Michigan: Harassers shot: "The family of a suspect in a deadly Northeast Side shooting claims he fired at two men in self-defense, killing one. "He told me he got attacked," the suspect's mother said. "He got jumped. They wanted to take his money and cell phone." Police on Tuesday afternoon identified the slain man as Kenneth Rodriguez, 18, of Grand Rapids. Police found Rodriguez, who was shot multiple times, on the sidewalk on Carrier Street NE just before midnight Monday. Officers found a second shooting victim, who suffered minor injuries, in the parking lot of Creston High School. The second victim told police that both were shot on Carrier Street. A 17-year-old suspect was identified and arrested at his Russwood Street NE home, although police and prosecutors still were meeting Tuesday to determine whether charges would be filed. A friend of the suspect's family described the shooting as a "drug deal gone bad," in which the suspect was possibly going to provide the two men with marijuana. The suspect's mother said the two men repeatedly tried to arrange a meeting with her son, frequently calling him on the phone. "They just kept on calling him. He was trying to avoid them," she said. She described her son as a "good kid." State police records show he has no criminal record in Michigan. The suspect's mother did not know where her son got a gun, but said he believed he was being pistol-whipped in the fight. "He could feel something that was like the butt of a pistol," she said. "It was self-defense." Rodriguez's family could not be reached. A criminal background check shows he had a bench warrant out for his arrest for failing to pay a $285 fine on a 2007 minor-in-possession of alcohol charge."


FL: Senate to vote on guns-at-work bill: "Doug and Linda Gray used to leave their home before sunrise every morning to make an hour-long commute to work at Walt Disney World. After being followed and run off the road one morning, the couple decided to buy and gun for their protection, they say. But when Disney learned about the weapon, the husband and wife were fired after nearly 10 years with the company. That's even though Gray holds a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Park officials said the pair had violated a company rule prohibiting employees from bringing weapons to work. The safety of the park's guests and employees is the company's top priority, and park officials don't want that to be compromised, said Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez. The clash between people like the Grays and businesses like Disney reaches the Florida Senate on Wednesday. The chamber is set to vote on a bill that pits a person's right to protect himself against a business owner's right to protect his employees and customers."


Post Office ban on mailing replica or inert munitions: "The Post Office is wading into the gun control debate. That's right, the U.S. Postal Service is trying to keep people from shipping replica or inert munitions through the mail. They have no authority in the law, since Congress has kept for itself the power to decide what can and cannot be shipped. But the Post Office is trying to say that replica or inert munitions are hazardous!"


What will they ban next? "Legislation against selling, making, hiring or importing samurai swords in England and Wales has come into force. Those breaking the law face six months in jail and a 5,000 pound fine. Carrying a sword in public is already illegal. Exemptions will cover swords which are used for re-enactments or antique weapons kept on display by collectors".

SC: Suspect in shooting claims self-defense: "A Spartanburg teenager continued to recover from a gunshot wound to the neck on Sunday, but police remained unsure as to the path that took him to the hospital. Martinez "Dee" Nesbitt, 17, of 548 Pierpont Ave., was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center late Saturday after officers found him lying on the floor of an apartment on Vernon Street and bleeding from his head. Initially, he was in critical condition. On Sunday, he was upgraded to serious condition.... Witnesses said that Nesbitt, the teenager, went into that apartment and put a gun to the head of Wanda Phillips - Paul Dawkins' girlfriend. Phillips told police that Nesbitt held her, her two daughters and the Dawkins' mother at gunpoint until Paul Dawkins arrived. At that point, he attempted to rob them of cash and cell phones, the report states. Police worked through the night trying to sort out details in the shooting, and they returned to the scene Sunday afternoon, Capt. Steve Lamb said. No one has been charged in the shooting so far."


Prosecutors have yet to prove case in NY police shooting: "The testimony in the Sean Bell trial has been dramatic and heartbreaking, particularly when the dying man's last words to a friend -- "I love you, too" -- were retold last week. But it's unclear if four weeks of such evidence will be enough to convince a Queens Supreme Court judge that three detectives are guilty of manslaughter and other charges in the Nov. 25, 2006, police shooting that killed Bell and wounded two of his friends. A group of defense attorneys, none with any connection to the case, believe that so far, Queens prosecutors have not proved their case against the cops. The lawyers said they've seen nothing that would disprove the cops' central assertion -- that they acted with legal justification when they fired 50 shots at Bell and his friends after the pals had spent the night partying at the Kalua Cabaret strip club." [Case summary here]


John Lott on Obama: "Obama was on the board of directors for the Joyce Foundation, which funded such anti-gun groups as the Violence Policy Center, the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, and Handgun Free America. Both the Violence Policy Center and Handgun Free America, as its name suggests, are in favor of a complete ban on handguns. During his tenure on the board, the Joyce Foundation was probably the major funder of pro-control research in the United States. In fact, I knew Obama during the mid-1990s, and his answers to IVI’s question on guns fit well with the Obama that I knew. Indeed, the first time I introduced myself to him he said “Oh, you are the gun guy.” I responded “Yes, I guess so.” He simply responded that “I don’t believe that people should be able to own guns". When I said it might be fun to talk about the question sometime and about his support of the city of Chicago’s lawsuit against the gun makers, he simply grimaced and turned away, ending the conversation. If taken literally, Obama’s statement to me was closer to what the IL State Legislative National Political Awareness Test found, indicating that Obama's bans would extend well beyond handguns. Obama also opposes the current laws in 48 states that let citizens carry concealed handguns for protection claiming, despite all the academic studies to the contrary, that "I think that creates a potential atmosphere where more innocent people could (get shot during) altercations."


An interesting slidesow here with 34 pictures of military firearms and asssociated stuff from 1871 onwards.

Illinois: Houseguest shoots, kills intruder; 2 others sought: Authorities are working this morning to identify a young man who was shot and killed after he broke into a rural home near Stillman Valley, Ogle County Sheriff Gregory Beitel said. About 11 p.m. Sunday, a man staying at a home in the 9100 block of Meridian Road awakened to the sound of shattered glass and grabbed a handgun after realizing people were inside, Beitel said. The man told deputies at least three people broke into the house, one of whom entered his bedroom and then fled, Beitel said. The houseguest then left the bedroom and came face to face, Beitel said, with a man aiming a firearm at him. The houseguest then fired twice, killing the man, Beitel said. "He walked out of the bedroom and there was this guy right in front of him, coming out of the other room," Beitel said. "He fired in self-defense." Beitel said it's too soon in the investigation to know whether the houseguest will be charged with a crime. He described the deceased as a young, white man with sandy brown hair and a thin build. He said the man had no identification on him. Deputies recovered a long gun next to the man and a pistol on the floor, several feet from him, Beitel said. Detectives are trying to determine whether those weapons belonged to the man or the homeowner, as they also recovered at least a dozen firearms hidden around the perimeter of the property. "At this point, we don't know whether they brought them with them," Beitel said. "We know the homeowner was an avid sportsman and had a large collection of firearms."


Sale of Tasers to public weighed in Michigan: "Cana Garrison has handled guns since age 12, when she and her dad shot targets in the woods behind their Charlotte home. But the Air National Guardswoman, who has rifle and pistol training, would rather carry a Taser than a gun. "With a Taser, I can still defend myself, but with less force to incapacitate a perpetrator, and at the same time I don't have to worry about hurting anyone else," she said. Garrison is among those who support a three-bill House package that would allow Michigan residents with concealed-weapon permits to carry a Taser, instead of a gun, as a less-than-lethal option for self-defense. Under current law, only law enforcement and Corrections officers, military personnel, licensed private investigators, pilots and crew members can possess weapons that use electric currents. "I believe firearms are a good thing, but I'm concerned about potential stray bullets harming someone, especially in my home," said Garrison, 28, who's taken state concealed pistol license training and is seeking a CCW permit."


TX: Would-be lover kills and then gets shot: "Police released information Saturday regarding the slaying of a north side doctor. They said the suspected killer may have been infatuated with the doctor. Simon Gutierrez reported that police said the relationship was strictly professional, as the doctor was treating the suspect's wife, but they said that the suspect wanted more. Police said that Timothy McCloskey, 52, wrote Dr. Julie Abbott, 47, inappropriate letters and confronted her outside her office Friday afternoon. They said that Abbott was placing things inside her car when she noticed McCloskey standing in the parking lot. We believe she was trying to get back into the building to receive some help, and during that process, she was shot several times by our suspect," San Antonio Police Department's Sgt. Gabe Trevino said. An officer who arrived to the parking lot shot McCloskey several times after he began advancing on the officer and refused to drop his gun. "It was cocked and ready to go, so it was ready to be fired at anyone," Trevino said. Police said they believe McCloskey was pursuing a relationship with Abbott. They said Abbott did not share the feelings with McCloskey. Police said that McCloskey is currently in critical condition at University Hospital. If he recovers, they said he faces charges of capital murder."

Indiana Clerk Wrestles Gun From Would-Be Robber: "Clerk Deme Momar found himself in a fight for his life soon after the would-be robber came into the store. "The clerk recognized him from coming in and out and being around the neighborhood," said Indianapolis Metro police Detective Leon Benjamin. The man waited for a customer to leave the store, then convinced Momar that he needed help with the ATM machine. "His plan was to lure the clerk from behind the secure area where the cash register was located," Benjamin said. Momar made an exception to store policy and went to help the man, after which he was greeted with a sawed-off shotgun. "It's not easy if someone pulls out a gun on you and you are between life and death," Momar said. "He ... pulled out a shotgun on me and we fight and I take the gun out of his hand." The struggle continued for several minutes, until Momar was able to get the gun away from the man. "I let him go because I didn't know what ... to do. I couldn't shoot him, and he was begging me to let him go," Momar said. Police and Momar both said they think the man lives in the neighborhood. "He stay around here, not so far, and he used to drive a green (Ford) Explorer, two-door," Momar said. "That day, he was walking."


Kentucky: Teen Killed: "Police are investigating a burglary report in Bowling Green that led to the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy. Police say a homeowner called them on April 3 to say he had just shot a person who was breaking into his house. The juvenile victim [was Nathaniel Tate]. His body was sent to Louisville for an autopsy. "The homeowner confronted the burglar coming in the back door, according to his statements, and then shot the person, and that person is now deceased," said Officer Barry Pruitt, of the Bowling Green Police. Police have not named the homeowner, who told a 911 operator around 5:15 p.m. that he was asleep when he heard someone trying to break into his house. The man said he shot the burglar. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound." [A commenter says: "This kid has been burglarizing homes in this neighborhood for years"].


Why a peaceful society is an armed society: ""To hear the left scoff at the premise that an armed society is a polite society, you would think Americans are uncivilized barbarians just waiting for a chance to shoot each other. Such a backwards thought process isn't limited to gun control, their distrust of average Americans is rampant in the left's pantheon of ridiculous beliefs. Their duplicitous ways are exposed most readily when it comes to guns since they claim to champion the poor and then disarm them in the face of common criminals, and they claim to champion individual freedom except for when it comes to self-defense involving guns. Finally, their absurd notion that if everyone has to carry a gun then it proves society is unsafe flies in the face of common sense."


Understanding the Second Amendment: "As we await this summer's Supreme Court decision on District of Columbia v. Heller, it is important we have a good understanding of the Second Amendment.First we must know the Founding Fathers of the new American republic had all been rigorously educated in the classical European tradition and were not just backwoodsmen with a love of guns. They had studied the writings of great philosophers like Nicollo Machiavelli, Cesare Beccaria, Hubo Grotius and Charles Montesquieu, who, without exception declared a democracy could not exist without the right of the citizens to have and bear arms."

Texas Homeowner Shoots Suspect After 2 Break-Ins: "A southeast Houston homeowner shot a burglary suspect Thursday afternoon after he was victimized twice in a week, officials told KPRC Local 2. Thomas Williamson lives in the 6000 block of Bois D'arc. He said he stayed home from work on Thursday after a burglar hit his home twice in a few days. Williamson said he looked out his window at about 1 p.m. and saw a man walk across his back yard. The man went into Williamson's garage and tried to steal an air compressor, worth about $400, he said. When the burglary suspect walked out of the garage with bolt cutters, Williamson said he grabbed his shotgun. "He came to the door and I went, 'Get on the ground. Get on the ground.' He got on the ground and I told him, 'Do not move,'" he said. "I was shaking. I had him on the ground with my shotgun and I told him, 'Do not move.' I was even yelling. I fired one shot in the ground just to show him I meant business." Williamson said he shot the man when he tried to run. The burglary suspect was taken to Ben Taub Hospital with a gunshot wound. His condition was not released. The District Attorney's Office said charges would probably not be filed because Williamson was protecting his property.


Texas: Clerk shoots, kills suspected thief: "Houston Police still have some questions about an overnight shooting that left a reported thief dead. Police say the apparent victim, a store clerk, pulled the trigger. It happened at a store on Broadway and Glover just after 11 p.m. in southeast Houston. Police say two suspected thieves went into the Colony Express Market and robbed the clerk inside. It happened at closing time. When the two were leaving, police say, the clerk shot the men. One of the suspected thieves was killed and the second man got away. The search is on for that suspect. Police are also looking into to see if there is surveillance video of the crime.


Obama is anti-gun: "Clinton and Obama favor some kind of ban on assault weapons, something McCain opposes. "I ... think we should reinstate the assault weapons ban (that expired in 2004) in order to give our police officers a fighting chance against the criminals on the street with these military-style assault weapons," Clinton said Tuesday. All three candidates oppose creating a national handgun registry. Rather than create a national registry, "I do think we have to do a better job sharing information between local and federal officials," Obama said yesterday. He differs with McCain and Clinton about whether people should be allowed to carry concealed guns. Clinton and McCain oppose outlawing it. "I am not in favor of concealed weapons," Obama said. "I think that creates a potential atmosphere where more innocent people could (get shot during) altercations." Obama and Clinton agree on most issues, NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandom said. McCain, however, "was good on our issues for a very long time. ... For a brief period of time, from 1999 to 2003-04, he wasn't as good. But since 2004, he has voted with us 100 percent of the time."


SC: 18-year-olds can now buy guns: "People as young as 18 can now buy and own handguns in South Carolina. Governor Mark Sanford signed a bill into law Wednesday to lower the minimum age from 21. 'People who are old enough to fight and die in the military should be able to purchase handguns, and the bill will put our laws more in line with those of other states,' Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer said. The law went into effect immediately. South Carolina is one of 18 states -- and the only one in the South -- that had set 21 as the age for hndgun ownership, according to the National Rifle Association. The group says Wyoming has no handgun age requirement. In Montana, it's set at 14; in Vermont, 16."

Michigan: Pizza delivery driver shoots teens, police say: "A pizza delivery driver shot two teens who tried to rob him east of downtown Detroit Thursday night, Detroit Police said. The teens, 14 and 16, were taken to local hospitals; their conditions were listed as temporary serious, police said. The delivery driver had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, police said. The teens had ordered a pizza be delivered to a vacant lot in the 600 block of St. Aubin St. about 9:55 p.m., police said."


Louisiana: Carjacking victim accidentally shoots self: "A man accidentally shot himself last night after an attempted carjacking. Police were called to the 4400 block of Pines Road around midnight. The victim was sitting in his car at a gas station when he was approached by two black males wearing all black clothing and black bandanas over their faces. They produced a silver revolver and demanded the car. The victim refused and produced his own handgun. He accidentally shot himself in the leg, and the suspects fled the scene. The victim then went inside the gas station and told the clerk what happened."


Michigan: Suspects caught in April Fool twist: "Three suspects received an April Fool's Day surprise as they attempted to break into a home on Range Line Road. At approximately 1:20 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1, a home owner called 911, saying the back door of her residence was kicked in, according to the Michigan State Police Niles Post. Apparently a female suspect had knocked on the door and when no one answered, two male suspects allegedly attempted a home invasion. Three suspects from Indiana were arrested and are suspected in several other home invasions in Southeast Berrien County. The 36-year-old female homeowner had armed herself with a shotgun for protection, when she heard the suspects prepare to enter her residence. "The tables were turned on these thieves when they were surprised by the armed homeowner," said Tpr. Mike McCarthy of the Niles Post. The north Berrien County 911 center broadcast the call and description of the suspects' vehicle, which was intercepted on Old 31 by deputies and troopers. Stolen property was found in the vehicle which was linked to previous home invasions. Arrested for felony home invasion were Daniel L. Sizemore, 28; Phillip J. Chappell, 29 and Andrea L. Bachleda, 27, all of South Bend, Ind."


Second Amendment protects an already existing individual right: "To say the Second Amendment is some sort of group right is preposterous. Joel Mathis, on the other hand, made an interesting point bringing up O.W. Holmes' observation that the First Amendment doesn't give one the right to yell 'fire' in a crowded theater. This is true, but no one is allowed to stuff a rag into your mouth upon entering that theater to prevent you from doing just that. That would amount to prior constraint -- a la a handgun ban preventing you from defending yourself. In fact, one would be obligated to yell if there was a fire. I don't think Holmes was suggesting you quietly remove yourself from a burning theater leaving there the rest to die without warning anybody."

Ohio: Tenant kills would-be robber: "A gunman who police say kicked in the door to an East Side apartment was shot to death by one of the tenants early today. Jermaine A. McCrary, 19, of Ashville died of a single gunshot wound to the head after breaking into an apartment at 2936 E. Fifth Ave. at 1:47 a.m. Sgt. Dana Norman of the homicide squad said McCrary intended to rob the occupants, a man and woman who told police that they didn't know him. McCrary pistol-whipped the man before he was shot by one of the tenants. Terrified, the residents ran out of the apartment and several blocks west before finding someone to call police. Norman wouldn't say which tenant fired the shot, and he would not release their names. He said the case will be presented to a grand jury but appeared to one of self-defense. Neither tenant has been charged with a crime.


Pizza driver: 'There was no way out': "A Des Moines pizza driver who was suspended from his job after he shot an armed robber said today he has been overwhelmed by support from people who cheered what happened. "But no one had contacted me directly about a job offer," said James William Spiers III, 38, who was sent home by Pizza Hut managers after he fired multiple shots at a man who put a gun to his head Thursday and demanded money outside the Sutton Hill Apartments, 2100 S.E. King Ave. The suspect, Kenneth Jimmerson, 19, was arrested when he later called for medical help. Jimmerson, who police say suffered at least three gunshot wounds, survived his injuries and faces a first-degree robbery charge. Melanie Stout, 18, who allegedly called in the pizza order, is charged with conspiracy. Spiers, who has a valid handgun permit, said he's been "pretty much in the dark" about his job since the incident. Vonnie Walbert, vice president of human resources at Pizza Hut's corporate offices in Dallas, said last week that employees are not allowed to carry guns "because we believe that that is the safest for everybody."


PA House votes against requiring lost, stolen handgun reporting: "A proposal to require handgun owners to report to police when their weapons are lost or stolen was defeated Tuesday in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The 75-128 vote was a defeat for gun-control advocates who said it would have helped prevent criminals from using straw buyers to circumvent Pennsylvania's gun sales regulations. "Seventy-five is great, on one hand," Rep. Dwight Evans, D-Philadelphia, said afterward. "The reality is, we want to have a law on the books." Twenty Republicans voted for the measure _ all from Philadelphia or its suburbs _ and 81 were against it. Fifty-five Democrats supported it and 47 voted no. The measure would have given owners 72 hours after they learned a weapon was missing to report it. Police who encountered an unreported lost or stolen handgun in a criminal investigation would have been able to charge a first-time offending owner with a summary offense. A second offense would have been a misdemeanor, and a third offense would have constituted a felony. Backers said it was needed to help reduce gun violence that has been particularly devastating in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and many of the state's other cities."


Gun sales on the rise: "Octavia 'Tavia' Bowers felt like a prisoner in her home. A knee injury keeps the York woman from running or walking fast. If someone tried to attack her, she couldn't escape, she said. So she led a restricted life. And she was scared. 'I don't go nowhere,' Bowers said. 'I go straight home from work and lock the doors. I feel like a prisoner.' Now, she's emancipated. Eight days ago, Bowers completed an eight-hour class to qualify for a concealed weapons permit, allowing her to carry a handgun in a holster or purse. ... A Davidson College professor who studies gun issues said initial fears about people carrying concealed weapons have proven unfounded. 'The litany of horrors has not happened, and it's not surprising,' said Lance Stell, an authority on gun topics related to Constitutional law, ethics and self-defense. 'The evidence has proven that since the legal permission has spread across the country, the prediction that it would be a very bad thing and increase violence is proven not correct.'"

Florida: Shopping Center shooting: "A shooting outside a North Miami-Dade shopping plaza Sunday morning left a security guard wounded, a man dead and another on the run, Miami-Dade police said. The wild scene played out at around 9 a.m. as early-morning shoppers began arriving at the center anchored by a Winn-Dixie supermarket at Northwest Seventh Avenue and 111th Street. It's unclear yet what sparked the incident, but it may have been a confrontation between two young men and the guard, and not an attempted robbery. Witnesses said the security guard appeared to be making his rounds at the center in a golf cart when he was approached by the men. There was a confrontation that escalated. Investigators said one of the men pulled a gun and shot the guard in the upper chest. The guard returned fire, hitting one of the men, who fell in the parking lot. The second man took off into a neighborhood just northeast of the shopping center. The security guard along with the other man were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Hospital, Williams said. The wounded man was declared dead at the hospital. His name has not been released. The security guard, who was shot in the upper torso, was undergoing surgery. He also had not been identified Sunday night."


Israelis need guns: "A Palestinian man was shot dead after attempting to stab two Israeli hitchhikers near Shiloh, Judea and Samaria police said on Monday. Both civilians escaped unharmed. Police spokesman Dani Poleg confirmed that the attacker was killed by an Israeli civilian who fired on him using his handgun. The incident took place at a hitchhiking post on Highway 60, between Shiloh and the Eli Junction, on Monday evening. "We have a military report saying the assailant is now dead. Two civilians were at the scene during the attack, and one fired on the Palestinian attacker," Poleg said. An initial police investigation found that the assailant had approached the two hitchhikers with his hands in his pockets and began asking them questions in English. Seconds later, he pulled out a knife and attempted to stab one of them. One of the Israelis drew his handgun and fired on the attacker, killing him"


UK: Armed police tackle oldster on scooter: "Armed police raided an old folks' home to arrest a pensioner in a cowboy hat brandishing a plastic pistol. Eugene Hide, 75, was arrested as he raced up and down corridors on his electric mobility scooter, reports The Sun. Staff dialled 999 complaining he was using 'threatening' behaviour. They evacuated all 25 residents while the armed response unit was scrambled. Police dashed in to find Eugene waving his toy shooter in the air. He was taken away for questioning before being released without charge. The retired council worker refused to comment yesterday, but he apologised to residents for 'getting a bit excited.' Friends said he was 'agitated' because Rosenheath rest home in Stone, Staffs, is being closed down later this year. Last year he was involved in a failed High Court bid to stop the council shutting it."


"Running up and down with guns": "Bill Wade, executive council chairman of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, told The Los Angeles Times last month that people could be discouraged from visiting certain parks, such as Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, where he served as superintendent, if they knew the Second Amendment was in force, there. 'How many of you would want to go out there if you knew that people were running up and down the Appalachian Trail with guns?' Gee, I don't know, Bill. Do you avoid police stations because the law-abiding Americans there are armed? Military bases? Why would you come to America in the first place, if you didn't like the idea of mere peasants 'running up and down with guns?'"

TN: Home invader shot: "A car thief and home invasion robber is dead after a shootout with a homeowner in Hickory Hill. Memphis police are investigating the homicide in the 3700 block of Hyacinth, near Winchester and Mendenhall. Investigators say a man who had been breaking into cars on Hyacinth forced his way into a home around 2:30 a.m. Friday, March 28, 2008. Once inside, the crook got into a gunfight with the homeowner. The intruder was killed and the homeowner was rushed to The Med with a gun shot wound. He is in non-critical condition and preparing to give police a statement. Police did not know what motive the car thief had for breaking into the home."


IA: Pizza man shoots robber: "Police say a pizza delivery man shot an attempted robber in Des Moines. Officials say they received a call late Thursday from the delivery man, saying another man tried to rob him at gunpoint. Police say the delivery man shot the alleged robber. Another call came in to authorities reporting a man was shot on the second floor of an apartment building. Authorities say the man who was shot was in serious condition at a nearby hospital. The delivery man surrendered to police at the scene. The investigation is continuing."


Only 10%! "More than one in 10 of the nation's airline pilots are cleared to carry a handgun while flying, and the number will continue to grow, according to a Transportation Security Administration projection. The TSA, which has declined to disclose the number of armed pilots, revealed in a recent budget document that 10.8% of airline crewmembers were authorized to carry guns. The Federal Air Marshal Service, a TSA agency that runs the armed-pilots program, reports that 85,000 to 90,000 pilots and crewmembers flying domestic passenger and cargo planes are eligible to carry a gun. That puts the number of armed pilots at about 9,500 - a figure Air Marshal spokesman Nelson Minerly did not dispute. The marshal service keeps the exact number confidential. The TSA projects the program to grow to 16.5% of eligible pilots by the year 2011."


The 2nd Amendment's spirit: "This country was brought about by revolution: farmers and tradesmen rising up against a government that was taxing unfairly and, in general, oppressing them. The framers of the Constitution realized that this was an ongoing fact of humankind, which it addressed with the right to keep and bear arms and the encouragement to rise up and abolish your own government once it crossed the line from beneficial to thieving and corrupt. At that time, that average citizen had the means to do this. A musket was pretty much state of the art, and government-equipped militias and armies had little advantage over the layman, at least in a guerilla war. I'm a peaceful man, don't even own a real gun, and it's obvious that an out and out revolution wouldn't work today. Still, the spirit of the 2nd Amendment must remain. Can you imagine a country where only the police and army have guns? The corrupt politicians who give them their work orders can".

Arizona legislation rebuilds legal shield for people acting in self-defense

State lawmakers are moving to make it harder for people who are injured while committing crimes, or their survivors if they are killed, to sue their intended victims. A measure approved unanimously Monday by the Senate Judiciary Committee would restore some protection to businesses who want a legal shield when one of their employees seeks to restrain a shoplifter or others who are stealing. The House already has passed HB 2813

Businesses thought they had that protection. And they did, sort of, until the state Court of Appeals ruled two years ago the provision is unconstitutional. Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said he believes this new version would withstand any legal challenge. To make sure of that, and try to avoid a gubernatorial veto, he even agreed to water down his measure a bit to satisfy the Arizona Trial Lawyers Association.

A 1993 law said people can't sue if they're injured while committing or attempting to commit a felony. That law provides immunity even if the person who caused the injury was grossly negligent. Three years later, legislators extended the protection to cover misdemeanors. What brought the law to the court's attention was a lawsuit filed by Lorna Hernandez, widow of Frank Hernandez Jr. She filed a complaint against a security guard on duty at a Tucson Safeway store whose actions she said resulted in her husband's death. According to a police report, the guard stopped Hernandez, saying he had stolen a bottle of lotion.

His widow's attorney said the guard restrained Hernandez by wrestling him to the floor, face down, and placing his arm around Hernandez's neck. The lawsuit says that while Hernandez complained he could not breathe, the guard did not release him until he had handcuffed him, with the assistance of two Safeway employees.

The police report says that before police arrived a guard saw Hernandez had stopped breathing and officials called for medical help. He was taken to Kino Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. A medical examiner's report concluded he died of "asphyxia due to neck compression." He also had internal hemorrhaging and suffered blunt-force injuries. Attorneys for the guard, his employer and the store sought to have the lawsuit tossed, citing the law, which prohibits those who are committing crimes from filing suit if they are injured. But appellate Judge Joseph Howard said the state constitution specifically says the question of whether someone contributed to his or her own death or injury is a question of fact that has to be decided by a jury.

The bill approved by the House says juries may choose not to award damages in that situation. The other key change would let jurors refuse to award damages only if they concluded the defendant did not act intentionally.

Kavanagh envisioned a situation where a juvenile was stealing a low-value item - a misdemeanor - and was running from the store. He said he did not want to immunize a security guard who pulled out a gun and "blew him away." That also addresses the other contention of defendants in the 2006 court ruling, who said there is a common-law principle of "shopkeeper's privilege." That, they argued, gives store owners and the people who work for them immunity when detaining criminals.

But Judge Howard said any immunity applies only when someone acts in a reasonable manner. More to the point, he said, the use of force is never justified unless a suspect's actions result in the person having to engage in self-defense.

Source





Oklahoma moving towards guns on campus

One bill in the Oklahoma Legislature might completely change the way Oklahomans define university campus security. House Bill 2513, authored in part by Jason Murphey, R-Edmond, would allow 21-year-old and older students of any public university in Oklahoma to carry a concealed weapon, provided they have a valid Carry and Conceal Weapon permit. "College campuses are unique because they are like huge communities," Murphey said. "Anyone can enter and easily victimize someone, so students need to have this right to protect themselves."

The bill states that students who are authorized to carry the weapons must obtain consent from the university president, but also states that it is not meant to allow colleges to prohibit students from carrying them. Murphey said that if the bill is passed and a university prohibits licensees from carrying guns into any certain place, university officials must then provide metal detectors or another security barrier to ensure students' security without self-defense.

Murphey said he decided to author a Second Amendment bill after he was approached by a constituent about the issue shortly before a college shooting on an Illinois campus. He said after the shooting, he amended the bill to include campuses, and the judiciary committee was in favor of the latter bill.

Rep. Randy McDaniel, R-Edmond, said he supports the bill as well. "This bill is within the scope of the Second Amendment, which affords the right to bear arms," McDaniel said. "It increases the safety of students and allows them the right to defend themselves."

The bill, however, is not without controversy. "While I strongly support the rights of our citizens to keep and bear firearms under the Second Amendment to the Constitution, allowing guns on college campuses would endanger the safety of our students, faculty and staff," said David Boren, University of Oklahoma President. "Every single day, I think about my responsibilities as president of a university for the safety of those on our campus. "We have spent large sums of money to develop rapid communication systems and highly trained law enforcement personnel to take action in emergency situations; [So where were they in recent massacres?] and to allow other people to have guns who have not trained with our police units would create chaos in a crisis situation."

Those members of campus police forces echo Boren's sentiments. The International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators reacted to campus weapon initiatives in a statement on March 19. "IACLEA's Board of Directors believes `concealed carry' initiatives do not make campuses safer," President Raymond Thrower said. "There is no credible evidence to suggest that the presence of students carrying concealed weapons would reduce violence on college campuses."

Thrower said among the concerns with concealed carry laws or policies are the potential for accidental discharge or misuse of firearms at on-campus or off-campus parties where large numbers of students are gathered or at student gatherings where alcohol or drugs are being consumed, as well as the potential for guns to be used as a means to settle disputes between or among students. "There is also a real concern that campus police officers responding to a situation involving an active shooter may not be able to distinguish between the shooter and others with firearms," Thrower said.

Murphey, however, said he does not believe the risk is any higher on a college campus than it would be anywhere else. "About 60,000 Oklahomans today have licenses," Murphey said. "If people are afraid of people carrying guns, I suggest they never go to a movie or any other public place because they will probably run into someone." Murphey said the process to obtain a license includes criminal, mental and background checks. There is also a six-hour course and a written exam. He also pointed out the character of the common shooter. "The people with licenses are your good guys," Murphey said. "No one has been able to point out one case where someone carrying a license caused danger. "Not many campus shooters will go through the extensive process of obtaining a license."

The bill passed the House with a ratio of 2:1 and will be heard in the Senate soon.

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Judge Denies Bail for Accused Chicago Teen Gunman

Two Chicago area teens, one 19 and one 17, are being held on first degree murder charges for a Saturday shooting outside Simeon Career Academy. The 19 year old is being held in lieu of a $1million bail, the 17 without bail.

Circuit Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. set bail at $1 million for 19 year old Ronald Little and denied bail for 17 year old Samuel Hill in the parking lot of Simeon Career Academy shooting this year, which left 18 year old Chavez Clarke dead on Saturday, the 20th this year for Chicago Public Schools. Two other teens were arrested in relation to the shooting but released without charges.

Prosecutors Monday said Little pulled a gun from his waistband after he and his three friends were approached in the parking lot of the school by a large, unarmed crowd. An argument broke out. Hill took the gun from his friend and fired the shot that struck Clarke, officials said.

As Hill and his friends ran off, Hill handed the gun back to Little, prosecutors said. When police responded to reports of shots being fired near the school they saw Little drop the weapon, police said.

Hill's lawyer, Howard Weisman, stated that they shooting was in self-defense, and that the men had been confronted by around 18 people in the parking lot. Both he and Gresham Police Cmdr. Eddie Johnson said that there had been previous altercations between the two men and Clarke.

The incident was captured mostly on the schools surveillance equipment and is being examined. Johnson said that he believed that Saturday was chosen by Hill and Little because they thought that there would be fewer security guards and police in the vicinity. Both teens admitted their involvements in sworn video statements to the police."

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Campus summary

With school violence on the rise and campus shootings becoming increasingly more common, some states are rethinking their gun laws. Instead of putting more useless restrictions on guns, many of these states are looking into the possibility of allowing people with valid permits to carry concealed weapons on school grounds.

Arizona State Senate Bill 1214, for example, would allow permit-holders of at least 21 years of age to carry concealed firearms at K-12 schools, community colleges and universities. Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Idaho, and Washington all have similar concealed-carry legislation pending.

Currently, Utah is the only state that allows guns at all public institutions of higher learning. In fact, state law makes it illegal for public colleges and universities to create their own restrictions regarding concealed carry. At least 11 institutions, including all nine public colleges in Utah and Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Virginia, permit concealed carry on their premises. The University of Utah in Salt Lake City had banned firearms on campus until the state's supreme court struck down the ban in late 2006. Undaunted, the university is currently fighting in federal courts to reinstate the ban.

State law in Colorado leaves the decision up to institutions whether to allow concealed carry on their campuses. So far, the University of Colorado is the only public institution in the state to allow properly registered individuals to carry concealed weapons.

W. Scott Lewis, the media spokesperson for the non-profit organization Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, reported that since allowing concealed carry on campus, the aforementioned universities have not reported a single gun theft, incident of gun violence, or gun accident. "There is no evidence to suggest that allowing concealed carry on college campuses will lead to more violence," said Lewis.

CRITICS WORRY THAT loosening restrictions on concealed carry on campuses would put guns in the hands of "just any college student," but this is not the case. Many students already own guns and use them responsibly but aren't allowed to bring them on campus.

In the 40 states that currently allow citizens to carry concealed weapons, individuals can take their handguns to shopping malls, grocery stores, office buildings, cinemas, banks, churches, and most public places. None of these states have experienced an increase in crimes or accidents involving guns since concealed carry became legal.

Obtaining a concealed carry permit isn't an easy process. Most states require individuals to go through extensive background checks, take and pass a concealed carry safety course and pay a steep permit fee. To obtain a concealed carry permit in Utah, one must be at least 21 years of age, have no criminal record -- everything from violent crime to the abuse of illegal substances is disqualifying -- and be mentally competent.

Most states require an individual to be at least 21 years of age to obtain a concealed carry permit. But in Indiana, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, and the Dakotas, the age requirement is only 18. What is most interesting about these states is that, according to FBI and DOJ crime stats for 2006, they all have very low crime rates. In fact, Maine, North and South Dakota, and New Hampshire are four out of the five low crime U.S. states, and Montana has the 10th lowest recorded crime rate in the country.

It is clear in the case of these states that more lenient concealed carry laws are not contributing to higher crime rates and more violence. Numerous studies conducted by the Journal of Legal Studies, Florida Department of Justice Statistics, Florida Department of State, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the U.S. Census Bureau have reconfirmed this. Several sources report that concealed handgun license holders are about five times less likely than non-license holders to commit violent crimes.

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California: Cigar-store clerk foils robbers by taking away gun: "A cigar store clerk foiled an armed robbery attempt by two men and a woman Saturday, San Diego police said. The three entered a cigar store on Balboa Avenue near Genesee Avenue in Clairemont about 1 p.m., and the woman pulled out a gun and demanded money, police said. The clerk managed to take the gun away, and the three left empty-handed. The woman was described as white, 30 to 35 years old, heavy-set with long blond hair. She wore a blue jacket and blue jeans. The men were described as white, 30 to 35 years old, with medium builds and average height. They wore blue shirts and blue jeans."


OK: 'Stand Your Ground' law faces legal test: "Defense attorneys are seeking immunity from prosecution for a man charged with manslaughter while defending himself from what police say began as an incident of road rage. At a preliminary hearing in October, there was testimony that Gumm was driving north on Riverside Drive when tailgated by Turney. Some obscene gestures were made and both vehicles pulled into a parking area along Riverside Park, where both men got out of their cars... Gumm's parked car was blocked by Turney's. Gumm wasn't arrested after the June 10 shooting in a Riverside Park parking lot. The court filing said Gumm used "lawful force as determined by the Tulsa Police Department after its investigation.” Gumm, a certified armed security guard, had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, the attorneys said. Among the facts eliminated were: Gumm waived his Miranda rights and admitted to the shooting; that Turney was angry, aggressive and pushed Gumm; and a toxicology report showed that Turney had an alcohol content of 0.08 percent. Other excluded details include: Gumm kept backing away as Turney kept approaching, at one time telling Gumm, "You're history,” Gumm did not believe he could escape because of his physical condition and was shoved by Turney who was "younger and more robust,” the court filing states. The appeals court also is being asked to consider that Turney was legally intoxicated and had methamphetamine in his system at the time."


SD: Truckstop intruder shot: "An unexpected intruder at a truck stop off Interstate 29 startled the business owner early Wednesday morning, but he fought back. The owner of Larry's truck stop was doing paperwork around 1:15 in the morning when he heard a noise. When he went to check on it, a door flew open and he found himself face-to-face with a man wearing a mask and carrying a pry bar. The owner fired a shot from his pistol and hit the suspect, 22 year old Austin Yesda, in the backside. Yesda was taken to Avera McKennan hospital and released Wednesday afternoon, the Sioux Falls man is in the Minnehaha county jail, accused of burglary. The truck stop owner has not been charged for shooting the intruder, but the Lincoln County States Attorney is reviewing the case to see if he will press charges. The truck stop owner did have a concealed weapons permit."

Florida: Security Guard Fires Shots At Attempted Robber: "Police said a Marion security guard was having lunch in front of the Foot Locker at 3194 South University Drive Friday afternoon, when he saw a man covering his face with a bandana and taking out a gun. That's when the guard fired his gun striking the suspect four times, said police. Investigators said the injured suspect fled in a waiting white Nissan, but was later found in Miami Gardens at 889 NW 214th Street. The suspect was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital. Detectives are still looking for the Nissan driven and another passenger they believe was in the car."


Gunman Caught After Taking A Hostage At Walgreens: "Miami-Dade police say a gunman who took a manager at a Miami Shores Walgreens store hostage in a botched robbery has been shot and is undergoing surgery. Police say 26-year old Adler Dupuy, tried to rob a Walgreens store located at 89th Street and Biscayne Blvd. around 6:30 a.m. Saturday. Investigators said Dupuy hid overnight in the store. When the store opened up early morning, Dupuy pointed a gun at employees, told them to get on the floor and put their cell phones in a bag. Police said the suspect also demanded all the money and when the bag became too heavy, Dupuy asked the employees to take the coins out. An employee told CBS4's Tiffani Helberg one of his co-workers was able to get away and hide inside of a room where he called police. When police arrived and entered the store, they saw the man collecting money from the safe. That's when an employee says the gunman noticed police on a monitor, and took their manager hostage out the back door. The suspect fought with the man he held at gunpoint, and fled in his vehicle. It was then that authorities say officers from the Miami-Dade and Miami Shores police departments opened fire. Police followed the gunman to 82 North Miami Avenue, where he jumped and ran. Officials searched with dogs, helicopters, and caught the man about three hours later at a nearby trailer park. Dupuy was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he was undergoing surgery Saturday afternoon. The manager was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries."


Man confesses to 17-year-old Oregon killing, claims self-defense: "For nearly two decades David Lee Patterson hid a terrible secret about a night in Oregon in 1991. Last week, unable to live with the guilt anymore, the 60-year-old man walked into a suburban Dallas police station and admitted killing a man.... Ordinarily, Patterson said he would been in a homeless shelter. But because it was a warm, clear night, he decided to sleep outdoors and save the few dollars it would have cost to stay at a mission. He hunkered down with his bedroll on a funeral homes' porch, a place he had stayed safely before. Beneath his head was a .22 automatic pistol he found on the streets while searching for discarded aluminum cans and bottles, he said. "I woke up to people screaming n----- and kicking me on the head and shoulders," said Patterson. "When I got the gun, he fell off me and started to run. I just started firing." In the darkness, he heard a man yell "ouch, ouch, ouch" so he figured a bullet struck his assailant. He didn't know the man died until he read about it in the newspaper the next day. "I chose to sleep. They chose to attack me," he said, reacting as he'd been trained in the military. "I recovered my weapon and fired," he said... Patterson said a mistrust of police kept him from coming forward sooner. "When you're a black person and you kill a white person, you have this inborn feeling that they're not going to believe you regardless of what happened," said Patterson, who grew up in Alabama during racial strife . The younger brother of the man he shot believes Patterson acted in self-defense and has suffered enough. "I wish the guy was free," said Andy Lamon, 37, of Portland. "I had to dig down really deep in my heart to come up with that ... My anger is long passed." Lamon said his brother was caught up in some "bad things"


Minnesota: Car crash leads to shooting: "Tyeric Lessley believed it was life or death. In town to celebrate his fiancee's birthday, the 22-year-old and his two cousins were leaving a downtown Minneapolis club early March 17 when they crashed into a pickup on Washington Avenue S. Lessley got out and started to walk away, but Darby Claar went after him. Lessley's family claims racial epithets were shouted and punches thrown. As Lessley stumbled to the ground, he pulled out a .44 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun and fatally shot Claar in the chest. Within minutes, a random twist of fate shattered two families. "He knew he would have had to pay the consequences if he killed that man on purpose," the aunt, Bessie Rodgers, said of Lessley. "If he didn't defend himself, he would have been the one in a body bag. Tyeric isn't a cold-blooded killer." Lessley is the father of three children. He recently received an Applebee's employee of the month award because of his rapport with customers. He was charged with intentional second-degree murder. Lt. Amelia Huffman, head of the Minneapolis Police Department's homicide unit, said she's not surprised he would argue self-defense. "But in this scenario, we had only one person who was armed with a weapon of any kind," she said. "There are no other aggravating factors that I believe would lead a reasonable person to feel they were in a situation in which they would be likely to lose their life." Rodgers said her nephew doesn't have a criminal history. Neither she nor his fiancee, Justina Owens, knows where he bought the handgun. The car in which Lessley was riding hit Claar's pickup about 2:30 a.m. Monday near Washington and Chicago Avenues S. Claar wasn't driving. Rodgers said the pickup then rammed Lessley's car, four white men stepped out and one allegedly said, "We're gonna get us some [racial epithet] tonight." Lessley and his cousins are black."

California: Neighbor apprehends burglar after pursuit: "At about 2:45 p.m. a woman reported to the Sheriff's Office that she saw a man enter her next-door neighbor's residence on the 400 block of Chartin Way. The woman told the Sheriff's Emergency Dispatchers that her son, Steven Wilson, 49, armed with a handgun, had attempted to apprehend the suspect inside the residence and was now chasing him toward Rancheria Road. Deputies arrived a few minutes later and found Wilson detaining Ryan Bush, 21 of Eureka. Further investigation revealed that the suspect had allegedly forcibly entered the locked residence on Chartin Way and removed several items. There was also significant vandalism inside the residence, including broken doors, light fixtures, furniture, and scratched wood floors. When Wilson confronted him, the suspect fled from the house. Wilson fired a single "warning shot" and told the suspect to freeze, but he continued to run. The suspect ran through backyards and private driveways until Wilson was able to catch and detain him near Rancheria Road. Bush was treated at a local hospital for a laceration he sustained either during the burglary or the pursuit. He also had a previous injury that required medical attention. Bush was then transported to the Humboldt County jail and booked for burglary. His bail was set at $50,000 and he is expected to be arraigned Friday."


Michigan: No Charges For Gas Station Shooter: "Kent Co. prosecutors have announced that there will be no charges for the man who shot and killed another man in Grand Rapids. It all happened last month at the Shell Gas Station at the corner of Kalamazoo Ave. and Boston Street. Gabriel Rodriguez was filling up his car when he got into an argument with a man named Glenn Tett, who is licensed to carry a concealed weapon. Surveillance video shows Rodriguez picking up a trash can lid seemingly to hit Tett, when Tett takes out a gun and shoots Rodriguez, killing him. Tett told police that the reason he fired his gun was because he feared for his life, and after watching the surveillance video and investigating the case, Kent Co. Prosecutors agreed that Rodriguez' actions could have been interpreted as life-threatening. "As you're watching (the surveillance video), this happens in an instant," said Kent Co. Prosecutor Bill Forsyth. "We could sit here and Monday-morning-quarterback this, and say well, 'He could have closed the door to his truck and gotten in and driven away. (Tett) could have stepped back, he could have waited to see what it was he was swinging at him, it might have changed things,' but that's not the way the law is written."


Ohio: Older guy fatally shot as he tried to 'jump on' his son: "A South Side man fatally shot his father Monday after the father "went to jump on" him during a fight in the family home, according to a 911 call to police. In a weary, subdued voice, Janice Carson detailed in the tape-recorded call the moments that led up to the killing of Steven J. Carson about 3:40 p.m. inside her home at 1348 Oakwood Ave. Steven Carson, 51, no longer lived there, Janice Carson said, but she didn't explain why he was in the house. "My ex-husband came in and went to jump on my son, and my son has shot his father," she told the call-taker. Steven Carson was shot once, according to police. In an inventory of items police said they took during a search of the home were a .45-caliber Ruger handgun, a shell casing and a pillowcase. Homicide detectives have not charged the son, identified in various police and court documents as Derick W. Carson, 23. They said the younger Carson might have acted in self-defense, and the case will be presented to a grand jury. In 2000, Steven Carson was charged with aggravated menacing and domestic violence, according to Franklin County Municipal Court records. Arrest documents accused him of threatening to kill Janice Carson, and he ultimately was given a 180-day suspended jail sentence and placed on probation for two years."


Oregon man says he killed co-worker in self-defense: "An Oregon man accused of killing a co-worker in Missouri claimed self-defense in his interview with police, according to court documents. Alan J. Schaedler, 41, of Eugene has been charged with second-degree murder in the March 8 shooting of Timothy Thornsberry, 36, of Coos Bay, according to a story in the Eugene Register-Guard. The men were part of a construction crew building barns for farmers in Missouri. They had been sharing a room at the USA Inn in the town of Mount Vernon since January. In a sworn police statement, Schaedler described his version of the shooting this way: Thornsberry was drunk on rum and upset about a telephone conversation he'd had with his girlfriend. Schaedler said he decided to leave the room when Thornsberry started directing his anger at him. Thornsberry then walked toward him in an aggressive way, describing his fists as "deadly weapons." Schaedler grabbed his .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol from the night stand and pointed it at Thornsberry, ordering him to back off. Thornsberry complied and Schaedler put the pistol back in its holster. But Thornsberry resumed his aggressiveness, prompting Schaedler to redraw the gun. Schaedler flipped the safety off, and then fired when Thornsberry took another step toward him. Schaedler told officers he left the room, placed the gun in his truck, called 9-1-1 on his cell phone and had a soda while waiting for police. Schaedler remains in the Lawrence County Jail. He has been assigned a lawyer and is scheduled to appear in court Monday for a bond-reduction hearing."

Stupid "Hacker" gets his deserts

A computer hacker was sentenced to three years in prison for placing a phony emergency call that led police to storm a family home at gunpoint. It marked the first prosecution in Orange County, in South California, for a prank known as "swatting" that involves sending SWAT teams - special weapons and tactics units - on fruitless chases, said county district attorney's spokeswoman Farrah Emami today.

Randal Ellis, 19, pleaded guilty yesterday in Orange County Superior Court to five felony counts, including computer access and fraud, false imprisonment by violence and falsely reporting a crime. He was given prison time and ordered to pay $US14,765 in restitution, most of which will go to the county Sheriff's Department.

Ellis, of Mukilteo, Washington, placed a call to the emergency line 911 last March, at first claiming to report a drug overdose and then alleging a possible murder, investigators said. Prosecutors said he hacked the 911 system and transmitted phony information that appeared to show he was calling from a Lake Forest home.

A sheriff's SWAT team accompanied by police dogs and a helicopter descended on the home, where a couple and their two toddlers were sleeping, Emami said. Doug Bates, awakened by a noise, thought there were prowlers outside and grabbed a kitchen knife. When he checked the backyard, he found SWAT team deputies pointing assault rifles at him. Bates and his wife were handcuffed until authorities determined the call was a hoax.

"That very easily could have turned deadly," Emami said. Ellis was arrested last October and had remained jailed since then.

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Ohio: 85-year-old opens fire on thugs: "Raleigh Hensley's trip to "town" Tuesday ended with men taking his wallet with $5,500 and roughing him up, but the 85-year-old didn't give up his money without a fight and even shot at the fleeing car. Butler County Sheriff's detectives announced today, March 27, they have the culprits, both of Hamilton, behind bars who allegedly robbed Hensley. They are Timothy Alfred, 44, of Millville Ave., charged with robbery and Mark Collins, 45, of Sunset Drive, charged with complicity to robbery. Hensley, who has lived on Darrtown Road more than 50 years, said he went to Hamilton Tuesday afternoon, March 26, and stopped by a west side liquor store to purchase a "jug of wine." "There were three or four guys around there," Hensley said. "They saw me pay with the money in my billfold. "I didn't notice them following me home," Hensley said. "When I got out to get the mail, the red car sort of blocked me and they shoved me, trying to get my billfold. Eventually, the men were able to swipe the wallet and jumped back in the car speeding away toward McGonigle, Hensley said "I got my gun and shot a couple times at the tires," Hensley said. He added he has been told him today he may have hit his mark. Butler County Detective Jason Rosser said a car believed to have been driven by the culprits has been located and is being processed."


Texas Woman Shoots Robber, Husband During Home Invasion: "A woman shot and killed an intruder and accidentally wounded her husband in a northeast Harris County home invasion, investigators told KPRC Local 2 Thursday. According to deputies, a couple found themselves staring down the barrel of a gun in their apartment in the Northshore Meadows complex in the 300 block of Audrey Lane shortly before midnight. A man had just broken into their apartment and was making demands. "The husband got into a physical altercation with the suspect," Harris County Deputy A.J. Kelly said. "The wife was able to retrieve a handgun that they had up in the room and she fired shots, striking and killing the suspect." The husband was also shot. Deputies said he was hit in the arm. They believe he may have been hit by friendly fire from his wife. The couple told investigators that they did not know the man or why they were the targets of a home invasion."


Israeli police guard their patch: "The Israel Police opposes a bill that would grant additional legal protection to homeowners, businessmen and farmers who shoot at intruders, because of concern it would encourage people to take the law into their own hands. "I would not like to put such power in the hands of private individuals," police Supt. Liat Lav told the Knesset Law Committee on Wednesday. "Policemen themselves do not like to shoot. There are many stages along the way before they can open fire." The panel is preparing the bill for second and final readings in the plenum. The bill is known as the "Shai Dromi Law" because it was inspired by an incident in January 2007 in which Dromi was indicted for murder for killing a Beduin who had trespassed on his Negev ranch to steal sheep. The incident led to a public outcry justifying Dromi's actions, especially because of the increasing number of thefts in the agricultural sector."

New York druggist wrestles shotgun away from would be robber: "A gunman who tried to rob a Carmel pharmacy Tuesday afternoon was subdued by the pharmacist after a violent struggle. The robber, armed with a sawed-off shotgun, attempted to rob the store of narcotics. The suspect, identified as David Both, 49, of Kent, allegedly walked up to the pharmacy counter, pulled the shotgun and demanded narcotics from the pharmacy staff. Both then walked around behind the counter as the pharmacist, Mark Gallagher, complied with his demands by placing drugs into a bag. When the suspect pointed the shotgun toward two female employees, Gallagher, who later told police he feared the suspect was going to shoot the women, grabbed the weapon. After a struggle, the pharmacist was able to wrest control of the gun from Both and fought him off. Someone in the store called 911 and patrols from the Putnam, Sheriff’s Office, Carmel and Ken Police and the State Police rushed to the store. Both was taken into custody. As a deputy was unloading the shotgun, police said it accidentally discharged and fired a slug into a rear wall of the store. No one was injured. Police think the gun may have gone off because it was damaged during the struggle. Gallagher was not injured in the altercation. Both was charged with attempted robbery in the first degree."


NJ: 35 weapons seized from gun collector’s home: “Police seized a cache of 35 weapons on Tuesday, including illegally modified assault rifles and machine guns from the … apartment of a gun collector …The State Police Street Gang Unit North and borough detectives found an armory of loaded guns and 3,000 rounds of ammunition in the apartment of Joseph Leone, 57. …. Ryan said police turned their attention to Leone, who had no criminal record, when questions were raised about ‘whether he’s in the right frame of mind to be in possession of weapons.’Ryan would not specify who raised the questions, or how police were alerted…. Leone has a curios and relics license, which permits him to possess certain rare and novel weapons.”


NY: Move to Ban painted guns : "Owning or selling brightly colored guns may soon be illegal in Nassau County under a proposed ban because the painted weapons could pass as toys, police and county officials said yesterday.Suffolk County officials are considering a similar ban. The proposal in Nassau County was spurred by a Wisconsin company’s introduction last week of a line of bright gun paints called the “Bloomberg Collection,” which taunts Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s 2006 ban of colored guns in New York City, said Nassau police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey.Along with County Executive Thomas Suozzi and Legis. Joseph Scannell (D-Baldwin), Mulvey said he intends to support Bloomberg by outlawing the possession of painted guns in Nassau County, even if they were legally purchased and licensed elsewhere.”


Colorado Democrat walking on both sides of the street: "When the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments last week about the Washington, D.C., ban on handgun ownership, U.S. Rep. Mark Udall of Colorado issued a news release saying he hoped the court would affirm the right of citizens to "keep and bear arms." But on four occasions when Udall, a Democrat running for an open U.S. Senate seat, could have voted in Congress to repeal all or sections of the gun ban, he did not. Udall campaign spokesman Taylor West said the congressman did not support the 32-year-old ban but also didn't think Congress was justified in overriding the district while the issue was before the courts. "He believes in self-rule and the rights of local government," West said. "The people should be able to set their own laws." Udall's GOP opponent, Bob Schaffer, quickly seized upon the statement, turning it into a campaign issue. Colorado voters have historically supported gun-ownership rights, said Dick Wadhams, Schaffer's campaign manager. Just recently, for example, applications for concealed-weapon permits have skyrocketed in Colorado. "Mark Udall had an opportunity to say where he was on gun laws, and he did — he's on the Boulder liberal side," Wadhams said."

D.C. Gun Crackdown Meets Community Resistance

A crackdown on guns is meeting some resistance in the District. Police are asking residents to submit to voluntary searches in exchange for amnesty under the District's gun ban. They passed out fliers requesting cooperation on Monday.

The program will begin in a couple of weeks in the Washington Highlands neighborhood of southeast Washington and will later expand to other neighborhoods. Officers will go door to door asking residents for permission to search their homes.

Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said the "safe homes initiative" is aimed at residents who want to cooperate with police. She gave the example of parents or grandparents who know or suspect their children have guns in the home.

Community leaders went door to door in Ward 8 Monday to advise residents not to invite police into their homes to search for weapons. "Bad idea," said D.C. School Board member William Lockridge. "I think the people should not open your doors under any circumstances, don't even crack your door, unless someone has a warrant for your arrest."

Ron Hampton, of the Black Police Officers Association, said he doesn't expect many in the community to comply. "This is one of those communities where the police even have problems getting information about crimes that are going on in the community, so to suggest, now, that the police have enough community capital in their hand that the community is going to cooperate with them, I'm not so sure that's a good idea," Hampton said.

If weapons are recovered, they will be tested and destroyed if they are not found to be linked to any other crimes. A police spokeswoman said that if evidence of other crimes is found during voluntary searches, amnesty will be granted for that crime as well.

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Defining the right of self-defense by gun

First, the robber hit Willie Lee Hill more than fifty times with a can of soda, knocking him unconscious. Later, the 93-year-old victim awakened, covered with blood, to find his 24-year-old assailant ransacking the bedroom. When Hill pulled out a .38-caliber handgun from near his bed, the robber lunged at him. Hill stopped his attacker with a single bullet to the throat. "I got what I deserved," the robber told police afterward.

That episode happened in Arkansas last July, but similar acts of self-defense occur by the thousands all across America every year. Overwhelming historical evidence and common sense demonstrate that guns--often called the "great equalizer," for obvious reasons--are a powerful method of self-defense in the precious minutes before police can arrive.

In the District of Columbia, however, citizens may not lawfully possess a handgun for self-defense, even in the home. The Supreme Court will soon hear oral argument in D.C. v. Heller, which is expected to determine whether such a blanket ban violates the Second Amendment. But regardless of how the Court may interpret the Constitution, citizens deserve a legal right to own a handgun for self-defense.

As the Declaration of Independence recognizes, governments are created to protect our individual rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." The right of self-defense is included and implied in the right to life. In forming a government, citizens delegate the task of defending themselves to the police. But to delegate is not to surrender. Each citizen retains the ultimate right to defend himself in emergencies when his appointed agents, the police, are not available to help.

But what constitutes an emergency? What acts of self-defense are permissible in such a situation? And what tools may private citizens own for emergency self-defense? The law's task is to furnish objective answers to such questions, so that citizens may defend their lives without taking the law into their own hands.

An emergency, properly defined, arises from an objective threat of imminent bodily harm. The victim must summon police, if possible. An emergency ends when the threat ends, or as soon as police arrive and take charge. During that narrow emergency interval, a victim may defend himself, but only with the least degree of force necessary under the circumstances to repel his attacker. A victim who explodes in vengeance, using excessive force, exposes himself to criminal liability along with his assailant.

Many objects commonly owned for peaceful purposes can be pressed into service for emergency self-defense. But unlike kitchen knives or baseball bats, handguns have no peaceful purpose-- they are designed to kill people. The same lethal power that makes handguns the most practical means of self-defense against robbers, rapists, and murderers, also makes handguns an essential tool of government force. Handguns are deadly force and nothing but --a fact that gives rise to legitimate concerns over their private ownership in a civilized society.

These concerns can be resolved only by laws carefully drawn to confine private use of handguns to emergency self-defense, as defined by objective law. Such laws must also prohibit all conduct by which handguns might present an objective threat to others, whether by intent or negligence.

Contrary to an often expressed worry, therefore, a right to keep and bear arms in no way implies that citizens may stockpile weaponry according to their arbitrary preferences. Cannons, tanks, and nuclear weapons have no legitimate use in a private emergency, and their very presence is a threat to peaceful neighbors.

If handguns are confined to emergency self-defense, no legitimate purpose is served by an outright ban such as the District of Columbia enacted. Even if such laws actually deprived criminals of guns (which they don't), they would infringe upon a law-abiding citizen's right in emergencies to repel attackers who are wielding knives, clubs, fists --or cans of soda.

With the aid of his handgun, Willie Lee Hill survived that violent home invasion last July. Self-defense was his right, as it is ours. A proper legal system recognizes and protects that right, by permitting private ownership of handguns under appropriate limits.

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Alabama: Man Shoots, Kills Cousin Stealing Gas: "Authorities in Russell County have not filed charges against a homeowner who said today he shot and killed a man who was siphoning gasoline from his truck in the middle of the night, only to discover the victim was a cousin. Robert Lee Warren of Hatchechubee said the man identified by the coroner as 40-year-old Henry Moses made a threatening move toward him after being confronted, so he pulled the trigger in self-defense. Coroner Arthur Sumbry Jr. said Moses died of a single gunshot to the chest about 2 a.m. CDT on Easter Sunday. The body was found near a blue pickup truck under an awning that Warren used as a carport. He said its unclear how much, if any, gasoline was taken. Prosecutor Buster Landreau said it was too early to say whether an indictment could result when a grand jury considers the case. Alabama law allows residents to use deadly force if they feel their life is in danger. With the average price for regular, self-serve gasoline hitting $3.26 a gallon in the United States, gasoline thefts are being reported across the country.


Florida: Intruder Shot, Killed In Break-In: "An intruder who tried to break into a southwest Miami-Dade County home was shot and killed early Tuesday morning, police said. When Miami-Dade police arrived, they found the security chain on the fence that borders the property broken and the body of a 38-year-old man. Police said it appeared two men tried to burglarize the home when the resident fought with them outside and fatally shot one of them. The second intruder fled the scene but was later in the area, police said. He was detained and is being questioned by police. The resident's family and friends said he had a gun because he had been burglarized as many as 10 times in the past six months. Neighbors said the resident, who runs a landscaping business out of the home, had already had thousands of dollars in lawn equipment stolen. Police said they were investigating to determine exactly what occurred."

Philadelphia wants candidates to give stance on gun laws

Philadelphia's Democratic leaders say they'll press Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama to back stricter gun laws, despite the risk of angering voters throughout the rest of Pennsylvania and possibly damaging the party's nominee in the general election.

Gun violence in Philadelphia - 331 homicides from gunfire in 2007 - thrust firearms laws to the top of the agenda for city voters, and they don't care about the potential political pitfalls for the presidential candidates, said Carol Campbell, a Democratic ward leader in the city. "If you can't deal with it, then you've got a problem," said Mrs. Campbell, who supports Mr. Obama and heads an alliance of black ward leaders. "That's what's on the minds of most Philadelphians," she said.

Democratic ward leader Ralph Wynder, who is supporting Mr. Obama, said the candidates should address the pressing issues, but conceded that backing Philadelphia's push for tougher gun laws would be "political suicide." "You are probably going to be damaged goods in the state," Mr. Wynder said. "There are just some questions you can't win with an answer. I guess that's why politicians double-talk so much," he said.

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Students Make a Case for Carrying Guns to School

From NPR!

After deadly shootings at schools in Illinois and Virginia, 12 states are considering legislation to allow guns on college campuses. Stephen Feltoon, a director for Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC), is part of a movement that says college students should have the same gun ownership rights as others. Feltoon says he purchased his first gun for recreation. "Now I own it for defense," he says. "I can take a firearm anywhere that's not a college campus, a liquor establishment, or any business that posts a 'no gun' sign. When am I carrying it? That's the beauty of conceal and carry. You'll never know until I need it."

He says SCCC started a day after the Virginia Tech shootings and that when he first learned of the group, he signed on immediately. "I believed that my right to self-defense was being infringed on college campuses," he says. "College campuses are vulnerable and I didn't want to be defenseless." Feltoon says Virginia Tech is home to the SCCC's largest group of conceal and carry advocates. As for the SCCC's total enrollment, Feltoon says it has doubled in the last month, bringing the total to 22,000 members just one year after its founding. "The Illinois shooting made people realize college campuses aren't as safe as administrators would have them believe," Feltoon says, explaining the recent jump in members.

Feltoon says the group's core mission is simple: "We're pushing universities to allow law-abiding citizen to carry guns on college campuses, just as you would into malls and movie theaters." Feltoon says most SCCC members are men and women over 21 years old who already have licenses to carry a gun. "We're just asking for them to carry guns to one more location," he says.

Beginning on April 21, Feltoon says, 3,000 SCCC members have pledged to visit college campuses wearing an empty holster to indicate that, because of state or school policy, when they reach campus, they're obliged - for now - to leave their guns behind.

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NY: Resident shoots at burglars in his home: "Gunfire was exchanged between a Ridge homeowner and two burglars yesterday after he discovered them in his home at 4 a.m., police said. No one was believed injured at the Kastal Court house, and the burglars escaped, Suffolk police said. The men, one armed with a rifle, climbed through a front window, confronted the homeowner and chased him down a hallway into a bedroom, police said. The homeowner shut the bedroom door, but the barrel of the suspects' rifle was wedged between the door and the door frame, police said, and the gunman fired the weapon. The homeowner was able to get to his own rifle and fired through the closed door, police said, and the intruders fled."


Arizona: Woman shoots at persistent intruder: "A 74-year-old woman twice shot at a man after he made repeated attempts to break into her home, extort money from her and threatened to set fire to her garage. Hugh Turner, 52, was arrested by Scottsdale police about 2 p.m. Friday on suspicion of threatening and intimidation and other offenses at a residence in the 27800 block of North 94th Street. Turner allegedly threatened to burn the woman's house down after pouring gasoline in her garage about midnight on Thursday if she refused to give him money, police said. After the woman complied with his demands, Turner fled but later returned to the home about 4 a.m. Saturday and tried to break into an upstairs door using a ladder. The woman fired two shots from a handgun, but the man was able to get away unharmed, police said. Officer's from the parks and preserve unit on All-Terrain Vehicles found Turner in a desert area near the home and arrested him. Turner also was arrested on suspicion of attempted arson on an occupied structure, theft by extortion, endangerment and disorderly conduct. Turner was treated at Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak hospital for an ankle injury he sustained after he jumped from the ladder at the woman's home. He was booked into the Scottsdale City Jail. Police said the woman and man knew each other."

DC backpedalling under court scrutiny

Defending the Washington, D.C., gun ban before the Supreme Court yesterday, Walter Dellinger insisted it was never the city's intent to prohibit residents from using rifles and shotguns for self-defense in the home. All it wanted to do, Dellinger said, was ban handguns, because they are highly portable, readily concealable, easily stolen, and uniquely suited to urban crime. Even if (as seems likely) the Supreme Court rules that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to arms, he said, it should uphold the handgun ban as a "reasonable regulation":

Chief Justice John Roberts: What is reasonable about a total ban on possession?

Dellinger: What is reasonable about a total ban on possession is that it's a ban only on the possession of one kind of weapon, of handguns, that's been considered especially dangerous....There is no showing in this case that rifles and [shotguns] are not fully satisfactory to carry out the purposes [of self-defense].

But as Roberts, Justice Samuel Alito, and Justice Antonin Scalia noted, D.C. requires that all firearms, including long guns, be kept "unloaded and disassembled or bound by a trigger lock or similar device." The statute does not include an exception for self-defense. It thus seems to rule out unlocking and loading a gun even while under attack, let alone keeping one loaded and unlocked in case of an attack. Dellinger nevertheless maintained that the law does not prohibit the possession of functional firearms in the home, contrary to the interpretation the city has offered in previous cases and the one it implicitly endorsed at the U.S. District Court level in this case.

The District, which initially was openly contemptuous of the argument that D.C. residents should be allowed to defend themselves with guns, apparently has warmed to the idea. "It is a universal or near universal rule of criminal law that there is a self-defense exception," Dellinger said. "We have no argument whatsoever with the notion that you may load and have a weapon ready when you need to use it for self- defense." He added that "there ought to be an opportunity for the District of Columbia to urge its construction, which would allow for a relatively robust self-defense exception to the trigger lock provision." To which Scalia replied:

I don't understand that. What would that be-that you can, if you have time, when you hear somebody crawling in your bedroom window, you can run to your gun, unlock it, load it, and then fire? Is that going to be the exception?

Dellinger said he reads the storage requirement as permitting two options: "unloaded and disassembled" or "bound by a trigger lock" (as opposed to "unloaded and disassembled" or "unloaded and bound by a trigger lock"). In other words, it's OK to keep a gun loaded as long as it's locked, which Dellinger said can be accomplished with a combination lock that can be removed in three seconds. Two justices wondered if the operation would be that fast in an actual emergency:

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Right to self-defense extends to national parks

Anti-gun Democrats on Capitol Hill, led by Rep. Norm Dicks of Washington and Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, are livid about a common-sense effort to allow legally licensed citizens to carry concealed sidearms inside national parks. It's as though they think the proposal was tantamount to condoning genocide.

Despite once insisting that a photo of himself with a dead pheasant be published on the cover of Fishing & Hunting News, Dicks has hardly been a friend to gun owners and Feinstein's record speaks for itself. Both are "F" rated by the National Rifle Association. Dicks and Feinstein have threatened to block a sensible move by Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to change national park rules to allow concealed carry in the parks. Opponents claim this change will open the parks to rifle-toting poachers. It's not true and they know it.

This change would allow citizens who have gone through state licensing procedures, including background checks, to carry firearms for personal protection only. Such people rarely commit crimes.

So far, only the Colorado Springs Gazette correctly framed this as an issue of self-defense, for good reason. In the years between 2002 and 2007, there were 63 homicides in national parks, 240 rapes or attempted rapes, 309 robberies, 37 kidnappings and 1,277 aggravated assaults, according to National Park Service statistics.

Why are many national park rangers now carrying sidearms and wearing soft body armor? They didn't used to find that necessary. Changing park rules makes sense because visitors do not leave their right of self-defense at the gate. When you are in remote campgrounds, and in the backcountry, there is no 911 and help isn't coming.

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Pennsylvania: Suspect Shot In Tattoo Parlor Robbery: "A tattoo parlor on the corner of Fourth Street and Euclid Avenue in Dravosburg was robbed at 9:15 p.m. Saturday night. The suspect, who is described as a 6-foot-5-inch 250-pound male of unknown race, escaped on foot with $200. But that's not all the robber left with. The owner of the business told police that he believes he may have shot the suspect in the back. Shortly afterwards, police responded to a call from a man who said he was shot in the back at an address 1/2 of a mile away from the scene of the robbery. It is unknown whether these two incidents are related.


MO shooting self defense? "Vernon County deputies looking into a fatal shooting this week in the Dederick area were awaiting results Friday of an autopsy to help them determine whether any charges should be filed against the shooter. Vernon County Sheriff Ron Peckman said the shooter, a man in his 50s, claims he was being assaulted by the man he is believed to have shot three times with a .32-caliber handgun. The man killed was identified as Jimmy Dale Duncan, 47, whose last known address was in Neosho, the sheriff said. Peckman said Duncan apparently had been staying in recent days at the home where his body was found, near the intersection of Katy Track and 2900 Road in eastern Vernon County.... Peckman said the man claims he was being assaulted by Duncan and shot him in self-defense. The sheriff said the shooter was on oxygen for medical reasons and was sitting in a chair inside the home when Duncan reportedly began slapping his face. He said the man told investigators he reached for his gun beside the chair and shot Duncan. Duncan had been seeing the woman who lives at the address, the sheriff said. He said the woman and the shooter lived together as friends and may have been related. He said their exact relationship had yet to be determined by investigators. All three had been drinking together, Peckman said. "They admitted they had been drinking beer and whiskey all afternoon and evening," he said. "It makes for a bad combination."

Pennsylvania store owner pins would-be robber: "Al Handza did a small favor Thursday afternoon for a young man in Braddock, a few minutes before the man put a gun to his head and tried to rob him. Handza, owner of Al's Market on Braddock Avenue, refused to be bullied and grabbed the robber's hands, wrestling him to the ground. During the struggle, the gun discharged twice and the wounded thief tried to run, only to be stopped by Handza and detained for police. The robber, whose identity and age are not known because he gave a phony name to police, was taken to UPMC Presbyterian hospital in Oakland with gunshot wounds in the arm and back, said Braddock police Sgt. Frank Barreiro. The extent of the injuries is not known.... The .22-caliber handgun the robber was pointing at Handza's head was no laughing matter, and the store owner acted to defend himself. "I threw him and we went down together," said Handza, who was alone at the time. As the two wrestled, the gun discharged twice and the robber said, "I'm shot!" The thief got up without the gun, ran out the door and around the corner between two buildings, where he was stopped by a 12-foot fence. Handza grabbed the gun off the floor, called 911 and ran outside after the robber. "He couldn't get over the fence. I held his own gun on him and told him to hit the ground, face first. He laid there, and the cops were here in less than a minute."


Virginia: Landscaper shoots rabid fox: "A rabid fox was shot Friday in the Pine Mill Subdivision off of Pinetta Road, making it the second confirmed animal with rabies in the county this year. The fox was seen acting strangely in the neighborhood last Thursday, prompting residents to call Gloucester Animal Control, said M.B. Sheppard, the county's Environmental Health Supervisor. But deputies were unable to find the fox and advised residents that if the fox was spotted again and acting similarly to shoot it. On Friday, the fox first attacked two adult dogs that were penned up and then two puppies playing in a ditch and exposed the two puppies to rabies, Sheppard said. A landscaper working in the subdivision saw the fox and borrowed a homeowner's shotgun before killing the animal. Tests later confirmed the fox was rabid."


Widespread support for gun rights: "If courts made their decisions based on public opinion, the case that the U.S. Supreme Court will hear today on the District of Columbia's handgun ban would seem to be easy to decide. The polls and the sheer number of those filing amicus briefs support an individual right to owning guns. Yet, the Justice Department's brief, while technically also supporting an individual right, has made this debate much more complicated and, for the first time in American history, even compelled a vice president to file his own brief. A Gallup poll in February found that 73 percent of Americans believe that Second Amendment protects an individual right. On top of that, 305 members of Congress, 31 states, and the Department of Justice all make the same claim. Support is bipartisan. On the other side, only a minority of Democrats - 18 members of congress and attorney generals from five states - signed briefs arguing that it isn't an individual right


The right kind of gun rights: "Yesterday, unbeknownst to itself, the Supreme Court heard arguments in a gay-rights case. To most people, admittedly, District of Columbia v. Heller is a gun-rights case. In fact, it's the most important gun-rights case in decades, one that may cast a shadow for decades to come. But to gay Americans, and other minorities often targeted with violence, Heller is about civil rights, not shooting clubs."