OH: Murder charges dropped in bar shootout: "Franklin county prosecutors have dismissed murder charges against two defendants in the death of a man during a shootout Nov. 6 in a Near East Side bar. In exchange for the dismissals, Cortez L. Montgomery and Dwayne A. Stewart, both 26, pleaded guilty to weapons charges related to the encounter with Marcus L. Davis, 31, who was shot several times at the D#1 Happy Family Bar. After the men were indicted, police obtained surveillance video that showed Davis pointing a handgun at one of the defendants before Montgomery or Stewart displayed handguns, Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said."


CA: Court's gun rights decision may help woman who used illegal gun in self defense: "A gun control ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week has triggered a sentencing controversy in a high-profile Colusa County murder case. Sentencing for the frequently delayed case of Cathy I. Mendoza, who was acquitted of murder in April but found guilty of using an illegal sawed-off shotgun, was postponed again Wednesday. Mendoza’s attorney, Albert Smith, raised the issue of whether or not the ban on sawed-off shotguns is constitutional based on the Supreme Court decision, authorities said. On Aug. 30, Mendoza, 31, shot and killed Jose V. Saavedra, who, along with two other men, were reportedly climbing over the fence where Mendoza was living at the time. Saavedra and others had been involved in a bar fight with Mendoza’s then-boyfriend less than an hour before the shooting. Mendoza testified during the April trial that she believed she was about to be attacked when she fired the weapon"


IL: Daley trots out new victim disarmament measures after SCOTUS ruling: "The mayor of Chicago struck back Thursday at a Supreme Court ruling severely limiting gun control measures with a tough new ordinance that prohibits people from taking handguns outside their homes. Mayor Richard Daley noted that previous court rulings applied only to a citizen’s right to keep a gun in their home for self-defense and found that some restrictions were constitutional.”


Owning and carrying guns — a right that is still right for today: "This morning a panelist on a Fox news discussion said ‘Just because some old men in knickers 200 years ago said we could bear arms doesn’t mean it’s right for today.’ And just because someone a few hundred years ago said gravity causes things to fall to the ground doesn’t mean things still fall. But they do. An observation of a pre-existing condition doesn’t cause the condition. Nor does a denial of the condition invalidate it in any way.”

GA: No One Injured In Walmart Shootout: "Shoppers looking for discounts at the Wal-Mart on Cobb Parkway got more than they bargained for Wednesday morning. Around 12:30 a.m., two men started exchanging gunfire in the parking lot. Nobody was injured, but at least four vehicles were hit. When police arrived, the man who fired the first shots had escaped. The second man, believed to have returned fire in self-defense, was detained and questioned. He's not expected to face charges."




SC: Gang pick the wrong house to invade: "Tryson O'Bryan Jones [above], 19, is one of three men accused of taking part in an attempted robbery at a home off Catherine Street on Oct. 9 that led to a shootout with a man in the home. During the shooting, authorities said, 18-year-old Tommy Leon Barber was killed. Jones and two others - Dwayne Leroy Cherry, 19, and Kennedy Fitzgerald Chisholm, 20 - face several charges, including murder, assault and battery with intent to kill and attempted armed robbery, according to Rock Hill Police records. All three have been denied bond. The man in the home, who, according to records, said he was armed in self-defense, hasn't been charged. Authorities said they found Barber lying behind the home with a pistol in his hand. He was wearing Latex gloves, and the gun had been reported stolen, a police report stated.


OH: Shooter claims self defense in man's death: "A 39-year-old Fairborn man was shot and killed after he was involved in an altercation at a house at 426 N. Garland Ave. The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office identified the man as Troy Darnell Bray, of West Garland Street. Bray was pronounced dead at Miami Valley Hospital at 1:09 a.m., Friday, July 2, according to Dayton Sgt. Chris Fischer and the coroner’s office. A preliminary investigation suggests that Bray was the third person to arrive at the North Garland Avenue address. At some point, the trio ended up outside where the two men started arguing. The man who was hiding at the house had a gun. The shooter was not arrested, Fischer said. Lt. Patrick Welsh said detectives have interviewed the man and are following information uncovered during the initial investigation. Homicide Sgt. Gary White said both the woman and man said the shooting was self-defense."


Wisconsin DA refuses to prosecute gun laws: "Jackson County's district attorney said Friday he no longer will prosecute some state weapons laws, including a ban on concealed weapons, in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision. Gerald Fox said in a news release the court's ruling "immediately renders some of Wisconsin's current laws unconstitutional." Fox said he will no longer accept police referrals for violations of statutes that prohibit carrying concealed weapons, loaded firearms in vehicles, possession of firearms in public buildings or bars and the possession of switchblades. "All of these statutes constitute unjustifiable infringements on the fundamental right of every law-abiding American to arm themselves for self-defense," Fox wrote"

FL: Hedge Row Ends in Shooting: "An Alturas man wielding a weed trimmer who threatened his 68-year-old neighbor was shot twice Thursday and now faces a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Darren Lee Wilkerson, 40, of 365 80 Foot Road in Alturas, was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center for treatment of his wounds, but later released and booked into the Polk County Jail on Thursday night. Wilkerson's neighbor, Willard Bruce, 68, of Alturas, wasn't injured. Bruce wasn't arrested. A sheriff's report called the shooting self-defense. Wilkerson was trimming Bruce's hedges about 12:40 p.m. at 295 80 Foot Road, reports said. Bruce asked Wilkerson to stop, but Wilkerson said he would hit Bruce with the weed trimmer and lifted it toward his face. Bruce pointed a .25-caliber pistol and shot Wilkerson, who was standing sideways at the time, in the upper back and buttocks."




IN: Man claims self-defense in shooting of brother-in-law: "Metro Police are investigating a shooting that left a 41-year-old man dead. It happened at 9:43 pm on the city's northwest side on Pin Oak Drive. Officers found David Black [above], 41, with a gunshot would to the chest. He was taken to Wishard Hospital where he was pronounced dead an hour later. Police say Black got into an argument with his brother-in-law, Issa Abdul Rahman, 51. Rahman told police Black approached him with a butcher knife. Rahman told police he shot Black in self defense. According to police, Rahman was questioned and released by homicide investigators. The family told police that Black had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, had not been taking his medications but had been taking cocaine."


TX: Deputy's teen son shoots at burglar: "The teenage son of a Harris County deputy constable shot a burglar this afternoon who tried to break into their home, authorities said. The boy, 15, and his sister, 12, were alone about 2:45 p.m. when someone tried to kick open the front door then soon after the back door of their home in the 2600 block of Royal Place Court, officials said. Their father was at work at the time, said officials with the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office. When one of the suspected burglars kicked open a window, the boy grabbed a rifle and fired. Both burglars then fled, officials said. Soon after the shooting, a man showed up at Tomball Methodist Hospital with a gunshot wound. He is being questioned by investigators. There was no information about the second suspect, who remains at large, officials said. The children were not injured during the ordeal, officials said."


Texas Businessman Fires on Burglars: "Mike Starr, a gun-toting business owner, took the law into his own hands early Thursday and shot two thieves attempting to steal air conditioning units. Starr — who owns Team Texas High Performance Driving School — lives on the business property in the 9500 block of Industrial Road just south of Justin in unincorporated Denton County. He said he heard some noise about 5:30 a.m. and went outside to investigate armed with what he described as a “scatter gun.” Denton County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Tom Reedy said when the owner spotted his stolen property inside the bed of the crooks’ truck, he opened fire on 53-year-old Joseph Vergal Prescott of Grand Prairie and 55-year-old Michael Allen O’Shea of Irving with a powerful 12-gauge shotgun with buckshot load. The suspects were airlifted to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth for treatment. Prescott was in critical condition; O’Shea was reported in stable condition. Starr was apparently was within his rights when he opened fire"

Md: Homeowner takes on four invaders: "Edwards was driving to his Hancock Road house with two of his three daughters about 10:20 p.m. that Wednesday when his wife, Jolene, called him to say a security alarm on their outside shed was beeping. Edwards told her to grab his 9mm Glock handgun and wait for him to come home. She then slid the weapon into her robe pocket, the affidavit said. As Edwards pulled up, at least four men emerged from behind the shed and forced him and his children into the house, police say. Each of the men wore yellow latex gloves. Once inside, the armed intruders ordered Edwards' wife and daughters to go upstairs, according to the affidavit. Before they did, Edwards allegedly slipped behind his wife and removed the gun from her pocket. Moments later, the gunfire erupted. At least 22 shots from three guns were fired in the kitchen and living room, police said. When officers arrived, they found Edwards, with wounds to his leg and chest, and a dead intruder. Edwards was released after eight days in the hospital. Ferman said he would not face charges because he was "legally justified in the use of deadly force" to protect his home.


Delaware man captures thief in his car: "A thief, dressed for the winter and rummaging through a car outside a Glasgow residence late Tuesday, had the tables turned on him when he was held at gunpoint by the resident he was stealing from until police arrived, officials said today. The incident unfold about 11:50 p.m. in front of a home in the 100 block of Michael Lane in the Caravel Woods community, where officers were called to investigate a theft in progress, said police spokesman Senior Cpl. Trinidad Navarro. An investigation revealed that the victim’s wife saw a man dressed in a black knit cap, winter gloves, a scarf and goggles breaking into their car out front and told her husband. The husband, meanwhile, armed himself with a gun and confronted the thief, who was still inside his car. The husband ordered the thief to lie face down in the driveway at gunpoint until officers arrived to arrest him, Navarro said."


MI: Woman won't face charges in shooting of cop husband: "Kathe Kacmarsky said she was trying to scare away her husband during a fight last year when she pulled the trigger of a .38-caliber revolver and seriously wounded him. She told investigators she intended to shoot at the floor. "I just wanted him to get away from me ... I wasn't planning on shooting him," Kacmarsky said. Eaton County Prosecutor Jeff Sauter said Wednesday he would not file criminal charges in the Sept. 12 incident inside the couple's Delta Township home. Sauter said firing the gun was an act of self-defense. "Michigan law gives a person the right to use force ... to defend herself under certain circumstances," Sauter wrote in a statement outlining his findings. "Criminal charges require proof that (a person) acted with criminal intent."


Flood of gun rights law suits anticipated: "Monday’s high-court decision expanding gun rights will likely trigger a flood of litigation in states and cities with restrictive laws, so it could take years before the practical impact of the ruling is clear. … Gun-rights groups are preparing to file suits in states with restrictive laws … while groups favoring gun control said they were confident most rules would pass constitutional muster. … Alan M. Gottlieb, founder of the [SAF] … said the group filed a lawsuit Monday in federal court challenging a North Carolina statute that bars possession of firearms off of one’s property in areas where there is a declared state of emergency. ‘We wouldn’t have been able to challenge’ the law ‘without this decision,’ Mr. Gottlieb said. ‘We had this ready to go.’”

OH: Female worker shoots, drives off robber: "The drive-through employee, who declined to identify herself when she agreed to talk by phone later in the day, was working at the Broad Street Beverage at 308 E. Broad St. when the suspect walked in through a raised garage door to the west side of the building, holding a small revolver, police said. “When I saw him with his gun in the air, I ran and shut the door,” she said, referring to the door that separates the drive-through from the inside part of the business. A police press release said the man shattered a window in the door as he slammed against it to force his way inside. As he forced the door open, the woman - who had grabbed her own gun - pointed it at him and fired a single shot, police said. She said she doesn’t know whether she hit him or not. The drive-through robber was described by police as being a black man wearing tan or light-colored pants and a white T-shirt"


MO: Robbery Victim Fires Back, Shoots Attackers: "The victim and his girlfriend were sitting in their car in the parking lot of the Rally's at Jefferson and Lynch, near the Benton Park neighborhood, about 6:15 p.m. Green says two men entered the back seat of the victims' car, and tried to rob the couple at gunpoint. The victim had a gun, and police believe he shot first, as he was exiting the driver's seat. Police say he critically injured both suspects, shooting one in his head and the other in his chest. At least one of the suspects fired at him, shooting him in his leg. While he is listed in serious condition, police believe he will survive. They say both suspects are in critical condition"


NC: Suspect among three shot during gas station robbery: " Two men have been arrested and another hospitalized after an armed robbery at a Moore County gas station Monday night. Demarcus James Dennison, 18, and Leroy Richard Medley, 20, are each charged with two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and first degree kidnapping. The third man, 17-year-old Randy Joel Williams is in serious condition at Moore Regional Hospital after being shot in the face during the robbery. Police say the three men entered the Short Stop on U.S. Highway 1 in the Lakeview area of Moore County and began to rob the 75-year-old clerk, Grace Kelly at gun point. Kelly's husband was in the parking lot at the time and approached the suspects with a shot gun. He shot through the store front door, shooting Dennison in the face. Grace Kelly was shot in the arm, and her husband, Angus Kelly, suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach."


A victory for gun rights and freedom: "When it comes to gun rights and gun control, liberals are so predictable. Condemning the Supreme Court’s decision in the Chicago gun case that applied the Second Amendment to the states, the New York Times editorialized, ‘Mayors and state lawmakers will have to use all of that room and keep adopting the most restrictive possible gun laws — to protect the lives of Americans and aid the work of law enforcement officials.’”

MD: Maintenance man fatally shoots home invader: "A maintenance man at a Forestville apartment complex shot and killed a home invader Monday morning after the intruder forced the man into his apartment and fired a gun at him, police and law enforcement sources said. The maintenance man was able to retrieve his own gun inside his apartment and return fire, fatally wounding the intruder, law enforcement sources said. Police said that the maintenance man had not been charged criminally and that the shooting in the 4400 block of Rena Road appeared to be self-defense. "The victim . . . had a weapon inside the home that he used to shoot the suspect," said Cpl. Mike Rodriguez, a spokesman for the Prince George's County Police Department. "We believe that the victim had every right to defend himself."


Tennessee: Mobile home invaders shot and killed: "The shootings that killed two men identified as burglars in a South Knox County mobile home will be referred to the Knox County District Attorney General’s Office, according to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff’s spokeswoman Martha Dooley would not elaborate this afternoon on the reason for the review. No charges have been filed against Douglas Jordan III, who shot both of the black-clad intruders as he returned to his Love Lane mobile home off the 8000 block of Chapman Highway at 11:18 p.m. Sunday. Authorities identified one of the dead men as Jimmy Cannon, 39, of Knoxville. Cannon had no local criminal history, but he had served time in prison for armed robbery in Georgia, Dooley said. “According to officers, the men were burglarizing the home when Jordan arrived,” Dooley said. When Jordan arrived, the men “tried to overpower him,” Dooley said, but he was armed and shot the men. “Both were dead when officers arrived,” Dooley said.


South Carolina: Gun-Toting Homeowner holds burglar: "A man who deputies say burglarized a home got more than he bargained for when the gun-toting, tough-talking homeowner caught and held him until deputies showed up. Ken Easler, 73, said he went into his home on Jones Road before heading to the farmer’s market on Saturday morning when he heard someone inside the house. Easler said when he went into the house, he heard someone upstairs. He grabbed his gun and waited for the person to come downstairs. “I put the clip in and jacked one in the chamber, and when I did, he had already started down the steps. He sat down. He sat down and held onto the rail. Deputies said when they arrived, they found Easler pointing his gun at a man, later identified as Douglas Nickerson, who was lying on the bathroom floor. Deputies said when they searched Nickerson, they found two rolls of dollar bills in his pocket."


SCOTUS gets it right: "In a 5-4 decision that split along conservative and liberal lines, the US Supreme Court extended gun rights to every state and city in the nation. The US Supreme Court has struck down a Chicago handgun ban in a far-reaching ruling that makes it unconstitutional for states and local governments to restrict the right of Americans to own guns. In a major victory for gun rights activists, but a bitter blow for those seeking greater gun controls in the United States, Justice Samuel Alito said on Monday the constitution was clear on the right to bear arms for self-defence. The five-four majority ruling extended to all cities and states the Supreme Court's 2008 landmark affirmation that Americans have the constitutional right - as enshrined in the Second Amendment - to own weapons, including handguns."

TX: Man kills invader in SE Houston home: "A man shot and killed an alleged invader who entered a southeast Houston home and held him and others at gunpoint Sunday morning, authorities said. Witnesses told police an unidentified 22-year-old man came to the residence in the 1900 block of Richvale around 9:40 a.m. to confront a man in the home and others about a earlier disturbance, of which the nature is unknown, said Houston Police Department spokesman John Cannon. The man also assaulted the people with the gun, Cannon said. At one point, the man whom the suspect came to confront pulled out his own gun, shooting and killing the suspect, Cannon said. The dead man's identity is pending an autopsy. No charges have been filed at this time."


Canada: Home invader shot by elderly intended victim: "Police say that an intruder attempted to break in through a window of a Colton, Ontario home. The 79 year old homeowner is said to have noticed the home invasion attempt, grabbed his handgun, and fired in self defense, striking the intruder in the shoulder and ending the attack. A dead suspect, reportedly identified as 37 year old Fidel Escanuelas was found at the scene, and two suspected accomplices were taken into custody. No injures to the elderly resident were reported."


The Utah loophole: "You can get a license to carry a concealed weapon without ever having to shoot a gun. The reason—a growing number of instructors offer Texas students a chance to get a Utah concealed handgun license. Concealed carry permits from Utah are popular and legal in Texas and it’s not hard to see why. Utah requires less than half the class time, has not written test, requires no live shooting and you don’t even have to leave Texas to get one. “With the Utah program I’m able to concentrate 100% of my time and focus on the 20% of the core materials that people need to know of the day-to-day of carrying a handgun,” said Brad Brasuell a certified Utah instructor."

Antigun nuts proven wrong: "In fact, since concealed carry went into affect, Ohio doesn't have the shootouts; the rage-induced gun battles along Ohio's highways; the accidental shootings; and the return to "Dodge City" -- all predicted by Drum and others like him in their opposition to concealed carry in Ohio. Factually, FBI statistics show violent crime has decreased in Ohio for the third straight year. Yes, that's right -- crime decreased in spite of predictions by the media, politically-motivated law enforcement groups and anti-gun extremists, who claimed that permissive self-defense laws would lead to the end of civilized society as we know it."


California attack on open carry: "Under current law, residents can carry unconcealed guns in public that are not loaded. They also can have ammunition on their person, but cannot go within 1,000 feet of schools or take guns to places like government buildings. A proposed state law would make openly carrying a handgun a misdemeanor. Sponsored by Assemblywoman Lori Saldana, D-San Diego, the bill passed the state Assembly earlier this month and is set to go before the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 12. Rachel Arrezola, a spokeswoman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, said the governor has not yet taken a position on the bill and will decide when it reaches his desk whether to sign or veto it."


University of Colorado Puts Politics Ahead of Student Safety: "The University of Colorado voted Friday to continue fighting for the right to ban guns on campus. The CU Board of Regents voted 5-4 in favor of appealing the lawsuit brought by Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC), which sought legal confirmation that college directors lack authority to suspend Colorado law or Constitutional rights. Clearly, power and politics, rather than concern for student safety, are ruling the day for CU’s regents. Crime at CU has risen 35 percent in the past four years at the college which prohibits lawful concealed carry, while crime at Colorado State University has dropped 60 percent in the same time frame. No thinking person can look at those numbers and still assert that allowing concealed carry will prove dangerous for the campus."


Ohio Democratic Party unsuccessfully tries to get gun records: "The Ohio Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully this week to get information on all people licensed to carry concealed weapons in the Buckeye State. The state party sent letters to Ohio's 88 sheriffs requesting the names and addresses of permit holders and the dates the licenses were issued. Ohio has about 211,000 permit holders. But neither the Democrats nor any other political party can get that information. The records are exempt from the public record laws. The only public access was given to journalists when then-Gov. Bob Taft signed the law in 2004. The Democrats intended to target people who support the Second Amendment -- the constitutional right to bear arms -- with campaign information, said party spokesman, Seth Bringman."

OH: Akron shopkeeper grabs 12-gauge shotgun and shoots suspect during early morning break-in: "Store owner William Goodwin was sleepy-eyed and unable to see without his contact lenses when two intruders broke into his Goodyear Heights corner store in the dark early Friday. But the 27-year-old shopkeeper's aim was good enough to blast the left arm of one intruder. Two more shots took out a glass soda pop cooler and a back room filing cabinet. Johnny Ray Rollyson, 19, who was free on bond awaiting trial for a March burglary, suffered a severe gunshot wound at the Pioneer Market, near the corner of Goodyear Boulevard and Pioneer Street. As the intruders walked toward the potato-chip aisle, Goodwin fired the first of three shots. The burglars fled... A short time later, workers at Akron General Medical Center contacted police with news that they were treating Rollyson for a gunshot wound. Goodwin said his concealed carry permit has lapsed. Regardless, Ohio law does not require a permit when a citizen is protecting his home or business.




North Carolina: Store clerks shoot and kill robbery suspect during shootout: "The shooting happened at the Sunny Food Store located on Walkup Road at 10:17 p.m. According to the Monroe Police Department, the suspect approached the two clerks in the store, displayed a gun and demanded money from the register. During the robbery, both of the clerks in the store pulled out their own weapons. It’s unclear at this point who fired the first shot or how many shots were fired, but police say shots were exchanged. The suspect was hit at least once, and stumbled down the street before collapsing in the front yard of a house. The suspect, 23-year-old Robert Christopher Young [above] of Monroe, was found in front of 302 McIntrye Street, police said. The clerks on duty, brothers Sophia Pich and Jesus Vergara, were not injured. Monroe police officials said the suspect was rushed to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, but was pronounced dead by medical staff a short time later. No charges are pending"


Why guns are good: "You know what the mainstream media think about guns and our freedom to carry them. Pierre Thomas of ABC: ‘When someone gets angry or when they snap, they are going to be able to have access to weapons.’ Chris Matthews of MSNBC: ‘I wonder if in a free society violence is always going to be a part of it if guns are available.’ Keith Olbermann, also of MSNBC, who usually can’t be topped for absurdity: ‘Organizations like the NRA … are trying to increase deaths by gun in this country.’ Well, I admit that I bought that nonsense for years. Living in Manhattan, working at ABC, everyone agreed that guns are evil. And that the NRA is evil. … Now I know that I was totally wrong about guns. Now I know that more guns means — hold onto your seat — less crime.”


Bravo to those who open carry their weapons: "Those who choose to carry their weapons openly are making a statement every time they step out their door. It forces everyone who sees them to confront the whole gun issue. There may be some who are morbidly afraid of the kind of people who would carry a gun, and they will run away. There may be some who come over and slap you on the back and commend your civic spirit. There may be some who promptly call 911 to report you, and when the police come you get to have a nice conversation about municipal laws and the Second Amendment to the US constitution. Educating is important, but it might make you late to a meeting.”

IN: Prosecutor calls fatal shooting self-defense: "There will be no charges in the shooting death of a former high school basketball star who died Saturday, after the St. Joseph County prosecutor's office found the man's ex-girlfriend acted in self-defense. The announcement today cleared Lisa Beatty of any wrongdoing in the death of 31-year-old Anthony "Tony" Echols ... According to prosecutors, Echols broke into Beatty's home in the 400 block of East Eckman Street about 6 a.m. Saturday and confronted her and a friend, who were both asleep..... Beatty told police she woke Saturday morning to the sound of broken glass and watched as Echols rushed into her room and jumped on top of her friend. As Echols attacked the friend, Beatty grabbed her handgun and demanded that Echols leave. Instead, police said, Echols turned and rushed at Beatty. Beatty fired once as Echols rushed her, then fired several times more as the pair struggled... Echols was found inside the home, suffering from three gunshot wounds, two in his abdomen, one in his thigh. He was taken to Memorial Hospital where he died."


Washington: Armed pizza guy faces off with robbery suspect: "A pistol-packing employee foiled a robbery attempt at pizza delivery business in Spokane. Police says a masked man armed with a pellet gun entered the Pizza Pipeline store Wednesday night and demanded money. That’s when an employee with a concealed weapons license pulled his pistol and told the would-be robber to drop his weapon. The man bolted out the door. KXLY reports police found parts of the pellet gun in the parking lot but the suspect got away."


Guns to be allowed onboard Amtrak trains: "Under language inserted into a transportation funding bill last year, Amtrak passengers will be allowed to carry firearms in checked luggage beginning in December. According to the provision, firearms and ammunition may be transported in secure baggage onboard Amtrak trains under several guidelines including * Passengers must declare to Amtrak within 24-hours of departure that the firearm will be placed in their checked baggage. * The gun must not be loaded and must also be carried in a hard-sided container. * The hard-sided container must be locked with only the passenger having the combination or key for the container.”


CA: Open carry gun ban barely passes Senate panel: "A bill that would ban the public display of unloaded guns narrowly passed the Senate Public Safety Committee Tuesday. The 4-3 vote sent the legislation carried by Assemblywoman Lori Saldana, D-San Diego, to the Senate floor where the final outcome is in doubt, particularly in this election year atmosphere. … Saldana’s measure, Assembly Bill 1934, is supported by a statewide police chief’s organization and major gun-control groups. … Responding to complaints that the guns intimidate and make people uncomfortable, Wright said he has a tall friend with tattoos who intimidates and makes people uncomfortable. ‘Are we going to ban him next?’ Wright asked as he voted against the bill.”

MO: Crazy Robber Shot By Homeowner: "A residential robbery in Kansas City, Mo. ended with the homeowner shooting the man who was who was allegedly robbing his wife. Police said the incident happened "in a matter of seconds." The couple was doing yard work at their home near Gregory Boulevard and Holmes Road just before 5 a.m. when police said a man ran up to them. "The subject came up in the grass and started yelling and acting aggressive," Shaffer said. Police said the homeowner tried to keep his distance, when the alleged robber turned his attention to the woman. The man grabbed the woman, police said, and pulled her inside the house as he started grabbing items from inside the house. The suspect barely made it to the doorway with a flat-screen when police said the homeowner, now armed with a gun he retrieved from his truck, confronted him. "(The homeowner) told him to stop, I'll shoot," Shaffer said. "He didn't and the man shot him in the leg."


GA: Shooting likely self defense: "Police believe a deadly shooting in Sylvester was self defense. A woman shot and killed her own son because he attacked her and the mother of his child. Police say Chris Bunn fought with his girlfriend, Kayla Roberts, most of the day. They say his mother, Brenda Haire, shot him in the chest as he attacked his girlfriend with a candlestick holder. Chris Bunn had a long history with law enforcement in both Worth and Dougherty Counties. He'd been picked up on charges of burglary, criminal damage to property, and harassing phone calls, but Tuesday night his involvement with the legal system ended, after his violent behavior got out of control., some verbal, but it just escalated. It actually got to the point where he had those folks kept hostage in their own home. The Chief says Christopher Bunn's body has been sent to the crime lab for an autopsy. No charges have been filed."


Kentucky homeowner shoots at home invasion suspect: "A Lexington man fired shots at a suspect who broke into his home early Wednesday morning. Police say a man kicked in the front door of a home along Republic Court around 3 a.m. and entered the house. The home owner woke up when he heard the noise and grabbed his gun. He says that when he went into the hall and flipped on the lights, he saw the suspect standing there. The homeowner fired a few rounds and the suspect ran out of the house. Police say they don’t think the suspect was hit. The homeowner says he saw another man running with the suspect as he fled. The suspect didn’t get away with anything in the house. Investigators say the suspect was wearing a dark blue jacket, possibly a jean jacket, dark blue jeans and a bandana on his head. [Race unknown, evidently]


Firearm Travel Guide: Stay on the road and out of jail: "Summer is here. And if you’re like many people, you’re planning a trip that may take you out of state or across many states. But what if you plan to carry or pack a gun for protection, target shooting, or hunting? … if you’re not careful, your fun vacation could turn into a terrible nightmare if you’re caught breaking local laws. My solution? The Traveler’s Guide to the Firearm Laws of the 50 States …. It answers all the most important questions. Can I open carry in Texas? Is my concealed handgun license honored by every state I drive through on my way to Florida? Does California have state preemption of firearms laws? … How must I store my long guns?”

Florida: Home invader shot and killed: "A home invasion victim fatally shot one of the invaders Sunday in Carrollwood, and investigators have since arrested two other people involved in the crime, Hillsborough County deputies said. Victim Anthony Dipaolo, 23, shot and killed suspect Jonathan Fernandez, 23, sheriff’s spokeswoman Debbie Carter said. Fernandez died at the scene. Dipaolo was shot in the left leg. Though Dipaolo fatally shot Fernandez, two other home invasion suspects also have been charged with murder: Willie Goff and Katherine Schaeffer. Sheriff’s spokeswoman Debbie Carter said they were charged because their involvement in the offense led to the fatal shooting. Dipaolo was treated and released from a local hospital, Carter said."


Tennessee: Burglar in serious condition after being shot by resident: "A Telford man is in serious condition after being shot early Monday morning during an alleged Piney Flats burglary attempt. According to a report at the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy responded to find the man lying in the driveway with a gunshot wound to his leg. The incident is still under investigation, with charges pending. Police report it occurred at about 12:50 a.m. at 920 Piney Flats Road. The resident, William Lusk, 46, reported that he was in his bedroom when he heard someone banging on the front door. Lusk said three men then broke into his home. He allegedly grabbed a shotgun and fired one round at the suspects, not knowing he had hit anyone until he found a man in his driveway. The suspect has been identified as, Terry Scalf, 39, of 132 Valentine Circle, Telford, Tenn. On Monday morning SCSO Capt. Keith Elton said the incident is still under investigation and no one has been charged. Mountain States Health Alliance spokesman James Watson reports Scalf is in serious condition at Johnson City Medical Center."


California: Woman fatally shoots pit bull to break up dog fight: "An unidentified woman shot and killed one of two pit bulls during a dog fight in South Los Angeles on Saturday morning, authorities said. A woman told officers that she was about to walk her basset hound when two unleashed pit bulls charged and attacked her dog. The woman and the owner of the pit bulls attempted to break up the fight. “They were unable to break up the dogs so she ran to her apartment and grabbed her gun,” Thompson said. “She shot one of the pit bulls to stop the fight,” Thompson said, adding that he did not know exactly how many shots were fired. The second pit bull fled. The dog died at scene, he said. The woman’s dog received non-serious wounds and was expected to live. Thompson said the woman handed the handgun to officers when they arrived. He said it was registered to her."


Open-carry gun activists laud NC: "Randy Dye will sometimes carry a gun on his hip, right out in the open, no jacket pulled over it, no inside-the-belt holster. It draws funny looks, and Dye doesn’t much care. One time, Dye explains, he was standing in line for a money order when the guy behind him asked, ‘Are you a police officer?’ Dye said no, and the guy kept staring, so Dye stared back. ‘We good?’ Dye asked, and the conversation stopped. ‘I wasn’t trying to intimidate,’ says Dye, a retired trauma nurse in Chatham County. ‘He approached me. If you don’t understand your constitutional rights, you need to go read them.’”

PA: Drug dealer ruled to have shot in self defense: "Police said Neil L. Felver, 29, used a .22 caliber Ruger handgun to shoot Abdul Miller, 33, of Milton after Miller invaded Felver's home at 1510 Scott St. just after 2 a.m. June 14. The district attorney is not charging Felver with homicide as the shooting was determined to be in self-defense, but other drug-related charges are "justified." City police Agent Stephen J. Sorage said Miller was shot in the chest and shoulder. Miller died at an area hospital. "Mr. Felver was cooperative and interviewed," Sorage said. "He related that he fought for his life. He further stated that he was in fear for his life, the life of his girlfriend and the life of his children." "It is the belief of the Williamsport Police Department that Abdul Miller targeted the Felver residence due to Miller's belief that he could obtain drugs and-or cash at that residence," Sorage said."


South Africa: Store owner shoots robbers: "A Bloemfontein store owner shot and killed a suspected robber in the Bayswater’s Emily Hobhouse Square yesterday. Police spokesperson Col Sam Makhele said four robbers entered the store and started firing at the man inside his store. The man fired back from his office and hit one of the robbers in the chest, upon seeing their accomplice taking fire the other robbers ran from the store. The injured man managed to get outside the store before collapsing and dying. … Makhele said as the man was acting within his rights to defend himself, he will not face any charges.”


CA: Owner Wants Confiscated Guns Back: "A Carmichael business owner said he is getting the runaround from Sacramento County law enforcement. He said officials confiscated his property and won't give it back, even though he is not accused of doing anything wrong. Bill Dunbar said he was acting in self-defense when he used a Smith & Wesson handgun to shoot and kill one of two men who broke into his store and threatened him a year ago. Afterward, sheriff's investigators confiscated two of Dunbar's collector's edition guns, worth thousands of dollars, as part of the investigation. But a month after the surviving burglar was sentenced to prison and the case was closed, Dunbar is still being denied his confiscated property. Adding to Dunbar's concern is that the district attorney told KCRA 3 it has sent a letter to the sheriff directing the department to release Dunbar's property. However, the Sheriff's Department has repeatedly told KCRA 3 it has received no such letter."


52 Shot, 8 Dead and Mayor Daley Still Resists Self-Defense: "Fifty-two people shot, eight of them fatally in a single Chicago weekend, yet Mayor Richard Daley appears poised to go down screaming in his opposition to the Second Amendment Foundation's lawsuit to overturn his city's handgun ban. "Chicago has become a slaughterhouse," said SAF Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb, "where defenseless victims are terrorized by armed thugs who have taken full advantage of an unarmed populace. Daley and his predecessors who perpetuated this ban are wading knee-deep in the blood of hundreds of crime victims who should have had the means to defend themselves. "Year after year the statistics have piled up," he continued, "yet Mayor Daley has stubbornly defended the city's ban. While he has luxuriated at his vacation home with the safety of armed bodyguards, the bodies of Chicago crime victims have stacked up like cordwood."

Instruments of crime are instruments, not crimes

by Jeff Jacoby

It was one of the creepier stories of the week gone by: The town administrator in Shirley, Mass., was arrested on charges of illegally recording and photographing his town hall co-workers by (among other things) planting a miniature video camera above a toilet stall in the women's bathroom.

Reaction to the Town Hall Peeping Tom was what you would expect. Residents expressed outrage and distress, the accused was arraigned, locks on town buildings were ordered changed, and selectmen began the process of finding a new administrator. But one reaction nobody had was to call for banning or restricting the sale of miniature video cameras. No such call would have been taken seriously, and for good reason: The fact that some criminals might use a camcorder maliciously is not a good reason to penalize the vast majority of people who wouldn't.

By the same token, when someone uses a car to carry out a deadly crime, nobody proposes stringent new curbs on car sales. Nearly 50 homicides in Massachusetts were committed with knives in 2008, according to FBI data, but no lawmaker introduced legislation making it harder for citizens to buy knives. And though each year in the United States, dog bites man (or woman or child) nearly 5 million times, sometimes fatally, anyone can buy a pet dog. Yet when guns are used with tragic or criminal results, cries for tougher gun control routinely follow.

On the same day the Shirley story broke, a rally was held at the State House to support Governor Deval Patrick's proposed bill limiting Massachusetts gun buyers to one firearm per month. The featured speaker was Kim Odom, whose 13-year-old son Steven was shot dead by a gang member in Dorchester in 2007.

"We are not going to accept the fact that our children die on the sidewalk and it ends there," Odom said with understandable emotion. She invoked the memory of Jaewon Martin and Nicholas Fomby-Davis, two 14-year-old Boston boys who were shot dead just last month. As she spoke, gun-control advocates held signs bearing the image of a handgun with blood dripping from the barrel.

Anyone's heart must go out to Odom; as a parent, I can only imagine the permanent heartbreak of losing a son to murder. I respect Odom's determination to change the conditions that led to her son's death, and honor her for channeling her grief into action.

But if Steven, Jaewon, and Nicholas had been bludgeoned to death with stainless steel pipe or strangled with an extension cord, Odom would not be demanding limits on the right to buy metal pipe or power cords.

It is illogical and unreasonable to treat guns any differently. Like power cords and knives, the vast majority of guns owned by Americans will never be used to take a life. Even when guns are used in crime, overwhelmingly it is not to kill; and against the criminal use of firearms must be set the use of guns to defend against crime. According to Gallup, nearly one of every four Americans keep a gun to protect themselves or their homes. While the frequency with which guns are used defensively is much debated; estimates range from about 110,000 to 2.5 million times per year.

The notion that urban gangs can be deprived of guns by laws limiting their legal sale to one a month is wishful thinking. Criminals can always get guns. They buy them on the black market, they get them out of state, they steal them. Almost by definition, the impact of gun-control laws falls primarily on the law-abiding. That is why gun bans don't prevent murder, and why homicides decline when gun bans are lifted. John Lott, the economist and author of More Guns, Less Crime, notes that the murder rate in Washington, DC, soared after the city banned handguns in 1977. Yet in the two years since the Supreme Court struck down that ban as unconstitutional, murders in DC have plummeted.

To be sure, a one-gun-per-month limit is not an outright ban, and if it's unlikely to have much impact on criminal gangs, it's also unlikely to hinder most honest gun buyers. Lott says he knows of no peer-reviewed study documenting a decrease in crime as a result of one-gun-per-month laws. The effect of enacting such a law in Massachusetts will almost certainly be marginal at best.

Anti-gun rallies and extra layers of gun control may make some people feel good, but they are not the way to suppress gang violence. No one can doubt Kim Odom's sincerity. But sincerity won't stop thugs who murder kids. Futile new gun restrictions won't either.

Source





Latest FBI crime data continues to refute anti-gun rhetoric: "Preliminary data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report shows that the violent crime rate went down 5.5 percent in 2009, compared to statistics from 2008. This covers all four categories of violent crime: murder, robbery, aggravated assault and forcible rape. Violent crime went down 4 percent in metropolitan counties and 3 percent elsewhere, according to the FBI.”


Talking across the aisle: "Before a dyed in the wool anti-gun person will even talk to you, they have to feel there is some common ground. Otherwise it makes as much sense to them to converse with you as striking up a conversation with a doorknob. We are normal folks who love our children and wish for safe neighborhoods and secure work environments just like they do. Let’s begin the conversation talking about violence and how the drug culture feeds turf wars. Let’s talk about gangs and violence in the inner city … After we map out areas of common concern, we can discuss causes and cures. Before we trot out ‘More Guns Less Crime’ (and trot it out we eventually will!) we have to establish that we share goals and values with the person we are talking to.”


TN: Assembly overrides Bredesen on gun law: "The Tennessee General Assembly adjourned on June 10 and one of their last acts before going home for the summer was to override Gov. Phil Bredesen’s veto of Senate Bill 3012. The bill will allow a person who has a valid Right-to-Carry permit to carry a firearm for self defense in restaurants where alcohol may be served, as long as the permit holder is not consuming alcohol or is not otherwise prohibited by posting provisions. Sponsored by Sen. Doug Jackson (D-25) and Rep. Curry Todd (R-95), the law became effective June 4."

American gun owners are about to get a very hostile Supreme Court judge: "It has become clear that Elena Kagan, Obama’s most recent Supreme Court nominee, is no friend of gun rights, to say the least. While clerking for Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall in 1987, she wrote the judge that she was “not sympathetic” to a Second Amendment–based challenge to the D.C. gun ban. While serving in the Clinton administration, she wrote a memo that “paved the way for an executive order banning dozens of semiautomatic weapons,” according to the L.A. Times. And National Review has learned that in 1996, Kagan apparently tied the NRA to the KKK — yes, the KKK — while debating the Clinton administration’s position on a bill."


IL: Daley considers other victim disarmament options if gun ban is overturned: "As Chicago awaits a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this month that could overturn its 28-year-old handgun ban, City Hall is considering a host of countermeasures that might set off another round of legal fights with gun advocates. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Mayor Richard Daley acknowledged an uphill battle against the gun industry, which he described as the most powerful lobby in the United States. Even so, he vowed that in the event residents are allowed to have handguns at home, the city would take steps to ensure that officials can account for the weapons.”


A suggested survival list: "In both the New Orleans and Los Angeles disasters, police protection was non-existent. Lawless gangs quickly took control of the streets, and people were left to either defend themselves or swiftly become the helpless prey of violent marauders. In fact, in New Orleans, some of the policemen actually abandoned their oaths to uphold the law and joined with the criminals, turning their weapons upon the public. Face it, folks: in any kind of disaster, you must be able to defend yourself, or you and your family will be meat for these animals of society that will quickly descend without mercy upon the unprepared, unsuspecting souls around them. This requires that you be armed!”


Home invasions are getting too common — are you prepared?: "Saturday morning in Gatlinburg, a homeowner was shot in the leg by home invaders. The invaders were armed with semiautomatic handguns …. Home invaders don’t call ahead, so it is your responsibility to be prepared when they come calling. In my last article on home invasions, I talked about a selection of handguns that can be used effectively to combat invaders. Long guns, too, can be effectively used. From the simple to the sublime, long guns include everything from a .22 single shot, to the AR-15, to 12 guage shotguns. There is such a large selection of long guns, I will discuss a few with some pros and cons of each type.”

IA store owner talks about deadly shooting: "The owner of a Waterloo convenience store where two robbers were killed Wednesday morning said the suspects were frequent customers. Store clerk Johnny Sanders, 65, shot Robert Maurice Bolden and Antonio McNeal Sproles, both 21, when the two walked into East Fourth Street Liquor brandishing a rifle and a handgun at about 2 a.m. closing time. Khan said Sanders didn't have a choice and was protecting himself during the botched robbery Wednesday. The weapon Sanders used, a .44-caliber revolver, was a firearm that is kept at the store for protection, Khan said. Sanders, a retired John Deere employee, said he had worked at the store in the past and returned to work last week. Officers are still investigating the shooting, but they said Sanders' actions appear justified."


FL: Robber shot and killed. Accomplices jailed: "A plot to rob another teenager near MetroWest last year ended with Beazer getting shot and killed and his four friends incarcerated with felony records. The five had planned to rob 17-year-old, Andrew Estime. They were supposed to meet with Estime under the guise of selling him a gun. Then two of them were to make it seem as if they were robbing everyone. It proved a bad plan. "They didn't realize the buyer had another gun," Assistant State Attorney Jim Altman said. "He kills Beazer. Everybody runs. And that's what happened." Kalvin Beazer was the one in his group with a gun, Altman said. Investigators and prosecutors determined that Estime fired in self-defense in the April 19, 2009, shooting near Edgewood Ranch Road and Jaffa Drive. In Florida, people can be charged with second degree felony murder if an accomplice is killed while committing certain felonies."


Ireland: Gardai (cops) order audit of country’s gun owners: "Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy has ordered an audit of the country’s gun owners, amid concerns over the ‘large number’ of unregistered firearms across the country. Firearms groups were informed about the audit on June 2, the same day that 12 people were shot dead in Cumbria by taxi driver Derrick Bird. The audit will be conducted in ‘‘early July,’ according to correspondence seen by The Sunday Business Post. It will be carried out by garda superintendents in each district nationwide, under legislation originally devised to tackle organised crime gangs. The nationwide audit is aimed at people who own licensed guns, but may have lapsed in re-licensing some or all of their firearms.”


CO: Clock ticking for CU to take victim disarmament obsession to Supreme Court: "The University of Colorado regents next week will decide whether the school should continue its legal battle to keep guns off its campuses, which could prove to be a litmus test for Republican board members who hold a 5-4 majority. Only two of the board’s conservatives … have made firm statements in favor of lifting the ban … The other three Republican regents, who could tip the board’s opinion, are more guarded on whether they’ll urge CU to defend its current weapons ban or side with their GOP colleagues. Judges with the Colorado Court of Appeals in April ruled in favor of a gun-rights group that sued CU and argued that a 1994 university policy banning concealed weapons violates state gun laws.”

OR: Smokin' Weed and Packin' Heat

The Oregon State Court of Appeals ruled this week that medical marijuana users cannot be denied concealed handgun licenses, contrary to the opinions of at least two county sheriffs.

The [federal gun control] act states that "an unlawful user ...of any controlled substance" can't own a gun, and the sheriffs contended the federal act trumps Oregon's medical marijuana law.

While federal law prohibits marijuana, Oregon's 12-year-old law legalizes pot possession for residents with a laundry list of qualifying ailments and a doctor's approval.

Leland Berger, who represented four medical marijuana users who were denied concealed handgun licenses, was relieved by the Court of Appeals decision.

He sees the sheriffs' denial of licenses as "discrimination" against patients who use cannabis as medicine for debilitating health problems -- including cancer, glaucoma, seizures, nausea and severe pain.

Broken down, it appears that the Oregon court simply ruled that, under state law, there is nothing to preclude issuing a concealed handgun permit to the medical dope smoker. However, under federal law, smoking dope and possessing a gun while smoking dope remain illegal.

In any event, there continues to be a disparity between state and federal law with regard to the medical marijuana issue.

TX: CBS Photog Packs Heat, Shoots Robber: "Jay Johnson. Remember the name, because he is not a man to be toyed with. Seems Mr. Johnson, also a CBS 11 photographer, was playing poker in Mesquite when a man came in wanting to join in the game. The gentlemen at the table declined, so this man pulled a gun, shot one of the players, and demanded everyone’s money. Then Johnson shot him dead. The police have pretty much determined it’s self defense, and Johnson had a concealed handgun permit."


AL: Armed Man Breaks In Apartment, Meets Gunfire: "Florence Police have an active search along Helton Drive for a man who allegedly broke in an apartment and was then shot at. He quickly ran away. Police responded to the Four Seasons Apartments at 11:45 a.m. Thursday. They say the man, who was armed, broke into an apartment in building H. However, the person who lives there quickly grabbed a gun and shot at the intruder three times. Police don't believe any of the bullets hit the man, though. He ran away. The suspect, a white male, was wearing all black. He was about 6'5" and weighed approximately 250 pounds, according to police."


OH: Man returns fire: "A group of unknown individuals fired shots at a man walking on Mount Vernon Avenue late Saturday night. According to police, at approximately 9:15 p.m. Saturday, 24-year-old Taiwain Johnson was walking in the area of 1512 Mt. Vernon Avenue when he noticed a purple Chevy Tahoe with several black male passengers. According to police reports, the vehicle turned a nearby corner and Johnson soon saw the males from the vehicle on foot between two abandoned houses. One of the men began firing shots in the direction of Johnson, who is a licensed CCW permit holder. Johnson drew his own handgun and returned fire in the direction of the suspects, who fled the scene.J ohnson was not injured during the incident and the investigation continues.”


Stupid Scottish gun laws: "A grandmother has been jailed for five years for possessing a ‘family heirloom’ World War II pistol. Gail Cochrane, 53, had kept the gun for 29 years following the death of her father, who had been in the Royal Navy. Police found the weapon, a Browning self-loading pistol, during a search of her home in Dundee while looking for her son. She admitted illegal possession of the firearm, an offence with a minimum five-year jail term under Scots law.”

TX: Man killed during poker game: "Police say a man who fatally shot a suspected robber after another person was killed during a Dallas-area poker game is not expected to be charged. Mesquite police say 35-year-old Tracy Moore, who lived at the apartment, was shot and killed early Tuesday by 28-year-old Darvis Dervon Young, who allegedly tried to rob the players. Police say another man, 34-year-old Jerome Johnson, shot and killed Young, who police say did not have a known permanent address. Police say Johnson has a concealed handgun permit and was not arrested in the apparent self-defense case."


GA: Tattoo shop owner kills would-be robber: "The owner of an Atlanta tattoo parlor killed a would-be robber during a Tuesday evening confrontation in which at least 15 shots were fired, police said. The attempted holdup occurred about 6 p.m. at West End Tattoo on Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard, near Peeples Street. "It appears three suspects came into the West End Tattoo parlor and attempted to rob the owner and at some point, the owner managed to retrieve his own weapon," Maj. Keith Meadows told WSB-TV. "It was at that point that the individuals exchanged gunfire." The owner, who had a 9mm handgun, fatally shot one suspect. "The other two armed suspects fled the business on foot and remain at large," said Sgt. Curtis Davenport, a police spokesman. Police said it is unlikely the shop owner will be charged."


IA: Clerk shoots robbers: "Police say Bolden and Sproles arrived around 2 a.m. when Sanders was getting ready to close. The men came in with guns and Sanders shot them, according to investigators. ‘The clerk was getting ready to close and two suspects burst in with guns and attempted to rob the place and the clerk was armed and returned fire and ultimately killed both suspects,’ said Waterloo Police Chief Dan Trelka. Police say Sanders saw the men come in and grabbed a .44 caliber handgun. He shot both men, according to police. One fell immediately inside the store; the other stumbled to get away but then fell at the entrance of the store. Waterloo Police Captain Tim Pillack said the men clearly wanted to rob the store, and cited the fact that their mouths were covered with bandanas and refused to leave when the clerk told them to.”


NV: Gun show on History Channel: "Last fall, Pahrump talk radio host, second amendment activist and defensive firearms instructor Bill Carns was among 5,200 shooters applying to take part in a new competition-based reality TV show, Top Shot, on the History Channel. The … first episode premiered last Sunday. According to Carns, ‘The show encompasses all types of weapons from modern guns through historical weapons that are centuries old and don’t go bang. You might see everything from a long bow to an AR 15.’ The producers selected 50 potential contestants to try out for the show. Carns and 49 others spent a day … on a shooting range in California where they were scored firing two different types of handguns as well as two types of rifles.”

GA: Robber killed by restaurateur: "A suspect in a Moultrie armed robbery is dead, shot by the owner of a business he tried to rob. Monday night, two men tried to rob a woman outside the Cuban restaurant she owns. One of them shot her, but the woman's husband fired back. She's recovering, but one of the robbers was found dead today near the restaurant. It was gunfire that came from Juan Antillon the restaurant owner after his wife Rosa Medrano was grazed by a bullet from the suspect's gun when she came face to face with robbers up outside the restaurant. Antillon told police he didn't think he shot anyone. Now police know differently. "He was shot in his upper torso." Police searched the area, but never spotted Martin's body, just a short distance away, but in search this morning they found a gun and items taken from the restaurant. Police say the robber who got away is black with twists or dreads in his hair. They say he's between 5' 3" and 5' 7"."


GA: Man found not guilty of murder: "The jury said 45-yaer-old André Richardson acted in self defense when he gunned down 29-year-old Curtis Lee Coasey Jr. Police said Coasey was shot multiple times during a fight with Richardson in October 2009. Richardson's lawyer said his client believed his life was in danger when he was confronted. “Mr. Coasey was coming at him with a gun and actually said something to the nature of I’m going to kill you,” said Assistant Public Defender Ken Still. “I really appreciate the fact that the jury took this seriously deciding the life of a man that they couldn't really relate to.”


VA: Two masked Men With Guns fail to Survive Gunfight: "Police are investigating a triple shooting that left two men dead and wounded a teenager. The shooting occurred late Monday night in the 400 block of Chapel St., according to Cpl. Paula Scheck, a spokeswoman for Hampton police. Investigators have learned that a resident of the home and two acquaintances were sitting inside a detached garage about 10:30 p.m. when three men wearing masks walked up with handguns. Gunfire erupted and two of the masked men were shot. One of them suffered several gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead inside the garage, police said this morning. The other was pronounced dead about 12:30 a.m. at a hospital."


MA: Committee’s tie vote derails anti-gun bill: "A legislative committee has rejected on a tie vote a bill by Governor Deval Patrick to limit the purchase of firearms, angering supporters who say the measure would be a crucial step in stemming gun violence in Boston. The Joint Committee on the Judiciary’s 4-to-4 vote does not kill the bill. But the prospects for another vote in the near future seem far from certain. Representative Eugene O’Flaherty, House chairman of the panel and a Chelsea Democrat, said he would like to resurrect the measure but other bills, such as one to change the Criminal Offender Record Information law, known as CORI, take priority.”