Arkansas man kills intruder: "Marion County coroner Dan Duren told the Daily Times on Monday that he was called to Joe Kelley's Peel residence late Friday night, and pronounced Travis Morrison, 27, of Harrison, dead of a gunshot wound at 11:59 p.m. In a telephone interview this morning, Kelley, 71, said he was alone and asleep in his home in rural Marion County on Highway 125 about 10:30 p.m. Friday, when he was awakened by a loud noise he said he thought at first was an explosion. "I couldn't understand at first what it was," he said in an interview with the Daily Times this morning. When he realized that the noises he heard were the sound of someone kicking in his front door, he reached for the 12-gauge shotgun he always keeps by his bedside. "I've always slept with a gun by my bed," he said. "I used to be a reserve police officer, and I guess my training kicked in. I took my shotgun, and walked out of my bedroom. I saw the black silhouette of a man, just three or four feet in front of me, and I just cut loose." Kelley said the intruder was six or eight feet inside his house when he shot him.... Sheriff Carl McBee's report said that Kelley was not detained because the shooting was apparently in self-defense."


Michigan homeowner shoots burglar; three in custody: "Three Pontiac men are in custody, one hospitalized with a gunshot wound, after police said they attempted to break into a home and ran into an armed homeowner early this morning. Sgt. William Ware said police were called out to a home in the 1200 block of Cloverlawn, on the city's northeast side, about 4 a.m. on a report that three men had kicked in the rear door of a home in a home invasion. "The homeowner heard a loud bang at the rear of the home and observed three males with hoodies over their head inside," said Ware. "He told them to get out and fired twice at them." All three suspects ran from the home and the 33-year-old homeowner, who has a permit for his weapon, said he did not know if he had hit anyone, Ware said. About 15 minutes after the incident, an area hospital reported a man with a single gunshot wound to the chest had shown up in the emergency room. A 21-year-old man, who is listed in serious condition, is believed one of the three suspects in the home invasion, said Ware, who added two other men, 17 and 20 years old, were also taken into custody. A weapon police believe was carried by one of the suspects was found in the snow at the rear of the Cloverlawn home."

Off-duty sheriff's sergeant kills gunman in Seattle: "An off-duty King County sheriff's sergeant shot and killed an attempted robbery suspect Friday night on Western Avenue just south of the Pike Place Market. The sergeant said he witnessed a man with a gun robbing another person and intervened, said Jeff Kappel, Seattle police spokesman. The attempted robbery occurred on the sidewalk in the 1400 block of Western, Kappel said. The gunman was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he died. Seattle police are handling the investigation at the request of the Sheriff's Office. Police recovered a handgun at the scene, Kappel said. The officer, 61, a 38-year veteran with the Sheriff's Office, was uninjured, Kappel said. He told police he was walking down Western when he overheard some commotion behind him, Kappel said. He turned around to see one man pointing a handgun at another, the spokesman said. "He identified himself as a police officer and drew his service weapon," Kappel said. As the gunman turned toward the sergeant, the sergeant fired, he added. The gunman was shot in the torso".


TX: Foolish robber attacks police: "Two Houston police detectives shot an Humble man who rammed them with his car after investigators said he broke into the officers' unmarked car about noon Friday outside a restaurant near Deerbrook Mall. The suspect, Edward Thomas, 20, was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, where he underwent surgery for gunshot wounds to the head, shoulder and side, said Capt. Dwayne Ready, a Houston Police Department spokesman. Thomas, who is expected to survive, will be charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon when he is released from the hospital, the Humble Police Department said."

Feisty Nebraska homeowner: "An Omaha man said his instincts took over when he saw four people trying to knock down his door early Thursday morning. Jon Cowdin said he heard someone trying to break in and when he went to the door, he said he encountered a group of burglars. "He tried shoving in a gun at me through the door, and I took the gun out of his hands before he got the chance to fully point it at me," Cowdin said. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said it was called to the area of 103rd and Ida streets for shots fired at the Park Meadows Estates mobile home park. Cowdin said he felt the adrenaline pumping and fought back, shooting through the door with the crooks' gun. "I turned the shotgun back around, and I shot him in the head, unfortunately. I wish I would have missed him and they would've run, but I hit one," Cowdin said. "I hope he's OK, but he shouldn't have been doing what he was doing." Blocks away, deputies stopped the four people. A 16-year-old in the car had been grazed in the head by a gunshot. He was treated and released at Creighton University Medical Center then was taken into police custody, deputies said. Also arrested were Jacobee Knave, 21, and Jerrett Jackson, 18, and another unnamed juvenile.... Cowdin said his girlfriend and her 5-year-old son were also home at the time. "I had to do what I had to do to protect myself, this house, and my family," Cowdin said. Authorities said they recovered three firearms from the vehicle, and the people arrested will likely face burglary and weapons charges."


SC: Wife says she killed husband in self defense: "A domestic dispute left one dead and another seriously injured in Newberry County Friday night. The wife says she shot her husband to protect herself. "If it happened the way I have been told it happened, he needed what he got," says neighbor Talmadge Ellisor. Ellisor is talking about his next door neighbor, 63-year old Dennis Franklin. He was found shot to death inside his Newberry home Friday night. Investigators say his wife, 59-year-old Cynthia Franklin, fired the shots that killed him. When officers responded to the home, they found her suffering serious wounds to her head, face, and upper body. She had been hit several times with a large stick similar to a handle on a wooden tool. "Her husband was a good-sized man. Cynthia had heart problems, and as far as I know she had to do it in self defense," Ellisor told News 10. Residents on Pine Hill Circle are upset by what happened last night, but they're not surprised. That's because this is not the first time law enforcement has been called to the home of Cynthia and Dennis Franklin."

Mississippi hairdresser does some sharpshooting at thieves: "A west Jackson hairdresser foiled an auto theft outside his business Friday morning with a .357 Magnum. Al Bell, 44, owner of Al's Style House at 5025 U.S. 80W, was tending to his first customer of the day, chatting with her and drinking coffee, when he looked at one of his security monitors and saw a pickup pulling up next to her sport utility vehicle. He saw two men get out, and one quickly wedge the driver's side door open and climb inside. "She was shocked, and I was too," he said. "We really just couldn't believe what was going on." This is what Bell said happened next: As his client called 911, he pulled the large handgun from a drawer, strode outside, raised his gun and yelled, "Freeze!" They bolted for the green, late model, four-door Ford pickup. Bell fired, blowing out the front driver's side tire of the Ford. The men were still scrambling for the truck. Again, Bell yelled "Freeze!" They did not stop. He fired again, flattening the rear driver's side tire of the truck. By this time, the men were in the truck and driving off - on two flat tires. Bell fired a third time, blowing a hole in the rear driver's side door. The truck roared off, east on U.S. 80 toward Metrocenter."


Hi-tech gun in sights: "A semi-automatic pistol used by elite US special forces in Iraq and Afghanistan could replace Victoria Police's antiquated revolvers. The Taurus 24/7 pistol, which holds 17 rounds, is among the brands in contention under a bold bid to re-arm the force. The cutting-edge pistol is being tried by the US Special Operations Command - the frontline military units in the war on terror. Weapons expert Jon Martin - a former Victoria Police firearms instructor and member of the elite Special Operations Group - is backing the gun as the force's new weapon of choice. Mr Martin, who recently returned from training Iraq's civilian police force, said it represented better value than the popular Heckler and Koch and the widely known Glock. "It's a recent development and it improves on some of the identified deficiencies with the Glock and the Heckler and Koch," Mr Martin said. Costing about $500 each, the Brazil-made guns are half the price of the Heckler and Koch and 20 per cent cheaper than the Glock. Director of military supplies consultancy firm Nexcom, George Hateley, said semi-automatics were considered best practice in international policing. Mr Martin said semi-automatics were easier to load under pressure and were less likely than revolvers to malfunction when dirty. They also had less recoil after firing and were built with anatomical grips that made the weapon easier to control."

NC: Robber Shot, Killed By McDonald's Employee: "The Mecklenburg County District Attorney will now decide if a McDonald's employee will face charges for shooting and killing an armed robbery suspect. Police said 20-year-old Donte McFadden walked into the McDonald’s on Freedom Drive in west Charlotte around 10 p.m. Thursday wearing a hoodie over his head, gloves and a pair of sunglasses. They say he tried to hold up the restaurant at gunpoint when a worker, armed with a handgun, began a shootout. McFadden and a woman working in the restaurant were both shot. Medic transported the two to Carolinas Medical Center. McFadden died shortly after arriving at the hospital. The worker was hospitalized, but her injuries are not serious, police said. Police have not released the name of the employee who shot at McFadden, but they say he was not injured... In the past, the district attorney has rarely charged a person with murder in such cases. North Carolina law says it’s legal to use deadly force if you feel your life is being threatened."


Pennsylvania: Oldster shoots burglar: "An 82-year-old man shot a burglar who broke into his Stowe home and awoke him early this morning, police said. The unnamed homeowner told police he was awoken about 4:30 a.m. in his house on the 500 block of Woodward Avenue. He told the burglar not to run while he called police, according to Allegheny County homicide detectives. He then fired one shot when the intruder made a threatening move, police said. The burglar was hospitalized in stable condition this morning and will likely be charged. The homeowner probably will not face any charges, police said.


Note:

I have just put up one of my occasional posts on my personal blog. There are a few comments about guns toward the end of the post that may be of some small interest to some readers here.

British public fear of violent crime fed by rise in robberies with guns: "Robberies at gunpoint increased by 10 per cent last year in England and Wales, according to Home Office figures published yesterday. The figures include armed robberies in the street, which rose by 9 per cent, and armed robberies in homes, which almost doubled. The figures, have been falling for the past four years and the sudden reversal will alarm the Home Office. The total number of robberies at gunpoint rose to 1,439 and the number of gun robberies at residential properties jumped by 46 per cent to 645, an increase of 204 and more than five times the level recorded when Labour came to power. Although firearms robberies at Post Offices, banks and building societies have fallen because of branch closures and tougher security measures at those that remain, the latest figures indicate that armed robbers are going for soft targets. Overall, gun crime fell last year and the number of killings dropped by 15 per cent if the victims of the July 7 bombings are taken out of the 746 total. But killings by strangers have almost doubled to 302 since Labour came to power.


Las Vegas: Jewelry Store Owner Shoots Robbery Suspect : "Three robbery suspects tried to hit a jewelry store Wednesday night, but the victim turned the tables on them. The owner of the jewelry store opened fire hitting one suspect. Two are still on the run. This is the third such incident this month. The first two in North Las Vegas were deadly. Just after 7 p.m., the suspects, two men and one woman, tricked the owners to let them into the secured store by posing as customers. Once inside they pulled out at least one gun and demanded jewelry. Both owners were forced to the ground but one of them was able to get a gun. It then became a shootout. Sgt. Rod Hunt, Metro Robbery, said, "The owners and the suspects exchanged gunfire. [It's] unclear who shot first. One of the suspects who was hit was taken to UMC." The owner was able to shoot one suspect in the spine. The other two got away. It's unclear whether they took any merchandise."

Florida: Brothers Shoot, Beat Home Invaders: "An intended target of an early morning home invasion in Palm Bay thwarted the robber's plans when he shot one of the men, according to police. A second potential home invader escaped. Two men identifying themselves as Palm Bay police tried to get into the Edgewood Drive home around 2:37 a.m. today by jiggling the front door, police spokeswoman Yvonne Martinez told Local 6 News partner Florida Today. Two brothers and a 17-year-old woman were in the house. One of the brothers, Abraham Suarez, ran out of the back of the house to check on his car and confronted one of the would-be intruders. The man hit Suarez in the face with a flashlight, the report said. Suarez screamed for his brother to help. Adam Suarez showed up and shot the man in the leg. Anthony Giuffre, 19, of Sebastian, was taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne where he is in police custody. He faces charges involving the home invasion, and impersonating a police officer. The victims are not facing criminal charges, police said."


Florida: Girlfriend-seeker shot: "A Panama City Beach man reported shooting a home intruder last week who threatened him with a knife after demanding information about his missing girlfriend. The Bay County Sheriff’s Office responded to an emergency call from 19986 1st Avenue on Panama City Beach around 6 p.m. on Jan. 17. The resident, Ray Coogler, had called 911 earlier but hung up before the dispatcher could get any information. A second call from Coogler came in before a deputy arrived to follow up on the first emergency call, saying he had “just shot someone.” A few minutes later a third call was made from the Beach House Bar and Grill on Front Beach Road, just blocks from the residence, calling for EMS because a man had just entered the bar claiming he had been shot. According to sheriff’s reports, Herbert Davis Groover, age 56, of 114 Deluna Place, Panama City Beach, broke into Coogler’s home and confronted him with a knife. Coogler claims he warned Groover that he had a gun after Groover, who continued to threaten him, demanded that Coogler tell him where his girlfriend was. Coogler eventually fired at Groover twice, missing the first shot then hitting him in the leg, said reports. Groover then drove his car to the Beach House Bar and Grill seeking help. According to reports, Coogler claimed Groover’s girlfriend, who allegedly had a domestic altercation with Groover earlier that week, had left for Alabama Tuesday morning after staying at his house Monday evening."

Arizona: Homeowner holds armoured invader at gunpoint: "A man held an armed suspect of a home invasion robbery at gunpoint early this morning until police could arrive, Phoenix officials said. The victim reportedly heard the squealing of tires outside of his residence on Marlette Avenue, north of Bethany Home Road,about 5:20 a.m. He noticed a man peeking through his window and grabbed his gun to investigate, where he found a man in body armor in the yard, police said. He also found flashlights, masks, gloves and a semi-automatic handgun scattered around the yard. The victim held the man at gunpoint until police could arrive. Monti Lyle Jackson, 20, was taken into custody on suspicion of home invasion, according to officials. An additional semi-automatic pistol was found in the suspect's vehicle. Police also found that the suspect's vehicle was stolen. Police are still searching for a second suspect."


Georgia: Jeweller chases off thieves with gunfire: "Bullets were flying among the diamonds Thursday night at a DeKalb County jewelry store. The owner of Starblaze Jewelers exchanged shots with three armed robbers inside the store at 4450 Hugh Howell Road. Some of the bullets went through the walls of the store and into adjoining businesses. Matthew Henderson said he was working next door to Starblaze when two of the stray rounds went whizzing by his face. "All of a sudden I hear two loud bangs and feel something sting my face," he said. "I saw two holes in the wall and went 'Whoa,'" he added. The owner of Starblaze, who did not want to be identified, told police he shot one of the robbers in the leg. Police are searching for the three suspects."

Kansas: Concealed carry permit holder shoots suspect: "An Oklahoma concealed-carry permit holder thwarted a robbery at a Topeka convenience store Friday night, police said. Police said 57-year-old Michael Mah shot a 17-year-old suspect who was trying to rob the Phillips 66 at 29th and Randolph, after telling him to drop his weapon. The owner of the store, Dean Yee, told police two men ran inside, when one of them pointed a gun at him and demanded money. Concealed weapons advocates said Mah did the right thing. “The bad guys … better be careful who they pick on,” said Troy Powell, a retired cop who recently moved here from Texas. Powell said the shooting is exactly what concealed-carry is intended for. “The guy was right there on scene and had firsthand knowledge that it was happening,” said Powell. “I think he reacted appropriately and probably he could’ve saved that guy’s life and his own.” Police said Mah shot the man just once. “I don’t think any of these people that carry-concealed are wanting to do someone it, they’re just wanting to stop the guy, to keep him from hurting … someone else,” Powell said. Mah had a concealed carry permit from Oklahoma, one of 22 states from which permit holders can also carry a weapon in Kansas, police said. Police said the man who shot the suspect likely won’t be charged with a crime, since he had a valid permit."


S.C. Another robber with a sore behind: "A man trying to steal a car at gunpoint from a couple ended up being shot himself, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says. Harold Levar Jeffcoat, 29, was arrested Sunday at the hospital where he was being treated for a gunshot wound to the buttocks, Lott said. Jeffcoat was shot Saturday night after he stuck a gun into the stomach of a man getting into his car at a Wal-Mart in suburban northeast Richland County and demanded his keys, deputies said. A woman in the passenger seat pulled a gun from the glove compartment and fired five shots at Jeffcoat, hitting him once, investigators said. Lott is calling the couple heroes. The sheriff said police don't encourage people to go out and "just start shooting," but they do want people to protect themselves. Jeffcoat also was wanted for at least nine other armed robberies across Columbia, Lott said."

Georgia: Overnight Home Invasion Turns Deadly: "One man is dead following an early Saturday morning home invasion in Hall County. The incident happened just after 12:00 a.m. Sunday in the 4000 block of Winder Highway. Police said the suspect tried to break into the home and that's when gunshots were exchanged between him and the home owner. The suspect was hit several times and died at the scene. Police said no charges will be filed.


Oklahoma: Security guard shoots man at business: "A suspected burglar is hospitalized this morning after being shot by a security guard at an Oklahoma City business. Police say the man broke into the W-and-W Steel Building near Reno and Pennsylvania Avenue about 6:15 this morning. That's when he got into a struggle with a security guard, who shot the intruder in the neck. Sergeant Mike Klicka says the suspect's wounds don't appear to be life-threatening, but he was taken to a local hospital. The security guard cut his hand during the struggle, but Klicka says his wounds are also minor. Police didn't release the identities of those involved.

Vermont: Police Chief Says Actor Paul Sorvino Was Legally Armed: ""Goodfellas" actor Paul Sorvino, who pulled a gun on his daughter Amanda's ex-boyfriend in a confrontation, was allowed to carry it and never pointed it at the man, police Chief Ken Kaplan said Wednesday. Amanda Sorvino, 36, told a Monroe County judge in Stroudsburg, Pa., on Tuesday, that she had locked herself in a bathroom and called both police and her father after the man pounded on her Stowe Motel room door and made threats on Jan. 3. "He got in my father's face and said, `Go ahead, Paul, shoot, I ain't done nothing wrong,'" Amanda Sorvino testified. The judge granted her request for a protection-from-abuse order against Daniel Snee, 21, of Effort, Pa. Sorvino, a deputy sheriff in Pennsylvania, is entitled to carry a weapon from state to state, Kaplan said."


Louisiana: Musician acquitted of shooting rival -- self-defense: "An Orleans Parish jury on Friday acquitted a musician charged with the attempted murder of a rival jazz band member during a street brawl and shootout in 2003. The jury accepted the self-defense claim of Lawrence Ketchens, 43, a tuba player with Doreen's Jazz New Orleans band, who shot Rebirth Brass Band drummer Derrick Tabb, 31, on a 7th Ward street during a clash that began earlier that day at a funeral. Ketchens testified at criminal district court that he was merely protecting himself and his wife, Doreen Ketchens, whom Tabb had beat to the ground with an umbrella during the skirmish. The fight on May 20, 2003, quickly turned into gunplay. Ketchens pulled his .25-caliber Raven handgun from his pocket while a friend of Tabb's, Walter Kimble, raced to a truck to find a .40-caliber gun -- a weapon that is standard issue for New Orleans police officers. Kimble later told police that he blasted at Ketchens in defense of Tabb. Ketchens rolled underneath a parked pickup truck to escape the gunfire and quickly drove off in his van. When the dust settled, both sides were bloody from injuries. Ketchens suffered a gunshot wound to the thigh and Tabb had two .25-caliber wounds in his upper shoulder. But police arrested only Ketchens for attempted murder of Tabb and his mother, Vana Acker, 51, who was also caught up in the violence. Kimble was never charged. At this week's three-day trial before Judge Darryl Derbigny, Ketchens said he feared for his wife's life as Tabb threw his large frame at her on the neutral ground. "You gotta do what you gotta do," defense attorney Thomas Calogero said during his closing argument. "Luckily, he had a small-caliber weapon, little bitty bullets. He's not going to murder anyone with that little pea shooter." Calogero said Tabb was "a 6-foot-4, 250-pound man who viciously" attacked Doreen Ketchens before her husband stepped to her defense.

Florida: Two men won't face charges in Wal-Mart shooting spree: "Two men who returned fire in a Wal-Mart parking lot gun battle last week won't face any charges, according to St. Petersburg police. The men were shot at in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart at at 3501 34th St. S. in St. Petersburg by Joseph G. Williams [above], according to police. Williams, 21, who received a gunshot wound to his foot during the incident, has been charged with three counts of attempted murder, violation of a domestic violence injunction and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Williams was scheduled to have surgery Friday for his foot wound. Even though the other two men involved in the incident do not have permits to carry weapons, they will not face charges because they acted in self defense. Police said the men are cooperating with the investigation. Police said the shooting was the result of a long standing feud between the men, and not a gang dispute."


Minnesota: Man Won't Be Charged For Killing Girlfriend's Ex: "The Wright County prosecutor has decided not to press charges against a Rockford, Minn. man who shot his girlfriend's former boyfriend in December. Eric M. Cegon, 30, shot 35-year-old Erik A. Richter, of Watertown, Minn., twice with a shotgun early in the morning of Dec. 13 when Richter broke in through a back door into the Rockford home of Samantha E. Simons, 21. According to Wright County Attorney Thomas Kelly, the relationship between Richter and Simons turned abusive, culminating with a charge of domestic assault filed in April 2005. When Simons began a relationship with Cegon in September 2006, Richter began threatening both of them. "He refused to let her go, and said that if he couldn't have her, nobody would," Kelly said. Richter was charged with making terroristic threats and inflicting criminal damage to property on Nov. 6 of last year after he broke all the windows on Cegon's vehicle and tried to climb through his bedroom window, yelling his intentions to kill Cegon... Cegon and Simons went to bed the evening of Dec. 12 prepared for a visit from Richter. They barricaded the front door of Simons' house with a small sofa, locked themselves with Simons' son in an upstairs bedroom and blocked the door with a dresser. Cegon armed himself with a shotgun. At 3:30 a.m., according to Kelly, Richter broke through the front door of the house and ran upstairs, forcing open the bedroom door and knocking down the dresser. He had in his hand a loaded, .45-caliber Colt semi-automatic handgun. Later investigation revealed Richter had also brought leg irons and handcuffs. Cegon shot Richter twice."

Israel: Police hold rancher over shooting of Bedouin: "A Negev ranch owner, who shot and killed a Bedouin man and seriously wounded another as they were trying to break into his ranch, was kept in remand Sunday morning as prosecutors sought to charge him with murder. MK Yisrael Katz said that the law should view resistance to domestic break-ins as self defense. Katz said he intends to submit to the Knesset a bill to that effect, in similiarity to the laws in some states in the U.S. He told police that he had fired at four figures who had come to the ranch to steal, and that his life had been in danger. He said the intruders had poisoned his dog and cut the locks on his sheep pen."


Pro-gun laws: "Last month, Greenleaf, Idaho, adopted Ordinance 208, calling for its citizens to own guns and keep them ready in their homes in case of emergency. It’s not a response to high crime rates. As The Associated Press reported, “Greenleaf doesn’t really have crime ... the most violent offense reported in the past two years was a fist fight.” Rather, it’s a statement about preparedness in the event of an emergency, and an effort to promote a culture of self-reliance. And it may not be a bad idea. While pro-gun laws like the one in Greenleaf are mostly symbolic, to the extent that they actually make a difference, it is likely to be a positive one. Greenleaf is following in the footsteps of Kennesaw, Ga., which in 1982 passed a mandatory gun ownership law in response to a handgun ban passed in Morton Grove, Ill. Kennesaw’s crime dropped sharply, while Morton Grove’s did not. To some degree, this is rational. Criminals, unsurprisingly, would rather break into a house where they aren’t at risk of being shot. As David Kopel noted in a 2001 article in The Arizona Law Review, burglars report that they try to avoid homes where armed residents are likely to be present... Likewise, in the event of disasters that leave law enforcement overwhelmed, armed citizens can play an important role in stanching crime. Armed neighborhood watches deterred looting in parts of Houston and New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita...."

Somalia: Mogadishu residents refuse to give up guns to Ethiopians: "The sight of burning tyres, roadblocks, motorists escaping violent youths hurling stones -- none of this is new to Mogadishu residents. But in recent days, protesters have been shouting Allahu-Akbar (God is great), the slogan of the Union of the Islamic Courts (UIC).The demonstrations were in reaction to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) order to members of the public to surrender their arms, especially in the Somali capital whereby TFG forces and Ethiopian troops have established collection centres. "We are not going to surrender our weapons to Ethiopians -- our arch enemy," shouted a protester. "We want the Ethiopian forces out of our country first." .... Business people generally react to such riots by coming out of their premises with guns. "We often fire into the air to scare away troublemakers," said a trader who requested anonymity. "We know they are orchestrated by hatemongers."


Illegal guns in Australia: "From the waistband of his blue jeans, the Sydney underworld figure pulls out a black handgun and dumps it on the kitchen table in front of me. With his other hand he produces a thick wad of bank notes from his jacket pocket. The $5000 he places next to the 9mm Glock pistol, he assures me, is enough to buy another one. "I can get you a handgun in five days. If you want an automatic weapon like a AK47 (Kalashnikov assault rifle) it will take a little longer and cost twice as much. How many do you want?" He is unequivocal about the ease with which firearms can be purchased. Get the cash and it's a just a matter of days while the underworld connections receive the guns from their suppliers. "It is a matter of ordering what you want and then waiting," Faisal says. Police statistics appear to bear this out. Last year, there were 3500 illegal guns seized across NSW. Everything is on offer from pistols and the highly prized Glocks, which are easy to conceal and can unload 17 rounds in a matter of seconds, to Uzi machine guns and hand grenades. The anti-tank missiles stolen from the Australian army were bought for about $15,000 each. A Sydney underworld gang member who has "rolled" told police they continuously bought and sold pistols and machine guns. His statement reveals how gang members bought pistols, including 9mm Glocks and SKS semi-automatic rifles, and kept them in a number of safe houses around the city. When they wanted to dispose of a hot weapon they would either melt it down or sell it interstate".

TN: 84-year-old homeowner shoots intruder : "Memphis police are investigating a home invasion that ended in a shooting. Police say 84-year-old Willie Hancox called 911 around two Friday afternoon to say that he had shot an intruder. Hancox says he fired two shots, hitting an intruder twice in the head. Hancox says he is sick of the crime in his community. "He said if they come in the door, I'm not gonna let them kill me and he meant that," says neighbor, Dorothy Dickerson.... "He did the right thing," says neighbor, Markel Dickerson. "People that's law abiding people is getting tired of being pushed around by the thugs and thieves and dope dealers." That's why Mr. Hancox had a gun, one his sons recently tried to take from him. "We came over here that Saturday morning he said, hey, where's my gun, I need it back. I told him dad, you dont' really need a gun in this house." says Jake Hancox. Jake Hancox says after speaking with his brother, the two decided to give the gun back to their father. Now, both brothers are glad they listened. Jake Hancox says that the situation could have easily ended the other way around. "Maybe somebody looks at the situation here and they might not do it," says Hancox. It's a message homeowners hope criminals hear as loud and clear as a gunshot. The intruder is listed in critical condition.


NRA too weak: ""This coming August I'll have been a Life member of the National Rifle Association 22 years. If you're not a member yourself, it may surprise you to learn that, by the standards of that organization, born just after the War between the States, this isn't particularly long. I know people who've been in the NRA twice as long as I have, and one or two who've been members three times that number of years. It is long enough, however, to make me wonder, as one does upon occasion in any long-term relationship, whether, knowing everything I know today, after 22 years, I'd do it again. Lately, the answer seems to be -- and I'm sure the NRA will be devastated to learn this -- that I'd have to think about it.... and this may be the most important point I'll make, so pay attention—I'd want the NRA to adopt as its principal and publicly-acknowledged objective the repeal or nullification of every weapons law, at every level of government in America. The Second Amendment is explicit about this and requires no esoteric legal interpretation. Check the dictionary meaning of "enfringe" if you doubt my word."

Delaware: Late Night Shooting Leaves One Man Dead: "A man is dead after a late night shooting on McRae Street in Wilmington. His family says the death was senseless. Derrick "Dooby" Marshall, Jr. was shot to death after an apparent argument over a handgun. It happened on the 500 block of McRae Street in an abandoned building. Friends and family of Marshall say the man who shot him was his cousin's husband. Police say it was self defense, and no charges have been made against the shooter. One eyewitness and close friend of Marshall's says he was an all around good guy. An autopsy will be done later this weekend, and police say the case is still under investigation.


Texas: Bar regular may have shot, killed man in self-defense: "A man was shot and killed by a bar patron late Sunday night in what may have been a case of self-defense. According to Harris County officials, a man was apparently sneaking around the bar and at one point went through a back entrance only used by employees. A regular patron saw the man and went to his truck where he had a pistol and kept an eye on him. Police said that's when the suspect went over to the truck and pointed what may have been a gun at the patron, demanding money. The patron pulled out and shot the suspect, who died at the scene. The man was taken to the homicide detectives office to be interviewed.

Sportsmen need guns: "Houston Astros outfielder Luke Scott slammed an ammo clip into his .45-caliber Glock handgun, assumed the ready position and fired off 10 successive shots in 2.5 seconds, causing shell casings to fly in every direction. The thundering noise of gunshots filled the air and echoed through the trees, briefly disrupting the silence that surrounded his makeshift shooting range on a strip of land just a mile or so from the house he grew up in DeLeon Springs, Fla. "An athlete gets paid a lot of money," he said. "And someone who is after that, a thief, a mugger or someone who steals from people, they are taking a chance with the law that if they get caught, they are going to jail or face some other problem." With a broad smile, he added, "In my case, you are going to get shot."... Many incidents indicate that athletes rely on firearms for self-protection or as a means to resolve an altercation. But estimates on how many professional athletes carry guns, legally or illegally, vary. By Scott's estimation, as many as 20 percent of Major League Baseball players carry concealed weapons, and more than 50 percent own some type of gun. Roger Renrick is familiar with the prevalence of guns among professional athletes. A former Boston police officer, Renrick is now a bodyguard who has worked for Paul Pierce, Antoine Walker and Jalen Rose. Renrick describes gun ownership among NBA players as "very common." "I would probably say close to 60 percent," he said."


Alabama trailer shooting: "Tuscaloosa County Homicide Detectives are investigating the city’s first homicide of the year. It happened Thursday night around 11:00pm at the Old Colony trailer park on Spring Drive in Cottondale. Homicide investigators say a 31-year-old man entered a home and assaulted people inside the trailer. Shortly after, one person inside the trailer shot the suspect. Homicide investigators say that so far no charges have been filed in the case. “It appears that the deceased was breaking into [the] residence and was assaulting the two males in the residence when he was shot, so there is a self defense issue”, says Lt. Lloyd Baker of Tuscaloosa County Homicide. “We will be presenting this case to the grand jury.” The man who shot the victim was transported to DCH, there was no word on his condition at the time of this article’s posting."

Georgia: Shot-out car window identifies burglar: "A Warner Robins man was arrested Thursday at a car wash while vacuuming up broken glass from a window that had been shot out three hours earlier by a Bleckley County homeowner who thwarted a burglary in progress, authorities said. Keith Michael Waugh, 27, was charged with breaking into the home just after noon Thursday, said Houston County sheriff's Sgt. Ronnie Harlowe. The burglar fled in a silver Honda Accord, the victim reported. A car matching the description was spotted at a car wash on Moody Road in Warner Robins by Houston County sheriff's Lt. Jon Holland. Inside the car were stolen financial documents belonging to the Bleckley County resident as well as stolen computers, jewelry, guns, cameras and cash from burglaries in Houston County, Harlowe said.… The Bleckley County man who shot at the burglars was not injured. He had arrived home to find an unknown car with a Houston County license plate parked in his driveway and some of his personal financial information in the open trunk, Harlowe said. The homeowner went around to the back of the house and the intruder ran out the front, Harlowe said. The homeowner fired at the fleeing burglar, shattering the driver's side window, the investigator said. Area police were alerted by radio to look for the car, which Holland spotted at the car wash, Harlowe said."


Alabama: Invader gets sore rump: "A man who was allegedly part of a two-man, home invasion robbery team saw his plans go awry when his victim shot him in the rump during the heist. Two men knocked on Coleman Moody's kitchen door the night of Jan. 5 at his Forrester Drive home. Moody answered the door, and the two men forced their way inside, said Prattville Police Chief Alfred Wadsworth. The men brandished a weapon and demanded money and the keys to Moody's car, a Ford Taurus. Moody complied. But while the men were getting in the car, Moody slammed his kitchen door, locked it, and went to fetch a gun. He then confronted the two men. "He told them to throw down the car keys and get on the ground," said Wadsworth. Instead, the men ran. Moody fired two shots in that direction, hitting one of the men in the rear end. Police have identified both men. Police have yet to publicly identify the alleged robber who was shot. He remains hospitalized for treatment of his wounds. Police arrested his alleged partner, William Franklin Mann, 22... No charges are expected to be filed against Moody, Wadsworth said. "I don't anticipate any," said Wadsworth. "It was those guys' actions that caused their problems. And I don't think they'll go back to that house."

Guns in Cambodia: "Cambodia -- Lan Kosal smiles wryly as he breaks down the cost of killing a cow with a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. For $555, Mr. Lan, an arms merchant, says he will take a client to a remote field in the Cambodian countryside to obliterate a bovine with the Soviet-era armament designed to destroy tanks and cause mass casualties. When many Cambodians earn less than a dollar a day, why is this grisly recreation that is popular among backpackers so expensive? "The real cost is the cow. You have to buy it before we let you kill it," Mr. Lan explains matter-of-factly. Many tourists, in fact, aren't interested in firing bazookas at cows or tossing hand grenades at a flock of chickens, another ghoulish attraction offered at the firing range he manages just outside of the Cambodian capital. Most come for the opportunity to fire a few dozen rounds from Cold War weapons like the Russian AK-47 or the U.S. counterinsurgency M-16 rifle, favorites the world over among the armies of developing countries, rebels and paramilitary groups. Each is readily available for target practice and reasonably priced for firing ($30 for a 30-round clip) at the Kambol Shooting Range"


Nevada: North Las Vegas store owner shoots robber: "A North Las Vegas furniture store became the scene of a deadly shooting Thursday night when the store owner shot the person trying to rob him. It happened at Corona Furniture on Civic Center Drive near Lake Mead. Police say the owner was waiting for a late night delivery when he heard a suspicious knock at the back door. He armed himself, and when he went to the back, the robber lunged at him. The owner started shooting, hitting the robber who later died at UMC. Right now, this appears to be a case of self-defense, and there are no charges against the store owner."

AZ: Homeowner holds intruder till police arrive: "A Mesa homeowner kept an intruder at bay early Wednesday morning after the man jumped into the homeowner's yard, police records show. Police said Richard Anthony Avila, 38, of Mesa jumped into a yard in the 200 block of South Allen just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, but was confronted by the homeowner, who had a gun. "Avila proceeded to push past the homeowner to gain entry into the residence," police reported. The homeowner grabbed Avila by the throat and pushed him out of the house and onto the ground, where the he held him until police arrived, records show. Police reported the homeowner did not know Avila. Avila was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of criminal trespassing."


Australia: Fruitcake shot dead after police chase: "A Perth policeman has shot dead a driver who stabbed him after a high-speed chase and crash. The pursuit ended in suburban Floreat when the driver lost control and crashed through the front fence of a house in Salvado Road. But when officers moved in to arrest the man, he grabbed a knife from a house and attacked a policeman. Police said they tried to pull over the car, which was carrying three men, after reports of a public disturbance at Floreat Park. The three men fled the scene for a property in Ferndale Street believed to be the home of the 31-year-old driver. A spokesman said the man ran from the car and into his home before re-emerging with a knife. He then stabbed the officer in the shoulder before being gunned down."