NY: Off-duty cop kills robber: "According to police reports one of the robbery victims is Officer Perrone's girlfriend, and he was there to pick her up from work. Police say Christopher Williams and Shundell Hall are accused of robbing the women. Williams was shot and killed. Hall was arrested and is charged with attempted robbery, assault and grand larceny. Police said Hall and Williams attacked the two women as they were leaving work at the Elite Body Spa. Sarah Rote was one of the women. Rote told police, "I saw a black male... running towards me. He grabbed me... had a dark colored gun and started yelling at me to give it up." Police said that person was Christopher Williams. Rote told police she called for her boyfriend, Officer Perrone, who was off-duty, and there to pick her up. "Joe got out of the car and pulled his gun out and told (Williams) 'Police don't move!' (Williams)... turned his hand with the gun towards Joe and pointed it at him. I then heard two shots and (Williams) fell to the ground," Rote said. According to police statements Hall had the other woman, Marcella Montanus, pinned up against the door of the Elite Body Spa. He had his gun out and started beating her on the head, and that's when two gun shots rang out. When Hall heard the gun shots he took off from the front door ran across the parking lot and hid behind a fire hydrant. Both men ran. Shundell was caught in the parking lot at the Greece Ridge Mall. Williams was dropped off at St. Mary's Hospital and later died at Strong Hospital."


Qualifying firearms : "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you H.R.45, Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, introduced in the House one week ago today by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL). . `If passed, this bill would require that anyone wishing to purchase, own, or possess a `qualifying firearm' - that's any handgun, and any long gun capable of accepting a detachable magazine - would have to be licensed by the state or the federal government in a licensing program managed by the Attorney General. This is what the gunhaters mean by `common sense gun control' and `reasonable restrictions.' So much for 'shall not be infringed.' This is nothing less than a declaration of war on American gun owners."


IA: Second Amendment attorney discusses rolling back gun laws: "The attorney who successfully persuaded the Supreme Court to overturn Washington, D.C.'s gun ban last year said the case is just the first step in a process to limit governments from restricting a person's right to own a gun. `No single case will ever tell us for all times when it's OK to bear arms and when it's not,' Alan Gura said in a presentation at the University of Iowa College of Law on Monday. `This decision is just the first step. The constitution is forever, and interpreting it will never end.'"


Obama and the Second Amendment : "Holder's nomination raises other questions about what President-elect Barack Obama claimed he believed during the campaign. Numerous times he promised that he supported an individual's right to own guns and that he wouldn't do anything to take away people's guns. Just last year in a brief to the Supreme Court, Holder argued that `the Second Amendment did not protect an individual right to keep and bear arms,' that it only protected government militias' rights to guns. He claimed that the Second Amendment posed no obstacle to implementing gun bans. I can't find even one gun control law that Holder has opposed. On every gun control regulation he has discussed, he has been supportive, including: bans, raising the age that someone can possess a gun, registration and licensing, one-gun-a-month limit on purchases, and mandatory waiting periods."

Indiana man shoots, kills robber: "An attempted robbery early Sunday morning turned fatal for one of the suspects, police said. A 38-year-old man and his girlfriend were exiting their sport-utility vehicle in the parking lot of McTavern's bar in the 7400 block of Indianapolis Boulevard when two people attempted to rob the couple, according to a Hammond police news release. The owner of the vehicle took a handgun from the SUV and shot one of the suspects in the chest, the release states. The shooting victim died at the scene before Hammond Fire Department personnel could provide further treatment and he could get to a hospital. Kenneth Denson, 17, of the 600 block of East 131st Street in Chicago, was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound to the chest about 1:30 a.m., a Lake County coroner's office spokeswoman said Sunday. The second robbery suspect and an accomplice fled from the scene in a vehicle and traveled north on Indianapolis Boulevard into East Chicago, where they crashed and police apprehended them. Miller said an illegal narcotic drug was found in the vehicle. Police said the investigation continues. The man who shot Denson has cooperated with police and has turned over his handgun. Charges could be filed today against the other two suspects in custody, Miller said."


Arkansas: Old lady with gun scares off robber: "Altha Rider usually keeps a .38 pistol by her bedside. Thursday night, the 87-year-old woman was ready to use it. It wasn’t long after Rider went to bed Thursday night that someone tried to kick in the front door of her home at 65 Brushy Road, she told an officer, whom she met at the carport door with pistol in hand. Rider said she had gone to bed around 9 p.m. with a light on in her den, and was awakened by the sound of her front door being kicked in around 10. “When I heard the racket I screamed and then got up to see what happened,” Rider said. “I couldn’t see anyone, so I got up and went lookin’.” Rider went looking with the .38 pistol that she keeps by her bedside for protection. She said she also has a .410 shotgun, but realized that would only give her one shot before she would have to reload. According to Rider, the intruder had tried unsuccessfully to gain entry through a back door before going to the front of her home. The bottom half of the door was broken and splintered from the dead bolt down. “He unlocked my storm door to get to the wood door,” Rider said. “But he didn’t get the door open — the door lock held.” After not seeing anyone around her house, Rider said she called a family member, who then called police. “They (police) were here right away and looked around, but they couldn’t find anybody,” Rider said"


PA: Clergy target gun dealers for intimidation campaign: "Citing frustration with the legislature's reluctance to pass tough laws against 'straw' handgun purchases, a coalition of religious leaders stood outside a gun store yesterday and announced a plan to pressure retailers directly. . Dealers who take the pledge agree to: Videotape all their firearms transactions. Participate in a computerized gun-trace log that will identify buyers whose previous purchases were used in crimes. Interviewed later at his shop, Colosimo, 77, said he had not signed because his lawyers advised him that the computerized tracing system was illegal and that other requirements in the code could be unconstitutional."


Gun banners' strategy outlined : "The powerful gun-ban lobby has developed its own language to color and disguise its true agenda - the disarming of law-abiding Americans in every way possible, and the end of effective self defense. Their latest set of plans - used as a fund raiser (outlined below) - is filled with nice sounding terms that put a deceptive spin on their goals. Respect for the Bill of Rights is nowhere to be found, only clever end runs and literal destruction of rights Americans have always had. Starkly missing from these plans is any direct attack on criminals - the whole game plan is aimed at firearms the public holds. It is a product of abject gun fear - hoplophobia - that afflicts the people behind the plan."

Feisty Indiana oldster: "Sandra Hochstedler, the 70-year-old woman who held an intruder at gunpoint earlier this week, is out of the hospital and making the media rounds. On Sunday evening, as Hochstedler was hauling firewood from her garage into her home, a man reportedly came running at her from the street and chased her inside. She grabbed her gun and dialed 911, she said, and after the man burst through her living room window she held him at gunpoint until police arrived, threatening to shoot him dead if he moved. The story was immediately picked up by local media outlets, and soon, the national media came calling as well. Hochstedler said she has been slow in responding to some requests for interviews because she was only released from the hospital on Thursday. She was taken there Sunday evening after complaining of chest pains. "By the time I was done being a tough woman and yelling at (the intruder) like I wasn't afraid, I sat down at the dining room table and it just all came out of me," she recalled. At the hospital, Hochstedler said, doctors informed her she had actually suffered a heart attack and needed to have a cardiac catheter inserted to check for arterial blockage."


FL: Off-duty black officer shoots crazy white in self defense: "Maurice Wiley had just arrived to meet a friend at the Boomerzzz bar in Pensacola at approximately 2:30 am. Within about 15 minutes of his arrival, some white males started using racial slurs. Officer Wiley asked them to stop using those words and he was then threatened by Mr Cloud. Mr Cloud continued to use racial slurs toward Officer Wiley. Mr Cloud called him the "n" word and threatened to go get a gun from his vehicle. At that point Officer Wiley tried to leave the establishment. Johnny Cloud then confronted him in the parking lot and attacked Officer Wiley with a knife. Several witnesses gave statements that Officer Wiley continued backing away from Mr Cloud while telling him to drop the knife. Mr Cloud continued to come at him thrashing with the knife then Officer Wiley drew a 22 pocket pistol and identified himself as a police officer and ordered him to drop the knife while continuing to back up. This did not stop Mr Cloud who continued to come at Officer Wiley with the Knife. Officer Wiley used self defense when he then shot Mr Cloud in the upper body to stop the knife attack."


Utah's concealed weapon applications break records : "Gun owners are flooding the state with applications for concealed weapons permits, with almost 45,000 applications filed in 2008, easily a record number, quadrupling the figure from just four years ago.With the surge, about one in every 25 Utahns over age 21 could be carrying a licensed concealed weapon, according to a Tribune analysis of numbers from the Bureau of Criminal Identification.The increase worries Steve Gunn,member of the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah."People who carry guns or who even own guns should understand that a gun is far more likely to be misused than be for the protection of the individual," Gunn said in a recent interview. "People ought not to be buying or carrying guns."


Ammunition Accountability Act : "It's called the "Ammunition Accountability Act." It is model legislation designed to force ammunition manufacturers to identify every bullet with a serial number, that is then registered to a purchaser, and recorded in a federal database. Theoretically, if a shell-casing is found at a crime scene, law enforcement officers could trace the purchaser of the bullet.The model legislation also calls for a five-cent-per-bullet tax to cover the cost of the system. The system would provide the government with the name and location of gun owners and an inventory of the ammunition held. The model legislation would outlaw any and all unregistered ammunition within a year after the legislation is adopted."

Courage and guns : "From past experience I know I am going to catch a lot of flak for my opinion of concealed carry laws, because I believe them to be another form of registration. Gun owners who claim they are totally against `registration' of firearms have no problem in registering themselves as gun owners. Most egregious is their paying the state to bestow on them the rights they already possess as free men. If the true purpose of the Second Amendment is to provide the means to resist a tyrannical government, where is the logic in begging and paying that same government to allow us to possess the weapons to protect ourselves from their tyrannical pursuits? Groveling at the feet of tyrants is no reflection of courage."


"The weapons ban has worked well all these years" : "Goodness; where to begin? Surely the top priority of the federal government (the reason `governments are instituted among men') is to protect and defend our liberties, among which one of the foremost is our right to keep and bear arms. (Even the current `rules change' restores this right only in part. Since most national park visitors come from far away, what are the chances most will have the slightest idea how to obtain the required 'state permit?') . But what really puzzles me is what on earth these minions of Washington City mean when they say, `The weapons ban has worked well all these years. It has . kept the level of violence between people to a minimum.' Did going unarmed `work well' for unarmed hikers Mary Cooper, 56, and her daughter, Susanna Stodden, 27, whose bodies were found, shot in the head, alongside the Pinnacle Lake Trail in the Mount Baker/Snoqualmie National Forest, east of Everett, Wash., by a hiker on July 11, 2006?"


More gun control not a viable answer to crime : "They're sneaking up on us again, and gun owners and hunters need to be forwarned of another plot to take away our Second Amendment rights. `Ammunition Accountability,' a newly formed group of ammunition coding supporters, is working to pass legislation to make ammo-coding a reality. Using laser etching, the group wants to place an alpha-numeric serial number on the back of each bullet, round or cartridge manufactured in the U.S. The idea is that it will control criminals by identifying brass or empty shells left at a crime scene and then following up the number on the back to find out who purchased the offending bullet. Gee . it almost makes sense, doesn't it? That's exactly what they want you to think, but don't fall for this newest attack on our heritage."


WY: Lawmakers: Inform accused of potential loss of gun rights : "Some Wyoming lawmakers want to make certain that people accused of misdemeanor domestic violence realize that pleading guilty would cost them their federal gun rights. A bill drafted for the upcoming legislative session would require judges to inform defendants that a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction would cost them their gun rights. The bill would also classify misdemeanor domestic violence as a serious offense requiring defendants to have lawyers. Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, is the bill's main sponsor. He was also the author of a 2004 state law that sought to establish a procedure for misdemeanor domestic violence convicts to expunge their first conviction and regain their firearms rights."

Fla.: Man Shoots, Kills Armed Robber At Car Wash: " A car wash customer in Orange County shot and killed a man he said was trying to rob him on Friday. The shooting happened at Mr. Big's Super Car Wash off Orange Blossom Trail. "During this attempted robbery, the victim, who holds a concealed weapons permit, pulled out his weapon and fired shots into the bad guy," said Orange County Sheriff's Office Commander Paul Hopkins. The alleged robber was shot in a car wash stall. He ran about 50 feet and fell near some orange cones. Hopkins said the shooter was washing his car when two men approached him. He said one had a sawed-off shotgun. Investigators said there were two suspects. One died in the parking lot and the other is still on the run."


Shot Pittsburgh Bank Robbery Suspect Still On Loose: "A Pittsburgh police officer shot a would-be robber at a National City Bank near Walnut and Ivy streets in Shadyside on Thursday and the suspect is still on the loose. Channel 4 Action News' Sheldon Ingram spoke with Police Chief Nate Harper, who said the officer was working security at the bank when he saw a man wearing a mask walk inside. Harper said the masked man turned and left the bank after seeing the officer, who followed the man down the sidewalk outside the bank. The man and the officer turned a corner and ended up behind the bank, where the man with the mask pulled a gun and exchanged gunfire with the officer, Harper said. "The officer did fire at the suspect. The suspect was running and firing at the officer -- possibly with his left hand -- and the officer does not know where he possibly struck the subject," said Harper. The man, who was wounded and bleeding, drove off in a silver Toyota, police said. "There is a blood trail leading to the car where the suspect drove off," said Harper. The man is described as black and between 5 feet 10 inches and 5 feet 11 inches tall. He was wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt and cargo pants and was carrying a red and black duffle bag."


Illinois: Attempted theft fails: "Oak Park police said a would-be armed robber got more than he bargained for when he attempted to steal a leather jacket from another man in the near-west suburb Sunday night. The owner of the leather jacket, after being approached, shot the 25-year-old in the face, the arm and the pelvis near North Lombard and North Avenues, police said. The man underwent surgery for his wounds Sunday night at Stroger Hospital in Chicago and is expected to survive, Cmdr. Clement Harbour said. Police are seeking the gunman, and no charges have been filed in the case as of Monday, Harbour said. "If we could find the victim they were trying to stick up we could probably get charges," Harbour said. Harbour said two men who had been in a car with the shooting victim but did not participate in the attempted robbery and would not be charged."


Oklahoma wife shoots estranged husband in the head: "A Westville man remained in critical condition in a Tulsa hospital Thursday from a gunshot wound to the head, Adair County Sheriff's Investigator Jack Smithson said. Darrel Fouse, 39, was shot after he violated a protective order and entered his rural home and allegedly began assaulting his wife, Smithson said. Fouse's wife, Marilyn Fouse, 39, told law enforcement her estranged husband entered the home about 2 p.m. Tuesday, hit her in the head, grabbed her arm and was assaulting her when a gun fell out of his fanny pack. "She grabbed it and shot him," Smithson said. "She put a blanket over him, got her two girls (ages 11 and 14) out of their bedroom, and they ran across a field to a great-grandmother's house." No charges have been filed. The shooting remains under investigation, Smithson said. An employee in the Adair County District Court Clerk's Office said a protective order was filed Oct. 10 and that records show it was served on Darrel Fouse."

Another "gun-free zone" in action: "Five people have been sent to hospitals after a reported shooting at a high school on Chicago's South Side, US authorities say. Chicago Fire Department spokeswoman Eve Rodriguez says three people were in serious condition and two were in critical condition. She says the five male victims had been inside Paul Laurence Dunbar Vocational Career Academy. She declined to comment further. The Chicago Tribune and WBBM-AM reports the victims had been shot."


OH: Intruder Killed In Apartment Shootout: "One man was killed after breaking into an apartment in Colerain Township. According to Hamilton County sheriff's deputies, two men broke into the Burgundy Court Apartments on Rocker Drive just before 11 p.m. Tuesday. The homeowner exchanged gunfire with the two men, shooting one of them multiple times, deputies said. He was taken to University Hospital and pronounced dead a short time later. The other man fled on foot. Deputies said they believe he was also shot and may seek medical attention. The homeowner was not injured in the shooting."


South Carolina intruder shot: "The Oconee County Sheriff's Department incident report lists Donnie Murphy as the victim, but it appears the suspect arrested for the burglary of Murphy's house might have gotten the worst end of the deal. Sheriff's deputies responded Sunday afternoon to a burglary call at 163 Murphy Drive in Walhalla and learned that Murphy had shot a burglar in the buttocks. Kirby Alan Ridley was later brought into custody on burglary charges at a Ranger Road home in Walhalla and sent to Oconee Medical Center for treatment of his wound. The report summary states Murphy told officers he was in the bathroom when he heard a noise near his kitchen. He then walked out of the bathroom, retrieved his .22 pistol from his closet, and discovered a man standing in front of his fireplace. After telling the burglar to stop, the subject allegedly reached into his pocket as if to get a gun or weapon and began walking back towards the kitchen, at which point Murphy shot him. Deputies located Kirby, called an ambulance and followed him to Oconee Medical Center.


Florida robbers crash in panic: "Bullets went flying in Deltona early Sunday morning, after the victim of a chaotic home invasion fought back, apparently shooting one of the suspect's in his groin as he fled the crime scene. It started just before 1:00am, when three men burst into Julio Blanco's home on Lackland Drive and forced him, his mother and girlfriend to the ground and robbed them. Volusia County sheriff's deputies said the suspects pistol-whipped Blanco and grabbed a safe, loaded it into their dark Ford Explorer and took off. During the escape, the suspects and Blanco started firing shots back and forth in the middle of the neighborhood. The other victims and neighbors called 911 and Sgt. Thomas Dane quickly spotted the vehicle and initiated a pursuit. Deputies said the suspects crashed within two minutes and the vehicle rolled over and came to rest at Ft. Smith Boluevard and Outrigger Drive. Deputies found four people in the vehicle. Suspected driver, 17-year-old Brandon Prather, was transported by ambulance to Orange City's Florida Hospital Fish Memorial and released. The passengers, 30-year-old Adam Salgado, and two teen girls were taken into custody for questioning. A third scene emerged at 1:30am, when deputies received a 911 call reporting a man suffering from a gunshot in a front yard on the 2100 block of Puerto Rico Drive. Deputies identified him as Patrick Lauby, 33, and determined he suffered the gunshot wound during the course of the robbery he was involved in. Deputies weren't sure if Lauby accidently shot himself during his escape or if Blanco hit him during the gun fight. Lauby was airlifted by Sheriff's helicopter to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach. Deputies questioned all five suspects before determining what charges to file. So far, they've charged Prather with home invasion with a firearm, aggravated battery and fleeing and eluding. They believe Prather is the suspect who pistol-whipped Blanco."

South Carolina: 3 arrested in Florence County home invasion: "The sheriff's office is still investigating a second home invasion case that happened a week ago and left one man dead. The shooting happened about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday at a 317 Plantation Drive residence outside Lake City, Boone said. Four men walked up to the door and fired shots into the residence. A man who was inside fired shots back, hitting and killing one of the intruders, Boone said. The dead man was identified as 23-year-old Shawn Singletary of 532 Shantay Lane in Lake City, Florence County Coroner M.G. "Bubba" Matthews said. Investigators still are looking for the three other suspects, Boone said. It's not clear whether the man inside the home will face any criminal charges in connection with the shooting, Boone said.


Texas homeowner Fatally Shoots Robber: "Police say two men attempted to break into a home on the 4100 block of South Hughes in Amarillo this morning. The homeowner, police say, used a long gun to shoot one of the suspects. The other alleged robber managed to run away. When police arrived at the home, 4117 S. Hughes, they found one of the suspected robbers lying on the ground with several gun shot wounds. They attempted to resuscitate him, but were unsuccessful. Police are now searching for the second man involved in the invasion. Police have a vague description of him. He is a black male and was last seen wearing black clothing. Witnesses say both suspected robbers have broken into the home up to four times in the past. The owner of the home went to the police station, as part of the investigation. But police have not made any arrests.


SC liquor thief shot: "The Richland County Sheriff's Department is investigating a shooting on Shakespeare Road Wednesday in Columbia.... Banks' wife, too shaken to talk on camera, said she was knitting a blanket when a young man walked into the S&H ABC Package Store on Shakespeare Road. She says the man asked the price of a bottle of liquor. When she told him, he backed away from the counter and started to look around. She says the man then crossed the employees-only chain, grabbed two bottles and headed toward her. That's when she grabbed her .38 and fired two shots. Deputies say 28-year-old Oxvaria Ingram will be charged with strong-arm robbery. As for the store owner, investigators haven't determined if she will face any charges."


Ohio man, 93, shoots alleged intruder: "Mark Leon Applin, 32, address unknown, was taken by helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital with life-threatening injuries from the shooting that occurred about 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, according to police reports. The hospital was unable to release information on Applin's condition Monday. .... The man told officers that Applin, whom he did not know, kept knocking on his door and he told him to leave several times. Applin then allegedly entered through an unlocked back door and walked to the front door and ripped down the curtains. The homeowner said he then retrieved a gun from a box in the living room. He warned Applin he would shoot him if he didn't leave. Applin reportedly kept walking toward the homeowner, who said he fired one shot. Applin fell on the floor, then got up and ran out the front door, ending up on the sidewalk, the man said. No charges have been filed, pending an investigation.

Missouri uncle killing OK: "The Ozark County prosecuting attorney says the shooting death of a man from Dora was a case of justifiable homicide. He dropped murder charges against Floyd Russell, 24, who was charged with killing his uncle, Terry Russell, in October. A coroner's jury found the death was the result of an ongoing family feud that turned violent with another relative.


Florida: Convenience Store Clerk Shoots Would-Be Robber: "A convenience store clerk in Pembroke Pines gunned down a pair of would-be robbers inside his own store. According to detectives, four men rushed into the store on the 7700 block of Johnson Street Monday night and one of the men pointed a gun at the clerk demanding cash. That's when authorities said the clerk ducked for cover under the counter, and unleashed a hail of bullets. Officers were able to arrest one of the men who was struck in the leg by the clerk's bullet. He is expected to make a full recovery. Witnesses said the other men were able to get away in what appeared to be a black 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix."


Arizona man arrested in double murder : "The Glendale Police Department has made its first homicide arrest of 2009, thanks to help from Phoenix police. Jesus Adan Nevarez-Cota is suspected of being one of four men involved in a home-invasion robbery in June that left the homeowner and an intruder dead. Police say Nevarez-Cota, 20, of Phoenix, and the three other men were armed with assault rifles when they kicked in the back door of a Glendale residence in the 7000 block of West Cavalier Drive. Police say the homeowner, who also was armed, confronted the men and a gunbattle ensued. Police said Nevarez-Cota is the registered owner of a vehicle that the men used to leave the scene. Phoenix police talked to Nevarez-Cota on Dec. 31, during a traffic stop, and called Glendale authorities. He now faces two counts of first-degree murder."


Ohio shooter shot: "Ludwig Leonard Grudisher, the Columbus man fatally shot Saturday night at a Reese Road home, had been arrested two weeks earlier for firing a gun at the same house. Columbus police said Grudisher, 52, was hit by a shotgun blast fired by his stepson around 9:45 p.m. Saturday night. He was accused of burglarizing the stepson's home and then trying to run him down with his truck when he was shot. Two weeks earlier, police say Grudisher was at the house. An arrest report from Dec. 7 states Grudisher, who lived less than 150 feet from his stepson's home, fired several shots at the home and then fled in his vehicle. The stepson saw Grudisher fire at his home, police said. Grudisher was arrested at 6:30 p.m. that day outside Grace Baptist Church. He appeared in Columbus Recorders Court the next day and was given a $10,000 bond. Grudisher was out on a property bond at the time of his death, court records show. Police have not filed any charges in the Saturday case, though it will be forwarded to the district attorney's office."

Tennessee: Serial robber finally shot: "A 22-year-old uniformed security guard who was buying gasoline at a Murfreesboro Pike station on Sunday shot and killed a robbery suspect carrying an air gun. Metro detectives are ruling the death of Jamie L. Sullivan, 37, a justifiable homicide. Wearing a mask and carrying what appeared to be a pistol, Sullivan entered the Mapco market at 2101 Murfreesboro Pike at 1:45 a.m. Eric Gordon, 22, was also in the market. Sullivan pointed his pistol at Gordon's head and threatened to kill him. Sullivan told Gordon to surrender his holstered gun and a struggle ensued. Gordon drew his 9-millimeter weapon and shot Sullivan once in the face. Sullivan died at the scene. Shortly after, detectives discovered that Sullivan's gun was a BB pistol that looked like a real gun. Metro police had charged Sullivan with 146 offenses since June 1989. His last arrest was for trespassing Nov. 20."


Florida: Customer kills robber: "An eyewitness saw a robber brutally beating a store clerk in Ocoee, so he pulled a gun out of his car at the Kangaroo gas station on Franklin Street and fatally shot the robber. He's a regular at the store and said he was coming to buy some cigarettes when he heard the clerk screaming. He told Eyewitness News he not only grabbed his cell phone to call 911, but also pulled a loaded handgun out of his car. "I pull up like this and said, 'Stop,' and, as he came up, I came straight up, fired, 'Pop, pop,' two shots," Chris said. Those shots hit and killed 40-year-old Freddie Carson. Public records show he has a rap sheet going back to 1987, including charges like battery and burglary. This time, the 26-year-old says he was within his rights when he took his gun out of his car to stop a robbery in progress. "I was not going to sit there and watch a friend get beat to death. Would I do it again? I'm upset, but, yes, I would do it again," he said. The store clerk was transported to Health Central Hospital with head injuries, but details on her condition were not released. Chris did not have a concealed weapons permit, but he was protected by two other laws that allow drivers to carry guns in their cars and allow gun owners to start shooting if they witness a violent felony."


Oklahoma: Prowlers trigger a firm response from homeowners: "Two men accused in a Thursday night burglary were stopped by two homeowners with guns, sheriff's officials said. Jason Dean Cornett, 30, and Joshua Starkey, 28, were arrested after a homeowner near NE 63 and Choctaw Road found two men rifling through his garage. The homeowner confronted one man and went back into the house to get a gun, but the burglar was gone when he returned, sheriff's spokesman Mark Myers said. A deputy found Cornett under a nearby vehicle and arrested him, Myers said. Starkey escaped from the first homeowner and the deputies, but was arrested later after a homeowner near McLoud shot him in the shoulder with a shotgun and held him at bay until Lincoln County sheriff's officers arrived, Myers said."


Oklahoma thief caught: "A man who was shot is in jail himself. The incident happened Thursday night in Lincoln County. Officials say Joshua Starkey broke into the man's house last week. The homeowner spotted him Thursday night while driving and followed him. Starkey eventually stopped, got out of the car and started to run. That's when the homeowner fired the shot at Starkey's vehicle. Starkey was hit in the shoulder by a fragment. Starkey was arrested shortly after. The homeowner was not arrested. Officials say Starkey is responsible for other burglaries in the area and he also had $3,600 in warrants out against him. A second suspect, Jason Cornett, was arrested last week for allegedly breaking into the home along with Starkey.

AZ: Jewelry store owner shoots would-be thieves: "The owner of a Phoenix jewelry store shot two men who had used pepper spray on him during an attempted robbery. The suspects, identified as 24-year-old Gregory Mills and 27-year-old Jason Buckingham, were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to be charged Tuesday. Phoenix police say Mills and Buckingham went to the jewelry store of a 61-year-old man around 2 p.m. Monday and tried to sell a watch, but were denied because it was missing parts. About 10 minutes later, they returned, pepper sprayed the store owner in the face and smashed the glass of a display cabinet. That's when the owner pulled a gun from his pocket, shot each suspect and held them at gunpoint until officers arrived. Investigators say the owner acted in self defense and won't be charged."


AL: Man shoots alleged attacker: "A Pell City man is in the hospital with a gunshot wound after he allegedly broke into a Hanceville residence and attacked the owner Saturday. According to Hanceville police reports, the gunshot victim was 32-year-old Charles Kendrick. "He was shot once in the stomach with a 25-caliber automatic," said Lt. Jimmy Rodgers of the Hanceville Police Department. "Further investigation has ruled it was a self-defense shooting." "The owner of the residence was at home when this guy (Kendrick) jumped on him and began to fight him," Rodgers said. "The owner went inside and locked the door and retrieved a handgun." Rodgers said Kendrick allegedly then began smashing the back windows of the residence and tried to enter. "The owner pointed the gun at him to prevent him from entering," Rodgers said. "The gun was unloaded at this point." Undeterred, Kendrick allegedly continued to break the window and then entered the home, Rodgers said. The homeowner then went into his bedroom and locked the door. "The perpetrator kicked in the door, at which point he was shot by the resident," Rodgers said. An investigation revealed the attack was a type of domestic violence situation, Rodgers said. "The homeowner's girlfriend has kids by the perpetrator, and apparently he was upset about the kids and took it out on the boyfriend," Rodgers said. Rodgers noted Kendrick could face criminal charges once he is released from the hospital, including a charge of burglary.


DC: District targets spots for gun stores: "The District will allow gun stores along major commercial corridors in every corner of the city, under new rules recently adopted by the D.C. Zoning Commission. Emergency regulations issued by the commission allow gun stores to open along most commercial corridors not zoned for neighborhood retail, throughout much of downtown and in a handful of industrial zones. But because each store must be at least 300 feet away from the nearest school, library, home, playground and church, the number of specific possible locations is very limited. The rules are far less restrictive than those adopted in July - a month after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the District's 32-year-old handgun ban."


Another reason to arm up? "While we stumble along economically with bailouts, buyouts, and poor sales in almost all sectors, two products in America are seeing dramatic increases in sales: guns and ammo. People who never owned a gun before are buying; people are buying multiples of military style weapons and ammo is being bought by the case instead of by the box. Many explain this away as folks simply worried that Obama will move to ban certain firearms, especially those referred to by the ignorant as `assault weapons,' I believe the motivation to buy firearms and ammunition goes much deeper. More and more Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the storm that is brewing on the horizon, a storm driven by the possibility of a complete economic collapse. The more astute are reading the handwriting on the wall: military combat units being assigned for stateside duty to quell domestic disturbances, a militarization of law enforcement, and the fear of what will happen when the state is no longer able to provide monthly checks to the millions currently living on government handouts labeled as `entitlements.'"

CA: Woman Fires Gun At Intruders: "A homeowner in Santa Paula fended off two intruders early Tuesday morning when she fired a shot at the men. It happened at 1:30 a.m. on the 13000 block of Telegraph Road. Police say the family's dog woke them, growling and barking inside the house. The homeowner walked down a hallway, armed with a handgun and confronted one suspect, who then challenged the homeowner. Police say the homeowner shot in self defense and the suspects ran. For several hours Ventura County Sheriff's Department and Santa Paula Police searched by air and ground for the suspects but were unable to locate them."


LA: Police say victim shot robbery suspect: "Police said a city man was shot and wounded Thursday night while trying to rob another at gunpoint near a Canal Boulevard convenience store. Police responding to a report of a man shot just after 8 p.m. found 34-year-old Lee Diggs of 534 St. Charles St. lying on the ground near the Turner Motel with gunshot wounds to the hip and stomach areas, Thibodaux Police Chief Craig Melancon said. Just after officers arrived, Melancon said, they were approached by Terrence Triggs of Schriever, who told them he believed he had shot a man who was trying to rob him through his truck's driver-side window. "He stated he had been robbed and in self-defense shot the individual who robbed him," Melancon said this morning. Triggs had called 911 to report the shooting. Diggs was taken to Thibodaux Regional Medical Center where he is under police guard, and will be booked at a later time for armed robbery, Melancon said. Melancon said officers are looking for an alleged accomplice to the robbery. A warrant has been issued for 33-year-old Antoine Baptiste of Thibodaux. Melancon said Baptiste approached Triggs, the robbery victim, inside the convenience store. Triggs, who had been celebrating his birthday, was wearing a large gold chain. Relatives and friends had pinned several $100 bills to it, and during the robbery, the money was taken, police said. After the shooting, Melancon said, Baptiste ran from the truck and went to the wounded Diggs' side, taking his pistol - described as a small-calibre weapon - and hiding it. The pistol was later found by police."


TX: Road rage killing: "One hour after revelers welcomed the new year in 2008, a motorist at a Northwest Side intersection fired three shots into 24-year-old Tomas Garza, moments after authorities said Garza threatened the motorist with a baseball bat in an apparent road-rage incident. The killing, the first of 137 recorded in San Antonio last year, was an act of self-defense, police later determined, and was classified by department officials as a justified homicide.


TX: Dog basher shot: "Among the justified homicides last year in San Antonio was the May killing of 50-year-old Jesse Carrion. It was just before 11:30 p.m. on a weekday when the owner of a home and small carpentry business on Roland Avenue heard someone in his backyard. He went outside and saw a man with a pipe beating his dog, according to a police report. The home and the back building with the tools had been burglarized in the past. The man with the pipe, identified as Carrion, advanced into the yard, where he was shot and killed by the homeowner, an act that authorities determined fell within the parameters of the castle doctrine".

CA: Burglar flees after woman fires: "The homeowner was alerted by a barking, growling family dog about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, the Sheriff's Department reported. The homeowner, armed with a handgun, walked down her hallway and found a man who had apparently forced his way into the house, deputies said. Deputies said the burglar "brazenly and antagonistically challenged the homeowner." "Threatened by the aggressive behavior and fearing for her life," the homeowner "fired in self-defense at the confrontational suspect," the sheriff's report said.The burglar fled without taking any property."


TN:Robbery suspect tangles with Elvis: ""The lesson here is, don't mess with The King.Or at least don't mess with Elvis Smith. Around 5:30 p.m. today, Smith, 49, and his two brothers were cleaning up a lot in North Memphis when a man approached them with a gun."He tried to rob them and one of the gentlemen had a handgun on him," Memphis police Lt. Jerry Gwyn said. "He exchanged gunfire with the suspect. The suspect lost the gun battle."The suspect was hit in the chest and leg but is expected to live."


GA: Man shoots burglar: "According to the incident report, the victim was asleep when he heard someone kick open his front door and enter his home. He said the grabbed his handgun from under his pillow, loaded the weapon and ran into the living room, where he saw the burglar standing in the foyer. The victim said he fired four shots and the intruder ran. The victim then grabbed his high-powered rifle and stood guard outside his home, where officers found him when they arrived at the home. Officers were able to track down the suspect, German Brown, in the emergency room at Newton Medical Center, where he sought treatment for a wound to his middle and ring fingers on this right hand. Brown’s shoes matched a shoe print left on the door at the home."


MN: Greenfield tries to keep guns out of city meetings : "The Greenfield City Council is proposing an ordinance that would ban city employees from bringing guns to work. The move comes after council member-elect Howard Veldhuizen brought an unloaded gun to a city council meeting.Some residents believes it sends the wrong message and said they do not feel safe going to city council meetings anymore.The city council wanted to ban guns from the premise all together but doesn't have the authority under state law to prohibit weapons on city property.Other cities like Minneapolis have found a way around the law by enacting a similar ordinace prohibiting city employees from bringing guns to work."

Indiana drunk shot: "The victim, Jeremy V. Hauger, 25, of Bloomington, was initially transported to Greene County General Hospital in Linton and then later to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he received medical treatment for a gunshot wound to the face. On Nov. 19, Greene County Prosecutor Holtsclaw announced that no criminal charges would be filed in connection with the July 6 shooting of Hauger. Holtsclaw said the investigation by Indiana State Police detectives and the Greene County Sheriff's Department revealed that Craig Wade acted in "self-defense" when he shot Hauger inside his own home at 410 East Locust Street in Jasonville. Holtsclaw explained by saying, "The evidence showed that Hauger had been present at a party hosted by Wade earlier in the evening. During the evening, Hauger drank to the point of extreme intoxication. Wade eventually asked Hauger to leave his property early in the morning and Hauger refused. Hauger shortly thereafter entered Wade's home armed with a knife and began threatening Wade and his female friend. Hauger was again ordered to leave, but instead confronted Wade with a knife. Wade then shot Hauger one time with a bolt action .22 caliber rifle." The prosecutor said the case falls under Indiana Code 35-41-3-2, which states a person is justified in using deadly force and does not have duty to retreat if the person reasonably believes that the force is necessary to prevent serious bodily injury or death or the commission of a forcible felony".


Colorado drunk shot: "Sean Kennedy was shot earlier this week when he had been drinking, and mistakenly tried to enter what he believed to be his own house, breaking a window on the bottom floor to climb inside. The owners, fearing a break in, called the police, and then headed downstairs with a gun to confront the suspected-robber. It is unclear how long after the call Kennedy was shot, or if he had been warned prior. The case has left prosecutors wondering if the "Make My Day" law actually applies, as the house Kennedy had broken into had been a block away from his own, of a similar design, and containing the same house number in the address. "The time frame will be key," David Webster, a defense attorney for the homeowners said Wednesday. "It sounds like they were trying to do the right thing and get law enforcement there."


AL: Wounded wife grabbed gun, killed husband: "Neighbors on a rural road in Baldwin County didn't pay much attention to the Cowan residence until gunfire erupted there two days before Christmas, revealing a deadly case of domestic violence. Investigators said an enraged James Cowan Jr., 39, shot 42-year-old Pamela Cowan in the chest about 5:30 a.m., following a stretch of abuse that started the night before. He had poured gasoline throughout their small home, dousing his wife and the bed in which she lay. Then he stacked cushions from furniture on and near his wife and blocked the door with furniture as officers arrived. But his wife managed to pick up the .357-caliber handgun he had put down briefly and shot him in the head, sheriff's spokesman Maj. Anthony Lowery said. James Cowan was airlifted to a Mobile hospital where he was pronounced dead. Pamela Cowan was treated at a Pensacola, Fla., hospital and was expected to recover. A county grand jury later will review the evidence, but Lowery said no charges were filed."


CA: She should have pulled the trigger: "Her name suggests a sense of peace, but Harmony Bates definitely knows how to defend herself. She tells police a man walked up to her vehicle outside a grocery store and told her had a gun. When she yelled for help, Harmony says he punched her, and that's when Harmony's sense of peace turned into self-defense. She tells police she grabbed the gun and turned it on the man, then she remembered she had a pair of scissors in her pocket. "I grabbed them and I just started stabbing him in the shoulder and I started stabbing him in the neck," she said. "We don't encourage it, however, in this case it appears as though it probably did the trick," said Officer Andrew Frankel of the Berkeley Police Department. The suspect ran away, and police say he even tried to carjack two more people. One attempt was successful, the other wasn't. The suspect remains at large, and his injuries are unknown.

Ireland: Burglar greeted with retiree's shotgun: "An attempted robbery at a house on Broguemakers' Hill, Kilkenny City at 4.30am on Christmas morning was foiled by the sprightly 68-year-old home owner. The quick-thinking resident awoke to the sound of a ladder being placed against the back wall of his home. Slipping out of bed, he grabbed his legally-held shotgun and tip-toed downstairs in his bare feet, dressed only in a pyjamas. He silently opened the back door and found the burglar wearing a balaclava standing on the ladder. Using rough language in an attempt to impress the intruder, the old-age pensioner pointed the gun and told the intruder to get down and f... off or he would have his head blown off. The burglar, whose speech was slurred due to drink or drugs, held his hands in front of him and said "take it easy with that gun, I'm only looking for a few dollars". He was put off the property at gunpoint and the gardai [police] were contacted. They responded immediately and a half hour later rang the occupants of the house to say they could sleep safely now as the gardai had found a fellow matching the description, who was helping them with their enquiries."


CA: Killing ruled self-defense: "A 27-year-old man wounded in a Dec. 22 exchange of gunfire with a man police said he was trying to rob has died, authorities said Wednesday. He was identified as Dahyn Walker of Oakland and died Dec. 27 at a hospital. The district attorney's office decided Wednesday the 33-year-old man who shot Walker had acted in self-defense. Although he was not charged in Walker's killing, the man was charged with possession of a concealed firearm and possession of a loaded firearm in a car. His name was not released pending his appearance in court on the gun charges. The shooting happened about 9 p.m. Dec. 22 in the 3200 block of Champion Street in the Dimond district. Police said the 33-year-old man and the 36-year-old man came to the site expecting to sell some marijuana to Walker. The deal was not completed, and the two older men started driving away. Police said Walker came up to the car with a gun drawn and tried to rob the men. Police said Walker fired some shots at the men before the 33-year-old was able to pull his gun and return fire, hitting Walker once. The two older men drove to one hospital and Walker to another before police were contacted. A second man with Walker is still being sought."


NC: Female accomplice caught: "A Western Harnett High School student has been charged with taking part in a robbery earlier this month that left three people shot in western Harnett County. Katherine Danielle Stroud, 16, of Quiet Country Lane, Sanford, is charged with felony counts of robbery, burglary, conspiracy and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or seriously injure in the event at the home of Derrick Womack on Tacia Drive off N.C. 27 Three people tried to rob Mr. Womack, who owns Tingen Store on N.C. 27, Dec. 19. The robbers attacked and shot Mr. Womack in the hand. He took a gun from one of the attackers and shot back, injuring two of the intruders. Ms. Stroud's bond was set at $100,000. The sheriff's office has already charged Maurice Purcell, 18, of Sanford in the case. He is charged with attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, first-degree burglary and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or seriously injure."


MD: Weaving car trick stymies gunman: "According to police, on the morning of Dec. 27, the men ordered the man and woman, and their two boys, ages 8 and 11, into the family's Mitsubishi Gallant, and told the father to drive to the Silver Spring bank where his wife works. The men planned for the woman to assist them in robbing the bank, which was scheduled to open at 9 a.m. Surafel got into the vehicle with the family, and the other man stayed at the family's home and was later picked up by Tadele, police said. Trooper Barrington Cameron, assigned to road patrol duties at the College Park Barracks, saw the Gallant weaving on the outer loop of I-495 near College Park and pulled the vehicle over. The father, who had been driving, told Cameron that Surafel, who was sitting in the backseat, had a gun. Surafel was taken into custody without incident. Police recovered a loaded semi-automatic pistol and a knife."

Omaha robber Shot: " Investigators say an 19-year-old Omaha man found shot to death in a funeral home parking lot was killed with his own gun by a man he was trying to rob. D'Vontae Hutchinson was found in the parking lot around 11:30 p.m. Sunday. He was rushed to an Omaha hospital, where he later died. Police say 19-year-old Shannon Watt called police after Hutchinson pulled a gun on him and tried to rob him in his car. After a brief struggle, Watt managed to get control of Hutchinson's gun and shot him. Police say witness statements and evidence from the scene confirms this. The Douglas County Attorney's Office and the Omaha Police Department have reviewed the case and have decided Watt's actions were justified. The investigation continues, but Watt is not being charged at this time. It was the second time the 19-year-old Hutchinson had been shot this year. Last month, his 25-year-old brother was shot and killed."


IN: man arrested in attempted armed robbery: "A man is under arrest and facing multiple charges in an attempted armed robbery. It happened at 116th Street and Brooks School Road early Wednesday morning. A woman called police saying that her boyfriend was in the Marsh Supermarket parking lot fighting with a man who was trying to rob them. When police arrived, the woman's boyfriend told officers he'd found a man hiding in the back of his SUV. According to the witness, the suspect ordered him at gunpoint to get into the SUV. As the man did so, he yelled at his girlfriend to run. Police say the victim then got in the SUV and struggled with the suspect. During the struggle the suspect's gun went off and shot out the back window of the SUV. The suspect fled in a black Yukon. Police tried to stop him, but he led officers on a chase that ended with the suspect ramming a police car near Holland Park. The suspect fled on foot and forced his way into a nearby apartment. Officers followed the suspect inside and he was finally apprehended with the help of a police canine. The suspect, Robert Harris, was taken into custody and treated at a nearby hospital for a dog bite. His gun was recovered at the scene. Harris, 32, is being held at the Hamilton County Jail."


NC man shot in foot while attempting robbery: "A clerk shot a man attempting to rob the 2Fifth Clothing and Accessories store in the foot Tuesday. Police caught up with Shamel McCallum on Tuesday night at New Hanover Regional Medical Center about an hour after police allege he tried to rob a clothing store on 17th Street. Trouble began at 6:50 p.m. when police say a store clerk shot a man in the foot who tried to rob 2Fifth Clothing and Accessories at 708 S. 17th St. Soon after, Wilmington police officers taped off the scene and interviewed employees. A helicopter flew overhead and a K-9 officer searched nearby neighborhoods. Detective M.A. Overton said the suspect left a blood trail. The K-9 lost the trail. Within 90 minutes of the robbery attempt, police said a man entered the emergency room, put his hand in his pocket to look like he had a gun and demanded treatment for his injured foot. WPD Sgt. J.R. Tyson said hospital police chased the man into a bathroom, then talked him out after he locked the door. Soon after 8 p.m., Tyson said McCallum was receiving treatment and also said he was the suspect in the robbery attempt. Though police say McCallum acted as if he had a weapon, they did not find one. Tyson also said McCallum told officers he'd been released from prison two days earlier after serving time for common law robbery."


Water gun does the trick: "A robbery suspect got a wet surprise when he tried to rob a Portland car wash on Dec. 13. The robbery attempt took place at the Washman car wash on Northeast 81st and Glisan Street in Portland. The robbery suspect, who was wearing a skeleton-style Halloween mask, tired to force a Santa hat-wearing employee to hand over the cash out of a register by threatening him with a fake hand gun. That's when Chris Truax, the car wash worker, brandished his own weapon: a high-pressure water gun used to clean cars as they moved through the automated facility. He reportedly got off a shot of water to the suspect's face during the scuffle, and the suspect dropped the plastic gun."

FL: store manager shoots armed robbers: "A store manager behind the counter of a Pembroke Pines convenience store turned the tables on a pair of armed robbers Monday night when he pulled out a gun and shot them, police said. . Hammond, 20, jumped over the counter and demanded money from the register while Sims, 18, stood by with a revolver in his hand. Hammond stuffed cash from the register into his pockets and then told Shedahe Abdel, the store manager, to open the safe. When Sims walked up to Abdel and pointed his handgun at him, Abdel grabbed his own handgun from his waistband and shot Hammond in the leg. Abdel then fired several rounds at Sims, striking him once in the arm. Abdel was not injured."


Mexico: More legal guns would help : "He also points out that many of the guns used by these Mexican criminals come from the U.S., since their neighbor to the north allows private firearms purchasing and ownership. Last I checked, private ownership of firearms was severely restricted in Mexico.Given the level of corrupt police involvement in the drug trade, innocent citizens cannot even count on their various law enforcement entities to protect them.Perhaps Mr. Calder›n should consider the potential value to his war on drugs of giving innocent Mexicans greater right to defend themselves and their communities by liberalizing gun ownership.Knowing their victims might defend themselves might make the criminals refocus on merely killing one another."


Gun haters sue to reinstate firearms ban in national parks : "The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence sued the Bush administration Tuesday in hopes of stopping a new policy that would allow people to carry concealed, loaded guns in most national parks and wildlife refuges. . The Brady Campaign sued the Interior Department and its secretary, Dirk Kempthorne . in U.S. District Court. They want a federal judge to issue an immediate injunction .. The lawsuit said members of the Brady Campaign will no longer visit national parks and refuges `out of fear for their personal safety from those who will now be permitted to carry loaded and concealed weapons in such areas.'" [No legal arguments, just a threat of a boycott]


California's Bad Santa exposes complete & utter failure of gun control laws : "News of a man dressing up in a Santa suit and murdering nine people in Los Angeles on Christmas Eve dominated cable news headlines for days after the event. News reports suggest Bruce Pardo took as many as four handguns and a homemade flame-thrower to the home of his ex-wife's parents, where at least 25 people were enjoying a Christmas Eve party. Pardo shot at partygoers and burned down the house, murdering at least nine people before committing suicide hours later. Damage from the flames has thus far prevented officials from determining how many of the victims were shot to death, but hasn't stopped the gun ban lobby from attempting to capitalize on the tragedy. . Indeed, there is much to be learned from this tragedy, which occurred in a state that has passed every conceivable form of gun control the gun grabbers have promoted, all in the name of reducing the violence."

NC: Two out of four down: "Derrick Womack, 31, was at home with his wife and stepson on Tacia Lane nine miles west of Lillington just before 10 p.m. when four men tried to enter the house and rob him. Investigators believe Mr. Womack, who had just arrived home from work, was targeted for the day's receipts from the store he owns just down the road. Mr. Womack struggled with one of the suspects and was shot in the hand shortly before he took the gun from the suspect and returned fire. Mr. Womack was treated and released and is recovering from his injury. One of the suspects is still in WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh. The other suspect shot at the scene, 18-year-old Maurice Purcell of Sanford, was charged with attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, first-degree burglary and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. He was released from Cape Fear Valley Medical Center last weekend and is in custody at the Harnett County Jail under $100,000 bond. Sheriff Rollins said the incident is still under investigation and his office is still searching for two suspects who ran away from the scene.


TX: Suspected burglar shot dead in self-defense: "Police are not saying much right now because they are still investigating the invasion, but we do know that the suspected burglar was shot and killed. It happened at a home about an hour northeast of Austin in Cameron. Milam County Sheriff's deputies got a call around two this morning about the shooting of a home intruder. Deputies found suspected burglar, 34-year-old Eddie Sexton III, dead. No charges are filed yet, but the case could be the latest in a string of Castle Law defenses. It's still unclear whether or not the homeowner is the one who shot and killed Sexton this morning."


AL: Homeowner opens fire on burglar: "A burglary suspect got an unpleasant surprise while attempting to rob the gun cabinet of a Dothan resident, according to police. Dothan Police Lt. Anthony Westberry said a homeowner is reported to have opened fire on a suspect he found trying to rob his gun cabinet. Westberry said the attempted burglary happened at about 7:48 p.m. The homeowner entered his house on Decatur Street and found the suspect trying to take weapons from a gun cabinet. Westberry said initial police reports indicate the homeowner shot at the burglar and chased him from the residence. Westberry said police continue to search for the suspect, who was described as a black male wearing dark clothing"



DC: New rule prompts fears of guns at inauguration: "Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and gun control groups are concerned that some visitors attending President-elect Obama's inauguration may try to pack heat because of a rule allowing concealed weapons in national parks. The Bush administration recently altered federal regulations to allow people with permits to carry concealed firearms while in national parks if the park falls within a state or district that allows concealed weapons. Washington D.C. does not allow concealed weapons, but Norton and other think confusion over the rule could lead visitors to bring guns to Obama's Jan. 20 inauguration, which will be held on two miles of National Park land - the National Mall."

NC Home Owner Surprises Would-Be Thieves: "The Harnett County Sheriff's Office is looking for suspects chased off by a homeowner during an attempted break-in south of Dunn. According to Sheriff Rollins, the incident occurred during the day just south of Dunn at a home on Bud Hawkins Road. Sheriff Rollins did not identify the home's owner. "The fella was at home, actually, upstairs, and he heard somebody who kept ringing the doorbell," Sheriff Rollins said. "Before he could get downstairs, somebody tried to kick his door in ... "Of course, by then he had his shotgun," Sheriff Rollins said. Sheriff Rollins said the suspects fled the scene in a Carolina blue 2000 to 2004 four-door compact car, according to the homeowner. The suspects were described as two black males in their late 20s. One of the suspects is further described as approximately 6-foot-2 inches tall, of medium build with his hair done in corn rows.


NJ man shot with own gun during home invasion: "A home invasion suspect was shot with his own gun early Monday in the township's Newtonville section, and police were searching for his alleged accomplice, authorities said. The incident began shortly before 12:51 a.m. Monday when Lemuel Harris, 29, and another man broke into a home in the 300 block of 8th Street through a rear door, said Lt. Gerald Lewis, a state police spokesman. It did not appear the home invasion was a random incident, he said. Harris reportedly was armed with a handgun. It was unclear if the second man, who had not been identified late Monday, also was armed, Lewis said. After the men forced their way into the residence, a struggle ensued between Harris and the homeowner, police said. The second suspect fled on foot, according to reports. As Harris and the homeowner struggled for the gun, it discharged, and Harris was struck in the hand, according to Lewis. He suffered a superficial wound to one of his fingers. The homeowner reportedly subdued Harris until police arrived. Neither the homeowner nor the other occupants in the house were injured, Lewis said, declining to elaborate on why Harris and the other man allegedly broke into the home. The handgun was recovered at the scene. Harris was taken to William B. Kessler Memorial Hospital in Hammonton. After he was treated, he was taken to the state police barracks in Buena Vista and charged with burglary, robbery, aggravated assault and weapons offenses. Harris was held in Atlantic County Jail on $100,000 bail."


CA: Gunman beaten with own shotgun: "An armed man who entered a Piner Road apartment, apparently with the idea of robbing residents, was overpowered by the residents and knocked out with his own gun, Santa Rosa police reported Tuesday. The man now is being treated at a local hospital, in stable but critical condition, said Sgt. Lisa Banayat. He went to the residence at about 10:15 p.m. Monday and knocked on the door. When a resident opened the door, he entered with a shotgun and pointed it at the two 18-year-old residents, demanding money and marijuana, according to the police report. The two residents grabbed the barrel of the shotgun and wrestled it from him, Banayat said. And in the confrontation, the man was struck on the head with the butt of the shotgun. The residents called police, reporting a would-be robbed was unconscious on their kitchen floor, Banayat said. No one has been arrested."


Mexico: Store owner kills kidnapper : "A Store Owner (dressed in brown) is attacked by 4 Kidnappers. While 3 of them move the store owner's car he enters his store, gets a gun from one of his workers and shoots one of the kidnappers in the face (dressed in a white shirt). The other 3 delinquents flee in the stolen car. Everything is recorded by the store's CCC. The police decided not to press charges against the store owner." [Summary of video]

FL: Victim turns tables on attacker, fatally shoots him: "A man coming home from a nightclub early Friday morning suddenly found himself with a gun pointed at his head and a robber threatening his life, the Broward Sheriff's Office said. But the victim also had a gun, and a faster trigger finger, said sheriff's spokesman Mike Jachles. Brian Kelley, 22, quickly turned the tables on the alleged robber, getting off several shots and killing him in a courtyard just outside his apartment door, deputies said. The confrontation happened at 4:32 a.m. in the 4100 block of Southwest 19th Street, authorities said. The Sheriff's Office is treating it as a clear case of self-defense; Jachles said Kelley is cooperating with the investigation and has not been taken into custody. The case will be reviewed by the State Attorney's Office, Jachles said. While Kelley does not have a permit to carry a handgun, a permit is not required to own a gun or bring it from your car to your home, said Sgt. John Phillips, who was at the scene Friday morning."


Arizona homeowner opens fire on two home invaders: "A Phoenix neighborhood was rocked by gunfire last night when a homeowner stopped two would-be robbers in their tracks. Police say one of the suspects is now in the hospital the other still on the loose. That after the two men allegedly tried to break into a home near 19th Avenue and Dunlap. During the robbery they were met with bullets. The suspects took off in a car, but the one who was shot was dumped at nearby Circle K. He is at the hospital, but then will be taken into police custody. Police are still searching for the second suspect."


Oklahoma: Intruder killed in burglary attempt: "A Tulsa homeowner shot and killed a teenager who was breaking into his house early Tuesday, police said. Shortly before 3 a.m., three people broke into a home in the 1300 block of North Irvington Avenue, Tulsa Police Cpl. Mark Shelton said. Many of the 15 to 20 occupants were awake, including the home- owner, who heard the break-in and got his gun. Two of the suspected burglars, including one who was armed, were moving through the house when they encountered the homeowner, Shelton said. Gunfire was exchanged. The homeowner shot one of the intruders twice in the chest, and the homeowner's wife was shot in the abdomen. The wounded intruder, Cody Ray Payne, 15, left the house but died in the front yard, police said. The homeowner's wife was hospitalized but is expected to recover. The other two suspected burglars ran from the house and were not found, Shelton said. They were described as black, in their late teens and wearing hooded sweatshirts and dark baggy pants. The victims, a Hispanic family, did not want their names released, said Capt. Ryan Perkins."


CA: Off-Duty Officer Opens Fire In Road Rage Incident : "An off-duty San Francisco police officer reported firing a gun at another motorist in self-defense during a highway confrontation in Marin County early Wednesday, according to the California Highway Patrol. The incident happened around 12:45 a.m. today on northbound U.S. Highway 101 south of the Waldo Tunnel. The CHP reported that a passenger in a green Ford pickup truck pointed a handgun in the San Francisco officer's direction, at which point the officer fired his service weapon. It is unclear whether the Ford or its occupants were struck by the gunfire, CHP Sgt. Diana McDermott said. The officer, who was not in a police vehicle at the time, and called the CHP immediately afterward, she said. The CHP searched the area but did not locate the Ford pickup. McDermott said the CHP was still investigating how the confrontation unfolded. "From what I understand it was a road-rage type of deal that started on the Golden Gate Bridge and proceeded northbound toward the Waldo Tunnel," McDermott said."

Washington man dies after wife shoots in self-defense: "At about 3:55 a.m. Dec. 13, Federal Way police responded to a shooting at the Mariposa Apartment Complex, 28120 18 Ave. S, Federal Way. A 24-year-old white female called 911 to report she had shot her 40-year-old white male husband. Both are residents of Federal Way. Upon arrival police contacted both subjects inside the apartment. The unresponsive male was on the bedroom floor with multiple gunshot wounds. South King County Fire and Rescue responded along with paramedics from King County Medic One in an attempt to revive the male, but pronounced him dead at approximately 4:43 a.m. The King County Medical Examiner later responded and took control of the body. Upon initial interview of the female, she stated she had been separated from her husband for several weeks and that they each had a protection order against the other. The female was later transported to St. Francis Hospital by ambulance for minor head injuries and related pain. After treatment, the female was transported to the Federal Way Police Department for interviewing and is cooperating with the investigation. Preliminary investigation indicates the shooting was in self-defense. The scene was processed by the Federal Way Police Department with the assistance of the Washington State Patrol Crime Scene Team."


Florida oldster, 91, shoots at, repels home invaders who threatened his wife: "Charles Johnson is a man of his word. On Oct. 4, 1936, then 19, Johnson promised to love and protect his bride, Berlie Mae. On Tuesday, he did. Now 91, he scared off two home invaders with his 38-caliber revolver when the men threatened his wife of 72 years at their home east of Ocoee. "I was going to kill him either way," the retired jack-of-all-trades said Wednesday. "She's all I've got to live for . . . Why would I want to live?" Terror erupted in the Johnsons' heavily barred house on Lake Stanley Road shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday as the couple watched TV news. She was sitting in her wheelchair. He was sitting nearby on the sofa. That's when a stranger stepped through the back door. "What are you doing? What are you doing?" Berlie Mae Johnson, 90, remembered asking as the man stepped on her shiny-clean tile floor. "By then, he had the gun to my head. I don't know what all I said." The man ordered the couple: "Be quiet. Don't say a word. Don't move." Overcome by shock and fear, Berlie Mae Johnson said she couldn't move as a second man wearing a stocking over his face started to come through a sliding-glass door from the backyard. Her husband, who goes by Johnny, had his stainless-steel Police Special revolver tucked under a cushion on the sofa. He has been protective, she said, ever since they met at a Church of God service in Cocoa during the Great Depression. "You don't think, man. You do what you have to do," Johnson said of how he grabbed his revolver as the second intruder entered. "He saw the gun and, boy, he was gone." Shifting his aim, Johnson fired at the man still holding a gun to his wife's head. "I shot as plain in his middle as I could have," said Johnson, describing how the man jumped and ran out the door. "I think I missed."


Texas: Domestic dispute ends in a deadly shooting: "A woman's 80-year-old grandfather fatally shot her estranged husband after he tried to take their two children from the grandparents' house, Conroe police said Saturday. Brice Wade Boudreaux, 32, died Friday evening at the home on Silver Creek Drive in Conroe, police said in a statement. The investigation was ongoing Saturday, and it was not immediately clear whether the grandfather would face charges. He was questioned by police and released. According to police, Boudreaux's estranged wife and children have been living with her grandparents for about five months. When Boudreaux arrived Friday and tried to take the children, the grandfather intervened and ordered him to leave. Boudreaux refused, pushing the man out of the way, the statement said. The grandfather then allegedly retrieved a revolver from another room and placed it in his back pocket before again advising Boudreaux, who was aware the older man had a gun, to leave, police said. As the two left the home out to the driveway, Boudreaux again pushed the older man and allegedly struck him in the chest area where he recently had a pacemaker inserted, police said. Fearing for his life, police said the older man then allegedly shot Boudreaux once, killing him."


Soaring Response for Second Amendment Book Bomb: "Beginning on America's Bill of Rights Day (December 15), the SECOND AMENDMENT BOOK BOMB was launched to communicate the importance of the Bill of Rights' Second Amendment for the protection of liberty. With your help, we are pushing constitutional rights to the top of national book bestseller lists, making a loud and clear statement that Second Amendment rights are unalienable! A truly historic victory was won on June 26, 2008 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case of District of Columbia v. Heller that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to own and bear arms. However, the Heller ruling was immediately attacked and efforts continue on the national level and across the country to undermine gun rights. (In this regard, President-elect Barack Obama's choice of Eric Holder for U.S. Attorney General is an ominous sign.) Therefore, to secure the Second Amendment now and for the future the American public must be made aware of the reasons why the Founders sought to protect this right. And now we have the tool to do so -- the fascinating, seminal, and inspiring, new book, THE FOUNDERS' SECOND AMENDMENT: Origins of the Right to Bear Arms, by Dr. Stephen P. Halbrook* -- the perfect way both to educate ourselves and to reach friends and family who don't yet understand Second Amendment rights. Our goal is to reach one million Americans with Dr. Halbrook's book during the Holiday Season and throughout the New Year ahead. As a result, we are rapidly closing in on reaching our goal and with your further help, we can make Dr. Halbrook's book #1 on the bestseller lists."