday. Some counselors recommend joining support groups and filing restraining orders. Lindsey filed the orders and is preparing to take things into her own hands if need be. She's learning self defense and her husband has taught her how to shoot".

Gun Control: Rebuttal to James Alan Fox : "Guns are not the root cause of our violent society. In fact, the U.S. non-gun homicide rate (3.6 non-gun homicides per 100,000 residents) is double the overall homicide rate in virtually all our kindred nations, including Great Britain, Canada and Australia.' He notes that 'firearms do make violent attacks far more lethal.' And this is also true: Firearms make self-defense more lethal and more costly to the predator. A previous paper noted the accelerated drop in the rate of rape in right-to-carry states 1995-2004. Further corroboration comes from the fact that while the U.S. rate of rape dropped 13% between 1995 and 2004, two countries saw just the opposite trend since enacting their gun bans."


CT: Mayor withdraws gun ordinance: "Montville Mayor Joseph Jaskiewicz is withdrawing a proposed ordinance regulating target shooting. About 175 people attended a town council meeting last week in opposition to Jaskiewicz's proposal, which has gained the attention of the National Rifle Association. Jaskiewicz proposed the ordinance after it was discovered the state regulates hunting, but not target shooting. It also came shortly after John Dufrat, chief warden of the Milo Light Nature Preserve, became concerned about a neighbor's increased shooting near the preserve. In withdrawing the ordinance, Jaskiewicz said 'this ordinance was drafted with the intent of assuring the public's safety with respect to target shooting, certainly never to take anyone's rights away.'"

GA: Self-defense law may aid accused shooter: "A former Gainesville businessman could fend off aggravated assault charges with the help of a self-defense bill signed into law earlier this year, the man's attorney said. Troy Millikan, who represents 47-year-old Anderson Bobo Briscoe, said his client's actions on Mother's Day 2005 are now protected by a statute known as the 'Stand Your Ground' bill, which was signed into law in April. Hall County authorities arrested Briscoe on May 8, 2005, after they say he shot Raymond F. Richardson, 65, of Gainesville following a domestic dispute on River Road Circle. Richardson was shot twice in the chest with a 9 mm, but survived. Briscoe later turned himself in and was charged with aggravated assault and possession of a gun during the commission of a felony. Briscoe, former owner of Briscoe's Boot Country, was indicted late last year before Gov. Sonny Perdue signed the 'Stand Your Ground' bill. But Millikan, who has filed a motion in Superior Court, said he will argue that Briscoe is 'immune' from prosecution because of the statute."


Self defense a matter of dignity: "Why shouldn't criminals live in fear instead of the good guys? Many cities in the Bay Area have astronomical murder rates. Why should a law-abiding citizen have to be unprotected? Why should I have to wear a Timex instead of a Rolex because the county sheriff or the state will not allow citizens the dignity of self protection?"

Sneak attack on gun owners: "They're at it again. Gun-control advocates and their friends in state government are once again trying to nibble away at your right to own firearms. But you've got to hand it to them, as they're quite crafty. This latest proposal, which is merely a retread of Gov. Ed Rendell's 2002 campaign proposal to restrict firearm ownership, would limit handgun purchases to one per month. It all sounds relatively mild. After all, who would want to purchase more than one handgun per month?"


OH: Property owner charged in teen's shooting: "A man who told police he was annoyed by trespassers at his house considered spooky by local teens was charged Wednesday with shooting and critically wounding a teenager whom authorities say might have been looking for a scare. The 17-year-old girl and her friends got out of their parked car about 10 p.m. Tuesday near the home by Walnut Grove Cemetery and heard what they thought were firecrackers, Worthington Police Chief Mike Mauger said. They got back in the car, went around the block and heard more of what turned out to be gunshots, Mauger said. Allen S. Davis, 40, was charged with five counts of felonious assault. 'He admitted to never calling the police (about trespassers), but it just had been occurring and he got frustrated and he was upset saying someone trespassed on his property and he was protecting his property,' police Lt. Doug Francis said."

FL: Intruder shooting justified: "Law enforcement officers and attorneys say the local woman who fatally shot an intruder at her Navy Point home would have been protected by state law even before the 'Stand Your Ground' law. Rhonda Eubanks, 57, a Baptist Hospital nurse, was alone Sunday night at her home on Gilliland Road when she shot Vincent Demond Wesley, 29, of Pensacola, in the head with a .38-caliber handgun, Escambia County Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Ward said Tuesday.It was the second time Wesley charged toward Eubanks."


One life Britain's gun bans did not save: "A boy of 12 has died after being shot in the eye with an air rifle while playing in a bedroom with his two best friends. Mitchel Picken, who excelled at several sports, was injured at lunchtime last Thursday and died in hospital two days later. His two friends, both aged 12, were arrested and held in custody for six hours. They were released on bail pending further inquiries. They were said to be utterly distraught. The dead boy’s parents said last night that they could not begin to describe their grief. It is thought that the three boys were “messing around” in a bedroom at one of their homes in Stoke-on-Trent, when the shot was fired. No adults were at home at the time." [Ban everything!]

OH: Charges dropped after officer shot by relative: "Charges were dropped Wednesday against a New Franklin man who fatally shot his brother-in-law, an off-duty Akron police officer, during an argument. A Summit County grand jury declined to indict Jacob Carlson, 32, who was charged with murder after shooting Michael Beitko, of Akron, on July 26. Carlson claimed self-defense. Beitko and his wife, Suzanne, were visiting Carlson and his family at Carlson's New Franklin home when Beitko began arguing with his wife, officials said. Carlson's wife, Jenny -- Beitko's sister -- called police at 9:29 p.m., saying her brother was drunk and fighting with his wife. Beitko's four children were present, too. The fight escalated and Carlson, wearing a neck brace because of a swimming injury, shot Beitko."


OH: Anti-gunners' CCW predictions were lies: "Thanks to a remark by Robert Cornwell, executive director of the Buckeye State Sheriff's Association, it is now clear that the gloom-and-doom predictions about licensed concealed carry in Ohio were all lies, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) said today. Cornwell was quoted by the Associated Press noting, 'Those with the concealed carry licenses have been good, law-abiding citizens. The worst-case scenarios that were put out there about the gunfight at the OK Corral didn't come to fruition.'"

MS: Clerk shoots robber: "A man was shot Monday night while attempting to rob a liquor store on Bailey Avenue in Jackson, police Cmdr. Lee Vance said.About 9:20 p.m., a woman working at the store reported to police that a man wearing a handkerchief over his face tried to rob B's Package Store at 1804 Bailey Ave., Vance said. She said that she fired two shots, hitting the man at least one time in the stomach area."


SC: Homeowner shoots, kills intruder: "An apparent home invasion ended in gunfire, and one of the accused burglars shot dead. The Richland County Sheriff's Department says two men forced their way into a home on Ferrell Rd., off Two Notch Road near Fontaine, and began shooting. The homeowner returned fire, shooting and killing one of the suspects. The other suspect fled."


National carry must be signed: "It's time for Congress to do the right thing and take action on the right to carry for those who have concealed carry licenses. Last year, Congress passed a law, and it was signed by President Bush, to allow police officer and retired police officers to carry all over the United States. Now they need to do this for holders of concealed carry permits. Right now, if you are issued a license to drive a car in one state. it is good in another state. The concealed carry permit should be the same."

FL: Woman fatally shoots intruder: "A scared woman -- Pam Hagan: 'Very upset. My sister is not able to come out of the house. She's traumatized by Saturday night's shooting.' Hagan's sister, a woman in her 50's, fatally shot 29 year old Vincent Wesley, after Escambia County Sheriff's deputies say Wesley tried to enter her Pensacola home twice that night. According to reports, Wesley climbed the woman's fence, approached the house, and began shaking her door. When she showed him a gun, he ran off, but he wasn't done. According to deputies, Wesley then ran out to the street, tried to carjack someone, and came back to the woman's home when the carjacking was unsuccessful. Hagan: 'At that time, my sister is trying to close the door. When she came out to close the door, her house door closed and locked behind her and there she was, face to face, with a man coming at her. He never said a word to her. She fired once. It didn't stop him. She fired a second time and he went down."


TN: Assailant shot dead by victim: "A Rocky Mount man was shot and killed this weekend after allegedly attacking a Whitakers man in his own house, and authorities on Monday cleared the shooter of any wrongdoing. Authorities said Leroy Thorpe acted in self-defense when he shot 27-year-old Tavaras T. Pittman of Western Avenue once in the chest with a shotgun. Two other Whitakers men were charged with beating Thorpe and another man with a baseball bat before the 59-year-old Thorpe fired the fatal shot at the trio, Nash County Sheriff Dick Jenkins said."


UK: What you do when gun bans don't help: "A crackdown on the sale of swords has been launched as part of a campaign to tackle knife crime and violence. Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson announced laws to ban swords unless sold for legitimate reasons. Shops selling swords will need a licence, as will businesses dealing with non-domestic knives and other bladed weapons such as machetes. The measures are the latest steps from the Scottish Executive to curb the problem of knife crime."

CA: Would-Be Robber Critically Injured: "An attempted robbery of a Sherman Oaks pharmacy went awry Friday, after a store employee shot the suspect several times, police said. The robbery attempt was made at Maxsons United Drugs, 14070 Ventura Blvd., at 5:25 p.m., Los Angeles police Officer Jason Lee said. The robber was was shot several times in the chest by the store's owner, Lee said. It's not immediately clear whether the robber was shot with his own gun or a different weapon. "It's not clear how the employee got hold of the handgun, but he fired several rounds, striking the suspect in the chest," Lee said. "The suspect ran out and got into a waiting getaway car -- a black VW Golf -- and a few minutes later was dropped off at a hospital." The suspect is in critical condition, and its not known if he will survive his wounds. The second suspect, who drove the getaway car, turned himself into the LAPD's West Valley Station at 11:10 p.m., Sgt. Don Muniz said. "The suspect that... attempted this robbery tonight is in very critical condition," LAPD Deputy Chief Michel Moore said. "Whether he'll survive these injuries is not yet known. The would-be robber was wearing body armor, Lee said. "It's very concerning because they're anticipating being shot... and acting in the face of that"


New Orleans: Judge says RKBA suit can proceed: "The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) today won a key battle in an on-going lawsuit against the City of New Orleans, when a federal judge rejected the city's motion to dismiss the case. SAF took New Orleans to court last year to stop illegal confiscation of firearms from private citizens in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Defendants in the case are the city, Mayor Ray Nagin and Police Superintendent Warren Riley. SAF was joined in the historic lawsuit by the National Rifle Association."

TX: Bar Owner Shoots, Kills Would-Be Robber: "A bar owner fatally wounded a would-be robber who was armed with a BB gun early Friday. Bexar County sheriff's deputies said that a 21-year-old man walked into the Old Soldiers Club in the 6200 block of Binz-Englemen Road told at 1 a.m. armed with what appeared to look like a .45 caliber handgun. The weapon, though, actually turned out to be a BB gun. When the man tried to rob the bar, the bar owner fired a single gunshot wound to the man's chest, killing him at the scene, deputies said. The man has not been identified. The bar owner is not expected to face charges since his actions were considered to be self-defense"


Would-Be Robber with Screwdriver Trumped by Customer with Gun: "Indianapolis police say a man who attempted to rob a fast-food restaurant while armed with a screwdriver was foiled by a customer with a gun. Forty-year-old William McMiller Junior is being held on an initial charge of robbery at the Marion County Jail. Police say he threatened to shoot a cashier at a Kentucky Fried Chicken on the city's west side Thursday afternoon. But when McMiller began to climb over the counter, a customer approached him and pulled out a Taurus nine-millimeter handgun. The customer, Paul Sherlock, held McMiller until police arrived. They found that McMiller was armed only with a long screwdriver. Police say Sherlock has a valid gun permit."

CT: Montville split over gun law: "A battle is brewing about the mayor's proposed ordinance aimed at regulating target shooting. Proponents say they are concerned about residents' safety. Some of the ordinance's opponents say it prohibits all shooting in town and takes away their self-defense rights. The Town Council is expected to decide Monday night whether to move the proposed ordinance, which has gained the attention of the National Rifle Association, forward to a public hearing. The ordinance was proposed after it was discovered the state regulates hunting, but not target shooting."


Control-Freak News: "It's been a busy week for the Control Freaks, and if history is any indicator, it will get very much worse before it gets better! My own comments -- if any, are in italics preceding each of the stories. Gun Control Items: So far as I am concerned, anyone who says that the right to self-defence doesn't exist, should be refused any and all manner of assistance when in dire straights [sic]. If one doesn't belief in self-preservation (self-defence is the first nature), then any assistance at all would be a violation of that person's right to die, however miserably -- regardless of whatever remonstration otherwise."

Philippines: Crime spurs push for gun ownership: "Philippine lawyer Johnmuel Mendoza vividly recalls the day his gun saved his life. He was sitting in his pick-up truck in a Manila suburb when a deranged man appeared out of nowhere and started attacking his car with a metal pipe. 'As he was about to smash my windshield I took out my gun and told him to stop,' Mendoza recalls. At the sight of the gun the man came to his senses, dropped the pipe and fled. Today, Mendoza uses the lessons of that incident as president of PROGUN, perhaps the only organization in Asia fighting for the right of private citizens to own guns."


NY: Man jailed for self-defense: "When Matthew L. McDonald tried to rob Stuart D. Miles at gunpoint, Miles responded by shooting and killing McDonald with a .38-caliber revolver. Now Miles is in trouble for illegally possessing the gun he used in self-defense. Miles, 25, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to second- and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the May 1 slaying of McDonald, 18, on Jefferson Avenue.If convicted, Miles could be imprisoned up to 15 years. Monroe County Court Judge Patricia D. Marks ordered him held without bail in County Jail."

OR: Wife won't be tried in husband's death: "A 50-year-old Milwaukie woman who said she killed her husband during an argument over a child he'd fathered with another woman will not be prosecuted. A spokesman for the Clackamas County district attorney's office said Wednesday that after a seven-month investigation by police and prosecutors his office believes Rose Perez killed Juan Gabriel Perez Solis, 36, in self-defense as he was beating her with a stick. ... Authorities learned Juan Perez was dead after a hysterical Rose Perez ran to a neighbor's house about 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 to say she'd shot her husband with a rifle .... Juan Perez wasfound dead from a bullet wound to the chest in the couple's kitchen. He was holding a wooden dowel or stick in his hand, and Rose Perez's hair was intertwined in his fingers as though he'd pulled it from her head, Horner said.Rose Perez told investigators that she and her husband had been arguing because he told her he was going to move out of their home and into the home of their daughter-in-law, who was pregnant with Juan Perez's child. Horner said the couple's argument was considered as a possible motive for murder, but investigators also saw that Rose Perez had been badly beaten."


Guns and children: "Jane E. Brody's column claiming that people should store their guns locked and unloaded is dangerous advice and will lead to more deaths ('Is Your Child a Split Second from Disaster?'). Her discussion focuses on accidental gun deaths in the home, but 85 percent of the fatality number she misleadingly points to involve homicides. Surely a concern, but locking up guns in law-abiding homes is unrelated to stopping drug gangs from murdering one another. Despite her claim, adult males with criminal records and histories of alcoholism or drugs are the ones firing the guns that accidentally kill most young children. Gun locks won't stop adult criminals from firing their own guns, but they will prevent law-abiding citizens from defending themselves."

CALIFORNIA ENDORSES REVOLVERS

And old semiautomatics

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Police Chief William J. Bratton added their support Wednesday to a bill requiring gun manufacturers to build handguns that would stamp bullet casings with serial numbers — an innovation intended to speed investigations by making it easier to link bullets to the weapons that fired them. The bill, introduced by Assemblyman Paul Koretz (D-West Hollywood), would only affect the manufacture of new semiautomatic handguns, but Bratton and others said it would aid officers in investigating gun violence. Speaking to reporters at a City Hall news conference, Villaraigosa added his "support for this strong public safety measure."

Proponents say the etching technology would imprint each gun's serial number on bullet casings when the firing pin of the weapon struck the cartridge. They argue that such microscopic imprinting could not be easily tampered with because other identifying marks would reveal what gun fired the bullet. By cross-checking bullet casings with existing state databases on gun purchases, authorities say they could quickly figure out what gun had fired the bullets recovered from a crime scene.

Opponents complain that the bill would do little to deter criminals, and even Bratton acknowledged that only a small percentage of Los Angeles gun crime is caused by criminals using properly registered weapons.

Holding up a bullet before the mayoral press corps, Bratton said the technology nevertheless could help investigators quickly determine who owned a gun and where it was sold, among other things. "This is common sense," Bratton said. "Can we not start to have some common sense on this issue?"

In addition to skepticism about the bill's impact, some critics charge that the etching on the firing pins of guns would quickly degrade, rendering the technology ineffective. Moreover, some maintain that the markings could be inadvertently erased by gun owners cleaning and caring for their weapons. "If you fix your gun, you face a felony," according to the National Rifle Assn.'s Members' Council position paper opposing the bill.

Koretz complained that opponents have distorted the bill and "mounted a massive campaign to defeat it." As introduced, the legislation (AB 352) would affect only new semiautomatic handguns. Asked why it did not cover other handguns, neither Villaraigosa nor Koretz could answer, and Bratton said he had asked the same question. A staff member interjected that authors had elected to focus on semiautomatics because they eject shells while revolvers do not. As a result, shootings with semiautomatics more often result in shells left behind for police to investigate.

Source






WA: Shot suspect may face charges: ""Longview police have requested that Kelly Charles Foster Smith, who is recovering from a gunshot wound, receive a court summons on a charge of second-degree burglary once he is released from the hospital. Smith, 44, of Castle Rock, was shot near the left shoulder and the bullet exited through the front of the sternum, police said .... Police said that property owner Frank Perry Amadon, 61, called 911 early Monday morning to report he shot a suspected burglar in his warehouse in the 1300 block of Beech Street. Amadon lives in the building, police said. Police said they found Smith yelling and moaning, lying in a pool of blood at the base of a large metal sheet. Police noted an opening had been made in the wall. Wire was placed near the opening and stacked outside the opening, and die grinders and other equipment were nearby, police said."

TX: Suspect wounded in robbery attempt: "A man trying to rob a store was shot and wounded by the store clerk in southeast Dallas on Monday night, police said. The shooting took place about 9 p.m. at Mr. C's Food Mart in the 3700 block of Simpson Stuart Road. A man walked into the store, grabbed a box of candy bars and demanded money, police said. The clerk pulled a gun and chased him out of the store, firing and hitting him. The man collapsed on the sidewalk across the street."


The sanity of self-defense: "I have been called numerous things in the many years I have spent embroiled in various causes; but, until a couple of years ago I had never been called a gun wacko. Oddly enough I was labeled as such because of something I wrote that advocated individuals taking responsibility for their own defense. Because I encourage people to educate themselves in the area of self-defense, to avoid finding themselves at the mercy of criminals and over-zealous bureaucrats, I was labeled a gun nut. So, that is how it is these days? If you encourage people to defend themselves, you are some sort of mentally-challenged individual best suited for a private, padded room? My how times have changed."

KY: Pistol scares off gunmen: "Kentucky State Police want to find two men who tried to force their way into an Allen County home early Tuesday morning. The alleged home invasion happened around 3 a.m. at Gordon Absher's house at 3440 Old Bowling Green Road in Scottsville. Absher says someone rang the doorbell, and when he looked outside he saw two men with their faces covered holding shotguns. Absher opened his door, pointed a pistol at one of the suspects and then grabbed the suspect's gun. Absher says the two men ran down the driveway to their truck, leaving the shotgun and other evidence behind. Police are looking for two white men in their early 20s, traveling in a small dark-colored pickup truck." [Wow! For once they were able to mention the race of the offenders!]


Detroit: Gun "buy back" may help killers: "A gun 'buy back' staged this week by the Detroit, Mich. Police was so successful that it ran out of money, and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) is concerned that it may have allowed some criminals to successfully get rid of their murder weapons. 'All of the guns taken in by this project will be melted down, no questions asked,' noted CCRKBA Chairman Alan M. Gottlieb. 'That's just swell. Detroit homicides are up 17 percent so far this year, and this program just might be letting some killer destroy the evidence that could put him or her behind bars. Brilliant, just brilliant!'"

Woulda, coulda' easy after the fact: "We've become painfully aware lately of just how fragile life is, and how quickly an existence can change. Shreveport has experienced some sad moments as lives have been lost and families changed when things go wrong. ... In another instance, an elderly businessman defended himself against a young man who had broken into the business under the cover of darkness. ... District Attorney Paul Carmouche decided not to pursue charges, declaring it a justifiable homicide. But that wasn't the end of it. ... LSU-Shreveport criminal justice professor Bernadette Palombo basically said the DA called it wrong and the elderly man should face charges. ... Let me get this straight. A 74-year-old should have wrestled down a 19-year-old?"



KS: Concealed carry law makes gun sales soar: "Kansans are lining up to buy guns and learn how to shoot them. 'Usually summers in the gun business are deader than a doornail, but we're having a record year,' said Jeff Howlett, owner of Kansas Firearms Specialties in Tonganoxie. Much of the increased interest in guns is because people are arming themselves to take advantage of the new Kansas concealed carry gun law, Howlett said. 'We're selling a lot of pistols,' he said."