Pennsylvania Man Shoots, Kills Intruder: "Police continue their investigation today following a man’s death in Esplen overnight after officials say he broke into a home with a loaded weapon. The shooting happened just after 2:30am in the 500-block of Parson Street. Authorities have identified the man who died as 32-year-old Charles Long, of McKees Rocks. Police say it all started when Long began knocking on the door of West End resident, Terrence Triplett, 27, while he and his girlfriend were sleeping. Long then kicked in the front door and entered the home, officials report. According to investigators, Triplett confronted Long, disarmed him and fired several shots. Officials say when they arrived they found Long lying just inside the doorway. He was pronounced dead at the scene with gunshot wounds to the head and torso. Police say neither Triplett nor his girlfriend was injured. Investigators say Triplett has not been charged with any crime at this time, and is free on his own recognizance. Officials report that they will consult with the District Attorney’s Office to see if any charges are warranted."


Michigan: Shotgun scares off 2 robbers: "An Ypsilanti Township convenience store clerk grabbed a shotgun and scared off two would-be robbers, including one who crawled out of the store on his hands and knees to escape, police said. The clerk fired off a single shot after the two masked men got outside the Dairy Mart at 10131 Textile Road early Thursday morning, Washtenaw County Sheriff's Cmdr. Dave Egeler said. The blast blew out a window in the door but missed the fleeing robbers, Egeler said. Deputies responded to the Dairy Mart at 4:15 a.m. after receiving a call about a robbery attempt in which gunshots were fired, said Egeler. The convenience store clerk, a 31-year-old Ypsilanti Township man, told deputies he was behind the counter when heard something hitting the side of store shortly after 4 a.m. He went into an office, loaded a shotgun and as he exited the office heard the front door to the store open, Egeler said. The clerk told deputies he saw someone crouching in front of the counter and shouted as another man wearing a ski mask attempted to enter the store. Upon seeing the shotgun, the man by the entrance held the door open as the man by the counter crawled out, Egeler said. The clerk ran after them and fired one shot through the glass window of the front door. A tracking dog was unsuccessful in finding the robbers, who were dressed in all black and wore white gloves."


Florida: Neighbor shoots dog as it attacks puppies: "A man shot his neighbor's dog that he said was attacking his three puppies, the sheriff's office reports. In an early morning incident east of Bradenton, Willard Merchant, 18, said his neighbor's Rottweiler attacked his three puppies in his backyard, and so he injured the dog with a shotgun blast. A Manatee County Sheriff's Office report called the incident "shooting of a vicious dog." Merchant lives in the 5200 block of 47th Street East. The shooting took place at 7:45 a.m. today. An injured puppy died en route to a veterinarian, and the Rottweiler was treated and released, the sheriff's report said. The Rottweiler had previously been deemed aggresssive and Animal Control responded for follow up, the report said.

More Guns, Not Less, Would Prevent Shooting Massacres

Few tragedies make their victims feel more helpless than multiple-victim shootings. Imagine the terror: Unable to escape, simply waiting for the killer. With school starting, the April 16 attack at Virginia Tech that left 32 dead is still on many people’s minds. Some are looking for guarantees that such an attack won’t happen again.

But Virginia Tech’s just released report on how to stop future tragedies was pretty disappointing, and this coming week’s Virginia Governor’s task force report isn’t likely to be any better. The university proposes more counseling for mentally troubled students, internet based billboards to alert students of emergencies, putting both the police and fire departments into the same building to allow better coordination, more surveillance cameras, and locks that make it easier for students to get out of buildings.

Well, more cameras might help get campus police to the scene faster, but let’s hope that the next attacker doesn’t commit the attack where there are no cameras or that he doesn’t disable them first. Assuming that the doors to buildings are merely locked as they normally would be--and that the assailant has not blocked them or tied them shut with a chain-- easy to open locks could help. If a current student is planning the next attack, gets identified as having mental problems and has treatment, and that the treatment is successful, more mental health resources could be helpful.

But one glaring omission remains: The report failed to ask whether there were any common features or similarities among the different multiple-victim public shooting tragedies. And what happens if these policies fail? Should there be some ultimate protection upon which the university can rely?

Of course, these horrors are hardly unique to the United States. In 1996, Martin Bryant killed 35 people at Port Arthur in Tasmania, Australia. In the last half-dozen years, European countries-- including France, Germany and Switzerland-- have experienced multiple-victim shootings.

The worst, in Germany, resulted in 17 deaths; in Switzerland, one attack claimed the lives of 14 regional legislators. Of course, since 1997 there have been multiple attacks in the U.S., with the 13 dead at Columbine.

Prior to Virginia Tech, the two previous most deadly shootings in the U.S. were the 1991 Luby's Cafeteria massacre in Texas, which left 23 people dead, and the shooting at a California McDonald's in 1984, in which 21 people were killed.

All these attacks shared something in common: citizens were already banned from having guns in those areas. Indeed, every multiple-victim public shooting of any significant size in the United States has occurred in one of these gun-free zones.

The problem with gun-control laws is not that there isn't enough regulation, rather that it is primarily the law-abiding, not the criminals, who obey these laws. Virginia Tech has rigorously enforced its gun-free zone policy and suspended students with concealed handgun permits who have tried to bring handguns onto school property, and it will continue to do so. Imagine what this means for a faculty member fired for bringing even a permitted concealed handgun on campus. It would be impossible for them to get another academic job at any other university. Similarly, a student who gets expelled for a firearms violation will find it virtually impossible to get admitted to another school.

But whether it is the suspensions and expulsions at universities, or even the three-year prison terms that can await those who take guns onto property of K-12 schools in most states, these penalties are completely meaningless for someone intent on killing and facing multiple life sentences or death penalties.

But citizens and police who pack heat do help, because they can stop a shooting while it is happening. Amazingly, opposition to guns on campuses is so extreme that some even oppose police being able to carry guns. When, in the wake of the Virginia Tech shooting, campus police at Brandeis University asked that they be armed to prevent similar tragedies, the president of the Brandeis Student Union even argued that, “the sense of community and the sense of safety would be disturbed very much by having guns on campus.” The administration is now considering arming its officers but has not taken action. By Sept. 10, the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa will also decide whether to end an almost 30-year ban and allow campus police to again carry handguns.

Police with guns are certainly helpful, but there simply aren’t enough police to ensure that an officer will be at the scene when shooting starts. For example, this past spring at Virginia Tech, each officer on duty had to cover well over 250 acres.

Up until the early 1970s, Israel had to deal with the cold reality of terrorists who would take machine guns into shopping malls, schools, and Synagogues and open fire. That type of attack doesn’t occur any more. Why? Israelis realized that armed citizens could stop such an attacker before he did much damage. About 15 percent of Israelis are now licensed to carry weapons, and determined terrorists have to resort to less effective, secretive routes of attack such as bombing.

Increasing the probability that someone will be able to protect himself or herself increases deterrence. Even when any single person might have a small probability of having a concealed handgun, the probability that at least someone in the crowd will have a gun is very high. There have been a number of attempted public attacks have been stopped by permit holders on streets, at universities, and public schools.

While right-to-carry laws-- now operating in 40 states -- do reduce violent crime generally, the effect is much larger for multiple-victim shootings. Normally about 2 to 6 percent of adults in any state have permits, and for most crimes that means some deterrence. But for a shooting in a public place where there might be dozens or hundreds of people, it will almost ensure that at least someone -- someone who is unknown to the attacker -- will be able to defend themselves and others. People won't have to wait helplessly for the killer to get them.

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Texas Father Protects Daughter, Shoots Alleged Intruder: "The El Paso County Sheriff's Office investigated a shooting in Canutillo Saturday morning. It happened on the 800 block of Anthony Road early Saturday morning, when deputies said a 21-year-old man attempted to cause damage or commit a theft. The woman who lived in the home called her father, who lives a few houses away. He showed up with a handgun and confronted the 21-year old outside. Deputies said the father fired a warning shot first, and fired at the man when the 21-year old charged after him. The 21-year-old was hit in the chest. He was taken to the hospital."



PA: State police: Gun data upgrade may be delayed: "Pennsylvania's top trooper said yesterday that a controversial computer upgrade that would shut down firearm purchases for several days next week may be pushed back, amid criticism from hunters and others. Col. Jeffrey B. Miller said he plans to recommend to Gov. Rendell three alternative dates to upgrade the state's criminal-history background database: the end of September, the week after Christmas, or early January.Rendell is expected as early as today to decide from those alternatives, or to go forward with the originally scheduled shutdown ..Sportsmen, gun dealers and legislators from rural Pennsylvania have blasted that plan, arguing that it would occur at the start of dove and Canada goose hunting season."

Illegal gun ban in Va: "More than 100 gun-rights advocates, most carrying handguns on their hips and wearing buttons saying "Guns Save Lives," came to the City Council on Tuesday night to protest what they called harassment of law-abiding gun owners by city officials. The protest was called by the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a gun-rights group, after Chet Szymecki of Yorktown was arrested in June at Harborfest for carrying a gun. Szymecki was arrested for violating a city ordinance banning guns at Harborfest - an ordinance that officials now acknowledge violates state law. City Attorney Bernard A. Pishko said city officials were unaware of a state law prohibiting localities from banning guns. Carrying a weapon openly is legal in Virginia, even at a large gathering such as Harborfest. Once city officials realized their error, the charges against Szymecki were dropped. "We made a mistake," Councilman Barclay C. Winn said. "It was unintentional." Most who came to protest didn't appear to believe it was an innocent mistake. "You know it was illegal," said Dave Vann, who drove from Falls Church to speak. "You arrested someone, and now it's going to cost you dearly." Szymecki, a Navy veteran, said he was manhandled and hurt and that his wife, Deborah, his three children and two other children who accompanied them were traumatized. He said he has hired Norfolk attorney Stephen Merrill. Others rose to describe incidents in which they said they were questioned and often handcuffed by police for simply carrying a firearm openly."


Guns Don't Kill Criminals, Criminals Kill Criminals: "In Newark, where three young friends with no apparent links to crime were executed Aug. 4, roughly 85% of victims killed in the first six months of this year had criminal records, on par with the percentage in 2005 but up from 81% last year, police statistics show. David Kennedy, a professor at New York's John Jay College of Criminal Justice, says the rise in criminals killing criminals has escaped policymakers' attention. "The notion that these (murders) are random bolts of lightning, which is the commonly held image, is not the reality," says Kennedy, who has examined the backgrounds of murder suspects and victims in multiple U.S. cities. "It happens, but it doesn't happen often." The slaying of truly innocent victims is so unusual in Baltimore that the chief prosecutor says the city has become dangerously numb to the carnage. "If we don't put human faces on the victims, we will become desensitized," State Attorney Patricia Jessamy says"




North Carolina: Victim In Home Invasion Shoots, Kills Intruder: "One of three men accused of breaking into a home and holding the residents at gunpoint was shot and killed early Friday morning by one of the residents. Wayne County Sheriff's Department officials said Antione Logan Chestnut [above], 19, of Dudley was shot to death after he and two other men broke into a home in the Dudley community at about 12:30 a.m. There were two adults and four small children -- ages 4, 5,5 and 8 -- at the home at 2546 Old Mount Olive Highway at the time. According to officials, Chestnut, Kayloe Lemont Middleton, 25, and one other man broke through a front door, ransacked the home and held the people inside at gunpoint. Police said Chestnut fired at someone in the home. The resident shot back multiple times, killing Chestnut. The other two men escaped the home in a dark-colored vehicle. Middleton was arrested later and is charged with first-degree burglary and first-degree kidnapping. Police are still looking for the third intruder."

Another flaw found in new CHP pistols: "Smith & Wesson is recalling and replacing thousands of ammunition magazines it delivered with the California Highway Patrol's new semi-automatic pistols after officers reported bullets were not properly loading into the weapons' firing chambers. It marks the second time this year that parts have been recalled related to the CHP's new Smith & Wesson 4006TSW pistols, a purchase that drew criticism for its lack of competitive bidding. The CHP, however, maintains its confidence in the guns. "If we felt our officers weren't safe, they wouldn't be carrying these guns, period," said CHP spokeswoman Fran Clader. The department bought 9,736 new 4006TSW pistols in 2006, drawing fire from legislators like Romero -- who demanded a state audit -- and from a rival gun maker, which alleged the CHP had improperly restricted bidding for the guns to a single Smith & Wesson model. Problems with the new guns surfaced soon after deliveries began. Then, in March, Springfield, Mass.-based Smith & Wesson Corp. voluntarily recalled 3,000 of the CHP pistols to replace a defective metal catch. That catch, known as a sear, had failed during training shoots, rendering some weapons useless. The new pistols had an additional minor problem with a second part -- a slide stop release lever spring -- which Clader said the officers were instructed to fix themselves. The latest problem and recall -- affecting 684 guns and a total of 3,984 magazines -- arose Aug. 7 after 15 of the CHP's Inland Division officers reported concerns, Clader said."




South Carolina burglar shot in home invasion sentenced to 15 years: "An Orangeburg man shot during the February home invasion of a World War II veteran was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he entered a guilty plea Tuesday. Christopher Aiken [above], 24, of 2088 Muriel Street, was originally charged with first-degree burglary, a charge that after plea negotiations was reduced to second-degree burglary. The charges against Aiken came after the Feb. 20 invasion of the home of Ted Jackson, an 80-year-old World War II veteran and gun enthusiast. It was about 2 a.m. on that date when the shooting occurred. Jackson said his dog began barking, alerting him that something was amiss. As Jackson turned on a light, he grabbed a pistol. Seconds later, a man carrying an AK-47 kicked open his bedroom door. At a bond hearing for Aiken earlier this year, Jackson said he's faced Japanese cannon bigger than a machine gun. He fired at the intruder, striking the man in the upper shoulder. Aiken was treated for the gunshot wound and later released. When told of Aiken's sentence, Jackson said, "Yeah, that's OK, that's good. I'm glad that part's over." However, Jackson wonders if it really is over. About two weeks ago, someone broke into his home while he was away. He wonders if that latest break-in isn't related to the February shooting. Obviously a no-nonsense individual, Jackson says that given the same circumstances, he'd do it all over again. "Somebody's coming in my house? You dadblasted right I would," Jackson said. "If my little dog hadn't woke me up, it could have been a lot different."


Tennessee: Victim and Suspect Show Up at The Med, Suspect Arrested: "Memphis Police have arrested a man who showed up for treatment at the same emergency room as the man he's accused of shooting. It happened Monday at the Regional Medical Center. Police records show Samuel Anderson was shot several times by a man who came into his house and fired when Anderson tried to run. Anderson was hit in both thighs, his right calf and his right hand. The report says the intruder ran when Anderson got to his bedroom, picked up a pistol and fired one shot. The report says the man broke out a window to escape, cutting himself. At the hospital, Anderson recognized a man awaiting treatment, noting his crooked teeth. He told a nurse and police arrested 19-year-old Richard Terrell Blackburn. After Blackburn was bandaged, police questioned him and say Blackburn admitted the shooting and told detectives where to find the gun, stashed in a lawn mower bag".

CA: Sudden death for a foolish Hispanic: "Two suspects involved in an officer-involved shooting appeared in court Wednesday. Antonio Ribera, 23, and Gerardo Valencia both pleaded not guilty. Investigators said the shooting was prompted Sunday when officers received a 911 call reporting shots fired from a brown Honda. A Sheriff's deputy, who also heard the shots, found the vehicle and gave chase. The car stopped along Monterrey Street in east Bakersfield, and three suspects jumped out. Ribera and Valencia were arrested. Investigators said German Sarabia, 24, of Arvin was found hiding in a yard, and refused orders to drop his weapon. That is when 11 deputies and Bakersfield police officers opened fire and killed him".


NJ: Restraining order lifted, not gun ban: "A person who has had guns seized by the police because of domestic violence cannot buy guns later - even if the event was long ago and a restraining order has since been dropped, a state appeals court ruled yesterday.The three-judge Appellate Division panel said a Millburn man and his wife, who had a nasty divorce that led to domestic violence charges and restraining orders against both of them, could not have a firearms purchaser identification card. The prohibition survives even if, as in the case here, a restraining order is vacated," Judge Ariel Rodriguez wrote."


Gun Owners Without Borders: ""Gun Owners Without Borders is a proposal for a new international human rights organization.Gun Owners Without Borders recognizes a bond between individual human beings whose right to live is challenged by their governments or other forces.Gun Owners Without Borders supports an inalienable right of people to resist any attempts to exterminate them, regardless of the source or justification for the attempted extermination."

US is most-armed country; 90 guns per 100 people: "The United States has 90 guns for every 100 citizens, making it the most heavily armed society in the world, a report released on Tuesday said. U.S. citizens own 270 million of the world's 875 million known firearms, according to the Small Arms Survey 2007 by the Geneva-based Graduate Institute of International Studies. About 4.5 million of the 8 million new guns manufactured worldwide each year are purchased in the United States, it said. `There is roughly one firearm for every seven people worldwide. Without the United States, though, this drops to about one firearm per 10 people,' it said."


Strange FAA legal advice: ""Virgin's Richard Branson and legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan recently formed The Spaceship Company `to build a fleet of commercial sub-orbital spaceships and launch aircraft.' The government's response to establish control over the new venture has been swift. ..The resulting rules, published in The Federal Register, went almost unnoticed, particularly an obscure clause inexplicably claiming `Nearly all courts have also held that the Second Amendment is a collective right, rather than a personal right. Therefore... the FAA has the authority to prohibit firearms on launch and reentry vehicles for safety and security purposes.'"




Avurt's new self-defense weapon has five shots and a forty foot range: "Many want to be able to protect themselves in the event of an attack by an assailant, but don't want to use a gun or other lethal means to do so. Many options like pepper spray and Taser's have short ranges so you have to allow would-be attackers to get close to you for them to be effective. Avurt has a new self-defense weapon called the IM-5 that uses PAVA pepper filled projectiles that have a forty foot range; when the fired projectiles strike an assailant they burst open, similar to paint balls, causing the attacker's eyes, nose and throat to burn temporarily, effectively immobilizing them. The launcher is carried in a folded position inside a purse or holster. When unfolded a red laser sight activates to allow you to aim the device. When fired the IM-5 sounds like a pistol, which will theoretically scare the attacker and alert those near-by of trouble."

Jackson out of step: ""Rev. Jesse Jackson's attempt Tuesday in city rallies to generate support for more restrictive gun legislation clashes with public opinion on this civil rights issue," right to self-defense advocate John M. Snyder said here today. Zogby International early this month found in a poll of 1,020 Americans that 66 percent of the American voting public sees no need for new gun control laws, Snyder noted. "Frustrated with this public opposition," said Snyder, "Jackson and the gun grabbers are trying to intimidate legislators into supporting their radical agenda with these emotionally-charged rallies. "Legislators should wise up to Jackson and company. Millions of voters already know that U.S. Representatives and Senate Judiciary Committee members failed to consider constituent sentiment when they rushed to approve a National Instant Check System (NICS) 'improvements' bill earlier this summer. Why should legislators in Congress and state legislatures continually fly in the face of public opinion regarding the individual Second Amendment civil right to keep and bear arms?" Snyder said, "One policy initiative which demonstrably would meet with overwhelming support is the elimination of public funding of colleges and universities which prohibit students and professors from carrying guns on campus when they have state issued permits to carry concealed firearms."




Stupid black teen dies after picking a cop: "A 16-year-old is dead and another teen is in custody after a shooting. St. Louis police say the two tried to rob an off-duty female officer, who fired her weapon in self-defense. happened at the intersection of Lawn and Fairview just after 11:00 Saturday night. Police say the officer was in her personal car when one of the teens reached beneath his T-shirt and pulled out a weapon. Investigators say that's when the officer drew her gun. Neighbors heard several shots. One neighbor heard her screaming for the teen to put his hands in the air. Joey Foster Jr., 16, was struck and killed. A 9 mm handgun was found beside him on the sidewalk. Another teen [Amos Taylor -- above] ran, but was later taken into custody. Neighbor Kathy Fleming says she saw them on the street, just minutes before. "I don't know how old those two guys were, but they were so young," Fleming said. "I just thought two guys walking, but that time of night with those backpacks, it was just something out of the ordinary."


Dead Robber Identified in Wichita Kansas Case: "Police have identified the armed robber who was shot and killed by a store employee Saturday morning. Officers say 27-year-old Alexander Mies entered Salyer's Pharmacy at 10:47am with a bandage over part of his face, exposing just one eye. He asked to pick up a prescription under an alias name. Mies then pulled out a handgun and pointed at the clerk. At that point, a 58-year-old employee shot Mies once in head with a shotgun. No customers were inside at the time - just three employees. A delivery worker arrived in the middle of the holdup. Mies pronounced dead at 11:15 am. Police say the shooting appears to be a simple case of self-defense. [See report here of 27th.]

California Store Guard Shoots, Kills Scum: "A teen robber was shot and killed by a grocery store security guard after an attempted robbery turned into a gunfight Saturday, Stockton police said. The 19-year-old gunman was pronounced dead just outside the Super Mercado La Amapola, 1901 S. El Dorado Street in Stockton around 7:45 p.m. Saturday, Stockton police Sgt. Ken Praegitzer said. Store employee Nancy Ortega said the store was full of customers when the masked gunman came in, brandished a loaded handgun and demanded cash. At first, I was stunned. It was happening again," said Ortega, 16, who was robbed at gunpoint while working in the same store last month. Before Ortega could hand over the cash, investigators said the suspect spotted the store's security guard across the floor and fired. The guard jumped to Ortega's defense and returned fire. "He told me to get down," Ortega said. "I went down and they started shooting at each other." The guard, who asked to remain anonymous, told News10 that he had no choice but to fire on the suspect, striking him several times. "I actively wanted to stop the threat," he said. "There was nothing else I could have done. The things that happened here were basically tragic, but if somebody's coming in to the establishment shooting, I think I did what I could do. I think I did my job." Witnesses said the suspect then stumbled out to the sidewalk and collapsed, but not before firing a shot into a nearby car with a mother and two children inside. No one else was hurt."


Florida woman shoots at robbers in home invasion: "When a woman saw three men break into her bedroom window late Friday night, she took out a gun and fired several times. It didn't stop the men, though. They came in through the window of her South Fort Myers home, and after a struggle, they tied her hands then took off with money and jewelry. It all happened sometime before 11:40 p.m. Friday, and detectives were still looking for the suspects Saturday. The woman, who is in her 20s, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. She shares the home at 6770 Briarcliff Road with her boyfriend, but she was alone at the time of the break-in."


Georgia convenience store owner foils armed robbers: "The owner of a west Chatham County convenience store derailed the plans of two armed men who tried to rob him Thursday morning, using a gun of his own to send them packing. The would-be robbers, with guns drawn, entered Mike's Mini Mart at 2101 Lewis Mills Blvd. shortly after 7:30 a.m. Thursday, according to Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police. When the owner saw the barrels of the assailants' guns, he pulled out his own weapon and immediately opened fire as they entered. Seconds later, the two assailants turned and fled from the business. No customers were in the store, and no injuries were reported. The men fired two shots at the business before fleeing, blowing out their own rear window in the process, according to a police report. Police are asking the public's help to find a small blue or black car with the rear windshield shot out. The car was last seen traveling toward ACL Boulevard with an orange hand truck or a lawn mower protruding from its trunk. The assailants are described as two black males, one wearing a white T-shirt, dark shorts and white tennis shoes. He is 6 feet tall, weighing 160 to 170 pounds, with long dreadlocks. His accomplice stands about 5 feet, 9 inches, weighing 160 pounds. He was wearing a gray or green ball cap, a black hooded sweatshirt and yellow jogging pants with two stripes down the sides."

Another great success for British anti-gun laws: "Two doormen were injured in a shooting at a bar and restaurant in Liverpool, two days after an 11-year-old schoolboy was shot dead in the city, police said. One of the men is critically ill in hospital, while the other is in a stable condition. They were shot late on Friday at the Alma de Santiago, a South American-themed venue in south Liverpool. Police said there was no link to the death of Rhys Jones, shot dead in the Croxteth area of the city as he walked home from football training on Wednesday. "At this early stage police are not prepared to speculate on a motive and are not connecting it to any other recent incidents," a Merseyside Police spokeswoman said. The gunman is thought to have travelled to the bar in a dark hatchback car. Police closed Penny Lane, the street immortalised in the Beatles song of the same name, to allow forensics officers to search the scene."


And a good ol' British coverup of results course: "The government was accused yesterday of covering up the full extent of the gun crime epidemic sweeping Britain, after official figures showed that gun-related killings and injuries had risen more than fourfold since 1998. The Home Office figures - which exclude crimes involving air weapons - show the number of deaths and injuries caused by gun attacks in England and Wales soared from 864 in 1998-99 to 3,821 in 2005-06. That means that more than 10 people are injured or killed in a gun attack every day. This weekend the Tories said the figures challenged claims by Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, that gun crime was falling. David Davis, the shadow home secretary, tells her in a letter today that the “staggering findings” show her claims that gun crime has fallen are “inaccurate and misleading”.


Kansas clerk shoots, kills would-be robber: "A man in his 40s died today after he was shot by an employee while he was trying to rob a Wichita pharmacy, police said. The man walked into Salyer Pharmacy at 102 E. 21st St. about 10:45 a.m. Saturday. He had a handkerchief over his face and a gun in his hand, Wichita Police Lt. Sam Hanley said. He demanded money from at least two clerks, Hanley said, and "at some point, they produced their own weapon" and shot the man. The man died about 20 minutes later at Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis Campus, Hanley said."


Florida homeowner shoots burglary suspect: "A 65-year-old Orange County homeowner shot a man late Friday as he was breaking into his home in the 2200 block of W. Pine St. Harvey Lee Williams, 22, was shot in the right arm and taken to a hospital for treatment. The homeowner, who fired from inside his house, does not face charges, Orange County Sheriff's Cmdr. Bruce McMullen said. Williams has not been charged, but the investigation is not complete."

Middle class horror over Australian gunshop: "Up in arms would accurately describe the incensed reaction of Roseville residents to news that a gunshop is to open in their midst. Last night hundreds were expected to pack a community hall to protest against the approval granted by Ku-ring-gai Council, apparently without notification to those who may have an opinion about such an enterprise. Andrew Peter, a gun enthusiast and coffee shop owner from Bondi Junction, made an application last month to turn an old printing shop into a sporting goods and firearms store. One of the main reasons for his decision was the estimated 1300 firearm owners who live in the area. The shop is opposite a community hall that runs a preschool centre. It is also near a bus interchange used by schoolchildren, and some neighbouring businesses say the approval, although legal, is inappropriate. Lisa Warrand is one of dozens of parents who fear the worst: the potential for an armed hold-up and shootout, or merely having to explain to children who walk past every day why a shop sells guns". [Tim Blair has some cutting comments]


Arkansas teen dead after home invasion: "A Pine Bluff teenager was shot to death Thursday night after he reportedly kicked in the back door of a house in the Dollarway area and was confronted by the homeowner who had a handgun. Chief Deputy Coroner Chad Kelley said Winston Walls Jr., 14, was pronounced dead at Jefferson Regional Medical Center at 11:57 p.m. of a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The body was sent to the state Medical Examiner’s Office at Little Rock for an autopsy. Police spokesman Sgt. Greg Holland said officers were called to the area of Malcomb and School streets at approximately 8:25 p.m. in response to a shooting and when they arrived, found Walls with a gunshot wound. Holland said Walls was armed with a handgun when he kicked in the door of the house, and was confronted by the home owner, Jimmy Shaw, who also had a gun. Shaw reportedly fired at Walls, striking him in the abdomen, and Holland said investigators located a weapon allegedly carried by Walls inside the house, as well as evidence that the gun had been fired in the residence. Holland said investigators also learned that two additional juveniles, a 17-year-old male and a 16-year-old male, were involved in the attempted burglary that resulted in the death."


Florida man says he shot someone who threatened him: "A Jacksonville man told police he shot someone Wednesday night after the man approached him on Ring Lane off Emerson Street and pointed a gun at him. Gregory L. Christopher, 47, of Welford Road said he pulled out a gun himself and shot Larry S. White, 56, of San Diego Road, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. White was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police aren't releasing further details as the investigation continues. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, White has an extensive criminal history, including weapons, burglary and robbery charges. Christopher has had a clean record in Florida over the last 20 years."

Those good ol' British gun bans keeping everybody safe again: "Two teenagers have been arrested after an 11-year-old boy was shot dead in the latest in a series of violent youth deaths that has forced inner-city gun crime in Britain right up the political agenda. Rhys Jones was playing football in a pub car park in Liverpool last night when he was shot by a hooded youth riding a BMX bicycle, Merseyside Police said. Police were questioning two youths, aged 18 and 14, as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown condemned "a heinous crime that has shocked the whole of the country". Since taking over from Tony Blair on June 27, Mr Brown has signalled that law and order will remain a priority amid a string of high-profile cases of young people shot dead, often in deprived urban areas. At least six teenagers have been killed in shootings in London since February, while the northern city of Manchester has also seen a string of gun attacks involving young people"


More on those great British gun laws: "Senior police officers have been warning for several months that a growing number of teenagers in big cities are becoming involved in gun crime. The age of victims and suspects has fallen over the past three years as the availability of firearms in some cities has risen. Liverpool and Manchester are the cities where illegal guns are most readily available, with criminals claiming that some weapons are being smuggled from Ireland. Sawn-off shotguns are now being sold for as little as 50 pounds, and handguns for. Despite a ban on handguns introduced in 1997 after 16 children and their teacher were shot dead in the Dunblane massacre the previous year, their use in crimes has almost doubled to reach 4,671 in 2005-06. Official figures show that although Britain has some of the toughest anti-gun laws in the world, firearm use in crime has risen steadily. This year eight young people have been killed in gun attacks: six in London and one each in Manchester and Liverpool. "Illegal firearms have become increasingly accessible to younger offenders who appear more likely to use these firearms recklessly," a report on gun crime commissioned by the Home Office cautioned last year."


Louisiana: Nutter starts shootout: "A man with a history of mental problems started a shootout with another man in North Shreveport Wednesday morning that left the instigator critically wounded, authorities and neighbors said. Donald Richardson, 35, faces attempted murder charges upon his release from the hospital. A neighbor, Diane Howard, took out a protective order against Richardson back in January. Police Chief Henry Whitehorn said Richardson hadn't violated the protective order, but had been harrassing others."


Oklahoma jury acquits man in killing: "A Pittsburg County jury on Wednesday acquitted a man of first-degree murder in the death of a former employee. Mordecai had once worked for Krebbs' construction company and the two men had been friends. Krebbs testified on Wednesday that he shot Mordecai, but did so after he was assaulted. Witnesses also said that Mordecai had threatened Krebbs previously. On the stand, Krebbs said Mordecai had called him earlier that night wanting to fight him and had threatened to burn his house down if he didn't come home. When Krebbs returned to his residence around 1:30 or 2 a.m., he saw a strange car parked outside his driveway and another one pulling out from his home, according to his testimony. He said he put a clip in a handgun he had in his truck, and when he pulled up close to his house, he saw Mordecai waiting for him. Krebbs told the jury that Mordecai attacked him as he sat inside his truck. "He was coming in through the window," Krebbs told the jury. "I shot, not to kill him, just to get him away from me."

Florida Homeowner Shoots At Home Invasion Suspect: "A Miami homeowner who is frustrated by two previous burglaries took matters into his hands the third time around, shooting at and chasing away a burglary suspect on Wednesday. According to Miami Police, 41-year-old Edson Morales broke into Eduard Escobar's duplex at 2197 NW 18th Street. Escobar says he bought a gun after his home was broken into the first two times, and this time he put it to use. Escobar chased Morales out of the house with a gun, running after him, while firing shots in his direction and up in the air, but Morales was not injured by gunfire. "If I wanted to shoot him, I would shoot him inside and I would kill, but I don't want to kill him because he's a human being like me," said Escobar. Wednesday afternoon the a City of Miami Fire Captain was in the area of Northwest 22nd Avenue and 18th Street when he allegedly witnessed the shooting, calling police for help. Once they arrived, police surrounded a perimeter in the neighborhood, looking for the suspect. Thanks to a police dog, officers found Morales hiding under a bush, bleeding from a cut to his left hand when he allegedly broke in through a glass window at the home. He also suffered a bite at the expense of the police K-9, which found him blocks away at an apartment complex... Police say they will not charge Escobar because he was acting in self-defense"


Georgia Homeowner Shoots Burglar: "According to police, a morning shooting in Columbus was a case of self defense. Around 9:30 Wednesday morning police say a man armed with a gun entered a home on Patch drive. Authorities say the homeowner pulled his own gun to defend himself. Sergeant Harvey Hatcher with the Columbus Police Department tells News Three this was a clear case of self defense. Hatcher says "right now the preliminary investigation shows the homeowner who lives here was confronted by a subject with a gun. The homeowner was able to retrieve his own weapon and fired shots at the suspect". Hatcher says the attacker was shot in the arm and was taken to The hospital. After the shooting the culprit ran one block away to Eddy street where he was taken into custody. The case is being handled as an attempted burglary. The homeowner was not charged."


Louisiana Woman Kills Intruder: "St. Charles Parish deputies said a 22-year-old woman shot back at two men who barged into her home early Wednesday morning, killing one and wounding the other. Jason Jammal Todd and Chris Avila approached Nathaniel Evans as he was leaving for work at about 4 a.m., officials said. At gunpoint, they forced Evans back inside and then approached his girlfriend. Avila forced her to lie on the floor, deputies said, and one of them shot Evans. The woman got a gun from her bedroom and fired at the two intruders, deputies said. Todd was pronounced dead at the scene. Avila was hit in the lower torso and was found in a nearby field. He's listed in guarded but stable condition. Evans, meanwhile, is in an intensive care unit in guarded but stable condition. Deputies said both Todd and Avila had previous arrest records.

Washington State: Burglar can't escape Toledo homeowner: "Hal Durrett of Toledo was getting ready to take a shower Friday afternoon when he glanced outside and saw a strange man hanging around his vehicles. A white van with a septic maintenance logo was parked in his driveway. Fuming from the loss of heirlooms when his Toledo rental home was burglarized last year, Durrett, 24, got his 40-caliber semiautomatic pistol and went downstairs just as the stranger pushed open the screen door. The man's story about running out of gas seemed rehearsed. Durrett ordered him to lie on the floor and kept the gun trained on him as he dialed 911. "That's when he got gutsy," Durrett said by phone Monday afternoon. The stranger hurled himself on Durrett and tried to wrestle the gun away as they rolled. With Durrett, an ironworker, weighing 255 pounds to the stranger's estimated 160, the match was no contest, but the guy managed to get outside. He jumped into his van and backed out onto State Route 505. Durrett fired three shots at the tires, flattening one of them, he said. Lewis County sheriff's deputies found the van about a quarter-mile down the road and arrested Joel Anthony Anderson, 44, of Puyallup, Wash., without incident. "There was plenty of gas," Durrett said. Anderson was booked in lieu of $50,000 bail on suspicion of first-degree burglary. He also had two warrants from outside Lewis County.... Durrett said the suspect is lucky his girlfriend, Tiffani Alexander, wasn't home. "Tiffani has her own shotguns," he said. "And she's got more temper."


Ohio: Two dead, two arrested in Dayton store shooting: "Two people were shot to death and two people were arrested in a convenience store robbery Tuesday afternoon, Dayton police said. The owner of the Covault Market and Coin Laundry, 3705 Wayne Ave., was killed inside his store along with an employee, according to Maj. Michael Brown. An Air National Guard airman apprehended a masked gunman who was fleeing from the scene, according to the man's mother. Robert Bragg, 24, who works as a military police officer at the Springfield Air National Guard base, was sitting on his porch about 1:30 p.m. when he noticed two suspicious young men walking down Coventry Road off Wayne Avenue, said Barbi Byrd, Bragg's mother. Shortly after that, Byrd said she heard popping sounds and screaming. In the next instant, she said her son saw the same two men running down Coventry. Each was wearing a ski mask and armed with a handgun. Bragg retrieved his 9mm pistol, pointed it the men and ordered them to stop and drop their weapons, Byrd said. "I was freaking out. I thought one of them would shoot him," Byrd said. One man dropped his gun and threw up his hands, as Bragg ordered, while the other took off running through a neighbor's yard. Police took the second suspect into custody a short time later, Brown said." [Let's hope they get the chair. Washington allows it]


Florida: Early-morning shooting of young gang member: "Before Reco Melvin turned up dead, police were looking for him. The 17-year-old Eureka Garden apartments resident was a suspect in a homicide at the complex on Jacksonville's Westside several weeks earlier, authorities told the Times-Union. Investigators suspect Melvin killed his neighbor Herbert Porter in a May 13 shooting while trying to rob the 36-year-old man of money he made selling sodas and other sweets to residents at the complex. Sgt. Dan Janson said Monday that police believe Melvin tried to rob a man who came to the complex to buy drugs that July morning. During the encounter, Melvin pulled a gun, but the man defended himself by drawing his own weapon and firing, Janson said. The slaying happened a few buildings away from the apartment where the teenager lived with his mother and sisters in a spot where a memorial of candles and silk flowers still stands. Porter's homicide happened in his apartment, which is within eyesight of the Melvin family's front door. Assistant State Attorney John Guy said Monday that Melvin's homicide case wasn't closed yet and that a finding of justifiable homicide was a possibility. He wouldn't comment further, and authorities wouldn't name the man they believe shot Melvin". [See also here]

Texas: Police Investigate Fatal Shooting: "A Euless man took a weapon into another man's home and was gunned down. Here's what police say happened: The victim, Brandon Couey, had been arguing with a woman when a neighbor asked the woman if she was okay. Couey, who was armed with a knife, then walked into that neighbor's apartment. That is when Couey was shot. "We don't really know what happened -- we have an idea based on witness statements," said Lt. Wayne Paulik, Euless Police Department. "We're still going to conduct a thorough investigation. According to police, Couey then made his way across the street to a fire station. He was taken to a hospital and died. No arrests have been made."


California market owner will not be charged: "A Yuba City market owner who shot and killed an armed robber will not be charged with a crime, Sutter County District Attorney Carl Adams said today. Adams said the woman, who co-owns the Percy Avenue Market, acted in self-defense when she pulled a .38 caliber revolver from a drawer the night of Aug. 10 and shot Billy Lloyd Saling at point blank range. Adams did not name the woman in a press release but confirmed she is Suad Hamdan, wife of co-owner Chris Hamdan. She earlier declined comment. Saling had a loaded .22 caliber revolver in his hand when Hamdan fired one time, hitting him in the upper left chest. She fired a second time as he ran out the door but missed and hit a wall, said Adams. Saling collapsed and died in a parking lot five to eight seconds after being hit, the district attorney said. “It’s pretty clear she was convinced he would shoot her,” said Adams. “It’s clear she thought her life was at risk"


Texas: Resident Dies In Home Invasion Robbery; Intruder in Critical Condition: "Anthony Jerome Hemingway Sr., 43, died early Monday morning in an exchange of gunfire with a man who kicked in the door of his apartment in Killeen. The intruder, who was not identified, was in critical condition Monday after he was airlifted to Scott & White Hospital in Temple. It happened around 6:30 a.m. Monday at an apartment in the 1500 block of Windward Drive. Officers said an armed man kicked in the back door, entered the apartment and shot Hemingway, who returned fire, wounding his attacker."

CA: Robbery And Shootout At Sacramento Store: "Witnesses say it was something out of the Wild West, after a gun battle erupted in a Sacramento apartment complex. It all started next door, where three armed robbers entered Toledo's Mexican Market on Fulton Avenue. "It was a take over robbery they held them at gunpoint while they forced one of the employees to get the money," said Sgt. Tim Curran of the Sacramento Sheriff's Department. The three robbers ran out of the back of the store, and crawled through a hole in a fence leading to the apartment complex where a get away car was waiting. What they didn't know, the store owner and an employee were hot on their heels. The owner had a handgun and a shotgun. A running gun-battle with the suspects took place around the apartments. Shell casings marked the gunmen's path. They got away in a silver four door sedan, but not before leaving some of their loot behind. Store owner Jaime Toledo showed detectives how the suspects shot at him. The worker who was with him was hit by a bullet. "He was shot through the leg. He's ok, he's at the hospital already," said Toledo."


Georgia burglar pursued by quick-thinking man, nipped by dog: "A security guard on his way to work late Wednesday night helped capture a man police said had just robbed an Ellenwood truck stop. Vincent Taylor, 40, noticed a man coming out of the Fuel Center on Ga. 42 carrying a gun and large amount of money, said Clayton County police Deputy Chief Tim Robinson. Taylor was on his way to work at Turner Broadcasting, police said. "Realizing what had occurred, Taylor gave chase on foot," Robinson said. The armed robber, later identified by police as Robert C. Flynn II, 21, of Stockbridge, turned and fired at Taylor, Robinson said. Taylor returned fire from his handgun as Flynn ran into nearby woods, police said. Neither man was hit and Taylor stayed at the truck stop to wait for police, Robinson said. A K-9 unit was sent into the woods and tracked Flynn down within minutes, Robinson said. Flynn struggled with the dog and was bitten, police said. He was treated at Southern Regional Medical Center before being taken to the Clayton County Jail. Robinson said the gun Flynn used in the robbery was reported stolen in January 2006 out of DeKalb County. Police said they also recovered more than $1,200 in cash stolen from the Fuel Center."


Texas homeowner helps nab intruder: "A burglary suspect backed out of the home he entered in the early morning after being confronted by its pistol-packing owner. Arrested after the reported break-in on Monday morning was Oscar Daniel Navarro Garcia, 22, of Boling. He was being held at the Wharton County Jail on Tuesday after Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Jeanette Krenek set bail at $50,000 on a charge of burglary of habitation. The victim, a 57-year-old woman, told deputies she woke up when someone rang her rear doorbell. After grabbing her .38-caliber revolver, she answered the door and found a man wearing blue jeans but no shirt at the door. Later investigation showed someone had cut through two screens to gain entry to her closed-in utility room. "He told her that someone had hit her parked car and had driven off," Sheriff's Lt. Daniel Marek said. "When she unlocked the door, he stepped in and said, 'Don't be afraid, don't be afraid.' He appeared to be intoxicated. When she threatened him with the gun, he fled." Sheriff's deputy Joe Ray Joines and Sgt. Jimmy Woods responded to the location and the victim identified Garcia as the intruder.

Arkansas shopowner shoots black teen: "The owner of a Pine Bluff pawn shop told police he had shot someone trying to break into his business Thursday night and officers found a 15-year-old male dead at the scene. Chief Deputy Coroner Chad Kelley pronounced Taron Hopkins, 15, dead at the scene of an apparent gunshot wound to the upper body at 12:15 a.m. Friday ... Smith reported that he was in a small living area at the back of the business lying down when he heard a noise at the back of the building and yanked open the back door. “He said he saw several individuals standing immediately in front of him,” Rawlinson quoted Smith as saying. “Mr. Smith said one of them had something in his hand, possible a tire iron.” Rawlinson said Smith reported firing several shots in the direction of that person with a .38-caliber revolver. “All the subjects fled out the back and into the fenced in area,” Rawlinson said. “At the location where the subjects were reportedly standing, along with other evidence, a tire iron was recovered.” Rawlinson said no arrests have been made in connection with the incident and the investigation is continuing. Smith was released after being interviewed by detectives"


Florida: 76-year-old man wrestles gun away from robber: "A 76-year-old Pensacola man wrestled a gun from a 64-year-old man trying to rob him Friday, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded to reports of an armed robbery at Tall Oaks Campground about 11 a.m. and found Jay Robbins, 64, of Pensacola being held at gunpoint by Paul Ehler, 76. According to investigators, Ehler said he was sitting in his office chair when Roberts walked in and said he was going to rob Ehler. Ehler told investigators Roberts wanted him to sit in a chair to be bound. But when the suspect fumbled with the rope, Ehler came around the desk and attacked him, the report said. After a brief struggle, Ehler got the gun away from the suspect and held him until deputies arrived. Robbins was arrested for one count of armed robbery and taken to Escambia County Jail where he is being held on $50,000 bond.


New York: Intruder Fatally Shot During L.I. Home Invasion: A homeowner fatally shot one intruder and another escaped after a home invasion on Long Island on Thursday night. Police said two men broke into a home in Bay Shore around 10 p.m. and demanded cash and drugs from the homeowner. A struggle broke out and the homeowner shot one of the men and the other suspect fled the scene on foot, according to police. The intruder died at the scene. Police are searching for the second suspect of the home invasion, but they do not have a description. Police are also checking into the background of the homeowner.

California robber shot by guard: "A robber shot by a guard during a heist attempt at a San Pablo grocery store on August 10 remains on the lam, police said Thursday. Detectives suspect that he and his compatriots may have robbed other Food Maxx stores in the East Bay this summer. They do not know whether he died, sought medical help outside the region or simply spent his week hiding and suffering. "It was a point-blank shot. It struck him in the shoulder," San Pablo Police Detective David Hoff said. "I'm sure it was extremely painful." The unidentified man and another suspect, 41-year-old Oakland resident James Jones, walked into the San Pablo Avenue Food Maxx about 8 p.m. last Friday wearing sunglasses and caps, police said. Surveillance camera footage shows they spent 12 to 15 minutes "shopping" before the unidentified suspect grabbed a bag of snack food and headed for a register, with Jones close behind him. They apparently did not know that loss-prevention workers had spotted them the moment they walked through the door, Hoff said. Moments after the man leaned over the counter and grabbed a wad of cash from the register's till, the store called police, and its private security guards closed in. A guard with his gun drawn met the two men as they exited into the parking lot and grabbed the man with the cash by the shoulder, Hoff said. In response, the robber reached into his waistband. The guard saw he was about to pull out a handgun, and fired twice. One of the rounds definitely hit the robber, who threw down his weapon and cash and jumped into a waiting, dark-colored Honda or Toyota"


Massachusetts grand jury declines to indict doctor in husband's death: "Prosecutors are dropping the case against a Cape Cod doctor charged with fatally shooting her husband after a grand jury declined to indict her because of evidence he abused her. The Barnstable County grand jury considered testimony from 27 witnesses who said Ann Gryboski, 51, was a victim of physical and psychological abuse by Patrick Lancaster, 50, her husband of more than 20 years, Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe office said in a statement Friday. "This is a finding by the Grand Jury consistent with the evidence in this particular case," O'Keefe said. Gryboski has been free on bail after pleading not guilty in April to a murder charge. She had appeared in court with swollen eyes and bruises around her mouth, and the district attorney said then there were "mitigating factors" in her case. Reddington had said in court that the case was "pure and simple self-defense." "The bruises speak volumes about what happened," Reddington has said. "She did what she had to do to protect herself and her children." Gryboski told police she shot her husband, a builder and charter boat owner, in their home on Easter Sunday after she attempted to intervene in an argument between him and one of their adult sons who confronted his father about his mother's black eye and swollen face. She told police that the night before the killing, her husband had repeatedly punched her as she drove with their 2-year-old grandson in the back seat. When her husband came toward her on that Sunday, she fired two shots, hitting him in the torso"


Georgia tattoo parlor owner shoots robber: "The shotgun hangs on the wall of the Tattoo Doctor for a reason, its employees say. It's meant to convey a message to anyone walking in: Don't mess with us. Until now, the insinuation worked fine. But when a would-be robber tried to hold up the southwest Atlanta tattoo and piercing parlor Thursday night, he learned the hard way what happens when you disobey. The store owner shot the man at least three times, sending him scurrying out of the shop and into a nearby apartment complex - where he was promptly arrested. About seven people, including patrons and employees, were at the shop on Campbellton Road when two men came in about 8 p.m. asking to get tattooed. As one of them was called in for his appointment, the second man pulled out a gun, ordered everyone to get down on the ground and demanded money, Patrick said. "He pointed to the [shotgun] and said nobody touch it," Patrick said. "We put it up there to curtail exactly this type of behavior." As the patrons hit the ground, the store owner - whose business license lists him as Ikeno Patrick, but who goes by "Nomadic" - pulled out a different gun and fired. As the shots flew, the second man cowered in a corner, saying, "Please don't kill me. I didn't have nothing to do with it," Patrick recalled. Atlanta police Officer Eric Schwartz said the would-be robber, whose name was not released, was arrested and taken to a hospital in stable condition."

CA: Cop-shoot trial turns on moves by victim: "A trial involving a damages suit against San Francisco police for the fatal shooting of a disabled man opened in federal court Monday and quickly focused on whether the man was reaching for a gun when he was killed. Dale Galipo, lawyer for Cammerin Boyd's mother and two daughters, told the jury the evidence would show that Boyd was trying to surrender when he was shot to death in May 2004 outside his rented SUV. He said Boyd posed no danger to officers who had surrounded him after a car chase. But Deputy City Attorney James Loebs said the evidence of Boyd's wounds and bloodstains would support police testimony that he was reaching into the SUV for a gun, which was found inside the vehicle. Loebs said Boyd had shot at the officers twice. "These officers were risking their lives and should be honored for what they were doing, not persecuted," Loebs told the jury. Boyd, 29, of Oakland, was a former high school football star who lost both legs below the knee in a 1993 car crash while he was fleeing police. He later served time in prison and was facing an armed robbery charge at the time of his death, the city's lawyers said."


South Carolina Suspect Shot After Breaking into Home: "Deputies were called to respond to a report of a gunshot victim at the residence of 16 Compass Point Rd. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Cantwell lying at the bottom of the steps of the residence, disoriented and bleeding profusely from his left leg. Deputies met with the complainant, 51-year old Raymond Gaudreau, who resides at 16 Compass Point Rd. Gaudreau recounted to deputies that he was asleep on the couch in the living room of his home when he was awakened by the sound of someone trying to come in the front door. Gaudreau advised seeing the door come partially open, but an engaged chain lock prevented it from being opened completely. Gaudreau fled through the house to the back deck outside where he called 911. During this time, the subject did make forced entry through the front door, charging through the home where he confronted Gaudreau on the back deck. Gaudreau, who was armed with a 9mm handgun, repeatedly advised the subject that he was armed with a gun and to stay back. The subject disregarded Gaudreau's warnings, becoming violent as he picked up the metal patio table separating the two men and threw it at Gaudreau. As the subject lunged towards Gaudreau, Gaudreau fired his gun, shooting the subject in the lower left leg.


Delaware intruder shot: "New Castle County police are investigating the shooting of a man Wednesday afternoon during a break-in. Shortly before 3 p.m., police were called to the first block of Christiana Crossing Drive in Newark, where a 31-year-old male resident of Christiana Farms town houses said he had shot someone trying to break into his home, said spokesman Cpl. Trinidad Navarro. A female witness drove the intruder, a 39-year-old, to Christiana Hospital with a gunshot wound to the upper torso, Navarro said. He was reportedly in stable condition".

Senate panel sends Brady expansion bill to the floor

It's truly amazing. You wouldn't think that something as controversial as gun control could fly through the House of Representatives, and then through a Senate committee without facing at least one recorded vote. But on Thursday of last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Senate version of the McCarthy bill by an unrecorded voice vote.

The draft bill - which is still unnumbered - is being sponsored by the chairman of the committee, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT). The Brady expansion provisions in this bill are identical to the ones in the McCarthy bill and would easily deny thousands (if not millions) of law-abiding citizens their right to own firearms. As mentioned in earlier alerts, the NRA and the Brady Campaign are both in favor of this legislation. In fact, the author of the House bill, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), has stated there is no way this bill could pass without the NRA's support: "The National Rife Association still wields tremendous influence in the halls of Congress," McCarthy said, "and their blessing is required for any bill that enforces or creates gun laws."

The reason why some gun owners support the Leahy-McCarthy measure is they think the bill will make it easier for many Americans to regain their rights - such as military veterans who have been illegitimately denied a firearm. What they don't realize is that this is a pie-in-the-sky promise. Veterans will have to find a pro-gun shrink that will certify that said veteran is not a danger to himself or others. (Question: Would you ever certify that someone you don't know could NEVER be a danger to himself or others?) They will then have to hire a good attorney, take the government to court and hope they can force the FBI to delete their names from the NICS system.

It must be stressed that thousands of veterans have already been illegally banned from owning guns without being convicted of anything. Not only that, thousands more will have their names placed on the Brady list of banned buyers if this legislation passes. It is beside the point that they might be able to get their rights restored. They never should have lost them in the first place. Further, they will be forced to spend a lot of money to regain their gun rights - rights which were unconstitutionally stripped by the Leahy-McCarthy bill.

We've already seen that at the state level, getting your guns back - after being decreed a supposed danger to society - is easier said than done. Consider what is ALREADY happening in California. University of San Francisco professor W. Michael Becker - a licensed psychologist and attorney - points out how in the Golden State, a gun owner can easily lose his guns if he's deemed to be a danger to himself and others. And while state law allows the gun owner to get his guns back (after he's no longer considered a danger), the retrieval process is by NO MEANS automatic.

More here




Texas fruitcake: "Police said they may never know why a man who wrecked his car along a downtown freeway opened fire on the people who stopped to render aid, killing two before fatally shooting himself. A Dallas police officer responding to the incident and another passer-by who stopped to help were seriously wounded in the Sunday morning shooting, authorities said. Police said no one heard any words from the suspected gunman, 20-year-old Nick A. Salinas, of Cedar Hill. "We may never know," said Dallas police Sgt. Gary Kirkpatrick. "But it's something we hope to find out." Police identified the shooting victims as Robert Daniel Langston, 22, of Duncanville, and Jesus Reyes Terrazas, Jr., 24, of Dallas... Witnesses told investigators they stopped to help a motorist on the side of Interstate 35 when someone inside the car shot at them. One witness left in his car after the shooter pointed a gun at him, police said. Terrazas was part of a group of four who saw the accident scene and turned around to help. Someone in the group returned fire, Hale said. Police said they don't believe the return fire hit Salinas. The man was licensed to carry a concealed weapon."


Arizona man breaks into home, finds self held at gunpoint: "A man broke into a Mesa home and found himself held at gun point. Edward Linton walked into the home through the garage door where the resident confronted him. The resident then threw him outside and held him at gunpoint while he waited for police to come. Right now Linton is in police custody. No word yet on if he'll face any charges."


Pennsylvania: DA clears clerk who killed Beechview robber: "A gas station clerk acted in self-defense when he fatally shot a robber and will not be charged, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said today. Walter Wetzel Jr., 58, of Mt. Washington, killed Raymond Crawford, 30, of Northview Heights, July 14, at the BP station on Saw Mill Run Boulevard in Beechview, police said. Zappala said Crawford had already pulled a gun at two other businesses that night before he confronted Wetzel. "He went right to the clerk and pointed a weapon at him," Zappala said. Crawford demanded money, cigarettes and blunts, and when Wetzel bent down behind the counter to get some of the items, he came up with a gun and shot Crawford twice in the chest, Zappala said. "The clerk was scared because the robber wanted more and more items and (the clerk) did not have access to the safe," Zappala said. Zappala said the shooting was justified but generally speaking, he said he would prefer store clerks give robbers what they want, let them get out and call police. "I would have preferred no one would have died," Zappala said."

Students push for guns on campus

College students are pushing for their schools to allow them to carry guns on campus, saying they should have the right to protect themselves in a situation like the one in which 32 Virginia Tech students and faculty were fatally shot. Andrew Dysart, a George Mason University senior, organized a chapter of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, which hopes to persuade legislators to overturn a Virginia law that allows universities to prohibit students, faculty and staff members with gun permits from carrying their weapons onto campus. "There's no way to know what could have happened, but the students at Tech, they really should have had a chance," Mr. Dysart said of the April 16 shootings in which gunman Seung-hui Cho killed 32 persons, then fatally shot himself. "They should have had the chance to defend themselves if it came down to that."

Virginia law lets schools decide whether to allow students with concealed-weapons permits to carry their guns on campus. One state school, Blue Ridge Community College, gave permission. Schools cannot prohibit nonstudents or other outsiders from carrying weapons onto campuses if they have legal permits. "In a sense, [students] don't have the same rights to self-defense on campus as the general public," said Mr. Dysart, who said his four years as a Marine shaped his ideas about self-defense. "It's really lopsided the way it works."

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, a Democrat, said individual colleges and universities should be able to decide whether to allow students to carry guns onto school grounds. Mr. Kaine also said he would wait to see whether a panel studying the Virginia Tech shootings makes recommendations on the issue. Nationwide, 38 states ban weapons at schools, and 16 of those specifically ban guns on college campuses, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Other states allow schools to adopt their own gun policies.

Utah is the only state that specifically allows people to carry concealed weapons at public colleges. Legislation passed in 2004 allows concealed weapons on all state property, including colleges and universities. The University of Utah, which had banned concealed weapons for decades, challenged the law, but the state Supreme Court upheld it last year.

More here






Florida robber killed in shootout: "Two people are being questioned by police after a robbery escalated into a deadly shooting spree on the Westside. It happened at Avatar Graphics on Blanding Boulevard at around 6:30 a.m. Monday morning. Police say at least one person tried to rob the shop at gunpoint. That's when the owner, Bryan Martin, pulled out his own gun and bullets started flying. Martin was found shot and in critical condition at the shop. The would-be robber was found a block down the road in a car with two other men. He later died from his injuries."


Nevada: 2 Shot In Home Invasion: "Police are investigating a home invasion shooting at a home on Coral Ribbon, near Lindell and Robindale. Metro police tell Action News, a woman came home around 5 AM this morning and was accosted by three African American men. Her husband came to her aid, and shots were exchanged between the husband and the suspects. One suspect was hit and died at the scene. The woman was also shot and taken to the hospital. There is no word yet on her condition. Police say the other two suspects are now at large.