Thursday, November 03, 2011

W.Va. Man shoots home invading neighbor: "A man who started the day grocery shopping didn't expect to come home and shoot someone, but he told police he didn't have a choice. He had to defend himself and his home. John Chapman, 61, says he returned late Wednesday morning to his home in St. Albans and found his neighbor had broken in. When he returned home, he noticed his back door was open, so he grabbed a gun and started searching the house. He allegedly found his neighbor, 19-year-old Josh Sovine, rummaging through drawers in an upstairs bedroom. “He, of course, challenged the gentleman. He told him not to move, he was gonna call police,” St. Albans Police Captain James Agee said. The two struggled over the gun, and Chapman shot Sovine twice -- once in the leg and once in the hip. Police say Sovine, who is recovering in the hospital, will be charged with daytime burglary.


MD: Armed Liquor Store Owner Wins Showdown With Robber: "Had the robber of AMS Liquor World in Perry Hall known his target better, he may have thought twice about pulling a knife on the store's longtime owner. And for the 20 years since it opened, the owner has always kept a gun in the store. But Saturday afternoon was the first time he ever fired it. "I knew when [the robber] came in, something about him just didn't feel right. I've been doing this 20 years. You get to know people," he said. "When another customer was getting his lotto ticket, I said, 'I need to watch this guy.'" Suddenly, the stranger swung a knife at him, up and down, the owner said. He held onto the sidewall and leaned back—"like Keanu Reeves"—to avoid being stabbed. The owner then reached for his handgun and chased the man. "That's when he bolted out that door like lightning," he said. "He knew when I was reaching, I was reaching for something bigger than he had." Elise Armacost, a Baltimore County police spokeswoman, said no charges had been filed against the owner and investigators believe he acted in self defense."


AZ Jury: Man not guilty in fatal shooting: "Jurors reached a verdict of not guilty on Thursday in Cochise County Superior Court in the case of a man who was charged with fatally shooting his friend in McNeal last year. Dwayne J. Nelson, 21, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of manslaughter and one count of negligent homicide of Alex Alvarado, 19, on Nov. 13, 2010. During his closing argument, defense attorney David Thorn said Nelson was friends with Alvarado and he did not want him to die. He pointed out Nelson was so angry after the shooting that he broke the .22 rifle by smashing it against the wall. Thorn also told the jury Nelson was justified to shoot Alvarado, and therefore not guilty of a crime, because the victim had threatened to shoot him. He also said it was foolish to play with guns while they were drunk, but that is not a crime


New Gallup data shows Americans value their gun rights: "Today’s revelation by Gallup that a record low number of Americans support a legal ban on handgun possession by private citizens demonstrates a positive change in the public attitude about personal protection and the Second Amendment, the Second Amendment Foundation said. According to Gallup, only 26 percent of Americans favor a handgun ban. The annual Gallup Crime poll was conducted Oct. 6-9."

No comments: