About 200 rally for gun rights in annual rally at Pennsylvania Capitol: "Gun enthusiasts from around the commonwealth have been told to press lawmakers to preserve and expand their right to have firearms. About 200 people gathered at the Capitol for Tuesday's annual "Right to Keep and Bear Arms Rally." Speakers and activists urged lawmakers to approve an expansion of the state's self-defense law that would allow a person to use lethal force in self-defense without first trying to retreat from an attacker. Opponents say they are concerned that the change could lead to more urban violence. National Rifle Association President David Keene attended the rally and told The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News that advocates have scored important victories in the Keystone State."


Nervous CA legislator: "Assemblyman Tony Mendoza was one of four state legislators who were denied permission to carry a concealed weapon inside the state Capitol and other legislative buildings. A law took effect this year requiring everyone except peace officers to get permission from the Legislature before bringing their guns into legislative buildings, even if they have a concealed weapons permit from a local sheriff. Mendoza wanted to bring his handgun into his Norwalk district office, which is part of a large building and sits away from other developments. A man approached Mendoza on the sidewalk and threatened to kill him if he returned to the area. The man eventually was convicted and spent four years in jail. Upon the man's release, Mendoza said he applied for and received a permit from the Los Angeles County Sheriff to carry a concealed handgun. "I want to be safe," Mendoza said."

MI: Armed Walgreens worker foils robbery: "There was one thing two robbers didn't anticipate when they barged into a Benton Township Walgreens drug store early Sunday and tried to march the workers into the back room: A worker already in back carried a handgun and knew how to use it. Benton Township police Lt. Delmar Lange said the worker fired multiple shots at one of the bandits, forcing the men to flee. "He could see the hostage situation developing," Lange said. "He could not retreat any further. He was in the back room. If it was me, I would have done the same thing. The robber tried to fire back but his gun malfunctioned. The robber and his partner then ran out. He said the worker was licensed to carry the concealed handgun. The robbers are each described as black males, about 6-feet tall, Lange said. One wore a gray hooded sweatshirt and dark pants."


TX: Burglar met with gunfire during attempted robbery: "The suspected burglar broke into a home on Midnight Moon Drive late Monday morning. The owner pulled a gun on him and started shooting. Police say none of the shots fired by the homeowner actually hit the burglar, and he was able to speed off in his car. A police chopper helped track the burglar to his home on Quicksilver Drive - only a couple miles away from the burglary. Police arrested the man and searched his home for evidence. "We were fortunate enough to have plain clothes detectives that were already monitoring this particular person, and knew exactly where he was going," explained Sgt. Michael Ross from the San Antonio Police Department. Police recovered a gun during their search."


KY: Road rager shot dead: "Su Hong Springer, 53, of Murfreesboro, was pronounced dead about 4:52 a.m. Monday at University Hospital from a single gunshot wound, said deputy coroner Jack Arnold. Police were told by witnesses that Springer’s Dodge Caravan was tailgating two northbound vehicles in a construction area near Glendale when those two vehicles, both acquaintances, exited the interstate. Video surveillance shows Springer following the vehicles to the gas station parking lot and a passenger side window being lowered on his vehicle. Police said a gun was pointed out of the Caravan window at occupants in a Nissan Rogue and soon after shots were fired from the Rogue, striking Springer once. Howard K. Wright, 24, of Memphis, was identified by police as the shooter. Wright had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, according to Officer Virgil Willoughby, a spokesman for Elizabethtown police. Willoughby said Wright was questioned but was not arrested"


PA: Man chases house scammers with antique rifle: "An elderly Pennsylvania man pointed an antique gun at shady workmen out of his home after they tried to charge him $11,700 to fix his roof, the Pocono Record reported Monday. Walter Peppel, of Middle Smithfield Township, 112 miles north of Philadelphia, said he felt like he was being trapped in a scam when three men came to his house and told him his roof needed to be fixed. ... Peppel, 86, said one of the men climbed into the roof cavity, and he claimed, dropped water on his head to convince him the work needed to be done.... Peppel became angry when the men refused his requests for them to leave so he fetched his antique Winchester 94-32 rifle that had belonged to his father and pointed it at them."

FL: New gun law muzzles meddlesome pediatricians: "A pending law in Florida would make it illegal for pediatricians to ask families whether guns are being safely kept in their patients' homes. Supporters of the NRA-backed measure insist that questions by doctors and other health care professionals amount to an invasion of privacy and a violation of their Second Amendment rights. Pediatricians routinely ask parents about safety concerns in the home like whether or not the family has a pool, if the child wears a bike helmet, or rides in a car seat. To gun advocates, however, questions about the presence of firearms in a child's environment are intrusive and go too far."


Right to bear Arms Movement growing in America: "The number of shootings in the schools and streets of America has done little to dampen the enthusiasm of thousands to assert their Second Amendment rights. The movement to bear arms publicly at all times is significant and growing. Some even see their semi-automatics as a last line of defense against the government."


Coverup of official gunrunners: "Continued stalling by the Justice Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives over Congressional inquiries about 'Project Gunrunner' strongly suggest that the Obama administration is more deeply involved than the president has indicated, and now appears to be actively stonewalling the investigation, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today."

IL: Shooting may have been self-defense: "A St. Louis man who died April 20 in a shooting inside a house in the 4700 block of North 20th Street was killed while attacking two others with a nightstick, police said. The case is being investigated as a justifiable homicide. Paul Rose, 34, was shot as he assaulted a man, 31, and a woman, 34, inside the house, police said. Both victims suffered large cuts to their heads in the attack. The male victim shot Rose in self-defense in the altercation, police said.


OH: One robber shot; one escapes: "A second suspect remains at large after last week's failed robbery attempt at a convenience store. The incident happened April 26 at the Lexington Avenue Drive-Thru. Police said Jefferie Barnes had a gun and demanded money from the cash register. Store owner Ahmad Fares shot Barnes three times, according to police. Barnes was struck twice in the back. A ricochet hit him in the ankle. Barnes was taken to Grant Medical Center in Columbus, where he remains. Barnes is known to local law enforcement. He pleaded guilty April 13 to burglary in connection with an August incident. He is scheduled for sentencing in that case June 1. Police said Fares fired five shots with a .40-caliber pistol. He is not expected to face charges. The second suspect is described as black, about 5 feet, 7 inches tall and 160 pounds."


Conceal and carry shot down in Illinois: "Democratic Governor Pat Quinn and his comrade Chicago Mayor Richard Daley worked the phones, called in favors and leaned on their partisan troops in the legislature to kill a measure which would have allowed law-biding citizens in the ‘Land of Lincoln’ the right to conceal and carry firearms for their protection. Score another victory for the corrupt Chicago machine in their unholy quest to strip the citizens of Illinois of their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms."

TX: Towaway anger gets man shot to death: "Police said tow truck driver, Antonio Jones, and his partner, Jose Martinez, were towing illegally parked cars at the Casa Place Apartments on the 3300 block of Chapel Creek Drive early Friday when they were flagged down by a man. That man was the brother of Israel Esparza, whose car was towed earlier in the evening. While Jones and Martinez were talking with the man, Esparza emerged from between two vehicles and shot Martinez in the back of the head at close range. Jones then unholstered a gun and the two exchanged gunshots. Esparza was killed in the shootout."


NH gun ban is short-lived: "It started about a month ago when a resident walked into Town Hall with a handgun stuck in her belt. A town employee became concerned, even though the woman was there only to register a car. "She had a weapon on her, and people just didn't think it was right," Selectman James Devine said yesterday. Devine and Selectman Brenda Copp said selectmen were just trying to do the right thing when they reinstated an old ordinance that allowed only law enforcement officers to carry a weapon in town buildings. But selectmen soon reconsidered their decision when Concord attorney Penny Dean sent them a letter, saying the board violated state law and she would take legal action, if necessary, to protect the public's right to self-defense. "The bottom line is they are violating state law and we all have to follow state law," Dean said yesterday. "That just puzzles me that they think this is right. Dean said she is glad selectmen rescinded their decision, but they never should have adopted the ban in the first place."

MI: Teen shot by homeowner dies: "A 16 year old who was shot by a homeowner as he entered her house has died. The shooting happened at around noon Tuesday in the 1900 block of Roselawn near Cloverlawn. Family members say their mother, in her late 50s, told them a kid was climbing through the window and she warned him she had a gun. The incident ended with her shooting the intruder." [See also here]


OH: Homeowner shoots robbery suspect: "The homeowner said a man, a teenaged boy and a woman stormed into his house and tried to rob him. The elderly man says the three left only to return later to threaten him. One of the suspects reportedly went to take the homeowner's television set. That is when the homeowner says he opened fire, hitting a 20-year old suspect in the back. The three suspects fled."


TX: Burglary suspect runs from armed shop owner: "A gun-toting business owner caught a would-be burglar in the act Sunday, but the suspect risked being shot to get away before police arrived. ... The shop owner told police that the suspect started approaching him, so he raised a handgun he keeps with him at work and told the suspect to get on his knees and stay there. He then called 911 from a cellphone. The shop owner told police the suspect then started begging to leave, saying he was homeless, had a family and had already been to prison. When the shop owner said officers were coming, the suspect stood and said, 'You're just going to have to shoot me' and ran away."


CA: Man acquitted after shooting at gang banger: "A Cathedral City man who claimed self-defense for shooting at a neighbor was acquitted of attempted murder, his attorney said Thursday. Derek Nigel Lopez, 33, was also found not guilty on Wednesday of a charge of shooting at an occupied vehicle. Attorney Mark Sullivan told jurors that his client reacted in self-defense when he fired multiple rounds at Jose Luis Perez, who lived in an adjacent duplex in the 32-000 block of Monte Vista Road. None of the shots hit Perez. Three days earlier, Perez and several other members of the Barrio Cathedral City gang had beaten up Lopez's stepfather, Sullivan alleged. Lopez told law enforcement about the alleged attack, which angered Perez, the attorney said. "My client was being terrorized by this guy," Sullivan said. "Jose Luis Perez was retaliating against my guy Derek for snitching." Lopez first fired at Perez on June 20, 2008, from his rooftop because he saw Perez pointing a gun at him, Sullivan alleged. Lopez then fired more shots soon afterward because Perez drove a car toward him."

TX: Home invasion victim shoots two gang members dead: "Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño said Monday he does not expect to file charges against an unidentified individual who reportedly shot two armed gang members during a home invasion Saturday. ... Investigators believe the brothers, armed with handguns, kicked in the front door and assaulted four residents, one of whom reportedly shot at them with a handgun kept on the premises for protection."


WA: Suspect in Auburn double-shooting released: "An Auburn man accused of killing a popular youth sports coach and wounding his brother on Sunday was released Wednesday from the King County Jail pending additional investigation by police and prosecutors... According to an Auburn police report, Woods saw "several Samoan males approaching his house so he went inside to get his gun." He heard the men yelling at him to come outside, police said, so Woods walked toward the front door with a loaded handgun, its safety released and its hammer cocked. "The front door was kicked in and Woods saw two Samoan males standing at his front door," police wrote in the report. "Woods yelled at the males to get out of his house and they complied." As Gaston took a "half step" toward him, police said, Woods fired the gun, striking the 23-year old man in the chest. Shennon attempted to grab Woods as he walked out of his house and was shot in the neck, police said. Gaston survived, but Shennon died."


TN: Shooting deaths self defense, grand jury finds: "No one will be charged for the shooting deaths of two Lawrence County brothers in Decatur on Christmas Day 2009. A Morgan County grand jury Wednesday did not return an indictment against a suspect due to insufficient evidence to prove the deaths of Joshua Blankenship, 30, and Caleb Blankenship, 34, were not self-defense. “We have nothing to contradict the suspect’s statement that the shootings were self-defense. We presented all the evidence we had to the grand jury, and they no-billed it.” Anderson said the physical evidence and the angle of the gunshot wounds corroborated the suspect’s statement. “He was in a confrontation over the gun with one of the brothers and got the gun away and used it to defend himself. There was no evidence to show that it happened any other way than the suspect said it happened,” Anderson said. Illegal drugs were involved."


FL: Teen accused of killing father released from jail: "Eighteen year old Brandon Davis by all accounts lead a normal life in a Fort Myers neighborhood with his mother and father. But his lawyer and family friend says the family had a violent past. Joe Viacava says James Davis was battering his wife Dana and son Brandon during family vacation in a Tampa area hotel. Deputies say Davis took out a gun and shot his father several times. Viacava says it was in self defense. Davis will be attending college in the fall, but will be required to travel to Tampa for court hearings in the meantime. The South Fort Myers High School graduate does not have a criminal record.

MI: Intruder shot as he breaks in, dies: "A 17-year-old is dead after he was shot by a Warren homeowner during an attempted break-in this morning. The homeowner grabbed his shotgun when he heard someone attempting to enter a rear window of the home on Los Angeles, near 9 Mile between Dequindre and Ryan, said Warren Police Commissioner Jere Green. “He confronted the intruder and fired a shot at him, and hit him in the groin, upper leg area,” Green said. The homeowner then called 911 and reported he’d shot an intruder. The shot appeared to have hit the femoral artery, Green said. The intruder fled about 50 yards through the backyard and collapsed. He was alive when found but was pronounced dead at Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital. Green said there was evidence the intruder was “gaining entry” into the home when he was shot." [H/T Blogprof]


Three reasons why gun control advocates don’t want you to have a gun: "If you’re wondering why the gun control community favors civilian disarmament, it’s all about personal responsibility. They don’t believe that Americans are responsible enough to own a gun. Why? I’ve got a simple list. But before I trot-out the terrible troika of gun grabbing gibberish, I want to highlight an important point: contrary to their public protestations about 'good' vs. 'bad' gun owners, gun control advocates do want to grab your guns. But they know they can’t. And not just because the Supreme Court says they can’t. Gun control advocates know there are several million Ted Nugent-types ready to do the cold dead hands thing. So they focus their efforts on preventing newbies from tooling up. By discouraging new firearms owners (to say the least), they can grab the guns before they’re sold. They’re gun abortionists, as it were. In this they have been ridiculously successful."


Texas Senate takes up another round of guns debate: "Texas senators voted Tuesday to allow concealed handgun license holders to carry their weapons into public university classrooms, but an angry senator stopped the measure from getting a final vote. The 19-12 vote in favor of the concealed guns measure was significant because it was the first by either the full Senate or House on an issue that has become a flashpoint of controversy in the 2011 session. But minutes later, Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, who opposes the measure and was angered that one of her bills was changed to add the guns issue, pulled the bill from further consideration and vowed to let it die. The moves leaves the guns issue stuck in limbo at the start of the final month of the legislative session. Sen., Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, vowed to keep trying to pass it before the session ends."

ND: State mental hospitals to become killing fields?: "Employees at North Dakota's state mental hospital in Jamestown won't be allowed to keep guns in their vehicles while they're at work. Last month, lawmakers passed a bill that says workers can keep firearms locked in their vehicles on company property even if their employers don't like it. The bill allowed employees at the Jamestown state hospital to bring firearms to work as long as the guns were kept in their vehicles. But on Friday the Legislature decided the new law shouldn't extend to state hospital employees."


High-profile gun bill advances in Minnesota House: "In a packed committee room — many in the audience wearing green buttons proclaiming, “Self Defense is a Human Right” — a House committee today (Thursday, April 28) heard and advanced controversial gun legislation. House Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Committee Chairman Tony Cornish’s bill expands a person’s ability to defend themselves and their property against perceived threats through the use of deadly force. Although current state allows for the use of deadly force under certain conditions, Cornish’s bill would significantly change the law. For instance, it broadens the definition of dwelling to include all buildings on a person’s property, and also includes tents, motor homes, hotel rooms. The bill allows for a defender to meet force with superior force, and continue using that force until the threat is eliminated. Other provisions in the bill include the recognition of concealed carry gun permits issued in other states by Minnesota."

FL: Cabbie shoots 19-year-old man in self-defense: "An unidentified Yellow Cab driver picked up 19-year-old Travonte Myles just before 3 a.m., according to police. Shortly after, Myles and the driver got into an argument and the driver pulled the cab over at Roosevelt Boulevard and Bay Vista Drive, according to Largo police Sgt. Richelle Wasylyna. The driver asked Myles to get out and Myles pulled out a weapon, Wasylyna said. The cab driver got out of the vehicle and Myles followed him with the gun. About 3 a.m., the cab driver and Myles then exchange fire. Myles was struck at least three times. He was taken to a local hospital, where he is expected to live. Police said he was shot in the lower extremities. Myles fired at the driver once or twice, but the cab driver was not injured, police said. Wasylyna said the cab driver is licensed to carry a concealed weapon and fired in self defense."


NYC Youngster Buys Loaded Semi-Automatic Handgun At School For $3: "On April 28, police responded to PS 107 Thomas A. Dooley on 45th Avenue in Queens for a male eight-year-old that bought a 9mm semi-automatic loaded firearm," a spokeswoman for the City of New York Police Department told Weird News. Police say the third-grader purchased the gun for $3 from another eight-year-old child and took the weapon home. The boy thought the gun was a toy and showed it to his mother, who recognized it as a real handgun. The irate mother took her son and the pistol back to the school, where school administrators immediately contacted police. The unidentified eight-year-old who sold the weapon has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon. His father, whom police have identified as 54-year-old Ignacio Galvin, has been charged with criminal possession and acting in a manner to injure a minor, police said. "The father has made statements that he purchased the gun for self-protection," Kelly said." [So much for NYC gun control]


IN: Senate passes bill allowing guns in most government buildings: "The Senate passed 40-10 a final version of a firearms bill that would allow Hoosier to carry guns into most government buildings and would leave cities and towns unable to regulate firearms.' 'This is not about the state trying to override local government,' said the bill's author, Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville. 'This is a case where local government has had an insidious progress of taking powers that was not delegated to them.'"

IL: St. Louis man (above) charged with kidnapping and robbing young couple: "Trevin Ridgel, 21, of the 3900 block of Lexington, was charged Saturday with: one count of first degree robbery, one count of first degree attempted robbery, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of first degree assault and four counts of armed criminal action. A judge set $100,000 cash bond. A couple in their 20s from Illinois told police they were on their way to Florissant to visit friends Wednesday night when they got off the interstate in St. Louis and got lost. They ended up at the 3900 block of Palm Avenue, where they say two teens who said they had a gun forced them to drive to ATMs for money. They ended up at a gas station at East Grand and North Broadway, where one of the victims got away from her captors long enough to tell a store clerk she was being robbed, she told police. One of the teen suspects then fired shots at the store clerk, a 33-year-old man who pulled a gun and returned fire. No one was hit. The robbers ran off unhurt.


Kentucky university student Fired Over Gun in Car: "The University of Kentucky has fired a graduate student and former anesthesia technician, Michael Mitchell, for keeping a gun in his car a mile away from the university hospital where he was employed. The university then proceeded to try to deny Mitchell unemployment compensation by claiming, unsuccessfully, that he was fired for misconduct. A hearing officer found against the University of Kentucky and in favor of Mitchell. All this, despite the fact that Mitchell had a Kentucky concealed carry permit, believed he had fully complied with Kentucky law governing concealed carry, and therefore cooperated fully with police and university authorities. Mitchell appealed directly to the Kentucky Supreme Court, which voted 5-2 to hear his appeal. A win in this lawsuit will end the illegal and discriminatory practice on the university."

Wal-Mart Firearms Policy

(Bentonville, Arkansas) Be advised of a Wal-Mart policy change this week.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc, is bringing back hunting rifles and shotguns to about 500 U.S. Walmart stores, mostly in rural areas, to broaden product assortment as part of an attempt to make its outlets one-stop shopping destinations.

The move comes as the world’s largest retailer attempts to reverse seven straight quarters of same-store sales declines at Walmart U.S.

Walmart U.S. already carries hunting weapons in more than 1,000 of its about 3,600 namesake locations. The company sells handguns only in Alaska, said spokesman Lorenzo Lopez.

So, Wal-Mart is going to broaden product assortment. Good idea.

VA: Jury clears accused murderer: "A Northampton County man charged with murder in a love-triangle slaying is a free man today after a jury found him not guilty of a string of felony counts. Trawn Stratton, 31, of Cheriton, charged with murder, breaking and entering and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony was acquitted of the killing of 48-year-old town resident Harold Moses after a three-day trial... As she started to go up the steps into the house, she said she heard a second gunshot. She found her living room in disarray and blood splattered about. Both men were lying on the floor, she said. She said she saw Stratton get up, kick Moses and then left. Forensic pathologist Dr. Elizabeth Kinnison said the blood all belonged to the defendant from the wound caused by a blow from a hockey stick wielded by Moses. The jury heard Stratton say, "He struck me across the eye with a cane. I pulled the gun out. The gun was in my waist. That's when I, BOOM," he said. He said the blow with the hockey stick to his face did not knock him to the floor."


AZ governor vetoes bill to let people carry guns into most gov't buildings without metal detectors: "Gov. Jan Brewer on Friday vetoed a bill that would have allowed people to carry guns into most government buildings that don't have armed guards or metal detectors in place. The bill was one of 14 that the Republican governor vetoed Friday as she completed action on items the GOP-led Legislature approved during its 2011 regular session. Brewer also signed 29 bills Friday. In all, she signed 357 bills and vetoed 29. Brewer said the gun bill's many provisions on various firearms topics lacked clarity, including where guns would have been prohibited and where they would have been allowed. Describing herself as a gun-rights backer, Brewer said she will work in coming months on "a clear and pragmatic solution to expand the application of our Second Amendment rights in Arizona."

Shot down: D.C. residents unable to register handguns

Nearly three years after the United States Supreme Court overturned the D.C. ban on hand guns, residents of the District can no longer register guns in the city.

A temporary, de facto ban is in place because the one man who could facilitate handgun ownership in the nation's capital has stopped taking registration orders.

Since the lifting of the handgun ban in June 2008, Charles Sykes has processed more than 1,000 handguns for District residents. Sykes tells WTOP he's stopped taking orders for now. "I've lost my lease," Sykes said in a phone interview. "I'll take care of the customers who already placed orders, but I don't want to take any more until I know where I will reopen."

Sykes is the sole proprietor of C S Exchange, the only licensed firearm dealer in the city that will transfer guns for individuals. Sykes doesn't sell the guns -- there are no gun stores in D.C. His company facilitates the transfer of guns from out of state stores into the District for a fee of $125 per gun.

Federal law prohibits individuals from buying a hand gun outside D.C. and then bringing it into the District. That transfer has to be done by someone with a Federal Firearms License.

Michelle Lane lives on Capitol Hill, and wanted a gun for protection and target practice. She bought two guns in Virginia: a Ruger LCR revolver and a Kahr K9 Elite 9mm. After buying them, she found out she couldn't have them shipped into the city. "It's not fair," she tells WTOP. "I followed the law. Criminals bring guns into the city. It's frustrating."

D.C. Councilmember Phil Mendelson, who helped write the District's new gun laws after the Supreme Court ruling, says the problem is not due to regulations. "We've known for a while that (Federal Firearms License) was a vulnerability, that there is only one FFL dealer in the District," Mendelson says. "That's not because of the law, that's because of the market."

Alan Gura, the attorney who argued and won the case before the Supreme Court, says this may mean going back to court. "This is a very serious problem," Gura said from his office in Old Town Alexandria. "It's something we are going to be taking a very close look at."

Lane's frustration may last a while, because it could be months before Sykes is able to re-open. He tells WTOP he hopes to have a new office location picked out in a week or two.

Even if Sykes were to find a new location, he is required to give the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 30 days advance notice of his move, and then the ATF has 60 days to review and approve the new location. The move would also have to be approved by the Metropolitan Police Department and the District's Office of Zoning.

Sykes has not given any notice, but says he'll ask ATF for an expedited review.

Mike Campbell, a spokesperson for ATF, says in an email Sykes has yet to inform the agency of his intent to move. "Mr. Sykes is free to request an expedited review/inspection of his application and his new business premises. However, he has certain responsibilities that he has to fulfill before we can do anything related to a location change. We have no record of a request for a change of address."

Approval of a new location for Sykes isn't the only road block delaying District residents from getting handguns. Zoning requirements on where gun dealers can locate are strict, making it difficult for Sykes or any potential gun dealer to find a suitable location.

Kevin Shepard owns Second Amendment Safety and Security, and has had a Federal Firearms License since 2008, but has not been able to find a location to open his business. He says the zoning requirements are too restrictive. "It's impacted my economic liberty," Sheppard says. "I'm trying to start a business and they're making it too difficult."

Zoning regulations require gun dealers to locate in either a commercial zone or industrial zone. Most of the District is either zoned for residential use or is federal land. There is also the added restriction of dealers not being able to open a shop within 300 feet of any home, church, school, library or playground.

Gura says that's not in keeping with the Supreme Court ruling. "The bottom line is the people who live in the Washington, D.C. are entitled to the right to keep and bear arms for self defense," he says. "The city cannot use its zoning laws to interfere with that right.

Source




Colt revolver becomes Arizona's official gun: "Jan Brewer, the Arizona governor, on Thursday signed a bill into law that makes the Colt Single Action Army Revolver the state’s firearm, making Arizona only the second in the nation to have such a designation. The Colt revolver, made popular in the 1800s, was a common weapon carried by the likes of Bat Masterson, Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok, according to “The Book of Colt Firearms”, by R. L. Wilson. Production first ran from 1872 through 1941 and then again from 1955."


PA: Gun haters to exploit Giffords shooting at NRA convention: "Gun-control advocates plan to make the Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) shooting rampage the focus of their protest outside the National Rifle Association’s annual convention in Pittsburgh. ... Organized by the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence [sic], the protesters have taken out local newspaper ads and plan to have a billboard truck drive around the event with a message to the NRA’s CEO Wayne LaPierre, the AP reported."

UK: Police confiscate farmer’s shotguns: "'Tracy St Clair Pearce, 50, was confronted by four men carrying a chainsaw and a knife, who warned her they would kill her cattle at her farm in Colchester, Essex,' 'She called police late on Good Friday to report the threat, but was left gobsmacked [astounded] when officers took 35 minutes to get to her home, before telling her they would confiscate her shotguns"


Minn.: Gun bill before House: "A bill that would change the state's laws on gun permits and the right to use deadly force in cases of self-defense is getting a hearing before a House public safety committee. The committee plans to hear testimony on the bill Thursday. Among other things, the bill expands the state's laws on use of deadly force in self-defense situations. It creates a presumption that anyone who forcefully or stealthily enters a home intends to cause harm, so deadly force is allowed. Proponents say it allows law-abiding citizens to stand their ground. Those against the bill say it would allow deadly force even if the person is making a peaceable entry and is unarmed. The bill also would require that Minnesota recognize gun permits issued by other states."

One-third of U.S. households own guns: "Almost one-third of U.S. households report having any guns in the home -- the lowest level ever since the survey began in the 1970s, a survey indicates. The report by the Violence Policy Center is an analysis of data from the General Social Survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. The report says household gun ownership peaked in 1977, with 54 percent of households reported having any guns. However, by 2010 household gun ownership dropped to 32.3 percent of U.S. households reporting having any guns in the home -- the lowest level ever recorded by the General Social Survey. [As government expands, perhaps gun owners have grown wary of surveys]


8 tips on contacts with ‘open carry’ citizens: "As with concealed carry, there seems to be a lot of hypothetical rhetoric in regards to threat situations of 'what could happen?' versus 'what does history show us has happened?' Is there a heightened state of criminal activity associated with open carry versus concealed carry versus no carry (other than the obvious firearms violation for school zone or whatnot)? The answer appears to be 'not really.' Regardless of opinions or beliefs, there is not a spike in criminal activity associated with merely carrying a firearm. The same is true of concealed carry. It is always the intent of the person, not the firearm, that matters."

FL: Shooting ruled self-defense: "A Sunday afternoon shooting in Palm Bay has been ruled self-defense and it is the shooting victim who will face charges, police said today. John Smith, 43, was shot in the chest about 4:20 p.m. at a home in the 2500 block of S.W. Fleming Avenue, police spokeswoman Yvonne Martinez said. The shooter, David Martin, 38, was trying to protect himself from Smith, who forced his way into Martin's home to see his girlfriend."


Oklahoma governor signs bill that expands self-defense rights: "Business owners, managers and employees soon will be able to defend themselves when they have a reasonable fear they face death or great bodily harm. Gov. Mary Fallin on Monday signed into law House Bill 1439, which expands the right to use deadly force when in fear of imminent peril of death or great bodily harm. It takes effect Nov. 1. Rep. Steve Vaughan, the author of the measure, said he filed the bill partly because of a pharmacist who has been charged with first-degree murder after shooting a masked robber six times in May 2009 inside an Oklahoma City pharmacy. Vaughan said HB 1439 is patterned after Oklahoma’s Make My Day Law, which allows use of deadly force against someone who has unlawfully entered a dwelling. The homeowner is presumed to have a reasonable fear of being harmed."

GA: Woman brings a gun to a knife fight: "A domestic dispute at an Albany motel left two people wounded. Police say the boyfriend wouldn't let his girlfriend leave the motel. She says she shot him in self defense. Green tells police Curry got angry with her. He pulled out a knife and cut her chest just below her right breast and inside her right hand. Green said she got a handgun and shot Willie Curry in the right shoulder in self defense. She was able to get away. Officers did not arrest or charge anyone. Curry was treated and released from the hospital Friday night."


CO: Father-son fight spawns gunfire: "A family fight in Colorado Springs erupted in gunfire Tuesday night when a man shot at his son in what he said was self-defense, police said. Angry at his father, 29-year-old John Ziegler III grabbed a gun inside the home he shares with his parents and fired a single round into the dining room ceiling. His father then ran outside to his vehicle and got a second weapon, police said. As Ziegler III emerged from the front door, the father, believing his son intended to shoot him, fired a round at his son, missing. Ziegler III [son] was booked into El Paso County jail on a $2,000 bond, on suspicion of felony menacing and two misdemeanors related to the attack.

La.: Man opens fire, thwarts vehicle burglary: "Two young men trying to burglarize a truck in Chalmette got the worst of it when one got his arm rolled over by the getaway driver and the other was shot at by the owner of the vehicle, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy James Pohlmann said. Both men escaped in a gray Dodge following the 7 p.m. incident Wednesday night in the 2300 block Corinne Drive. The truck's owner, who came outside of his home with a handgun when he saw someone climbing into his vehicle, told deputies he thought he hit the driver of the getaway car when he fired twice after the driver allegedly pointed a gun at him, authorities said. The getaway car stopped and the suspect, described as a teenager, got into the vehicle with his arm dangling as if it was broken, authorities said. The car then sped away. No charged were filed against the vehicle owner because he appeared to have acted in self defense, Pohlmann said."


Mexico wants to sue U.S. gun makers: "CBS News has learned that the Mexican Government has retained an American law firm to explore filing civil charges against U.S. gun manufacturers and distributors over the flood of guns crossing the border into Mexico. Sources say Mexico's frustration with U.S. efforts to stop the flow of weapons has pushed them into this novel approach. The law firm is looking at charges that may include civil RICO. Christopher Renzulli of New York, who has represented U.S. gun makers for fifteen years, says he believes this would be a difficult case for the Mexican government to win. "The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act would bar that kind of lawsuit from the start. The law, passed in 2005 has resulted in several lawsuits against gun makers being dismissed."


Iowa Paper Recklessly Publishes Names Of All Handgun Permit Holders Endangering Countless Lives: "A disturbing article was printed yesterday in an Iowa newspaper that publishes the names of all of the concealed carry permit applicants in a particular county. As the Wisconsin legislature considers what kind of concealed carry law they will pass: A shall-issue permit system (government registration, mandatory permit, permit tax(fee), government mandated training class, etc) OR constitutional carry (right to carry concealed without a permit just like we currently open-carry without a permit), it is important to consider the implications of permit systems and government registration."

Another strange NJ prosecution: "Aljava Gaither, 19, was charged with murder and weapons offenses in the fatal shooting of Craig Fitzgerald, 24, at the intersection of Calhoun and Bernard streets on April 9, prosecutors said... Fitzgerald hit Gaither over the head with the club, causing him to fall, the prosecutor said before explaining that “Gaither pulled out a a revolver trying to protect himself and shot Fitzgerald in the leg.” He said the bullet broke Fitzgerald’s leg and caused him to fall onto Gaither. “Gaither fired three more shots into the victim’s chest, one hit the sternum, severing the aorta,” Scott said. The victim was taken to the hospital and died. “Fitzgerald, when he saw my client, went upstairs to his apartment, got a club and assaulted my client,” Schroth said. Schroth described Fitzgerald as being 6-foot, 300 pounds and his client as being 5-4, 125. “As you can see, my client has six staples in his forehead from the blow. Clearly there was a violent assault on my client.”


MI: Judge says Second Amendment protects man's right to possess stun guns: "When a Bay City party store worker wore a “stun gun” on the job for personal protection, he was charged with a crime. A Bay County judge ruled today, though, that the Michigan law prohibiting possession of stun guns is unconstitutional. In a written opinion, 18th Circuit Court Judge Joseph K. Sheeran dismissed the weapons charge facing 41-year-old Dean S. Yanna on the basis that the law violates Yanna’s Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Sheeran concluded that because state law bans, rather than regulates, stun guns and Tasers, it violates the Second Amendment." Yanna was wearing the electric device on his belt for protection while working the night shift in June 2010 at the party store on Bay City’s West Side."