According to investigators, the injured man and another man were attempting to burglarize a residence in the 8700 block of West 21st Street. While attempting to burglarize the residence, the homeowner shot one of the suspects. The other suspect involved in the attempted burglary was taken into custody by police. The homeowner and a witness are cooperating with investigators.
Monday, July 22, 2024
Sunday, July 21, 2024
MI: Domestic Defense: Oakland County, "Red Flag" law fails, Armed Defense Worked
OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 67-year-old suspect was fatally shot after breaking into a residence to attack his ex-girlfriend in Orion Township Wednesday morning.
The suspect was fatally wounded by the ex-girlfriend's stepson inside the house, on Elkhorn Lake Road around 10 a.m. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said.
(skip)
Bouchard said that it appears Gavitt got his ex-wife's weapon and took
that to the Orion Township house to shoot his former live-in girlfriend.
Gavitt's own two firearms had already been confiscated from the state's
so-called Red Flag law by police in Tuscola County.
Saturday, July 20, 2024
OR: Domestic Defense? Portland Brother Shoots Brother in Self Defense
Portland police say an investigation showed that two brothers got into an argument when one of them shot the other in self-defense and will not be arrested.
Friday, July 19, 2024
NE: Omaha Homeowner Shoots Man in Self Defense
The homeowner told KETV NewsWatch 7 Gomez was acting crazy. The homeowner said he was afraid and protected himself.
The Douglas County Attorney's Office said the investigation is ongoing but based on the current evidence, the homeowner will not be charged. The shooting is being classified as self-defense at this point in the investigation.
MS: Tupelo Homeowner Drives off Home Invaders with Gunfire
The victim said he heard a loud sound from the back of the home and went to get his gun.
He saw a masked person in the house and fired his weapon.
He says 3 people ran from the rear of the home.
The masked suspect was wearing all black and appeared to have a gun. The second suspect was wearing a black shirt and black pants. The third suspect had on black pants and a grey shirt.
Thursday, July 18, 2024
NICS for June of 2024, Sixth Highest year for Gun Sales and NICS Checks
National Instant background Check System (NICS) numbers show firearm sales for June of 2024 were down five percent from 2023. They are still over 1 million for the month. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, this is the 59th month of over one million sales a month. If July sales are over a million, it will be five complete years of over a million firearm sales a month. May, June, and July are traditionally the lowest months for firearms sales during the year, although the pattern is not absolute. Specific events can increase firearms sales. This correspondent predicts the assassination attempt, which came so close to ending former president, and likely future president, Donald Trump's life, is such an event.
There may well likely be a bump up in firearm sales for July of 2024. To facilitate the bump, firearm prices are at historical lows, when corrected with constant dollars. AmmoLand recently published a special on Plumbcrazy complete lower receivers for the popular AR15 type firearms, at only $65.99 each. Add a Bear Creek Arsenal complete upper, chambered for .223, on sale for only $215.60, and you have an fully capable AR15 style rifle, sans sights or magazines, for under $300, including shipping, but not transfer fees or sales tax. A capable rifle for nearly all uses from hunting to home defense or militia duty, all for about a weeks pay at minimum wage. Perfectly serviceable personal defensive pistols are showing similar deals. Several 9mm models are available under $300. Solid .22 rifles can be had for $100 on sale, with .22 revolvers at about the same, and .22 semi-auto pistols at $200 - $300, on sale.
With low entry prices, and the political insecurity shown by the nearly successful political assassination attempt on presidential candidate Donald Trump, new entrants to the firearms market are expected. Calls for more restrictions on firearms sales and use are likely to push up sales.
Pistols continue to be the majority of fireams sales, with long guns (rifles and shotguns) about 57% the numbers of handguns sold. Multiple sales and sales of receivers which can be made into either handguns or long guns round out the sales numbers. Of the total sales, handguns are about 57%, long guns are about 33%, multiple sales are estimated at 5%, and other at slightly less with about 4.5% of the total firearm sales. The half percent difference from 100% is due to rounding.
The slide in firearms sales has occurred from the historical records set in the presidential election year of 2020. As seen in the NSSF chart, while sales have fallen since 2020, they remain at highs previously only seen in the record breaking year of President Trump's election in 2016. There is probably some reluctance to purchase because of market saturation and because of limited disposable income created by the Biden administration induced monetary inflation.
If presidential candidate Donald Trump survives and is elected in 2024, it will take some time for stability to be re-established. The current ruling class sees their power as threatened. The far-Left/Woke forces will see their chance at a complete destruction of Western civilization at risk of failure.
In the event of a second Donald Trump presidency, this correspond expects riots in major centers of Democratic party power. Those riots may be far greater than were observed in 2020, when the left went all out with BLM legitimization of anti-white and anti-police rioting.
©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
CO: Security Guards Shoots Suspect who Broke into Businesses, Attacked another Guard with a Hammer
Security at one of the locations tried to stop him, but the suspect was armed with a hammer.
The suspect attacked and injured the security guard with the hammer before being confronted by another security guard.
The armed suspect continued to advance towards the second security guard when the guard fired his gun, striking the suspect.
NC: Wilmington Homeowner Defends Self, Wife. Critically Wounded, Kills Attacker.
Around 3 a.m., 74-year-old David Rose rang the doorbell and beat the front door of 62-year-old Rodney Jester's home, according to the release. Jester and his wife were asleep. When Jester got up and opened the door, Rose shot him.
Jester's wife attempted to shut the door and Rose tried to forcibly enter, according to the release. Jester grabbed his gun and shot once through the door, striking Rose in the head.
Jester was rushed to Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center and is currently in critical condition. Rose died on scene as a result of his injuries.
Lucky Gunner Video on Bear Attack Data from the AmmoLand articles
Chris Baker at Luckygunner has produced a very good video summation of the use of handguns to defend against bears published on AmmoLand. The graphics in the video are well done. In a five days, there were over 95 thousand views, with 748 comments. The vast majority of comments were favorable. If you prefer to obtain your information via video instead of print, this is a well made video worth watching. The video is 11:48 minutes long. Chris has obviously studied the data collected and analyzed it from the long running series at AmmoLand. He has created a good narrative and visual summary of the findings from that data.
Chris correctly identifies the incidents collected and documented in the AmmoLand articles come from a variety of sources:
- Newspaper and magazine articles
- Books
- Freedom of Information Act requests (FOIA)
- Interviews with participants in the events
Chris faithfully notes these are all the incidents which have been found, with diligent searching, since 2018. This is prevent or at least minimize selection bias. In the video there is limited time, so Chris does not mention the range of years covered. The incidents range from 1890 to 2024. Chris shows bear attacks in the United States primarily occur in three states: Alaska, Montana, and Wyoming. Chris has created some decent graphics which show the number of incidents by caliber.
Chris does a good job of showing the advantages of warning shots in defense against bears, with a good explanation of things to keep in mind when considering a warning shot.
While Chris states there are only 4 failures in the data, he makes a small error when he says there is no indication any of the bears in the four failures were actually hit. There is documentation the polar bear in Svalbard was hit with three bullets from the .22 pistol, but none of the bullets reached the brain.
Chris and this correspondent disagree on whether bear spray is easier to use than a handgun. Chris thinks bear spray is easier to use. Bear spray has its own problems, such as poor holsters, a safety which is not ergonomic, and the need to point it in the right direction, while considering the wind direction. This correspondent believes bear spray is not as easy to use as a handgun, because cartridge handguns and holsters have about 150 years of experience and refinement of their ergonomics. Nearly all firearm safeties are far superior to the safeties found on bear spray. Of course, bear spray can be legally carried in more places than firearms are allowed. If a person has a phobia about firearms, or is unwilling to learn about them, bear spray offers an alternative.
This correspondent appreciates the study and effort put into the analysis by Chris Baker. The video at Luckygunner is of high quality. The attention to detail and accuracy are well done. Luckygunner tactfully but factually replies to several of the hundreds of comments.
Overall, Chris Baker at Luckygunner did a great job with his analysis and video presentation on how effective handguns are in defending against bears. He accurately represents the results of the research published on AmmoLand, and reaches tens of thousands of interested parties with his excellent presentation.
©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
FL: Warrington Robbery Suspect Shot, considered to be Self Defense
A man was shot and killed during an alleged robbery at the Forest Creek Apartments in Warrington on Friday evening, according to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office.
ECSO spokesperson Morgan Lewis told the News Journal that they are investigating the shooting as self defense.
"We don't anticipate any charges at this time," she told the News Journal.
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Hawaii Legislature Passes Bill to Ban Ammo Purchase or Possession Adults 18-20
The Hawaii legislature has passed a bill which forbids adults aged 18-20 from purchasing or possessing ammunition. It also forbids anyone from transferring ammunition to people under the are of 21. Violation of the Bill would be punishable as a misdemeanor.
On May 2, 2024, the Hawaii Legislature sent Bill SB2845 to Democratic Governor Josh Green for his signature. Governor Green (D). Governor Green has signed several state laws restricting firearms ownership and carry in Hawaii. Governor Green (D) is expected to sign SB2845 into law. Hawaii government is effectively defying the Supreme Court ruling in Bruen. From captol.hawaii.gov:
SECTION 2.
Chapter 134, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§134- Sale of ammunition to a person under the
age of twenty-one; prohibition; penalty.
(a) No person shall intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly sell, offer to sell, distribute, or otherwise transfer ammunition for any firearm to any person who is under the age of twenty-one; provided that it shall not be a violation of this section to sell, offer to sell, distribute, or otherwise transfer ammunition to a person who:(1) Meets the criteria to possess a firearm under section 134-5; and
(2) Is actively engaged in hunting or target shooting or going to or from the place of hunting or target shooting.
Bill SB2845 goes on to explain how people who sell or transfer ammunition will be required by law to check government issued identification to insure the person who is receiving the ammunition is 21 years old or older.
As shown above, people who are under the age of 21, but who have a hunting license, are allowed to have ammunition transferred to them while hunting or going to or from the actual place they will be hunting. Additionally, people under the age of 21 who are target shooting or going to or from target shooting are allowed to have ammunition transferred to them. In both cases, the people under the age of 21 are required to be accompanied by an adult, as shown in §134-5. State officials and employees of the State or Federal governments are exempted if their duties require them to be armed.
Persons under the age of 21 are forbidden from possessing or controlling any ammunition, with the above mentioned exemptions.
This correspondent did not find any legal definition of "ammunition" in the Hawaii statutes.
People who have attained the age of eighteen years are no longer "minors" under Hawaii law. Therefore, it appears anyone the age of 18 or greater satisfies the requirement that an "adult" be present while hunting or target shooting.
Analysis: This poorly thought out law is almost certain to be challenged in federal court. There are already challenges to the ban on purchase of handguns by adults who are less than 21 years old. There are no historical laws which forbid purchase of firearms by persons who are 18 years old or older, while there have been historical federal laws requiring ownership of firearms by persons 18 years or older.
Bans on the purchase, control, or possession of ammunition or arms by persons under the age of 21 are almost certain to be struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional infringements on the rights protected by the Second Amendment.
Update: Governor Green (D) signed the bill into law on July 10, 2024.
©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
GA: After Fight, Dekalb Suspect Attempted Entry into Adversary's Home, was Shot
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - An alleged home invader is recovering in the hospital after police say they were shot by a DeKalb County resident early Friday morning.
Officials say the shooting happened around 4 a.m. on the 3000 block of Bedevere Circle.
Monday, July 15, 2024
Ammunition Vending Machines: Good or Bad?
Image from American Rounds video of first ammunition vending machine installation
A technological development from an American company of a way to legally sell ammunition has been going viral. The use of vending machines to legally validate age and sell ammunition causes some people to ignore all facts and logic, and emote "guns are bad!"
Video link from company of first ammunition vending machine installation.
Video link about the ammunition vending machines from youtube.com.
The vending machines in question, from American Rounds, uses computer technology to validate age with picture ID. If the person attempting to purchase ammunition is over 21 years old, they may purchase the ammunition using a picture ID which the machine validates using facial recognition software. Only credit or debit card purchases seem possible. There does not appear to be any way to pay with cash on the face of the machine. This means a double check of identification takes place, as the person whose identification is validated must also use a credit card which has to be separately validated.
The machines have been installed in six locations in two states according to the American Rounds web site. They are expected to be installed in other states shortly. The machines are considered more secure than traditional stores, where ammunition is available on the shelf, subject to a greater chance of pilferage.
The emoting over the introduction of this technology is expected, ignoring facts and logic. From abc3340.com:
During the meeting, Councilman Kip Tyner said; "I got some calls about ammunition being sold in grocery stores, vending machines, the vending machines. Is that? I mean, I thought it was a Lie. I thought it was a joke - but it's not."
The Daily Mail and the Telegraph, pushed hard on the "guns are bad!" theme by including misleading statistics on suicides and homicides committed with firearms, using the Orwellian term "gun violence". The American Rounds website does not show any vending machines installed in Texas at this time. The Daily Mail article only shows vending machines installed in Oklahoma and Alabama, yet The Daily Mail makes this statement:
Meanwhile, Texas, where American Rounds have vending machines, has the highest number of gun related deaths in the US with an average of over 4,600.
There is no significant evidence of overall suicides or homicides being reduced when firearms are singled out for severe legal restrictions. Suicides or homicides with firearms may be reduced. Overall suicides are not reduced because of the easy substitution of other methods. Overall homicides are not reduced because of substitution of methods and the reduction of defensive options. As the stated purpose of such laws is to reduce suicide rates and homicide rates, the laws do not work.
The theory of suicide or homicide reduction by severe regulation of firearms does not hold true when subjected to real world trials.
The good: Common ammunition will be available at more locations, sometimes for 24 hours a day. If you are on a hunting trip, and forgot your ammunition, this would be useful. If you are far from a sporting goods store, a vending machine in a grocery store could save you time and money.
The bad: Ammunition sales are linked to an individual and the sales are digitally stored, possibly forever. This is another step toward firearms registration and confiscation. Ammunition was commonly available at many retail outlets, without age limits, before 1968. The federal government severely limited retail sales and required voluminous records from 1968 to 1986. The Firearms Owners Protection Act removed the record keeping requirement In 1986. Such records had no effect except to inconvenience purchasers and sellers, and to facilitate theft of firearms. Paper records were commonly kept with the ammunition and were easily available to most people, including thieves.
The real: The vending machines store extremely limited quantities and varieties of ammunition. If you need ammunition for a .17 HMR, or a .270 Weatherby Magnum, you are unlikely to find it in a vending machine. Records are being kept, but so are all records of credit card sales. Most states do not prohibit the private transfer of ammunition from one person to another of legal age. Criminals use very small amounts of ammunition. A couple of boxes can last for years. Such small amounts are easily available on the grey and black markets.
Overall, this is a positive development which helps to restore the normalization of firearms ownership and use in the United States of America.
©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
OH: Avondale Women with Rocks Attack another Woman, who Shoots them
CINCINNATI (WXIX) - Two women were hospitalized after a shooting occurred in Avondale early Friday morning.
Cincinnati police say a woman was in her vehicle in the 3500 block of Reading Road when two other women came up to her with rocks and began attacking her.
An officer at the scene said the female driver acted in self defense and shot the two women.
Sunday, July 14, 2024
Five Year Old Granddaughter's View of Defense Against Bears
Five year old Elizabeth's picture presented to her grandfather
While visiting my daughter, her husband, and their children, my five year old granddaughter, Elizabeth, presented Grandpa with the picture of defense against a bear. She had created it just for Grandpa on the morning of the day after I arrived. The picture is on ordinary 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper. The bear in the picture, with fearsome teeth and claws, appears to be about fourteen feet tall, as compared to the human figures in the lower right corner. The humans consist of one man and two women shooting handguns at the bear.
I was informed by Elizabeth, the woman on the far right has a handgun in her hand, but it is hidden by her long hair. Elizabeth said, after the people defend themselves from the bear, they will have bear steak.
My grandchildren have loved to have me tell them bear stories. Instead of the usual Goldilocks story, I have told them stories from the research on pistols used in defense against bears, or other stories about bears which I came across in my research. They love for Grandpa to play at being an attacking imaginary bear. When they shoot imaginary handguns at the imaginary bear, it falls down and stops attacking. The children have learned to shoot more than one imaginary shot. It is not surprising Elizabeth would chose the theme of people defending themselves with handguns against a bear in the woods.
Elizabeth knows meat comes from animals, and people eat bears. The grandchildren have asked if Grandpa ever ate bear meat, and Grandpa has truthfully told them he has done so. Grandpa has also pointed out that deer are good to eat, and beef comes from cows. While the children can sometimes be picky eaters, they are not vegetarians.
Grandpa has taken two of the older children to the North Woods where they meet cousins and other relatives. There they learn about growing crops and gardens and making maple syrup. They learn mink kill chickens for fun. Deer and rabbits eat crops. They learn gardens must be weeded and protected from pests. They learn foxes will grab an easy meal of a free range chicken when they can.
Black bears have wandered through the yards of some of their cousins, and wolves menaced their Grandpa's brother. They see mounts of whitetail deer, skulls of bears, and pick wild berries. They run and play in the yards, fields, woods and rivers with few restraints except for some adult supervision when required. They are given basic lessons on firearms safety and allowed to shoot suppressed .22 firearms under very close supervision. They see people commonly carrying firearms during their everyday activities. They see people comfortable with firearms who own and use many of them. They learn of people who came before and the Old Copper Culture of the North Woods.
Elizabeth will get her turn, God willing. Cell phones, video games, computers, and television are not completely banned, but their use is severely limited. Those things, collectively becoming known as "screens", are easily available in the city. Fields, forests, streams and relatives are not, making time in the North Woods rare and valuable. Grandpa and his relatives have experiences and skills few in the city have. Some of the children may find some of those skills worth having.
©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
LA: Domestic Defense? Man and Woman Struggle over Weapons Disarm
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A woman was arrested for what police are calling a domestic shooting on Thursday evening.
According to police, they arrived in the 7800 block of Pines Road for a reported domestic incident involving a shooting and found a man and woman were involved in an altercation.
The female, identified as 26-year-old Shacamrie Taylor, allegedly pulled a knife; the male responded by producing a firearm. Police said the two struggled for control of the firearm, ultimately discharging the gun.
MO: Reginald Thompson claims Self Defense in Grand Bay Shooting
UPDATE: MCSO identified the person involved in the standoff as Reginald Thompson.
Authorities said he claims he was acting in self defense when he shot the person who was injured.
Officials said his case will be presented to a grand jury.
The person who was shot is in critical condition, according to deputies.
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Handguns in Defense Against Bears by Caliber - 10mm, .41 magnum, and .45 Super (12 cases)
Many readers are interested in how various handgun calibers have performed in defense against bears. This is a complicated subject. Sometimes, any caliber will do. Sometimes a level of power may be required. Sometimes, a level of accuracy or speed may be required. Many permutations exist. The most important aspect, if a confrontation occurs, is to have a firearm available, easily and quickly accessible. The specific caliber is less important. These updates include all the incidents we have been able to document to the date of the update, after several years of intense searches. We have always asked for examples of failures. Only four failures have been documented. Link to three failures. Link to fourth failure. We appreciate readers who help us document cases.
Here are all the cases which have been documented where 10mm, .41 Magnum, .45 Super caliber handguns were fired in defense against bears. This grouping includes the three calibers to provide enough incidents to be illuminating. These cases do not include incidents where handguns were use with other lethal means, or a mix of handgun calibers were used. There are 7 incidents with a 10mm caliber handgun (1 black bear, 6 brown), 4 incidents with .41 Magnum revolvers (1 black, 3 brown), and 1 incident with a .45 super handgun (brown bear). All were successful. The incidents are listed by caliber, chronologically within caliber.
We have found seven cases where a 10 mm pistol was used to defend against bears. 1 black, 6 brown bears, All were successful.
August 18, 2002, Western Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska, 10mm grizzly bear. Personal interview with Jack Jefferson in 2021. Included in AmmoLand article on 10mm.
A problem bear was becoming much too familiar with people and property at the lodge on a lake. Several cabins had been broken into and ransacked for food on the other side of the lake. Professional guide Jake Jefferson had his 10mm built by his brother on a six inch longside 1911 frame, with an eight shot magazine.
He attempted to haze the bear away from the lodge, and fired six shots near the bear, which indifferently moved a little way away. It came back quickly and tore up a bunch of empty coolers.
Jake looked for another firearm, but did not find any close to hand.
Jake heard “hey bear” from the other side of the lodge.
As he came around the corner, the grizzly was quartering toward him at 10-15 yards. He only had two shots left. He fired one into the back pair of ribs, which later showed to have missed the chest cavity, and traveled through the abdominal cavity to the hide on the other side.
The bear immediately ran off. It was nearly 11 p.m. with a fair amount of light, but getting darker. Jake decided to wait for morning to track the bear.
Next morning, Jake found a very sick bear on top of a beaver food pile, in the lake, with only its head above water.
Jake used a rifle to finish off the bear. The boar squared at 7 1/2 feet.
Jake had a tag for the bear. It was listed as a hunting kill, not a defense of life and property.
May 16, 2016, 10mm Black Mountain in Wyoming East Fork WHMA Grizzly. Included in an AmmoLand article. FOIA page 426.
On May 16, 2016, a man was looking for shed antlers on Black Mountain in the Wyoming East Fork Wildlife Habitat Management Area. A sow grizzly with two cubs of the year charged him. He fired several warning shots at the sows feet, but the bear kept coming. He shot seven or eight times, and emptied his pistol, as the bear rolled past him and hit a tree. He left the area. The grizzly bear was never found. Rain had washed away the evidence. No blood or hair was found.
July 29 2016, Alaska: Kim Woodman Kills Charging Grizzly with 10 mm
On 29 July, 2016, about 4 p.m. Kim Woodman was attacked by a sow brown bear at Humpy Creek.
Kim had a Glock model 20 10 mm pistol with him. He was able to stop the attack by shooting the bear as it charged at him. While backing away from the charging bear, Kim tripped and fell backward. He instinctively attempted to fend off the bear with his foot, while he concentrated on firing the shots that saved his life. The last shot was just short of contact. It probably hit the bear in the chest, but also took off the tip of one of Kim’s toes.
July 25, 2018, New Mexico: Man stops New Mexico bear attack with 10mm Glock 20
Bridger Petrini is attacked by a near 400 lb cinnamon black bear. He kills the bear with his Glock 20 10mm during an extended fight. I interviewed Bridger. The case is detailed at the link.
At this point we haven’t spotted the moose yet but has seen the crows kick up, and less then a second after that you hear the roar, from our 12 o clock, and boom freaking 7 1/2 foot brown bear yards 10 yds away and full charge, my buddy Jimmy who was leading yells ever so calmly “Oh fuck bear” draws his Glock 20 and without hesitation drives two bullets into the charging bore at roughly 10 feet from him. One to the head, one to the chest “Perfect.” At this point, and it being so fast it’s hard to comprehend what had just happened.
Immediately afterward I call fish and game, and report that we had to drop a brownie by self defense and nobody is injured, while on the phone my friend Ron had located my moose. Completely buried, ear ripped off, stomach and genitals ripped open. But from what we could tell all meat looked salvageable.
September 23, 2021, Island Park Idaho, Grizzly Bear 10 mm from AmmoLand article on 10mm defenses
Then, on 23 September, a sow grizzly, reportedly with cubs in the area, was shot and killed when it attacked archery hunters near Island Park. The hunters deployed both bear spray and a pistol. The incident is still under investigation, but it appears the bear was shot at very close range. It is elk archery season in Idaho. A source inside the investigation informed this correspondent the pistol was a 10mm. From idaho.gov:
On Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, Idaho Fish and Game received a report of a sow grizzly bear that charged two elk hunters in the Stamp Meadows area near Island Park. As the bear charged, one of the hunters deployed bear spray while the other discharged a firearm at close range, mortally wounding the bear. Neither hunter appeared to be injured during the encounter.
October 21, 2022 – 10mm, Grizzly bear Wyoming
On October 21, 2022, Wyoming dentist, Dr. Lee Francis, 65 years old, was hunting elk with his 40-year-old son, in the area near Rock Creek, in the Sawtooth Mountains, east of Bondurant, Wyoming.
In this video from KSAL-TV, he gives an interview and explains what happened. Dr. Francis is an avid hunter and outdoorsman. He successfully collected a large grizzly bear with a bow and arrow in 2013. Several attempts to contact Dr. Francis have been unsuccessful.
Dr. Francis had separated from his son when he unintentionally stepped in front of the entrance to a bear den. He saw the fresh dirt, had drawn his Glock 10mm, chambered a round, and was backing away when the bear charged at him out of the den from 10 feet away.
The best interview about the encounter appears to have been in an article at cowboystatedaily.com. The article says Dr. Francis used 130-grain hardcast bullets in his 10mm Glock.
“He came right at me, and he came on full blast,” the elder Francis said.
Counting the cartridge already in the chamber, he had 14 rounds loaded with 130 grain hard cast bullets in his Glock.
“I just remember shooting three or for times, right before he hit me,” he said. “Then I went down on my back.”…
Hard cast bullets will punch through a bruin’s body, instead of rapidly expanding and expending their energy in massive, shallow wounds the way that hollow point bullets do, he said.
“Hollow points are meant for stopping people, not bears,” he said, adding that it was also fortunate for him that his weapon was loaded with hard cast bullets.
“A hit from a hollow point would have probably just exploded my whole foot,” he said.
He also said he favors the high-capacity, semi-automatic Glock over magnum revolvers.
We have found four cases where .41 magnum revolvers were used to defend against bears. All were successful.
July 16, 1981, Circle Lake, Alaska, black bear, .41 magnum single-action revolver.
Wade Nolan was with his wife, Hazel and Randy Poteet on a wilderness arctic trip, using Klepper Kayaks, 400 yards from Circle lake. The float plane had dropped them off, and left. They set up camp, and a brazen black bear came into camp and started stealing gear.
The big black bear kept coming at Wade. He shot it at eight yards, in the chest. It ran a short distance and died. They cut short their trip as a result. Another bear stalked them on the way down the Alatna river.
Death Dance, Wade Nolan, page 134 – 140. Bob Marshall mapped Alatna in July, 1931. Nolen says the event happened 50 years later, in 1981.
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Then the bear attacked again, he said, moving incredibly fast, and that’s when Johnson, still on his back, reached for the pistol he wore in a holster on his belt.
“I had my hand by my side,” he said. “I pulled the gun and went boom. Tell me how fast that is.”
The bullet struck the bear just below the snout and it collapsed immediately and almost landed on him, he said. Then he rose to his feet and put three more 240-grain slugs in it.
July 19, 2009, Wyoming: Clark, .41 Magnum, Grizzly
Jerry Ruth saw the grizzly for just a fraction of a second before it was on him.
Within seconds, the 275-pound animal had crushed the Wyoming man’s jaw when it bit him in the face, fractured his rib and punctured his lung and left deep bite wounds in his calf and scratches across his back.
After the attack, the bear left him for her three cubs that Ruth saw for the first time as he lay bleeding on the dirt. When it reached the cubs about 15 yards away, the bear turned toward him again, “squaring off” as if to charge, Ruth recalled Friday.
Ruth grabbed for the .41-caliber magnum revolver he was carrying in a hip holster and relied on his training and experience as a police officer to save his life. He fired three times, saving three bullets in case his first shots failed.
But the bear dropped and didn’t move, ending the furious encounter as swiftly as it started.
August 8, 2009, Ishawooa Mesa, Wyoming, Grizzly, .41 Magnum.
He fired a warning shot over the sow’s head. It made no impression.
He fired again. A miss. The bears and dog were close, now. The sights lined up. A pause, perfect sight picture… click and misfire! He fired again. Another miss, but now the bears and dog ran off, out of sight.
One round was left in the Blackhawk. Tanner had six rounds in his gun belt loops. He reloaded. He decided to leave the area, in case the bear came back.
50 yards away, a narrow chute gave a less than vertical way done the mesa. He started into it. He had only descended 20 feet when he heard and saw the sow again. It had circled around the bottom of the mesa and was now coming up the chute, directly at him! He reversed course, climbed up, and scrambled onto a rocky outcrop. Sow, dog, and cubs all moved as fast as they could up the steep slope of the chute.
Tanner cocked the pistol and held it steady. As the sow’s head came to within two feet of his position, he fired directly into her forehead. Instant death. The sow tumbled backward and rolled over and over down the chute, with Ovada in pursuit. She came to rest 150 feet away.
We have found one case where .45 Super pistol was used to defend against a bear. It was successful.
October 6 2017, Wyoming: .45 Super Stops Grizzly Bear ChargeThe hunters jumped up and separated. The bear momentarily halted. Kelley fired a warning shot from his .45 Super. The bear moved away a little, behind some fire killed trees and brush, then came in again, fast. Kelly fired again, and the bear went down, rolled down slope and came to a halt, motionless.
©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
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KS: Suspect threatens Topeka Business Staff, is Shot
Topeka police officers were told a person entered a business in the area that was closed. When the suspect was told it was closed, they allegedly pulled out a weapon and began to threaten the staff, but the staff ended up shooting the suspect.
The suspect ran and TPD later found him at a nearby hospital where he is now in stable condition.
Friday, July 12, 2024
Colorado Homicide with Firearms: one of four are justifiable self defense.
Chart from Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
The number of times firearms are used in self defense is difficult to quantify. In a rare analysis of data concerning deaths related to firearms, the Colorado Center for Health & Environmental data has produced figures which indicate firearms are commonly used for self defense.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment analyzed 5,287 firearm related deaths in Colorado, from 2016 to 2020. Of those deaths, the vast majority, 73.6%, were suicides. 24.9% were homicides/assaults (about 1316). Of the homicides, 24.7% were justifiable self defense (about 325).
Firearms availability has minimal, if any, effect on overall suicide rates. Firearms availability may increase or decrease overall homicide rates. This correspondent has read most of the studies on the subject. The preponderance of the evidence is the availability of firearms has either no effect or a slightly reduces overall homicide rates. Increasing legal firearms carry appears to have a small but measurable effect in decreasing overall homicide rates.
This correspondent was unable to access the raw data to check the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment fact sheet. The 24.7% of firearms homicides is plausible, however the number of justifiable homicides is seldom compiled and recorded in official statistics. The FBI records some justifiable homicide data, but the FBI definition of what is recorded as a justifiable homicide is extremely limited. Studies of overall homicide data compared to what is reported and recorded by the FBI indicate actual numbers of justifiable homicide are about five times those recorded in the FBI Uniform Crime Reports (UCR). The UCR was changed to an event based system, so UCR data is only available through 2019.
Compiling the UCR data from the four years which overlap the Colorado statistics, (2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, show 2790 justifiable homicides (police and other citizens) and 42,115 non-justifiable homicides with firearms. Those numbers translate as 6.2% of firearms homicides were recorded as justifiable under the extremely limited FBI definition. Given the studies to indicate only 1 in 5 justifiable homicides are recorded in the UCR, the national figure would be 31% of firearms homicides are justifiable for the four overlap years. This is reasonably close to the 24.7% in the Colorado fact sheet, considering there are significant differences between states.
There is significant bias in these numbers. Most people committing murder intend to kill their victims. Most people defending themselves kill their assailant as a last resort. The number of deaths, by intent, tends to be larger for illicit killing than for justifiable killing. Firearms are much more commonly used to defensively prevent an attack than to kill an attacker. In cities such as Chicago, the number of people wounded and requiring hospitalization is about five times the number killed with firearms. Similarly, the number fired at without effect appears to be several times the number wounded. Finally, the number of people deterred from an attack by the presence of a firearm is likely several times the number of incidents where the firearm had to be fired.
Surveys of defensive uses of firearms indicate indicate the total number of defensive uses are roughly 1-3 million per year. Successful defenses are unlikely to be reported or recorded if no shots were fired or no one was injured.
As a rough check on possibilities, if there are 13,000 homicides committed with firearms in a year, 30% of those would be 3,900 justifiable homicides. Six times that number to include wounded as well as killed, would be 23,400. Four times that number where shots are fired, but no one hit, would be 93,600. Ten time that number, to include times when no shots are fired, would be 936,000, or nearly a million defensive uses. All of the above numbers, while plausible, are not easily determined because of lack of official reporting and recording.
©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
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