GA: Robber Shot During Stick-Up Attempt: "The target of a robbery fought back Monday by pulling a gun and shooting and wounding the stick-up man. The armed robber approached the man at the U-Wash carwash on Rockbridge Road. The would-be victim pulled his own gun and opened fire, hitting the robbery suspect. The wounded man was taken to the hospital where he's in stable condition and facing armed robbery charges."


FL: Two high school football players in botched home invasion robbery: "Blake and Sanders are accused of barging into Lerna's home in the 900 block of 25th Street East just before 6 a.m. Sunday in a robbery attempt. The teens found Lerna and two men in the home when they entered, and Blake opened fire with an SKS rifle, according to Tokajer. Detectives say he killed Lerna, and shot one of the men in the house in the arm. Sanders had a pistol in his hand but did not fire, according to Tokajer. The teens did not count on one of the men in the home pulling his own gun, firing and hitting Blake. Police officers and emergency personnel found Blake shot in the doorway of Lerna's home, according to Tokajer. Sanders escaped but Blake's injuries left him paralyzed with a severed spine. Tokajer said detectives have obtained an arrest warrant for Blake on a murder charge, and Pinellas County deputies were expected to serve Blake at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg on Monday night. The Manatee State Attorney's Office plans to charge him as an adult, Tokajer said. Blake was conscious Monday but refused to talk about the shooting. "He is not being cooperative," Tokajer said. But Tokajer said Sanders confessed after detectives took him into custody at Palmetto High School on Monday afternoon."


Reaction to Gillibrand proves Democrats still party of gun control : "The hysteria-laden reaction from members of her own party to last week's appointment of New York Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to fill the United States Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton proves that Democrats are still the party of gun control, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today. `Kirsten Gillibrand gets high marks from the ACLU and from the Americans for Democratic Action,' noted CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb."


A gun in my pocket : "In this day and age I would no more think of venturing out of the house without my gun than I would without my drivers license. It simply goes with the territory. Most people would have absolutely no idea that in my pocket is a firearm that can inflict deadly harm. I certainly don't look the part. I am professional, well-dressed and groomed, unassuming, and well-mannered. I am just going about my business in a normal fashion . at the supermarket, the bank, the drug store, and even at church. But if I am threatened with harm to my person, or if my fellow innocent citizens are thusly threatened, I am fully prepared to respond with as much force as necessary to stop the threat, up to and including using deadly force."

TX: Off-duty Officer Fatally Shoots Armed Robber: "A U.S. customs agent fatally shot one of two suspects who were allegedly trying to rob a southwest Houston liquor store Friday evening. The shooting occurred around 8:15 p.m. inside a liquor store in the 1200 block of Queensbury after a young male allegedly pointed a gun at an employee and went behind the counter to get cash. An off-duty U.S. customs agent buying some items inside the store confronted the armed suspect with his own weapon and opened fire when the suspect allegedly pointed the gun toward at the agent. At the same time the second suspect, opened the front door with a weapon in hand and open fire on the officer, but did not hit him. The second suspect then fled on foot."


La. Clerk draws gun. Robber runs: "On Thursday, police said a man walked into the Tobacco Hut service station on Lee Street and put a pistol on the counter. The man then demanded money. Instead of handing the gunman money, the clerk pulled a gun from out from under the counter and pointed it at the alleged robber. The robber ran from the store with the clerk following him. Police said the clerk told officers that he fired a shot at the man, but it was aimed above his head, according to the police report. The case remains under investigation, officers said Friday."


Nationwide concealed carry, Part III: A national paradigm shift: "Americans are tired of being bullied. We're tired of being hated, mischaracterized as jingoistic when we're working for self-defense and safer streets. In 2009, when we speak of the armed citizen, we are speaking about being able to resist in the absence of police such that many, many nonsense policies which depend on our surrender are impeached as worthless. .. A new paradigm shift is required to return America to its way of life, and that calls for the deeper understanding of what are mere opinion and of what are genuine safeguards in our society. Our sovereign authority is one of those safeguards. The armed citizen is a safeguard of our society against boondoggles which try to take your place on so many levels, from safety to parenting to national security."


WA: Court action prompts resumption of alien firearms license program : "The Second Amendment Foundation and National Rifle Association this week have won a preliminary injunction against the Washington State Department of Licensing that requires the state to resume processing applications by legal resident aliens for alien firearms licenses. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle also ordered that license renewals and applications sought by three individual Washington residents participating in the lawsuit also be processed."

Missouri: Intruder who was shot by homeowner is charged: "Clay County authorities today charged a 40-year-old man who was shot after he allegedly forced his way into a Clay County home last week. George R. England Jr. of Imperial, Mo., faces one count of first-degree burglary for the incident that occurred about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday at a residence in the 12000 block of Missouri 92, just west of Kearney. Bond was set at $75,000, and England remains hospitalized in stable condition, authorities said this afternoon. A 48-year-old woman inside the residence dialed 911 to report a disturbance in progress. The woman said an unknown man drove up to the residence, stood outside the front door and began yelling, according to court records. "Come out here," England is accused of yelling to the homeowner. "You know me, I'm Animal." As the woman was speaking with 911 dispatchers, England allegedly forced open the front door and began to walk inside. At that point, the caller's 44-year-old husband confronted the intruder and shot him with a handgun, court records said. Authorities arrived a short time later and transported England to the hospital. Clay County Prosecutor Daniel White said today that no criminal charges are being considered against the 44-year-old homeowner who shot England. "The homeowner in this instance acted with remarkable restraint," said White. "He ensured the safety of his family, repeatedly advised England that England was neither his friend nor acquaintance, only shot when England forced open the front door of the residence." The homeowner's wife and two school-age children were at the home at the time of the incident. No other injuries were reported. Authorities think the intruder was highly intoxicated."


Michigan: Business owner shoots would-be robber: "A Bay County man went to great lengths to protect himself and his business Wednesday night after two people tried to rob him. It happened just after 7 p.m. in the village of Auburn at Evergreen Insurance on Midland Road. Police say the suspects wore masks when they tried to make their way inside. The business owner shot one suspect, and the other is still on the loose. The suspects were believed to be armed. A suspect vehicle was located. Police say they believe the suspect that left the vehicle is on foot."


More guns on the street, or more of our own authority?: "Is it smart to stop a crime in progress when police will not arrive in time? It is if the target is you and you have no choice. As with aging, consider the alternative. Millions of Americans suffer at the hands of criminals purely because they do not resist. Home invasions are in the increase, and so are abductions. Understand that much of the violent crime we are talking about are not squabbles over who did what to whom, some of which is best left to civil courts, but purely criminal acts such as robberies, sexual assaults, kidnapings, beatings and other aggression."


Personal freedom begins with gun rights: "Of all the issues being debated in today's marketplace of opinion, one issue remains inviolate - the belief that everyone is free from bodily harm. Whether it takes the form of being beaten, murdered, raped or unfairly searched is irrelevant - any attack, no matter how placid, on a person's own body is, by definition, immoral. How that right is protected is where the true arguments begin, and where the arguments will continue in today's political world.Although the Bill of Rights was hotly debated prior to ratification, there was little disagreement among the Founders on how to determine whether a person's body was being violated."

Maine: Kennebunk homeowners thwart would-be burglars by scolding, firing a shotgun: "The frightening ordeal began around 1:30 a.m. Saturday when Judie Martel awoke to hear pounding on her front door. "My first thought was, 'Is that thunder?'" she said. "The windows were rattling." Running from the couch where she had fallen asleep watching TV, Martel arrived at the door in time to see it splinter and a strange man step through. "He was as surprised to see me as I was to see him," Martel said. She described the intruder as "baby-faced" and "out of it," and said she did the first thing that came to mind: she scolded him. "I said, 'It's 2 o'clock in the morning! You need to go home to bed!'" she said. "I scolded him like a mother would." Then she pushed him back out the door and closed it as best she could. Looking out the window, Martel could see the man had what she described as a bag of tools with him. And instead of going home, he was headed around to the attached barn. Running out the kitchen door, John Martel saw that the man had broken into the barn and was heading toward the house. When the man saw John raise the gun, he turned to run. "I was going to shoot to kill," Martel said. "But I've had enough of killing. I shot over his head and he ran up the road." Shortly after, officers from the Kennebunk Police Department arrived on the scene and the man, Sean Barker, 24, of Richmond, was arrested. Police said the man was attempting to enter a nearby Summer Street residence when they found him."


Louisiana: Armed home owner helps police capture alleged car thief: "Lafayette Police officers arrested an alleged armed car thief after they say a homeowner helped capture the man. The suspect, Joseph Noel, 25, of Lafayette, was arrested and faces charges of resisting an officer, flight from an officer, carjacking, obstruction of justice, possession of a firearm by a felon and unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling. The happened Monday around 8:34 p.m. when Noel, wearing a Halloween mask, allegedly approached a victim in the 100 block of Fairway Street and took possession of his vehicle at gunpoint. After the suspect sped from the area, the victim immediately contacted the police. A police later spotted the vehicle near the intersection of Ambassador Caffery Parkway and Eraste Landry Road. When the officer attempted to stop the vehicle, Noel continued to speed to elude capture. The suspect was followed onto the 300 block of Strasburg, where the suspect lost control of his vehicle and struck a vehicle parked in a yard. The suspect exited the vehicle and was pursued by the officer on foot. The officer lost sight of the suspect, but received information that a black male armed with a gun had forced open the door at a residence in the 200 block of Strasburg. The home owner observed Noel inside of the residence and immediately armed himself. While the suspect attempted to remove clothing, the home owner was able to hold the suspect at gunpoint until police arrived."


Georgia man defends home from invasion: "Marvin Bowdoin was sitting at his desk when the "cat bandit" kicked in his kitchen door Tuesday night, he said. It was shortly after 9 p.m. "When I sat down, I heard that door crash open for some reason and I knew someone was in the house." Bowdoin said within seconds the intruder had gone from the kitchen to the dining room and nearly to the foyer with a shotgun in hand. That's where Bowdoin stopped the bandit - firing two shots from his .22 Magnum revolver. "I tried to do my best to protect my family," he said. "This weapon was in my pocket. I tote a weapon every day of my life. It's never away from me at any point. It's some mean folks out there." The invader, not injured, fell to the floor before standing up and running back into the kitchen and out of the home. Bowdoin didn't chase the person or keep firing. Dressed head to toe in dark clothing, Bowdoin said he couldn't tell a thing about the person's appearance. They exchanged no words. "I'm guessing it was a he, and he was short," Bowdoin said."


Colorado resident shoots intruder: "A Colorado Springs resident will not be charged for fatally shooting an intruder who tried to break into a home that he apparently thought was his, prosecutors said Tuesday. James Parsons is protected under Colorado's "Make My Day" law, which allows people to use deadly force in self-defense in their home against intruders, according a statement from the 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office. Parsons shot 22-year-old Sean Kennedy, an assistant golf pro at a Colorado Springs golf course, on Dec. 28. Kennedy had been drinking that night and apparently thought he was breaking into his own house, which was a block away. Police handed over the case to the district attorney's office, which determined Parsons had "reasonable belief" that he and his girlfriend were in danger. Prosecutors said Kennedy broke a window in the back door and was reaching inside to unlock it. Two dogs inside barked persistently as the couple shouted for him to leave. The ordeal lasted more than four minutes. "A reasonable person in those circumstances would have believed that [Kennedy] was going to do a crime against them or property," said newly elected District Attorney Dan May, who oversaw the review of the shooting. "[Kennedy] continued to beat and pound on the door, during which time the resident told his girlfriend to call 911, and he went into the bedroom to get his gun, a revolver," the DA's office said. Kennedy went to the back of the house, forced open a screen door, smashed a window and was reaching to unlock the deadbolt, investigators said. Parsons then shot at him three times. Two bullets went through Kennedy's arm and into his torso, May said."

Alabama man shoots druggie son: "An Oak Grove man shot his son late Wednesday after authorities say the son attacked his mother with a broomstick and then stabbed his girlfriend. Colter Roberts, 21, was in stable condition at UAB Hospital with two wounds from his father's 12-gauge shotgun, said Jefferson County sheriff's spokesman Lt. Randy Christian. Deputies received a 911 hang-up call from a home on Camp Oliver Road just before 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. The dispatcher tried to call the number but got no answer. While deputies were en route, someone called back, screaming that a father had to shoot his son who was attacking the family, Christian said. Investigators say Colter Roberts had first attacked his 48-year-old mother with his fists and then beat her with the broomstick. He then went after his 30-year-old girlfriend with a knife. Colter Roberts then ran from the kitchen into a hallway with a knife, screaming that he was going to kill everyone in the house. He also used the knife to slash the walls of the hallway and headed into the bedroom where his father was sleeping. Van Roberts, 48, tried to talk to his son, but told police his efforts were unsuccessful. He described his son as "a madman running at him with a knife, screaming," Christian said. Van Roberts grabbed his shotgun and warned his son, but the son failed to drop the knife. Van Roberts fired one shot, striking his son in the arm. Colter Roberts continued with the attack, and his father fired another shot, striking him in the torso, Christian said. Colter Roberts has a history of drug abuse and violence, Christian said."


California: Resident Spots Intruder, Fires Shot: "A Sacramento resident confronted an alleged burglar in a back yard and fired a gunshot, but the intruder fled and it was not clear if anyone was hurt, police said. A police report said a resident of 2600 block of Ensenada Way saw someone with a flashlight in the home's yard shortly after 1 a.m. Friday. The resident told police he believed someone was trying to break into a shed behind the residence. Authorities said the resident grabbed a handgun and went outside to confront the intruder. The intruder cut the resident in the face with an unknown weapon and the resident responded by firing one shot in self-defense. The intruder left. Police said it was not known if the intruder was injured, adding that no blood trail was found."


Ohio: Homeowner Strangles gunman: "Police are investigating a case involving a homeowner strangling a man to death on the city's southeast side. Officials said Johnathan Parson, 22, died while struggling with a homeowner of a residence on East 127th Street. Police said Parsons and another man entered the duplex at about 2 a.m. One of them had a gun. It's unclear which one, however. The homeowner who lived in the residence with his girlfriend and young child managed to get the shotgun and fight off one of the intruders. The homeowner said he found Parsons in a room assaulting his girlfriend. No charges have been filed.


Indiana: Robber dies in liquor store shooting: "Fort Wayne police are investigating a shooting at a liquor store that left a suspected robber dead and a store clerk wounded. The shooting occurred Wednesday afternoon at Belmont Beverage on the city's south side. Police spokesman Mike Joyner says the store employee was shot in the leg and was hospitalized in fair condition Wednesday night. Police say the robbery suspect entered the store and demanded money. When police arrived, they found him lying in the middle of the street. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Joyner says the shots were fired inside the building. He says the suspect was armed with a handgun, which was found at the scene."

North Carolina: Store clerk pistol whips would-be robber: "A 51-year-old man who police say was pistol-whipped by a convenience store owner Monday night is in the New Hanover County jail, officials said Tuesday. Donald Leroy Frazier of Wilmington is charged with assault with a deadly weapon, according to a statement from Officer Crystal Williamson of the Wilmington Police Department. Officers responded to the Chestnut Food Market at 10:50 p.m. and found Frazier lying on his back in front of the business, bleeding from his face. The store clerk told officers Frazier pulled a knife and pointed it close to the clerk's chest, according to the police statement. The clerk pulled a pistol and fired a shot but missed. When Frazier refused to leave, the clerk hit him in the face with the handgun, according to the police statement. After the incident, Monday night, Shadie Abdallah, part-owner of the store, said when he was closing for the night, a man who he recognized came in and tried to stab him. The man did not demand money. At the time, police said the suspect was taken to an area hospital."


Chicago: Man shot during West Side home invasion: "A man was shot by a resident of a home he was allegedly invading on the West Side late Sunday. About 10 p.m., a man in his 20s was allegedly committing a home invasion and a resident inside the home at 4453 W. Cortez St. shot him, according to a Harrison District police lieutenant. Charges were pending Monday morning against the man shot, who was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital in an unidentified condition. Police have not ruled out the possibility that the shooter would face charges also. Harrison Area detectives are investigating."


Kentucky: Break-in at bait shop: :A Hillview man been charged with burglary after allegedly breaking into a Louisville bait-and-tackle business and being shot at by the owner Saturday. Eric Lee Wade, 24, is accused of breaking a window and entering Pepper Tackle Shop on Dixie Highway in Valley Station about 11:30 p.m., said Lt. Jim Mueller with the Louisville Metro Police robbery unit. Norman Pepper, the owner of the store and an unsuccessful candidate for the Metro Council District 14 seat, said in an interview yesterday that when two people entered his business after hours, he fired a shot at one of the men and a second shot to scare them off. The two crawled back out the window and got into a car, said Pepper, who is 67. He managed to fire three shots into the car before the occupants fled. The vehicle was later found abandoned on the Gene Snyder Freeway near Dixie Highway. Both Wade and the juvenile have been charged with robbery in three other cases -- hold-ups earlier Saturday at Circle K, 9111 Blue Lick Road; on Jan. 13 at First America Cash Advance, 6661 Dixie Highway; and on Jan. 10 at Cash Tyme, 11340 Preston Highway, Mueller said. Two people would enter the businesses wearing masks, brandish a sawed-off shotgun or a pistol and demand money, Mueller said. No one was injured in any of the robberies. Wade was arrested Monday, and the juvenile was arrested Tuesday, he said."


Pennsylvania: Elderly Man Fires Shots At Robbers As They Flee Home: "For the second time in a month, 82-year-old Kenneth Plummer Jr. was the victim of a home invasion, by robbers at his Fayette County home Monday night. "They got my wallet and ran through the house and got away with $350," Plummer said. The robbers pried upen a locked door, assaulted Plummer and removed cash from his pocket and another part of the Kaider Road house. State police said that as they left, Plummer went for his gun and fired three rounds at them. "Very unusual, yes. I can't recall seeing anything like this in my 15 years here," said trooper Thomas Broadwater. "He's obviously very shaken. He just has no idea why they're doing this," Broadwater said."

AZ: Injured clerk kills robber: When a South Side convenience store came under siege by an armed robber Monday, the store clerk took action, fatally wounding the suspect. It wasn't the first time that a Grand Market employee opened fire on a robber in self-defense. But Raymond Martinez, 18, wasn't as fortunate Monday evening. He managed to make it out of the store - after shooting the store clerk - but collapsed and died there, police said. His accomplice, who went into the store with him, ran off. A suspect, Steven Flores, has since been caught. He was not injured. The store clerk's injuries were described as not life-threatening. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. Tucson police gave the following account: Martinez and his accomplice went into Grand Market with bandannas on their faces. When the employee saw Martinez wielding a gun, he went to arm himself and was shot. The employee returned fire and struck Martinez in the chest. Police recovered a stolen 9 mm handgun that they believe was used to shoot the clerk. They also found a substance believed to be cocaine on Martinez, according to search warrant documents filed in court. Martinez is from Tucson. He lived about a block away from the market with his parents, police said."


GA: Gun scares off robbers : "But after recent break-ins and vandalism near his home on a dead-end street in Ormewood Park, he says, he's changed again. One recent night, he heard a car creep down the street, squeaking brakes, four doors slamming. He called 911, grabbed his gun and went outside. Men with a police-style battering ram approached the home of a neighbor who was out of town. "They knocked the door completely, shattered the door frame, knocked it off its hinges, knocked it almost off the frame," said Hatcher, 38. "It happened so quickly." The men spotted Hatcher - and his gun. They held up their own weapons, while he dropped to the floor and slammed the door. No shots were fired and the men fled. Police arrived about 90 seconds later, Hatcher said. Now residents on his street are forming a neighborhood watch with patrols. He's got an alarm system and two large dogs. An Atlanta police detective visited this week and said patrols in the area would increase, he said. Still, Hatcher plans to reapply for a gun permit, and to carry his weapon wherever it's legal."


IL: Proposed bill would "allow" concealed handguns: "Illinois law enforcement officials are divided over a new attempt to permit the state's residents to carry concealed handguns. Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, has proposed a `Family and Personal Protection Act' that would set statewide standards for issuing concealed-carry permits and would exempt permit holders from various unlawful use of weapons laws. The bill, HB0245, was referred to the rules committee after first reading last week .. This year, though, the idea could get a boost from the Illinois Sheriff's Association .. He said statistics show crime goes down in states with concealed-carry laws. Not everyone in law enforcement feels that way, however."


"For the children": "My bottom line? If Obama wants `childproof guns,' let's see him mandate them for his Secret Service protection detail first. I'll still be against the idea, but at least we'll see he actually believes in a technology he would impose on you and me."

IN: Man shot after breaking into ex-girlfriend's home: "A restraining order didn't keep a woman's ex-boyfriend from breaking into her home this morning, where she shot him. Wounded and in handcuffs, 32-year-old Jeffery Seats was taken first to Wishard Hospital, then to jail. "She's got a right to protect herself and her children and he forced his way in there, so she shot him," said IMPD Lt. Jeff Duhammel. Around 11:30 Sunday morning, police say Seats kicked in his ex-girlfriend's door at the Cold Springs Manor apartment complex. He grabbed her and hit her with a chair, all in the presence of their two young children. "She gets away from him, goes upstairs, grabs a gun and then, either he was pursuing her upstairs but she fired a shot, just graze wounds on his head. That's when he takes off," Lt. Duhammel said. Police found Seats' pick-up truck at an apartment complex at 59th and Georgetown Road. They found Seats upstairs in one of the apartments at a friend's home. "They observe the truck here, they see blood inside the truck, he comes to the door and he is wounded to the head," Lt. Duhammel said. Police say the couple has a history of domestic violence and that the woman had a restraining order against Seats. While it may not have kept Seats away from the woman, the order made it clear to police who was the victim and who was the suspect. They say he's going to jail because she acted in self-defense."


VA: After hearing 911 call, Judge tosses murder charge: "In a recorded 911 call played in court yesterday, a shaken 35-year-old Arlington County man said he had just killed a man. What he said next persuaded the judge to dismiss the murder charge against him: `He was going to kill me.' . Police had charged Willie Donaldson . in the Dec. 8 shooting death of Matthew Hicks, 32, of Loudoun County. Hicks was found dead of gunshot wounds in Donaldson's home. About 4 a.m., Donaldson called 911, saying he killed a man who had beat him and was trying to rob him. In court yesterday, prosecutors played a recording of the call, in which Donaldson could be heard saying, `I just shot and killed someone in my house.' . At one point, his voice shaking, Donaldson said: `He's dead. He's dead.' But immediately after General District Court Judge Thomas J. Kelley Jr. issued his ruling during a preliminary hearing, prosecutors said there was no evidence that the killing was done in self-defense and that they would seek an indictment from the grand jury when it meets Monday." [This case previously mentioned on Dec. 17, 2008]


Women arming themselves in India: "Neglected and exploited by patriarchal society for centuries, the long-suffering women here seem to have wised up to the fact that virtue may not be its own reward, but gun ownership certainly is. So, in both the urban and rural areas, they are fast arming themselves. A rise in women's applications for gun licences at the offices of district magistrates confirms this fact. In rural Meerut, of 9,000 registered arms, 1,000 are owned by women. In Meerut city, out of 11,000 gun owners, at least 900 are women, and according to police sources, some 7,000 applications for gun licences from women are pending approval. The numbers have shown a 20% increase per year since 2006, with at least 700 women applying for licences in 2008 alone. Out of every 10 applications for purchasing firearms in Meerut district today, at least three are filed by women."


More gun control is looming . a call to action : ""More Gun Control is Looming . you can bet your last bullet on it. This new leadership in the House, Senate and White House led by President Obama and his Attorney General, Eric Holder will go the `extra mile' in doing what they've been delayed in doing for the last few years - control as many guns in as many ways as they can - it's coming."

OH: Homeowner shoots burglar: "Authorities said a Springfield man came face to face with a burglar and ended up shooting him. Alvin Cobb said his wife noticed that their garage door was open, and when he went investigate, the burglar charged toward him. Cobb said, `Whoever he was he was right on top of me. He was at me attacking me and had his hand drawn back. I don't want to kill anybody, but I don't want anybody to hurt me either.' According to Cobb, everything happened quickly. He said he did not have enough time to think. He was able to lift his arms to try to and defend himself and that is when a handgun he was carrying fired. `When he hit me the gun went off,' Cobb said. `I know I shot him because he bled on me.' The intruder took off, leaving a trail of blood around the block."


CA: Sheriff goes off half-cocked: "I've been appalled at Sheriff Sandra Hutchens' hostility to the Second Amendment, as she has tried to revoke the concealed-carry permits of law-abiding Orange County gun owners. But nothing prepared me for what happened at the Board of Supervisors meeting last Tuesday, when the sheriff displayed not only her hostility to gun rights, but her deep disdain for gun owners themselves and a clear disregard for open government and the First Amendment. Based on a rumor that gun-rights activists would show up to protest her policies by carrying unloaded guns in holsters, the sheriff sent more than 20 deputies to the public board meeting, where they searched, watched, followed and questioned those residents who showed up to speak out against the sheriff's new-and-not-so-improved plan to move up the expiration date of gun permits."


WI: AG won't say whether open carry is legal : "As conflicts over of the open carry of firearms mushroom in the state, Wisconsin attorney general J.B. Van Hollen is declining to issue a legal opinion about whether the practice is legal. In a Nov. 6, 2008, letter to then state Rep. Terry Musser . deputy attorney general Raymond Taffora acknowledged a number of requests for just such an opinion, as well as a growing number of arrests for carrying firearms in plain view, mostly on the charge of disorderly conduct. On behalf of an unnamed constituent, Musser had specifically asked for an opinion about the open carrying of firearms for personal defense, but Taffora told him there were prudent legal reasons for the attorney general not to get involved."


Russia: Paper wants journalists armed : "Because law enforcement agencies in Russia increasingly have not been able to guarantee the security of journalists there, Aleksandr Lebedev, the co-owner of `Novaya gazeta' has asked the FSB to allow his journalists to carry weapons to protect themselves as they go about their entirely legitimate business. Lebedev's request came only two days after someone shot down in cold blood on the streets of Moscow `Novaya gazeta' journalist Anatasiya Baburova together with attorney Stanislav Markelov .. And while at one level, this request seems an entirely reasonable response to the rising tide of violence in the Russian Federation, at another, it is an extremely disturbing sign of the decay of any semblance of public order."

California: Sight of gun scares off intruder: "Sheriff's deputies are looking for a man who attempted to rob a Cambria home Sunday night. A couple was in their home on Lone Palm Drive around 7:45 p.m. when they heard a pounding on a rear sliding glass door, according to sheriff's officials. When the husband shined a flashlight toward the noise, he saw a person wearing a ski mask kicking at the glass. The husband told his wife to call 911, and he got a loaded rifle from a nearby closet. When the homeowner returned to the sliding glass door, the masked man apparently looked at the rifle and ran away. Deputies and state parks rangers searched the area on foot and with a K9, but could not find the man.


Texas robber shot with own gun: "Homicide detectives are still investigating an overnight shooting in which a resident of a north Houston apartment said he disarmed a burglar and killed him with his own gun. The shooting occurred about 10 p.m. Thursday at the Worthington Apartments at 1350 Greens Parkway, KHOU Channel 11 reported. Police said two residents reported that they came home and found that two men had broken into their apartment. One of the intruders had a gun, which was wrestled away from him during a struggle with the residents, police said. The resident fired, killing one of the burglars, while the other ran away, police were told."


Arkansas intruder shot: "Little Rock - Two people are in custody following a west Little Rock home intrusion during which one suspect was shot. The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. Thursday at 31 Marcella Drive. Authorities say a resident inside the home exchanged gunfire with one of the intruders, shooting him in the hip before the trio fled. As police officers were en route to the scene, they noticed a suspicious vehicle, and a chase began.... Keaton suffered a gunshot wound to his left hip, and was transported to a local hospital. Davis was taken into custody and charged with attempted capital murder, obstruction of justice, and numerous robbery charges. Charges are still pending against Keaton. A third suspect remains on the loose. No one in the home was injured."


MI: Can self defense be provoked? "The question surrounded what is called "imperfect self-defense," which is when self-defense becomes imperfect when the defendant escalates a situation to a point where self-defense could be used as a defense in court. Although Macomb Assistant Prosecutor William Cataldo said he was "satisfied" with the decision, he argued in court that "self defense is a question of fact for a jury. "When he fired the gun, death was a likely result. The defendant had created the situation in his own home." Police say Eplett was "angry" when his mother, Mary Denice Harder, brought Gorinski home on Nov. 1 and repeatedly left his room to ask them to be quiet. Eplett told them to leave his 11 Mile apartment because they were too loud, which allegedly caused Gorinski to confront and punch Eplett in the face. Police say Eplett told them he walked back to his bedroom, grabbed a gun and racked it in the hallway, hoping to "intimidate" Gorinski. Eplett told police Gorinski charged him in the hallway and repeatedly hit him in the face and back, and that he only fired the gun when Gorinski tried to take it. However, Cataldo said Eplett escalated the situation because every time he went to his bedroom, the situation was diffused." [So the guy stands charged with manslaughter!]

Pa.: Shooting of 2 in Fayette ruled self-defense: "A Fayette County man will not be prosecuted for shooting two men who banged on his door in the middle of the night last week because his actions were determined to be self-defense. Ronald Kollar, 60, shot the men at his North Union residence when he said he heard one of them say, "If you don't open the door I'll shoot you," state police said. According to a police news release, at 1:45 a.m. Thursday Samuel Kiss and Raymond Foster allegedly entered Mr. Kollar's enclosed porch and banged on his door and rang the doorbell. Upon hearing the threat of a gun, Mr. Kollar said he took a gun from his bedroom and opened the kitchen door that led to the porch area. He said the two men reached into their hooded sweatshirts, and, fearing for his safety, he fired his gun. Mr. Kiss, 21, of Uniontown, suffered three gunshot wounds, two to the abdomen and one to the left arm. Mr. Foster, 25, also of Uniontown, was shot once in his right side. Police said the injured men fled from the scene and were driven to Uniontown Hospital by a juvenile female who was waiting in a car outside. Mr. Kiss had surgery there and then was transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, W.Va. Mr. Foster was transported to UPMC Presbyterian for surgery. They are both expected to recover."


Jury finds NY man not guilty of murder, manslaughter: "Pierre Townsend was found not guilty of both murder and a secondary count of manslaughter Thursday as the trial for the murder of Dustin Smith came to a close in Rensselaer County Court. Townsend, 20, was convicted on a third count of unlawful weapons possession, however. Both attorneys said that issue, which Townsend presented during his testimony Tuesday - testifying that Smith pulled a gun on him and fired, and Townsend fired behind him without looking as he ran away to aid his escape - weighed heavily in jurors' minds as they deliberated. Townsend was the only witness who testified Smith had a gun at the scene. No gun, not even Townsend's, was found by police. "There was no way for us to disprove it because there was simply no evidence it ever existed," Glass said of the second gun. Roberts said that, in addition to his client's testimony, it was a lack of evidence in the case that swayed the jury. He repeatedly hammered the investigation of the case by police and the prosecution during the trial, emphasizing a lack of scientific testing."


MI: Judge sentences dumb kid for robbing store where owner shot him: "Edward B. Allen Jr., an 18-year-old Saginaw man who robbed a convenience store near his home only to have the owner shoot him in the arm, will spend the next four years and seven months to 15 years in prison. Allen, 18, received his penalty Thursday on charges of armed robbery with a gun, carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent, possessing a short-barreled shotgun and two counts of possessing a firearm while committing a felony at the Fast Lane Party Store, 1200 State. Allen, who lived at 2525 Benjamin, pleaded guilty to the April 2 crimes. He has recovered from the gunshot wound. The judge told Allen he put people in fear when he went to the store with a gun demanding money. Police said the owner recognized Allen from the neighborhood and as a store customer."


Guns don't kill people, governments do: "First, one of the adages I'm fond of quoting is: `To the person who has only a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail.' Politicians, bureaucrats, and other government thugs and con-artists fall into this category pretty consistently. Because the one real tool government types have is the government's claimed monopoly on initiatory force - that is, the `Government Guns' - they tend to resort to violence or threat of violence in almost every situation, no matter how inappropriate. Oh, they try to cloak the iron fist in velvet gloves, but they never do forget about that iron fist - even though they want you to pretend it's not there."

TX: Resident kills burglar: "One man was killed and another ran for his life early today after they broke into a northwest Houston apartment and were met with gunfire from one of the residents, police said. . The two men who live in the ground-floor apartment told officers they were preparing to watch a movie when they heard a loud noise. Their front door was suddenly kicked open and two men burst into the apartment, one of them holding a revolver, police were told. Both residents grabbed shotguns and one of them fired, killing one of the intruders while the other ran away. Police said the residents did not know the attackers."


Mi: Robber's shot alerts police: "A Kalamazoo man was shot by police officers after an attempted armed robbery in Grand Rapids over the weekend. Investigators say he used a sawed-off shotgun to try to rob a man of his expensive Cartier gold rim glasses. The man allegedly opened fire, grazing the victim's cousin when they did not cooperate. Grand Rapids Police Chief Kevin Belk says two police officers nearby heard the blast and chased the robber. "[He] pointed a shotgun at the officers, the officers fired upon him, struck him," Belk said. The shotgun was a single shot and had not been reloaded but Belk says the officers did not know that. Belk said he thinks the shooting was justified. The name of the 34-year-old robber has not been released.


Gun control: An economic analysis: "In Economics 101 we teach students about several fundamental concepts, including the relationship between means and ends, forward-looking behavior, the use of substitutes, opportunity cost, and the role of moral hazard. Further, we insist that these concepts can be used to help understand the world around us and have applicability far beyond the classroom. Yet, all too often, students fail to apply these lessons to serious policy issues. Instead of applying economics, they get blinded by knee-jerk reactions, hysteria, or ideology, reducing serious issues to bumper-sticker slogans. Gun control is one such issue in which a serious economic analysis can provide an important perspective."


Day 1: President Obama officially declares war on your guns!: "Within minutes of being sworn in yesterday, Obama posted a new White House website announcing the administration's declaration of war on American gun owners. . the new administration plans to: * reinstate and expand the federal Assault Weapons Ban * repeal the Tiahrt Amendment and allow anti-gun activists to sue gun dealers and manufacturers out of existence * mandate criminal background checks for ALL firearm transfers, including private transactions * force gun manufacturers to include unproven and astronomically expensive `child-safe' features on newly-manufactured firearms."

TX: Man fatally shoots teenage burglary suspect : "A teenage burglary suspect was fatally shot in an east Oak Cliff home this morning by the homeowner's son. Around 11 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of Hobson Street left her home, shortly before her adult son came by to drop off a newspaper, Dallas police say. As he pulled up, he saw the front door had been kicked in. Police say 17-year-old Gabriel Flores, who was inside the home, pulled out a handgun and fired it at the resident's son. The son, who has a concealed-weapons permit, shot back and hit the teenager. A short time later, Flores died at a local hospital."


MO: Homeowner shoots intruder: "Clay County authorities said a homeowner took matters into his own hands early Wednesday morning when someone tried to break into his home. Deputies said a man was standing outside of the family's home in the 12000 block of Missouri State Route 92, just west of Kearney, screaming. The homeowner told police the man forced open the door and started to walk in the house. The homeowner said he shot the intruder, critically wounding him. He was taken to Liberty Hospital. Police said the homeowner's wife and two children were there when the incident happened. They are all OK. A Clay County Sheriff's investigator said the alleged intruder appeared to be `highly intoxicated.'"


MA: Police say worker shot with arrow : "Authorities say that a 30-year-old woman entered a Houston office and fired an arrow into a worker's chest, and that police later shot and wounded her. Police say Julie Parker entered the Texas Components Corp. office Monday afternoon armed with a bow, arrows and a toy gun, and fired an arrow into 55-year-old Armando Silva's chest. Houston police spokesman John Cannon says two office workers then drew their own weapons and confronted Parker. Police say officers shot Parker several times after she turned on them with the bow. Investigators have not determined a motive."


Unarmed and unsafe: "In the 11 years since England enacted some of the world's strictest gun-control laws, gun crime there has doubled. No surprise. Wherever they're tried, such laws only disarm ordinary citizens, making them easier prey for criminals. England's laws also produced a spike in violent crime and contributed to the proliferation of teen gangs. This in turn has led to a nationwide decline in the average age, from 24 to 19, of violent criminals and their victims. Some adults fail or refuse to connect the gun-control dots, but young thugs aren't so obtuse. They know gun restrictions make crime, by gun, blade or other weapon, easier. This lesson hasn't been lost on the potential targets, either."

IL: Man shot during West Side home invasion : "A man was shot by a resident of a home he was allegedly invading on the West Side late Sunday. About 10 p.m., a man in his 20s was allegedly committing a home invasion and a resident inside the home at 4453 W. Cortez St. shot him, according to a Harrison District police lieutenant. Charges were pending Monday morning against the man shot, who was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital in an unidentified condition. Police have not ruled out the possibility that the shooter would face charges also."


TX: Dumb Hispanic muggers: "Three Grand Prairie men have been arrested in the mugging of a pair of tourists earlier this month. About 11 p.m. Jan. 9, a man and woman from Virginia were robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot of the Hilton hotel at 2401 E. Lamar Blvd. in north Arlington. The pair were walking from the hotel to a nearby restaurant to get dinner, the woman told the Star-Telegram. She asked that her name not be used for fear of reprisal. The robbers pulled up to the victims in a sport utility vehicle, she said. Two men got out, and one pointed a shotgun at the man's stomach, cocking it as they demanded the woman's Coach purse and the man's wallet. The victims turned over the items, which contained cash, personal identification, gift cards and a cellphone. The victims were able take down the vehicle's license plate number, which led police to Moises Lopez Moreno, 19, Arlington police spokeswoman Tiara Ellis said. He is cooperating with police and remained in the Arlington Jail on Tuesday with bail set at $15,000. Joe Phillip Garcia, 20, and Victor Hugo Torres, 20, were also arrested and remained in the Tarrant County Jail on Tuesday with bail set at $15,000, a spokesman said."


AR: Ad promotes Tuesday as "National Buy A Gun Day" : "On the eve of the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, an ad has appeared in local newspapers promoting Tuesday as `National Buy A Gun Day.' That message is being echoed in online postings as well. The ad also claims the Obama administration could be the most anti-gun rights team ever elected to the White House. Those behind the ad have been visiting local gun shops to trumpet that message as well. `He said he was going to place an ad to make a statement about the Second Amendment and people's right to keep and bear arms,' said Dan Mumaugh, who works at Ozark Armory, a gun shop in Springdale."


Remember MLK? Better yet, remember the Deacons: "In November 1964, a group of black American citizens in Jonesboro, Louisiana led by Earnest `Chilly Willy' Thomas and Frederick Douglas Kirkpatrick founded a militia to protect civil rights workers against the violence of the Ku Klux Klan. They called it the Deacons for Defense and Justice. Most of them were war veterans with combat experience from the Korean War and World War II, and they armed themselves with military pattern semi-automatic rifles, carbines and pistols. Ironically, these are the same types of firearms that liberal politicians are seeking to ban today as so-called `assault weapons.'"

MLK Day and guns : "This is the first piece I have ever written on Martin Luther King Day, but I am convinced that this year more than ever a clear, concise statement is needed about its significance, within the context of gun rights. The very first gun control enacted in this country was initiated by the Ku Klux Klan in order to keep firearms out of the hands of blacks. Even today, the race-baiters, whether they be white, black, yellow, red, or whatever, continue their quest to disarm groups of people for the purpose of keeping them subservient in one form or another."


VA: On MLK Day, group to lobby for concealed weapons: "Members of the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) will be meeting at the State Capitol in Richmond on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to rally for the elimination of existing gun regulations and the repeal of laws that have prohibited concealed carry permit holders from bringing handguns into schools, churches, government buildings, restaurants and other places of public gathering in the Commonwealth. The holiday commemorates the birthdate of the great civil rights leader and proponent of nonviolence. During his life, King spoke out forcefully against the necessity of carrying weapons for self-protection."


Guns restrain attacks on liberty: "Several things are ignored by the activists who want you to disarm. The armed citizen serves to impeach the so-called need for a variety of programs based on crime and violence, and these programs endure largely because of what is hidden from the citizen. Let's look at these in this week's series. Americans considering joining the 80 million gun owners have to make a powerful commitment to the nation herself. Many already feel such and act on that gladly. This commitment is not to the gun's safety, but a commitment to the safety of the nation, as I have said. This kind of commitment will play a very important part in recapturing our Independence from our servants not by force, but by deterrence -- a political deterrence -- in a new resolve spreading into all things, a greater citizen oversight in all official matters. When new gun owners make the connection of the armed citizen to how many unneeded programs are impeached, Independence from servants is on the way back home again. In obtaining our independence from our servants, the armed citizen must be the very first objective. Once Independence is better secured, as more programs are discredited by an armed citizenry, it will reach into all corners of our lives as a staple value of insistence on being left alone"


Gun Owners of America opposes Attorney General nominee : "Barack Obama is wasting no time poking a sharp stick in the eyes of gun owners. The incoming President's choice for U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder, is an anti-gun extremist who has assailed gun owners since his days in the Bill Clinton administration. Holder, who served as Deputy Attorney General from 1997-2001, supports a 3-day waiting period for handgun purchases, one-gun-a-month rationing, licensing and registration of all gun owners, mandatory so-called smart gun technology, a lifetime gun ban for certain juvenile offenses and regulating gun shows out of existence."

WY: Gun Rights Notification Bill

(Cheyenne, Wyoming) The Wyoming Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a measure requiring judges to warn defendants in misdemeanor domestic violence cases that they will lose their right to bear arms if they plead guilty.

Misdemeanor domestic violence is also being reclassified as a serious offense requiring defendants to have legal representation.

Republican Sen. Cale Case of Lander is the bill's main sponsor.

He told the committee that the state needs to make sure citizens realize that they can lose their constitutional right to own guns as a result of misdemeanor convictions.

It appears that misdemeanor domestic violence is going to be treated similar to a felony charge. Lawmakers have successfully confused major vs. minor criminal acts.

Doesn't make sense, I think. And, under no circumstances should a person permanently lose his/her constitutional rights because of a misdemeanor.

North Carolina: Intruder fatally shot during struggle with resident: "A Tokay Drive resident fatally shot a man who broke into his house Saturday night, police said Sunday. The names of the resident and the victim were not immediately available. The incident happened about 8:30 p.m. at 593 Tokay Drive, according to a Fayetteville police news release. The resident entered his house and found the intruder inside, the release said. The resident pulled out a pistol he was carrying and began struggling with the intruder, the release said. The gun fired during the struggle, and the intruder ran out of the house, the release said. It was not known how many shots were fired, a police spokesman said Sunday. A short time later, a man with a gunshot wound was brought to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The man, believed to be the intruder, apparently called friends for help instead of dialing 911, the police spokesman said. "His friends determined that he needed medical assistance and transported him to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center," the spokesman said.


Colo. D.A. says wife acted in self defense: "16th Judicial District Attorney Rodney Fouracre declined to file charges against Ann Tatum, who in November 2007 shot and killed her husband, Jim Tatum, in their Weston ranch house, following what would be the final bout of domestic violence in a marriage that covered 24 tempestuous years. "Given the knowledge of Mrs. Tatum as to Mr. Tatum's prior violence and the violence he inflicted upon her on Nov. 29, 2007 ... it would not be proper to charge her for killing Mr. Tatum," Fouracre wrote in his final report. According to Fouracre's report, the fight began in the kitchen when Ann Tatum accused Jim of sleeping with Ales Martinez, the estranged wife of John Martinez, a Las Animas County sheriff's deputy who was a houseguest of the Tatums at the time. The yelling escalated to violence. Jim Tatum attacked his wife with his "huge hands," slapping her, grabbing her by the hair, tearing her sweater. Martinez, who was present, testified that he tried to intercede but was pushed aside and hit his head. As he lay dazed, he heard gunfire. One of those guns found its way into Ann's hands. She emptied its bullets into her spouse. Despite being shot multiple times, Jim struggled to his feet and moved toward his gun, which was in a holster. He and Ann Tatum fought for the weapon. More gunfire. The autopsy showed Tatum was shot seven times. It was not the first time he had been shot by his spouse. His first wife, Elizabeth, shot him in 1981 during an altercation in which she claimed he attacked her. A Texas grand jury declined to bring charges against her."


Montana lawmakers mull self-defense bills: "A pair of Democratic lawmakers unveiled identical bills Thursday that aim to clarify what many Montanans may already believe to be the law: that residents don't have to cede an inch before shooting at someone breaking into their homes. The two bills, Senate Bill 92, by Sen. Larry Jent, D-Bozeman, and House Bill 36, sponsored by Rep. Kendall Van Dyk, D-Billings, enshrine what is known as the "castle doctrine." "A man's home is his castle," Jent told lawmakers at Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where his bill got its first public airing. Van Dyk's bill was also the subject of a hearing in the House Judiciary committee. A contingent of county attorneys, sheriffs, representatives for Montana police chiefs and the Montana attorney generals office and Gov. Brian Schweitzer's office spoke at both hearings, with many saying that Montana law already implies that homeowners needn't retreat before firing shots. No one spoke against the bills."


SAN FRANCISCO Housing Authority settles gun lawsuit: "The San Francisco Housing Authority has agreed to allow its residents to own guns in a settlement of a National Rifle Association lawsuit that followed last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the right to bear arms. In papers filed Monday with a federal judge, the Housing Authority agreed not to enforce a provision it added to tenant leases in 2005 prohibiting the possession of guns and ammunition. The ban will now apply only to illegal gun ownership, like possession of a machine gun or possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The National Rifle Association filed the suit on behalf of an unidentified San Francisco tenant a day after the Supreme Court's June 2008 ruling that declared the Constitution's Second Amendment gave Americans the right to possess guns for self-defense. It was one of a number of suits filed by gun advocates against local firearms restrictions around the nation after the court struck down a Washington, D.C., handgun ban. Tim Larsen, a lawyer for the Housing Authority, said Tuesday that the agency never intended to enforce its 2005 ban against law-abiding gun owners and has never done so, even though the lease provision covered legal as well as illegal weapons."

NE: Store owner kills two: It all happened at Midwest Grillz and Jewelry, a store that sells things like removable gold teeth at 6209 Ames Avenue. Bullet holes can still be seen in the windows after Tuesday night's shootout around 10:30 p.m. Police aren't giving out many details of what happened, but do confirm that 16 year old Marcel Davis and 29 year old Willie Wakefield were both killed inside the store. The family of the store's owner shared details of what they say happened. They say the two men walked in to pick up an item they had ordered. There was an argument about the item, and at that point the family says one of the men pulled out a gun and shot at the owner, who quickly pulled out his own gun and fired back, hitting and killing both of them. The owner's family says it was simply self-defense. Police are not commenting on any of this, but say they have not made any arrests and are not looking for any suspects. Davis and Wakefield have both had previous run-ins with the law. Davis was sent to the Douglas County Youth Center after he aimed a gun at an Omaha police officer during a chase in November of 2007. That officer ended up shooting Davis in the leg. Wakefield served time for assault and weapons charges. He was released last March."


Kansas: Armed resident defends home against burglars: "A home intruder got more than he bargained for Thursday morning at a residence in rural Wellsville. Miami County Sheriff's deputies responded to 37895 W. 239th St. after a resident reported hearing a break-in at his home, according to a sheriff's office news release. The lone resident hid in the closet on the second floor until he heard the suspect enter the room and open the closet door. The resident then declared he had a firearm, and the suspect fled the house, according to the release. The suspect is described as a white male, 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing about 215 pounds. He was wearing a blue jacket, blue jeans and a ski mask. The armed homeowner watched the suspect flee in a newer blue Chevrolet extended cab S-10 pickup truck, according to the release. Deputies searched the area but could not locate the vehicle. A short time later, another resident in the area reported suspicious people at her home fitting the same appearance and vehicle description. According to the release, the homeowner met them at her door and was asked if an unknown person lived there. When she told them "no," they left. Sheriff's officers warn that this type of activity can also be a ploy of residential burglars. They knock on the door, and when nobody answers, they break in. If contacted at the door, they ask for a fictitious person."


MI: Unlucky crook: "Grand Rapids Police officers shot a robbery suspect on Franklin Street after he pointed his weapon at them. It all began around 10:17 Saturday night at the Miss Tracy Liquor Store in the 1000 block of Franklin. Two officers in the area on a separate call heard a gun shot come from the liquor store. Grand Rapids Police Chief Kevin Belk says when the officers got to the scene, they saw a man with a short barrel shotgun run behind the building. The two officers followed. When they got behind the building, the suspect came out from behind a dumpster and pointed his gun at the officers. Chief Belk says one of the officers fired at the suspect, hitting him once in the stomach. The suspect, believed to be a 34-year-old Kalamazoo man, is currently in stable condition at St. Mary's hospital. After the incident, officers found that prior to their confrontation, the suspect had tried to rob a man in front of the liquor store. "He had pulled a gun on a person getting out of a vehicle and that person ended up reaching up or something, but the gun was discharged and actually struck the individual with a grazing wound in his head," said Chief Belk. Belk says that person went to the hospital in good condition."


Pakistanis stock up on guns: "When Abid Noor bids farewell to his wife before leaving for work each morning, he runs a mental check to see whether he has remembered everything - his briefcase, his watch, the lunch his wife has packed and a loaded AK-47. The AK-47, or Kalashnikov as it is commonly called in Pakistan, is a recent addition. `I only began carrying it two to three months ago and now I don't leave home without it,' said Mr. Noor, 40, who works at the government's planning and development department in the northwest city of Peshawar. Mr. Noor said he decided to travel armed after a friend, Muhammed Javed Afridi, was kidnapped by five masked men carrying AK-47s, while driving home."

SC: Convenience store owner pulls weapon on gunman : "A masked bandit tried to rob the wrong store Thursday night. A police report said about 11:19 p.m. a black man in his mid to late 20s brandished a shotgun at a 73-year-old store owner, demanded money and fired once, hitting the wall behind the owner. The store owner pulled out his own gun and returned fire and called 911 as the man fled the store on foot. Smoking a cigarette not long after lunch time Friday, Milton McCarty leaned on the counter behind the cashier's area, a half cup of coffee in a styrofoam cup resting near his elbow. He said he's owned McCarty's Super Convenience Store at 3909 Camden Highway for 40 years and when he works at night, he always carries his weapon, declining to say exactly what kind. "He fired at me and I fired back at him and it was over with," he said matter of factly, "and he took to running." He quickly dialed 911, he said, and officers were on the scene in minutes. "I think I got him in the face a little bit, and that was it," he said. The suspect is described as 5 feet 9 inches tall and 165 pounds. He was wearing a black jacket, black shoes, blue jeans and a mask McCarty said was navy blue. Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said investigators were working to enhance the video images of the man and said they were unsure if the man left in a car after running out of the store."


NY: Police seek 4 men who tried to rob home near Monticello: "Police say four men tried to rob a home at gunpoint at about 5:20 p.m. Friday. According to the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office, the four men knocked on the door of a house near the Car Corner on East Broadway, just outside the Village of Monticello. Police said the men asked for a person who was not there and then pulled a shotgun. Police said the man who answered the door grabbed the shotgun and wrested it away from the would-be robbers, who fled in a small maroon 4-door sedan."


CA: SWAT goons seach gun rights supporters: "At the board meeting today, Orange County deputies searched gun-rights supporters, especially those wearing CCW buttons, according to those who attended the meeting. Although Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said she would let the permits expire rather than revoke them, her real disdain for freedom is shown by the presence of the SWAT team and the heavyhanded searches of law-abiding residents who wanted to attend the board meeting."


PA: Bill would pull plug on reloading: "Reloading ammunition in Pennsylvania may become a thing of the past if a bill currently in state legislature is passed. According to the National Rifle Association-Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), `in the last year, so-called `encoded' or 'serialized' ammunition bills have been introduced in 13 states - Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Washington. `The bills, if passed, would require all bullets and cartridge cases to be marked with a code and registered to the owners in a computerized database, therefore, reloading would be outlawed."

Georgia: Robbery suspect shot, killed: "Atlanta police identified the slain man as Jamarcus Usher, 29, of the Decatur area. Willis declined to name the man and woman police said were the intended robbery victims. The man who opened fire in self defense is a 28-year-old who works in the airline industry and lives in a northern suburb of Atlanta, possibly Cobb County, Willis said. Wednesday night, the couple made their way to the popular East Atlanta Village, known for its trendy bars and eateries, because they have been taking swing-dancing lessons, Willis said. When they left the bar around 11:15 p.m., the man gave his date the keys to his Ford Ranger pickup truck so she could drive. They walked to the truck, parked in an Ace Hardware lot across a side street on the same side of Glenwood Avenue. Inside the vehicle, the woman was adjusting the driver's seat and mirrors when the man looked over his shoulder and saw Usher standing at his passenger window, Willis said. Believing the man was going to beg for money, the passenger rolled down his window a few inches, Willis said. But he had a strange feeling about the man, so he grabbed his gun from the glove box and put it on his lap, Willis said. He asked the stranger what he wanted, and noticed the man was reaching for his waistband or pockets, the detective said. Instinctively, the passenger shoved open his door, knocking the suspected robber back a few feet, Willis said. The woman started screaming. The man got out of the truck and the suspected robber raised a weapon at him, Willis said. "When he saw that, he just started shooting," the detective said. The man shot the suspected robber five or six times, in the stomach and chest, Willis said. The robber did not fire any shots. "He just got the jump on him," Willis said of the victim. "He told me he fired until the guy was no longer a threat to him."


Virginia: Clerk shoots would-be robber: "A store clerk shoots a would-be robber. According to the Halifax County Sheriff's Office, the clerk called 911 to report an armed robbery at Max's Grocery in Scottsburg. The clerk told the sheriff's office a man entered the store around 6:30 p.m. armed with a handgun and demanded money. The sheriff's office said the clerk shot the suspect who then left on foot. Deputies found the suspect around 8:20 p.m. in some woods near the store. He was taken to Halifax Regional Hospital with an apparent gun shot wound to the chest. The suspect, Richard Anthony Snead, has been charged with attempted armed robbery and use of a firearm in commission of a felony."


Virginia: Sick woman shoots robber: "An armed woman who stayed home sick from work Wednesday turned out to be a would-be robber's worst nightmare. Police say an alarm went off Wednesday in broad daylight in the 3300 block of Dondis Creek Drive in Dumfries, prompting the home's owner to her basement door where she found three men trying to get inside. "When she confronts them, the men take off and one of them returned," said Officer Erika Hernandez, Prince William County. That is when the woman opened fire, striking the would-be robber in the upper body. Police caught him and he was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police later caught the second suspect, but are still looking for the third. "That was an experience with the cop cars and the helicopters, I was wondering what was going on," said Joshua Washington, a neighbor. Police say it appears the homeowner was within her rights to shoot the suspect, however, police are still investigating".


Arming against the thugs : "In 2002, when Shelley Parker discovered the Capitol Hill home she had recently bought was located on a block where men gathered to drink beer and possibly sell drugs, she got a dog for protection, installed a security camera and joined an anti-crime patrol. These actions earned her taunts and death threats from the men and vandalism to her home and car. Seeking advice on protecting herself, a police officer told Parker to get a gun. This was unhelpful, since most gun ownership in Washington was illegal. Guns are often used to commit violent crimes, but might they also be an answer for cities suffering from crime?"