SC: Robbery goes awry when resident shoots first: "The incident began at about 11:25 p.m. at a home on Polk Street where four men playing video games heard a knock at the door, according to a Beaufort Police Department news release. When they answered, two men wearing bandanas over their faces, one armed with a rifle and the other with a handgun, burst through the door, the release said. One of the home's guests quickly grabbed a pistol and opened fire on the intruders, said Police Chief Matt Clancy. The suspects were later identified as Darryl James Pryor, 25, and Lucas Morgan, 24, of St. Helena Island, according to the release. Soon after the shooting, members of the sheriff's K-9 Tracking Team arrested Morgan after they found him hiding in a wooded area near the Applebee's restaurant on Boundary Street, according to a sheriff's report. The 22-year-old Beaufort man who shot Pryor is unlikely to be charged, Clancy said."


FL: Intuder shot during home invasion robbery attempt: "The homeowner, who authorities said was the target of the robbery, said two men forced their way into his home and tried to rob him, but he fought back. Deputies said that during the struggle, the homeowner got hold of the .22-caliber handgun one of the intruders brought with him and shot the suspect four times — in the thigh, shoulder, elbow and groin. In a news release, the Sheriff's Office said the gunshot wounds did not appear to be life-threatening. The injured man, who was identified as Adam Waller, was taken to Shands at the University of Florida. The other intruder ran from the home when the struggle began, deputies said. No charges were immediately filed"


AL: Robber shot 3 times: "Dothan police investigators arrested Torrell Jamar Rice, 32, of Miller Road, on Tuesday afternoon as he was released from the hospital. Cpl. Rachel David said in a statement that Rice received treatment at a local hospital for injuries he suffered from three gunshot wounds. Police said the resident of a home on the street acted in self-defense as he shot Rice during an attempted robbery. The resident said he answered a knock at the door of his home to find a man coming toward him with a shotgun and demanding money. The man in the home, armed with a handgun, fired his gun several times, striking the would-be robber three times."


OK: Domestic Dispute Ends In Gunfire: "Police have arrested a man they say crashed into his ex-girlfriend's home, but found himself staring down the barrel of a gun Wednesday morning. It happened around eight o'clock near 11th Street between Sheridan and Memorial. Police say the victim's ex-boyfriend had been terrorizing her all night and arrived at her home, where he used his car to ram her parked SUV. "He hit the SUV as kind of a way to get her attention, to get back at her," says Officer James McClaughry. "Then, he backed his vehicle up, pulled forward and then ended up driving into the front porch where she was standing and she used the handgun to try to defend herself." No one was hurt in the altercation. Video from NewsChannel 8 photojournalist James Puckett shows two bullet holes from the woman's 9-millimeter handgun in the hood of the suspect's vehicle."

IA: Librarians Perturbed by New Gun Law

Frankly, when I go to the library, I usually don't pay a lot of attention to other folks.

A new gun law championed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) that took effect January 1 in Iowa has some librarians concerned that it will allow patrons to openly carry firearms in the library.[…]

"The new law does not allow any restrictions to be placed on permit holders," Duane Hildebrandt, the president of the Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association and a board member of the Sumner Public Library, told Library Journal. "Allowing open carry with no ability to require concealment is a concern that many sheriffs, including myself, have," he added.

Susan Craig, director of the Iowa City Public Library, told LJ that the new gun law came up as part of that library's recent Conduct Policy review and that after consulting with the city attorney the library is going to amend its policy to prohibit firearms in the library (concealed or otherwise). The policy will exempt police officers.

"Our reasoning is that a public library is similar to a school, and schools are exempt from the new law.... [W]e believe that many of our patrons would be concerned if they saw people carrying guns in the library," she said.

It seems to me that librarians are making a big deal out of a non-problem. I don't recall any instances of someone going postal in a library.

TX: Homeowner Shoots Alleged Kidnapper: "Hidalgo County sheriff's investigators are working to figure out if they'll arrest a man who shot a reported kidnapper. The victim told deputies that the suspects approached him outside his home Monday night and threatened to kidnap him. That's when the 50-year-old pulled out his gun and twice shot one of the men. The other two men rushed him to the hospital. He is expected to be okay. Sheriff Lupe Treviño tells CHANNEL 5 NEWS the man will not be charged if the evidence proves he fired in self defense.


TX: Robbers target family after shopping trip: "Elvis Munoz, 17, is charged with aggravated robbery. A juvenile suspect is also facing charges and a third suspect is being interviewed by authorities.... The memory of what happened to Del Rosario Monday night kept him awake all night long. He and his wife were with their young boys, ages seven and one, headed home from the Apple store at Willowbrook Mall when he noticed a red Mustang had followed him right to his driveway. "He was going after me with a mask," Del Rosario recalled. When he got out of the car, Del Rosario says a man had a gun pointed straight at him and was joined by at least two accomplices. He said, "I ran away ... to get away from them, to draw the fire to me if they were going to shoot. Then I started shooting at them... he was able to stop the gunman. A neighbor, also a gun owner, who didn't want to be shown on camera, helped him detain a second suspect until deputies arrived."


PA: Legless man in wheelchair shoots, kills teen intruder: "Police said a man in a wheelchair fatally shot a young intruder who fired shots from a rifle while trying to enter his Baldwin Borough apartment through a window. ... 'A rifle barrel protruded through the venetian blind in the window. A shot or two shots, we believe, were fired into the apartment,' Scott said. Police said Bombara reached up and got a handgun from under his chair cushion. 'As the intruder was climbing through the window, he fired -- that resident fired a round -- striking the intruder.'"


SD: ACLU wants guns for illegals: "South Dakota’s chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit against the state Monday hoping to open up the state’s concealed weapon law to all legal U.S. residents. ACLU officials are seeking an injunction for a Sioux Falls man who was recently denied his concealed carry permit since he is not a U.S. citizen."

GA: Robber shot by victim: "The Savannah-Chatham Metro Police Department is investigating an attempted robbery that landed one person in the hospital. Officers were called to the Windsor Arms Apartments on Largo Drive around 7:30 Sunday evening in response to an attempted robbery. The victim told police he was walking across the parking lot when he was approached by a masked person with a gun. A struggle broke out and ended with the suspect running from the parking lot. The victim, Rafel Jackson, chased the suspect who turned at shot at him. Police say Jackson returned fire. Investigators say Deborah "Monique" Willis, 21, showed up at St. Joseph's/Candler Hospital with a gunshot wound. She is now charged in the robbery."


AL: Woman shoots husband: "A mother of two children says she shot her ex-husband in self-defense in the trailer they shared in Hayden, Ala. Authories in Blount County say Elsie Thomas shot Matt Allen with a small shotgun after he threatened her with a handgun. Sheriff Loyd Arrington told Fox 6 reporter Karen Church that he will not be pressing charges against Thomas at this time because he believes she acted in self-defense.


NH: Legislators prepared to repeal gun ban: "Legislators meet today to repeal a weapons ban that has been in effect at the State House and connected buildings for the past year. The joint Legislative Facilities Committee is expected vote on a measure that would remove language banning anyone but active law enforcement from carrying a deadly weapon. A separate House rule up for a vote on Wednesday will bar display of deadly weapons by anyone other than a police officer but would allow the use of a deadly weapon in the "exercise of self-defense or defense of others." In place of the weapons ban, the new joint House-Senate rule would simply leave security issues to the Sergeants-at-Arms in House and Senate chambers. Elsewhere on the State House complex, enforcement would be the job of Protective Services and State Police."


FL: Stand your ground cases rise: "A decade-old law that gives criminal immunity to some people who defend themselves with knives, fists, sticks or guns is rearing its head more frequently in Volusia County courtrooms. Under what is known as Florida's 'Stand Your Ground Law,' a Daytona Beach man recently avoided up to 15 years in prison for smashing another in the face with a 2-by-4 while defending himself and his girlfriend from a drunk attacker. Circuit Judge Patrick Kennedy on Dec. 2 ruled that Vincent Strollo is immune from prosecution, records show."

Full Metal Yellow Jacket

Mike Adams

Georgia Tech student Justin Myers recently had a very bad evening. He was expecting guests in his dorm room when four armed intruders greeted him at the door. They were able to steal merchandise and knock out two of the 19-year old student’s teeth for two principal reasons: 1) Armed robbers are always armed, and 2) Georgia Tech students are never allowed to have firearms on campus.

In the dorm complex where the robbery occurred, residents must swipe an access card to get through a set of outside doors. They also have a key for their six-bedroom suites. Finally, students are provided with a separate key for their bedrooms. But that isn’t enough to prevent such incidents from happening.

Only three of the four criminals wore masks but all four demonstrated how easily they could get inside the outside set of doors. Georgia Tech does not employ security guards in its dorms, which makes things easier for the potential intruder. Another weakness in dorm security is the automatic doors that delay in shutting to accommodate disabled students. Added to this is the human error associated with not watching the automatic door as other people follow students inside or trying to help out a person claiming to be a student who “forgot” his access card.

Georgia Tech crime statistics suggest that crime is down on campus in 2010. They showed two robberies in 2010 compared to four in 2009; 14 stolen cars this year compared to 38 in 2009; 49 thefts from vehicles in 2010 compared to 204 in 2009. Nonetheless, there are two serious problems to be gleaned from the statistics. First, such statistics rely on victim reporting and are, therefore, always underestimates of the true extent of crime. Second, the statistics showed that burglary is not declining at Tech. There were a whopping 58 campus burglaries for both 2009 and 2010.

Not all of the 58 burglaries were as traumatic as the one endured by Justin Myers. When he opened his bedroom door, the four men rushed him, pistol-whipped him and threw him to the floor kicking him repeatedly in the head. He was concerned for a time that they might shoot him. As they were demanding more money (and he was insisting he only had a few dollars in cash) things nearly spiraled out of control.

In the final analysis, only a 22-inch Panasonic television, a laptop computer, a cell phone, and $6 in cash were seized. Things could have been worse. The crazed intruders could have killed the unarmed student.

So far, Georgia Tech has not done what needs to be done in order to prevent this from happening again. The institute of technology merely put a buzzer on the stairwell door that sounds when the door is opened. I suppose the buzzer is meant to alert students to the necessity of hiding in their rooms and locking their doors.

Engineers and technicians are notorious for trying to make problems fit their solutions. In this case, they have lots of gadgets they would like to put to use to create a barrier between the motivated offender and the suitable target. They will be busy installing lights and buzzers to complement their computerized swipe card systems. But, to date, they have not invented a solution that fits the problem of the depravity of the human heart.

Fallen human beings will always find ways to get through barriers that stand between themselves and the object of their desires. If the barrier is raised with technology backed by good intentions it can often be razed by technology backed by bad intentions. So something must be done besides creating a barrier between the motivated offender and the desired target. That something is making the desired target less desirable.

It does not take a Georgia Tech engineering degree to understand that the unarmed citizen is the desired target of every armed offender. And it does not take any new technology to render the target undesirable. It only takes a gun.

The gun is really a very simple invention. Enough Georgia Tech students own guns that allowing students to keep them in their dorm rooms will substantially deter future intrusions of the sort experienced by Justin Myers. And, best of all, the solution will cost nothing to the taxpayers of the State of Georgia.

Georgia Tech needs to continue its tradition of finding complex solutions to complex problems. But that need not come at the expence of applying simple solutions to simple problems.

Source





TX: Homeowner opens fire, kills suspect during home invasion: "The tables were turned Thursday on a group of suspects who held a woman at gunpoint during a southeast Houston home invasion, according to Houston police. Police said two men and one woman approached a unit in the Broadway Square Apartments located in the 8600 block of Broadway around 10:45 p.m. A man and a woman were home at the time. The female suspect knocked on the door, then hid from view. The woman inside the home said she looked out the peep hole first, but after not seeing anyone, opened the door to look outside. That is when one of the suspects, 33-year-old Miguel Antonio Valencia-Mejia, pushed his way into the residence, grabbed the woman’s hair and pointed a pistol at her head. The woman’s boyfriend heard the commotion and retrieved his shotgun. He rushed out of the bedroom and opened fire. Valencia-Mejia was shot and died by the front door. The other two suspects fled the scene."


Mayors bill taxpayers for security; would forbid them to defend themselves: "Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has a police security detail, courtesy of the taxpayers. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has a police security detail, courtesy of the taxpayers. St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay has a police security detail, courtesy of the taxpayers. As, of course, do many other mayors (and other public officials), and the intent here is not to argue that this is necessarily inappropriate. ... What makes these mayors' taxpayer funded security so galling is the fact that they tend to do their very best to deny to those who are paying for their protection the right to an effective means of defending themselves."

OK: Woman shoots, kills man after dispute: "When deputies arrived they found a male subject laying on the floor with a gunshot wound to the head and a female subject laying across his body with a knife wound to her throat. The male subject was pronounced dead at the scene. The female subject was treated at the scene by EMS and is in fair condition. After investigators arrived it was determined that both parties had been drinking all night for the New Year. An argument between the male and female involving a gun and knife took place. Lt. Charles Redfern with the Creek County Sheriff's Office said the woman was too intoxicated when police arrived to give a statement. Past records show that deputies have been called to the residence in the past over domestic disputes between the two parties."


OK: Homeowner Shoots Burglar: "A homeowner in Owasso shot a burglar this morning who was trying to break in to his house. In a report sent to ktul.com, Owasso police said around 4:30 Friday morning they were called to the 9300 block of East 93rd street north for the shooting. 21-year-old Cody Hurst was shot twice by the homeowner and was taken to a local hospital."


FL: Music Dispute Between Neighbors Turns Violent: "Police said a husband and wife, fed up with their neighbors loud music, walked next door to confront the crowd. That's when the husband, armed with a gun, opened fire in what his family calls self-defense. "Someone was coming at his wife with a broken bottle and he did what he had to do. I would do the same thing," said Tomasa Carrasco, the shooter's sister. Carrasco's brother shot the alleged male attacker in the stomach. She said it began Friday night with several peaceful attempts to get the new years party to quiet down. After 12 hours of partying, gunfire silenced the crowd. The male victim was in critical condition at Memorial Regional hospital Saturday night. The shooter and his wife were taken in for questioning." The shooter's family said he has a permit to carry a concealed weapon."


CA: Ammo controls too tight: "Last year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill 962, making it a crime to deliver handgun ammunition if the transaction is not done face-to-face, and if the driver fails to determine, through government identification, whether the recipient is legally authorized to receive the ammo. This is a back door effort by the anti-gun lobby to stop private ownership of guns.”

FL: Self Defense Immunity Granted. Murder Charge Dismissed: "According to Judge Dakan's order, in the early morning of May 15, 2010 Alphonse Gallo found himself alone and in an argument with an acquaintance, Patrick Barbour, and three of his friends, in the middle of the street. Gallo and Barbour had already fought briefly earlier in the evening. But this time, Barbour brought some friends and threatened to rob Gallo. Gallo testified that Barbour, "pulled out a firearm," according to the Defendant's Version in Judge Dakan's order. Gallo, who has a concealed weapons permit and had recently taken classes to become a security guard, also pulled out his gun, according to court documents. Gallo fired three shots at Barbour from close range, according to Judge Dakan's order."


OH: Officials won't charge man in black bear shooting: "The Harrison County Prosecutor’s Office won’t press charges against a Massillon man who shot and killed a black bear in rural Harrison County last month, ruling that he apparently acted in self-defense. The man used a 12-gauge shotgun to kill the bear Nov. 29 during the first day of Ohio’s deer gun hunting season. Washington, who declined to release the shooter’s name because he was not charged, said it appears the man was defending himself based on the trajectory of the single shot, which struck the bear in the head. “It appears to be a situation where the bear was running through the woods. ... It (the shot) indicated the bear was coming right toward him,” Washington said. “It was a straight on shot to the head.” It’s believed the bear was shot from a distance of less than 30 feet, Washington said."


OH: Supreme Court shoots down local gun bans: "The Ohio Supreme Court today dealt a fatal blow to local efforts to regulate firearms, concluding that a more permissive state law should trump restrictions on guns in cities. In a 5-2 ruling, the state's top court struck down Cleveland's assault-weapons ban and registration requirement for handguns."


NH: GOP seeks to expand deadly force law: "In his veto message blocking the 2006 gun bill, Lynch, a Democrat, said he wanted to avoid a law that 'would authorize any shopper to instantly shoot and kill a thief who had grabbed or tugged at the shopper’s purse or briefcase, regardless of how many shoppers might be placed in harm’s way by such actions.’"

OR: Man shot and killed stepson in self defense: "The Lane County district attorney says a 62-year-old man acted in self defense when he fatally shot his stepson at the family's Lowell, Ore., home. District Attorney Alex Gardner said Thursday that an inebriated Shawn Gamble picked a fight with his stepfather Jimmie Allen Montgomery on Monday and assaulted him near a shed on the property. Montgomery retreated to the main house and the 36-year-old Gamble followed. The older man grabbed a small-caliber handgun near his bed and warned that he would fire if Gamble kept coming. Other family members prevented Gamble from grabbing a gun but he still resumed his attack on Montgomery and the older man fired multiple shots."


TX: Cigar store clerk scares away armed robbers: "A cigar store in Waco, Texas was held up by two bandits, who made off with cash, though it has been speculated that they probably won’t return to the store, especially after one of the shop’s clerks had scared them away. The robbery occurred at approximately 12:40am Wednesday, at the Fiesta Smoke Shop, when two masked armed robbers stormed into the establishment, confronted two of its clerks, and demanded money. As soon as he got the opportunity, Tayeh grabbed his gun and opened fire at the robbers.... the bandits headed toward the exit after they were done. That was when Tayeh went to go grab a revolver that was concealed behind the counter. Soon enough, he began shooting at the two fleeing armed robbers with it, and a shootout ensues, with the shots being fired at close range. At least one of the bandits may have been shot, according to Tayeh. Thankfully, neither Tayeh nor his partner was harmed."


NC: Homeowner isn’t charged in shooting: "But on Dec. 10, Dellerman said, he had no choice. He walked down the stairs, holding his handgun in front of him. In his living room, curtains drawn to save heat, he saw three tall men. 'And then I heard something like 'Get him!' and they started coming at me,' he said.Dellerman fired. Five bullet holes were later found in his floor, window and armoire, he said. He hit all three of the men, he would later learn."


MD: A retired police officer reportedly shot a robbery suspect: "The Baltimore City Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred in the 5200 block of Park Heights Avenue on Wednesday night and involved a retired police officer. Detective Kevin Brown says a suspect attempted to rob a carry-out restaurant with gun and was subsequently shot by an unidentified retired police officer."

FL: Bystander with gun comes to rescue of Marine and wife: "A group of unruly teenagers attacked a 27-year-old Marine and his wife who had asked them to be quiet during a Christmas night showing of 'Little Fockers.' ... The couple was kicked and punched in the parking lot before a gun-brandishing witness told the crowd to step back just before deputies arrived."


MI: Man shot during home invasion critical: "Ryan Edger, 28, remains a patient at Battle Creek Health System, where he was taken after the shooting about 11 p.m. Thursday. Battle Creek police said Edger was one of three men wearing masks when they kicked open a side door and entered a home in the 100 block of Cliff Street, apparently searching for money or other property. Edger was armed with a handgun, detectives said, and the others may have been armed also. A man and woman and the woman's 7-year-old girl were inside the house and a short time later the woman's boyfriend, 28, returned to find the robbers still inside. Detective Jeff Coons said the boyfriend and Edger began to fight and the boyfriend, whose name has not been released, took the gun away from Edger. The boyfriend then retrieved his own gun, a .223 caliber semi-automatic handgun and began firing at the men, hitting Edger several times, including once in the face."


S.C.: Tow-truck driver shoots, kills man after dispute: "A Bluffton man was shot and killed Christmas Eve by a controversial tow company operator, who put a boot on his minivan as he was visiting with relatives, according to Sheriff P.J. Tanner. Carlos Olivera, 34, was shot multiple times at about 8:30 p.m. Friday in front of his brother's home at 408 Live Oak Walk in the Edgefield neighborhood, Tanner said. The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office is investigating, but Preston Oates, a principal of Pro Tow, has not been arrested, Tanner said. Both men were armed, Tanner said, adding his department is reviewing witness statements and evidence, including two confiscated weapons, to determine what led up to Olivera's death. Oates -- who says he acted in self-defense -- was detained by deputies and released later that evening, Tanner said."


NC: One Dead after Barber Shop Shooting: "Police are investigating a shooting in an Asheboro barber shop that left one man dead on Christmas Eve. Witnesses say that a man was asleep in one of the chairs in the Real Cuts barber shop, located at 801 MLK Jr. Drive, when two men came in on Friday morning. One of the men walked over to the man who was asleep in the chair and started beating him up. When the man awoke, he pulled out a gun and shot one of them in the stomach. The other man fled the scene, and so did the shooter, said witnesses. Police are currently interviewing the shooter, who they have in custody."

Indianapolis: Diner owner fought back when two armed robbers tried to get away with robbing his business: "Euel Milmoth has been the owner of E.J.'s Diner for the past 11 years. All that time, he said he has carried a .22 magnum pistol in his pocket. He said he felt uneasy Thursday morning when he was opening up for the day around 5 a.m. The lights weren't even on yet when two men came in. One stood by the door, the other approached Euel at the counter. "One guy came up to the register and said, 'I need some money.' He reached into his pocket for something, and when his hand started to come out... I had my gun cocked... and I shot him," he told Fox59 News. One of the suspects was hit in the right shoulder. Police searched the area for any possible leads but came up short."


W.Va.: Homeowner shoots and kills neighbor: "West Virginia State Police say a homeowner shot and killed an intruder at a house along Teays Valley Road in Scott Depot, Tuesday afternoon.
Troopers say Jeff Walker was sleeping on his couch, when his dogs began barking. Walker told police he got up and found his neighbor Stephen King in his home. Walker says King pointed a gun at him when he shot him in the torso. King was taken to the hospital, where he died a short time later. Right now, no charges have been filed in the case."


MD: Gas station owner shoots, kills would-be robber: "The owner of a Laurel gas station struggled with, then shot and killed a man who attempted to rob his store early Tuesday, police said. Based on a preliminary investigation, police said they believe a man entered the store, implied that he had a weapon and demanded money. After a struggle, the 48-year-old store owner shot the would-be robber in the parking lot, said Justin Mulcahy, a police spokesman. The suspect was taken to a hospital in Prince George's County, where he died Tuesday morning. Mulcahy said the man who owns the gas station owns the property, though the doughnut and ice cream shops are owned by franchisees. "We're going to work closely with the state's attorney's office," Mulcahy said. "No one's been charged at this time."


NC: Blizzard Strips Gun Owners of Concealed Carry Privilege: "The recent blizzard that hammered North Carolina is also taking its toll on the state’s law abiding gun owners. Citizens possessing concealed carry permits who are caught packing heat during the “State of Emergency” will be subject to criminal charges, per the state’s firearms law. On Christmas Day, Lt. Governor Walter Dalton, in consultation with Governor Bev Perdue, called in the National Guard as snow covered every county in the state. Once a state of emergency is declared, concealed carry permits become null and void, and those who aren’t familiar with this bizarre stipulation in the law are subject to arrest and criminal prosecution"

AZ: Suspect dies after opening fire on guards: "A suspect involved in a shooting at a Phoenix gentleman's club died after opening fire on security guards. Officers found a security guard who works for the club with multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators discovered that there had been an altercation between two groups of people at the club. The bouncers and security guard broke up the fight and asked those involved to leave the premises. The suspect, Tekina Latu, 22, became upset and grabbed a handgun, firing several rounds at the security guard. Some of the bullets struck the security guard's ballistic vest, which police said may have saved his life. The security guard was able to get his gun and return fire, striking Latu several times."


CA: Armed Robbery Spree Ends in Fresno: "Police say the same group of young men is behind five armed robberies in the city of Fresno in the past month. Their crime spree ended, after one of them was shot in the process. 18-year-old Wesley Sarden was shot by the co-owner of the Play 'n' Trade, who happens to be a woman. Police say she won't be charged because she acted in self defense. But others involved could be held responsible. 18-year-old Oshae Boyd was arrested in connection to the deadly robbery series. Police plan to ask the district attorney to charge him with murder since his accomplice died while they were committing a felony."


AZ man shot in foot in self defense: "The Pinal County Sheriff's Office said 24-year-old David Provost was wounded when he and 27-year-old Dustin Jakes began to argue over which branch of the service was better, Army or Navy. The confrontation apparently escalated into a physical fight, and with Jakes in a sling from recent shoulder surgery, he could not defend himself from the attack and pointed a handgun at Provost, according to the PCSO. According to the PCSO, Provost said, ""What are you going to do shoot me? I don't care, shoot me," as he advanced on Jakes. Jakes reportedly fired two rounds from the handgun toward the floor and one of the rounds struck Provost in the foot. Gaffney said the case will be looked at by the department's Criminal Investigations Bureau and sent to the County Attorney's Office for review, but that it appears Jakes fired the handgun at Provost in self defense."


FL: Robbery attempt foiled when victim shoots first: "A would-be robber was shot and seriously injured late Sunday night after the man he attempted to rob struck first. The shooting took place outside the Longhorn Steakhouse and next to the JPMorgan Chase Bank on the 6800 block of Okeechobee Boulevard, just outside West Palm Beach city limits, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department. A spokeswoman for the department said three men approached a fourth man and attempted to rob him. The victim, who had a concealed weapons permit, pulled out his own gun and shot one of the robbers. The would-be robber was rushed to St. Mary's Medical Center on trauma alert with life-threatening injuries"

Short Hiatus

This blog is suspended for a couple of days over the Christmas period. But as Macarthur said for the cameras: "I shall return"

CA: Off-duty officer shoots robbery suspect: "An off-duty San Diego police officer shot and injured a robbery suspect Wednesday night outside the officer's residence in the Nestor area of south San Diego, police said. The suspect was shot once in the buttocks, and his wound was not considered life-threatening, said police Capt. Jim Collins. The officer heard noises outside his condominium on Avenida Del Mexico, just off Saturn Boulevard, about 9:35 p.m., said police homicide Lt. Kevin Rooney. When he looked outside, he saw two men carrying his motorcycle to the back of a minivan. The officer armed himself and ran outside. The offficer, who was not in uniform, confronted one of the men and identified himself as a police officer. He ordered the man, identified by police as Eduardo Gonzalez, 28, to get on the ground... Gonzalez then hit the officer and turned and placed both hands inside the middle of his jacket. The officer believed Gonzalez was arming himself and fired the shot."


Attempt to rob off-duty cop in Milwaukee fails badly: "Milwaukee police said an off-duty officer was the target of an armed robbery at 102nd Street and Fond Du Lac Avenue in Milwaukee Thursday afternoon. Assistant Chief James Harpole told the media late Thursday afternoon that two men approached the officer and one of the men pulled out a knife. The 42-year-old officer, a nine-year veteran of the force, pulled out a gun and shot the man with the knife, police said. The other robber surrendered. The man who was shot is at an area hospital and suffered non-life-threatening injuries."


AZ Legislator wants end to campus gun bans: "Saying everyone but criminals will be safer, a veteran legislator wants to let qualified faculty carry guns on university and community college campuses. Sen. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, said Wednesday that there have been instances of someone with a grudge coming onto a campus, going into a classroom and starting to shoot. He said the current prohibition against weapons on campus - one that the criminal has ignored - leaves the teacher and student defenseless. But Harper isn't stopping with arming the faculty. He is crafting a separate measure to allow students with certain training to also arm themselves."

MA: Disarming the toy box: "Dominic joined dozens of children yesterday at the annual Toy Gun Bash in the gymnasium of Pleasant View Elementary School. There, they lined up to toss their toy guns, from dainty purple water guns to camouflage-painted pistols, inside the Bash-O-Matic, a large black, foam creature with churning metal teeth and the shape of a cockroach spliced with a frog. Prodded by Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, who wore a fuzzy Santa hat, the children stared curiously as the Bash-O-Matic mashed up their guns and digested them into a plastic bin near its tail."


SAF, ANJRPC Ask for Summary Judgment in New Jersey Lawsuit: "The Second Amendment Foundation and the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs have filed a motion for summary judgment in their federal lawsuit that challenges New Jersey handgun carry laws. SAF and ANJRPC filed the lawsuit last month in federal district court in New Jersey. If this motion is granted, there could be action on the case early in 2011. "We're challenging New Jersey's unconscionable law that forces citizens to demonstrate some absurd 'justifiable need' in order to exercise a constitutional right to keep and bear arms," said SAF Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb. "The way Garden State officials consistently abuse their authority to deny handgun licenses under existing statute is simply unconstitutional, and our case will prove that."




Battle over Chinese-made rifle pits Canadian gun enthusiasts against cops: "Several gun owners are refusing to surrender a semi-automatic rifle that was imported from China and bought legally before the RCMP retroactively declared it a prohibited weapon. The police force says that the imposing-looking Norinco Type 97A can easily be converted to a fully automatic weapon and must be prohibited on that basis. But 15 gun owners have refused to accept the $1,400 per firearm that Public Safety Minister Vic Toews has offered to anyone who voluntary relinquishes one of the rifles. The gun owners have gone to court in an effort to prevent their weapons from being confiscated. Firearms retailers say the rifle has been prohibited largely because of its appearance. Canada’s National Firearms Association says the RCMP is exceeding its mandate by reclassifying the Norinco Type 97A"

Maine: Robber shot and killed: "Crowley told Denoncourt, who was watching television, that she had crashed her car nearby and needed to be towed back onto the road. “Denoncourt stated that he immediately was suspicious as he did not hear a crash.” After getting some rain gear and a tow hitch and placing the handgun in his belt, Denoncourt went outside and, after closing the door behind him, allegedly was sprayed in the face by Crowley with pepper spray, according to the affidavit. A man believed to be Richards then appeared and began striking Denoncourt in the head with some sort of metal object, the affidavit indicates. Denoncourt had difficulty seeing because of the pepper spray but managed to get to his Jeep in the driveway, where he pulled his gun out of his belt and fired three to four shots at a “silhouette moving toward him,” according to the document."


NJ: Christie commutes sentence of man jailed for owning guns: "Gov. Chris Christie has commuted the sentence of a man who was sentenced to seven years in prison after being found with guns he'd purchased legally in Colorado. Twenty-seven-year-old Brian Aitken's case had become a cause celebre among gun-rights advocates. Aitken had purchased the guns legally in Colorado, and he passed an FBI background check when he bought them, according to his father, Larry Aitken. Brian also contacted New Jersey State Police before moving back back to the Garden State to discuss how to properly transport his weapons. But despite those good-faith efforts, Larry Aitken said, Brian was convicted on weapons charges and sent to prison in August. Judge James Morley would not allow the argument in trial earlier this year and Christie later declined to reappoint the judge due to an unrelated case. According to an order for commutation of sentence released by Christie on Monday, Aitken was to be released from custody as soon as administratively possible."

AL: Woman claims self-defense in deadly shooting: "A woman who shot her husband at their home in Northport Sunday claimed that she was acting in self-defense, authorities said. No arrests have been made in the killing of Michael Odell Jones Jr., 28, who was shot at his home on Royal Oak Circle Sunday, said Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit Capt. Loyd Baker. The wife told investigators that Jones had threatened her with the gun during an argument, Baker said. Jones put the gun down before he began to hit and kick her, she told investigators. She said Jones had threatened to kill her and himself, Baker said. The woman told investigators that she took the gun and fired several shots. Baker did not release the woman's name because she has not been charged with a crime."


TX: Suspect charged in store robbery: "It happened at a store on Canal Street in east Houston on Saturday. Police say the store owner was returning with a bag of cash when a car pulled up and a man got out and snatched the money. When the thief was running away, the store owner pulled out a gun and fired. A short time later, a vehicle matching the description of the suspects' vehicle pulled up to the Ben Taub Hospital Emergency Room. The suspect, Elton Guidry, and another man, Corey Taylor, showed up at a hospital where Guidry died. Taylor, 30, was taken into custody on robbery charges. The 32-year-old business owner was not injured."


ATF to require multiple sales reports of long guns: "The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is moving to require federally licensed firearms retailers to report multiple sales of modern sporting rifles beginning January 5, 2011. Specifically, the ATF requirement calls for firearms retailers to report multiple sales, or other dispositions, of two or more .22 caliber or larger semi-automatic rifles that are capable of accepting a detachable magazine and are purchased by the same individual within five consecutive business days."

11-Year-Old Girl Wards Off Home Invaders With Pink Rifle






AZ: Beer heist turns into shootout: "A botched beer heist became a dangerous early morning shootout at a Phoenix convenience store, police said Sunday. The shooting occurred when three men entered a store near 51st Avenue and McDowell Road about 1:45 a.m. The suspects tried to take beer from the store and were stopped by a 25-year-old man, who was not a store employee, said Sgt. Tommy Thompson, a spokesman for Phoenix police. One of the suspects, a 17-year-old, shoved the man to the floor and shot him, Thompson said. The victim in return shot the youth. "He (the teen) didn't realize the other man was armed too. That man pulled his gun out and he shot the teenager," said Thompson. Both men were taken to a local hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries."

FL: Attempted heist at jewelry store leads to shootout: "Carlos Cisneros, owner of Cisneros Jewelers on Dr. Phillips Boulevard, told deputies he exchanged bullets with two suspects during an apparent attempted robbery on Tuesday. The store's owner, 71-year-old Carlos Cisneros, told investigators two young men had entered his store with their faces covered with bandanas. Cisneros told deputies he tried to get his gun so he could protect himself. That's when he said one of the suspects pulled a handgun and fired at him multiple times. Cisneros fired back, deputies said, with bullets shattering a store window and a display case during the exchange of gunfire. Cisneros was not hurt, and nothing was stolen before the suspects fled, deputies said. Cisneros told deputies he thought he may have hit one of the two men during the gun fight."




Shooter shot by boxed-in driver: "A 19-year-old man [above] is dead after he fired a semiautomatic pistol at a boxed-in motorist who then shot him back, Seminole County deputies said Saturday. The driver, whose name was not immediately revealed, told authorities that he was heading home about 2:15 a.m. Saturday near Old Lake Mary Road and Egrets Landing when he saw two cars following him. Sheriff's Lt. James Clark said the driver tried to turn around, but was boxed in by the vehicles. A man later identified as Desmond Willis got out of one of the cars and began firing a semiautomatic pistol at the motorist in what the Sheriff's Office called an attempted robbery. The driver had a gun and returned fire, Clark said. The driver's gunfire struck Willis. Soon after the traded shots, the two cars sped off, taking Willis with them, Clark said. The motorist then notified authorities. Soon after that, hospital workers called the Sheriff's Office about a man who had just been pronounced dead." The motorist does not face charges in Willis' shooting, according to the Sheriff's Office."


City with strictest gun laws has most officers killed by gunfire : “The City of Chicago has some of the most restrictive gun control laws in the nation. Up until a few months ago, it was illegal for a private citizen to own or possess a handgun anywhere within the city, including in one’s own home. For 2010, Chicago also holds another distinction. More Chicago Police Officers were killed by gunfire this year than any other police agency in the nation. The city also boasts one of the highest violent crime rates in the country, with 1 in 89 residents being victims of violent crime last year.”


Florida school board shooting shows failure of “gun control” : "Superintendent Bill Husfelt, who acted bravely, albeit futilely, had time to say ‘Please don’t’ before assailant Duke opened fire. The rest had to resign themselves to diving for cover in terror. Why? Isn’t Florida one of those states with ’shall issue’ concealed carry and a ’stand your ground’ law …. Yes it is. But that’s trumped — at least in the eyes of the Bay District Schools board — by policy …”

NC: DA rules Raceway shooting self defense: "Investigators in Sampson County say a Fourth of July shooting death was justified. They say Torrey Frederick shot and killed Timothy McKoy at Harrells Raceway. The district attorney says the investigation revealed McKoy appeared to be the aggressor for pulling a gun on Frederick, who fired in self-defense. The DA will not file charges against Frederick." [More details here]


Pa.:Gunman disarmed and shot: "A Wilkinsburg man who police say killed a man in Sharpsburg faces gun charges, but was not charged with the death. Norman Warren, 22, will be charged with tampering with evidence and illegally carrying a gun for his role in the death early Tuesday of Marlon Roberts, Allegheny County Police said. Police said Roberts, 22, of Lincoln-Lemington came to the Sisca Street home of a former girlfriend Monday night and threatened and assaulted Warren, her boyfriend, with a pistol. Warren disarmed Roberts and shot him with the gun before fleeing, police said. Roberts died at Allegheny General Hospital in the North Side. The woman was home with Roberts' 2-year-old son at the time of the shooting, Sharpsburg police said. Chief Leo Rudzki said that on his way to the scene, he saw Warren and arrested him."


Pa.: Dormont garage owner shot robber dead: "On the ground and dazed from the jolt of a stun gun, Bill Miller peered over his shoulder and saw his assailant slip out the door. The man had just taken Mr. Miller's cash and his driver's license at gunpoint. He had a hunch the gunman would be back for more. Mr. Miller scrambled to his feet and grabbed the pistol he keeps in a cabinet above his desk, tucked in the corner of his small auto shop in Dormont. "I took a step and looked right at the door and all I saw was a chrome gun coming back in," Mr. Miller said. "When he came back, I knew it wasn't to say Merry Christmas." Wordlessly, the man pointed his gun at Mr. Miller, the men separated by just a couple of feet. In an instant, his instincts took over. "I shot him," he said. "I had no other choice." The man, whom the medical examiner's office on Friday identified as Lonzy Westbrook, 39, of the North Side, fell to the ground ... Mr. Miller works six days a week as a mechanic. He's also a Vietnam veteran and a licensed NRA firearms instructor"


Utah police call death act of self-defense: "Police officials do not anticipate filing criminal charges against a 17-year-old girl who shot and killed a man who was strangling her aunt Thursday night. At a news conference Friday, Police Chief Greg Whinham said 37-year-old John F. Sharp was choking his girlfriend, 32-year-old Mellony Pursel, at their home located at 1920 W. 4400 South when the 17-year-old girl picked up a gun and told Sharp to stop what he was doing. When Sharp turned and came toward the girl, she shot him twice in the chest. The two bullets traveled through Sharp and hit Pursel in the arm. Sharp died before police arrived at the home. Pursel was taken to a local hospital where Whinham said she is expected to recover from the wounds. Sharp and Pursel had lived together at the home with Pursel's niece and the niece's 7-month-old child. The niece was living with Pursel while her husband is on active duty with the military."

KS: Fatal Home Invasion: "The Topeka Police Department responded to a home invasion and shooting at 514 SW Tyler that left one man dead. They say the man that was shot was the suspect in the case. It happened just before 7 pm at 514 SW Tyler. Topeka Police say they were called to a possible burglary at one of the apartments and discovered the suspect with a gunshot wound. Residents say a man broke in and demanded money. Officials say that man was Reuel Bridges, 28, of Topeka. The resident says he got his gun. Bridges tried to fight him, so he fired his weapon and called police. Bridges was pronounced dead at the hospital."


CA: Shootout at marijuana clinic: "Three armed men opened fire during a robbery at a marijuana dispensary in Northridge on Wednesday night, seriously injuring two people. Authorities said the suspects entered the clinic at Roscoe Boulevard and White Oak Avenue at 9:40 p.m. At least one of them was armed with a weapon. A gun battle occurred, as the clerks inside the facility also armed themselves. Two employees of the clinic were shot, and a pit bull was also shot and killed. Another dog was unharmed. The suspects fled the scene in a gold SUV in an unknown direction. Police are unsure if anything was taken from the marijuana clinic. The victims were rushed to a local hospital, where they remain in critical condition."


CA: Business owner acquitted in shooting after 17 months in jail: "Salvador Mercado Jimenez describes himself as an innocent man who acted in self-defense when he shot a man outside his business. A county prosecutor saw it differently, calling Jiminez an angry security guard who tried to kill an unarmed man as he walked away. Jurors acquitted Salvador Jimenez after he spent seventeen months and four days in jail for attempted murder. The night of the shooting, there was a private birthday party at the dance hall. A group of 10 to 15 men loitered outside. Some began drinking and using nitrous oxide, he said. Holding a flashlight, he came outside with another security guard and asked the group to leave. They cursed and threw glass beer bottles at the pair, he said. Two bottles hit Jimenez.. Jimenez was scared. Some men started grabbing at him, trying to take his gun. Jimenez took out his gun and pointed it to the floor. Rogelio Nolasco, one of the men in the group, grabbed the gun, which went off during the struggle, he said. Nolasco was shot in the back of his head. He's now partially paralyzed, and eyesight in his left eye is limited, according to prosecutors."


Texas store owner turns tables and kills 3 robbers: "When it was over, all three robbers were dead — and Castillo, though shot at least three times, was still standing, having successfully defended what was rightfully his. He remained in surgery at Ben Taub General Hospital late Thursday, where he was listed in critical but stable condition. He is expected to survive. The crime unfolded at 2:08 p.m. Thursday when two men posing as customers came into the store and asked the Castillos to show them some rings. As the husband and wife helped the two men, a third man walked into the store, pulled a pistol and announced he was robbing the business. The two men who had posed as customers also then pulled pistols on the Castillos, police said. The Castillos were ordered to the back of the store at gunpoint, where Eva Castillo was tied up. Castillo then pulled a pistol from his waistband, "obviously fearing for the safety of his wife and himself," said HPD spokesman Kese Smith. Castillo killed the robber who had tried to tie him up, then grabbed his shotgun from his office and killed the other two men."