Ohio man with concealed gun shoots at robbers: "A man legally carrying a concealed handgun shot at an armed robber in Akron. Four teenagers approached 24-year-old Raphael L. Owens at about 11:30 Wednesday night near the corner of Elmore Avenue and South Portage Path. One pointed a chrome-plated gun at Owens and demanded his cell phone. Owens gave up the phone. The robber then asked, "what else do you have?" Owens tried to run, but the robber grabbed his arm. Owens broke free, pulled out his own gun and fired one shot, missing the teens, who took off running. They ran south on Elmore while Owens ran toward a pay phone. When he got to Grand Avenue at West Exchange Street, he saw the suspects up the street, at Grand and South Portage Path. Again, one teen leveled a gun at him. Again, Owens fired a shot and missed. The suspects fled as Owens called police from the pay phone at West Exchange and Dodge Avenue.


Vermont home invader released: "A Stowe man pleaded innocent Wednesday to domestic and simple assault charges in Orleans District Court after being shot in Albany. Eric Kelley, 31, was still clad in a hospital gown and bound in chains when he stood before Judge Christina Reiss. Police said Kelley was shot after he tried to break into his estranged wife's home in Albany and attacked her brother and father. He had been treated at North Country Hospital in Newport City after police said he was shot and grazed Tuesday morning when a side-by-side shotgun went off. The gun had been held by David Croteau, the father of Kelley's estranged wife Dawn, police said. Police did not say whether Croteau tried to shoot Eric Kelley or whether it went off by accident when Kelley knocked Croteau down. Kelley pleaded innocent to felony unlawful trespassing into an occupied dwelling, and misdemeanor charges of domestic and simple assault and unlawful mischief. Orleans County sheriff's deputies released Kelley after he signed conditions of release, including that he not contact or harass Dawn and her family members, including mother, Cindy Croteau, and brother Douglas"

British Keystone Cops again: "A police worker was accidentally shot by a gun specialist during a lecture on firearms awareness at the Thames Valley force’s headquarters. The wounded man, who is in his fifties, was reported to be in a serious but stable condition yesterday in the John Radcliffe hospital, Oxford, after surgery for a wound to his abdomen. The Independent Police Complaints Commission will now examine how a 9mm Glock pistol came to have a live round, why the safety catch was not on, and whether the officer checked the status of the gun before the lesson. Eleven call operators were attending the session in Kidlington, Oxford, on Wednesday when the gun went off as the officer – a member of the force’s tactical firearms unit – was demonstrating how it worked. “A shot ran out and one of the class was shot in the stomach from fairly close range,” a police source said. The source said: “The question uppermost in everyone’s mind is why on earth the gun was loaded when it was being used as during a demonstration in a classroom.”


Virginia: Burglar gets a headache : "A suspected burglar was shot in the head Wednesday after police say the unknown man tried to break into a house in Woodbridge, according to Prince William County police. The man, who police believe may be responsible for two burglary attempts at the house in the 1900 block of Old Post Terrace, fled from the scene after being shot, leaving a trail of blood, said Officer Erika Hernandez, Prince William police spokeswoman. Police said the homeowner fired a handgun at the burglar, striking him in the head, Hernandez said. When police arrived, the burglar was gone. The burglar is described as a thinly built white man in his early 20s, with blond hair who is approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds. The victim was not injured during the incident, Hernandez said, adding that at this time no charges have been brought against the homeowner."


Arizona man shoots himself in foot but gets thug too: "A man shot himself in the foot as he was defending himself from an attacker at a Mesa motel early Thursday, police said. Police said a man went to a room at the Tails West Motel, 6205 E. Main St., about 2:30 a.m. looking for another man who he said owed him money. During an altercation, the man in the room was pushed down onto a bed, where he reached over and grabbed a handgun and fired at the attacker. The first shot hit his foot, and the next two struck the attacker in the upper thigh and hand, police said. The men were taken to hospitals."

Soldiers Finding WWII Weapons in Iraq

While searching for weapons caches, American soldiers near Abu Ghraib often play the part of accidental archaeologists. Iraq is a country steeped in history, but the artifacts that soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry have periodically stumbled on are not born of the Middle East. Instead, they have migrated from Europe and Asia, remnants of past battlefields that have been pressed into service again.

Rifles etched with the Nazi eagle and swastika, Tommy guns seemingly straight out of black and white gangster movies, and a British Sterling submachine gun familiar to any World War II enthusiast have been found among the weapons troves of insurgents. The weapons, often preserved in their hiding places in motor oil, are discovered in perfect working order, a startling incongruence to their surroundings in Iraq and modern warfare. “Most of this stuff should be in a museum and not floating around,” said Capt. Rene Diaz, 29, of Puerto Rico. “You normally can only read about these kinds of weapons.”

The unit finds about two to three weapons caches per week, said Capt. Shaun Trinkle. The finds vary in size from a couple of guns with a few hundred rounds to larger caches with dozens of weapons and explosives. Trinkle, a 27-year-old from Fort Hood, Texas, said soldiers typically find a variation of the AK automatic rifle, a weapon common to many Iraqi households.

But on a dozen occasions, the troops have found weapons that date as far back as the 1930s and 40s. The weapons, from places like Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom, are worth tens of thousands of dollars to collectors, Diaz said. Diaz, a gun enthusiast, spends time pulling apart the rare weapons, studying the sturdy design that has allowed them to continue performing more than a half century after their manufacture. “These old weapons were designed to be pounded and punished,” he said. “In World War II they were made simple and easy to use. And here they still are.”

Trinkle, another admirer of vintage weapons, said it is anyone’s guess how the guns — some worth upwards of $25,000 on the antiquities market — could have found their way into dirt holes in the orchards and rutted fields of western Baghdad. “Sometimes it amazes me,” he said. “Some of the guns may have been family heirlooms passed down. Some may have been surplus weapons sold by other countries to Iraq. Some may have been floating around on the black market.”

The appearance of British weapons has the most plausible explanation, the soldiers said. The guns were likely remainders of the colonial British presence in Iraq during the early part of the 20th century. Iraq achieved independence from the British in the 1930s. “The weapons are pretty rugged,” Diaz said. “But a lot of them were destroyed after [World War II] so that’s why they’re collector’s items.”

Diaz said he hopes some of the antique guns are displayed at the unit’s home base in Fort Hood. The process of clearing the weapons for return to the United States involves a lot of paperwork, he said, but otherwise the guns will be destroyed or turned over to Iraqi authorities. “This is real unique stuff that you definitely don’t see every day in the United States,” Trinkle said. “Here you just find them buried in the ground.”

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Texas Man Found Dead After Dispute Turned Deadly : "Smith County Sheriff deputies are investigating a dispute that turned deadly after one man allegedly threw tools at another at a home near Gladewater. Smith County Sheriff Sgt. Randy Meadows said the shooting occurred in the 22100 block of County Road 374 about 12:30 Saturday morning and left a 40-year-old man dead. "We got a call that there had been a shooting and when deputies arrived they found George Edward Hill dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds," he said. Meadows said detectives at the scene saw evidence of a struggle, including a sling blade that was stuck in the wall. "It appears at this time that Hill showed up at the home and began arguing with David Allen McBride and then began throwing tools at him," he said. Meadows said Hill was throwing different types of tools and McBride reported he feared for his life and armed himself with a handgun and fired multiple shots striking Hill. "Right now it appears to be self-defense, but the investigation is ongoing," he said. "No charges have been filed at this time."



Tables turned in Florida attack : "Jacob Seckler keeps a gun in his pocket when he mows the lawn. He keeps a gun in his pillowcase when he tries to sleep, but the shadows dancing across the bedroom walls keep him awake. “I’m strictly against guns. I never wanted them in the house,” said Seckler. “Now I wouldn’t be in the house without a gun.” Seckler’s stance on guns changed the morning of May 16. He was mowing his lawn when he turned around and saw two 20-year-old men standing behind him. Seckler said one of the men was pointing a gun at his head. After Seckler, 50, raised his hands to the sky, the two men pushed him past the garage toward the front door of his home in northeast Cape Coral. They held him at gunpoint and said they were getting into his house no matter what. A struggle ensued at the front door. Seckler refused to let the men inside and they beat him over the head with the pistol and their elbows and fists. One of the men bit Seckler’s back. Seckler’s fiancee, Elizabeth Kachnic, 37, said she heard screaming and the door slam repeatedly. “I don’t know what happened to me,” said Seckler. “I was so scared. I’m not crazy like that, but I knew I had to do something.” The gun was pressed against Seckler’s temple. He said he pushed the assailant’s hand down and the gun fell to the ground. Seckler said he screamed for Kachnic to call 911 as he and the two men scrambled for the weapon. “I got the gun. I just turned around and shot,” said Seckler. “If they did not come here with a gun, they would be alive. It’s their fault.” He fired every bullet in the clip. One of the men, John Patrick Moore Jr., was hit as he sprinted across Seckler’s driveway. He stumbled to the edge of the street and died."

California: Ryan O'Neal Won't Face Criminal Charges: "Prosecutors declined Friday to charge Ryan O'Neal with assault with a deadly weapon for firing a gun during a brawl with his older son earlier this year. There was insufficient evidence "to prove this case to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt," said a report from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office. "Witnesses gave, in different interviews, conflicting stories" of what happened during the brawl, said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office. Mark Werksman, O'Neal's attorney, said prosecutors did the right thing by declining to pursue the case. "It's a tremendous relief for Mr. O'Neal to have this resolved favorably in this manner," said Werksman, claiming his client acted in self-defense. O'Neal, 66, was arrested at his Malibu home Feb. 3 for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon and negligent discharge of a firearm. He was freed on a $50,000 bond. The actor has said he fired a warning shot to scare his 42-year-old son, Griffin O'Neal, who had attacked him with a fireplace poker. He said his son lashed out at him during a fight, but he ducked and the poker struck Griffin O'Neal's pregnant girlfriend, Joanna Berry. She needed stitches for a facial cut, her attorney has said. Werksman said Ryan O'Neal suffered bruises to his arms and legs when he was struck several times."


Oklahoma: Clerk and robber both shot: "A convenience store clerk is in good condition at a local hospital after being shot during a robbery attempt in northwest Oklahoma City this morning, a police spokesman said. The suspect is also thought to have been shot, police Sgt. Paco Balderrama said. The suspected robber is in police custody after calling for paramedics shortly after the attempted heist. Police have not released the identities of either the clerk or the robber. About 2:15 a.m., police responded to the 4 Seasons Gas & Food at northwest 63 and Santa Fe, where the clerk at the store had been shot in the chest and left hand by a robber, Balderrama said. The suspect ran, but the clerk told police he had shot the robber before the man left the store. A short time later, the suspected robber called for medical help about a gunshot wound from 6316 W Wilshire Blvd., Balderrama said. The man was taken to a hospital and is currently in police custody. Police think he is responsible for the robbery, Balderrama said. The clerk is good condition this morning, recovering from his wounds at OU Medical Center"

Utah householder shoots at white guy in black hat (just like the movies): "A man shot at a burglar who entered his apartment Tuesday night. Police said a man dressed in black broke into an apartment, at 1100 South block of 200 East, about 11:20 p.m. and told a man inside he would kill him. The resident, who was watching television at the time, tussled with the burglar in the living room and broke free, authorities said. The resident went to the bedroom and grabbed a gun, shooting three times as the burglar ran away, said police. The burglar appeared to get away unscathed, police said. He was described as white, in his 20s, 5 feet, 10 inches tall and wearing black shorts, a black shirt and a black hat".


Texas man fatally shot by bar owner in robbery attempt: "A man was fatally shot by the owner of a north Houston business he was allegedly attempting to rob Sunday night. Police were called to the 5800 block of Fulton around 10:30 p.m. and discovered the body of a man, dead from multiple gunshot wounds to the torso. An automatic weapon was nearby. The owner of the bar told police that he confronted the man, who he believed to be a burglar, and the two exchanged gunfire. Witnesses told police that four shots were fired, said HPD Homicide Sgt. Ramiro Lozano. The owner of the business was not injured and the incident remains under investigation."


Tennessee shooting ruled justifiable: "Local and state investigators said this weekend’s shooting death of a Tennessee National Guardsman was done in self defense. The shooting happened early Sunday morning at a home on Dexter Gouge Road in the Limestone Cove area of Unicoi County. They say the homeowner was defending himself when a man pushed himself into the home holding a gun. Investigators said Clarence Hyder went to Nathan Gouge's home with a gun in his hand and he had another gun and rifle in his pick-up truck. Sheriff Kent Harris says he believes Hyder went to Gouge's home because he felt Gouge was talking about him behind his back. "Hyder already told his wife and his father in law that he already had a problem with Gouge. His wife, her first reaction was she thought possible that Hyder rode by there and shot into their house,” Sheriff Harris said. Sheriff Harris said Hyder was a guardsman with the Tennessee National Guard and returned from Iraq about a year ago. Harris described Gouge and Hyder as long time friends. The sheriff doesn't expect any charges to be filed and an autopsy as been requested for Hyder."

Mississippi: Feisty store clerk kills robber: "It happened just before 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning at the Super Seven gas station located at 4564 Bullard Street. According to police, the four suspects entered the store. Two were carrying shotguns and the other two were carrying pistols. Two of the suspects began tussling with the clerk. Eventually, the clerk pulled out his own handgun and began shooting at the suspects. 17-year-old Deonta Thomas was shot in the chest. He died on the scene. 16-year-old Ryaneal Campbell was shot in the leg. He is recovering at U.M.C. and will eventually be charged with armed robbery. The store clerk does not face any charges. The other two suspects fled the scene on foot. They were wearing masks to partially conceal their faces."


IN: No guns allowed, if you're a visitor: "Pistol-packing tourists at the Statehouse soon will have to leave their guns at home. Lawmakers and judges, however, will be exempt from new Statehouse security restrictions that go into effect June 4. The Statehouse -- which includes the governor's and lieutenant governor's offices, the legislature and the Indiana Supreme Court -- has been wide open, with no metal detectors and numerous entrances. Under the new policy, guns will be banned, and visitors will have to pass through metal detectors. ... the new rules do not apply to legislators or judges who, as members of separate branches of government, set their own rules."


Observant Florida mayor catches dumb crooks: "After a customer wrestled a gun away from a convenience store robber, an unlikely figure foiled the getaway: North Miami Mayor Kevin Burns. The gunman, wearing a dark blue bandanna over his face, walked into the market at Northeast 14th Avenue and 129th Street about 4 p.m., police say. After a customer tackled and disarmed him, he ran outside and jumped into a waiting gray Chrysler or Dodge with two other men. Burns, reelected last week, was driving to City Hall when he saw the scene unfold. For 10 minutes, he followed the car, trying unsuccessfully to dial 911. The robbers, aware they were being followed by his Secret Service-esque black SUV, abandoned their car behind North Miami's Jewish Community Center, 735 NE 125th St. Meanwhile, North Miami's new Strike Team, a group of detectives who target gangs and fugitives, were cruising the streets. One detective, John Mayato, happened upon Burns at the parking lot. Later, as the two guarded the abandoned car, another car cruised through the alleyway -- and Burns said he recognized the dreadlocked man as a passenger in the car he'd followed earlier. Mayato radioed fellow detectives, who pulled the car over. The dreadlocked man, whose name was not released, had called friends to pick him up, police believe. ''The amazing thing is he came back to the scene of the crime where they dumped the car,'' Burns said. Another man, Kendrick Jolly, 19, was found loitering in the area. His bandanna -- and ID -- were found inside the abandoned rental car, police said. Jolly has been charged with armed robbery. Detectives found another gun inside the car."

Arizona slaying ruled justifiable homicide: "The County Attorney's Office has deemed the March 3 fatal shooting of a 21-year-old-man by a near North Side resident justifiable and no charges will be sought in the case, authorities said. Killed was Charles Alvin Eisner, police said. Sgt. Decio Hopffer, a Tucson police spokesman would not name the man who shot Eisner because the shooter has not been charged with a crime. Eisner was shot before dawn after the occupant of a home near East Fort Lowell Road and North First Avenue heard noises in the carport, went to investigate and spotted a stranger in the carport, said Rick Unklesbay, chief trial counsel for the County Attorney's Office. Unklesbay said the resident went back into the house to put on clothing and when he turned around he found the stranger had rushed into the darkened home and the resident shot the intruder. A review of the police investigation lead to a determination the shooting was a justifiable homicide and the decision was made this month not to seek charges, Unklesbay said. The shooting was immediately reported to police by the resident, Unklesbay said."


Ohio man Shoots Pit Bull When It Tries To Attack: "A man was attacked by a pitbull on the city's east side Thursday morning before a gas station owner shot the dog. The attack happened at East 55th Street and St. Clair Avenue. Gas station owner Steve Daymut said he saw two pit bulls were walking unleashed near the busy intersection and one of the dogs got hit by a car. He wanted to help the dogs, but when the uninjured dog seized a passerby, Daymut ran back to the station and grabbed his 9 mm handgun. He shot the pit bull as it started to come toward him. The passerby was taken to an area hospital with injuries to his arm. His condition is not known."


MO: Bill would extend protection for deadly force: "An effort to expand [sic] gun rights in Missouri has been forwarded to Gov. Matt Blunt's desk. Dubbed the 'Castle Doctrine,' the House and Senate reached agreement on the bill, which is intended to expand a person's justifications for using deadly force in self-defense beyond the traditional defense of one's home. Current Missouri law justifies the use of deadly force only if people believe it's necessary to protect themselves or others from death or serious injury. The bill -- SB62 -- would give people in homes as well as car and truck drivers wide discretion in the use of deadly force against intruders. People would be immune from criminal and civil actions for killing or injuring someone in self-defense."

The Dead Horse in the Living Room: School Shootings

We are loathe to discuss the dead horse on the living room floor because we don't want to contemplate the fact that we would have to do something tangible about it. So we simply tiptoe over it and try to ignore its presence. Similarly, that is how we treat school security and prohibiting guns on campus.

There's an old story about a couple who moved into a new neighborhood. When their next door neighbor invited them to dinner, they gladly accepted. When the big evening arrived, they donned their best social attire, grabbed a little gift for the host and hostess, and presented themselves at the neighbor's front door at the appointed time, hungry, and ready to cement their new friendship.

Once inside, they immediately became aware that there was a dead horse on the living room floor! The hosts made no mention, indeed they quietly stepped over it in offering hors doevres, wine and small talk. When moving from the living room to the dining room, they had to step over the poor thing, yet the hosts acted like nothing was amiss. Dinner was splendid except for the knowledge that there was a dead horse in the next room, yet no one seemed to find it the least bit odd. It was strange, but even after dinner, when they retreated from the dining room back to the living room, there was that huge dead horse in the living room floor. The hosts continued to step over it each time they moved about, and they paid absolutely no attention, yet it was still there, plain as life.

Finally, as the new couple made their way past the dead horse to take their leave, the wife couldn't take it anymore. She turned to the hostess and asked "are you aware that there is a dead horse on your living room floor?" The hostess replied "Of course, but we don't like to talk about it".

The dead horse on the living room floor. It's there all right and we are most certainly aware of its presence, yet we pretend that it doesn't exist. Why? Well, first of all, if we acknowledged its presence, then we'd have to do something about it. Second, it is unpleasant, and whilst we know we'd have to clean it up, the cleansing might challenge us. We hope by denying its presence, that we won't have to deal with it, to think about it, to speak it's name. We hide from the truth. It might belie our self opinion, our perception of the world around us, it might make us think, change our minds.

Well? There's a dead horse on the living room floor. At least when we think of school security, and the possibility of some nut case coming in and shooting up the place, and the people inside. We are loathe to discuss the dead horse because we don't want to contemplate the fact that we would have to do something tangible about it. So we simply tiptoe over it and try to ignore its presence. And we pray that others will do the same.

Like an alcoholic refusing to admit that they have a problem because then they'd have to do something about it, we all can see the dead horse, yet no one wants to do anything about it. Meanwhile, it continues to fester. What about future happenings? Future victims?

Well, there's a problem with this strategy, as Virginia Tech shows us. We can try to ignore dead horses, but they continue to make their presence known to us, and our avoidance of the topic becomes more and more silly and pathetic as time passes, and events illustrate the fallacy of our preconceived notions.

The read dead horse is, of course the sad fact that the VA Tech nutcase had time to chain the doors, reload, and perform many other tasks - including killing as many people as possible - simply because he had no viable opposition. The dead horse is the fact that when nutcases come to our schools looking to make names for themselves, they know that they face no effective opposition.

32 people dead in VA Tech. how many would be alive and walking around today had there been someone - anyone inside that building who could mount effective opposition? The dead horse I refer to is why wasn't anybody else armed? Why wasn't there an armed person inside that building who could provide effective protection for the victims, who could only be led like sheep (or horses) to slaughter?

We know that name of that dead horse - the college administration is afraid of guns and had banned them from campus - even by licensed permit holders. Not only that, but they had just successfully defended this policy against a licensed permit holder in court. And not only that, they crowed over their victory, claiming it would make the campus safer. Events have proved that this policy, far from making people safer, actually increased their vulnerability for when the nutcase came.

Guns are banned from public places out of ignorance and propaganda. Those who know the truth know that guns are used far more often to deter crime than to cause it. They know that passing laws, enacting policies, etc. only deter the `good guys', and do nothing to stop the `bad guys'. In fact, by publicizing the fact that yours is a `gun free' zone, you effectively invite every nutcase in the vicinity to use your facility, and your people, as targets in his shooting gallery. You guarantee him safety from opposition whilst he continues to kill more and more people. And you take the right to self defense away from the victims.

Study after study (Kleck and Lott to name two) have affirmed that when `good guys' carry guns, that `multiple victim' shooting decrease in number. Who can possibly NOT want the chance of a multiple victim shooting to decrease? And when they do occur, the number of victims is far fewer. That means less people killed. Guns in the hands of normal citizens, permit holders if you will, are lifesavers. Yet for decades we have been told that guns are dangerous and ought to be banned.

Another dead horse is the fact that gun bans do not work, never have. Place after place, country after country, society after society has seen violent crime rates jump after gun bans are put into place. History shows gun control a dismal failure when and wherever it is tried, yet some people persist, stepping over the dead horse of disarmed victims, and armed criminals. They actually make us less safe than before, yet continue down the spiral of violence that they increasingly enable. Another dead horse that we don't talk about.

The truth is just about the opposite: more guns means less crime, including school shootings. If you look at the events behind every school shooting in recent history, the only ones that ended before the shooters were satisfied involved armed intervention. With nothing to stop them, the armed people just keep killing until they are satiated. With armed opposition, they are thwarted.

And don't tell me about getting the police. The VA Tech nutcase managed to kill entire classrooms full of people before the police could even be called - let alone arrive, setup, and gain entry (remember: he chained the doors). You can kill a lot of people in a very short time -especially if they cannot escape, and help cannot arrive. Some schools hire armed guards to deal with the threat. But armed guards are often the first ones to die - remember the lottery shootings? And that guard wasn't even armed.

So how many of the 32 could be alive and among us today had just one person inside that building been armed? Certainly not all could have been saved, but some. Can you look at the pictures of the victims and know who is now dead because of the dead horse that was VA Tech's `gun free' policies? Can you tell who is no longer able to live and enjoy life because no one could save them? Can you look into each young, promising eye, and say that that future was denied precisely because the administration is proudly squeamish about reality? Another dead horse.

Will school shootings continue? You bet. As long as nut cases know that they can come in, face no opposition, and kill as many innocents as they desire, things like this will continue to occur. As long as our schools are virtually proclaimed to be `nutcase shooting galleries", and our children, our young, our future, held out as expendable targets for the evil among us, that evil will continue. As long as we continue to tiptoe around the dead horse, it will continue to fester and reek of folly.

Some people believe that security cameras will deter shootings. In Great Britain - the most monitored society on the planet - violent crime is on the rise. All the cameras can do is to record the event. They can do nothing to stop it, or bring it to an early conclusion. There is only one way of doing that - the dead horse - promote the presence of armed `good guys'.

Other people say that all one needs to do is to call the police. A call to the police takes time, time during which the caller can be shot. People who have had the necessity to call the police will substantiate the fact that the phone call takes time - time during which things are happening. One can empty a gun's magazine in less time than it takes to produce your cell phone, let alone punch in the digits for "911". Cell phone calls to the emergency line are often routed to the wrong department. I have had the need to call 9-1-1 twice during the past few years - and both times the call went to another police department. They had to switch my call to the other location, and I had to start the process all over again. Each time the phone call required over a full clock minute just to get the right person on the other end to pick up. Then I had to explain the situation, then I had to wait for the police to arrive. By the time an emergency phone call can be completed, the shooter has the opportunity to kill dozens of people. The dead horse is that when seconds count, not only does the caller become a target should they be noticed, but the arrival of help is measured in minutes. People die during that time.

So if we look at the dead horse in the living, talk about it, and take prudent, wise action, then we will eventually do the right thing. There are people among us who carry firearms every day. People we see in the grocery store, walking down the sidewalk, people who sit beside us in church, on the bus, on a park bench. Are they carrying? Perhaps so. Perhaps not. But if they are, and someone tries to commit a violent crime, you can rely upon them to stop it, perhaps to save lives. It should be more reassuring to know that these folks are around, than to believe in the dead horse that we can remove guns from bad people by passing laws or enacting policies. Should the unthinkable happen and someone stride into your facility shooting, wouldn't you want to have a friend who is armed beside you?

Which brings me to my final dead horse. The safety of gun holders is proven and unchallengeable. The statistics of concealed carry, for example, is unassailable, yet people continue to express fear of guns. You may very well be afraid of guns, but others aren't. others have learned about guns, and are not governed by ignorance, but by truth. Those very people - those `armed citizens' that you fear may be the only thing between you and a violent crime, perhaps even death. Will you take the time to learn the truth? Do you want to be really safe, or only `safe' in an illusory sense. My final question" Would you rather FEEL safe, or BE safe?

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NC: Soldier kills home intruder: "A Fort Bragg soldier shot a 16-year-old intruder to death in his apartment early Wednesday, stopping an apparent home invasion. ... According to court documents, the four -- Geddie, Michael Fripp [above], Torrian Knowles and Kwuamae Keaton -- were at the apartment complex shortly after 5 a.m. Keaton, 17, reportedly stayed in the car while Fripp, 22, stood at the side of the building. They were acting as lookouts, police said. Geddie and Knowles, 18, went behind the apartment, court records said. Geddie kicked open the back door and went in. The occupants of the apartment -- soldier Brooks Boone and his wife -- were awakened by the noise, records said. Boone reportedly grabbed a gun from a nightstand beside the bed and fired several shots. Geddie was hit in the chest. The three who took him to the hospital have been charged with first-degree burglary and conspiracy...Buchkechio Geddie was a student at Hoke Christian Academy in Red Springs. He had attended South View High School but was expelled last year, his father said"


NC: Store owner holds burglar's accomplice at gunpoint: "Authorities said a man entered a Shell station on University Parkway at about 5:11 a.m. and demanded money. After he received an undisclosed amount of money, the culprit demanded money from the safe, police said. The owner, James William Overby, retrieved a handgun from a concealed location and pointed it at the culprit, according to Winston-Salem police. A short struggle ensued and the culprit fled on foot, police said. Overby then encountered a second culprit waiting in the suspect vehicle and ordered him to the ground, according to police. Overby detained that person until police arrived."

CA: Robber loses gun; ID'd by store video camera: "Woodland police have identified a suspect in the Tuesday morning attempted robbery of the AM/PM market at Ashley Avenue and Main Street. The suspect has been identified by police as Raul Aguilar Garcia, 22, of Woodland. Garcia is described as being 5-feet, 8-inches tall and weighing around 195 pounds with brown hair and black eyes. He was last seen in the South Sacramento area Tuesday but may return to Woodland because he has relatives in the area, according to police. Garcia and another as yet unidentified suspect, are believe responsible for the attempted robbery of the market around 2:37 a.m. Tuesday. A quick thinking Woodland clerk wrestled an assault rifle away from the suspect, then chased him from the store, according to police. The suspect was brandishing the assault rifle and demanding cash at the time of the robbery attempt. The gunman demanded money and handed the clerk a bag, but the clerk took the opportunity to grab the barrel of the rifle. He was able to wrestle the gun from the robber's grasp. After the tables had turned, the clerk pointed the loaded rifle at the startled suspect who turned and fled the store. The suspect was last seen running eastbound on West Lincoln Avenue with a second unidentified man".


NY: Tenant shoots suspect during home invasion: "Shots were fired during a daring broad daylight burglary attempt Tuesday. Police say the incident happened on Sharon Avenue, where a tenant opened fire at a burglary suspect. ... This has been a frightening day for this family. Tenants could be seen power-blasting blood off their sidewalk, which the suspect left as he ran off. Police say that an 18-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with burglary. They add the shot, apparently fired by the female tenant, was in self defense."


Creeping control: "I see the busybodies at the Bureau of Land Management have their skirts in a bunch over recreational shooting on government land. Specifically, they want to ban recreational shooting at the Ironwood Forest National Monument in southern Arizona. The proposal to ban target shooting appears in two out of four strategies that fall under the monument's proposed resource management plan -- including the BLM's preferred Alternative C. In the plan, the BLM justifies the proposed ban by claiming, vaguely, that target shooting poses a risk to people engaged in dispersed recreation on the monument's 129,000 acres."

Another triumph for Canadian gun control: "A 14-Year-old boy died in a Toronto hospital today after he was shot at a local high school. "There was a radio-call for a shooting at a school in Toronto," Constable George Schuurman of Toronto police said. The victim, believed to be 14, was taken to hospital but died, police chief Bill Blair said later. "A young man lost his life, a young student lost his life in the school," Mr Blair said. The school was briefly locked down in the afternoon as police searched for the shooter. Mr Blair said he had no information about suspects. "The only information we have is that this young man was found with a single gunshot wound," he said."


California gas station robber shot: "A man trying to rob a North Oakland gas station at gun point Tuesday morning was shot in the face by the owner, police said. The suspect, a 22-year-old Stockton man whose name was not released by police pending verification, is expected to recover. He was arrested about 15 minutes after the foiled robbery when he showed up at a San Leandro hospital. The station owner and a clerk who was also there were not hurt. The robbery happened about 7:25 a.m. at TQ's 76 station, 5425 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, which police said has been robbed in the past. Officer Ryan, who is investigating the case with Officer Jesse Grant, said the suspect entered the store area of the station where the owner and clerk were. Their names were not released by police. The clerk fled out of the store and the owner told the suspect to take whatever he wanted, police said. When the suspect could not get the cash register opened he began looking for the owner, who by then had gotten a gun and was in the garage area, police said. When the suspect, who was still holding the gun, came into the garage the owner shot him in the side of the face, Goodfellow said. Based on a trail of blood found, police believe the suspect made it to a car parked about a block away. He showed up about 15 minutes later at San Leandro Hospital, 13855 East 14th St. Police do not believe he drove himself there and were looking for an accomplice. The man was arrested and later transferred to Eden Hospital in Castro Valley where he was in serious condition Tuesday. Goodfellow said the gas station owner was released after questioning."


North Carolina homeowner kills black home invader: "Authorities are investigating the death of a man after a homeowner shot him after an alleged home invasion. At approximately 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, Fayetteville police officers responded to an unit at the Lake Shore Grand Luxury Apartments at 5508 Faith Drive in reference to a home invasion. Investigators said three men entered the residence armed with a weapon while the occupant was home. Police said the homeowner heard the men enter the residence, armed himself and fired, shooting one of them. Police said all three men fled the scene and drove to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center where the wounded suspect died as a result of his injuries. Detectives have the other two suspects in custody. Authorities have not yet released the names of the people involved."

NY: Burglar shot by store owner: "A burglary suspect was shot by a store owner early Friday at 1144 E. Main St., according to Rochester police. ... The 58-year-old business owner reported a burglary at 1:50 a.m. after he was alerted by an alarm, said Rochester Police Officer Deidre Taccone. Police searched the building but found no suspects, Taccone said. The store owner repaired a door that was damaged in the break-in. While the owner waited for other police officers to arrive to search for evidence such as fingerprints, a 41-year-old man entered the store about 4:15 a.m., Taccone said. The store owner confronted the man and the intruder came at the store owner, she said. The business owner shot the man with a registered handgun and called 911."


Bent on evil: "For example, consider homicide rates not involving firearms. The U.S. statistics rank higher than many European countrys' total murder rates, while Mexico, the Philippines and Taiwan have no-gun homicide rates higher than the U.S. total murder rate. Furthermore, 27.2 percent of Swiss nationals own hundreds of thousands of fully automatic rifles in their homes as part of their national defense; Switzerland has a low firearm homicide rate. Yet Great Britain with its draconian gun laws has a higher firearm murder rate. In the long run, if potential mass killers didn't have access to firearms (an unlikely prospect even if the gun laws were changed) they would just turn to other weapons to commit their crime, a bomb being a likely choice."


UT: Armed pharmacist stops robbery in progress: "Police say a 35-year-old Salt Lake man didn't really have a gun when he walked into a pharmacy and handed an employee a note demanding painkillers. But a pharmacy co-worker did. ... A pharmacy worker told police the man handed her a note stating 'This is a robbery. Give me 2 bottles of Oxycontin ... Do NOT make a scene and no one will get hurt. I have a gun.' ... another pharmacy co-worker showed his gun, and the suspect attempted to flee. The suspect, however, 'deferred to suggestions' made by a passer-by armed with a golf club to wait for police, according to the charging documents."

Arkansas pharmacy robber shot: "Marion, AR - A would-be robber is recovering in the med after being shot by the store clerk he was trying to rob. It happened this afternoon at the marion discount pharmacy in marion arkansas. Tonight.. Locals are calling the shooter a hero. It's well-known around town that Marion discount pharmacy had been robbed three times before. Locals are fed up. And when they heard how an attempted robbery got foiled.. Some.. Called the shooter a hero. "There was a guy laying in front of the door," says Nicky Glover a bystander who hadn't seen anything like this happen in Marion before. Marion Discount Pharmacy had just been robbed two weeks ago. But this latest attempt sent the would-be robber to the hospital. The shooter? A female pharmacist who was tired of being scared. "I think she probably solved a lot of problems here in Marion," says a friend who came to give support when they heard pharmacist Susan Burns shot a robber in her store. "We're all tired up and down this mall of robbers, thieves. She's my hometown hero." Police say around 3pm, the suspect, 26-year-old Jeremy Johnson, walked in with a gun. Police say Johnson then told a pharmacist behind the counter to get down on the ground, and ordered another to get him drugs. Somehow, Burns pulled a gun from behind the counter and fired. Police say the last time a robber came in, that robber had stuck a gun to her head. This robber didn't get far. Police say Johnson already had a warrant out for his arrest stemming from another robbery in Tennessee."


Idaho teens make a point: "Two home-schooled teenagers in this northern Idaho town say they are carrying loaded guns to the library, grocery store and other public areas for self-defense, as a crime deterrent, and to educate others about their rights. Zach Doty, 18, carries a loaded Glock handgun on his hip. His 15-year-old brother, Steven, carries a .22-caliber rifle in a sling on his back. Police have been called on several occasions to question the teens but have not found the teens to be in violation of the law. In Idaho, residents 18 and older can openly carry a firearm in public. And those ages 13 to 17 who have parental permission can carry a rifle in public. "I certainly don't anticipate that I'll need to use it, but I'd rather have it and not need it than to not have it and need it," Zach told the Coeur d'Alene Press. "There's no reason for me to hide a weapon." Zach was stopped April 17 on his way to Bible study. On Friday, police again responded when someone reported the brothers with guns in a park. But police left after confirming it was the Doty's."


Comment by economist Walter Williams: "Now let's turn to gun control laws. What do Virginia Tech's 32 murders, Columbine High School's 13 murders, Jonesboro Westside Middle School's five murders, Germany's Gutenberg High School's 16 murders, the murder of 14 legislators in Zug, Switzerland, and the murder of eight city council members in a Paris suburb all have in common? Answer: All the murders were committed in "gun-free zones." So a reasonable question is: Does legislation creating gun-free zones prevent murder and mayhem? In 1970, Israel adopted a policy to arm teachers and parents serving as school aids with semi-automatic weapons. Attacks by gunmen at Israeli schools have ceased. At Appalachian Law School in Virginia, a gunman who had already murdered three people was stopped from further carnage by two armed students. Gun possession stopping crime is not atypical, though it goes unreported by the media. According to various research estimates, from 764,000 to as many as 2.5 million crimes are prevented by armed, law-abiding people either warning a criminal that they're armed, brandishing their weapon or shooting a criminal. In the interest of truth in packaging, I think we should rename "gun-free zones" to "defenseless zones."

Indiana shooter says he acted in self-defense: "The man accused of shooting a fellow worker Monday evening at a local horse-training facility says he acted in self-defense. Charles Wolcott, 51, was upgraded Tuesday evening from critical to serious-but-stable condition after being shot in the stomach by 56-year-old Richard Velas. Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson said Velas has not been arrested or charged with a crime, and Floyd County Sheriff Darrell Mills said it's possible the shooting was provoked when Wolcott allegedly attacked Velas with a hammer. Police say the shooting occurred about 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Glenwood Training Center along Ind. 111 near the Clark-Floyd county line. Velas was reportedly living at a residence on the property while Wolcott - whose permanent address is Bennettsville Road in Borden - was temporarily living with his girlfriend in a home adjacent to the facility. Velas allegedly fired two shots at Wolcott from a rare .36 caliber black-powder six-shot revolver, a gun Mills said police "weren't really used to dealing with." A friend of Velas' - who declined to give his name but was caring for two of his own horses at Glenwood Tuesday afternoon - said Velas "felt really bad" about the shooting and described him as a "passive man who avoided confrontation."


Statue spooks British cops: "A terrified dad was held by police for 13 hours after they mistook a dummy of Lara Croft for a gunman. Computer games fan David Williams, 42, was arrested when armed cops swooped on his home late at night. He was pinned to the ground, handcuffed and quizzed - after officers spotted his life-sized model of the gun-toting Tomb Raider star, reports The Sun. David, from Dukinfield, Greater Manchester said: "I can't believe the police could be so stupid." He had called cops, about nuisance phone calls he'd received, but when two officers arrived, one saw the limited edition 6ft statue, worth 1,000 pounds, standing in the darkness of his living room window. Fearing it was an armed crook, the officers called in support - and David was held at gunpoint. David, who runs a computer games store, said: "The back-up cops burst in through the back door and knocked me to the ground. One jabbed a gun in the back of my neck and said, 'All right - where's the gun?' "I said, 'I don't have one'. They weren't happy and searched the house. "They must have soon realised what had happened because the PC who called for help was getting a lot of stick."


More British keystone cops: "Armed police chased gunmen along a motorway and cornered them in a supermarket car park - only to find two teenage girls in fancy dress with a toy pistol. Holly Spedding and Fatima Rupp, both 19, stopped their car to find themselves surrounded by police marksmen pointing guns at them and screaming: "Put your hands up!" The girls, dressed as cowgirls, cowered in fear as two helicopters hovered overhead and van loads of police dogs snarled at them. Holly and Fatima, who were locked up for hours before they were finally released, told how they had been returning from a Cowboys and Indians night at Chester University. As they headed home to Harrogate, North Yorkshire, along the M62 they joked with passing lorry drivers who spotted Fatima's cowboy hat. She said: "The lorry drivers were pretending to shoot me with their fingers. So I pointed the toy gun back at them. Everyone was smiling and laughing." But an off-duty police officer had spotted the girls and reported them for threatening motorists. Holly, who was driving, and Fatima realised something was wrong when they noticed a half a dozen police cars on their tail. Holly said: "We were petrified when we stopped and they came screeching up and surrounded us. "There were four jeeps, two vans full of dogs, armed police, helicopters and they were screaming: 'Where's the gun?'"

Detroit crook killed by intended victim: "A robbery and crime spree aided by an unloaded gun came to a halt late Thursday when the gunman met more than his match: a gun with bullets. Charles Parker Jr., 18, of Detroit was killed when a 53-year-old man pulled out a 9mm handgun and shot the teen, who was armed with an unloaded .22-caliber handgun. Detroit police are calling it self-defense. The botched carjacking on Grand River and Prevost came after a string of robberies in Detroit on Thursday, which police said were committed by Parker and four others, ranging in age from 16 to 20. The robberies began about 8:40 p.m. Thursday at Kentucky and Curtis when a 16-year-old was robbed of his cell phone, a silver chain and his wallet, by at least two of the suspects, police said. At 9:30 p.m., the robbers attempted to carjack a couple in the driveway of their home in the 19600 block of Appoline, police said. One pointed the unloaded gun at the couple and pulled the trigger. The teens fled without the car. Later, police said, the robbers saw a man at a Detroit car wash and tried to carjack him. The one approached with the unloaded gun and the other wielded a baseball bat, police said. That's when the man washing his car fired, striking Parker. Parker's alleged accomplices took him to Sinai-Grace Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Hospital security officers detained the other youths until police arrived. Police spokesman James Tate said a 17-year-old Detroit female, 16-year-old Southfield boy, a 19-year-old Southfield man, and a 20-year-old Detroit man are in custody. They face arraignment on armed robbery charges today in Detroit's 36th District Court. After the shooting, police questioned the 53-year-old man and released him, noting that he had a valid concealed weapons permit. Then they gave him back his gun."


Tennessee man says he shot teen at motel in self-defense: "South Precinct detectives believe Anthony Poole, 19, who was killed early Thursday at the Super 8 Motel on Harding Place, was shot in self-defense. The events began when Michael Darvin, 31, went to the Hamilton Inn on Briley Parkway at Interstate 40 late Wednesday and made a crack sale, according to police. While he was at the Hamilton Inn, he was robbed by three men. He returned to the Super 8, where he was staying. Less than an hour later, Darvin saw the three robbers in the hallway, he told police. The three men, at least two of them with guns, demanded that he allow them in his room. He pulled his own gun and shot two of them. He told police it was in self-defense. Poole and Steven Newsome, 26, were wounded. The third man, Kenzo Quezergue, 18, wasn't injured. Newsome drove to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with Poole and Quezergue in the car. Poole died at the hospital. Newsome was treated and released. Newsome and Quezergue are being charged with aggravated robbery. Darvin waited at the motel until police arrived and told officers he shot the men. No charges have been placed against him, but the investigation is continuing, police said."

Rochester, New York: Burglar shot: "A burglar gets more than he bargained for Friday morning when he broke into a store on East Main Street. Rochester police say the owner of "Utility Solutions" called police just before 2 Friday morning to report a burglary and that he had shot the suspect. When police arrived at the store two hours later--they found the 41-year-old suspect with a gunshot wound to the hip. Police say the store owner shot the man when he came at him. He was taken to the hospital and is expected to be ok. Police did collect the store owner's gun as part of the investigation. They say that gun was registered. They are not yet releasing any names in this case."


Buffalo, New York: Clerk thwarts robber by pulling shotgun: "A would-be bandit fled from a Best Street convenience store at about 10:45 a.m. Thursday when a clerk pulled a shotgun on him, Buffalo police said. The attempted holdup occurred at Best Market, 465 Best St., where the bandit entered the store and yelled, “Give me the money and hurry up,” police said."


Michigan: Kalamazoo man fends off attackers with handgun: "A Kalamazoo man was able to turn an attempted attack around because of his concealed weapons permit. The Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Department says 32-year-old Brian Smith was approached by two men as he was entering his apartment on Mt. Royal Drive just before 2 a.m. Friday. One of the suspects asked Smith for directions to Kalamazoo Valley Community College and then pulled out a revolver. Smith pulled out his revolver to defend himself and fired two shots, hitting the suspect in his left hand. Both of the suspects fled the scene on foot. The wounded suspect was arrested a short time later while trying to get medical attention. The other suspect is still on the loose. He is described as a black man in his early 20s, about 5'8" tall and having a thin build, and last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and black jeans."

CA: Police shoot sword-wielding nut: "A man suspected of attacking another with a sword inside a church was shot and killed Wednesday by police after a daylong search, authorities said. The man, whose name was not immediately released, died in a confrontation with officers inside a crawl space underneath a freeway bridge, said Mary Grady, a police department spokeswoman. The shooting occurred about 6:30 p.m. after a brief foot chase by the plainclothes officers, who spotted the man near the All Nations Church in the Lake View Terrace neighborhood, authorities said. A sword was recovered from the scene of the shooting. The night before, paramedics were called to the church when a man dressed in army fatigues attacked another with a sword, police said. When the victim tried to block the attack, the sword sliced his arm. He was taken to a hospital, where he was treated and released, authorities said."


Florida: White home invader shot: "The Bay County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help to find a man who forced his way into a home this morning at about 11:30 on Minneola Avenue in Callaway. The suspect was met in the home by the victim who had heard the man enter and armed herself with a small caliber handgun. The victim fired at the suspect three times. The man fled the home and left the scene in a newer model, black Volkswagen Jetta. When deputies arrived they found where the man had entered by forcing open a rear door to the home. The man is described as a heavy set white male with short hair. At the time of the incident, the man was wearing a plaid shirt. It is believed the man may have been wounded by the victim."


Indiana: Intruder shot and killed by homeowner: "An apparent intruder is dead after a possible home invasion led a homeowner to shoot him. Detectives say they'll question the homeowner Monday morning to find out exactly what happened about 11:30 Sunday night. That's when police were called to this home in the 3100 block of Park. The homeowner made that 911 call to say he shot an intruder. "The homeowner indicated the individual, the victim had broken into his house and confronted the homeowner in the front room, living room area and the homeowner had a long gun and discharged his weapon at least one time," said IMPD homicide detective Lt. Kevin Kelly. Police aren't sure what the victim was looking for."

Tennessee police clear senior citizen in Kingsport shooting: "After reviewing statements and the evidence from the scene, police say a senior citizen acted in self-defense when he shot a man during a fracas in a Kingsport intersection. The incident began last Monday at about 6:15 p.m. According to Kingsport Police, Lawrence Jennings, 46, of Virgil Avenue, blocked the intersection of Nassau Drive and Kingston Court, not allowing his ex-girlfriend to pass. Police say Jennings' former girlfriend was a passenger in the car of Giles Eddie Ferguson, 69, who is her brother-in-law. Having stopped Ferguson and his ex-girlfriend in the roadway, Jennings allegedly began kick and hitting the car. Police say Jennings cursed the two occupants before he opened the vehicle door and began hitting Ferguson in the face. It was at this point that Ferguson apparently pulled out a gun -- which he had a valid permit to carry -- and shot Jennings in the abdomen. Jennings then drove to Valero Market on East Stone Drive, where he told the clerk he had been shot. He was taken to Holston Valley Medical Center where he underwent surgery. Det. David Cole said several witnesses observed Jennings stop Ferguson's car, as well as the shooting. On Tuesday police announced Ferguson's actions were in self-defense while Jennings had charges placed agianst him."


California: Shots fired during attempted robbery: "Authorities are looking for two men they believe may be responsible for two armed robberies and an attempted carjacking late Monday night. During the first armed robbery at the Fast Stop Market at Seventh and Victor streets, the gunman opened fire after the clerk grabbed a gun of his own from behind the counter, said Deputy Luke Gaytan of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Victorville station of the 10 p.m. incident. “The clerk grabs his own gun and he hears the guy (prepare) his gun before he shoots three times at the clerk,” Gaytan said. “He ducks for cover and basically almost takes a round.” The clerk was not injured. The gunman, who was dressed all in black with a white bandana over his face fled westbound through the parking lot, Gaytan said. Officials suggested that he may have been met by second man acting as a look out, when running from the building."

Vermont: Gun stops invasion: "Police in Burlington are searching for several men in connection with a late night home invasion. It happened at a home on Green Acres Drive Friday night. Police say several men, armed with baseball bats, attempted to rob the home. But they were confronted by the homeowner, who reportedly fired a gun at the men. Police say the suspects fled from the scene and they don't believe anyone was injured. Police say it appears that the home had been targeted and that it was not a random incident. "A number of Burglaries happen in Burlington and the burglars are often tricky and try to go when there's no one at the residence. It's a fairly brazen act for someone to try to enter and to have the residence be occupied," said Burlington Police Lt. Bill Ward"


California: Teen robbery suspect killed by E. Oakland liquor-store clerk: "An East Oakland liquor-store clerk fired the fatal shots that killed a 17-year-old robbery suspect, whose accomplice has now been charged in his slaying, authorities said today. Tommy Ray Spencer Jr., 17, of Sacramento was shot and killed at about 10 p.m. Friday by the clerk at the Oak Tree Market at 1601 28th Ave. Spencer is the second would-be robber in the past month to die at the hands of an Oakland store employee or owner acting in self-defense, authorities said. Spencer and Juan Antonio Gonzalez, 23, also of Sacramento, went inside the market with the intent to rob the employees, said Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Tom Rogers. After accosting the store clerk, Spencer fired two shots from a weapon, prompting the clerk to produce a gun of his own and fire at least one shot, Rogers said. Spencer was killed, and Gonzalez fled, police said. The clerk, whose name wasn't released, won't face criminal charges because he acted in self-defense, Rogers said. The investigation led Oakland police on Sunday to Sacramento, where Gonzalez fired shots at Officer Jason Lancaster -- narrowly missing his head -- before escaping, Rogers said. Gonzalez was arrested without incident on Monday after police tracked him down at a Sacramento motel.


Baby gets gun permit: "A 10-MONTH-old Chicago boy whose application listed his height as 60cm, his weight as 9kg and was signed with a scribble, was issued a firearm permit for his 12-gauge shotgun. Bubba Ludwig was issued the identification card by Illinois authorities after his father, Howard Ludwig, paid the $US5 fee and filled out the application. The card lists the baby's height (68.6cm), weight (9kg) and has a scribble where the signature should be, the Associated Press reported. "Does a 10-month-old need a (firearms owners identification card)? No, but there are no restrictions under the act regarding age of applicants," said Illinois state police officer Scott Compton. Mr Ludwig, 30, applied for the card after his own father bought Bubba a 12-gauge Beretta shotgun as a gift."

No Free Speech for Gun Advocates

In response to the Virginia Tech massacre, a student at Hamline university in Minnesota sent an email to university officials saying that it should allow licensed gun owners to carry their weapons on campus as that would help keep the students safe. The university response?

"Hamline officials took swift action. On April 23, Scheffler received a letter informing him he'd been placed on interim suspension. To be considered for readmittance, he'd have to pay for a psychological evaluation and undergo any treatment deemed necessary, then meet with the dean of students, who would ultimately decide whether Scheffler was fit to return to the university.

Source

Convicted and punished without trial in a way that would do the old Soviet Union proud -- as we have come to expect of American universities. And what Stalinist has ever respected free speech rights?

This must in fact be a proud day for American universities: In one fell swoop they have denied a man his right to free speech, his right to bear arms and his right to due process. A trifecta!

Sadly, the right to due process has long been denied to students by American universities -- with predictable abuses following on from that. The vast injustice of such proceedings actually killed a student in the Plinton case




Alabama bank robber shot by police: " Two employees at an Alabama Wachovia bank were killed Monday when they were shot during a holdup around 9 a.m. Two other employees were wounded, one of them seriously. Birmingham News reports Bill Vietch, chief assistant district attorney in the Bessemer Cutoff, said, "We have two cases of capital murder and hopefully we won't have to file a third." Reports state that the gunman walked up to the tellers and started shooting. The first two he shot were killed. The robber took the bank manager hostage after a customer pulled a gun on him. He exited the bank holding a gun to the manager's head but tripped on a curb outside the building, fell and was shot by police. The gunman was taken to the hospital".


Louisiana man shoots, kills intruder: "A 61-year-old Avondale man shot and killed an intruder into his home Sunday evening, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Cornelius Sims said he was asleep in his home around 11 p.m. Sunday, along with his wife and young children, when he was awakened by noises that he believed were coming from his garage area, according to spokesman John Fortunato. Fortunato said that Sims went down into his kitchen and was startled by a man standing in his kitchen. Sims told deputies that he fired several shots in the man’s direction and that the suspect then fled. Deputies responding to the scene found the man lying near the side yard of Sims’ home. He was identified as 35-year-old Ronnie Wells."

NH.: Passerby guns down police officer's killer: "New Hampshire authorities said yesterday that they will not press charges against a former Marine who stepped into a deadly shooting and killed a 24-year-old high school dropout who had moments earlier fatally shot a police officer. The former Marine, Gregory W. Floyd, 49, was driving with his son along Route 116 in Franconia on Friday night when he saw Liko Kenney, 24, shoot Franconia Police Corporal Bruce McKay, 48, four times in the torso. After Kenney drove his Toyota Celica over McKay as the officer lay on the ground, Floyd grabbed the officer's service weapon and shot and killed Kenney. Authorities said the double shooting was the bloody climax of a long-simmering feud between McKay, a 12-year-veteran of the three-member department, and Kenney, a cousin of World Cup champion skier Bode Miller.... New Hampshire's attorney general, Kelly A. Ayotte, said Floyd will not face charges because he was justified in using deadly force. "Based on the results of the investigation, our conclusion is that Gregory Floyd's actions were justified based upon dangerous circumstances confronted with and efforts to assist McKay," Ayotte said at a news conference in Concord."


Minnesota madness. Victim arrested. Muggers go free: "After spending two nights in the Ramsey County jail, Donald Hurd walked out Thursday with no wallet, no cash and nowhere to go. The 68-year-old man was mugged Tuesday night in St. Paul, and officers arrested him after he shot one of the suspected robbers. .... Hurd said he was only trying to scare the three young men who attacked him. Legal experts said Hurd's case doesn't seem to meet the self-defense standard in Minnesota. The 18-year-old man who Hurd shot in the shoulder is expected to be fine, police said. You would think somewhere between the letter of the law, there's some space there for some consideration and understanding," Hurd said. "It is an injustice." The robbery suspects weren't arrested. The investigation into the robbery and the shooting continues, police said.... Hurd doesn't have a criminal history, but he acknowledged some problems with the way he handled things Tuesday night. He lied to police at first about the shooting, which he said he did because he was scared and confused. He doesn't have a permit to carry the pistol he had with him... State Rep. Tony Cornish, who sponsored a bill this legislative session to give citizens more leeway in using deadly force to defend themselves, said he was outraged by what happened to Hurd. "Maybe if these scumbags that were beating and robbing our old people had some doubt in their mind if they were going to survive their own crime, they would have some doubt about committing it in the first place," said Cornish, R-Good Thunder.... Even so, local attorneys think an argument could be made for Hurd's actions. If he is charged and the case goes to a jury, he'll likely come across as a sympathetic figure, they said. "These aren't cases prosecutors like to take to juries," said Richard Frase, a University of Minnesota law professor."