Conclusions of Australian Gun Law Report disputed

Below is a press release from CLASS -- the Coalition of Law Abiding Sporting Shooters (Australia) -- dated December 14, 2006. It refers to a research report that was also criticized on this blog on 15th.

The results of a recently released report into Gun Law Reform in Australia since 1996, prepared by Philip Alpers and Simon Chapman and published in Journal of Injury Prevention, have been vigorously disputed by a pro-gun activist group, whose membership includes Doctors, academics and researchers. President of CLASS Action, Peter Whelan summarised the complaints:

"When Prime Minister John Howard forced through his Gun Control Laws, he admitted, "I can't guarantee that these laws will prevent another mass murder." For the Prime Minister and others, to now claim otherwise in retrospect is the height of audacity and arrogance", commented Whelan.

Since 1996, there have been several mass murders, such as the Childers backpackers' fire, the Snow Town murders and several cases where parents killed their children and themselves, by car exhaust." "The fact that those mass murders were not carried out with a firearm, makes them no less a tragedy, but this report ignores such events", explained Whelan. "To credit the 1996 Gun Laws with a drop in death by firearm is to blatantly ignore all the other influencing factors, which have occurred in Australia, during the past ten years!"

Whelan referred to a report issued by the Australian Institute of Criminology, (Facts and Figures 2005) which highlighted that Serious Assaults have been increasing at 6% per year, since 1995, which was FIVE TIMES the population increase! A.I.C report no. 46, Homicide Monitoring, stressed that advances in emergency medical care had helped serious assault victims who would otherwise have died. Whelan explained that, "To claim that the gun laws saved those lives, is an insult to those in the Medical Profession, who work so hard to efficiently save the lives of victims of crime." "Furthermore, the OECD report 2005, found that Australia ranked number one among developed countries, in crime victimisation.

Australia now has an estimated 200,000 private security guards, most armed with handguns, on patrol at our railway stations, clubs and shopping centres. The report makes no reference to the effectiveness of those armed guards, on having reduced the likelihood of mass murders."

Other conclusions referred to in the report are also in error, claimed Whelan. "To say that taking a semi-automatic (multiple shot) firearm from someone intent on suicide, will somehow stop that person committing suicide, is bordering on stupidity! Firstly, suicide with a firearm involves a single shot! Secondly, a depressed, suicidal person will find another method, be it rope or car exhaust, if a firearm isn't available.

The many reports of suicides, following the 1996/97 buy back, as gun owners witnessed their family heirlooms, or favourite shotgun crushed, are confirmed in the figures contained in the Alpers and Chapman report. Whelan explained, "Non-firearm suicide rates increased dramatically, in the years 1997 and 1998. The rate per 100,000 pop. had been around 10.00, but in those two years it increased to 12.91 and 13.09! We would expect that those who supported the gun crushing program would spare a thought for the families of those who died so needlessly after having been accused of being criminals." "If the $One Billion wasted on gun crushing had been spent on improvements in Mental Health and Suicide Prevention programs, the Australian Community would have been a lot better off", claimed Whelan.

CLASS Action, along with other shooting groups, also disagree with the reference contained in the report to "removal of 700,000 guns", which were destroyed during the buy back. "Most gun owners who had to hand in an old banned, semi-automatic rabbit rifle, or fox gun, received over-valued amounts in payment. They simply used that money to buy a new gun and in many cases bought two or three new guns, so they could continue to enjoy their sport." explained Whelan.




Update:

On 7th I posted the following report:

Bullets stop drunken attack: "Police said that the fatal shooting of an Indiana County, Pa., man early Sunday in Accident apparently was the result of self-defense. Lt. J.D. Murphy of the Garrett Bureau of Investigation said that 29-year-old David Wayne Lancaster of Saltsburg died at Garrett Memorial Hospital in Oakland after he was shot three times with a .22-caliber handgun fired by Norris Rush, 52. The shooting occurred at 4:31 a.m. in the kitchen of the Rush residence on Friendsville Road after Lancaster grabbed a butcher knife and inflicted a deep wound to Rush's hand. Rush then discharged the handgun at close range, striking the victim in the stomach and chest. Rush reportedly declined medical treatment at the scene. Police said Billie Jo Zimmerman was also present at the time of the shooting and that all three people appeared to be "extremely intoxicated." Lancaster, Rush and Zimmerman were said to be friends. Zimmerman was not injured. Police said there was no record of prior domestic complaints at the Rush residence. Maryland State Police responded to the scene and following preliminary investigation, the case was forwarded to GBI.

A new report on the same matter is as follows:

"The recent shooting death of David Wayne Lancaster, 29, Saltsburg, Pa., is still under investigation, and has not been ruled self-defense as previously reported. Police responded to a residence on Accident Friendsville Road Dec. 3 for a domestic-related shooting. Further investigation revealed that Lancaster had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body. He was transported by Northern Rescue Squad to Garrett County Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:31 a.m. His body was transported to the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Baltimore for an autopsy. According to police, witnesses have been interviewed, and the investigation is continuing. "I am satisfied this investigation is being handled by trained, experienced police officers," said Lisa Thayer Welch, state's attorney for Garrett County. "When all evidence has been collected and reviewed, appropriate action will be taken. The analysis of forensic evidence can take weeks so it is premature for any conclusions to be made."




Arizona man shot after entering wrong house: "A Mesa man is recovering this morning after he entered the wrong house while drunk and was shot by an Ahwatukee homeowner, police said. The 34-year-old man, whose name was not released by police, began pounding on the homeowner's door at 3:15 a.m. in the 4100 block of East La Puente Avenue near 48th Street and Elliot Road, causing the homeowner to wake up, police said. The homeowner, armed with a handgun, opened his front door and two men, who had been drinking heavily, pushed their way into the house, police said. The homeowner ordered them out, but they refused and began to physically fight, police said. During the fight the gun accidentally [Well ....] went off and shot the man in the abdomen and arm, police said. The man and his 38-year-old friend were looking for his wife's house, police said. After police arrived one of the men told them it "was a big misunderstanding," police said. No charges have been filed against the homeowner, but police are submitting a report for possible trespassing charges against the victim, police said. The victim is in stable condition, police said."

The great equalizer

A good editorial below:

Unless you get upstate New York television stations on your satellite dish or surf TV stations' Web sites, you probably haven't heard about what happened to Raymond and Joyce Papin.

On Dec. 4, the couple had retired for the evening when they heard a noise in their house on the outskirts of Alexandria, a town of about 4,000 on the St. Lawrence River. Mr. Papin, 82, got up and found two masked men in camouflage clothing poking around his kitchen, according to WWTI-TV Channel 50. When the robbers demanded money, Mr. Papin smashed the smaller of the two in the face with a sugar bowl, and a struggle ensued.

Seconds later, Mrs. Papin, 74, entered the kitchen packing a shotgun and told the intruders to beat it. They obliged. The Papins were shaken by the incident, but uninjured. The criminals likewise were unharmed, but also went away empty-handed. The thugs figured the Papins would be easy marks because they are elderly and live on a farm a good distance from the village. What they didn't figure on was the shotgun.

Criminologists estimate at least 2 million crimes a year in America are thwarted in just this manner: armed citizens use guns to defend themselves and their property without ever firing a shot. Unfortunately, most media outlets don't consider this news, so almost all the incidents go unreported. But think how many more crimes could be averted if anti-gun politicians weren't so obsessed with making the job of criminals easier by disarming upright citizens.





Minnesota: Crazy ex-boyfriend shot: "A Wright County man broke into his ex-girlfriend's home in Rockford before dawn Wednesday and was shot to death by her new boyfriend, authorities said. The couple called Wright County deputies and reported the shooting about 3:30 a.m. When deputies arrived, Erik A. Richter, 35, of Watertown was dead in the home, according to a news release. He had been charged in November with making terroristic threats against the new boyfriend. Samantha E. Simons, 21, told police that she and her 30-year-old boyfriend were awakened when Richter forced his way into her home, said Lt. Todd Hoffman of the Wright County Sheriff's Office. The couple told authorities that Richter was shot in self-defense, Hoffman said. Deputies questioned the Rockford couple Wednesday but made no arrests. Hoffman said there was no struggle before the shooting in the 8800 block of Walnut Place, but he wouldn't say if Richter was armed. He said more details will be released Thursday when County Attorney Tom Kelly is expected to announce whether charges will be filed in the shooting. The young child of Richter and Simons was in the house when Richter broke in Wednesday, Hoffman said. The break-in violated conditions of Richter's release from jail on the terroristic threats charge."

CONTRADICTORY RESEARCH FINDINGS FROM AUSTRALIA: With comments at the foot of the post

First one recent research summary:

Half a billion dollars spent buying back hundreds of thousands of guns after the Port Arthur massacre had no effect on the homicide rate, says a study published in an influential British journal. The report by two Australian academics, published in the British Journal of Criminology, said statistics gathered in the decade since Port Arthur showed gun deaths had been declining well before 1996 and the buyback of more than 600,000 mainly semi-automatic rifles and pump-action shotguns had made no difference in the rate of decline.

The only area where the package of Commonwealth and State laws, known as the National Firearms Agreement (NFA) may have had some impact was on the rate of suicide, but the study said the evidence was not clear and any reductions attributable to the new gun rules were slight. "Homicide patterns (firearm and non-firearm) were not influenced by the NFA, the conclusion being that the gun buyback and restrictive legislative changes had no influence on firearm homicide in Australia," the study says.

In his first year in office, the Prime Minister, John Howard, forced through some of the world's toughest gun laws, including the national buyback scheme, after Martin Bryant used semi-automatic rifles to shoot dead 35 people at Port Arthur. Although furious licensed gun-owners said the laws would have no impact because criminals would not hand in their guns, Mr Howard and others predicted the removal of so many guns from the community, and new laws making it harder to buy and keep guns, would lead to a reduction in all types of gun-related deaths.

One of the authors of the study, Jeanine Baker, said she knew in 1996 it would be impossible for years to know whether the Prime Minister or the shooters were right. "I have been collecting data since 1996 . The decision was we would wait for a decade and then evaluate," she said. The findings were clear, she said: "The policy has made no difference. There was a trend of declining deaths that has continued." Dr Baker and her co-author, Samara McPhedran, declared their membership of gun groups in the article, something Dr Baker said they had done deliberately to make clear "who we are" and head off any possible criticism that they had hidden relevant details. The significance of the article was not who had written it but the fact it had been published in a respected journal after the regular rigorous process of being peer reviewed, she said.

Politicians had assumed tighter gun laws would cut off the supply of guns to would-be criminals and that homicide rates would fall as a result, the study said. But more than 90 per cent of firearms used to commit homicide were not registered, their users were not licensed and they had been unaffected by the firearms agreement. Dr Baker said many more lives would have been saved had the Government spent the $500 million on mental health or other programs rather than on destroying semi-automatic weapons. She believed semi-automatic rifles should be available to shooters, although with tight restrictions such as those in place in New Zealand.

The director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics, Dr Don Weatherburn, said he was not surprised by the study. He said it showed "politicians would be well advised to claim success of their policies after they were evaluated, not before".

Source

And now a second recent research summary

The risk of dying by gunshot has dropped dramatically since the gun buyback scheme was introduced after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, a new report says. Dr Philip Alpers, a University of Sydney academic who helped write the report, said the buyback saw the number of gun deaths a year fall from an average of 521 to 289, "suggesting that the removal of more than 700,000 guns was associated with a faster declining rate of gun suicide and gun homicide".



The Prime Minister, John Howard, introduced some of the world's toughest gun laws after the massacre, forcing people to surrender semi-automatic rifles, which reload each time the trigger is pulled, and pump-action shotguns.

The new report, titled Australia's 1996 Gun Law Reforms: Faster Falls in Firearm Deaths, Firearm Suicides and a Decade without Mass Shootings, finds that in the 18 years before the gun buyback there were an average of 492 firearm suicides a year. After the introduction of the buyback scheme, that figure dropped to 247 in the seven years for which reliable figures are available. The report also found the rate of gun homicides fell from an annual average of 93 in the 18 years before 1996 to an annual average of 56.

The latter finding contrasts with a report published in October which found that half a billion dollars spent removing guns had virtually no effect on homicide rates. That report - by two Australian academics, Jeanine Baker and Samara McPhedran, and published in the British Journal of Criminology - said gun homicide deaths were falling well before the buyback and the rate of decline hardly changed with the new laws.

Dr Simon Chapman, another author of the latest study, agreed that the rate of gun homicide was falling before the buyback. He said that while the rate had risen since then, the numbers involved were so small they were not statistically significant. The most important impact of the buyback was that there had been no mass shootings. He said 112 people had been killed in 11 mass shootings in the 10 years up to Port Arthur, and removing the semi-automatic weapons used in those shootings was a principal aim of the policy. It was "bordering on academic dishonesty" for Dr Baker and Ms McPhedran not to have included that fact in their paper, he said.

The director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics, Dr Don Weatherburn, said that while the two papers might seem to be in conflict, they were not. "Both found that the rate of gun suicide declined faster after the gun buyback and neither found any significant difference in the rate of decline in gun homicide before and after the gun buyback," he said. "The Chapman paper points out that there has been no mass shooting since the gun buyback. The earlier paper should have mentioned this, but didn't. "The results on gun suicide and mass shootings are enough reason to be very cautious about reducing the restrictions on gun ownership."

Source

One look at the graph reproduced above tells you all you need to know. Despite clever use of colours, it is clear that the red line (gun deaths) could best be summarized by a straight line -- in other words no effect of the new gun restrictions. So the major conclusion of the research summarized immediately above is simply a statistical fiddle.

The secondary conclusions -- that gun suicides have declined -- tells us nothing useful unless suicides overall have declined -- and that is carefully not mentioned. If people now are more likely to suicide by jumping in front of trains, is that an improvement?

The third point about mass murders is based on a very small sample size and such samples very often produce unreplicable results. In my own research, I have seen hugely high (and statistically significant) effects drop to negligibility by moving from a small sample to a large one.

I might add that this study adds further to the reputation for medical journals in general and British medical journals in particular to publish results on the basis of their political correctness rather than for their statistical rigor. My Food & Health Skeptic blog repeatedly draws attention to dodgy medical statistics and it was another British medical journal that published the scientifically ludicrous estimates of Iraqi civilian deaths.

It might be noted that generalizations about guns from the USA to Australia and vice versa are risky. Unlike the USA, Australia does not have a large violence-prone black population so few Australians feel the need to own a gun for personal protection. Gun ownership or not does therefore not prove much in Australia. It might also be noted that the Australian gun laws have large loopholes so that anyone who really wants to own a gun can in fact do so legally. A certain Australian person I know owns three Browning machine-guns legally! Beat that!

Battle with invaders in Cape Coral, Florida: "Two men were arrested after an apparent shoot-out early Wednesday morning in a Southeast Cape neighborhood. Arthur Starling Horton, 20, and Corrye A. Powell, 19, are suspected of attempting to get inside a residence where a man was babysitting his 18-month-old niece. The victim, who is not named in the arrest reports, reported hearing blinds moving around 5:45 a.m. and thought the dog was trying to come in. That's when he told police he saw a man trying to get in the door, pointing a gun at him and demanding to be let in. The victim began yelling for his girlfriend to come and get his niece and wake up others that were in the house. The girlfriend woke up and saw two men with guns standing in the driveway. Another person at the house handed the victim a gun for protection, and the victim took off running, apparently to get the men with guns away from his house and his young niece. "The victim states he ran from his residence into a house under construction across the street and he saw the two... men chasing after him," the report states. "He states that he hid in a closet in the dark until he saw a handgun from around the corner." The victim told police that's when he shot the gun out of one of the intruder's hands - and they fired back. Then the two intruders fled through the woods... No one was injured, because when police caught up with suspects Horton and Powell, they were taken to jail in apparent good health.... Witnesses later identified Horton and Powell, who were each charged with assault with intent to commit a felony."


Determined Texas burglar loses: "A would-be burglar who failed to break into a North Side home Tuesday morning returned to the same house that afternoon, only to be shot in the legs by the homeowner, police said. A suspect was taken to Brooke Army Medical Center in undetermined condition, Sgt. Pat Michalec said. The homeowner returned from work early Tuesday and found a man trying to break into his house in the 4100 block of Hunters Glen. The man left, and the homeowner filed a police report, Michalec said. Waking up from a nap later that day, the homeowner noticed the same man trying to break into his garage. He retrieved a shotgun and shot him in the legs, Michalec said, adding it was unlikely that charges would be filed against the homeowner."

Feisty Texas sisters defend store, ward off robber: "Forty years worth of drive-up service at the Douglas Grocery Store in north Fort Worth came to a screeching halt on Saturday afternoon. A man with a gun rushed inside. 53-year-old Irene Vargas was sitting in her familiar chair just inside the door. "He said, 'Give me your money or I'm going to shoot you. I'm going to kill you.' He put the gun here and hit me in the head twice," she said. Irene's sister, 50-year-old Christine Vargas, was standing behind the counter. "When I saw the pistol hit her head," she said, "I knew it wasn't a joke." Christine wanted to protect her sister. "I pulled the tray out, which made a noise to attract his attention. Then I pulled the pistol, and knew I had to shoot because it was either him or us." Vargas fired two shots from her 38-Special. She missed the gunman, but did get his attention. "I told him, 'If you can run, you'd better run fast, because if I get a chance I'm going to kill you,'" Vargas said. "He ran and that was it."


Mugger fatally shot outside NC motel: "Police are investigating a shooting at a north Charlotte motel. Officers said they went searching for the victim early Thursday, but they believe he's the man who showed up at Presbyterian Hospital with a gunshot wound and later died. Authorities originally headed to the InTown Suites on North Tryon Street just before 5:30 a.m. in response to a call about an attempted robbery by three men where shots were fired. When they arrived, they couldn't find anyone injured. Then about 5:40 a.m., officials in the Presbyterian Hospital Emergency Room called police and reported a man who had been shot had just died. Witnesses said they heard shots fired into a motel room, then saw the man inside come out and fire back at three men, hitting one of them. Police said after investigating, they believe the three men tried to rob a woman in the parking lot when her boyfriend came out of his room and fired shots. Investigators said when they discovered a man had died after being dropped off at the hospital, they connected the information and they believe he's the man who was shot. That man was identified as 22-year-old Anthony Davis. Officers have questioned several people who were involved. They said they've turned their evidence over to the district attorney's office to determine if charges will be filed. They said the case may be deemed a justifiable homicide."

Kentucky oldster ousts intruders: "It all came down to survival for Holton Smith on Saturday, Dec. 2 as he faced an intruder in his bedroom. Two men in their mid-20s broke into Smith's home on Baton Rouge Road in Williamstown around 4 p.m. One came into the bedroom while the other stayed at the front door.... Smith grabbed a .38-special from a nearby chest of drawers. "I couldn't get the gun out of the holster but I pointed it right at the man's face while we looked at each other," said Smith. "I knew I had to hold the gun steady." Smith, 85, said he was surprisingly calm during the incident; a calm he credits learning at Pearl Harbor and in Europe during World War II. "I knew that I had to get more space between me and that fellow," said Smith. "We were too close."... Then the man turned and ran toward the front door with Smith on his heels. "The one almost ran over the other as they tried to get out," said Smith.


One invader down in Columbus, Ohio: "Investigators said three men with a gun forced their way inside a home on Lockbourne Road Friday night, NBC 4's Ana Jackson reported. Resident Elaine Solomon said she was baking cookies when she heard a knock on the door... That's when Solomon said three men with at least one gun forced their way inside, Jackson reported. "All I remember is an arm coming over and seeing the gun," she said. "I was scared. I didn't know what to do. I thought he was going to shoot us." But Solomon's boyfriend heard the intrusion from a back bedroom and fought back. "I just got my pistol and came around the corner," said Red Evans. "That's where they were pushing her through and I just started shooting." Evans said he shot one of the intruders and chased them from the house, Jackson reported. Minutes later, police said they received a report from a house on nearby Ohio Avenue. A man there had been shot, but people who lived at the home didn't know who he was, police said. Investigators said the same man may have been one of the suspects in the home invasion, Jackson reported."

IN: Woman fears for life after son kills intruder: "One day after an her son killed one of two intruders who forced his way into her house, a Gary mother says she fears for her life. 'I'm fearful because I don't know who that guy was and I don't know who his people are,' she said. ... The homeowner, a truck driver for the city of Gary, was eating pizza with her 21-year-old son and his friend about 5:40 p.m. Friday when someone knocked on the door. When her son's friend opened the door to see who it was, two men forced their way and put a gun to his head. Immediately, her son ran downstairs to grab a gun while she took refuge in a first-floor bedroom. Scott asked where everyone was and then said he was going to kill everyone there. That's when her 21-year-old son emerged from the basement and started firing his weapon, striking Scott. The second intruder fled."


SAF lawsuit defends rights of citizens living abroad : "The Second Amendment Foundation today filed a lawsuit in federal court in Ohio, challenging the 'sporting purpose' limitation for firearms sales in this country, and supporting the constitutional right of American citizens living abroad to legally purchase firearms while in this country. SAF and co-plaintiff Stephen Dearth of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, a native citizen of the United States, are represented by the law firms of Gura & Possessky (Virginia) and Squire, Sanders & Dempsey (Ohio)."

UT: U redirects victim disarmament fight: "University of Utah leaders are taking their gun fight to the Legislature, hoping to keep at least part of the school's controversial gun ban intact. After losing a lengthy and costly court battle, U. President Michael Young is working with legislators to find if the no-guns rule could work in limited circumstances such as in residence halls and athletic venues."


Thailand: Schools reopen with armed teachers: "Schools in parts of Thailand's violence-plagued southern province Pattani reopened Monday. Teachers were allowed to take weapons to protect their own safety. ... Education Minister Wijit Srisaarn said he believed self-defense measures, including allowing teachers to carry guns, will be effective in protecting the teachers. The educators themselves will also help security officials look after their colleagues, according to Wijit."


Update:

On August 27, I posted the following story:

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."

Bo has now written to me to advise that he was acquitted of all charges recently. See here. Excerpt: "It took less than an hour Thursday for a jury to find a former Gainesville business owner not guilty of aggravated assault in the shooting of his ex-wife's boyfriend... Briscoe testified that Richardson, who was unarmed, punched him twice as he sat strapped into the driver's seat of his Dodge Caravan. Briscoe said he grabbed his 9 mm Taurus handgun from a computer bag in the van to defend himself from the blows. Richardson was shot twice in the hands, according to medical testimony. One of the shots passed through Richardson's hand and entered his chest, leaving separate entrance and exit wounds, according to medical testimony. He survived the shooting but spent six days in a hospital... Quoting from the law in his closing argument, Millikan said his client was justified in the "use of force in the defense of habitation." Under Georgia law, a car can be considered habitation the same as a home, he said"

Police state mentality breeds poor judgment: "While citizens in New York search for answers in the horrendous shooting death of an unarmed man hours before he would have married his high school sweetheart, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms says a factor nobody wants to discuss could be the anti-gun mentality fostered in that city for generations. 'The mere thought that a citizen may have had a firearm seems to have contributed to the terrible shooting death of Sean Bell,' said CCRKBA Chairman Alan M. Gottlieb."


Black French cop shoots antisemitic thugs: "French prosecutors opened an investigation Saturday into a shooting death by a police officer after a horde of Paris Saint-Germain fans attacked a supporter of an Israeli club two days before. The plainclothes police officer, Antoine Granomort, remained in custody after he killed one man and wounded another following Thursday's UEFA Cup match between PSG and Israeli club Hapoel Tel Aviv. A group of PSG fans shouted anti-Semitic and racial epithets, and Granomort, originally from the Caribbean, said he was trying to protect himself and a Hapoel fan described by officials as a French Jew. Paris prosecutor Jean-Claude Marin, who said it's likely Granomort acted in self-defence, opened the judicial inquiry."

PA: Homeowner opens fire on intruders: "A homeowner opened fire after intruders entered his home on Monday, police said. ... The man and his 1-year-old baby were home at the time of the invasion. Police said several people kicked in the front windows of the home. According to officials, the homeowner then shot one person with a high caliber weapon, injuring that person severely. The intruder fled in a vehicle. Police are now searching for the intruders."


Compulsory gun ownership? "A tiny town in western Pennsylvania could ask all of its residents to own guns, if a proposal under consideration on Wednesday wins approval from local officials. Under the proposed law, residents of Cherry Tree, Pennsylvania, would be asked to own guns and know how to use them. Cherry Tree, some 70 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, has about 400 residents. The town council was scheduled to vote on the proposed "Civil Protection Ordinance" on Wednesday evening. Introduced last month by resident Henry Statkowski, the measure recommends that "all heads of households maintain a firearm along with ammunition." In written comments, Statkowski said homeowners have a right and a responsibility to defend against intruders rather than calling police and waiting for help to arrive. The measure would send a message to "burglars, ne'er-do-wells and other criminal elements," Statkowski wrote."

Wyoming intruder chased off by .45: "Investigators still don't know who tried to break into an American Ranch Road home Monday morning, but they're sure he wasn't hit by the homeowner who shot at him, Sheriff Bill Pownall said. The 37-year-old homeowner woke up at about 2 a.m. when he heard dogs barking, Pownall said. He went to his bedroom doorway, saw a man trying to enter through a kitchen door and fired a round from a .45-caliber handgun. The owner told investigators he was certain he hadn't hit the man, which was confirmed when they found the handgun round lodged in a kitchen cabinet, Pownall said. Deputies haven't received any further information since the incidents. Pownall said the case is still open".


Bullets stop drunken attack: "Police said that the fatal shooting of an Indiana County, Pa., man early Sunday in Accident apparently was the result of self-defense. Lt. J.D. Murphy of the Garrett Bureau of Investigation said that 29-year-old David Wayne Lancaster of Saltsburg died at Garrett Memorial Hospital in Oakland after he was shot three times with a .22-caliber handgun fired by Norris Rush, 52. The shooting occurred at 4:31 a.m. in the kitchen of the Rush residence on Friendsville Road after Lancaster grabbed a butcher knife and inflicted a deep wound to Rush's hand. Rush then discharged the handgun at close range, striking the victim in the stomach and chest. Rush reportedly declined medical treatment at the scene. Police said Billie Jo Zimmerman was also present at the time of the shooting and that all three people appeared to be "extremely intoxicated." Lancaster, Rush and Zimmerman were said to be friends. Zimmerman was not injured. Police said there was no record of prior domestic complaints at the Rush residence. Maryland State Police responded to the scene and following preliminary investigation, the case was forwarded to GBI.

TN: Brutal abuse stopped with a bullet: "Greene County investigators are working another fatal shooting tonight, the second in two days. The Greene County coroner tells News Channel 11 that Jeffery Underwood was shot to death early Saturday morning at a home on Fox Ford Road. Investigators say a man shot Underwood in self defense after Underwood dragged his stepfather with a truck. Some neighbors say they knew something was wrong. "My husband thought he heard two gun shots.We heard some one screaming yelling," Alice Lowe said." After a while we saw emergency equipment was coming we really have no idea what happened.It just gave us a sick feeling down inside." The stepfather was flown to a local hospital and is in stable condition. No charges will be filed in the incident."


FL: Real gun trumps fake: "A robber used a lighter resembling a pistol to steal a man's wallet -- only to be shot by his victim, who was armed with a gun that was real. Delbert Leroy Wells, 40, the would-be robber, lingered for two weeks at Jackson Memorial Hospital before succumbing to his wounds on Thanksgiving Day. On Nov. 8, Miami police say, Wells was driving a white Dodge when he pulled up to the car of Patrick Laguerre on Northwest 75th Street and North Miami Avenue at about 12:20 a.m. He asked for directions. As Laguerre was responding, Wells pulled out a nickel-plated lighter made to look like a gun. Laguerre gave him some loose dollars, 'but [Wells] wanted more,' according to a police report. Wells searched his pockets, fished through his wallet and got back into his own car. But the wallet was empty. Wells 'became irate, aiming the handgun at the victim, stated he was going to shoot,' the police report said. Laguerre took cover back in his own car, grabbed his own handgun and squeezed off three to four rounds."

Seek facts in debate over gun rights: "The New York Times editorial titled 'Confusion on Guns,' reprinted by the Enquirer (Nov. 23), is an example of arrogance or ignorance, neither of which stands that shrinking media behemoth in good stead. The paper asserts that 'America's confusion about the Second Amendment is now nearly total. An amendment that ensures a collective right to bear arms has been misread in one legislature after another.' While there is an ongoing debate about the Second Amendment, and volumes written on the subject, it is disingenuous in the extreme to make this assertion as if the New York Times were the final arbiter on the matter, or that this opinion represented settled law and fact."


Disappearing hunters: "Hunting in America has entered a long twilight. The number of license holders-roughly 15 million through 2004-has actually shrunk by about 2 million people since 1982, when the population was 230 million (versus 300 million today). Since 1990, the number of license holders in Massachusetts has dropped by 50,000, or 40 percent; in California since 1980 the number has fallen by almost half, from 540,000 to 300,000. In Michigan, there were 1.2 million licensed hunters in 1992-but fewer than 850,000 in 2004."

Book review: Teaching Women to Shoot: "As gun owners, we have a responsibility not only to learn the proper use of our firearms, but also to ensure that adequate training is available to people who need it. If you go to any gun store, gun show, or shooting range, you'll find that there are far more men than women. The firearms industry is very much male-dominated. And that's okay.But, when it comes to training, it becomes obvious that women may be receiving training programs designed for men. Since women process information differently than men, they might not realize as much success as men do in such a program. This can create a variety of problems. .... TEACHING WOMEN TO SHOOT: A LAW ENFORCEMENT INSTRUCTOR'S GUIDE and WOMEN LEARNING TO SHOOT: A GUIDE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS were both written by Diane Nicholl and Vicki Farnam."


NC: Cabbie shoots robber: "Homicide detectives are combing the scene of a deadly overnight shooting in west Charlotte.Police say a cab driver shot and killed a man who robbed him around 3 a.m. Wednesday on Columbus Circle.Investigators say the driver called for help over his radio, but before help arrived, the two men started fighting and the cab driver fired a shot.The robber was pronounced dead at the scene."

OH: Clerk, robber have shootout: "A store clerk involved in a gunfight Monday night fired straighter than a would-be robber, leaving the man wounded and fleeing into the night. Police said a man entered the Express Mart, 3999 Necco Ave., about 9 p.m. armed with a handgun. The clerk behind the counter pulled out a handgun of his own and both men discharged their weapons, Dayton police Sgt. Scott Lawson said. The clerk wasn't hit, but the robber was shot in his shoulder and ran. He turned up a little while later at the residence of an acquaintance near Kings Mill Court, a few blocks east of the mart, and called an ambulance to treat his wound. Police also responded to the call and quickly realized the wounded man was their suspect because he matched the description of the robber - right down to his choice of clothing. After treatment for the non life-threatening injury at a hospital, the suspect was taken to the Montgomery County Jail, Lawson said."


Another triumph for strict antigun laws: "A man was arrested after he stabbed and killed an eight-year-old boy at an elementary school in the Netherlands overnight, police said. Police were investigating the 22-year-old suspect's relationship with the victim. "As far as we know now the suspect and the boy were not relatives," a police spokesman said. The boy died at an elementary school in the southern Dutch town of Hoogerheide after teachers found him with severe wounds to his neck. "A man wearing a hooded top and a long coat was seen leaving the school and a man wearing a hooded top and a long coat was arrested later," the spokesman said, declining to comment on a possible motive for the attack. School killings are rare in the Netherlands, which has strict laws on possession of weapons. In January 2004, a Dutch teacher was shot dead by a student in The Hague, and in the same month a teacher at a school in Amsterdam was seriously wounded in a stabbing."

One ring to ruin them all: "A Jersey City ordinance that takes effect on December 11 bars sex offenders from living within 2,500 feet of a school, day care center, park, playground, sports facility, library, theater, or convenience store. These zones cover the entire city. As a result of the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act, you can't legally transport a firearm in Phoenix unless you have a carry permit or keep it locked and unloaded. In New Haven the only substantial piece of land not covered by a drug-free zone is the Yale University golf course. Across the country, politicians are eager to draw magical circles of protection they claim will banish evil and keep children safe. It's an easy, cheap way of opposing what everyone opposes and supporting what everyone supports. But the resulting crazy quilt of drug-free, gun-free, and molester-free zones is ineffective, sometimes counterproductive, and frequently unjust.... The victims of such laws also include innocent gun owners who are transformed into felons when they unwittingly traverse a school zone on the way to target practice or hunting grounds. The gun control analyst Alan Korwin warns that the 1,000-foot limit set by federal law subjects millions of Americans to a five-year prison term simply for venturing out of their homes with their guns"


NM: Suspected home invader shot, killed : "A late-night shooting in the Four Hills area of Albuquerque left one person dead and a homeowner shaken. Police say the homeowner called 911 about 11:30 Saturday night. Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Trish Hoffman says the homeowner woke up to sounds inside his house, discovered a burglar and shot the intruder. The intruder died at the scene. Detectives haven't released whether the intruder was armed. Detectives are investigating the scene as a homicide, but say it's possible the homeowner won't be charged because it may be a justifiable homicide."

PA: Facing gun, merchant shoots 3: "It was clear to John Lee that the four guys who came into his East Germantown deli Saturday night would not be paying customers. 'They all had their hoodies pulled tight, and it wasn't a cold night,' said Lee, 48, owner of the Chelten Market at Chelten Avenue and Musgrave Street. 'I said, 'You need to take off your hoodies,' then one of them came around the counter with his gun drawn, so I shot them.' Lee fired five rounds from his .38-caliber revolver, striking three of the bandits and rupturing a water line, police said. The gunman dropped his loaded 9mm pistol as he and his wounded partners fled the store. Lee found a fourth would-be robber -- who had not been shot -- hiding in the rear of the store. 'He had a BB gun on him, so I took it,' Lee said. 'Then I beat him up and took his boots and called police.'"


The 2nd Amendment: The original homeland security: "A few weeks ago in an article titled, 'Conscription, Standing Armies, and Love of Country' I wrote that the Federal Government had outlawed the state militias mentioned in the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This was incorrect. The state militias have been 'nationalized' into the 'National Guard' and are now being used unconstitutionally for foreign occupations. Governors across the country are complaining to the Bush administration that their National Guard units are being depleted for the War in Iraq, and that they do not have enough manpower to handle emergencies in their home states."

Vancouver, Washington. Home Invasion, Shooting: "Police are searching for two men they said were involved in a shootout with a Vancouver homeowner Monday night. Officers said the homeowner surprised two burglars inside his home on Northeast Benton Drive around 7 p.m. The homeowner told authorities that he confronted the burglars and he exchanged gunfire with the two men. There were no injuries reported. The men fled the scene and left in a newer model gray SUV-type vehicle, according to police. Police said it is unknown how many shots were fired, if the two men were hit or who shot first. Authorities are investigating a possible connection to the shooting. They said a man walked into a Portland emergency room last night with a gunshot wound.


Minnesota: Oldster kills home invader: "A 73-year-old Coon Rapids man who shot and killed an apparent intruder Monday night "appears unlikely" to face charges, a top Anoka County investigator said today. The resident told police he was awakened to sounds of what he thought was someone breaking into his house on Bittersweet Street in Coon Rapids, sheriff's Capt. Bob Aldrich said. He grabbed a rifle that he kept in his bedroom around the time a man in his late teens or early 20s entered the room. "(The resident) fired a single shot, and the suspect was struck in the torso," Aldrich said. "The suspect was able to stumble or stagger down the stairs and then collapsed near a door. And died." Authorities this afternoon were still trying to identify the suspected intruder, described as a man in his late teens or early 20s, Aldrich said. The resident declined to speak with reporters when he returned home early this afternoon. County prosecutors will make the final call on whether or not charges will be filed, but Aldrich said police released the resident without booking him."

Virginia home invasion fails: "Virginia Beach Police are currently investigating a home invasion case which led to a man being shot, and a suspect in custody. He's been identified as 19 year-old Terrel Anthony Bell. According to a police spokesperson, one of the residents was returning home this morning, and as he was entering his residence, a [black] man armed with a shotgun came up from behind and forced him inside. The suspect then tried to take control of everyone in the residence, but the men inside the home fought back and tried to take the shotgun from the would-be robber. Police said that during the struggle, a shot was fired, hitting the leg of one of the residents. The man who was shot has been identified as 29 year-old Darryl Chrismore. The remainder of the residents wrestled the man to the floor and called police. Chrismore was taken to a hospital where he underwent surgery. He's expected to be okay.


Kansas City, Missouri. Intruder killed: "A man was shot to death Monday evening in south Kansas City, officials said. At about 5 p.m., police responded to a shooting call at a home in the 7500 block of East 118th Place. When officers arrived, the homeowner told police he had shot and killed an intruder. The homeowner said he didn't know the man. A relative of the homeowner told KMBC that he had every right to defend himself. The homeowner wasn't injured. He was taken in for questioning, which is routine in a shooting investigation. No names were released."

NYTimes: Money Makes us Safe, Not Guns?: "In yet another anti-gun rant, the Times has once again sounded the good liberal mantra: Got a problem? Throw money at it. Apparently, outgoing Senator George Allen (R, Vir.) has introduced one of his last bills in the waning days of the 109th sitting of the Senate, a bill allowing concealed carry of firearms inside our National Parks. Naturally, the New York Times is not amused. After informing us that the bill has passed the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, they emotionally proclaim that they "hope it will die the miserable death it deserves".... But the howler of the piece is the claim that throwing money at crime, as opposed to allowing citizens to protect themselves, would make us all safer in our National Parks. "If Americans want to feel safer in their national parks, the proper solution is to increase park funding. "


Women take up hunting: "It's deer season in Maine and although the hunting department of outdoor retail specialist L.L. Bean is packed, this is no old-boy's club. Among the aisles of aerosol deer urine and digital duck calls, there are racks of women's clothing in mossy-oak camouflage, as well as plenty of fluorescent hunter orange. Lined up behind the counter are dozens of guns, many available with a "short-stock" designed to fit more comfortably into women's shorter arms. That's because an increasing number of women are heading into the woods, becoming one of the most enthusiastic segments of the hunting world. Take Laura Beth Fowler, an 18-year-old from McKenzie, Tennessee, who took up shooting three years ago and is now a member of one of the few all-girl trap-shooting teams in the country. With her coach and girls from the team, Fowler loves heading into the wild to shoot birds -- right down to getting out of bed at 4 a.m. and huddling in chilly duck-blinds. "It's a bunch of fun. And it's just so beautiful, being in the woods," she said. Fowler is not alone. The number of women hunters in the United States is on the rise."

AK: School fits gun education into curriculum: "Tom Milliron figures Juneau school children are going to encounter guns one way or another, whether venturing armed into nearby wilderness or visiting the home of a friend. 'Better they learn how to handle a firearm safely than to hurt themselves through ignorance, he says.' Milliron is principal of one of Juneau's two middle schools. Sixth-graders under his care last month completed an outdoor education course that included instruction in safe handling of guns and firing rounds from .22-caliber rifles. For some children, it was the first time they'd touched a gun. 'In gun-happy Alaska, teaching children how to safely handle firearms is just common sense,' Milliron said."


OR: Camper cleared in shooting of ATV driver: "An Idaho man acted in self-defense when he shot a man who was headed toward him in an all-terrain vehicle, a Baker County grand jury decided. Marvin Sauer, 52, of Boise shot Everett Durst, 38, of Vancouver, Wash., in the left leg following a Labor Day dispute near Phillips Reservoir. The incident started when Sauer and his wife arrived to camp in an area where Durst and his party were riding. The sides had a disagreement and Durst later drove a quad runner to Sauer's campsite. Durst began spinning the vehicle in circles, stirring up dust and throwing rocks on Sauer's wife, said Matt Shirtcliff, the Baker County district attorney. Shirtcliff said Sauer fired a warning a shot into the air. Durst stopped spinning the vehicle in circles and started driving in Sauer's direction. 'Once Mr. Durst drove the quad runner straight at Mr. Sauer, Sauer was entitled at that point to fire his gun at Mr. Durst to defend himself,' Shirtcliff said."


Update

I posted the following on 4 December, 2004:

Pennsylvania: Gun suspect uses "tight jeans" defense: "Sean Eldon Duvall, 36, was arrested Tuesday on charges including aggravated assault and reckless endangerment for the June 18 incident. Southwest Regional Police Detective Sgt. James Rega said in court papers that Duvall left his car with the .38-caliber revolver hidden under papers and aimed it at him when he stopped to see if Duvall needed help. Duvall told The Associated Press that he didn't need help; he said he was just stepping out of his car to go to a friend's house to play chess. Duvall acknowledged he had his gun with him, but said he has a permit to carry it, which he tried to show Rega. By law, the gun must be concealed, but Duvall said he couldn't conceal it under his pants while sitting in his car because his jeans were too tight." [Could be true]

Sean has now emailed me to say: "About a week ago, I was found "not guilty" of all charges, by a JURY"

WA: SAF sues library system over Net censorship: "The Second Amendment Foundation and three Washington State residents have filed a federal lawsuit against a north-central Washington regional library system for denying them access to websites that include information on firearms and publications dealing with guns. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington in Spokane. Joining SAF in the lawsuit are Sarah Bradburn of Republic, Ferry County; Pearl Cherrington of Twisp and Charles Heinlen of Okanogan, both towns in Okanogan County."


FL: Motorist with gun holds down tip thief: "A would-be robber found out the hard way Friday afternoon that restaurant workers aren't easily parted from their tips. The unidentified man grabbed about $20 from the countertop tip jar at the Chinese restaurant Chung Shing without saying a word, employees said. 'I said, 'Hey, that's my money,'' said restaurant manager Diane Lin. 'He didn't care.' He also didn't have a chance. Employees chased him outside into the parking lot of the strip mall on U.S. 301 and behind the stores. A passerby with a concealed weapons permit stopped and pulled his gun on the man, witnesses said. Minutes later, a Manatee County Sheriff's Office patrol car drove by and a deputy arrested the tip thief."

PA: Robber shot and killed by victim: "A 19-year-old Philadelphia man was shot and killed after he tried to rob another man early yesterday in the 1600 block of West Susquehanna Street, police said. The robber approached from behind as the man left a bar near 15th Street, police said. The robber stuck a gun in the man's back, and demanded money. The man began to comply, then shot the robber in the head, shoulder, chest and right arm with a registered handgun, police said."


Useless 911 calls: "But many crime emergencies are blocked by an armed citizen, and they often go unreported according to the FBI and diligent scholars. This is an invisible solution often ignored by officials, even thwarted by them. Throughout the history of 911, problems with 911 have been belligerence of operators, operator skepticism of reporting parties and repeat pranksters, unclear calls without precise locations, various policies on 911 hang-ups, an over-burdening and overwhelming of the system, and general burn-out of operators remaining on the job. As I mentioned in my last piece, some 911 operators have even been found asleep at the console. For many citizens, a placed 911 call simply goes unanswered or is met with a busy signal."

CA: Idiot hoplophobes go after toys: "Ice-cream vendors in San Diego who sell toy guns out of their trucks should probably think about getting rid of their nondairy inventory. A City Council committee, at the behest of law enforcement, wants to make it illegal for them to sell anything but food. It seems the number of children taking the weapon look-alikes to school has been increasing over the past several years. San Diego City Schools police Chief Don Braun said many of the replicas were bought from ice-cream vendors who congregate near schools. 'Student access to these weapons must be limited by reducing availability from mobile ice cream vendors,' he said."


Armed 92-year-old shot dead in raid: "Police who shot and killed a 92-year-old woman in Atlanta after she wounded three officers were looking for a man who sold drugs to undercover agents at her home earlier that day, authorities said today. The agents got a search warrant after buying drugs yesterday from a man in Kathryn Johnston's home, Assistant Police Chief Alan Dreher said. Johnston's niece, Sarah Dozier, said her aunt likely had reason to shoot the three investigators as they stormed her house. "My aunt was in good health. I'm sure she panicked when they kicked that door down," Dozier told WAGA-TV, adding that there were no drugs in the house. "There was no reason they had to go in there and shoot her down like a dog." Police insisted the officers did everything right before entering the home, despite suggestions from the woman's neighbours and relatives that it was a case of mistaken identity. Kathryn Johnston was the only resident in the house at the time and had lived there for about 17 years, Assistant Chief Alan Dreher said. The officers had a legal warrant, "knocked and announced" before they forced open the door and were justified in shooting once fired upon, he said."

A prize piece of nuttiness: "The FBI recently reported that the United States is facing a wave of murders and gun violence. Cities across the country are seeing significant increases in violent crime. In Boston, the number of homicides is threatening to eclipse last year's numbers, which were already the worst in a decade. These statistics prove that the current approach to reducing violence isn't working. ... A bill before Congress would establish a US Department of Peace. This measure would provide practical, nonviolent solutions for the problems of domestic and international conflict. It would apply the institutional heft of the US government to a serious effort not merely at avoiding war or waging war more effectively. It would take America to the next evolutionary step: It would proactively wage peace."


Ted Nugent's signature guitar doubles as gun: "Ed Roman's Quicksilver Guitars, the world's largest guitar store & builder of custom guitars, today announced that the company has completed the custom design, development and construction of a new custom guitar for world famous rocker, hunter and statesman Ted Nugent. Nugent, known for his hard hitting rock 'n' roll, as well as his strong support for the right to bear arms, his conservative lifestyle and love of his country, is one of Ed Roman's primary influences. 'We are proud to have had the opportunity to work with Ted again and to produce this truly unique instrument and piece of rock 'n' roll history,' said Ed Roman, founder of Ed Roman Guitars. 'Not only is this a top-of-the-line guitar, it is a precision firearm."

PA: Man shoots intruder, jailed on drug charges: "A homeowner shot a person apparently trying to break into his house overnight in Knoxville. ... Homicide detectives interviewed a 20-year-old male and, a 17-year-old female who were inside the residence with their two-month-old son when two black males entered the apartment. The intruder showed a handgun and demanded money from the 20-year-old man. The man retrieved a handgun and shot the intruder. The 20-year-old male was interviewed and has been charged with possession of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possessing an illegal firearm. He is currently in the Allegheny County Jail."


UCLA: Iranian student resists police, gets Tasered: "Mostafa Tabatabainejad, a UCLA student, was repeatedly stunned with a Taser and then taken into custody when he did not exit the CLICC Lab in Powell Library in a timely manner. Community Service Officers had asked Tabatabainejad to leave after he failed to produce his BruinCard during a random check at around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. UCPD Assistant Chief of Police Jeff Young said the checks are a standard procedure in the library after 11 p.m. "Because of the safety of the students we limit the use after 11 to just students, staff and faculty," Young said. Young said the CSOs on duty in the library at the time went to get UCPD officers when Tabatabainejad did not immediately leave, and UCPD officers resorted to use of the Taser when Tabatabainejad did not do as he was told."

Americans want to have security at home: "For most Americans, guns are not a political issue. People buy and own guns to protect their families, not to commit crimes. The truth is that even millions of Americans who support and vote for gun control own guns themselves, because deep down they share the basic human need to feel secure in their homes. The gun control movement has lost momentum in recent years. The Democratic Party has been conspicuously silent on the issue in recent elections because they know it's a political loser. In the midst of declining public support for new gun laws, more and more states have adopted concealed-carry programs. The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and last year's hurricanes only made matters worse for gun control proponents, as millions of Americans were starkly reminded that we cannot rely on government to protect us from criminals."


TN: Pol foils robbery, holds suspects: "Over the weekend county commissioner Greg Lambert foiled a robbery by drawing his gun on a suspect and Wednesday that scenario happened again to a state lawmaker. Volunteer TV has just learned that State Senator Tim Burchett had to draw his gun on four people as they were leaving his warehouse on Ball Camp Pike Wednesday morning. Senator Burchett had three motorcycles stolen out of the warehouse in recent weeks and had been staking it out. He called 911 after catching the burglars in the act, but told us he had to draw his gun to prevent them from escaping. Knox County deputies took three juveniles and one adult into custody. And the suspects led deputies to his stolen motorcycles."

TX: No charges filed in shooting of woman: "Preliminary findings indicate Tuesday's shooting death of Stacey Condit, a Texarkana attorney's ex-wife, was self-defense, and no charges have been filed. ... Condit, 39, was the ex-wife of attorney Bruce Condit. The shooting happened about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday at Bruce Condit's Wake Village home. Bruce Condit, his two grown children and two of their friends were at the house at the time of the incident. ... Schutte said Stacey Condit went to the home with a rifle, apparently intending to hurt her ex-husband, and entered the house. She was shot with a shotgun that belonged to someone in the house, he said. She was pronounced dead at the scene."


OR: Gunfire follows house blaze: "A two-alarm fire damaged a Salem home Tuesday night, displacing the family of a National Guard sergeant who told police that he exchanged gunshots with an intruder inside his house the morning after the blaze. Brian Mumey, who was not home when the fire broke out, told police that he returned to his house at 225 Stark St. N after the blaze to check his damaged possessions and saw an unidentified man inside his bedroom Wednesday morning. Mumey, 43, said the intruder, described as a white male in his 50s, fired a shot at him, prompting him to fire five to six rounds back. After another exchange of gunfire, the unidentified man reportedly fled."

Clumsy Kiwi cop accidentally stuns himself: "A clumsy New Zealand policeman attending a domestic dispute accidentally shot himself and a teenager with a stun gun before pepper-spraying an innocent woman, reports said on Friday. The constable was loading his weapon when he accidentally blasted himself with the stun gun's 50,000 volts while trying to stun a man at the centre of the incident last month, the New Zealand Herald reports. Another shot hit the man's 16-year-old son. After five attempts to hit the man, the officer eventually used pepper spray, but succeeded only in hitting the man's 21-year-old daughter - an unintended target. The wanted man eventually gave himself up."


OH: No Charges In Fatal Shooting Of Teen: "Prosecutors say no charges will be filed in the shooting death of a teenager last month. A Kennedy Heights homeowner, 61 year-old Bennie Hall Jr, shot and killed 14 year-old Quavale Finnell after police say the teen was driving away in the shooter's car. The Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office announced Friday: "Due to the rise in violence in his neighborhood and the fact his own grandson was a shooting victim right down the street, Mr. Hall had taken the proper steps to get a Concealed Carry Permit. Forensic evidence also confirms that at the time of the first shot, the car was moving directly towards Mr. Hall. This is consistent with the statements of Mr. Hall and a witness. It is the opinion of this office that Mr. Hall acted in self-defense and no charges will be filed against him. Prosecutor Deters: "It is a tragedy that this 14-year-old boy lost his life during this incident. Mr. Hall has a right to protect himself with deadly force if his life is in danger or he is in danger of great bodily harm. Based on the totality of the evidence and circumstances, he was doing just that." An earlier posting on this story on Oct 26th

New Zealand: Father disgusted at gun shop charge: "A gun-shop owner whose son shot a man carrying a machete is disgusted that he is to be charged. On July 31, a man entered the Small Arms International Gun Shop in Penrose, Auckland, allegedly threatening to kill staff unless they gave him a gun. A store director, Greg Carvell, 33, shot him in the stomach with a .45-calibre pistol. The man, Ricky James Beckham, 29, survived and was later charged with assault with intent to rob. He will appear in court on November 24. Mr Carvell had been subpoenaed to appear as a witness. Police said yesterday that they would charge Mr Carvell, a co-owner of the shop, with possession of a firearm without lawful, proper or sufficient purpose. He will appear in Auckland District Court on December 6. "


SC: Murder or self-defense? "On the night of February 5, 2005, Scotty Fowler was shot and killed, and April McCullough was the one who pulled the trigger. The defense is saying the shooting was a case of self defense. However the solicitor's office found enough probable cause on that night to arrest McCullough and charge her with murder. ... Scotty pushed past April's mother, bruising the mother. He then broke into the house and chased April to the back of the house and April fired one shot at him. It went into his arm and ended up going into his chest and killing him."

N.Y.: First guns, now bats: City Councilman James Oddo (R-S.I.) is pushing a bill that would ban aluminum bats because they're . . . dangerous. Earth to Oddo: Sports are dangerous. And even if we were to indulge your "logic," you're going after the wrong end of the equation: It's not the bat that's dangerous - it's the ball. Perhaps the hardball should be replaced with a Nerf ball? In the interests of safety, of course . . . New Yorkers: How long will you allow a bunch of arrogant "do-gooders" to ban whatever they decide is bad for you? Smoking and trans-fats weren't enough to satisfy their appetite. Now bats are on the agenda for those who envision a world without an iota of risk - and are happily willing to ram their dreams down your throats."


Self-defense isn't a privilege, it's a right: "The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today responded to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's latest outrage -- suggesting that citizens in his city don't need gun permits -- by reminding the anti-gun rights mayor that 'Self defense isn't a privilege, it's a right.' Bloomberg announced on his radio program that he wants to reduce the number of people who have concealed handgun permits in the Big Apple. He told his radio audience, 'If you tell me you need a gun permit, you're telling me you don't think the NYPD can do a good job in protecting you. Most people, I don't see any reason why they need it.'"

Foolish S.C. deputy: "A gunshot was fired into the floor in an Anderson County middle school after a student accidentally pulled the trigger of a deputy's holstered gun. The gun fired Wednesday morning after a student grabbed it as the deputy told them how hard it was to take a gun from an officer's holster, Sheriff David Crenshaw said. The student's finger apparently was small enough to get inside the holster and pull the trigger, the sheriff said. The bullet fired into the floor, and debris cut and scratched two students. But no one was seriously injured, school officials said. The sheriff's office has begun an internal investigation and the officer involved is on administrative leave, said Crenshaw, who would not identify the deputy or say whether he would be paid while on leave. "The officer there today had a major lapse in judgment," Crenshaw said Wednesday. "He was just trying to be nice to the kids and made a faulty decision. It was an accident. The good Lord blessed us that nobody got hurt."


Tennessee man is shot, wounds intruder during home invasion : "Jefferson County authorities are investigating a home invasion and shooting incident reported Monday afternoon at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Taylor on West Highway 25/70, Dandridge. Jefferson County Chief Deputy Bud McCoig said two unidentified attackers entered the Taylor home uninvited at 1:06 p.m. "Mrs. Taylor was struck over the head with a gun and her husband was struck in the shoulder by gunfire. As they were leaving Mr. Taylor shot at the intruders and we are positive that one of them was struck," McCoig said. The Taylor couple was transported to Jefferson Memorial Hospital where Mrs. Taylor was treated and released and her husband was admitted for treatment of the non-life threatening injury.... A short time after being alerted of the incident, deputies found a pickup truck matching the description of the getaway vehicle, abandoned at the Dolly Mart, formerly Don Kerr's Market on West Highway 254/70 at the Interstate 40 intersection.... Officers reportedly found blood in the pickup leading them to confirm that one of the intruders had been struck by gunfire."

W.Va. Gunman overpowered: "Four people taken hostage by a gunman at a pharmacy overpowered their captor Monday after he demanded prescription drugs and fired several shots, authorities said. The 90-minute standoff ended when the hostages, who were barricaded inside the store with the gunman, hit him with something, Sheriff's Deputy B.E. Ferrell said. None of the hostages was harmed, but the suspect was taken to a hospital, Ferrell said. The nature of his injuries was not immediately clear, but a witness said he had taken a painkiller and an anti-anxiety drug. The gunman arrived with a handgun and a sawed-off shotgun, taking six people hostage at the Family Discount Pharmacy in Stollings, about 60 miles southwest of Charleston, according to Logan County 911 Director Marilyn Crosby. Pharmacy technician Jessica Thompson, 24, said the gunman said he needed drugs but could not afford to buy them. The man told the hostages that he wanted to kill himself but did not want to hurt them, Thompson said. He was given an unknown quantity of Lortab, a painkiller, and Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, which he took, she said. He then became drowsy. Workers told the man there were more drugs in an adjacent building, Thompson said. She told the suspect she was going to get the keys to the other building but ran for help instead. "I was just afraid he would hurt the rest of them that were in there," she said. Another worker in the store also escaped after a similar ruse. Authorities identified the gunman as Jeffrey Harvey, 31. They did not release details about the last four hostages or how they overpowered him.


TX: Homeowner kills intruder: "A Fourth Ward townhome owner shot and killed a man who walked into his garage wielding a hunting knife Sunday night, police said. "It looks like it was an attempted robbery," said Detective B.W. Nebors of the Houston Police Department Homicide Division. The homeowner told police he was working in his garage at about 6:45 p.m. in the 1000 block of Ruthven when the intruder walked inside with a knife. The homeowner said he grabbed a gun he had stored nearby and fired at the suspect. The unidentified suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. "The area gets a lot of foot traffic ... and the homeowner said he had been burglarized in the past," Nebors said."

Arms bearing can bear the defeat: "The Second Amendment has emerged from the biggest Democratic victory since 1974 with relatively little damage. One reason is that in races all over the country, Democrats returned to their Jefferson-Jackson roots by running candidates who trust the people to bear arms. ... Nevertheless, the class of pro-gun Democrats who will be joining the House and the Senate includes some who will eventually become party leaders, and who will help move the Democratic party back towards its traditional position of respect for the civil liberties of the American people. A very constructive development, in the long run."


Knoxville, Tennessee: Armed commissioner faces down gunman: "A Knox County commissioner known for his pro-gun stance says he aborted an armed robbery at his car dealership Saturday with the aid of his .380-caliber pistol. Greg "Lumpy" Lambert, who represents the 6th District, said he was at Advantage Auto Sales on Clinton Highway early Saturday afternoon when a young man began acting suspicious while test-driving a 2005 Ford Focus. The man, identified as 19-year-old Kane Stackhouse, claimed to have $12,000 in his pocket and seemed intent on buying the car without any haggling or even a mechanical inspection, Lambert said. Later, as the paperwork was being drawn up, Stackhouse stepped outside to smoke a cigarette, Lambert said. When the commissioner went outside to tell him it was time to work on the title, Stackhouse is alleged to have pulled a .25-calber handgun from his jacket pocket. Stackhouse is being held on a charge of attempted robbery."

MI:Man shot dead after argument: "An argument turned deadly shortly before noon Thursday in an Albion car dealership parking lot when the owner pulled out a revolver and fatally shot a man, police said. JP Auto Sales owner Frank Murphy, 67, was outside the blue aluminum-sided business at 337 Bemer St. when he started arguing with Joe Lee Miles, 56, of Albion. The shouting ended when Murphy pulled out a .32-caliber revolver and fired two shots, said Detective Lt. Scott Kipp of the Albion Department of Public Safety. One bullet hit Miles in the chest. Officers descended on the scene in minutes to find Miles bleeding to death in the parking lot with Murphy still at the scene. Police whisked Murphy away, while Miles was scooped onto a stretcher and taken to Battle Creek Health Systems. He was pronounced dead on arrival. Police released Murphy after questioning; the prosecutor's office in Calhoun County authorized the release. Preliminary indications are that the shooting was an act of self-defense, Kipp said. "He felt he was in fear for his life," Kipp said. Friends and former employees of the dealership gathered behind the yellow crime-scene tape as police investigated the scene. "Frank's a good guy, he wouldn't hurt nobody," said Jimmy Huff, who said he used to work for Murphy. "He carries that gun for protection because he's been robbed before. ! He wouldn't have shot nobody unless he had to."


MD: Gunfight leaves 1 dead, 1 injured: "One man was killed and another was critically wounded Sunday during a "gun battle" at a Crofton home, Anne Arundel County police said. Responding after noon to a report of a shooting at 1709 Leisure Way, police found one man dead. He has not been identified. A resident of the house, Christopher Michael Haramis, 25, had been shot multiple times, police said. He was in critical condition yesterday at Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Police said the shooting may have been tied to an earlier confrontation during a party at the house. About 2 a.m., police said, a man and a woman who had stepped outside the house were confronted by two men looking for cash. "The persons inside the residence came out and basically interrupted the robbery and subsequently fought with the robbers," said Lt. David Waltemeyer, a police spokesman. "The robbers then ran away, making away with money, and no one was injured." Those robbers may have been the two men who came to the house midday Sunday, Waltemeyer said. Haramis, who was inside the house with three others, was armed and shot the intruder, who died at the house, police said. It is unclear who shot Haramis, police said, adding that the other intruder fled".

NC: Man shot by homeowner, not deputies: "A man wounded during a home break-in on Tuesday was shot by the resident, David Grice, the sheriff of Davidson County, said yesterday. A news brief in yesterday's paper incorrectly said that the man had been shot by deputies. Grice said that Zackary Allen Staley, 21, of 149 Clapp Farm Road was shot by the homeowner, Phillip Cross Jr. The shooting remains under review and no charges have been filed against the homeowner, Grice said. Grice said that deputies were sent to Cross' home Tuesday on a report of a home invasion and that shots had been fired. Grice said that deputies learned that Staley was shot after he kicked in a door into the basement of Cross' home. He was hit in the knee and hand."


WI: Wrong to shoot menacing black? "The teenager accused of killing a Green Bay man will go to trial. Carl Morgan, 16, faces first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree attempted homicide charges in the shooting death of 21-year-old Greg Smith. Smith's family members were visibly shaken as they listened to witnesses talk about what they saw happen in a downtown Green Bay parking lot in the early morning hours of October 13th. Carl Morgan was not in court for Friday's hearing because of a motion asking to keep his identity hidden while witnesses are on the stand. A written statement submitted by Morgan says he drank vodka with friends that night, and they were waiting in a car in the parking lot as one of them went into Hip Cats bar. Morgan's friend says a group of guys were standing nearby when "the people in the car asked if we had a lighter." Witnesses say somehow a verbal confrontation ensued between the two groups, and it quickly turned physical. That's when Morgan's statement to police says he reached in the trunk and grabbed a gun that he'd bought. Morgan's statement was read in court, "When I pulled the gun out, the black guy started walking up to me, saying, 'What's up? What's up?'" "I know I shot him but I don't know how many times. I don't remember where I shot him, but I put the gun straight out. The black guy staggered around and then fell." One of Morgan's friends who was with him that night says he thinks Morgan fired a warning shot toward the ground before opening fire but says Smith kept coming at him. The district attorney refutes any case of self-defense. "I think other testimony shows that there was a significant enough distance between those two people that this wasn't any kind of case where any kind of self-defense necessitating gun shots," John Zakowski said."

PA: Man cited again for firing gun: "Township resident Richard S. Seruga received his 10th citation for the same offense -- firing a weapon within 150 yards of an occupied structure -- Sunday afternoon, police said. According to police, Seruga violated a township ordinance when he discharged a pistol on his property in the 3800 block of Bee Line Drive. Police also ticketed him for disorderly conduct Sunday. The 62-year-old had been previously cited for the offense nine times since Oct. 18, usually after neighbors complained about his gunfire. Seruga's attorney has argued the township ordinance doesn't apply to people firing weapons on their own property and last week said his client may sue the township if police continue to cite him."


Gun control hypocrisy: "From Rosie O'Donnell's armed bodyguards to Dianne Feinstein holding one of the only ccw licenses in San Francisco, the anti-gun world is rife with pundits who don't practice what they preach. What is it about these people that make them believe that guns are perfectly ok for protection, as long as it is their guns; and that you can't be trusted with yours? Do they believe their lives are more important than yours? Or is it that they believe they are the only ones capable of handling such a responsibility? It says a lot about their views about the 'common folk' when they exercise a right they daily try to deny you."

Utah: Judge tosses wrongful-death suit against sheriff's deputy: "A federal judge has dismissed a wrongful death suit that claimed a Salt Lake County sheriff's deputy was "wholy unjustified" in shooting an armed Riverton man who was cornered by a police dog and being bitten by the animal.... "Officers need not acquiesce to an armed and threatening suspect's demands when they are attempting to apprehend him," Stewart wrote in his ruling. The confrontation was sparked by two 911 calls the night of April 18, 2004, reporting that Thomson was suicidal and was threatening family members in his home with a loaded gun. Court documents say that as deputies were arriving, Thomson, a 32-year-old Utah National Guardsman, left the home. After searching several yards, Morrical released a police dog to help locate the suspect. As he was hiding from officers, Thomson called his father on a cell phone and said he was in trouble. He also spoke on his phone to a sheriff's lieutenant who was in Thomson's home and said he wanted the searchers to back off, according to court documents. By then, the dog had cornered Thomson, who began yelling at deputies to call off the dog and threatening to shoot. The officers surrounded him, drew their weapons and twice ordered him to put down his gun. Morrical says that he saw Thomson place the barrel of the gun into his mouth briefly then take it out and point it at him. The deputy then fired one shot, striking Thomson in the head."


NC: Light sentence for shots in the back: "A Dunn woman pleaded guilty this week in Lillington to the October 2005 shooting death of her husband. Her attorney said she was an abused wife and was shooting in self defense. The prosecutor said there was no need to shoot the man seven times, six of those shots in the back. Under the plea agreement, the charge against Shonta Jones, 28, of 303 E. Duke St., was reduced from first-degree murder to voluntary manslaughter for killing Channing Leopold Strickland, 31, of 1025 E. Edgerton St., in the bathroom of her parents' home. Ms. Jones lived at the Duke Street residence with her parents, Lenzo and Evelyn Monk, and Ms. Jones' three young children. Superior Court Judge Stafford Bullock sentenced Ms. Jones to an active sentence of 24 to 38 months, with credit for time served and work release."

Funky Buddha owner sentenced in shooting : "The owner of a Denver bar who shot a burglar pleaded guilty Tuesday to tampering with evidence, and received a deferred prison sentence with no prison time. Christakes Christou, 60, was originally charged with attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault after he shot Dwayne Stepp, who broke into Christou's Funky Buddha Lounge, 776 Lincoln St., at 3:11 a.m. Jan. 3. A judge threw out the attempted first-degree murder charge earlier. Christou still faced the assault charge, which carries a sentence of 10 to 32 years on conviction. But prosecutors agreed Tuesday to dismiss that charge in return for his plea to tampering with evidence, a class 6 felony. The tampering charge stemmed from an allegation that Christou picked up a gunshell casing at the shooting scene and put it in his pocket. Lynn Kimbrough, spokeswoman for the Denver district attorney's office, said prosecutors agreed to the plea bargain because "we didn't believe there was a reasonable likelihood of conviction had we gone ahead with the first-degree assault charge." Denver District Judge Shelley Gilman gave Christou a deferred sentence. Christou will not, under the plea agreement, have to pay restitution to Stepp. The deferred sentence means the case will be dismissed as though it never happened if Christou doesn't break the law in the next two years."


MS: Pawnshop robber shot: "A man allegedly attempting armed robbery at a local pawnshop was shot in the head by a store employee Monday morning. The man is in critical condition at a local hospital. Three subjects entered Old South Pawn Shop on St. Catherine Street around 10 a.m., Police Chief Mike Mullins said. Two of the men had their faces covered and the third stayed by the door. One man was carrying a handgun in each hand, demanded money and soon fired into the store, Mullins said. "The employee returned fire and struck him in the head," Mullins said. The employee held the other two suspects at gunpoint in the parking lot until police arrived. Two men were arrested, while the third was transported by ambulance. "The employee appears to have fired in self defense," Mullins said. "No charges have been filed against him."

Jury finds Kansas man not guilty of murder: "Willie Rodriguez asked for it, he got it, and a jury Friday exonerated the man who did it. Deliberating barely two hours, the jury of 10 women and two men acquitted Judd Stephen Hurst of second-degree murder for gunning down Rodriguez, 19, in a gun-waving confrontation last year alongside a dark road outside Toppenish. In a separate verdict, the jury ruled the shooting was justified under a state law that protects the right of self-defense and ordered that Hurst, 27, receive reimbursement in the form of civil damages. A dollar figure will be decided later. Yakima County Superior Court Judge Jim Lust signed papers on the spot freeing Hurst from jail, where he had spent the past 14 months awaiting trial. A related gun charge was also dismissed.... The shooting on Aug. 28, 2005, culminated a confrontation that began at a party attended by Hurst, who is from Overland Park, Kan., and was visiting friends in the area. Witnesses testified Rodriguez, a member of a reputed street gang called the Outlaws, became angry when Hurst and a friend offered to give a woman named Angelica Gopher a ride home. Gopher was Rodriguez's off-and-on girlfriend, and they had a child together. Rodriguez pursued the Hurst car, forcing it off McDonald Road. Rodriguez's 2-year-old daughter was in the back seat with Gopher. Witnesses testified Rodriguez got out and began threatening Hurst and the other occupants of the car with a .25-caliber chrome-plated pistol. Hurst then grabbed a Glock semiautomatic pistol from under his car seat and opened fire at close range, firing 13 bullets in just a few seconds. Rodriguez was hit 11 times, including five or six times at almost point-blank range after he collapsed to the ground."


Fruitcake Mayor: "The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today responded to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's latest outrage -- suggesting that citizens in his city don't need gun permits -- by reminding the anti-gun rights mayor that "self defense isn't a privilege, it's a right." Bloomberg announced on his radio program that he wants to reduce the number of people who have concealed handgun permits in the Big Apple. He told his radio audience, "If you tell me you need a gun permit, you're telling me you don't think the NYPD can do a good job in protecting you. Most people, I don't see any reason why they need it." "There goes Mikey again," CCRKBA Chairman Alan M. Gottlieb declared. "He still thinks there's a Bill of 'Needs' instead of a Bill of Rights. Where did he get the arrogant notion that people need to ask him to exercise their rights, especially the right of self-defense? "But more importantly," he continued, "Bloomberg is fooling himself while he's trying to fool everyone else because he knows that police cannot be everywhere, and they are typically not around when a crime is committed. Even police will admit they can't prevent most crimes from happening. "Bloomberg doesn't care about any of this, of course, because he's got around-the-clock security," Gottlieb observed"

Chicago area: Comic book store owner shoots, kills armed robber in self-defense : "The strip mall was the scene of an attempted armed robbery that resulted in an exchange of gunfire and the death of the would-be robber Friday, police said. The shooting occurred at Westlake Cards, Comics and Coins, 1234 W. Lake St., police said. DuPage County State’s Attorney Joseph Birkett said the shooting was justified and no charges would be filed against the shopkeeper, Glen Soustek of Hanover Park. What ended in deadly gunfire began at around 10:30 a.m., when a man carrying a black bag walked into the comic book store, authorities said. He proceeded to the counter in the back of the store and pulled a handgun out of the bag, police said. He then jumped over the counter and pointed the gun at Soustek. Almost simultaneously, the owner — who was at his desk on the opposite side of the counter — pulled his own gun from the desk and the two fired at each other, authorities said. The armed robber — later identified as Geoffrey A. Webb of St. Louis, a 40-year-old convicted felon — was shot several times, including the head, and died at the scene. Soustek suffered a single gunshot wound to the arm. After the shooting, he ran out of his store, seeking help at the neighboring Silver Lake Restaurant. He was later treated and released from Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village.... Upon arrival, police discovered Webb behind the counter, gun still in hand, they said. Emergency workers attempted to treat him, but he was pronounced dead at 10:54 a.m. Authorities said they also discovered a mask, duct tape and handcuffs in his bag. Later, police learned Webb was convicted of an armed robbery in 1994 and served time in prison. He was on parole at the time of the shooting, authorities said.


Chicago area: Jury acquits man in bar shooting : A Lake Superior Court jury acquitted a Gary man of murder in the shooting death of 23-year-old Kevin Stephens in March 2004. Michael C. Andrews, 27, was found not guilty Friday afternoon. Andrews testified Thursday that Stephens produced a handgun after intervening in a fight between Andrews' uncle and cousin. The fight occurred at about 3 a.m. on March 20, 2004, in the alley behind Dena's Pub at 35th Avenue and Broadway. The bar has since closed. Andrews said Stephens leveled the gun at him, the two struggled and shots were fired. Stephens was shot in the chest, back and thigh. Defense attorney Herbert Shaps told jurors his client, acted in self-defense and out of fear his uncle would be shot. Police never found the weapon."

Authorities say Anchorage man shot teen in self-defense: "Authorities said Friday they will not bring charges against Matthew Schneider for killing a teenager in his driveway last summer. "The District Attorney's Office has reviewed this evidence in light of the applicable Alaska law and has determined that Mr. Schneider's actions were in self-defense," Department of Law spokesman Mark Morones said in a prepared statement. James Ifopo, 17, Rodney Maatafa, 16, and another unnamed youth were on bicycles and approached Schneider, who had just pulled into the driveway of his East Anchorage home just after 11:30 p.m. on June 28, authorities said. According to Morones, Schneider asked them to leave his property three times, and then said he would call the police. Witnesses said Ifopo then hit Schneider in the head a number of times. Schneider was still standing in the open door of his car. Officials said another teen pushed the car door closed and into Schneider. Schneider told officials he was knocked to the ground with all three teenagers punching him. Schneider told police he drew a gun he carries with him and shot Ifopo in the chest. Maatafa was hit in the arm. Ifopo died of the wound, and Maatafa was treated and released."


PA: Man not guilty in homicide charges but still in jail: "A Squirrel Hill man who said he shot his former girlfriend in self-defense was acquitted Friday of homicide charges. Former white supremacist Hardy Lloyd, 28, shot Lori Hann, 41, just above her left eye the night of Aug. 3, 2004, in Squirrel Hill. Lloyd gripped his attorney's hand as the jury foreman delivered the verdict, clearing Lloyd of first- and third-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter. He was convicted of a gun charge, carrying a firearm without a license. "We think the jury followed the law, and applied the facts. It was the appropriate decision under the facts," said defense attorney Caroline Roberto. "His statement to police was very convincing." ... Lloyd faces up to five years in jail on the gun charge when he is sentenced by Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Lawrence J. O'Toole. A sentencing date has not been set. Lloyd returned yesterday to the county jail, where he has already served about two years. Roberto said she will seek to have him released on bond."