Tennessee robber shot: "Police say a man who was dropped off at the Med with a critical gunshot wound may be the same man who was shot while robbing a convenience store in North Memphis. According to investigators, a man and woman busted into the store in the 2000 block of North Chelsea armed with guns and robbed the place. Store surveillance video obtained by Eyewitness News Everywhere shows the robbers wearing masks or bandannas to cover their faces as they point the guns at an unarmed clerk behind the counter. The store owner says the robbers were surprised by another employee who was outside locking up a laundromat on the other side of the building. That employee happened to be carrying a gun in his coat pocket to protect himself while working outside at night. Police said the employee and at least one of the robbers traded gunfire. It was unclear who shot first, but investigators believe the man involved in the robbery was hit. The woman got away."


Michigan man a bit slow to shoot: "A Clinton Township man woke up Monday to the sound of a burglar in his condo and chased him away with a gun. He thought that would be the end of it, until the man came out of nowhere and charged at him. That's when the gun fired. According to police, the man had returned home after a 10-day hunting trip. He heard a noise and chased the burglar away with a gun. The condo owner then knocked on his neighbor's door and asked them to call police. That's when the suspect came back and charged at him. The condo owner shouted that he had a gun, police said, but the suspect tried to grab it away. The two wrestled for the weapon and the gun discharged twice -- the first shot hitting the ground and the second struck the suspect in the leg. Police arrived shortly afterward and took the suspect into custody. Police expect the burglar to be arraigned Tuesday.


Maryland burglar shot: "Police say a man attempted to break into a home on Santa Fe drive on Saturday, but was stopped by a gunshot. The man was shot under the arm by the owner of the home while trying to break into their home. He was taken to PRMC and treated for minor injuries. Police are still looking for two more suspects who fled the scene in a white station wagon."

California: Home-invasion robbery suspect arrested: "An Adelanto man has been arrested after an intruder broke into a home and narrowly escaped being shot by the homeowner Saturday. Lawrence McGirt, 29, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of residential robbery, according to a sheriff's news release. About 1:45 a.m., deputies got a call about a robbery in the 15000 block of Barranca Way. Some of the neighbors came to realize the suspect was a relative of theirs who had earlier been to their home demanding money, officials said. Investigators say McGirt later walked across the street and kicked down the front door of a neighbor's house. Upon hearing the ruckus, investigators said the homeowner grabbed his .38-caliber handgun and went into the hallway, where he saw McGirt getting up off the floor. As McGirt stood up, he pulled something from his waistband and pointed it at the homeowner and instructed him to get down, officials said. The man shot at the intruder four times but did not hit him, officials said. The owner ran from the house. Investigators were able to track down McGirt at about 6 a.m. in 10900 block of Aztec Lane in Adelanto and arrested him. He was booked at the Victor Valley jail on suspicion of robbery with gang enhancements, as well as a parole-warrant hold with no bail."


NC man kills threatening teen: "Murder charges have been dismissed against a man accused of killing his girlfriend's son in a domestic dispute. The first-degree murder charge against Emmett Jasper "Bo" Kennon Jr., 42, was dismissed Nov. 21, according to court documents. Kennon was arrested in late October and charged in the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Travis Clark of 183 Brightwood Road in Eden. Travis Clark was the son of Kennon's girlfriend at the time, Lynette Clark. Rockingham County District Attorney Phil Berger Jr. said Friday that the case proved to be one of self-defense rather than murder. Deputies were called to the Brightwood Road home about 11 p.m. Oct. 30 about a shooting. A sheriff's office news release described Kennon as being "irate and uncooperative." Travis Clark was found in the house with a gunshot wound. Berger said information from three witnesses provided evidence that Kennon shot Travis Clark in self-defense. Berger, citing information that witnesses gave, said Travis Clark put a gun to Kennon's head."


Review: Gun Grab tells another, equally disturbing side of Katrina story: "As book titles related to Hurricane Katrina continue to accumulate, more and more voices of storm survivors are being heard. While many of these books focus on the most unfortunate victims of the storm -- those people whose homes were destroyed by flood waters, who lost family members, who wound up at the Superdome or Morial Convention Center, who were eventually evacuated -- others tell the tales of those who stayed behind. .... The Great New Orleans Gun Grab (Louisiana Publishing Inc., $19.95 softcover) by Gordon Hutchinson and Todd Masson, is the story of how business owners and homeowners who decided stay behind and protect their property found themselves in conflict with civil authorities. They were all gun owners and were prepared to protect their property with deadly force. The police disarmed many of them and confiscated some of their guns."

Guns and the Left coast

Post below lifted from Blue Crab. See the original for links

Inquiring minds want to know. The Washington Post has a report that shows that FBI's "Mental Defective File" of people barred from purchasing guns has more than doubled - due to the enrollment of California residents.

Since the Virginia Tech shootings last spring, the FBI has more than doubled the number of people nationwide who are prohibited from buying guns because of mental health problems, the Justice Department said yesterday. Justice officials said the FBI's "Mental Defective File" has ballooned from 175,000 names in June to nearly 400,000, primarily because of additions from California. The names are listed in a subset of a database that gun dealers are supposed to check before completing sales...

..The vast majority of the individuals who were added to the FBI's list were identified by California, which provided more than 200,000 names in October, the Justice Department said. Ohio provided more than 7,000 new names, and the number of states reporting mental health data to the FBI this year grew from 23 to 32, officials said.

Let's see: Ohio reported 7,000, California 200,000. The original list was 175,000. I think maybe this proves something else that was out today. California is arguably one of the most liberal states in the US. Gallup reported on mental health and party affiliation:

Republicans are significantly more likely than Democrats or independents to rate their mental health as excellent, according to data from the last four November Gallup Health and Healthcare polls. Fifty-eight percent of Republicans report having excellent mental health, compared to 43% of independents and 38% of Democrats.

VA: Kaine wants to close victim disarmament "loophole": "Gov. Timothy M. Kaine called Tuesday for new restrictions on firearm sales at gun shows but stopped short of declaring passage of the legislation as a high priority for the 2008 General Assembly session. Under current law, background checks on buyers are not required by unlicensed dealers who privately sell and trade firearms at the shows. Kaine endorsed closing the loophole, saying it provides an opening for felons and mentally ill people to buy weapons they are otherwise forbidden to purchase."


Texas: Neighbors Chase, Draw Gun on Intruders: "A drunken man was arrested Friday night after going on a crime spree while riding his bike near Oso Bay. Police said the man first held up a group of kids at a Flour Bluff apartment complex with a knife. Then, one of the kid's relatives followed the man to a Paul Jones neighborhood and tried to chase him out of two homes. The romp ended with a gunshot. Before then, Carol Wright was hanging Christmas lights outside when two men suddenly ran around the side of her house. Wright said a 24-year-old man "pushed me against the wall, went in the house, closed and dead-bolted the door. I heard the lock." Police said the man who pushed his way into Wright's home was running from another man after an attempted stabbing at the Wharf Apartments. Officers said the man was drunk when he rode his bike up to a group of kids there. "They were out playing in the park," said Capt. John Houston of the Corpus Christi Police Department. "He then pulled out what they describe as looking like a machete or large knife. The guy threatened him. He swung at one of the kids, allegedly." The homeowner eventually got the other man out of his home. But by that time, the kids' uncle was pounding on his front door. The homeowner fired a shotgun into the air to get them both off of his property. Police later arrested the drunken bicycle rider."

Ohio: Homeowner shoots at intruders: "Springfield police continue to investigate a burglary that occurred on Thrasher Street Wednesday night in which a homeowner fired shots at two intruders. A resident of a home in the 900 block of Thrasher Street said he came home at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and saw intruders moving around inside his home, according to a police report. The man took a gun out of his truck and ran toward the house when one of the burglars ran out the front door and toward the back yard, according to the report. Another intruder appeared in the back yard, and that's when the man said he fired two shots. One of the burglars fell after the shots were fired, but then got up and ran. Both of the intruders jumped a fence and fled the scene, according to the report. Springfield Police Division Captain Mike Hill said investigators "have not established" whether the intruder was shot or injured, and no arrests have been made."


Ohio Man Found Not Guilty In Girlfriend's Death: "A jury has acquitted a Middletown man accused of killing his live-in girlfriend. Sixty-year-old Charles Frost was charged with murder in the May 11 death of 47-year-old Deborah Dockery. Frost told a jury he and Dockery had been drinking and arguing when she came at him with a knife in their Helton Drive home. Frost said he shot her twice in self defense, and the jury believed him and returned not guilty verdicts on all counts after nine hours of deliberation."


EU crackdown on replica guns: "Replica guns that can be converted into weapons will become as hard to buy as firearms under a Brussels crackdown. Although illegal in Britain, convertible replicas are available widely across the Continent with none of the identity checks required for genuine guns. The change in the law was pushed through by Arlene McCarthy, a Labour MEP, after Manchester police disclosed that nearly half of the weapons that they seized last year had been bought in continental countries, including Germany and the Baltic states, and converted to fire bullets in Britain. All 27 EU states will have two years to adopt a range of measures agreed by the European Parliament. They include an EU computer database that will contain details of all lawfully held weapons in all 27 countries by 2014 and a new weapons-labelling system"

Texas homeowner shoots and kills burglar: "A homeowner in Porter shot and killed a suspected burglar Thursday. And the situation became so intense that the homeowner himself was taken to the hospital. Around 1:30pm, property owner Gary Southworth called 911 and said that he'd shot a man who was stealing from him and that he needed help. Paramedics rushed the suspected thief to Kingwood Hospital, but he died from his wounds. Paramedics had to also take Southworth to the hospital after the shooting because the 60-year-old was having chest pains. Meanwhile, his wife, Alberta Southworth, says thieves had hit them several times recently. "It's beyond awful," she said. "It's our whole life, I mean, he's been so sick and all we have left to live on is what they've stolen. We have nothing now. They took our bank account basically." "He had reported two thefts in the past two days that had occurred in the nighttime hours," said Sgt. Bill Bucks with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department. A new law that just went into effect in September allows Texans to defend themselves with deadly force in their homes, cars and work places. The Castle Doctrine removes the requirement that a person must attempt to retreat before using deadly force. Southworth is in stable condition.


Another Texas homeowner shoots burglar: "A 23-year-old man was shot in the chest about 11:15 p.m. Thursday by a homeowner who caught the man burglarizing his home, police said. The 42-year-old homeowner confronted the intruder inside his home with a .22-caliber pistol, said Detective Mark Stokes, investigator for the Port Aransas Police Department. Police declined to release the home's location or the name and occupation of the homeowner because of possible retaliation, Stokes said. The shooting victim was conscious while being taken by Halo-Flight to Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial, emergency rescuers said. He remained in intensive care Friday in stable condition, Stokes said. Investigators will present information to the district attorney before arresting the suspect, Stokes said. A woman was also at home at the time of the incident, but was not involved, Stokes said, and the homeowner was not charged.


Media bias exposed in piece on "gun show loophole": "If you had put your hand to your ear and listened to the East, you would have heard the presses going at the Brady Campaign as they put out press releases begging the media to begin to bang the drums calling for new gun control laws. Ever the obedient creature, the press obeyed. For the past several months I have noted shrill voices coming across the television and radio calling for much needed new gun control regulations. The talking heads have called for banning .50 caliber rifles, as well as reinstating the worthless Clinton Semi-automatic firearms ban. Worse, they want to expand the parameters of the original ban to include innocuous guns like the little Ruger 10/22. As of late, the call has been to close the 'Gun Show Loophole.'"

Robbery victim shoots suspect: "Police say it was a robbery attempt gone bad Sunday night in east Charlotte, and they say a would-be suspect is hospitalized as a result. The incident happened about 11:20 p.m. in the parking lot of the McDonalds restaurant on Albemarle Road at Farm Pond Lane. According to police, two armed men confronted another man in the parking lot and tried to rob him. The would-be victim, however, pulled out a gun and shot one of the suspects in the stomach. Police say the victim then ran off. The wounded suspect was taken by MEDIC to Carolinas Medical Center with wounds that police say are not life-threatening. Robbery detectives are investigating the case".


Colorado robber shot: "A robbery suspect was shot and killed after trying to rob a liquor store, Spring Police said. It happened just before 5 p.m. on Tuesday evening at a strip mall off of Jet Wing and Fountain. The robbery suspect was taken to Memorial Hospital, but he was pronounced dead just minutes later. While the investigation is still on-going, Springs Police said the owner of the liquor store, in his 70's, shot the suspect in the chest. This is the 3rd robbery to happen in the Springs in the past 24 hours. In fact, robberies are on the rise in November. "During the course of this year, we average 25-30 robberies a month, but now, that's how much we've had in the past 2 weeks," said Detective Don Chagnon with Springs Police. In November there have been close to having 60 robberies. Detective Chagnon said he doesn't know why robberies are increasing."


Guns as a litmus test: "Make no mistake: all politicians-even those ostensibly on the side of guns and gun ownership-hate the issue and anyone, like me, who insists on bringing it up. They hate it because it's an X-ray machine. It's a Vulcan mind-meld. It's the ultimate test to which any politician-or political philosophy-can be put. If a politician isn't perfectly comfortable with the idea of his average constituent, any man, woman, or responsible child, walking into a hardware store and paying cash-for any rifle, shotgun, handgun, machinegun, anything-without producing ID or signing one scrap of paper, he isn't your friend no matter what he tells you. If he isn't genuinely enthusiastic about his average constituent stuffing that weapon into a purse or pocket or tucking it under a coat and walking home without asking anybody's permission, he's a four-flusher, no matter what he claims. What his attitude-toward your ownership and use of weapons-conveys is his real attitude about you. And if he doesn't trust you, then why in the name of John Moses Browning should you trust him? If he doesn't want you to have the means of defending your life, do you want him in a position to control it?"

Missouri: Pistol-Packing Grandma Stops Would-Be Burglars: "A 63-year-old grandmother with a handgun stopped two burglars at her backdoor in Carthage. The Jasper County Sheriff's Department said a woman and a 16-year-old boy were arrested after the foiled break-in Friday and charged with first-degree burglary. The grandmother was at home with her grandchild when the burglars broke down her back door. She grabbed a handgun and stopped the pair, but they ran away when the woman went back inside to call the sheriff's department. Deputies arrested the suspects about three hours later in Carthage. Lt. Aaron Richardson of the sheriff's department said first-degree burglary charges have been filed against Faith Barrick, 39, of Carthage, and a 16-year-old male accomplice.


Pennsylvania campground shooting: "The lead state police investigator in the Aug. 17 shooting death of an Allegheny County man at a Derry Township campground said Monday that evidence collected to date indicates the shooting "points to self-defense." Trooper James Simpson of the Greensburg barracks said police are still awaiting a final autopsy report and the results of a few forensic tests. But at this point it appears the shooting of Sherman Shawn Prince, 40, of Mt. Oliver, during an argument with two other campers at the Lazy Acres Campground, near Keystone State Park, might have been justified. Prince's family members maintain that he did not own a gun. However, Simpson said evidence collected at the scene and through forensic tests to date indicate that he was pointing a loaded .22-caliber handgun at the face of Anthony Verdiglione of McKeesport when he was shot. Prince was shot by a friend of Verdiglione, Dale O. Miller, 43, of McKeesport. Police have said that Miller and Verdiglione have cooperated throughout the investigation. Police said a second confrontation occurred among the three men outside of Miller's camper where a witness said Prince pulled out a small handgun and pointed it at Veriglione's face. Verdiglione swiped at the gun in an attempt to strike it from Prince's hand, but missed, according to the search warrant. "Miller, who had been standing behind Verdiglione, then brandished his own weapon (a .38-caliber handgun) and discharged the same, striking Prince one time in the head," Simpson wrote in the search warrant affidavit."


Georgia Businessman Wounded, Suspect Killed In Shootout: "One suspect is dead and another man wounded after a shoot out during a home invasion robbery in East Point early Tuesday morning. Police said two men burst into an apartment at 3029 Dobbs Way around midnight and held several people at gunpoint. The armed men started ransacking the apartment. At some point a woman who lives at the apartment, but was outside during the attack called her father for help. The father, who police describe as a well-known local businessman, rushed to the apartment with his own gun. When he entered the apartment a gun battle broke out with both the home invaders and the father trading shots. One of the suspects was shot and killed. The father also was hit and wounded. The apartment residents then attacked the surviving robber and held him until police arrived.

Missouri: Pistol-Packing Grandma Stops Would-Be Burglars: "A 63-year-old grandmother with a handgun stopped two burglars at her backdoor in Carthage. The Jasper County Sheriff's Department said a woman and a 16-year-old boy were arrested after the foiled break-in Friday and charged with first-degree burglary. The grandmother was at home with her grandchild when the burglars broke down her back door. She grabbed a handgun and stopped the pair, but they ran away when the woman went back inside to call the sheriff's department. Deputies arrested the suspects about three hours later in Carthage. Lt. Aaron Richardson of the sheriff's department said first-degree burglary charges have been filed against Faith Barrick, 39, of Carthage, and a 16-year-old male accomplice.


Pennsylvania campground shooting: "The lead state police investigator in the Aug. 17 shooting death of an Allegheny County man at a Derry Township campground said Monday that evidence collected to date indicates the shooting "points to self-defense." Trooper James Simpson of the Greensburg barracks said police are still awaiting a final autopsy report and the results of a few forensic tests. But at this point it appears the shooting of Sherman Shawn Prince, 40, of Mt. Oliver, during an argument with two other campers at the Lazy Acres Campground, near Keystone State Park, might have been justified. Prince's family members maintain that he did not own a gun. However, Simpson said evidence collected at the scene and through forensic tests to date indicate that he was pointing a loaded .22-caliber handgun at the face of Anthony Verdiglione of McKeesport when he was shot. Prince was shot by a friend of Verdiglione, Dale O. Miller, 43, of McKeesport. Police have said that Miller and Verdiglione have cooperated throughout the investigation. Police said a second confrontation occurred among the three men outside of Miller's camper where a witness said Prince pulled out a small handgun and pointed it at Veriglione's face. Verdiglione swiped at the gun in an attempt to strike it from Prince's hand, but missed, according to the search warrant. "Miller, who had been standing behind Verdiglione, then brandished his own weapon (a .38-caliber handgun) and discharged the same, striking Prince one time in the head," Simpson wrote in the search warrant affidavit."


Georgia Businessman Wounded, Suspect Killed In Shootout: "One suspect is dead and another man wounded after a shoot out during a home invasion robbery in East Point early Tuesday morning. Police said two men burst into an apartment at 3029 Dobbs Way around midnight and held several people at gunpoint. The armed men started ransacking the apartment. At some point a woman who lives at the apartment, but was outside during the attack called her father for help. The father, who police describe as a well-known local businessman, rushed to the apartment with his own gun. When he entered the apartment a gun battle broke out with both the home invaders and the father trading shots. One of the suspects was shot and killed. The father also was hit and wounded. The apartment residents then attacked the surviving robber and held him until police arrived.

Georgia: Brinks robber shot: "A suspect and a security guard were shot during an attempted robbery at a shopping mall Monday, while a lunchtime crowd ducked for cover, officials and witnesses said. The guard's injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, said Bill Ball, general manager of the Arbor Place Mall. Police said the suspect's wounds were more severe. The events unfolded while a Brinks guard was entering the mall to service some of the ATM machines, Ball said. Douglasville Police Chief Joe Whisenant said it happened a few minutes after noon. He said the security guard was inside on the second floor when the would-be robber approached and put a gun to the guard's head. They scuffled and both men fired, with the guard hit in the leg and the suspect in the mouth, Whisenant said. Both men were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. The suspect underwent emergency surgery Monday afternoon, the chief said. Whisenant said the suspect is 41 years old and from DeKalb County on Atlanta's eastern side. He also said that money, the apparent target of the robbery, was recovered. Douglasville police put the mall under lockdown, not letting anyone in or out, for a brief period during the immediate aftermath of the shooting."




Indiana: Pawnshop worker shoots at robbers. Gets one: "At least one employee of an Indianapolis pawnshop fired a gun at two would-be robbers Monday morning, and a suspect was arrested after arriving at a hospital with a gunshot wound, police said. Police weren't sure whether the arrestee, Nurdeen Anderson [above], was shot at the pawnshop, but they said they believe he was one of the two men who tried to rob it. Authorities said two men armed with handguns entered the Universal Gold and Silver pawnshop at 4320 E. 10th St. at about 11:30 a.m. and tried to rob it. Two employees in the store also were armed, and at least one of the workers fired at the would-be robbers, police said. The would-be robbers exited the store. About 20 minutes later, Anderson, 26, arrived at Methodist Hospital with a gunshot wound to the neck, police said. Police said Anderson, who was treated at the hospital, matched the description of one of the men who robbed the pawnshop, and they arrested him on a charge of attempted robbery. Information on his condition wasn't available. Authorities said they were trying to determine who the other would-be robber was. Police said they believe no charges would be filed against the pawnshop's employees.


Thompson visits gun show: "White House hopeful Fred Thompson called his trip down an aisle of rifles, shotguns, and pistols at a gun show yesterday ``a day in paradise,'' and criticized his leading Republican opponents for past positions on gun control and abortion. Talking to reporters after the gun show visit, Thompson singled out Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York, and Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts. Giuliani ``never met a gun-control bill he didn't like until he started to run for president and now I understand he very much approves of the Supreme Court taking jurisdiction of this Washington, D.C., case which most Second Amendment advocates think will establish that the Second Amendment means what it says and grants individual rights to people to possess firearms,'' Thompson said"

Tennessee: Store robber shot: "A convenience store robbery in Southeast Memphis ended in a shooting. Police say the shooting victim had just tried to rob a clerk at the store. It happened just after 9 p.m. at the "Fast Check" on Winchester near Knight. That's just east of the airport. Police say when two crooks tried to rob a clerk at the store, the store owner shot one of the robbers. They say the other robber is on the run. The shooting victim was taken to The Med in critical condition."


Deer Attacks Arkansas Grandfather: "A deer attacked an 84-year-old man in Colt, AR on Thanksgiving Day. J.W. Mitchell has lived in Colt for a long time. It's a town of about 300, and who knows how many deer. Mitchell and the deer usually keep to themselves. That changed Thursday. Mitchell says the deer was attacking his dog, Buddy, in the backyard. Mitchell says the seven point buck turned on him when he went outside to help. Mitchell suffered injuries to his arms and wrists, but says it could have been worse. "Yes it could have. If I hadn't of had that stick there's no telling what he would have done," says Mitchell. Mitchell uses a walking stick made out of metal from an old swing-set. He was carrying it during the attack. A neighbor came over with a shotgun, and killed the deer."


MS: Castle doctrine lauded by gun advocates: "Kathy Adkins moved from target to target, using a .38 revolver and a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol with deadly efficiency, putting holes in the dead centers of paper targets meant to look like people. Adkins, 48, owns a real estate firm in Jackson and has been taking firearms training since March. Instructor Cliff Cargill said he has had many new students since the Legislature passed a bill last year giving residents expanded legal rights to protect themselves in their homes, cars or businesses."

A British comment on the Second Amendment:

Each time the news of an American shooting, especially a school shooting, reaches across the Atlantic, the British media emit a collective high-pitched hysterical scream. The guilty parties always seem to be America's gun culture and the Second Amendment, which allows Americans access to weapons, `the right to bear arms'. `It's barmy', the media sagely conclude.

Rationality is urgently needed to combat this clearly emotional outburst. First, cut out the fetishisation. Firearms, like any other tool, are not in and of themselves dangerous. Handled responsibly, they are no more dangerous than many other household items, and are far less dangerous than cars. Let's get guns in perspective. According to the Centers for Disease Control in the US, 11,624 homicides were committed using firearms in 2004. Compare this to deaths by unintentional poisoning (20,590), unintentional falls (18,807), or death by unintentional suffocation, drowning and fire (12,531). A Million Mom March against oysters or ladders? Not likely.

Second, let us put to bed the myth that the number of available guns bears a direct relationship with homicide rates. Yes, the United States does have higher gun ownership and a higher homicide rate than the UK, but strict gun controls operate in the Philippines and Mexico and both of those countries have higher homicide rates than America. Meanwhile, Israel and Switzerland have higher adult gun ownership rates than America, and far lower homicide rates. Nationally, Washington DC, which banned handguns, has a murder rate of 80 per 100,000. In Arlington, Virginia - just across the Potomac and with almost no controls on guns - the rate is 1.6 per 100,000. In Glasgow, the rate is 5.6 per 100,000.

Third, there is a direct relationship between gun rights and democracy. A democratic, egalitarian society allows its citizens to own guns. A fearful society takes guns away from those it most fears. In Britain, real controls over firearms came only with a scare about Bolshevism. The 1920 Firearms Act introduced a registration system and allowed local police forces to deny a licence to anyone who was `unfitted to be trusted with a firearm'. The 1968 Gun Control Act in the United States reflected fears about groups like the Black Panthers, who had formed militias and marched through the streets. First, they feared the working class, later they feared racial minorities, now there is a fear of just about everyone. These are the real reasons for gun controls. It is really about who is behind the gun, not the gun itself.

Source




Missouri: Would-be robber shot: "A would-be robber remained hospitalized in critical condition this afternoon after he was shot by one of his intended victims. The man was shot about 1:30 a.m. after he followed several people to their car in a Westport parking garage in the 4000 block of Pennsylvania Avenue. As the people were getting into their car, the man, who had earlier asked them for money, pulled up his shirt and revealed a gun in his waistband, Kansas City police said. One of the car's occupants retrieved his own gun from inside the vehicle and fired. Police later determined that the wounded man was carrying a BB gun".


Michigan homeowner shoots intruder: "An intruder was shot and wounded by a resident wielding a handgun during a home invasion that took place about 5:30 p.m. Thursday at 401 W. Sixth St., the Monroe Police Department reported. The suspect is receiving medical care at Mercy Memorial Hospital. Lt. Charles Abel, public information officer for the city police, said the man received more than one gunshot wound and has undergone surgery as a result... A call came to Central Dispatch as a home invasion in progress. While police were on the way, according to reports, the man who lives in the house was confronted by the intruder. The resident fired multiple shots with a handgun, and the intruder fled. When police checked the neighborhood, they found the suspect wounded and lying in the roadway near W. Seventh and Smith Sts. The Monroe Fire Department ambulance service took him to the hospital. Lt. Abel said a duffel bag also was found near the suspect, with items that possibly were stolen elsewhere."

Utahns exercise right to openly carry firearms

Among the things that make Utah a special place are its gun laws. Love 'em or hate 'em, they often make living, working and even dining in the state a visceral experience, harking back to the heady days of Deadwood and Dodge City. Most Utahns are aware their state issues an easily obtained concealed-weapon permit. By passing a background check and basic course in gun safety, anyone over 21 can qualify to carry an undercover gun.

But in how many places, outside parts of Africa and the Middle East, can you legally stroll down the street with a semi-automatic carbine slung over your shoulder, let alone a handgun on your hip? "Any citizen over 18 can protect themselves by openly carrying a firearm," says Brian Nelson, an emergency vehicle equipment salesman who lives in Layton. Nelson is the spokesman for the Utah branch of OpenCarry.org, a national network organization whose motto is "A right unexercised is a right lost."

Last month, Utah OpenCarry.org began a monthly "lunch group" to talk about gun rights while openly carrying handguns. Twenty-five members met at the Golden Corral in Layton on Saturday. Joe Smith, a computer programmer from Lehi, joined the group for lunch with his wife, Tiffney, and 9-week-old son Paxton. Why does Smith feel the need to pack a 9mm Hi-Point semi-auto on his hip? "Right here," he says, nodding toward his wife and son. "They're the reason."

More here





Tennessee: Store Video Shows Bold Robbers In Action: "A violent robbery caught on tape. Cops say the bad guys were bold and were ready to shoot and kill to get what they wanted. But a store worker was able to turn the tables on the thugs. And the clerks were saved by sheer luck. It happened at the Fast Check Convenience Store off Winchester Thursday around 9:30pm. Two robbers busted in, one got away with cash, the other took a few bullets after one clerk chased the robbers out of his store. "One of the victims inside the store heard click click," says Lt. Darren Goods with the Memphis Police Department. The click was the gun... jamming. Both clerks know are lucky to be alive. It lasted just a few seconds -- a few seconds that could have ended someone's life. Lt. Goods calls them robbers with a sinister motive, "Their purpose was to take-over style robbery. Lets take any and everything we can, lets get as much money as we can. Both armed with guns. And lets get out of here as fast as we can." What's worse say police, several customers - including young teenagers - were inside the whole time. One lady walked into the middle of it. Police say somebody has to know these brazen robbers. The one robber hasn't been charged yet. He's still critical but stable at The MED."


Ohio: Robber shot at Mexican market: "A store clerk shot a robbery suspect inside a Mexican market on Glenway Avenue tonight, and police were hunting for a second suspect. The incident happened about 8:45 p.m. when two suspects, wearing scarves over their faces, entered the Tienda y Carniceria. A woman behind the counter shouted for her husband, while trying to protect a 3-year-old child who was with her. The male clerk scuffled with the robber and was struck in the face with a gun. Both apparently fired shots. One robber was wounded in the shoulder and was taken to University Hospital. The second fled the store and was being hunted by police. Police said he was a heavy-set Hispanic male with a shaved head, wearing a black sweater, black jeans and white tennis shoes."

The New York Times and the civil right it does not like

The editors of the New York Times are, unusually for them, calling upon the Supreme Court to construe one of the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution to give individuals no rights against the government. Hint: It is not the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, or Eighth amendments. You do the rest of the thinking. The most appalling thing about the editorial is its final sentence:

A decision that upends needed gun controls currently in place around the country would imperil the lives of Americans.

There is not a shred of sustainable evidence that this statement is true in any meaningful sense. Literally, of course, it might be: the specific life of some American might be "imperiled" because an otherwise law-abiding person owned a handgun. However, the empirical case for the impact of gun control on lives or crime is so astonishingly thin that the editors are far more guilty of "lying" on this subject than, say, the Bush administration was about WMD in Iraq (to pick a basis for comparison than the editors should understand).

Source







Texas: Dallas Man 'Justified' in Shooting Two Burglars on His Property, Grand Jury Says: "The owner of a West Dallas machine shop will not face charges for shooting and killing two burglars on his property. A Grand Jury determined the actions of James Walton were justified. Walton shot the two men while they were each committing separate burglaries at the shop where he works and lives. He told FOX 4 that he is relieved the ordeal is over. Police responded to at least 42 calls for burglaries and thefts at Walton's place before the shootings."


Florida: Suspect's case closed after owner held him at gunpoint : "An 18-year-old arrested in October for trespassing on another man's property and breaking into his vehicles won't get to press charges against the owner, who held him at gunpoint until lawmen arrived. The teen, Michael Joseph McCreary, had his case closed last week by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office. He had approached deputies on Nov. 14 with his mother to file a complaint for aggravated assault and battery against the owner of the property on Reinke Drive - Victor E. Mikell - for using excessive force in detaining him in an Oct. 28 incident. McCreary said Mikell hit him with the butt of a rifle, held the barrel at his head, drug him into a driveway and threatened to kill him while he waited for law enforcement to arrive. But Mikell told investigators he had "heard shots" coming from the back of his property and went to investigate. That's when he found McCreary and two other men fleeing after allegedly breaking into vehicles and stealing property from Mikell's wooded land. Mikell said he raised his rifle to his shoulder and yelled at McCreary to stop or he would shoot, and McCreary stopped. But he soon became belligerent and acted like he might take off again, Mikell said, so he hit McCreary in the stomach with the butt of the rifle and marched him to the driveway, where he kept him face-down on the ground until lawmen arrived."

Good neighbor policy

Now that cloning of humans is becoming an increasingly likely prospect, I have an important question: Can I get a copy of Joe Horn to move in as my next-door neighbor?

Horn is the Pasadena, Texas, resident who called 911 when he saw two burglars breaking into his neighbors' home. While he stayed on the phone with a 911 operator, the burglars ransacked the house. After long, painful minutes of waiting, with no sign of the police, it looked as if the burglars were going to make good their escape. Horn told the operator that he was going out to confront the burglars with a shotgun. That's exactly what he did. The burglars ended up dead.

A few of the usual ninnies are whining about how terrible it is that Horn shot criminals over "mere" home invasion and property. Asks one letter-writer in the pages of the Houston Chronicle, "Does not human life trump some cash, or an iPod, in Texas?."

Well, no -- at least, it shouldn't. When we're talking about thieves caught in the act, we're talking about people whose lives are worth less than lint. I certainly wouldn't execute them once they've surrendered and been taken into custody, but when they attempt to escape, as these two did when confronted by Horn, shooting them is perfectly justified -- and a step toward neighborhood beautification.

Yep, when the science is perfected I'll be first in line for a Joe Horn clone to install next door.

Source

Fuller coverage of the Joe Horn episode

The Pasadena man who killed two suspected burglars as they left his next-door neighbor's home did not intend to kill them when he stepped outside with his 12-gauge shotgun, his lawyer said Friday. In portraying Joe Horn as a victim of circumstances, lawyer and longtime friend Tom Lambright called the 61-year-old computer consultant "a good family man" who has been devastated by the Wednesday afternoon burglary and shooting.

Killed in the incident in the 7400 block of Timberline were Miguel Antonio DeJesus, 38, and Diego Ortiz, 30, both of Houston. Each had a minor previous brush with the law. Records show DeJesus was charged with failure to identify himself to a police officer in July 2004. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 days in jail. Ortiz was charged with possession of marijuana in July 2005, but it was later dismissed.

"He (Horn) was just doing what everyone is supposed to do," Lambright said at a news conference in front of the Houston police memorial near downtown. "He called the police. He was cooperating with them as best he could, trying to give the police the direction of the burglars. He knew there was danger going outside."

Horn ignored repeated instructions from a 911 dispatcher to remain in his home. He told the dispatcher, "I'm not going to let them get away with it. I can't take a chance in getting killed over this. OK? I'm gonna shoot. I'm gonna shoot."

While lawyers and legal experts across the city continued to debate the legality of Horn's actions, he has left town with his family, Lambright said. "Hopefully he will see a doctor and maybe get a sedative," he said. "He is not well mentally. This has devastated him. Not in his wildest dreams could he fathom this event." Lambright said Horn, whom he has considered a friend for 41 years, wept inconsolably during their conversations. "Joe is the absolute opposite of what everyone thinks he is," Lambright said. "He is not a cowboy. He is not physical. He's 61 years old and overweight. He's not confrontational. He's just a good guy." Lambright read a written statement in which Horn said the killings would "weigh heavily on me for the rest of my life. My thoughts go out to the loved ones of the deceased." Lambright said Horn was a hunter, but kept the shotgun in his pickup "for security."

Horn lives with his daughter and granddaughter and does not keep firearms in the house, his lawyer said. Lambright said Horn was upstairs working at a computer about 2 p.m. when he heard the sound of breaking glass next door. Horn called 911, engaging in a protracted conversation with the dispatcher, who repeatedly advised him to wait inside until police arrived. "Mr. Horn, do not go outside the house. You're going to get yourself shot if you go outside that house with a gun," the dispatcher told Horn at one point. "You wanna make a bet," Horn responded. "I'm gonna kill them. They're gonna get away."

Lambright contended that Horn was startled to find the burglars just 15 feet from his front door when he stepped onto his porch. "He was petrified at that point," the lawyer said. "You hear him say, 'I'll shoot. Stop!' They jumped. Joe thought they were coming for him. It's a self-defense issue." Attorneys and legal experts said Horn's defense probably will be based on state law that allows people to use deadly force to protect neighbors' property. "If you see someone stealing your neighbor's property, you can get involved and help to stop it," said Sandra Guerra Thompson, a law professor at the University of Houston Law Center.

Others disagreed. The statutes that allow people to use deadly force to stop a burglary appear to require that the incident be occurring at night, said Craig Jett, a Dallas criminal defense attorney and president of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer's Association. "It can't be during the day," Jett said.

Experts said that a grand jury may sympathize with Horn. Some people believe that you should be able to protect your neighborhood, said Anthony Osso, a Houston criminal defense attorney. Osso said that Horn's defense might be that he wanted to prevent the robbers from leaving until police arrived, but they tried to flee and he shot them. "His best scenario is that he went out to use the threat of deadly force," Osso said. "But they came at him on his own property."

Osso said Horn's 911 call does not tell the whole story about the shooting. Investigators will need information about where the suspects were shot and if they had stopped when Horn ordered them not to move. "Some people on the grand jury will sympathize with him," said Adam Gershowitz, a law professor at South Texas College of Law. "Maybe he shouldn't have done this, but he was acting in a way a lot of people feel." But that does not mean he won't be charged, Gershowitz added. "There's a reason we don't let people take the law into their own hands," he said. "We have a police force for that. As an established society, we believe we are better off with an authorized police force that has standards and training rather than untrained vigilantes."

A transcript of the 911 call suggests Horn intended to do what he felt necessary to stop the burglars. Despite a concerted effort by the dispatcher to persuade him to let police deal with the break-in, Horn was insistent on trying keep them from getting away. "I don't want you going outside, Mr. Horn," the dispatcher said. "Well, here it goes, buddy," Horn said. "You hear the shotgun clicking, and I'm going." Seconds later three shotgun blasts are heard.

Source





TX: Elderly homeowner shoots intruder: "Police said a 76-year-old homeowner heard his dogs barking at around 3 a.m. at his home in the 3700 block of Fordham. He opened the front door and found a suspect prowling around the front yard. When the door opened, the 28-year-old suspect ran inside. The two began fighting, and the homeowner managed to get a shotgun from under the bed. He fired one shot, and the suspect was struck in the hand, shoulder and face. Police arrived, and he was transported to Baylor


Gun-free zones offer criminals, lunatics no-risk targets: "The recent shooting of a Miami Carol City High School algebra teacher identified as Sergio Miranda will no doubt bring wails from gun control extremists that the nation needs tougher gun laws -- when it really serves as another failure of so-called 'gun-free zones.' By all accounts, Mr. Miranda and a colleague were minding their own business outside the school during a lunch break when two gunmen approached in what has been described as an attempted armed robbery that went bad. ... Our sympathies lie with [those] who have been victimized by a law that was perhaps well-intentioned but is so disastrous in its implementation that it may one day be viewed as one of the worst legislative atrocities foisted upon this nation."

Top US Court to review guns law

The US Supreme Court today agreed for the first time in 70 years to review the right to own guns and consider whether Washington can ban private handguns, a court spokeswoman said. The handgun ban in the US capital of Washington was granted review, said court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg, in what will be a rare review of the US constitution's second amendment. Arguments are expected in February or April with a ruling at the end of June, just before the November 2008 presidential election.

The city, trying to stem a wave of violence in its poorer neighbourhoods, lodged the case with the nine Supreme Court judges seeking to maintain its three-decade ban on individuals owning handguns. Washington, which is also home to the president and the government, has interpreted the amendment to mean that there is a collective right to bear arms for those who are part of a police force or a security force. Since 1976 it has therefore banned residents from carrying handguns, but they are allowed to keep a rifle or hunting gun in their homes, providing it is locked and not loaded.

For millions of Americans though, and especially the powerful gun lobby represented by the National Rifle Association, the second amendment guarantees the right of every American citizen to own any gun, with few limits. The amendment declares that: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

In 2003, Washington resident Dick Heller, who lives in one of the city's tougher districts, lodged a suit against the local authorities saying his constitutional right to bear arms was being violated. Although his case was initially rejected, he won on appeal to a federal appeals court in March. Washington officials in turn then lodged a case with the Supreme Court in September insisting that it must rule on the extent of access to handguns, the weapon of choice in two-thirds of robberies and assaults. Handguns are used in half of the 15,000 murders across the country every year, according to statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

"Faced with the evidence that handguns pose a particularly serious threat to public safety, the council chose to ban handguns because it concluded that less restrictive regulations would be ineffective," the city said in its petition to the court. "Whatever right the second amendment guarantees, it does not require the district to stand by while its citizens die."

To date the Supreme Court has rarely considered the issue of the right to bear arms. In the 19th century, it determined that the founding fathers meant the amendment to remain the remit of federal laws and left all the states in the union free to draw up their own gun laws. Then in 1939, the court upheld a law requiring that arms transported from state to state should be registered. But all states have formulated their own restrictions, which vary wildly.

Source





California man disarms and kills intruder: "An Indio man disarmed and fatally shot a would-be intruder early Tuesday during a struggle that left the resident with a gunshot wound in his foot, authorities said. Police sent to a home on Hamilton Court in the Indian Palms Country Club at 1:30 a.m. found the body of 31-year-old Genaro Chavez Munoz lying partially in the front window of the residence, according to Ben Guitron with Indio police. The preliminary investigation indicated that the homeowner was awakened by the sounds of someone trying to enter his home through the front window, according to Guitron. "The homeowner managed to disarm the intruder and shot him several times, killing him in the process," Guitron said. Police believe there may have been other suspects outside the residence who ran away after the shooting, he said. The homeowner, whose name was not being released, was taken to John F. Kennedy Hospital. Guitron said no charges would be filed against him at this time, but that the investigation was ongoing."


PA: Man hogties home invader: "A Brookline homeowner turned the tables on a would-be burglar who broke into his home. Dorjian Anderson, 31, and a single father of seven, says 23-year-old Christopher DePaolo kicked open his door. When the suspect got to the top of his steps, he and Anderson got into a fight. Eventually Anderson grabbed some extension cords and hog-tied him. He and a friend held DePaolo at gunpoint until police arrived."

WA: Homeowner shoots suspect taking weapon from house: "A teenager was shot in the arm this morning by a Yakima resident who returned home to find his West Valley home being burglarized by two juveniles who were stealing weapons from the house, Yakima police said. The homeowner was returning home about 10:30 a.m. when he saw a brown Honda Accord he didn't recognize parked in the driveway. Inside, the man saw two teenagers, one of them carrying his rifle. Police said the homeowner opened fire with a .45 caliber handgun that he was carrying, injuring one of the burglary suspects. It was unclear whether the rifle was pointed at the man, but police said he was defending himself when he opened fire. The wounded teenager was taken to a Yakima hospital, where his condition was not immediately available. However, police said the gunshot was not life-threatening. The other suspect was arrested by police at the house.


Georgia: Homeowner sends burglars to hospital: "Investigators say two armed burglars invaded a home Friday night around 8:30pm on the 3000-block of Tate Rd. A struggle occurred between the homeowner and one of the men. The homeowner was shot in the arm, but was able to get the gun away from the burglars to shoot back. The two burglars drove themselves to the hospital where they were arrested. The two men have been identified as Montrelle Teasley and Marcus Turner. Both will be charged with armed robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during a crime. Teasley is a juvenile, but will be charged as an adult."


SAF engages in worldwide struggle against gun grabbers: "The Second Amendment Foundation and the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities (WFSA) met in Palermo, Italy, on October 4 and 5, 2007, to plan for a looming battle over global gun control. SAF joined the WFSA in 2006. The WFSA was formed in 1997, and is an officially recognized United Nations non-governmental organization, or NGO. SAF was represented by Julianne Gottlieb. The WFSA has 38 members including most of the major hunting and sport shooting organizations and the firearms and ammunition manufacturer associations. The WFSA Board meets twice a year."


Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?: "It has long been said that, 'God made all men, but Samuel Colt made all men equal.' No other personal weapon in history has been relied upon more by men and women alike, regardless of physical condition, build, or skill in self-defense techniques."

Ohio Man Tries To Break-In Home, Gets Shot: "A Dayton homeowner shot a suspected burglar Saturday morning. Police responded to the 4000 block of Pleasantview early Saturday morning. Police said a man tried kicking in the back door of the home and that is when the homeowner shot him. The burglar was taken to Miami Valley Hospital and is in critical condition"


Texas shooting may have been self-defense: "The Walker County Sheriff’s Department has released the name of a man who was shot and killed by another man in Riverside Tuesday night. Jerry Wayne Bratton, a 40-year-old white male from Crockett, was killed just before 8 p.m. when another man — whose name county officials are not releasing — shot him in front of the Valero store off state Highway 19, just over the Trinity River bridge. Lt. Charlie Perkins with the Walker County Sheriff’s Department said that when police responded to the scene they found Bratton lying on the ground with one gunshot wound to the torso. “There was some altercation between the victim and the suspect and the victim was shot,” Perkins said Friday. Walker County Criminal District Attorney David Weeks said his office had been brought into the investigation early to determine if the suspect shot Bratton in self-defense. “There are certainly some elements of self-defense that we’re going to present in detail to the grand jury,” Weeks said. “There was enough evidence there that I thought there were no felony charges appropriate at this point.” .... Witnesses to the incident — who spoke on the condition of anonymity — said Bratton taunted the shooter with a knife."


The foolishness and immorality of gun control: "I sent a pro-gun commentary from a British newspaper to a liberal friend of mine, and he replied that if we just banned the manufacture of firearms on a worldwide level there wouldn't be any crime or genocides like the one going on in Darfur. He then suggested that I had joined a militia group."


Will your gun save your life?: "The scenario: You are in the grocery store parking lot. Evening has fallen, but the street light illuminates the area. You are putting your new purchases in the trunk of your car, anticipating being in the warmth of your own home in fifteen minutes, after a long day at work. Thoughts are going through your mind of what to make for dinner and what you will be .... And then it happens!"

FL: No gun charges for armed reporter: "Prosecutors have dropped the case against a TV reporter who was arrested carrying a loaded gun near a high school while working on a story on school violence, authorities said Tuesday. Jeffrey Weinsier of WPLG, an ABC network affiliate, was arrested last month after police said he carried a weapon onto the grounds of Miami Central High School and refused to cross the street when asked by an officer. A cameraman caught the encounter on videotape, which the state attorney's office used in deciding not to pursue the charges, Assistant State Attorney Maggie Gerson wrote in a memo released Tuesday. Weinsier had been charged with armed trespass on school property, possession of a weapon, violation of carrying a concealed weapon and resisting arrest without violence. But he was not on school grounds when police approached him and ordered him to leave, Gerson said. 'Since the defendant was not trespassing, anything that was found on the defendant after he was arrested will be suppressed as a matter of law,' Gerson wrote."


TX: Intruder shot: "Dallas police were investigating Wednesday the shooting of a home intruder. Investigators said the man had a gun and entered an apartment in the 9700 block of Forest Lane around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. A man in the apartment shot the intruder, according to police. "The complainant goes to the apartment to buy or rob drugs," Sgt. Gil Cerda said. "He knocks on the door. There are three people inside the apartment. They are suspicious. He comes in with a gun and they shoot him. Our shooter was brought in for questioning and we are looking at a Grand Jury referral." The intruder, 24, was taken to a local hospital where he was remained on life support Wednesday"


Bloomy's anti-gun hysteria perpetuates social bigotry: "A new series of anti-gun posters now showing up around New York City are an affront to law-abiding gun owners, while also serving as an attempt to scare younger people from pursuing legal gun ownership, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today. The signs have two messages: 'Guns Open Doors for Young People ... Prison Doors' and the other says 'JAIL' in capitol letters, with the 'L' being the image of a Beretta semiautomatic pistol."

Michigan Store Clerk Shoots Alleged Robber: "It happened around 7:30 p.m. at Nick's Short Stop party store in Clinton Township located at Cass Road and Romeo Plank. The 17-year-old clerk said he was protecting his brother who was being held up by a knife. "I just want people to understand we are the victims and I hope he is OK," store owner John Acho said. Acho said he wants to make sure people know his nephew was acting in self-defense. Police said the robber had a knife. "I hope he is OK, but he had no right to come in here and rob the store and try to hurt people," said Acho. Police said the clerk fired several shots at the 22-year-old robber, hitting him once in the chest and once in the arm. The robber is hospitalized in grave condition, according to officials."


Missouri: Disabled man pulls gun, ends violent armed robbery spree: "A disabled man defending himself with a firearm from people trying to break into his trailer appears to have stopped a crime spree early Thursday morning..... the sheriff’s office received a call from a man and his wife on Reporter Road who told deputies that they had caught a juvenile breaking into their mobile home about a mile north of Waynesville and were holding him at gunpoint. They said another man who had tried to break into their home had already fled. King said the couple told him they were confronted in their home about 6 a.m. by a man in his 30s and a 16-year-old male. The older intruder pulled a handgun, but apparently didn’t anticipate that his intended victim — a disabled man in his 40s who takes medication for serious back pain — might not be an easy target. “The homeowner pulled his weapon and the suspect fled,” King said. “The suspect had a pellet gun; the homeowner had a real gun.” The deputy left the Fort Wood Inn and headed toward the Reporter Road address, but while driving on Highway T on his way to Reporter Road, at 6:09 a.m., he saw a small silver passenger car matching the description of a car that had fled the Fort Wood Inn. The sheriff’s department had only one deputy on duty in the early morning hours, so sheriff’s dispatchers called Waynesville police to assist with securing the juvenile being held at gunpoint by the homeowner; King responded from his home, took custody of the juvenile from Waynesville police, and transported him to the county jail where he awaits filing of charges.


Ohio store owner shoots suspect during robbery attempt: "A suspect entered the Northfield Food Mart around 7:15pm Thursday evening attempting to rob the store owner. In defense, the store owner pulled out a weapon and shot the suspect. The injured suspect attempted to exit the store and was quickly apprehended. Police are in early stages of their investigation.... The suspect was taken to Bedford Hospital and then lifeflighted to MetroHealth Medical Center. There is no word on his condition, however, there are reports that he may have been shot in the head.

Pennsylvania Mother Turns Tables On Carjackers: "Police said Wednesday a mother wrestled away a gun from a carjacker who tried to take her car with her 7-year-old daughter inside. Chopper 10 was over the scene at Bellfield Avenue and Route 1, where police were using metal detectors and a search dog. Bellfield Avenue was shut down for the investigation. Firefighters arrived with lights so police could continue the investigation. Police said the 37-year-old woman was leaving work at the Sunny Days Early Child Development Services facility on Township Line when she said she was approached by two men who got out of a black Jeep. After a brief conversation, one pointed a gun at her and demanded her SUV. Police said the woman pleaded with the gunmen to allow her to retrieve her 7-year-old daughter out of the backseat. As she helped the child out, she grabbed the gun from the carjacker's lap. The woman then began to back away, with the gunmen following in an attempt to retrieve the gun. Police said the gun went off in the struggle. While neither the mother nor daughter were injured, it was unknown if their attackers were hurt. The gunmen got the weapon back, and one jumped into the victim's SUV and drove up Belfield Avenue, while the other was picked up around the corner on Township Line in the black Jeep they had pulled up in, NBC 10 News reported. Police said they were looking for at least three men, their black Jeep, and the victim's 2007 White Over Black Toyota FJ Cruiser."


Texas: Big guy shot while trying to seize child: "A 20-year-old Fort Worth man was shot in the chest Wednesday night while attempting to take his 15-month-old son from a residence in Burleson after a fight with another Fort Worth man, according the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. Ashton Lamar Miles Brown, 17, is accused of shooting Damarcus King, who was transferred to John Peter Smith Hospital. Brown was arrested on a charge of a felon in possession of a firearm. Details on King’s condition were not available. According to reports, King, the father of the child, had sent threatening messages to the mother. King said he would harm the mother and grandmother and then take the child from the East Renfro Street home. Brown was inside the residence with the mother and child when King arrived at the home. When King entered the residence, a fight began between the two men. At 6-3 and 200 pounds, King is three years older, six inches taller and 50 pounds heavier than Brown. During the fight, Brown fired a shot from a 9 mm handgun, which struck King in the chest. The shot entered and exited King’s chest cavity area. Despite the wound, the fight continued while King and Brown stumbled over a love seat. King went out the front door and collapsed in the front yard, where he remained until paramedics arrived for treatment. Both men have prior arrest records."


Tennessee: Robbery suspect shot, killed at car wash: "A robbery suspect was shot and killed in South Memphis tonight. According to Memphis police, multiple suspects attempted to rob the After Hours car wash at 770 Polk near Crump just before 7 p.m. A person inside the store had a gun. He fired, hitting one of the suspects and killing him, police said. Police were still investigating the incident late tonight, and were uncertain if any charges would be filed against the shooter."