The shooting remains under investigation. Preliminary investigation indicates that the two men met up for the sale of a firearm. The 22-year-old then pulled a gun and attempted to rob the 20-year-old, and the two shot each other.
Saturday, August 29, 2026
FL: Leesburg - Intoxicated Woman Attempt to Break into Home, is Shot, Killed
Police said their investigation has been consistent with the shooter's account of what happened. Cuts on Conley's arm were consistent with cuts from reaching through the door glass.
The shooter heard Conley trying to enter and repeatedly told her to leave. He also warned her that he was armed, police said.
Leesburg police said Conley continued attempting to gain entry, at which point he fired a handgun through the door, breaking the window. That's when she reached through the broken window in an attempt to open the door from inside.
The homeowner fired a second time, striking Conley and killing her, police said.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Virginia State Shooting Exposes the Failed Logic of Gun Control
On Saturday, August 15, 2026, at about 1:30 a.m. on the Virginia State University campus, shooting broke out. Five people were wounded, one of them a 20-year-old student at the university. Camron Rarris, 19, was found hours later and was charged with four counts of malicious wounding. The Virginia State student was treated and released with non-life threatening injuries. A 21-year-old man remains in critical condition, according to foxnews.com. Police are seeking others to determine if some people fired back in defense of self and others. A 23-year-old man, a 17-year-old teenager and a 19-year-old woman had non-life threatening injuries. The crimes appear to have had little to do with the school except for the location.
Virginia State University is located about 25 miles south of Richmond and has close to six thousand students. It is an historically black university. The cause of the shooting is not yet known.
Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit with a mandate to reduce school violence, referenced the Virginia State incident and posted this on X:
Gun violence is an ever-growing public health epidemic that demands our attention now.
"Gun violence" is a political term designed to associate guns with social problems. The term conflates suicides, murders, justified homicides, and firearm accidents as all part of the problem, and thus, defines the "problem" as "guns". Suicides and homicides have different causes and solutions. The number of guns in a community is not correlated with the number of suicides or homicides. Fatal accidents with guns have been dropping for over a hundred years and are at an all time low, in spite of firearms ownership being at an all time high.
In 2025, and it appears likely in 2026, the murder rate in the USA was and will be at an all time low.
At the Sandy Hook Promise non-profit website, there are several policies the organization supports which work to help keep children safe in their schools. The have programs to reduce violence in schools. They have programs to aid in preventing suicide. Those programs appear to be helpful and probably are helpful.
Unfortunately, Sandy Hook Promise is actively working to:
Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund is working to expand background checks on all firearm sales, pass temporary transfer orders, create secure storage laws, limit high-capacity magazines, and institute high-capacity magazine limits.
There is little reason to believe these policies would actually reduce active school shootings. There is no consideration of the costs of such policies or the reasons such policies are becoming more and more difficult to implement. Instead the site promotes highly controversial statements such as:
Background checks rarely provide false-positive results.
The FBI makes the claim, but John Lott presents plenty of evidence the claim is not correct, that a large number of false positives are created, and the false positive have large racial biases. There is little, if any evidence more background checks would reduce the murder rate or the number of active mass murders. A bill has passed the House, and is pending before the Senate, to force the FBI to share NICS demographic data with the Congress. Currently, the FBI refuses to do so.
Sandy Hook Promise promotes what they call "Temporary Transfer Orders", which appear to be "red flag" laws designed to allow courts to take people's guns without due process. As the statement at Sandy Hook Promise claims these orders respect due process, it is difficult to see exactly what they are promoting. All states currently have processes to place people under care if a court has evidence they pose a threat to themselves or others. Those processes do not focus on firearms. They focus on the individuals and the potential threat they may pose. It is unclear exactly what Sandy Hook Promise is promoting with this policy.
Sandy Hook Promise also opposes some weapons modifications. Auto sears are already heavily regulated and almost impossible to legally obtain. "Glock switches" are a type of auto sear. Bump Stocks are almost never used in crime. Forced-reset triggers are almost never used in crime. The premise used to oppose these modifications is that more shots fired mean more innocents hurt. The example given is Sandy Hook. None of these devices were used at Sandy Hook. These devices make some incidents less dangerous by making the firearms hard to control and aim, thus reducing casualties.
Analysis: Why does an organization such as Sandy Hook Promise promote such dubious policies? The leaders may not even be aware there are arguments against such policies. They may not know there are strong legal, moral, and Constitutional reasons to oppose such policies. As the organization gets is name and its foundation from a mass murder at a school, it is very difficult for them to carefully consider such foundational questions. If they question the premises in support of more gun control, they question the foundation of their reason for existence.
Fortunately, Sandy Hook Promise appears to be spending more energy on positive programs to help students, and less on dubious political issues involving firearms. May they continue to put more resources into productive policies and programs, and less into dubious gun control efforts.
©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
FL: Orange Park - Man Flees Police into House, Homeowner Shoots Fugitive in Leg
Deputies immediately detained Strickland, but Cook said White ran into a home in the nearby neighborhood through a detached garage near Meadow Drive and Grafton Drive.
The homeowner and his wife were inside the home at the time. Cook said the homeowner shot White in the leg.
Monday, August 24, 2026
GA: Atlanta - Altercation at Adult Store, Guard Shoots Man
Police initially said the shooting followed a fight between people who knew each other. Further investigation found that a security guard at the business fired a gun during the incident, striking the suspect before he fled, according to police.
Officers later learned the suspect had arrived at Northside Hospital in a private vehicle. They found 23-year-old James Jenkins, who was taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault.
Sunday, August 23, 2026
TX: San Antonio - Domestic Defense, Boyfriend Shoots Brother of Girlfriend
According to the San Antonio Police Department, the man was involved in a physical altercation with his sister when he pulled out a weapon.
The 35-year-old man was actively hitting the other person when the woman's 25-year-old boyfriend intervened, retrieved a handgun and shot him in the torso.
He was taken to University Hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries.
SC: Edgemoor - Gunfight, Aggressor Killed
Around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20, deputies said a shooting happened on Mays Drive in the Edgemoor area. The Chester County Sheriff’s Office said there was between altercation over a vaping device which led to the shooting.
The sheriff’s office said Brandon Tavon Cassidy shot the first person multiple times and died.
Deputies said a second person returned returned fire in self-defense and Cassidy exchanged gunfire and he was struck and died.
Saturday, August 22, 2026
FL: Deerfield Beach - Domestic Defense? Woman Shoots, Kills Man
BSO's Crime Scene and Homicide units also responded to the scene for the investigation. According to detectives, the preliminary investigation showed the man, who was identified as Maurice Wright Jr., and the shooter, an adult woman, were known to each other.
The BSO said that the woman told detectives that she needed to defend herself from a physical attack during the incident, and said the shooting was in self-defense.
Friday, August 21, 2026
AZ: Phoenix - Gunfight with Security Guard, Guard Shoots Opponent
Police said officers detained the shooter, whom they identified as a uniformed security guard contracted by QuikTrip.
Investigators say the man who was shot pulled a gun during a confrontation, and the guard fired in response.
The guard was later released, and the man who died has not been identified as the investigation continues.
IN: Evansville - Gunfight, 2 Victims Wounded
EPD says both victims stated they did not know who had shot them, or why. Officers say the victim who had been shot in the chest did admit to shooting back as they were being shot at. Both victims’ injuries are listed as non-life threatening.
PA: Philadelphia - Armed Robbery Gunfight, Victim's Gun Failed
A preliminary investigation indicated that four unidentified men robbed the victim's cousin of a Rolex watch reportedly valued at $25,000, police said.
An additional suspect approached the 25-year-old man on a bicycle and pointed a handgun at him, according to investigators.
Police said the man, who is licensed to carry a gun, drew his weapon to defend himself and his cousin. His firearm malfunctioned, however, and he was shot.
The suspects fled eastbound on Juniata Street. Police recovered the victim's gun at the scene.
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
TX: Houston - Domestic Defense? New Boyfriend Shoots, Kills Girfriend's EX
HCSO Sgt. Sofia Silva told ABC13 that around 2:30 p.m., deputies were dispatched to a shooting call. She said a man called 911 and told them a man was trying to break into his girlfriend's apartment.
The woman was not home at the time, but the caller was inside, according to law enforcement.
HCSO said while on the phone with 911, gunshots could be heard.
When deputies arrived, they said they found a man dead inside. The caller told deputies where he was inside the unit, according to HCSO.
TX: Fort Worth - Homeowner and Intruder Gunfight, Homeowner Wounded, Intruder Killed
What we know:
The shooting happened at 3:30 p.m. on Misty Glenn Court, located near Interstate 30 and East Loop 820.
According to Fort Worth police, a resident returned home to find an intruder inside the house. A physical fight broke out between the two men, and both drew firearms and shot at each other. Both men were struck during the gunfire.
The intruder died at the scene. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office has identified him as 29-year-old Darius Levy.
Monday, August 17, 2026
AL: Mobile - Security Guard Shoots Man who Assaulted Him
Upon further investigation, officers discovered the victim entered the business, and while inside, physically assaulted a male security guard.
The security guard shot the victim during the altercation.
SC: Florence - Armed Robbery Suspect Shot and Killed by Armed Store Employee
Officers responded at about 10:15 p.m. to a reported armed robbery at Smokers Town on Woody Jones Boulevard, police said. While they were responding, they were told that Brantley had been shot by a store employee.
Brantley had fled the business after being shot and was later found lying in a grassy area behind it, according to police. The preliminary investigation indicates that he entered the business while wearing a mask and gloves and was armed with a gun.
Sunday, August 16, 2026
Thailand: Another Mass Murder at a School in 2026 and Strict Gun Control
Bangkok, public domain
On August 7, 2026, Reuters reported a 14-year-old Thai student killed his grandparents, obtained his grandfather's legal 9mm pistol, then went to his school and killed at least five people as well as wounding 15 more. It is difficult to stop a person who is willing to kill their grandparents in order to kill others. The incident in August is the latest in a series of mass murders committed with firearms in Thailand. In July of 2025, a mass murderer killed five people and then committed suicide at a Bangkok market.
Thailand had imposed even more restrictions on their already restrictive gun control measures in 2023. In 2023, a 14-year-old killed two and wounded five in a shopping center in Bangkok. In 2022, a former police officer killed 36 people, including his wife, his son, and 22 children. The former police officer used a gun and a knife. In 2020 a soldier killed 29 people in a mass murder with a gun in Nakhon Rtchassima.
Bangkok has very strict gun control laws. It was not always so. When Thailand became a constitutional republic in 1932, there were no comprehensive gun control laws. In 1947, mandatory registration, licensing and permits for civilian ownership was instituted. Licensing for self-defense is relatively common in rural areas.
Firearms in Thai Museum. Public domain.
Self defense is considered a legitimate reason to apply for a firearm permit. Carry permits for public areas are difficult to obtain, according to Grokipedia. About one in ten Thais own a firearm. Ammunition ownership is tightly regulated. Reloading ammunition is banned. Resistance to the strict laws is common. It is estimated as many as 40% of the 10.4 million firearms in Thailand are not legally registered. Thailand has an estimated total firearms related death rate of about 4 per 100K population. The homicide rate with firearms is about 1 per 100K and the total homicide rate is lower than the USA, about 2-2.4 per 100K. In the USA the total homicide rate dropped below 4.0 in 2025.
Total firearm ownership rates have little or no correlation to homicide rates. Mass murders committed with firearms occur in countries with strict firearms controls. Some of those countries experience mass murder rates with firearms greater than the USA, when the numbers are corrected for population. Mass murder can be accomplished with many different methods. Attacks with vehicles have become more common. An important way to prevent public mass murders is to not legitimize mass murder through mass media. This is difficult but can be done without censorship. There was considerable success when media companies cooperated to not publicize suicides of celebrities. Copy cat suicides were immediately and significantly reduced. The total death toll from mass public murders is low, but the media attention is high.
Mass murder with firearms is promulgated as a phenomena of media contagion. When people who commit mass murder are made into anti-heros. People with mental problems and suicide ideation see mass murder as a way to achieve fame and media immortality.
Thailand has much stricter gun control than exists in the United States.
Gun control does not stop mass murder, with or without firearms.
Analysis: People with guns can stop mass public murder, which was recently demonstrated in the attempted mass murder in Twin Falls, Idaho. An armed citizen engaged the mass murderer, as did an off duty state trooper. A former police officer engaged the killer, but was shot before he drew his handgun. These heroic individuals helped to lower the death toll. In the Twin Falls incident, a bystander picked up a handgun the killer had abandoned. It was jammed, and she was unable to make it functional, so she abandoned it as well.
©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
FL: Fort Pierce - Assaulted by Acquantaince, Homeowner Shoots the Attacker
A 37-year-old man was shot and killed inside a Fort Pierce mobile home Wednesday night after he allegedly forced his way inside and punched the 22-year-old homeowner repeatedly in the stomach during a dispute between the two men, according to deputies. The homeowner has not been charged, and St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office investigators say the case is now being reviewed under Florida's self-defense laws.
Saturday, August 15, 2026
ID: Mackay - Man who was Shot has been Arrested
Investigators say Flagg was shot while attempting to force his way into the home. Deputies said that Flagg and the homeowner knew each other, but have not released details about their relationship or what led up to the incident.
IN: Indianapolis - Domestic Defense, Son Shoots Man Who Assaulted Mother
Investigators
think the man was abusing a woman in the parking lot, and her son
showed up and shot the man. Police at the scene did not identify any of
the people involved.
The son remained at the scene and cooperated with the police. IMPD says the Marion County Prosecutor's Office will determine if any criminal charges should be filed.
LA: New Orleans - Car Burglary Suspect Shot by Armed Victim
According to the NOPD, a man was walking to his car when he noticed the vehicle’s passenger door was open and two juveniles climbing out. The man told police one of the juveniles pointed a gun at him, so he pulled out his own firearm and shot at the suspects, striking one.
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