WV: Update, Name of Man Who was Shot in Junkyard

Sean Leef, 30, was shot in the upper body. Deputies said Leef was trying to steal copper wire and scrap metal when the owner shot him.
Leef is expected to be OK.

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Merry Christmas to all!

Merry Christmas to all who visit Gun Watch.   Peace on Earth to all men of good will.

OK:Failure of Victim Selection: Do not Burglarize a Gun Rights Supporter

Pastor Vinyard in his Church

It appears that the teen burglar did not read the papers.   It is foolish to burgle the house of a "vocal supporter of gun rights", and then attack them in their home.  Tom Vinyard is the senior pastor of Windsor Hills Baptist Church, and has been outspoken in his political beliefs.  From newsok.com:

A pastor at a northwest Oklahoma City church who has been a vocal proponent of gun rights has been cleared of wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of a 14-year-old boy at the pastor’s home.

(snip)

 The pastor arrived home about 3 p.m. and as he checked his house, he was attacked by the burglar, who had been hiding in a closet in a back bedroom, Prater said.

The pastor even put signs on his family's home warning criminals of the danger: From oklahomasentinel.com:

On December 23, police identified the alleged intruder as 14-year-old Keontre Reese. 

Several signs are posted around the pastor’s home. One on the front door reads, “Nothing on this property is worth your life.”

 Keontre Reese, below.

While on a mission in Africa, Pastor Vinyard's home was invaded and his skull fractured.   He and his family cooperated with the robbers, but it was not enough.  Highly restrictive gun laws in the country that they were in prevented them from being armed.

I suspect that the experience did much to shape and reinforce Pastor Vinyard into the second amendment supporter that he is.

It is sad that his fourteen year old attacker did not pay attention in Sunday school, if he went, and did not heed the warnings on Pastor Vinyard's house.

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch

KY:Set-up Invasion at Midnight in Kentucky

I have always thought that answering a door with a gun at hand was a reasonable precaution.  In this recent case in Kentucky, the homeowner was able to reach his firearm, but it was a close thing.

It was a set-up home invasion.   The decoy, Raven Edwards, above, contacted the homeowner, Bill Jolley, on social media and was invited over a bit after midnight.  It is unknown if they knew each other previously; but the addresses are all in Harrison County, KY, and there is only one high school in the County.

 After Raven arrived at the house and was admitted, she immediately left.  I suspect that some excuse was given, such as "I left my phone in the car".   From wkyt.com:

A police report says she told investigators she contacted Jolley "with knowledge that a robbery was going to occur shortly after her arrival at the residence." The report says she was "the set up person to the robbery."

When Raven went outside, the home invasion kicked off with her two confederates. All three entered the home, and her associates attacked the homeowner.   From wtvq.com:

According to KSP, Edwards had asked Jolley on social media if she could come to his home.

A short time after she arrived, troopers said she went outside and returned with two other men, Marcus Gross and Larry Nolen.

My question is: How did they expect to get away with the crime as long as Bill Jolley was alive?   Raven contacted him on social media, so there was a clear media trail to her.  How did they expect to deal with that?

Marcus Gross

Bill Jolley and all the actors in this incident are from Cynthiana, Ky.  It is a small town of 6,400 people.  Rick Grimes of The Walking Dead is Cynthiana's most famous fictional citizen.  Bill Jolley did not have a Colt Python like Rick Grimes.  But he did have a .45.  He managed to fight his way to the .45, and fire three shots.   At least one hit Marcus Gross, who had a long criminal history.   His father, Mark Gross, is quoted as saying the Markus was on the path to reform.  From wkyt.com:

Marcus Gross' father, Mark, spoke with WKYT Monday afternoon. He said his son had made mistakes in the past, but had begun to turn his life around after he got out of prison.

The home invaders fled the scene.  Marcus died.   The third home invader,  Larry Nolen, dropped Markus off at the hospital, then fled.  He is said to have turned himself in several hours later.

Larry Nolen

Bill Jolley said that a break-in was attempted at his home two weeks before the invasion.  That might have been taken as warning that he was being targeted.   We do not know if the attempted break-in and the home invasion were related.

Bill Jolley

Using a decoy to gain entrance for a home invasion is a fairly common practice.  A female is often used, as they are seen as less threatening, and more likely to have success.   Having a gun at hand, especially late at night, in a lonely setting, seems a reasonable precaution.  Jolley's home appears to be some distance from other dwellings.

This invasion could have turned out far differently for Billy Jolley, if he had not been able to reach his .45.

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch

TX: Home Invasion 2 dead, 2 wounded

DENTON — Two people were shot and killed and two others were wounded when gunfire erupted during a home invasion at a Denton student apartment complex Sunday evening.

(snip)

In a rare twist, police say the two people killed may have been robbery suspects, shot by their victims.

Police said Monday three suspects forced their way into the apartment, where one suspect was shot and killed inside, then another suspect was shot and killed outside of Building 5.

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CA: Robber Armed with Pellet Gun is Shot with Real Gun

The man told police he was armed with a pellet gun and attempting to rob another man. The second man then shot him in the arm.

Before police can make an arrest, they need more information.

“It’s hard to say who we would arrest without having the other side,” said Cmdr. Henry Gomez.

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TX: Woman Shoots Aggressive Roomate

According to Hunt's roommate, Hunt wanted to change the lock on her door so that he'd have access. The two argued about it and according to the roommate, Hunt kicked in her door.

That's when she said she grabbed a pistol and fired three shots at Hunt, hitting him once in the leg.

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SC: Neighbor Shoots, Wounds Threatening Husband

According to provided affidavits, the victim told deputies Ramirez-Castillo had come to her home "to kill her." She said he broke a back door window and searched the mobile home they shared for 11 out of 12 years for her as she hid in the closet.

Meanwhile her roommate reportedly fired a shotgun at Ramirez-Castillo to scare him away before going to a neighbor's home. It was the neighbor who then shot the suspect and held him until deputies arrived.

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TX: Open Carry Advocate Finalist for Texan of the Year

The open carry movement existed in Texas before C.J. Grisham was set upon by a Temple police officer in rural Bell County.  Grisham was eventually convicted of "interfering with police duties" after a second jury trial.  He paid a $2,000 fine.  Many who have watched the video of the event think the police officer is the one who should have been reprimanded.  The video went viral, and Grisham's zeal for open carry has blossomed into thousands of armed Texans marching to demand their second amendment rights.

Texas is one of only six states that mostly ban the open carry of modern handguns.  The law is a relic left over from the occupation of Texas by the reconstruction government after the War Between the States or The Civil War if you prefer.  Full disclosure: one of my great-grandfathers served in the Union Navy.  As the Governor elect, Greg Abbott, the Lt. Governor, and much of the legislature are in favor of restoring Texas open carry in some form, it seems likely that a bill will be signed into law in 2015.

The Texan Constitution from 1876 protects the right to carry long guns openly, but allows the state to regulate the "wearing of arms".   The original Texas constitution had one of  the strongest protections of all the states for the right to keep and bear arms.   One item that is likely to pass in 2015 is a call for a constitutional amendment to return the Texas Constitution's right to keep and bear arms provision to its original form.  It was a plank in the Republican Party platform.

"Texan of the Year" is an appellation applied by the Dallas Morning News.  It appears that the editorial board decides who the winner is.  While they are openly hostile to C.J. Grisham's activities, they have included him as one of the finalists this year.  From dallasnews.com:

This newspaper sides with critics who think the publicity stunts are overly provocative, especially in an urban setting.

I did not find any succinct explanation of the process for selecting finalists or the "Texan of the Year".  It appears that the editorial board decides among themselves.  

It is a tribute to C.J. Grisham's efforts that they felt compelled to include him as a finalist.

 ©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch

David Codrea: Daily Mail repeats Fast and Furious Cover Story

In a Thursday report on a 2011 Phoenix “gang-style shooting” in which a gun from the Operation Fast and Furious “gunwalking” scheme was used, Mail Online repeats unsubstantiated claims that give cover to the administration and mask the government's intentional uncontrolled release of guns into the criminal underworld. U.S. Political Editor David Martosko tells readers the purpose of the operation was to track the guns.

“[The] Phoenix gang-style shooting in 2013 was carried out with an AK-47 purposely sold to gun-runners under the watchful eye of the ATF,” a preface bullet reads. That much is true, with the reporting problem starting with the second point, claiming “[The] Obama administration tried to track 2,000 guns into Mexico to drug cartels.”

The latter claim is where the ubiquitous administration-serving media narrative falls apart. How does one track guns without making any attempt to do so? That, in turn, leads to the fraudulent, but often-repeated media claim that Fast and Furious was a “botched gun sting.”

That’s despite whistleblower sources claiming in early January, 2011, that guns were being walked “to pad statistics.” It was through these sources that the story was investigated and reported by citizen journalists while “legitimate news media” remained deliberately indifferent, until information coming to light could no longer be contained, prompting many “Authorized Journalists” to manage and spin it instead.

Undaunted by the facts, Martosko soldiers on with the wholly unsubstantiated “tracking claim.

"Fast and Furious was “an ill-fated Obama administration program that tried in vain to track firearms across the Mexican border to drug kingpins,” he asserts. "In vain" implies an exhaustive effort, does it not, as opposed to just letting guns go without even trying, and in fact, ordering agents to allow the guns to "walk" while intentionally keeping the Mexican government in the dark -- in itself a violation of both U.S. and Mexican laws?

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OH: Armed Robber who was shot lusted after Shoes

Several adult witnesses.  No charges against the CHL permit holder.
Three juveniles who were not able to get the shoes and attempted to rob a man who had just bought them. One of the juveniles displayed a firearm. The man the juveniles attempted to rob had a valid concealed carry permit through Ohio, and he discharged his firearm at the juvenile who was armed.

That juvenile, identified as 16-year-old Jawaad Jabbar, died.

(snip)

Police seized both the shooter’s gun and the gun that was with the juveniles.

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OK: Pastor Fatally Shoots Intruder

OKLAHOMA CITY -

Police said they are investigating a deadly shooting after in N.W. Oklahoma City after a suspect broke into a family's home and the homeowner opened fire. It happened in the 2400 block of Moulton Drive, near N.W. 23rd Street and MacArthur Boulevard.

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WV: Woman who Shot Woman Intruder Justified

Police say an elderly Cool Ridge woman who fatally shot a burglar won’t face any charges.

(snip)

Raleigh County Sheriff Steve Tanner says the homeowner and her family won’t be identified. He says they were traumatized by the incident.

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Gun "Painted to look like Toy" Available from Factory in that Color

A little over a week ago, the Hamilton County Sheriff department said that they arrested a man who they believed painted a handgun to resemble a toy.  From thestate.com:

"And the fact is right here in Hamilton County, we arrested a dangerous individual who we believe purposefully painted a loaded handgun red to mislead law enforcement into thinking this was a toy gun," Neil said in statement.

The pistol, a Cobra FS 380, pictured above, comes from the factory in a variety of colors. Guns have been available in a variety of colors for decades. It seems likely that the pistol confiscated by the police came from the factory that way. Ruby Red is a color available as an option from Cobra Firearms.

The color of the pistol does not seem to have anything to do with the charges against Orlando Lowery.   Those are possession of a concealed weapon and possession of 9 grams of cocaine.    Orlando was arrested after police were investigating a "man with a gun" call. 

Someone at the Hamilton County Sheriff's office is probably in trouble.  No Sheriff likes to make claims that go national... and turn out to be false; especially about something that most people believe a sheriff should know about.

Guns are a large subject, and no one knows everything.  But if a Sheriff is going to hold a press conference on a subject, then he ought to have his facts straight.

Colored High Standard Sentinel revolvers, introduced in 1957.

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch

IN: Armed Homeowner Drives off 2 Intruders

Officers said two subjects made forced entry into a home and came in with weapons. The homeowner fired shots at the subjects and they fled the scene.

About 15 minutes later, police said a male showed up at Community East Hospital with gunshot wounds and is in critical condition.

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PA: 3 AM Attack; Armed 71-Year-Old Bitten, 33-Year-Old Woman Wounded

They were met by the bar's 71-year-old owner. He told investigators he was armed with a handgun, had a permit to carry and had just shot a woman who was assaulting him, police said.

(snip)

The bar owner was taken to Mercy Philadelphia Hospital for the treatment of bruises, including several human bites, he suffered during the alleged attack, police said.

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Texas Poll: Should Open Carry of Arms Require Texans to Have a License?

On December 9th, radio station KFYO ran an Internet poll on whether or not Texans should be required to have a license in order to openly carry arms in Texas. Here is the question from kfyo:

 If Open Carry passes, should you have to get a license to carry? Let us know in today’s KFYO Poll of the Day.

The poll still appears to be open.  I do not see absolute numbers, but the sentiment that Texans should not have to pay for a license to exercise a right is winning by nearly five to one.

Here is a link to the poll.

Here is a typical response in the comments, by Martin Cohn:

I don't have to pay a tax to the govmt to exercise my other Constitutionally protected Civil Rights. Why should 2A be any different.

 Here is an atypical reply by Zeus Odin:

What's so bad about getting a license to carry a lethal weapon in public?

It is clear that the intensity and level of commitment are on the side of those pushing for open carry without a license.   It should not be too hard to push in Texas, as it already exists in 31 other states without a problem.

Criminals almost never openly carry guns, because it calls attention to their actions.

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch

OH: Governor Kasich signs Gun Law Reform (H.B. 234)

Without fanfare, Governor Kasich signed H.B. 234 into law yesterday, 19 December, 2014.   While the gun law reform bill did not make all the changes that second amendment supporters desired, it made substantial improvements in the law, and was broadly supported in the legislature.  Governor Kasich signed it as part of a package of 40 bills (pdf):

Am. Sub. H.B. 234 (Grossman, Becker) revises the law governing firearms.

This was reflected by the large vote margins for passage of the bill; 24-6 in the Senate, 69-16 in the House.

Some of the major provisions of the bill are:

• Creates reciprocity to recognize concealed handgun permits from other states, much as drivers licenses are recognized.
• Eliminates a provision in the law that equated semi-automatics firearms that could accept magazines with a capacity of more than 30 rounds as automatic weapons.
• States that the Ohio CHL will meet the requirements of the national instant check system.  This should allow CHL holders to purchase firearms by presenting their CHL to firearms dealers.
• Allows for training certification by any "national gun advocacy organization" instead of the National Rifle Association specifically.
• Allows for partial training online, but requires two hours of in person range time for CHL permit training.
• Extends Ohio CHL permit expiration to the date of expiration on the permit, instead of upon change of residency.
• Provides that entry into parking lots with a CHL shall not be considered criminal trespass.
• Allows people in the Military, Peace Corps, and Service to America six months grace to renew an Ohio concealed handgun license.
• Creates as "Shall Sign" provision for chief law enforcement officers who process National Firearms Act (NFA) forms.
• Allows people with legal gun mufflers to use them for hunting game.

These common sense reforms have been sought in Ohio for many years.


Second amendment activists say that they will be back for more reforms next year. 


©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch

David Codrea: 14-year-old Hero may be Blamed for 'Gun Death'

A 14-year-old Mecklenburg County boy shot and killed an 18-year-old "youth" and threatened his 22-year-old brother with “gun violence” in a case of death-dispensing “vigilante” action, WSOC TV 9 reported Tuesday. What’s more, the young killer’s grandfather admits leaving the loaded Glock handgun where the child had access to it, allowing him to pick it up and fire three shots, one hitting the wood railing on the porch to further illustrate the lethal danger of guns in the home.

The grandfather’s action appears to be a violation of North Carolina law. “Safe storage” is a requirement in the Tar Heel State according to Wayne Goodwin, Commissioner of the North Carolina Department of Insurance.

“North Carolina law requires that the owner or possessor of a gun must not store or leave the firearm in a condition that could be accessed and discharged by a minor who resides in the house of the gun owner,” a Safe Kids North Carolina message put out under authority of Goodwin’s department and the North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force explains. “A minor is a person who is under 18 years of age.

“If you fail to safely store your firearms, you could pay the price,” the message warns. “Not only do you put your children at risk, you could also face fines and/or jail time. You may be guilty of a Class 1 Misdemeanor if a minor gains access to your gun and ... Causes injury or death...”

“If you own a gun, it is your responsibility to store it safely,” Goodwin’s warning continues. “Obey the law.”

“Store firearms out of the reach of children and other unauthorized users,” his message mandates. “Keep them unloaded with the ammunition stored in a separate location.”

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Fl: Gun Beats Pellet Gun, Stops Robbery, Carjacking

The suspect entered the Neighborhood Meat Market, 601 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., shortly after 7:30 p.m. Friday and demanded money from the clerk, police said.

The clerk then pulled out a gun and fired a shot at the suspect who then ran out of the store, police said.

As the suspect was leaving, the store owner’s wife arrived, and the suspect attempted to carjack her, but the clerk fired another shot at the suspect, who dropped the pellet gun and ran away, police said.

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