Teacher wins first round in bid to carry loaded gun

HIGH school English teacher Shirley Katz went to court in Oregon yesterday to fight for the right to carry a loaded gun to class. As America reeled from a series of shootings and school massacre plots, Ms Katz won the first round of her legal bout for the right to carry her 9mm Glock pistol on to school grounds.

After a day-long hearing, a judge said he would not dismiss her lawsuit against the school district. Jackson County Circuit Judge G. Philip Arnold said he would issue a written opinion on Ms Katz's claim that Medford School District policy prohibiting teachers from carrying weapons on school grounds violated state law.

Ms Katz, who has a concealed weapons permit, wants to carry her Glock to class at South Medford High School because she fears an attack by a Columbine-style intruder or her former husband. Ms Katz would not say if she had ever taken her gun to school, but she practised with it regularly and had thought about what she would do if she had to confront a gunman. She would be sure students were locked in nearby offices out of the line of fire, and she would be ready with her pistol.

"Our safety plan now is that if somebody threatening comes in, you try to avoid eye contact, and do whatever they say, and that is not acceptable any more," she said ahead of the court hearing. Shootings at Virginia Tech University and the one-room Amish school in Pennsylvania "reinforced my belief we have to take action, we can't just acquiesce as we have been taught to do", she said.

In court, Ms Katz's lawyer, James Leuenberger, argued state law allowed holders of concealed weapons permits to carry guns into public buildings, including schools, and the legislature did not intend to give cities, counties or school districts power to regulate guns. "The idea that having a gun-free zone makes a safe zone is a fallacious theory," he said. [How many school shootings will it take before that is recognized?]

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Colorado: Dog Owner Won't Be Charged For Shooting Mountain Lion: "A Wisconsin man who shot and killed a mountain lion that was attacking his dog will not be charged, the Division of Wildlife announced Thursday. Officials determined that Jeremy Kocar was acting in self-defense when he shot the mountain lion just outside his temporary home, near Gross Reservoir, earlier this week. Kocar could have been charged with an illegal take, and could have faced a fine of $1,400. State law allows people to shoot a mountain lion if their personal safety or livestock are threatened -- but officials said they didn't know if that would extend to dogs. Kocar and his wife, Angela, said that they heard a growl in the middle of the night and went outside to check out what happened and came face to face with the mountain lion. "It was standing right there under the tree branch with my dog in its mouth," said Angela Kocar. Jeremy tried to scare the mountain lion away but it didn't budge so he ran inside, grabbed his rifle and that's when the mountain lion approached him, he said."


Illinois county defends shotguns : "The Coles County Board on Tuesday gave its backing to a movement to oppose gun control laws. The board voted 12-0 to adopt an advisory resolution pledging it will “oppose the enactment of any legislation that would infringe upon the rights of the people to keep and bear arms. There was no board discussion on the matter other than member Marc Weber’s introduction of and motion to adopt the resolution. Weber is chairman of the board’s health and safety committee, which recommended the resolution to the board. He said the statewide effort behind the resolution, which has been adopted in more than 45 counties, came about because of proposed legislation to eliminate shotguns. They do have a downside, but in this case we are preserving them for hunting,” Weber said."

Wisconsin: Victim and attacker Come Face-To-Face In E.R.: "A Milwaukee pizza delivery driver managed to fight off two would-be robbers, but was surprised when he ran into one of his alleged attackers at the hospital. Police said a gunman tried to hold up the Pizza Hut driver while he was out on a delivery near 23rd Street and Verona Court just after 7 o'clock Wednesday night. While the driver was fighting with the suspect, a second man attacked him. That's when police said the pizza man grabbed the gun and began pistol whipping the first attacker. The pizza driver went to St. Francis Hospital to get treatment and saw the first suspect sitting in the emergency room. The victim called police, and the suspect was arrested. Officers are still looking for the second suspect.


Texas homeowner catches suspects in the act: "A quick-thinking homeowner who happens to be an early riser may be responsible for getting some crooks off the street. The man awoke early this morning at his home in th Cinco Ranch subdivision. As he went to feed the cats, he noticed the side door to the garage was open. Sheriff's deputies say Brian Bostic, 18, was inside a vehicle belonging to the homeowner's wife and Richard Holley, 20, was standing in front of the garage keeping lookout. Before the suspects noticed him, the homeowner retrieved a 12 gauge shot gun. He then demanded they lie on the ground and detained the suspects until deputies arrived on scene. Both suspects were taken into custody without incident. They are currently being held in the Fort Bend County Jail for burglary. Investigators located the suspects' vehicle, which contained stolen property from other homes in the area. Detectives believe these suspects may be responsible for a string of at least five burglaries. It appears that the suspects gained entry into unlocked vehicles located in the driveway as well as unlocked garages".


Washington: Man swinging bottle shot by driver at Highway 2 rest area: "The Chelan County sheriff's office says a man seeking a ride was critically wounded while harassing a driver who stopped at a Highway 2 rest area. The sheriff's office says 45-year-old Jay Kneer of Renton was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle Wednesday night with a head wound. Investigators say 66-year-old Dennis Shaw of Lynnwood and his wife had stopped at the Nason Creek rest area 14 miles west of Leavenworth where Kneer asked him for a ride. When Shaw refused, Kneer became angry, followed Shaw to his car and struck his vehicle window with a glass bottle. Shaw told investigators the attack continued when he pointed a handgun at Kneer. Shaw says he fired in an attempt to scare Kneer and hit him in the head. The Shaws were not injured."

Pennsylvania: 76-Year-Old Woman Takes Gun From Girl, Thwarts Robbery: "A 76-year-old storeowner in Washington County said she was having a bad day when a young woman tried to rob her on Monday. Police said Virginia Hart was behind the counter of the Lone Pine Market in Marianna when a young girl came in and demanded money. "She said she wanted my money," said Hart. "I said, 'You can't have it.' She said, 'I'm serious. Put it in this bag.' And I said, 'I'm not going to.'" Police said when Hart refused, the woman pulled a gun and again demanded money. "I whacked her in the head twice," Hart said. "She was still arguing with me, and that's when she finally got the gun out." Once again, police said, Hart refused and then grabbed the gun, picked up a stool and chased the woman out the door. The girl is described as blond, in her 20s and was wearing a blue sweatshirt."


Montana athlete recovering from mauling by bear: "A Carroll College student is recovering from a severed hamstring and other injuries suffered when he was mauled by a grizzly bear while bow hunting over the weekend. Roman Morris, who is a freshman wide receiver on Carroll’s football team, said he was crouched on a hillside north of Gardiner at dawn Saturday when a female grizzly bear walking by turned and attacked him. ‘‘It charged down the hill and just drilled me,’’ said Morris, 21, of Whitewater. Over the next 30 to 45 seconds, Morris fought with the bear as it bit and clawed, severed his left hamstring, punctured his shoulder, chomped at his head and tossed him around. ‘‘I thought the whole time, This is so messed up. I’m going to die, I’m going to die,’’’ said Morris, a pre-med major. The bear ran off after a friend fired a pistol. Morris underwent surgery at a Livingston hospital and was recuperating Monday at his brother’s house in Helena.... The attack came just hours before two Pennsylvania hunters shot a grizzly bear in self- defense after bear spray didn’t deter the charging bear."


Colorado Intruder Shot After Door Kicked In: "Police are investigating an early-morning shooting involving a man armed with a pool cue and a renter trying to get some sleep. According to police, the renter was sleeping at about 2:30 a.m. when the female owner of the house showed up with a friend and didn't have her keys. She woke the renter to be let in. Police said the renter asked the woman's friend to leave around 4 a.m. because they were being loud and he was trying to sleep. The man left, but returned a few minutes later, and police said he was carrying a pool cue. The renter told police the man with the pool cue kicked in the door and threatened him with the pool cue. That's when the renter shot the man. He was rushed to a local hospital for surgery after suffering a gunshot wound to the stomach, police said.

The latest from Red's trading post

In the form of a letter to NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg. See the original for links. Red's has been under sustained legal attack from ATF

Mikey, Mikey, Mikey; I'm no therapist but it seems like you are an ATF wannabe by bankrupting businesses, setting up sting operations and wasting millions in tax money to prove your point.

Reading about Jay Wallace with Adventure Outdoors, who is fighting back, is an inspiration that someone isn't just rolling over. You will remember the Virginia Citizens Defense League who had helped dealers fight back. Bloombergs response to those who fight back? "These are sick people" Mikey, Mikey, Mikey; again I am no therapist but fighting for your rights is not sick, destroying someones life and business for your own political gain...now that is sick.

When our fight first went public, a store that Bloomberg was suing contacted me and told me of how they were going under. They had spent over $100,000 so far and there was no end in sight. That sounds coldly familiar.

I have contacted our Attorney General stating that I am opposed to anti-gun zealots marching into our state; attacking honest businesses to further their own political agenda. I hope that you do the same and I hope that you will also support Adventure Outdoors who is not only fighting for their business but is fighting for your rights as well.

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SC: 2 wounded men held in attempted robbery: "Greenville police said late Tuesday night two wounded men were being held after an operator of the Concrete Jungle store on Laurens Road said he fired shots at two men who tried to rob the store late in the afternoon. Police spokesman Randy Evett said two men who were suffering from wounds were found at a local hospital. They were being evaluated late in the night and interviewed by investigators, he said. "I don't think they have been charged yet," he said. The store operator told investigators that he fired multiple times when two men walked in and tried to rob the store at 1810 Laurens Road at about 4 p.m., Cpl. Jason Rampey said. Police haven't said how many shots were fired. "He shot more than once," Rampey said. The name of the store operator hasn't been released. Evett said authorities believe the men were armed with a single, semi-automatic weapon. Police notified all area hospitals that one or two men might be seeking treatment for a gunshot wound, Rampey said."


Pennsylvania Man Kicked Out Of Home, Returns With Gun, Is Shot Dead: "A young man was wounded by gunfire while he shot and killed an intruder at a home in Pittsburgh's Homewood area Tuesday morning, according to homicide detectives. Police officers patrolling the neighborhood said they heard gunshots near the home in the 1500 block of North Murtland Street around 2:40 a.m. They found one man on nearby Lincoln Avenue with a chest wound and a gun in his possession, police said. He was taken to UPMC Presbyterian hospital in critical condition but later died. Police identified that man as Ronnell Pittman, 34. No address for Pittman was given. Pittman had entered the home without being invited and was told to leave, then came back with a gun and started shooting at James Hill, 19, police said. Hill fired a gun and shot Pittman, who was able to run away but eventually died from his injuries, police said. Police did not say why Pittman entered the home in the first place. They said he may have gone there by mistake. Hill, of the Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood, was treated at UPMC Presbyterian for a gunshot wound to the foot. His uncle said Hill fired the gun to protect his family. Hill is being held at the Allegheny County Jail on an alleged firearms violation but is not facing any charges for Pittman's death, police said."

Washington: Police investigate family shooting: "Seattle police detectives are investigating whether a Seattle man was acting in self-defense when he shot and killed his adult son this past weekend. The shooting happened about 5:30 p.m. Saturday at a home in the 4600 block of South Cooper Street. Spokeswoman Renee Witt said it appeared to be a domestic violence situation, and that the father, 84, had previously complained to other children that the 51-year-old son living with him had been beating him. "It was pretty sad," Witt said. There were few details available as to what led to Saturday's shooting, but afterward the father apparently called police himself. He walked outside when officers arrived. Witt said officers recovered a weapon, which they took as evidence. The son was found dead in the home. His wheelchair-bound mother, 76, also was in the house and not hurt in the incident. Police took the father in for questioning, but released him shortly afterward."


Mississippi: Man who shot at burglars arrested for gun possession: "A Jackson man who shot at two teenagers trying to break into his home has been arrested by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Fredrico Hamblin was not charged for defending his property, but instead was charged as a felon being in possession of a gun, Jackson Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jeffery Scott said. Jackson police did not aid in the arrest Friday. The details of Hamblin’s previous felony conviction was not known. During Friday’s execution of the arrest warrant, Scott said a large sum of money and narcotics were seized at the home at 1715 Riverwood Drive. Oji Khanyyan, 17, and Christopher Ross, 18, were arrested for attempted house burglary for trying to break into Hamblin’s home two weeks ago. Neither were injured."


Texas: Dry Cleaner Fatally Shoots Robber: "Police say a would-be thief was fatally shot after trying to rob a Dallas dry cleaner at gunpoint Monday morning. The owner of 'Joe's Cleaners', Joe Baggett, spent the afternoon talking with police about the death of the 42-year-old alleged robber. Baggett told CBS 11 News the man had been in his business earlier in the morning and that he had smelled liquor on his breath. Baggett says when the man came back with a gun he offered to give him money but he wouldn't take it. According to the owner, instead of taking cash the man kept pushing him back while putting a gun to his head. Detectives say Baggett was being forced into the back room when he and the armed man got into a struggle over the thief's gun. Seeing the commotion, the store owner's wife retrieved the couple's firearm and eventually handed it to her husband - who fired several shots. "The guy feared for his life, you know as any one of us would with a gun pointed to his head. His wife went to his aid by grabbing their gun," said Sgt. Gene Reyes, Dallas Police Department. After being stuck in the head the gunman collapsed and died in the parking lot just a few feet away from a daycare center."

Utah: Man shot in face during jewelry store robbery: "Salt Lake City police are investigating a robbery that left a man with three gunshot wounds, including one to the face. The unidentified victim was transported at about 2:30 p.m. Saturday to LDS Hospital in serious condition with two gunshot wounds to the side and one to the face, said Lt. Rich Brede. Police throughout the Salt Lake Valley were on the lookout for a gray passenger car that fled the shooting at The Mouthpiece Company, located at 40 E. 1300 South. The suspected shooter is described as a black man, about 6 feet 2 inches tall, with red and white shoes. Police were dispatched to a robbery that escalated into a shooting at the business. Authorities believe the suspect entered the store and got into an altercation with the victim. Both men eventually pulled guns and "several" gunshots were fired, Brede said. "There are four holes in the wall within the store," Brede said. Police believe the suspect also may have been wounded in the exchange. Investigators recovered a handgun and several spent bullet casings, Brede said. The business's motto, etched in lettering on a window, advises customers to "Give them something to talk about." The store specializes in watches, chains, pendants, bracelets, rings and custom grills - jewelry worn over one's teeth."


Florida police seek leads in shoot out: "In exclusive video obtained by FOX 13, you see a man in dark clothing and a hat, walk up to the counter, wave a gun, and demand cash from store clerk Nasief Oudeh. In the video, Nasief is helping a customer when suddenly he's starring into the barrel of a gun. "By the time I turned my back to the customer I saw a suspect come in with a .38 gun waving it at me and said open the cash register. So I said 'okay calm down let me give you the cash,' " said Nasief. The gunman cleans out one register and then demands cash from the second one. As the armed suspect bolts out the door, Nasief's cousin fires one shot. Nasief also fires shots as he runs out of the store, but the armed robber gets away. Tampa police investigators are now looking at surveillance video and trying to figure out how many shots were fired, and by whom. "Certainly it had the possibility of being a lot worse, and we're certainly hoping to be able to find this person and get them off the street before somebody does get hurt, " said Corporal Jared Douds with the Tampa Police Department."


Florida: Pit-bulls kill owner: "Tina Marie Canterbury, 42, went to tend to the dogs in the back yard of her Cosmos Road home about 8:30 a.m. when the 2-year-old redbone pit-bull terriers started to attack, according to Clay County Sheriff's Office reports. Both of the animals were the woman's pets, authorities said. One of Canterbury's sons went outside and tried to save her and the dogs attacked him, biting him on the throat. He was not seriously injured, authorities said. One of the son's friends shot one of the dogs and the other ran away. Canterbury suffered massive bites to the upper part of her body and died before help could arrive, according to a Sheriff's Office report. When deputies arrived, the dog that had been shot was still alive and lunged at the responding deputy. He shot and killed the animal, authorities said. The second dog was found a short time later and fatally shot. There had been no previous reports of problems with the animals, authorities said."

New York: Deli clerk thwarts robbery: "A deli clerk is credited with averting a robbery in the City of Newburgh. City Police said on Friday morning, October 5 at about 6:15 a.m., a man walked into the Star Grocery at 111 William Street, walked behind the counter and pointed a shotgun at the clerk. The clerk grabbed the weapon, struggled with the would-be robber and pulled the shotgun away from him. The suspect fled with another employee chasing after him. The robber got away and the employees called the police. Police said that despite the heroism of the employees, they do not recommend that store clerks wrestle shotguns away from anyone committing a robbery. “This could have very easily been another homicide had the gun been loaded and gone off,” said Lt. Charles Broe, Sr."


Texas: 2 robbers die when guard fights back: "Two teens are dead following a botched robbery of a 20-year-old security guard who fought back early Thursday in southwest Dallas, police said. The dead are Detavias Davis, 17, and Sergio Vann, 19, according to the Dallas County medical examiner's office. The guard, Dedrick Howard, was using a laptop computer in his vehicle when he was approached by three young men, said Sgt. Ray Beaudreault, a homicide detective. They ordered him out of the vehicle, and one of the robbers, later identified as Vann, had a handgun, Beaudreault said. But Howard grabbed an semiautomatic SKS carbine and opened fire, killing Vann, Beaudreault said. Davis, Beaudreault added, tried to flee in white car, but Howard was worried the teen might also have a gun. "So, fearing for his life, (Howard) fired again and struck the driver,'' Beaudreault said. "(Davis) drove off, but because of his injuries, he wrecked." Davis was taken to the hospital from the crash scene on nearby U.S. 67, also called the Marvin D. Love Freeway, but he died later, Beaudreault said. The third robber, age 17, ran from the parking lot to the wrecked car and he tried to retrieve some personal property from the white car, but police arrested him, Beaudrealt said. Howard was not arrested, and the case will be referred to a grand jury to determine if he acted within the law, Beaudreault said. But, the detective added, Howard "was licensed and authorized to carry that weapon."


Ohio: Deputies Search For Couple In Attempted Home Invasion: "Deputies in Clark County said a homeowner is recovering after he was injured in a home invasion. The incident happened Wednesday night at a home on West National Road in Donnelsville. Deputies said the homeowner was injured by broken glass after he used a shotgun to shoot at someone who was breaking into his home. According to investigators, the suspect tried breaking into the home around 9 p.m. and broke glass while trying to do so. They said the suspect fled the scene when the homeowner opened fire."

A liberal's lament: The NRA might be right after all

By Jonathan Turley

This term, the Supreme Court may finally take up the Voldemort Amendment, the part of the Bill of Rights that shall not be named by liberals. For more than 200 years, progressives and polite people have avoided acknowledging that following the rights of free speech, free exercise of religion and free assembly, there is "the right of the people to keep and bear arms." Of course, the very idea of finding a new individual right after more than two centuries is like discovering an eighth continent in constitutional law, but it is hardly the cause of celebration among civil liberties groups.

Like many academics, I was happy to blissfully ignore the Second Amendment. It did not fit neatly into my socially liberal agenda. Yet, two related cases could now force liberals into a crisis of conscience. The Supreme Court is expected to accept review of District of Columbia v. Heller and Parker v. District of Columbia, involving constitutional challenges to the gun-control laws in Washington.

The D.C. law effectively bars the ownership of handguns for most citizens and places restrictions on other firearms. The District's decision to file these appeals after losing in the D.C. appellate court was driven more by political than legal priorities. By taking the appeal, D.C. politicians have put gun-control laws across the country at risk with a court more likely to uphold the rulings than to reverse them. It has also put the rest of us in the uncomfortable position of giving the right to gun ownership the same fair reading as more favored rights of free press or free speech.

The Framers' intent

Principle is a terrible thing, because it demands not what is convenient but what is right. It is hard to read the Second Amendment and not honestly conclude that the Framers intended gun ownership to be an individual right. It is true that the amendment begins with a reference to militias: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." Accordingly, it is argued, this amendment protects the right of the militia to bear arms, not the individual.

Yet, if true, the Second Amendment would be effectively declared a defunct provision. The National Guard is not a true militia in the sense of the Second Amendment and, since the District and others believe governments can ban guns entirely, the Second Amendment would be read out of existence.

Another individual right

More important, the mere reference to a purpose of the Second Amendment does not alter the fact that an individual right is created. The right of the people to keep and bear arms is stated in the same way as the right to free speech or free press. The statement of a purpose was intended to reaffirm the power of the states and the people against the central government. At the time, many feared the federal government and its national army. Gun ownership was viewed as a deterrent against abuse by the government, which would be less likely to mess with a well-armed populace.

Considering the Framers and their own traditions of hunting and self-defense, it is clear that they would have viewed such ownership as an individual right - consistent with the plain meaning of the amendment.

None of this is easy for someone raised to believe that the Second Amendment was the dividing line between the enlightenment and the dark ages of American culture. Yet, it is time to honestly reconsider this amendment and admit that ... here's the really hard part ... the NRA may have been right. This does not mean that Charlton Heston is the new Rosa Parks or that no restrictions can be placed on gun ownership. But it does appear that gun ownership was made a protected right by the Framers and, while we might not celebrate it, it is time that we recognize it.

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Florida robber shot by neighbor: "Investigators say a man from Gainesville was shot to death, while robbing his neighbor's home. The accused shooter says it was an act of self defense. Alachua County deputies say 33-year-old John Wilds shot 42-year-old Robert Aden in the chest while they were at Wilds home. Wilds and a witness told deputies that Aden tried to forcefully enter Wilds home, and even broke off the front door's handle. Wilds then grabbed his 22 caliber handgun, told Aden to leave, and fired a warning shot in the air. Aden then came at Wilds with his fists clenched and shouting obscenities. Fearing for his life, Wilds shot Aden in the chest. Wilds isn't facing charges at this time, but deputies say they will talk with the State Attorney's Office about possible charges when the investigation is complete." [Good shot with a .22]


Colorado man shoots mother bear and cub: "A man shot and killed a mother black bear and then one of her cubs as each one separately tried to break into his Marble-area cabin over the course of last weekend, according to state wildlife officials. "The sow was tearing apart the floor of the (elevated) cabin and coming in from underneath" while the man, an employee of OutWest Guides, was home early Saturday morning, according to Colorado Division of Wildlife spokesman Randy Hampton. Hampton said no obvious food or garbage attractants were around the cabin to entice the bear. The DOW managed to catch two of the dead sow's three cubs and take them to a wildlife rehabilitation center in Silt, Hampton said, but the biggest cub remained at large and returned to the man's cabin late Sunday night, where it allegedly tried to break in. "The individual was afraid and shot the cub," Hampton said. The cub weighed about 50 or 60 pounds and was strong enough to break into the house despite its small size, Hampton said. "Think of it this way: Imagine if you had a 60-pound dog coming in the window growling." It's illegal to shoot black bears out of season or without a hunting license, but a state statute allows people to shoot bears in self defense".

TX: Elderly man shoots, kills burglar: "An elderly man in La Vernia caught two burglars in the act, but they were no match for his trigger finger and his shotgun. One of the men is dead, and the other is behind bars. 'He's an old timer up there in the county and an old hunter,' Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackitt Jr. said. And 83-year-old Raymond Bunte wasn't afraid to defend someone else's home. ... Bunte heard suspicious noises next door on a rural road in La Vernia at about 2 p.m. Friday. He stumbled across a kicked in door and two thieves helping themselves to Dolores Hendershot's valuables. He blocked their exit and ordered the men out and on the ground. But 23-year-old Dustin Houston didn't get very far when he tried to flee."


Oregon: Three shot in home invasion, marijuana found: "Clackamas County deputies say an attempted home invasion occurred in Clackamas early Thursday, leading to the shootings of two suspects and the roommate of a man living there. A woman who was also in the home was not hurt. Police also found a "modest" marijuana growing operation on the property. Authorities got a 911 call at about 3 a.m. from a person who lives at the house, telling them he shot two men who came into the basement section of the home, where his roommate was residing. The man also says his roommate got caught in the crossfire and was also shot. The man in the home reportedly fired several rounds from a shotgun. The persons in the home at the time of the incident and the persons suspected of entering the home by force were identified by police Thursday afternoon in a press release. All have prior arrest records. John Edward Harris, born in October, 1982, has a prior arrest in 2004 for assaulting a Portland Police officer. Harris is identified as the "shooter" during the home invasion event. He was not injured. Anthony Patrick Cooper, 25, is a corrections client and has prior arrests for delivery of a controlled substance; delivery and possession of a controlled substance; robbery; burglary; menacing and dangerous weapons in Multnomah County. Cooper is identified as the roommate who was being assaulted violently by the intruding suspects and was shot by his roommate (Harris) during the altercation. Cooper was shot at close range in the hand and is in stable condition.... Authorities say they think the marijuana grow at the residence may be the reason the suspects broke into the home, which is located in a secluded area at the end of a long private driveway."


Connecticut Homeowner Chases Men Out Of House: "Wolcott police said officers arrived at 4:41 a.m. at the site of a home invasion on Chestnut Drive. Police said a woman was home alone with her sister when the two men entered the house. Police said the homeowner was armed with a gun and chased the men out of the house. The two men remain at large Thursday morning. Police described one man as 5 feet 11 inches tall with a medium build. He was last seen wearing dark-colored clothes. Police described the second man as having a large build and said he was last seen wearing blue jeans and shorts."

California homeowner shoots at man during attempted break-in: "An alleged burglar left a critical piece of evidence behind when he attempted to break in to a south Sacramento home early Wednesday morning: his car. James Villapando, 34, of Sacramento, parked his Toyota sedan in the driveway of a home on Florin Road, just west of south Watt Avenue, before allegedly attempting to enter the home through a window around 3:35 a.m., Sacramento County Sheriff's Sgt. Tim Curran said. The homeowner heard the man trying to get in, armed himself with a gun and fired several shots, Curran said. Villapando was not injured and ran away from the home, leaving the car in the driveway, Curran said. Deputies found Villapando hiding out in the area about two hours later. Villapando, who was an at-large parolee, was arrested on suspicion of burglary and is being booked into Sacramento County Jail.


California Gang Member, 22, Shot During Attempted Robbery: "A 22-year-old man was killed when he tried to rob a man who was armed and shot him in Boyle Heights Sunday, police said. The shooting occurred just before 3 a.m. on Lorena Street near 6th Street, said Officer Mike Lopez of the Los Angeles Police Department's media relations section. Fernando Sedano, described as a member of the "White Fence" gang, and a fellow gang member were driving down Lorena Street with Sedano's girlfriend and another passenger in the back seat. Police said Sedano stopped the car and, with the other gang member, apparently tried to rob a man walking down the street, police said. The intended robbery victim pulled out a gun, and as the two struggled for the weapon, shot Sedano in the chest. Sedano was taken to White Memorial Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead."



California marijuana shootout leaves one dead: "A homeowner apparently engaged in a gun battle with two masked men who tried to break into his marijuana garden, killing one of the alleged assailants and ending up seriously wounded himself. Nevada County sheriff's deputies say the Saturday night shootout started when two masked men armed with assault rifles broke into Dusty Beck's home in North San Juan, just north of Nevada City. Beck fatally shot one of the assailants with a shotgun, the sheriff's department said. Investigators did not immediately name the 31-year-old Yuba County man who died at the scene. Beck, 43, was shot once in the leg and twice in the abdomen. A hospital spokeswoman said he was recovering after surgery at Sutter Roseville Medical Center, where he was taken by helicopter. The second robber fled, said Nevada County Sheriff's Det. Ray Kress. Kress and sheriff's Lt. Bill Evans said the robbers apparently wanted the nine marijuana plants they found on Beck's property. Beck has previously reported similar theft attempts, Evans said. Lt. Joe Salivar said Beck is unlikely to face homicide charges because he was apparently defending himself during a home invasion. Narcotics officers were assisting with the investigation, but will leave it to the district attorney to decide whether Beck should face drug charges, Salivar said Monday."

Next Time, Scream 'LIBRESCU!'

That they were brainwashed into passivity in the face of evil is why so many died at Virginia Tech

Ever since hearing of the tragic deaths at Virginia Tech last April, I have been deeply troubled by the number of people killed by a lone gunman wielding two hand guns in the midst of dozens of people. Why was Seing-Hui Cho able to methodically move from classroom to classroom - four in total - killing 29 people and wounding at least 26 more, with so little effort to stop or to disarm him?

Why was the kill rate so high? Why was there no offensive response by the overwhelming numbers being attacked? Why was 76-year-old Professor Liviu Librescu one of the very few willing to take an offensive posture, and sacrificing his own life, to save students in his class? And most important of all: What can I do for my family and friends to give them a better chance of survival when something like this happens again?

I believe the answers lie in mental preparation for such an event. More precisely, I believe we can substantially reduce the kill rate when a Virginia Tech event such as this one occurs again by choreographing, with professional military/police advice, group response to such an attack. I believe the memory of Professor Librescu and his name, screamed at the top of our lungs, can ignite a life-saving group response.

What if, when Seing-Hui Cho entered Classroom 206 on April 16 - as the first drop of blood fell - the 13 graduate students present, along with Professor Loganathan, at the top of their lungs had screamed "LIBRESCU!" And if instantly each student and the professor - because the situation had been visualized dozens of times before in their minds - had started throwing every loose item in the classroom including computers, cell phones, PDAs, purses, backpacks, shoes, books, and water bottles at Cho. And what if, almost simultaneously, each of them had started running toward Cho and attacking with the clear intent to subdue and immobilize.

And what if every other student and professor within earshot of room 206, upon hearing the screams of "LIBRESCU!" had grabbed everything they could find to bar their own classroom doors. What if they had immediately prepared to tackle and subdue anyone who successfully broke through their barriers.

Visualize this instant - aggressive "LIBRESCU!" group response to Cho's actions - the morning of April 16 instead of the confusion and paralysis that in fact happened as Cho methodically went from classroom to classroom, killing and maiming all in his presence. Now visualize a "LIBRESCU!" response where your children go to school, where you worship, on your train coming from work, in an airplane cabin, in a restaurant. Can we train for such a response? Of course we can. And we must. I propose that leaders of all groups of people - including governments, universities, companies, churches, schools, unions and associations - get to work immediately to prevent, or at least contain, another mass slaughter. Here's how:

* Engage professionals to design the best possible group response to maximize the survival rate. (And why shouldn't the Department of Homeland Security lead the way, with its own expertise and with funding?)

* Develop videos depicting attacks by one or a few gunmen on a group, along with the appropriate response by the group to maximize survival upon hearing the scream "LIBRESCU!" (Once again, why shouldn't DHS help out by at least paying for widespread distribution of such videos?)

* Play these videos for your team every few months.

* As we do with fire drills, practice group response whenever large groups of people gather. And above all, practice the scream "LIBRESCU!"

If this makes sense to you, and especially to those of you who lead groups of people, you can unilaterally respond right now. Share these thoughts with others. Get the dialogue and debate started. You can arm your people, not with guns but with the knowledge and training that will provide the best possible chance for survival. Why not?

One final question to ponder: Did Professor Librescu, a Holocaust survivor, respond as he did because of the thousands of times he had run his exact response to Cho through his mind? Were the last thoughts of this brave man, the butchers at the door will not slay my people again.

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Tennessee Home Invasion: Man Fights Back: "Family members say 31 year-old Kevin Hill was approached by a guy with a gun while getting out of his SUV after running some morning errands. That's when two other guys came up and forced Hill inside his home and up into the attic to rob him. Police say Hill struggled with his attackers and managed to take away one of their guns and fire. Police say no one was hit but several shots were fired inside of the home. The robbers ran from the home, jumped in Hill's SUV and sped off. Police later found the SUV after the trio crashed it on Syndey Street in North Memphis. Officers were able to take all three robbers into custody. The Robbery Division is investigating. So far no charges have been filed."


Ohio: Homeowner shot after door kicked in: "Police were searching for three armed men who broke into a house on the city's east side Monday morning. Cynthia Davis said she had just gone into the basement of her home on Picard Road when she heard the back door being kicked in, 10TV News reported. "I guess God sent me to the basement right at that moment, because I would have been sitting there when they kicked the door in," Davis said. "I had just been sitting on the couch there moments before." Davis' husband, Frank Watson, yelled to her to stay downstairs and call 911, 10TV News reported. Watson, 60, picked up his gun and started towards the men. When he saw the burglars, one of the men opened fire, police said. "Nothing was taken," Davis said. "When they saw Frank with a pistol, he scared them off and they started to run." Davis said she could not tell Watson had been shot at first. "He said, 'They shot me,' and that's when I could see his T-shirt was soaked with blood," Davis said. Watson was taken to Grant Medical Center in serious condition."

Florida resident shoots man suspected of breaking into his home: "A St. Petersburg man shot a person he suspected of trying to break into his home last night. The home invasion suspect is under arrest at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Petersburg. A police spokesperson says the resident fired more than 6 shots through his back door, without looking, when he heard a noise. The suspect was hit two times in the chest. Police say someone drove the suspect to the hospital. It happened around 10pm last night at a home at 1710 13th Avenue North."


South Carolina: No charges in home invasion: "Police say they won't file charges against a Darlington County homeowner, who officers say shot and killed a man after that man invaded his home. It happened at a home on London Fog Drive in Darlington County last week. Deputies say several men invaded the house. Officers say gunshots were exchanged between the homeowner and one of the intruders. Deputies say both were wounded and the intruder, Dewayne Washington, died. We're told the homeowner is recovering in the hospital. [Background report here]


North Carolina: Robber Shot, Killed By Victim: "A man is dead after an attempted robbery went wrong. Police in Charlotte said 20-year-old Javauis Brown and another man tried to rob a group that was having a get-together behind some apartments on Conway Avenue in southeast Charlotte. It happened early Sunday just before 1:30 a.m. Officers said someone in the group shot and killed Brown. Hector Rojas Picheco, 16, was also shot, but was treated and released from Carolinas Medical Center."

MA: Would-be robber flees after store owner shoots: "Armand Tavares, the owner of the A&J Variety Store at the corner of Kendall and Frederick streets, told police that a black man with a Luger-type pistol entered the store Monday at about 9:30 p.m. The robber, who was wearing a hood pulled tight to cover his face, pointed the gun at Tavares and demanded money, police said. Tavares, who is licensed to carry a gun, pulled out his .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun and fired, hitting the ATM in the store. The startled robber ran out of the store unharmed and without any cash, police said."


Pennsylvania: Intruders shot, one fatally: "Two suspected robbers were shot, one of them fatally, during an apparent home invasion on Grover Street in McKeesport last night, police said. Police were called at 10:10 p.m. to a home in the 2900 block of Grover, where a resident resisted an apparent robbery. One suspect was killed, and the other was hospitalized with at least one gunshot wound, police said. The extent of his injuries was not immediately known.


Idaho: Another "battered wife" killing: "The Bonneville County Sheriff's Office is investigating a deadly shooting at a home in Swan Valley between a wife and her husband. Last night, Debra Schultz says she shot her husband once in the chest, claiming it was in self defense. 48-year-old William Schultz died. Detectives are treating it like a homicide until they get all the facts. Court and crime specialist Suzanne Hobbs spoke with law enforcement and with the woman who pulled the trigger. Debra Schultz says throughout her relationship he was physically violent and she never got out, although just last week she did go to a women's shelter in Driggs for help, and just returned home where she had to fight for her life. Tuesday night, Debra says her husband was high on marijuana and drinking. The fight got so bad he grabbed a gun and said he was going to shoot her. She says it was either shoot him or she would be killed. She even considered jumping out of the second story window, but says William stopped her. She didn't want her battered and bruised face to be shown .... Debra Schultz said, "When he came home last night he told me that he was going to kill me and that was after he beat up my face and he said, "I can't let you go now because if the cops see this I'm going to go to prison." And he already has 5 charges in Reno hanging over his head for domestic violence against me."

Arizona Man Who Shot prankster Teen Acquitted: "A Willcox man who shot and wounded a teenage girl after she and her friends banged on his windows in a late-night prank was acquitted of three felonies, but a jury couldn't reach a verdict on a fourth charge. The Cochise County jury found Delbert "Cody" Evans not guilty of aggravated assault using a deadly weapon and endangering Kayla Shores, who was 14 when a bullet fired by Evans hit her in the back in February 2006. She has since recovered. Evans was also cleared of endangering another girl who was with a group of five teens on Evans' porch. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a charge of aggravated assault causing disfigurement. The verdicts came Friday after a three-day trial and eight hours of deliberations. The teens had gone to Evans' rural home to get back at him for making a scary prank phone call, testimony showed. He had known Shores for years and they were friends. Evans, 32, testified he had been threatened by a man over payment for a wood stove and thought he was shooting in self-defense at an assailant. A 13-person grand jury unanimously refused to indict Evans in 2006, infuriating some in the community, who accused Cochise County Attorney Ed Rheinheimer of bungling the case. A subsequent recall effort failed. Rheinheimer eventually asked for a preliminary hearing, and a judge ordered Evans to stand trial on the four felony counts."

FL: Freed in murder case, man faces new charges: "Ronald Oats Jr. will not face a murder rap, but he is not off the hook yet. Prosecutors dropped a murder charge against the 20-year-old man on Monday morning, but Oats was arrested minutes later in court on gun and drug charges. Assistant State Attorney Brian Iten decided that Oats acted in self-defense when he shot a man during a drug deal turned sour. ... After filing a motion to drop the murder count, Iten quickly had Oats arrested on gun and marijuana charges. Bailiffs arrested him in the courtroom, and a judge ordered Oats to be released on his own recognizance because prosecutors did not have enough evidence to prove he was a flight risk."


WI: Conceal carry law unconstitutional, judge rules: "Charges were dropped Monday morning against a Milwaukee pizza delivery man accused of shooting two would-be robbers, and in a 10-page statement, the judge said Wisconsin's law forbidding the carriage of a concealed weapon, as it pertains to this case, was unconstitutional. Andres Vegas was delivering pizza near 22nd and Locust streets Jan. 4 when a 16-year-old pulled out a gun and demanded money, police said. Vegas was accused of pulling out his own gun and shooting the teen three times. ... The incident in January was the second time in less than six months that Vegas shot someone who tried to rob him on the job. In July of 2006, a 14-year-old boy pulled a gun on Vegas, who retaliated by shooting the boy three times. Then-District Attorney E. Michael McCann said that since Vegas had been robbed in the past, state law said he had a reasonable belief that he needed to protect himself and did not file charges... District Attorney John Chisholm's office said they will not appeal Noonan's decision and lawyers for Vegas said that he is no longer delivering pizzas".

Mississippi: Exasperated Homeowner Defends Home: "Patricia Parker was home watching Wheel of Fortune on televsion Friday night. She says just before 7pm she heard her live in boyfriend Otis yell out her name. She says... at that point, she knew something was wrong. "He said, Tricia, Just like that. He said Tricia and I knew something was wrong." When Patricia walked outside she realized that her boyfriend was holding a knife aimed at a man lying on their back porch. Patricia belives the man was trying to steal their air conditioner, and that Otis caught him in the act. She says Otis was so frustrated, he went into the house to get his gun. Instead of taking that opportunity to flee, the suspect ran into the house after Otis. Patricia says at that point, things seemed to get out of hand. "I said Otis, please don't shoot that man, please don't shoot him. But he shot twice. " The suspect eventually ran out of the home, with Otis hot on his trial. He was struck at least twice, by bullets in Otis' gun. Police found the suspect running down State Street, apparently trying to get to a nearby hospital. Otis was taken away in handcuffs, though police say he probably won't face any charges. The suspect is recovering at a local hospital. He will likely end up in handcuffs once he is released from the hospital."



Mississippi: Jackson Homeowner Shoots At Would-Be Burglars: "Students at McLeod Elementary School were on lockdown Friday afternoon as police searched for two men involved in an attempted home invasion. Homeowner Fredrico Hamblin said he saw a car in his neighborhood most of the morning, passing in front of his Riverwood Drive house several times. The two men tried to get into his home through the garage, Hamblin said, so he opened fire, shooting five or six times. Hamblin said he thinks he hit one of the men. A stray bullet hit a neighbor's car. "I was just trying to get them away from my home. I shot five or six times. One of them dove over the car. I think that's when I shot him," he said. Both men ran into a wooded area; police found one of the men about a half-hour later behind the Mississippi Basketball Association Complex. Police used a helicopter and dogs to search for the other man, and nearby McLeod Elementary was put on lockdown. A constable arrested another person believed to be the driver for the two men nearby. Police said Hamblin will not face charges related to this shooting because he was protecting his home."


Disarmament bill being rammed through Senate: "You'd think that when rabid, anti-gun legislators like Sen. Charles Schumer and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy join together to pass anti-gun legislation, it would raise a few red flags. But these two New York Democrats are currently planning to roll over gun owners with H.R. 2640 -- legislation which would bar you from owning guns if: * You are a battle-scarred veteran suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; or * As a kid, you were diagnosed with ADHD. .. Sen. Schumer is pushing hard to pass this legislation -- dubbed the Veterans Disarmament Act -- so he is circulating an 'agreement' which would waive the Senate rules in order to bring up and pass the bill. This agreement could come about in the next few hours or the next couple of days!"

Florida: Feisty lady pulls gun, scares off robbers: "A clerk at a Regency area clothing store scared away a group of robbers with a gun when she produced her own handgun during afternoon shakedown, according to authorities. Detectives with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office on Thursday afternoon launched an investigation of an armed robbery at the 904 Fashion store in the 10000 block of Atlantic Boulevard. According to authorities, four or five men walked into the store and started grabbing clothes and then produced a gun and tried to take money from the store's clerk. The store manager and JSO said the store clerk produced her own handgun from her purse and fired some shots at the robbers. The men ran from store and then fled the scene in a vehicle. The thieves did not get away with much merchandise or money, authorities said."


North Carolina: No charges filed in shooting: "No charges will be filed against a homeowner stemming from his fatal shooting of a suspected intruder last week, Surry County Sheriff Graham Atkinson said Wednesday. Jones, for whom no official address has been given, was shot on the morning of Sept. 17 while trying to burglarize a home he once owned at 484 Surry Gadsberry Road in the Pilot Mountain area, according to earlier accounts. Authorities have said that Jones had propped a ladder against the house and was attempting to gain entry through a window when he was confronted by Jayme Gullatt, the homeowner, who was awakened by a loud noise and grabbed a .223-caliber rifle. The intruder then began to advance on the homeowner, who fired two warning shots into the ground, based on Gullatt's statements to investigators. Despite the homeowner's actions, Jones continued to approach Gullatt and got to within a few feet of him before being shot once in the upper body. Jones was transported to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, where he died later that day." [See also here]


California: Shooting of loony ruled self-defense: "An Acampo homeowner acted in self-defense and will not face charges for fatally shooting a man who drove through his home and confronted him, prosecutors said Wednesday. David Robinson, 60, was not arrested after the June 13 death of Ravi Batuk Vora, 39. San Joaquin County Sheriff's deputies instead investigated the case and then forwarded it to prosecutors, who ruled it justifiable homicide. Robinson fired one gunshot, only after Vora had "initiated a prolonged and repeated assault" on Robinson and his wife, Deputy District Attorney Ron Freitas wrote in his final report on the case, which was signed Wednesday by District Attorney Jim Willett. [Case noted here on June 17]

Florida: Beaten Man Says 911 Dispatcher Had Him Return To Scene: "A disabled east Orange County man says a 911 operator told him to return to the scene where he was allegedly beaten by a group of thugs. When he got there, he said, he was almost beaten again by the same group until he used his gun to defend himself. John Holloway says a group of thugs tried to rob him after he picked up some groceries at a State Road 50 Circle K. He said he was punched and the men broke the windows out of his truck before he escaped. Holloway was then shocked to be told he needed to come back to the scene to get the address of the only Circle K in Christmas. "Hit me three times in the head with his fist," Holloway said. In the serene sounding town of Christmas, with one prosthetic leg and another leg paralyzed, Holloway was no match for five men surrounding to rob him. "All the sudden they're kicking and beating on my car and hollering at me, 'We're gonna get you! 'We're coming to your house. We're gonna get you and after we kill you, we're gonna take everything you have,'" he said. .. Holloway said, when he went back, he had his pistol in his hand and, when they attacked again, he fired one shot and scared the men away. The sheriff's office listed both Holloway and his attackers as victims and suspects. Apparently Holloway's mistake was firing his weapon to scare the men away. He said he did what he felt he had to do for his protection. There was no word if the 911 operator will be reprimanded for sending Holloway back to the scene".


Louisiana: Shootout at Casino: "What started as an armed robbery in Calcasieu Parish Louisiana led to a group of men in a shoot out with a security guard at a casino. The men didn't get far. “Mr. Budwine has been a constant nuisance to Vinton for a long time,” said Calcasieu Parish District Attorney John Degrosier. Investigators say Kenyon Budwine from Vinton and three men from Orange began a crime spree in Calcasieu Parish early Wednesday morning. The four men were armed with handguns and a shot gun. Authorities say they took what they could grab from an EZ Mart. Down the road, three of the men attempted to rob the Cash Majic Truckstop casino about an hour later. “We got another call of a robbery in progress,” said Mancuso. But a quick thinking security guard kept them out. They exchanged gunfire and bullets struck Budwine. In an attempt to get away, the men drove across the Texas border where Orange County Deputies stopped them. “Getting ready to put him out of business, where he's going he won't bother anyone for a long time,” said Degrosier. This isn't the first offense for Budwine. Vinton police say in the past he robbed a truck stop and got away with more than $1,000. All four of the men are being held under one million dollar bonds in the Orange County jail, but they'll be headed back to Louisiana soon."


Cleveland mayor "all wet" on anti-gun proposal to stem crime: "A proposal by anti-gun Cleveland, OH Mayor Frank Jackson to make firearm possession illegal by anyone under age 21 is a non-solution to a genuine problem of violent crime, and like all gun control laws, it targets the wrong people, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today. Mayor Jackson's suggestion came after the killing of a 12-year-old girl caught in a crossfire near her home Sept. 1. However, one of the suspects in that gun battle, Eric Romel Wilson, would not have been affected by such a law because he is 35 years old, and due to his criminal history, he cannot legally own a gun."

Georgia homeowner gets shot, responds by shooting armed robber in eye: "A Macon man was shot in the stomach by an armed robber and returned fire, shooting the robber in the eye Monday night, according to a Macon Police Department report. Grover E. Glover, 64, of Lamont St., reported to police that Jamel Scott came to his house just before 11 p.m. and asked to use the telephone to call for help for his broken down car. Once inside, Scott pulled out a gun and demanded money from Glover, according to the report. After striking him in the head with the gun, Glover told Scott his wallet was in a drawer in his bedroom. Once in the bedroom, Glover instead pulled a gun from the drawer and Scott fired before he could turn around, according to the report. Glover told officers he then shot Scott in the eye and Scott ran out of the house, leaving his gun behind, according to the report. Warrants have been issued for Scott's arrest on the charges of armed robbery and aggravated assault, said Macon police spokeswoman Sgt. Melanie Hofmann."


California: Shootout in garage: "Roger Gilchrist woke from a dead sleep when he heard his pregnant wife screaming for her life, as she honked her car horn incessantly in their garage. He grabbed his gun. It wasn’t 20 seconds after his wife pulled in and saw a masked gunman standing near her vehicle that gunfire erupted at point-blank range, the couple said. “Under the circumstances, with him having a gun and standing next to my pregnant wife, I’m not going to wait and see what happens — I’m going to fire,” Gilchrist said. Officials said the crook shot first, and Gilchrist returned fire. About 10 rounds were let off in the confines of the garage, officials said. “I hit him once, and then I heard the click, click, click, and I knew he was out of ammunition,” Gilchrist said. His wife, who asked not to be identified by first name, said those “clicks” were aimed at her head from about three feet away. “I told him I was pregnant and not to hurt me, and he said he wasn’t going to. But when he got shot, there is no doubt in my mind that he decided he was going to kill me — only he was out of bullets,” she said..... When no one was found, Gaytan called the valley dispatch center, Thacker said. “They told him there was a deputy from Central Station who had just pulled over a white PT Cruiser at Highland and State Street for blowing stop signs,” Thacker said. “Gaytan gets his cell phone number and was talking to him when the deputy found the passenger with a bullet wound and a gun in his waistband.” Authorities said Finney was bleeding out and pools of blood filled the vehicle. While medical aid was called for Finney, deputies also detained the driver, Roland Ryland, 38, of San Bernardino. Days after both were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, Gilchrist found out that Ryland, a friend since childhood, was one of the arrestees"


Anti-gun California senator is at it again!: "You may recall that in recent years, GOA has enlisted your aid in fighting so-called 'gang' legislation, which typically includes attempts to apply federal RICO anti-racketeering statutes to minor gun infractions -- thus harassing and prosecuting otherwise law-abiding gun owners as though they were Mafia bosses. Well, Feinstein's S. 456 is the latest vehicle for such underhandedness."

Illinois: Clerk Shoots Robber in head: "A store clerk on the West Side fought back against an alleged robber, shooting him in the head. Chicago police say Monday evening the suspect is in stable condition. "He produced the weapon, announced the robbery," said Sgt. Rich Dowling of the Chicago Police Department. "The clerk produced the cash register, at which time he also produced a weapon, and he began firing at the offender." A man who identified himself as belonging to a local street gang, but declined to give his name, said he is a close friend of the man who was shot. "He our friend. We be together every day," the man said. "Just so happened today we weren't with him. When asked if he thought his friend was trying to rob the hardware store, the man said, "He might have. He might was. If he feel he was robbin' that store, he did what he did." A clerk at a currency exchange next door told CBS 2 that she and the hardware store's owner had called police last week after robbers took cash at gunpoint from a now-shuttered office. She feared that street gang members were sizing them up in preparation for attempting a robbery. "It's time for us to stand up for the victims," Shirley Walls said. "This was a black-owned business. Black-owned." She warmly praised the hardware store clerk who shot in self defense. "He just got married. He has a family," Walls said. "He's trying to make an honest living...This guy came in on him." Police told CBS 2 detectives had gone to Holy Cross Hospital to await permission from doctors to interview the wounded suspect."


Minnesota: Jailbird reoffends: "Prosecutors charged a killer today with trying to burglarize two homes seven months after his release from jail. Feon Stone, 21, is to appear in court Tuesday on a probation violation. He may be sent to prison on his previous manslaughter conviction, for which he had received a stayed sentence. On Sept. 13, at about 1 a.m., officers were sent to the 1200 block of Rice Street on reports of a man trying to burglarize a house, according to a complaint filed against Stone today by the Ramsey County attorney's office. According to the complaint: A man who lives in the home was working on his computer and heard a noise. When he went to check, he saw someone enter his enclosed porch. The man confronted the person on the porch and yelled at him. The intruder ran toward the man and punched him in the head. They fought, and the man ran to his bedroom to get a gun. He went into the back yard and shot a round into the ground to scare the intruder away. A police dog was tracking the suspect when police got a call about 1:15 a.m. about a burglary in progress at a home about two blocks away. The caller, a 74-year-old woman, told police a man was in her bedroom. Officers found Stone inside and the basement window kicked in... In January, Ramsey County District Judge Salvador Rosas sentenced Stone to about seven years in prison for manslaughter for killing his girlfriend's uncle, Christopher Beck, but stayed the sentence. He also sentenced Stone to one year in jail and 15 years probation."


Harassment of Ryan Horsley of Red's Trading Post: "You know ... I've been in the Army for seven years -- both active duty and National Guard. One of the biggest things that is always drilled into our heads is that we are accountable for taxpayer money, which pays us all. We are to report fraud, waste and abuse if we see it. We are the guardians of the tax dollars that give us equipment, our salary and fund our missions. As far as I know, the ATF -- a government agency funded by taxpayer dollars -- has the same critical responsbility. So how many more audits ... how many more agents ... how many more manhours will be spent on shutting up Ryan Horsley of Red's Trading Post? How much more taxpayer money will be wasted on retribution and the attempt to shut down a legitimate businessman?"

A moving story from the NRA convention

The National Rifle Association conference yesterday in Washington, D.C. drew lots of media attention because of the high powered presidential candidates invited to speak. McCain got in a line on a protester, Thompson got in a line on Bill Clinton, and Rudy tried to make peace with his previous anti gun positions; stories for which Drudge has linked to on his site. But to my complete shock, the best speaker of the evening was not Fred, nor Newt nor Mike Huckabee all of which I enjoyed immensely.

But the best speaker of the day was not a politician, lobbyist, nor even an NRA official. The best speaker, hands down, was a young army NCO. Everyone I asked agreed with that assessment. I can't express in words how amazingly his speech, his story, his utter love for this country moved me. When he took the stage and began speaking unassuming, haltingly, somewhat softly spoken, I was concerned. I thought at the time as I later told him "I was feeling sorry for you speaking amongst such polished, intelligent speakers." However, I quickly followed up with "you kicked their asses!"

This young NCO, a man I won't identify by name to a wide audience until I get his permission, told of his massive injuries while fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. Trying to relay his story here seems futile. I can't match in print the emotion of the man nor the way I felt about him even were I a better writer. I don't think anyone could. But I will try and tell you a little about what he went through.

He talked of his 19 years in the Army, how he had seen friends die in combat, and then one day it was his turn. He and a few other Special Forces operators were pinned down in a four day battle against "a thousand Taliban" in Afghanistan. Unlike the typical Taliban hit and run tactic they massed and no one had been prepared for such a battle. He and his men held their position against an overwhelming force requiring Air Force ammunition drops several times when they were reduced to "40 rounds" between them.

As they maneuvered their vehicle (I believe he said he was on the gun in the turret) they got blown up. He described the sensation of heat, not just on his skin but in him. He struggled to pull himself from the vehicle. He looked down and saw his leg hanging by mere flesh, the bone splintered out into the sand. He got out, couldn't breathe and then felt a pop which eased his airway constriction. That pop was his abdominal lining bursting. He watched as his intestines began to leak from the stomach wounds.

Others came to his aid and they beat out the flames on his body. Disoriented, he began fighting the man who was hitting him. As they hovered over him to administer aid he felt the sting of what he thought was biting insects but soon realized was actually sand spitting up from the bullets hitting all around them. He said he "owed those men a debt he can never repay". I thought, no sir, it is us who owe them that debt. It is us who can never repay them for bringing you home to tell your story.

The sergeant said his plan if he got hit in combat was "to die". It never occurred to him he might live. He went from a Special Forces soldier to "a man who could not wipe his own butt" he said, apologizing for the graphic detail. No apology was needed of course. He talked about his recovery, the year he spent in the hospital, only recently getting out. He said that what sustained him was his faith in God, his incredible wife, the amazing military medical professionals who rebuilt him, and something that surprised me, the wonderful assistance of the NRA and corporate partners that took a personal involvement in his recovery.

I do not intend this as a commercial for the NRA. But having just joined myself, this type of activity was unknown to me until today. I want to thank the NRA and the corporate partners who aided him. One representative from a corporate sponsor with whom I spoke about the NCO was choking a bit on his emotion which allayed my skeptical nature.

The young NCO didn't talk about politics, the war on terror, the war protesters, although he berated the Move On "Betray us" ad. He just said, or rather asked, paraphrasing: that the next time a soldier, someone who has on the ground knowledge, who has sacrificed for our freedom, please listen to what they have to say.

I doubt his message will breach the tin ears of the antiwar left. But his courage, his love of his family, country and freedom pushes me to write. I ask the antiwar left, and I urge others to ask, listen to the soldiers.

Right now, the overwhelming majority of them find value in their mission to fight terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq. I agree. If I ever get the sense from them, the genuine belief that they don't support the mission I will be the first to stand up and say bring them home immediately. Until then can you on the left stop "supporting them" by insisting you know more than they do about the work they are doing?

If they tell us they are fighting al Qaeda can the MSM please stop writing articles about how they are not really fighting al Qaeda? Can Michael Ware please refrain from making hyperventilating statements like "the streets were rivers of blood" as he did a few days ago on CNN? Can you at the New York Times and Time magazine just take a few moments to rethink the de-legitimization of our brave soldiers strategy your are employing when you call them uneducated, unemployable, untrained, too afraid to speak up against the president "cooking the book" stooges of George Bush?

I am not asking you to love the war. I am asking you to listen to a man who watched his guts leak from his body to protect that freedom of the press you use to attempt to dishonor him. Just listen to him.

Update: The hero's name is Sgt. 1st Class Greg Stube. Video link at the source below:


Source






New ATF report again shows Bloomberg lies about trace data: "Yesterday's release of aggregate gun trace data in the New York City region by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) once again puts the lie to long-standing claims by Mayor Michael Bloomberg that this data is not available to law enforcement, the Second Amendment Foundation said today. William G. McMahon, ATF Special Agent in Charge for the ATF's New York field division, released the data for 2006 on Thursday."


How gun bans affect non gun owners: "Gun bans wrongly and wrongfully affect non-gun owners because bans disarm only the law-abiding. Nothing new, until you see how this spreads. As usual, criminal laws do not interfere with crime until after-the-fact; gun control interferes with only the honest and before-the-fact, and then again after-the-fact, often within a system which victimizes constituents twice. Lifting gun bans can enhance crime control and lift government burdens. For some officials, carrying burdens is desirable, but it is an abuse of the law against the interests of the United States."