TN: Teen home invader shot: "The 17-year-old boy who was killed while allegedly trying to break into a South Knoxville house died from a single gunshot wound to the chest, a police spokesman said today. Although authorities aren’t releasing many details of the case, Knoxville Police Department spokesman Darrell DeBusk said it appears that Arsenio Wooten, 17, was felled by a round fired by homeowner Richard A. Naleway, 44. DeBusk said police don’t believe that the teen was struck by a bullet fired by his accomplice. Wooten died during an exchange of gunfire at 814 Carls Lane about 5:25 a.m. Wednesday, police say. Naleway, who was at home with his wife, said that he fired two shots from a semiautomatic pistol as two would-be robbers tried to push their way through his front door. A spent shell casing recovered from the scene and Naleway’s statement indicated that one of the suspects also fired a shot from a semiautomatic pistol, but DeBusk said the exact sequence of the shots wasn’t clear. KPD investigators believe that the second suspect was also hit by gunfire based on evidence collected at the scene and Naleway’s account. No suspect had been identified as of today and no one suffering from an unexplained gunshot wound had shown up at any of the area’s hospitals, DeBusk said. DeBusk said no charges have been filed against Naleway and the investigation is continuing."


NV: Would-be robber shot in struggle, dies: "A would-be robber died early today after being shot during a struggle with a robbery victim on Wednesday, the Sparks Police Department reported. Sparks police this morning identified the deceased as Camryn Blair, 18, of Reno. Police believe Blair and Joshua Ross, 18, of Reno committed thefts and robberies starting Sunday and ending with the confrontation on Wednesday. On Sunday, police said, Ross and the Blair stole guns from a home in an undisclosed location in Washoe County and later that night they used the stolen guns to rob someone in the 2200 block of Greenbrae Drive in Sparks. On Wednesday night, police said, the pair were both armed again as they tried to rob a couple near the amphitheater on the north side of Sparks Middle School, but Ross and one of the robbery victims struggled. There was an accidental discharge of the gun Ross was holding and the bullet hit Blair, police said. At 9:29 p.m. police responded to the report of the shooting and found Blair with a gunshot wound to his lower torso on the ground behind Sparks Middle School. Emergency responders immediately began resuscitation efforts and Blair was taken to Renown Regional Medical Center where the efforts to save him continued, but he died at about 2:10 a.m., police said. The guns were found on the Sparks Middle School roof. Police said the targets of the robbery have not been found and they would like them to come forward. Ross was booked on suspicion of armed robbery and burglary, police said."


Another open carry day: “My friend Jubal and I often open carry together, especially when we go out of town to shop. It’s an exercise of our sovereign responsibility for our own lives and safety, as well as an opportunity to educate others. It should be a given that we are also ready and able to help others in the event of an attack or other emergency. Unfortunately, that’s not how some people see us at all. Having been conditioned to believe that the guns themselves are ‘evil’ in the hands of ordinary people, and that anyone who is not a cop just might well be up to no good if they’ve got a gun … Perfectly legal open carry of a firearm can be mighty inconvenient, and in many places put one in grave danger from the police themselves. Most of the time we don’t encounter these folks, but sometimes it happens. That’s when the education often starts.”


SAF sues DC over handgun permits : "The Second Amendment Foundation today filed a lawsuit on behalf of three residents of the District of Columbia and a Florida resident, seeking to compel the city to issue carry permits to law-abiding citizens. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court on behalf of Tom Palmer, George Lyon and Amy McVey, all District residents, and Edward Raymond, a New Hampshire resident. SAF and the individual plaintiffs are being represented by attorney Alan Gura, who successfully argued the landmark District of Columbia v. Heller case in 2008 that overturned the District’s handgun ban on the grounds that it was unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.”

Florida: Self-defense claim allowed in neighbor shooting: "It couldn't be proved that a Homosassa man who shot and killed a neighbor on June 14 was not acting in self-defense. That according to Assistant State Attorney Pete Magrino who, in a memo, said his conclusion was based on the CCSO investigation, coroner's ruling and statements by witnesses and the shooter, Oscar Delbono, 53. It also took into consideration, Magrino's memo said, previous threats of violence by the victim, Shane Huse, 34.... On the day of the shooting, Magrino notes, Huse had approached Delbono at the front gate of Delbono's front yard, and that an argument ensued, a witness said, with Huse “flailing his arms.” The argument was too far away for the witness to hear what was being said, the memo says. A witness who saw the shooting was interviewed, and told investigators that Huse was turning to go when he was shot. The autopsy showed that Huse was shot twice – in the neck and right shoulder - which, the coroner in Leesburg ruled, were consistent with Huse being in a turning motion at the time he was shot. Delbono had made a call to the Sheriff's Office at the time of the shooting, saying that Huse was “going for something,” and that "I feared for my life,” Magrino's memo says."


Self-Defense Considered In Oregon Shooting: "A 40-year-old man survived a shooting in southeast Portland on Monday night and police said he may have been shot in self defense. Portland police officers were called to a home in the 2700 block of Southeast 138th Avenue to investigate a report of shots fired at 9:50 p.m. They found Tristan Taillefer suffering from a gunshot wound and he was taken to an area hospital to be treated for injuries that weren't life-threatening. Police detained three people who were inside the home, but later released them. No other details about the shooting have been released and police did not say what kind of relationship Taillefer has with the people who were detained. The shooting does not appear to be gang-related. Portland police assault detectives are still investigating whether the shooting was self defense."


TN: Good neighbor shoots burglar: "A Kingsport man may face an aggravated assault charge for shooting a fleeing burglary suspect outside a neighbor’s home. Dustin Eads, 29, 132 Gravely Road, Kingsport, was listed in fair condition Tuesday afternoon after being shot by Dennis McClanahan, 52, 2670 Pratt Road, Kingsport, Monday afternoon following an alleged attempt to burglarize the home of Lisa Berry, 47, 2644 Pratt Road, Kingsport. While one Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office report indicates a burglary charge is pending against Eads, a separate report lists McClanahan as a suspect on an aggravated assault charge."




GA: Accused robber shot by store employee: "A 19-year-old man has been charged with aggravated assault and armed robbery in connection with a Saturday night robbery at a Fort Hill neighborhood store, Macon police said. Laadrian Javonte Wilson [above] is being held at the Bibb County jail without bond, according to jail records. Three men entered the store at 406 Woolfolk St., at about 10:30 p.m., according to a police report. One of the men pointed a gun at a store worker. A second store worker picked up a shotgun. He and the alleged robbers fired shots at each other, according to the report. The three men ran north on Woolfolk Street. Minutes later, police received a radio call about a man with a gunshot wound at The Medical Center of Central Georgia, according to the report. Sgt. Melanie Hofmann said Wilson was shot in the buttocks and was arrested at about 4 p.m. Monday upon his release from the hospital."

FL: Store manager was a good shot: "It was pouring rain just after 1 p.m. Monday, July 20, when a man burst into a Honduran grocery store on NW 36th Street in Miami. A shirt was wrapped around his face as he gripped a black semiautomatic handgun. Twenty-year-old Charles Bell shoved the pistol into the face of a manager behind the counter. Then he demanded the contents of the cash register and cartons of cigarettes in a plastic bag. Next he began herding customers to the back of the small market. But when he returned to the counter to collect his loot, a short, well-built 24-year-old manager named Valentin Fiallos pointed a .38 and squeezed the trigger. As Bell scampered from the store, he turned and shot back several times. Fiallos, shielding himself, squeezed off several more rounds. The would-be robber missed every time, but the manager's aim was true. Bell burst out of the store and ran several steps before flopping onto the wet asphalt. A bullet to the chest killed him. Cops termed it "justifiable homicide."


GA: Schoolteacher exchanges gunfire with carjackers: “A DeKalb County schoolteacher carjacked early Sunday scored a measure of revenge against his attackers — thanks in part to their poor sense of direction. Derek Harper, 47, had just returned to his Lithonia home around 1:15 a.m. when two unidentified gunmen surprised him from behind, forcing the Evansdale Elementary teacher out of his car and onto the ground, demanding money. ‘After they figured out I didn’t have any cash on me they got into my van,’ he said. His narrow garage helped Harper sneak away. ‘One of them was having trouble getting into the passenger’s side, so while he was doing that I took off,’ said Harper, also the assistant track coach at Stephenson High. As he ran the gunmen started firing, striking Harper once in the arm before speeding off in his van, heading directly toward a dead end on Phillips Place. Knowing they’d be forced to turn around, Harper ran inside and grabbed his .380 pistol. ‘I was waiting for them,’ he said. Harper estimates he fired two to three bullets, which might have contributed to the driver crashing the van less than a block away.”


Support the Second: "Unfortunately, the Second Amendment is under assault. … It’s with that in mind that Ranger Up and I want to know YOUR opinions on the Second Amendment. … It’s along those lines that we want to hear from you. In 100 words or less (you won’t be penalized for writing more, but I may get bored quicker) tell us your opinions about the Second Amendment. Send your submissions to cj@soldiersperspective.us by 25 August with ‘2nd Amendment Essay Contest’ in the subject line. Why 25 August? On August 25, 1789, the Second Amendment resolution was sent to the Senate from the House. For the next two years, the amendment would be debated and changed made to make it what it is today. Now, 220 years later, it is under attack.”


Are you a hoplophobe?: “Years ago, the late Col. Jeff Cooper … coined a term that has now become part of the American lexicon and has actually been recognized as a genuine phobia. Hoplophobia: An irrational fear of firearms and other forms of weaponry. … Hoplophobia should not be mistaken for outright social bigotry against firearms and the people who own them. One often leads to the other, but they are not the same thing. The social bigot believes himself or herself to be superior to the firearms owner in any number of arenas, including education and salary, whereas the hoplophobe is genuinely fearful of firearms. So I’ve cooked up a little quiz that may help people determine if they are suffering from hoplophobia.”

WV: Man violates restraining order,is shot: “Sarrell Johnson was shot in the abdomen at a home on Montrose Drive around 6:00 a.m. Saturday.Police believe they know who the suspect is, but they have not been able to bring him in for questioning yet.Once Johnson is released from the hospital he could be facing some charges of his own. A Domestic Violence Petition was ordered against him by the woman who was living in the home where the shooting happened.Police say Johnson used force to knock down the door of the woman’s house. He allegedly hit the homeowner in the head.Johnson could face charges for violating the domestic violence petition, Domestic Battery and Burglary.”


GA: Store workers fight off trio of armed robbers: "Macon police are looking for three men who attempted to rob a store Saturday night around 10:30, a report stated. According to the police report, three men entered the store at 406 Woolfolk St. and one of them pulled out a gun and aimed it at one of the store workers. A second store worker picked up a shotgun. He and the gunmen fired shots at each other. The three suspects fled the scene and ran north on Woolfolk Street. Minutes later, police received a radio call about a man with a gunshot wound at The Medical Center of Central Georgia. According to the report, police believe the man to be one of the armed robbers."


GA: Attempted robbery turns deadly: "Police say 22-year-old Reginald Wilson shot and killed 20-year-old Christopher Childress when he tried to rob Wilson and his roommate, 23-year-old Michael Parrish at their duplex on North Madison Saturday morning. “When he went outside to check he saw no one but he said he thought he saw someone behind the corner of his house went back in, heard another knock at the door and that's when he became suspicious, he alerted his roommate to what he heard, that's when he went to his room and grabbed his handgun for the suspicion that someone was out there and his roommate answered the door and that's why he was pulled out at gunpoint,” said Detective Darrell Laster. Police say the gun that Childress was holding was a B-B gun that looked like a handgun, which is why Wilson shot at Childress several times. Police say Childress participates in gang activity, and was wearing gang paraphernalia and rubber gloves during the attempted robbery."


Canada: Lounge employee wrestles shotgun from would-be thief: "An employee of a Crane River First Nation VLT lounge wrestled an armed man and forced him out of the building during an attempted armed robbery this weekend. Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP said the attempted robbery occurred around 9:30 a.m. Saturday in Crane River, located 300 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. A person entered the VLT lounge, pointed a shotgun at a 41-year-old man who was the lone employee at the time and demanded money. The employee wrestled with the gunman and forced him out of the building. The armed individual let go of the shotgun and fled on foot. RCMP have arrested a 16-year-old boy from Lake Manitoba First Nation in connection with the case. He is charged with robbery with a firearm, using a disguise to commit an offence, using a firearm during the commission of an offence, pointing a firearm, possession of a firearm for dangerous purposes and failure to comply with the conditions of a youth probation order. The youth has been remanded in custody. He is scheduled to appear in Dauphin Court tomorrow."

Texas man killed in shooting: "A 58-year-old Palestine man is dead after being shot and killed Monday night as he aggressively approached the home of an Anderson County family with whom he had a long-running feud, according to authorities. Alton Ray Hassell, 58, of Palestine was shot once in the chest by 64-year-old Howard Miller around 6:30 p.m. Monday at the latter’s residence on U.S. 84, approximately 6 miles east of Palestine, according to Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor. Hassell was pronounced dead at the scene by Anderson County Justice of the Peace Carl Davis, according to the sheriff. Following the fatal shooting, Miller was interviewed at the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office by investigators, but authorities have deemed the man’s actions to be self-defense and no charges have been filed, according to Taylor. Hassell had an extensive criminal history, having been arrested on 43 charges in Anderson County over the past eight years, according to the sheriff. Those charges included a wide range of offenses, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; evading arrest; deadly conduct; DWI; criminal mischief; and others, he added. Seven of those charges involved the Miller family as victims, according to Taylor. At the time of Monday’s shooting, there was a court order in effect, prohibiting Hassell from being within 1,000 feet of the Millers’ residence, according to the sheriff."


AL: Brazen robber shot by guards: "Saturday night Katie and some of her family went to "It's Your Lucky Day Bingo" in Jasper. She said when she headed over to the teller booth to check out, a man suddenly appeared. "A man with a ski mask, blue coveralls, work boots and a pump shot, shotgun entered the building," she said. Sheriff Tirey said 43 year old William Cantrell of the Pineywoods community entered the building, ready to take a serious gamble. "Armed with a shotgun and handgun the suspect fired into the ceiling several times yelling 'everybody get out this is a robbery.' The suspect immediately went to the cashier's cages, fired rounds into the lock mechanism to gain entry to where the tellers were at," said the sheriff. The sheriff said two security officers confronted the robber, but the officers started shooting when the robber pointed the gun at them. He died at the scene."


TN: Five local restaurants prohibit guns or likely to: “Five of 11 Oak Ridge restaurants surveyed this week said they either will prohibit guns in their businesses or are leaning toward doing so under a new state law that went into effect July 14. Conversely, two restaurants said they will allow permit holders to carry weapons. Meanwhile, representatives at four other establishments said they have either not yet made a decision or not announced one. The new Tennessee law allows permit holders to carry weapons into restaurants that serve alcohol as long as the person carrying the gun doesn’t drink. Restaurant owners can reportedly ‘opt out’ of the legislation by posting signs announcing a ban on weapons in their establishments.”


Socialism’s dirty little secret: “There is a common thread that runs through socialist governments like this one exactly the way the orange thread runs through a pair of jeans. Victim disarmament, for example — what its advocates prefer to call ‘gun control’ — is the utterly despicable position that insists it’s somehow morally preferable to see a woman raped in an alley and strangled with her own pantyhose than to see her on her feet with a gun in her hand. Victim disarmament is a policy that not only doesn’t work, but actually causes many more problems than it ever promised to solve. But it makes the Macy-Marxists feel so warm and fuzzy inside!”

TX: Armed snack vendor shoots, kills young robbery suspect at Shell station: "A young robbery suspect was dead and two others in custody after a run-in with an armed snack vendor. It happened at a Shell gas station on MLK at Reed late Thursday night. According to police, the snack vendor was restocking the store when he was approached by three young suspects. The vendor told police the suspects walked up and demanded that he hand over some of his products. “When he advised that it was not their policy to provide product outside of the actual store, they became irate and demanded that he basically give them something, at which time one individual began to assault (the vendor), striking him in his nose,” HPD Homicide’s Brian Evans said. Evans said a second suspect then started punching the vendor, so the vendor grabbed his gun and opened fire. “The individual is a concealed handgun license carrier and was armed at the time. He retrieved a weapon and subsequently shot and killed an individual here on the scene,” Evans said. Police said the other two suspects fled the scene on foot, but they were quickly apprehended. Evans said the dead suspect appeared to be in his late teens or early 20s, and the other two suspects are younger, possibly juveniles."


MI: Robbers driven off by a gunshot: "Two men are in custody after an armed robbery early Saturday morning at Buddy's Mini Mart, 1612 N. West Ave. As the suspects fled the store they confronted a 55-year-old Jackson man who was driving near it. The man, who is licensed to carry a concealed weapon, fired one round at the suspects after they threatened him and his family with a firearm, according to the release. No one was shot, Jackson police Sgt. David Stadelman said. Two men, including a 19 year old, were later arrested in connection with the incident and police are searching for a third suspect, who may have been involved, Stadelman said. It was unknown how much was taken from the store. No further information on the incident was available Saturday afternoon.


KS: Topekan With Permit Stops Robbery By Firing Shots: "An employee at a business being robbed at 21st & Clay Saturday night used his concealed carry license, firing shots at would-be robbers. They fled, and no one was injured. Topeka Police released this information: At approximately 10:30PM Topeka Police officers were called to 21st and Clay reference a break-in in-progress to a business. The suspects confronted an employee who was trying to close up shop and a struggle ensued between the suspects and the victim. The victim had a Kansas Concealed Carry License and was eventually able to access his handgun and fire a shot at the suspects who then fled the scene."


CA: Off-duty officer on a jog shoots pit bull running at him: "A Mead Valley family learned the hard way Thursday why dog owners need to restrain their pets after their dog charged at a passing jogger who happened to be carrying a gun. The jogger, an off-duty Los Angeles Police Department officer, shot the pit bull mix once in the jaw. The dog survived. The officer runs in the neighborhood regularly and apparently had experienced problems with dogs before, said Sgt. Scott Forbes, of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. The dog ran through an open gate as the off-duty officer jogged past on the opposite side of the 18100 block of Alexander Street about 7 p.m. The officer told deputies that the dog got within 5 feet of him and he fired one shot, Forbes said. The dog was hit in the jaw and ran away. Neighbors told deputies that they had seen the same dog run at the jogger before, Forbes said. Forbes declined to release the officer's name because he is not suspected of committing a crime. Off-duty officers are allowed to carry a gun, and deputies concluded that the officer acted in self-defense, Forbes said.... Martinez said Rocky has a hole in his face, but otherwise seems to be doing fine. Because the dog was allowed to run loose and actively chased the jogger, he was within his rights to defend himself, Welsh said."

Kentucky: Suspect Shot in Home Invasion Robbery: "Police say a suspected burglar was shot early Thursday morning during a McCracken County home invasion. The incident happened at about 2 a.m. at a home in the Kevil area. The McCracken county sheriff says a man was trying to break into the home when a burglar alarm went off. The home owner confronted the burglar, then shot him. The burglar's name and condition have not been released."




FL: Clerk discharges shotgun during robbery: "A store clerk thwarted an attempted robbery when his shotgun went off accidentally while he was struggling with the suspect, according to police reports. Police say Ryan McLain Fields, 24, [above] entered the Quick Thru Drive-Thru Mini Mart on Fourth Street North in St. Petersburg just before 6:30 p.m. Friday armed with a knife and demanded money. The clerk and Fields got into an altercation, during which the clerk armed himself with a 12-gauge shotgun. The gun went off accidentally. No one was injured. Store customers held Fields down until police arrived. During an interrogation, police say Fields confessed to being involved in five other robberies that have taken place over the past month in Pinellas County."


UT: Man pleads to misdemeanor for killing carpet worker: "A Copperton man who shot and killed his carpet installer two years ago, after the worker assaulted the man's girlfriend, pleaded guilty Friday to a lesser misdemeanor charge. Steven Lovendahl, 32, was charged in 3rd District Court with first-degree felony murder in connection with the Aug. 11, 2007, death of 36-year-old Kevin Michael Shepherd. Lovendahl pleaded guilty to a class A misdemeanor count of negligent homicide. He faces up to a year in jail when he sentenced Oct. 7 by Judge Robert Adkins. Explaining the significant reduction in the charge, prosecutor Alicia Cook cited problems with proving Lovendahl's intent to kill, as well as Lovendahl's potential ability to claim self-defense or defense of others. Cook said that at the time of the shooting, Shepherd was still in the act of assaulting the woman, whom defense attorneys described as Lovendahl's common-law wife. Also, the shooting occurred in Lovendahl's own front yard." [He took a plea bargain where he could have got off completely]


A woman’s journey into guns: “A few days ago, I was asked to tell my story about how I became interested in guns. … It really was something that came upon me in the last few years. … One day my husband was sighting in his new 17 caliber rifle when I walked outside and said I wanted to start shooting. I had only one condition: no guns with a loud bang or kick. He smiled a smile that made my heart skip a beat. Then he said, have a seat. … Recently, I had a van load of suspicious-looking men come to my house … I picked up my shotgun and stood in front of the doorway. They got the picture and quickly left. I realized then, I didn’t want to walk up on a situation where I am unarmed. So, I attended my first concealed carry class."

Ohio Man Fatally Shoots Armed Intruder: "A man fatally shot an armed intruder while protecting his 5-year-old relative late Wednesday, authorities said. CPD said the incident started with a home invasion but it was the suspect who was fatally shot. CPD was called to a home on the 1500 block of Autumn Village Drive on reports of a shooting at about 11 p.m. Wednesday. Officers found a man on a front porch with a gunshot wound to his neck. The armed suspect broke into home shortly before he was fatally shot, CPD said. “There was a knock on the door. The resident went to the door, at which time the victim out front entered the house with a firearm in commission of an aggravated robbery,” said CPD homicide Sgt. Dana Norman. As the armed suspect entered the home, a man picked up his 5-year-old relative to protect child as well as a firearm and fired shots, according to authorities. The suspect attempted to flee the home after being wounded but collapsed on the porch. He died a short time later. The police report listed the suspect as an unknown black male in his 20s. The man who fatally shot the suspect was not a resident of the home; he was staying there with relatives. There were four people in home at time of the invasion: a woman, child and two men, one of whom is bedridden. No other injuries were reported from the incident. No charges were filed against the man who shot the intruder currently, but the case will be presented to the Franklin County grand jury for review."


Colorado: Bear in home shot: "It took three rounds from a shotgun, five bullets from a handgun and two shots from a rifle to kill the 120-pound black bear that broke into a Boulder County home early Monday morning. Brenda Fischer's barking dog woke her at about 2 a.m. Monday morning. When she went upstairs to investigate, she found a bear in the kitchen of her home on Poorman Road, between Sunshine and Fourmile canyons. Fischer quickly returned downstairs to wake her two children and her husband. "As soon as I knew there was a bear inside the house, I went to gather up both our weapon and our ammunition, because they are in two different places, and went to place myself with the weapon between the family and the bear," said Paul Fischer, Brenda's husband. "As soon as I moved to try and make a place for him to get out, he charged me," Fischer continued. "That's when I shot him and he kept charging me. I shot him a second time, and he kept charging me. I shot him a third time and he was finally disoriented enough for me to get away." The first two rounds from the 12-gauge shotgun were birdshot and the third was rubber bullets, according to a report by the sheriff's office. The Fischers escaped through a bedroom window, leaving the wounded bear inside the house. When officers arrived on the scene at about 2:30 a.m., they found a bloody bear trying to claw his way through a screen door. Sheriff's Sgt. Lance Enholm, after determining that the bear was severely injured and would need to be put down, fired his .45-caliber handgun five more times at the animal." [Birdshot???]


CA: 9th Circuit to rehear fairgrounds victim disarmament case: “The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals just agreed to host another shootout over gun rights. The court decided Wednesday to review en banc a panel ruling that had significantly broadened Second Amendment protections by applying them to state and local governments. This holding, arrived at by Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain, is at odds with other rulings from around the country — including one penned by 2nd Circuit Judge Sonia Sotomayor. The 9th Circuit panel had still upheld an Alameda County, Calif., ordinance that forbids a gun show at a public fairground. Thus neither side had asked for en banc review. ‘I suppose they were both afraid of what could happen,’ said Arthur Hellman, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Hellman speculated that pro-gun control forces on the 9th Circuit may be seeking to resolve the circuit split now, which would relieve some of the pressure on the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in.”


You can have safer streets if you want them … : “Last edition, I mentioned the e-book version release of my book Safe Streets In The Nationwide Concealed Carry Of Handguns. At the core is the formula for how to get back your safe streets. Does it work? It works. In Los Angeles, Angelinos felt the loss of seventeen year old Lily Burk. Lily was stalked and robbed by someone who should have remained in jail. Lily was abducted, coerced into making repeated attempts to obtain money from her credit card, and then slashed and beaten to death …. Here in L.A. there is talk of the death penalty …. There is talk of keeping people in jail. There is talk of swift justice. All of this is after-the-fact. … Why can’t there be more exploration about how to get back to safer streets?”

TN: Son Kills Father-in-Law In Self Defense: "A man died Wednesday after being shot in Murfreesboro. According to police, a young man shot and killed a 56-year-old man early Wednesday morning at an apartment located in the 600 block of Maple Street. Neighbors said the young man shot his father-in-law in self-defense. According to the neighbors, the 56-year-old man pulled a gun on his son-in-law first. Police confirmed that the shooting was classified as domestic related homicide; although, investigators have not ruled out self-defense or accidental shooting. In regards to an arrest, investigators spoke with and released a person of interest, which doesn't mean the case is closed. Police said they plan on sending the case to the grand jury. Emergency officials revived the father-in-law on the scene and then transported him to Middle Tennessee Medical Center. The victim was then flown to Vanderbilt Medical Center, where he died in surgery."


Young black Michigan cab robber shot: "The victim of an armed robbery shot and killed his robber Thursday morning, police said. Police said an armed man attempted to rob a cab driver at the Citgo Gas Station on McNichols Street around 5 a.m. The cab driver pulled out a gun and fired several rounds, striking the thief three times, said police. The man was transported to Detroit Receiving Hospital, where he died. Police said the 38-year-old shooter called police to report the shooting. He is now in custody and being questioned. Police said the cab driver had a legitimate license to carry a concealed weapon."


Connecticut man scares off intruder with shotgun: "Plainfield and state police are looking for an intruder who apparently was scared off when a homeowner fired his shotgun. Police say John Gold heard noises inside his home late Monday night and got out of bed to investigate and saw the movement of a flashlight. Police say when Gold couldn't immediately find his cell phone to call 911, he grabbed his shotgun and began loading it when the intruder confronted him. Gold told police he fired one shot and the intruder, who apparently was not injured, took off."


Florida: Would-Be Robber Shot and Killed: "Orange County Sheriff's deputies say a robbery victim turned the tables on two robbery suspects. Deputies say Miguel Jimenez was walking into his apartment at Villa Tuscany near Ocoee when 18-year-old Andri Benjamin ran up, put a gun in his face and tried to rob him. But Jimenez was carrying a loaded revolver and a concealed weapons permit to go along with it. He pulled his gun out and shot Benjamin several times, killing him... Deputies rushed to the scene while Jimenez was holding the second suspect at gunpoint."

TX: Homeowner fatally shoots burglary suspect: "A homeowner shot and killed a suspected burglar who came at him with a tire iron Tuesday after breaking into a storage shed on the man’s property in east Harris County, officals said. Although the shooting will be referred to a Harris County grand jury, investigators said it appears to be self-defense. "He has the right to protect himself and his property," said Sgt. Felipe Rivera, with the Harris County sheriff’s homicide division. Investigators later Tuesday had not released the names of the homeowner or of the dead man. On Tuesday, the homeowner saw a car about 3:30 p.m. as it pulled into the driveway leading to the home in the 100 block of Cedar Lane in Channelview. After checking with his father-in-law, who lives in another home on the same property, the man took his .45-caliber pistol and went outside to confront the man he had seen in the car, investigators said. The man was carrying empty cases used to hold crossbows when the homeowner confronted him in the driveway. "He pulled out his gun and ordered the suspect to stop," Rivera said. "The suspect threw the cases down and produced the tire iron." The homeowner fired once with the pistol. He fired a second time when the man continued moving toward him. The man got into his car then began grabbing for the pistol, Rivera said. "They struggled for the gun and he (the homeowner) fires two or three more shots," Rivera said. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Rivera said.


Oregon man grabs shotgun, kills invading bear: "An Oregon family has learned the hazards of leaving a window open in summer time. That's after a bear ripped off the window screen and broke into their house over the weekend. Everett Skinner's daughter was the first to spot the bear after awakening to a strange shuffling sound. She quickly retreated to her parents' room to get help. Skinner grabbed his shotgun and found the bear in the den. He says the animal stood up and headed toward him, so he fired. It took four shots to kill the bear. Skinner is still not sure what made the bear decide to visit."


GA man shot girlfriend's ex in self defense: "Police say a man who shot and killed his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend was acting in self defense. The shooting happened just after 3 p.m. Monday. Atlanta police Maj. Renee Propes said the shooting victim waited outside his ex-girlfriend's apartment until her new boyfriend came home. Propes said the man attacked the new boyfriend and the fight continued into the apartment, where the new boyfriend shot and killed the ex-boyfriend. Propes said charges aren't likely to be filed. Police didn't release the names or ages of the men but said the man killed had recently gotten out of jail.


NY: Cuomo takes aim at toy guns: “Attorney General Andrew Cuomo today announced that he sent cease-and-desist letters to over 100 companies who are selling imitation toy guns, saying state law prohibits their sale of without specifically indicating that they are toys. ‘Realistic toy guns are a tragedy waiting to happen,’ Cuomo said in a statement. ‘Every day, these imitation weapons put the lives of both law enforcement and civilians at risk. This is a public safety matter, plain and simple, and we will not permit these companies to profit by making our streets more dangerous.’ Letters were sent to manufacturers, distributors, and … over 100 local retailers who purchased illegal toy guns from Rhode Island Novelty Co.”

Idaho: Prison escapees meet their match in Idaho mom with gun: "The Idaho County Sheriff's Office had honored a Cottonwood woman with a certificate of achievement saying she showed true courage in the face of danger for fending off two prison escapees who tried to break into her home. Cassidy Lockett was home with her young children late last month when she says two men tried to break into her home. She hid the children behind the couch, grabbed a .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol and aimed it at a man who was already halfway through a window, climbing into her home. Lockett says she pointed the gun at him and told him to get out or she'd shoot. She says he complied, and left along with another man who was trying to get through the locked front door. The sheriff's department says the two were Richard Nieves and Ben Westley Perez, who are both facing escape, burglary and other charges."


New Mexico: DA drops murder charge: "District Attorney Kari Brandenburg has dropped a murder charge against a 23-year-old man who shot two rival gang members in 2008. According to Pat Davis of the district attorney’s office, Robert Romero was in an apartment building on Mountain Road near Old Town in November of 2008 when the two gang members attempted to force their way in with a shotgun. Romero shot the two and then fled. He was taken into custody following a SWAT standoff on July 11, 2009. David says that with Romero’s arrest, investigators have been able to take into consideration the issue of self defense. “Given this new information, it has been determined that murder charges against Romero are not appropriate at this time,” reads a release from the DA’s office. Prosecutors are leaving open the option of seeking a grand jury indictment against Romero."


Thought for the weekend: Should you own a gun?: “It has been a particularly discouraging week during which two women in South Park were brutally stabbed … as they slept, one teen fatally shot another … and two people … were robbed of a gun and electronics. So, let us consider for a moment: Should you own a firearm? Take a good look in the mirror, size up that person you see, and ask whether you think that man or woman has the skill, temperament, and backbone to use a gun properly, should the occasion arise? [E]arly Friday, three thugs, one armed with a gun, burst in to confront the two people living in a residence. One of the residents grabbed his own gun but … ‘dropped his firearm and complied with the suspects’ because he was in fear for his life. This one left veteran gun owners mystified, asking, ‘Instead of dropping his gun, why didn’t the guy just shoot the other guy?’”


Americans use a gun in self-defense every 13 seconds : “Americans use a gun in self defense once every 13 seconds, according to a peer-reviewed study. The National Self Defense Survey, as conducted by Florida State University criminologists in 1994, indicates that Americans use guns in self defense 2,500,000 times per year, which is once every 13 seconds. In about 30% of the defensive gun uses, the would-be victim believes that the gun ‘almost certainly’ or ‘probably’ saved a life. In more than 1/2 of the self defense gun uses, the would-be victim was under attack by 2 or more criminals, making a firearm the only viable means of self defense for most people.”

SC: One dead in attempted robbery : "“An Horry County man shot and killed another Thursday after two men entered a home on Forestbrook Road apparently with the intent to rob those inside, police said. The pair were confronted by a man inside the home, where there also was another adult and a 7-year-old child, according to police. … A child called 911 and reported that his father was arguing with other people in the living room, according to the police report.One of the intruders produced a handgun and a person in the home, who has not been identified shot Chestnut in self-defense.”


Florida: Brinks security guard fatally shot a would-be robber: "A Brinks security guard shot and killed a would-be robber who attacked him while he was making a routine stop at a South Miami-Dade health clinic Friday, according to witnesses. After the 2 p.m. shooting outside the Doris Ison Health Center, 10300 SW 216th St., Miami-Dade police arrested two other suspects after a search of surrounding neighborhoods. Miami-Dade police have not identified the dead man. Those arrested also were not identified. "According to investigators, shots were fired when three subjects, armed with firearms, attempted to rob an armored truck crew making a pick up or delivery at the health center located at 10300 SW 216th Street,'' a Miami-Dade police statement said late Friday. One employee of the health center, who did not want to be identified, told The Miami Herald that the shooting took place after the apparent robber attacked the Brinks security guard. The guard, said the witness, then shot the man outside the health center, which remained under lockdown for hours as police officers swarmed the area in search of the other suspects. Miami Herald news partner WFOR-CBS 4 reported that police found the other suspects less than a mile away at the Cutler Creek Town Homes. They reported that police officers went house to house and then surrounded one home."


Fans of St. Gabriel Possenti see him as patron of “handgunnners”: “From lost causes to the unattractive, patron saints are associated with virtually every occupation, ailment and activity. St. Gabriel Francis Possenti, a 19th-century Passionist monk and patron saint of Italy’s Abruzzi region, clerics and youths, is gaining a line of followers who feel he should be recognized by the Vatican as the patron saint of ‘handgunners.’ The St. Gabriel Possenti Society of Arlington, Va., is an interdenominational society dedicated to promoting the public recognition of the saint and advocating his Vatican designation as patron of ‘handgunners.’ It emphasizes historical, philosophical and theological bases for the right to self-defense.”


Federal court rules no probable cause in arrest for open carry : “Georgia resident Luke Woodard ended up in the Paulding County jail for purchasing lottery tickets while carrying a handgun openly. He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, even though he was carrying openly, and disorderly conduct. As reported in these pages previously, Luke Woodard sued the two Paulding County Sheriff’s Deputies involved. Federal Judge Harold Murphy, Northern District of Georgia, recently ruled that the officers had no probable cause to arrest Mr. Woodard on either charge, and that therefore, his arrest was illegal. The analysis does not end there, however, as the court decided to go further and argue that the two deputies had something called ‘arguable’ probable cause.”

Kansas Corrections worker shoots assailant: "A 61-year-old man acted in self-defense when he shot one of two men who were robbing him outside his part-time job near downtown, the Topekan’s attorney said Thursday evening. The shooter, Albert B. Thompson, will give a statement to Topeka police this morning about the robbery and shooting, said William Rork, an attorney representing Thompson. “He’s not a suspect in any way,” Rork said of his client. Thompson is “a 61-year-old man and has had double bypass surgery a year ago and was in fear of his life,” Rork said. Thompson had gone to his vehicle early Thursday when he was attacked and beaten, Rork said. Thompson works at the Senate Luxury Suite Apartments, 900 S.W. Tyler, as a front desk night auditor and at the Kansas Department of Corrections... Police haven’t released the name of the man who was shot Thursday. He was taken to a hospital after the shooting. His condition was unavailable. The incident began when Thompson walked toward his vehicle in the east parking lot of the apartments. Two men emerged and attempted to rob him. There was a struggle, and as he was being hit by the robbers, Thompson reached inside his car, grabbed a gun and fired at his assailants, police said. One of the men was hit by gunfire. The pair fled, and witnesses said the assailants appeared to flag down a car in the 500 block S.W. 10th, and the wounded man was taken to an area hospital, police said. Police were summoned to the 900 block of S.W. Tyler at 4:11 a.m. moments after the shooting. While searching the area, officers were notified by dispatchers that a wounded person showed up at a local hospital. Police are still seeking the second assailant, who is described as a black male in his late teens or early 20s, about 5 feet, 7 inches tall and wearing a brown T-shirt.


Foolish civilian patrol arouses suspicion and gets shot up: "Serbeck and his partner were doing a neighborhood mobile patrol Tuesday night when they were confronted by an angry Reginald Campos. Authorities said Campos believed the two men were stalking their daughter and friends. But investigators learned that the two men were performing their duties and asking questions of the girls. However, those familiar with mobile patrols said that mistakes were made. "Don't take firearms with you and don't get involved,” said Levi Hughes who teaches mobile watch patrols for the sheriff’s office. “You don't stop people and interview them, don't question people you think might be involved in a crime. Leave that to law enforcement.” Serbeck was carrying a gun and did have a concealed weapons permit. But Campos didn’t. However a new law allows the public to carry a weapon in their car. And the law allows the owner to use if it’s a case of self defense. The 9-1-1 audio tape released by the sheriff’s office reveals that Campos thought he was in danger. "He got out of his car and pulled a gun on me and he cocked it and I let him have it,” said Campos to the dispatcher. Campos fired three times and held the two men on the ground until deputies arrived.... Campos was booked into the Sale Lake County jail on attempted murder. Prosecutors have yet to file charges against him. Meanwhile, Serbeck remains hospitalized and in critical condition. There is some fear that the bullet damaged his spinal cord and may be paralyzed."


Senate blocks gun bill: "The Senate voted last week to block a bill that would have expanded gun rights by allowing licensed owners of firearms to carry concealed weapons into other states. Senators voted 58-39 to shelve an amendment by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. While Thune won support from a majority, he needed 60 votes to prevail under a deal reached among senators. The amendment would have required individual states to honor concealed weapons permits issued by other states even as the rules for carrying guns might vary from state to state. All but two states, Wisconsin and Illinois, allow licensed gun owners to carry a hidden weapon. The amendment, strongly supported by the National Rifle Association, would have required the traveling gun owner to honor local laws that might bar hidden weapons in restaurants and other places. Thune argued expanding the right to carry concealed guns would reduce crime. Thugs would think twice about committing a crime not knowing if their victim might be armed, he said. The amendment "will allow law-abiding individuals to travel, without complication, throughout the 48 states that currently permit some form of conceal and carry," Thune said. "Law-abiding individuals have the right to self-defense." Opponents argued the amendment would trample a state's right to determine who can legally carry guns within its borders."


TN: Kingsport will leave guns-in-parks law in effect: "The city of Kingsport will not be opting out of a new state law allowing gun owners with carry permits to take their firearms into parks, city and elected officials said last week. The Tennessee General Assembly earlier this year approved House Bill 716 allowing Tennessee’s 222,000 handgun-carry permit holders to bring their firearms into federal, state and local parks. Gov. Phil Bredesen signed the bill into law last month. The bill allows city and county governments the right to opt out of the legislation, thus prohibiting guns from local parks. Locally, Bristol and Johnson City have opted out of the law, Church Hill voted last week not to opt out and the Hawkins County Commission plans to vote on Monday whether or not to do so. Sullivan County has not addressed the issue."

Texas oldster shoots teen carjacker: "August Peters, 74, pulled in front of the home about 6:30 a.m. when he noticed another car drive past and park along the curb across the street, police said. Soon after Peters got out of his car, Martin Baltazar, 18, came up to him and jammed a knife against his throat, Houston police said. “He said, ‘Give me your car or I'll kill you,' “ said Victor Senties, an HPD spokesman. Peters reached into his car for a pistol. He began firing, with at least one round striking Baltazar in the abdomen, Houston police said. The wounded Baltazar fled across the street, forcing his way into the home where Luis Ramos lives with his wife and brother. Baltazar ran through the house — terrifying Ramos' wife in the bedroom — as he sought to escape. “He said, ‘Don't touch me. Don't touch me. Move,' “ Ramos said. “I was nervous. I didn't know what to do in this case.“ Ramos said Baltazar finally found the kitchen but was unable to open the locked back door. “He took a big chair and he hit the window,“ Ramos said. The bleeding Baltazar climbed through the shattered window but apparently had a problem holding up his baggy trousers, Ramos said. “He left his pants in the kitchen,“ he said. Baltazar vaulted the backyard fence but was captured moments later by Houston police a few blocks away from where he was shot. He was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital where he was in fair condition, officials said later Thursday. Baltazar has been charged with aggravated robbery with bail set at $30,000. No other injuries were reported."


CA: Armed Robbery Suspect goes to sleep. Victim holds him with gun: "A 45-year-old Running Springs man has been released from jail on $200,000 bail after he allegedly assaulted and robbed a man in Valley of Enchantment. Joel Curtis Eastwood was arrested Monday, July 20 at 3:59 a.m. and booked at the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino at 5:22 a.m. The unnamed victim called 911 because there was a male subject — later identified as Eastwood —inside his residence who had allegedly physically assaulted him causing severe injury to his face and left eye. Dispatchers were told the man refused to leave so the victim, fearing for his life, armed himself with a shotgun and held the suspect at gunpoint until deputies arrived. The suspect had been ordered to lie on the floor by the victim. During the investigation, deputies discovered the victim was reportedly punched in the face causing injury and loss of consciousness. While he was unconscious, the suspect is reported to have taken the victim's wallet without his permission. When he regained consciousness, the victim discovered Eastwood was sleeping on his couch and retrieved the shotgun for self defense. During contact with Eastwood, according to a Sheriff's Department media release, officers found the victim's wallet in his pocket."


MO: Oldster says he fired in self-defense "Johnson said he was in a chair when Yarbrough jumped on him without explanation. “He’d been drinking,” Johnson said. “He had something in his hand.” Johnson kicked Yarbrough away and walked to his bedroom. When Johnson returned about 10 minutes later, Yarbrough allegedly lunged at him again. “I told him to leave me alone,” Johnson said. Yarbrough did not quit, Johnson said, so Johnson pulled a gun from his pocket and shot Yarbrough. From KCPD: The victim of the homicide in the 3300 block of Jackson (Tuesday) night has been positively identified as 29 year old, Marcus Yarbrough of KCMO. Yarbrough and the elderly man (80's) involved lived together in the home, but are not related. Apparently the two were arguing and witnesses were unable to defuse the situation that led to the shooting."


The Window War — coming soon to a window near you? : “What would happen if three percent of American gun owners or maybe even three percent of the American public decided they were ready to take things to the next level with minor breaches of the law? It’s doubtful the damage would be limited to the headquarters of political parties and the offices of the house and the senate in their districts. Expect to see damage at the multitudes of new offices, which have sent forth swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance in recent decades. Many an alphabet agency’s windows are likely to get in on the action. ‘The Window War’ also hints that private residences are likewise on the list.”

In "gun-free" Britain: A schoolgirl with an M-16: "A schoolgirl of 13 has been arrested by armed police after an assault rifle was found hidden in her bedroom. The M16 automatic machine gun, which is believed to have been placed under a wardrobe by her gangster brother, was discovered wrapped in several pieces of clothing. Fifteen officers armed with sub-machine guns yesterday stormed a block of flats in Croydon, South London, after a tip-off about the weapon. Detectives believe that the girl's older brother, who is a known gang member, smuggled the gun into her bedroom to avoid detection shortly after the family moved into the flat a few weeks ago. Police subsequently arrested a 19-year-old man last night on suspicion of possession of a firearm. [The paper does not of course say so but it is mainly blacks who have and use such weapons in Britain]


KY: Intruder fatally shot : “At 12:46 a.m. Tuesday, the homeowner, Hurlin McQuerry, called 911 to report that a man had forcibly entered his home and that the homeowner had shot him with a .410-gauge shotgun, state police said in a release. Upon arrival, state police found Helton dead of a single gunshot wound to the chest. Helton was wearing a ski mask and gloves and had a crowbar when he entered the house, state police said.”


Gateway to tyranny: "“New research into Adolf Hitler’s use of firearms registration lists to confiscate guns and the execution of their owners teaches a forceful lesson — one that reveals why the American people and Congress have rejected registering honest firearm owners.It would be instructive at this time to recall why the American citizenry and Congress have historically opposed the registration of firearms. The reason is plain. Registration makes it easy for a tyrannical government to confiscate firearms and to make prey of its subjects. Denying this historical fact is no more justified than denying that the Holocaust occurred or that the Nazis murdered millions of unarmed people.”


Street fighting man: “Although, sadly, gun culture in the United States isn’t nearly what it was even a generation or two ago, it’s still pretty strong in some regions. Most states make the open or concealed carrying of handguns a simple matter, and there’s evidence lots of people are taking advantage of it. Personally, I find it hard to fathom the psychology of people who want to disarm society. From a strictly practical point of view, the idea of having to engage in hand-to-hand combat, half naked, with an intruder in the middle of the night is most unappealing. Especially since the odds of that happening are going way up in the near future. Everyone should have a gun in his nightstand, at a minimum. But that’s only a fraction of what gun ownership is really about. A free person should have the right to possess whatever he desires. End of story. And only slaves, or those with a slave mentality, comply with no thought of resistance when they’re told what they can or cannot own, especially if compliance means disarming themselves.”

Conn. man uses shotgun to stop burglar: "Police say a Plainfield man scared away a burglar Monday night when he fired a shotgun blast at the intruder. According to Plainfield police, John Gold of 112 E. Shepard Hill Road in Central Village, was awakened shortly before 10:45 p.m. Monday by a noise coming from inside his home. After first dismissing the sound, Gold was startled to hear more noise from inside his house and got up to investigate, police said. Looking out into a hallway from inside his bedroom, he saw a flashlight beam moving in another part of the house. Gold tried unsuccessfully to find his cell phone to call 911, so he went to his bedroom closet and retrieved a shotgun and shells he kept there. As he attempted to load a shell into the gun, he was confronted in the bedroom by the intruder, police said. Gold fired one shot at the intruder, who quickly fled. Police said it did not appear the intruder was struck by the shot. A search by police, along with a police dog unit from the Danielson state police barracks, turned up no sign of the man, who may have fled in a car."


Florida invader dies after being shot twice by oldster: “There were two knocks at my door,” Harvell said. “I didn’t get up when I heard the first one. But I decided to go see who it was on the second knock.” As Harvell cracked the door open to take a peek outside, a man dressed in a black T-shirt, black jeans with a blue bandanna covering his mouth, forced his way inside. Harvell said the man, later identified as Octavius Barnes, 24, of Sanford, Fla., shot him with a stun gun, causing Harvell to fall back on his bed. The intruder then pulled out what appeared to be a black pistol and demanded money. Harvell pulled out his money clip and gave the robber half of the cash. When pressed to give more, Harvell said he turned it all over. But Harvell then reached for his .357 magnum among a pile of papers on the floor next to his bed and shot Barnes near the stomach. Barnes fell over on the TV, knocking it onto Harvell, who fired another round, striking Barnes in the head. “I did what I did to try and save myself,” Harvell said Monday afternoon, after spending the night with his sister in Bristol. “I’m 82-years-old. I’ve made it this far, and I want to keep on living.” The call came in about 9:20 p.m., according to the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. When a deputy arrived, with her weapon drawn, Harvell said he told her, “There’s no need for the gun. I don’t think he’s going to get up and do anything else.”


Alaska man holds robbers with Glock: "Daniel Ames reckons he dealt one for the good guys on Saturday night near Soldotna when he came home, found two burglars in his house, wrestled with them over a pistol, then took them down, telling them he was going to blow off their knees if they didn't start following his orders. One of the two 21-year-olds charged with the burglary turned out to be Ames' next-door neighbor, according to a report from the Alaska State Troopers. The young man registered a blood alcohol content of .418, which is more than five times the legal limit to drive. The 49-year-old construction worker was returning home from work on Saturday around 9 p.m. when a neighbor told him some kids were wandering around near his home, which was being remodeled. He rushed home to find his neighbor, Chance Tallman, and Joshua Simons trying to walk out of his house with a $125 ceiling fan, he said. "What are you two buttheads doing in my house?" he said. To that, apparently, one of the young men said, "Who are you calling buttheads?" and began to pull out a Glock pistol. Ames grabbed for it and began wrestling, thrashing Tallman's hand against wall studs to loosen his grip. The gun broke loose and then, according to Ames, the men looked ready to carry on with their fists. That's when he pulled out his own concealed weapon, also a Glock. He shot into the ground to let the burglars know he was serious, he said. He told the men to get down on their knees. If they didn't, he was going to blow off their kneecaps. Troopers charged Tallman with burglary, theft, assault and misconduct with a weapon. Simons faces burglary and theft charges. Trooper Sgt. James Truesdell, who investigated the case, said that when he arrived Ames had both men on the ground in the front yard."


Brits ban guns, increase knife crime: “The number of people killed by knives rises in areas targeted by a major anti-knife crime programme, officials say. The government’s Tackling Knives Action Programme was launched last July by 10 police forces in England and Wales. In its first nine months, 126 people died after being attacked with a knife or other sharp object — seven more than in the same period the previous year.”

CA: Father found not guilty of murdering his son: "A jury Tuesday found a Monrovia man accused of shooting his son to death with a shotgun not guilty of murder. Jurors in the Alhambra Court began deliberations at about noon Tuesday in the murder trial for Willie McGhee, 66. It took them only until about 4 p.m. to find him not guilty of shooting his 22-year-old son Robert McGhee to death following a drunken physical confrontation at the family's Monrovia home in August 2007. McGhee claimed he acted in self-defense when he shot his son following a backyard fight. His defense attorney, Csaba Palfi,became choked up twice during his closing argument, painting his client as a victim of a violent son who repeatedly assaulted him. Palfi argued that the McGhee was trying to defend himself after Robert "beat the crap out of his father," punching him in the face and kicking him while he was down during the altercation. "He went and got a shotgun because he was in fear for his own life," Palfi said.... Amber Bastian,Robert McGhee's girlfriend at the time, testified Monday that Robert physically assaulted her and his father and was carrying a gun the day he was killed. She also said Robert McGhee was a member of the Du Roc Crips, a local African-American gang that police have tied to murders in Monrovia and Duarte over the past few years".


FL: Man Set Free By Appellate Court: "Two years ago, Jimmy Ray Hair was arrested and charged with murder for shooting a man in self defense. Hair has been in jail ever since... arguing he was just standing his ground. On Tuesday, an appellate court agreed with him, and Hair was released tonight. Two years to the date... Jimmy Ray Hair has been behind iron doors... but now he's a free man.... "Jimmy was the passenger in a vehicle. Another person entered the vehicle, attacked him. There was some tussling and in the course of the tussling, Jimmy shot him," says John Leace, Hair's trial attorney. Within just a few hours, the court agreed that Hair was acting in lawful self defense. "It's unusual for a district court to grant relief just hours after an oral argument. That is fairly unusual," says Eddie Bauer, Hair's Appellate Attorney. When the appellate court overturned Circuit court's denial of Hair's self defense plea... it also ordered Hair to be released from jail. Jimmy Ray Hair had no prior record and lawfully owned the gun he used when he killed his attacker."


VA: Police charge man in convenience store shooting: "Richmond police have charged a 30-year-old South Richmond man in the aborted robbery of a convenience store that left him and the store owner wounded. James Grooms of the 2200 block of Chalfont Drive remains hospitalized after being shot by a friend of the owner of Golden Food Market at 2701 Jefferson Davis Highway in South Richmond. Grooms shot the store owner and fired at several customers, missing them, in the attempted robbery on Saturday just after 1 p.m. Police charged Grooms with attempted robbery, use of a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a felon. He remains in the custody of the Richmond Sheriff's Office while being treated for a gunshot wound to the torso at VCU Medical Center. No information was available on his condition. The attempted robbery was the second time in a month that a shopkeeper at Golden Market was shot. Said "Saim" Messaf was shot on June 12. The store's owner, who police did not identify, suffered non-life threatening wounds in Saturday's shooting. No information was available today on his condition."


AZ: Fish freed at last: "A retired Tolleson teacher whose murder conviction was overturned walked out of prison Tuesday to hugs from his family after serving three years of a 10-year sentence. Harold Fish, 62, left the Arizona State Prison Complex-Lewis near Buckeye where he was incarcerated for the fatal shooting of Grant Kuenzli, 43, on a forest trail north of Payson in May 2004. Fish claimed self-defense, and there were no witnesses. Fish's case rippled through the Arizona legal and political arena and drew national attention from gun-rights advocates. After Fish was charged, legislators rewrote Arizona's self-defense laws. The Arizona Court of Appeals last month ordered a new trial in the second-degree murder case, ruling that testimony was improperly kept out of Fish's trial. The Coconino County attorney then said he would not retry the case and agreed to Fish's release. Fish's legal ordeal is not over. As he was being set free, the Arizona Attorney General's Office announced plans to challenge the appellate-court ruling. The attorney general will ask the Arizona Supreme Court to review the case, said Steve Wilson, a spokesman for Attorney General Terry Goddard. Earlier this month, Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill that makes the new self-defense law retroactive to Fish's case. Though it seems unlikely Fish will face a new trial, if he were retried, prosecutors would be required to prove he did not act in self-defense. In Fish's trial, the burden was on the defense to prove Fish acted in self-defense. Fish was completing a hike May 11, 2004, when he encountered Kuenzli and Kuenzli's snarling dogs. Fish fired a warning shot that scared away the dogs, but then Kuenzli charged at him, Fish said."

Alabama: Store owner says robber shot himself: "An owner of the Vineyard Food Market told The Birmingham News that a man shot himself dead as he ran after robbing the store on Tuesday night. The owner said he fired a shot at the fleeing man, who had grabbed money in the store and ran, but he did not think he had hit him. Police have not confirmed that account of the incident, but said the dead man had attempted to rob the store on Crestwood Boulevard. Jerry Tucker, owner of Crestwood Antiques a few doors down from Vineyard Food Market, was called to the scene because an alarm went off at his business after a bullet went through a window. Tucker, who has been in business there for eight years, said it's a nice community, but there is a lot of crime. Tucker said his son-in-law closed a computer store that he had owned in the same shopping center after several break-ins. Tucker said the owners of the Vineyard are well-liked by members of the community.


Kentucky homeowner subdues intruder until police arrive: "Police in Oldham County are investigating another apparent home invasion attempt. This time the homeowner subdued the alleged intruder until police could arrive. According to a press release from the Oldham County Police Department, officers were sent to the 1000 block of Goshen Lane about 1:30 a.m. Friday on a report of a home invasion burglary. When police arrived on scene, they found the home owner, Wes Johnson, and a houseguest, Richard Rackleffe, restraining 34-year-old Sherman Ellis from Louisville. Johnson told us it was about 1 a.m. Friday when Wes Johnson, his wife and their two out-of-town guests went to bed. About a half-hour later, Johnson says they heard something strange: the garage door opening and closing. "We got out there and the garage was closed and we couldn't really figure out what was going on," Johnson said... "I saw a closet door in our basement close. When I approached the door and kicked it open the guy came out and started to assault me," Johnson said. Johnson says he and Ellis continued to struggle. "When somebody's coming at you in the darkness in the night and somebody comes at you with something in their hand to hit you, it helps you realize real quick that something's not right." Johnson says he yelled for his wife to bring him a pistol he had in the house. In the meantime, Johnson's guests - both former FBI agents - came running downstairs. "The guy was fighting all he could," said Johnson's guest, Richard Rackleffe. I used to work with defense tactics and all I did was take the arm and put it in a twist, where he quit fighting and he just succumbed or submitted at that point." They held Ellis at gunpoint until police arrived and even then Johnson said Ellis fought officers, slightly injuring one before being handcuffed. Ellis has a long criminal past, including multiple rape charges."


IL: Police say concealed carry law would deter criminals: "Talk of bringing concealed-carry legislation to Illinois gives many residents a fear of the unknown. Several local police chiefs and other personnel said putting fear into the minds of criminals on the streets is also one of the best arguments for allowing concealed carry. ‘We’re supporting the sheriff’s association with mandated regulations if the Legislature decides to enact concealed-carry in the state,’ Bartonville Police Chief Brian Fengel said. ‘They’re already out on the streets. The gangbangers already have guns. This would allow law-abiding citizens to have them with mandatory training and background checks.’”


Senate Considers Concealed Weapons Amendment: "The Senate begins debating an amendment Monday that would allow people issued concealed weapons permits in their home state to carry those concealed weapons in any state in the union. The amendment to the defense authorization bill is sponsored by Republican South Dakota Sen. John Thune, who says it "enables citizens to protect themselves while respecting individual state firearms laws." A release from Thune's office claims that "states with concealed carry laws enjoy significantly lower violent crimes rates than those states that do not." The release also says that those who leave their home state with concealed weapons would still have to follow gun laws in other states, "including laws concerning specific types of locations in which firearms may or may not be carried."

Michigan dice-game robber shot: "Neighbors in one community said a man was shot and killed early Sunday morning after he interrupted a neighborhood party and robbed some of the partygoers. "It's like playground rules. They just broke one of them by going in and robbing and turning your back on someone," neighbor Andre said. Andre said 29-year-old Gregory Scott interupted a dice game in the basement of a house in the 300 block of Seward Street in Pontiac at about 3:30 a.m. Andre said Scott pulled a gun on partygoers and robbed them. "He goes in, pulls out a gun, let off a shot or two to make the person come out his money, and he was fine with that and turned his back," Andre said. "But everybody had pistols ... lights went off on him then." Andre said the man was shot several times as he ran up the stairs and out of the house. "He made it outside. He fell outside," Andre said. Neighbors said two other people were also wounded but were able to walk away from the scene."


Virginia: No charges against store owner who shot suspect: "No charges will be filed against a man who shot and killed a would-be robber in his store, the Suffolk commonwealth's attorney announced Thursday. On the morning on June 21, the alarm went off at James Durden’s Whaleyville store – J&L Food Mart. Durden, who lives close by, grabbed a gun and went to the store. His brother told 13News that Durden opened fire because he thought the man pointed a gun at him. That man, identified as Ernest Scott Roop, was struck four times. Detectives determined Roop was wearing camouflage clothing with his face concealed in a "ninjna" style fashion. They also said Roop had a hunting knife and crowbar and was wearing heavy construction gloves. In the letter to Police Chief Thomas Bennett, C. Phillip Ferguson stated, “Mr. Durden was confronted with a very dangerous situation created by Roop and was legally justified in using deadly force as he genuinely believed that Roop had a firearm and that his own life was in danger. In addition, from a practical standpoint, convinced that a Suffolk jury would not convict Mr. Durden of criminal misconduct under the facts of this case. Therefore, this Office declines to prosecute any charges against Mr. Durden.”


MO: Car dealer offers free AK-47 with truck: “Buy a truck and get a free AK-47 gun. That’s the deal a Missouri truck dealer is offering new customers who buy a pick-up truck in August. Mark Muller, owner of Max Motors in Butler, says he knows people will be bothered by the promotion. But not to worry, Muller is not handing out free guns. Instead, he will give buyers a voucher to use at a gun store after they obtain a license to carry a concealed weapon. The AK-47 is an upgrade on a previous promotion in which Muller gave away vouchers for the price of a Caltec pistol. The retail value of an AK-47 is $450 dollars but Muller says customers can spend their voucher on the gun of their choice.”


All-state weapons permit sought : “A U.S. senator is pushing for a law that would let concealed-weapons-permit holders carry their guns in nearly every state, but gun-control advocates are blasting the idea. One Utah supporter likes the idea, but concedes it is likely doomed. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., is proposing an amendment to a major defense bill that would require any state that issues concealed-weapons permits to honor those from any other state. Currently, 48 states permit concealed weapons; Wisconsin and Illinois are the only two that do not. Thirty-three states recognize Utah’s concealed-weapons permit."

Louisiana boy shoots black intruders: "A ten-year-old boy left home alone with his sister used his mother's gun to shoot an intruder in the face, police said. Late Tuesday, West Baton Rouge Parish sheriff's deputies received a call to a Port Allen apartment complex after several shots rang out from inside one of the apartments. "You are out here trying to work and for someone to come and do that and invade your home is very hard," the children's mother said. She asked to not be identified. Deputies say Dean Favron and Roderick Porter knocked several times on the apartment door. The two young children, a ten-year-old boy and eight-year-old girl, stood on the other side, terrified. "He told his sister to be quiet and seconds later, they started kicking on the door and finally kicked the door in," said Sheriff Mike Cazes. The two children ran to their mother's bedroom closet. In a panic, the ten-year-old grabbed his mother's gun for protection. "He did what I told him to do. I never told him to get the gun, but thank God he did," she said. Once the two suspects opened the door, threatening the kids, deputies say the boy fired a bullet into the lip of Roderick Porter. The two men were taken to the hospital by a third suspect, who is a 15-year-old juvenile. Once they got to the hospital, they were later arrested."


Indiana: Three suspects in a Craigs-list exchange that turned into an armed robbery: "Eugene A. Hall, 49, of Gary; Edward D. Mercer, 27, of Hammond; and Jarrod E. Rodriguez, 26, of Gary were each charged Thursday with six felony counts. Warrants were issued out of Tippecanoe Superior Court 2 for their rearrest. Hall, Mercer and Rodriguez had arranged to meet in the Subway parking lot to purchase tires and rims listed on Craigslist by two Indianapolis men. But after agreeing upon a purchase price of $3,100 and handing over the cash, two of the buyers pulled handguns and demanded the money back. Guns were held to both victims' heads. One of them, Kyle Delord Bostic, also was armed. Shots were then fired by both parties. The La-fayette Police Department stopped a van that Hall, Mercer and Rodriguez were in shortly after on Indiana 38 East. Tires and rims allegedly taken during the exchange were in the back seat. Officers found a revolver and ammunition near the road that a witness said the three men had discarded there. Detective Mark Pinkard said Thursday criminal charges will not be pursued against Bostic or the other Indianapolis man, Courtney Robinson, because their shots were fired in self-defense. Bostic also was properly licensed for his firearm.


Idaho: Alleged theft turns into dangerous situation between four men, two handguns: "Just after 1:15 p.m. Friday, Boise Police received a call of a man with a gun near Americana Boulevard and River Street. Multiple officers arrived on scene and found two men with handguns pointed at different people. Police de-escalated and sorted out the situation, according to a Friday release. Police said the original suspect, later identified as John Dickey, had allegedly stolen personal property from a victim at a nearby homeless shelter. The suspect fled on foot traveling east on River Street. As the victim chased on foot, a third man intervened the chase, produced a handgun and ordered the suspect to stop. The suspect was on the ground and held at gunpoint when another person, who also had a concealed weapons permit, saw the situation, intervened and demanded the other man drop his gun. Officers then arrived on scene, according to the release. Police said the original theft suspect is in custody. No other citations have been issued and information on the incident is forwarded to the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office for review. “We caution all citizens to think carefully before intervening in a potentially dangerous situation without knowing what is actually taking place. Although we are pleased that the theft suspect is in custody the situation could have easily turned into something much worse"


The Second Amendment, Inc.: "“Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court correctly ruled in District of Columbia v. Heller that the Second Amendment is a personal right. That was a huge victory for freedom-loving Americans. Unfortunately, the court did not address the matter of whether the Second Amendment only restricted the power of the federal government or if it should apply to state and city laws as well. What many Americans do not realize is that the Bill of Rights, of which the Second Amendment is a part, do not all apply to the states.”