New amicus brief filed by Second Amendment Law Center, written by Stephen Halbrook.

“The AR-15 falls within the historical tradition of the right to effective arms for defense of self and state and other lawful purposes. The English freeman had a right and duty to be armed.

From colonial times to the Revolution and beyond, effective arms were critical to the Americans. In reaction to arms confiscation by the British, the colonists asserted their right to keep and use their militia arms in defense of liberty.

The Second Amendment was understood to guarantee a robust concept of the “Arms” that the people have a right to keep and bear.”

No charges in self-defense shooting
Home intruder died after confrontation with resident

VENICE — No charges will be filed against the victim of a home invasion who shot an intruder who died a short time later.

A Venice man who forced his way into a unit at the Maren Apartments & Townhomes community on July 1 was shot and killed by the resident. The State Attorney’s Office determined the use of force was justified and isn’t bringing charges.

Aaron Bean’s use of deadly force was justified under Florida law, the State Attorney’s Office determined, according to a news release from the city of Venice.

Terry Lee Murphy, 32, of Venice, forced his way into Bean’s apartment in the Maren Apartments & Townhomes community on Vistera Boulevard in North Venice early July 1 and threatened to kill him and members of his family, it states.

Murphy got access to the complex by scaling a perimeter wall, police said at the time, and there had been prior conflicts between the men.

Once in the apartment, Murphy repeatedly shoved and struck Bean while holding one hand behind his back as if he were armed, the release states.

The confrontation continued into a bedroom, where Bean retrieved a firearm and fired three times.

After being shot, Murphy fled the apartment, went down two floors in the building and entered an apartment that had been inadvertently left unlocked, where he collapsed, officials said at the time.

Both Bean and the occupant of the second apartment called 911.

“Bean immediately reported the shooting, cooperated fully with investigators and voluntarily provided footage from a security camera inside his apartment,” the release stated. “Investigators reviewed digital evidence that corroborated testimony provided by Bean.”

Bean had no duty to retreat within his own home and reasonably believed that force was necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm, so the State Attorney determined not to prosecute the case, it states.

“Our detectives carried out their duty to conduct a thorough, impartial investigation, allowing the State Attorney’s Office to reach a determination based on the complete evidence and applicable law,” Venice Police Capt. Eric Hill said in the release. “While this decision closes the criminal investigation, we recognize the gravity of the incident and the loss of life involved.”

Police: “were familiar with who this individual was.” ?

Maybe because:
Neighbors Warned Police That Minnesota Mass Shooter Repeatedly Threatened Violence.


Two Dead, Plus Gunman, Multiple People Injured in Minneapolis Shooting

I won’t call this a mass shooting, even if the media is, but it’s still a horrific enough scene in Minneapolis this morning. Two people are dead, and six others were injured, including three police officers, in an incident that had the police showing up to something that was probably a combination of a TV cop show scene and something out of their professional nightmares.

It also appears that, thankfully, the gunman was also killed.

Officers confronted a barrage of gunfire, their vision clouded by a haze, as they responded to a shooting at a Minneapolis apartment building Wednesday that left at least two people dead and injured multiple others, officials said.

Police exchanged gunfire with the shooter as they rushed to rescue victims and bring them to safety, Minneapolis Police Interim Chief Bill Peterson said. Three officers were injured, two of them by gunshots.

The shooter, who officials have not yet named, was also confirmed dead, officials said. Peterson said police “were familiar with who this individual was.”

The mass shooting forced residents to flee the halls and hide in apartments as the chaotic scene unfolded.

What appears to be dozens of officers poured into the apartment building in response to the shooting, video obtained by CNN affiliate WCCO shows. Officers armed with long guns can later be seen keeping watch outside as several people are wheeled out from the building on stretchers. The area was surrounded by police cruisers, armored vehicles and ambulances.

“But for their heroic work, the death toll would have been far higher,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said at a news conference Wednesday night.

One person died at the scene and another died at a hospital, Minneapolis city officials said. Another three civilians were shot and are being treated at a hospital.

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Third Circuit Upholds Machine Gun Ban, Creates Bruen Loophole for Gun Registration

The Third Circuit ruled that machine guns are protected “Arms,” then upheld the federal ban anyway. Its treatment of suppressor registration may be even more dangerous for gun owners.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit handed the federal government two victories Monday, upholding Joseph Paul Berger’s convictions for possessing machine guns and unregistered suppressors.

The machine gun ruling in United States v. Berger is bad enough. The court acknowledged that machine guns fall within the Second Amendment’s plain text, only to uphold the federal ban by declaring them unsuitable for lawful civilian use.

The court’s suppressor analysis could reach much further. A two-judge majority held that registration requirements judges consider “minimal” do not infringe the Second Amendment at all. Under that reasoning, the government can escape the historical test required by N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen merely by convincing a court that its registration scheme is not burdensome enough to count.

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Police say deadly Evansville shooting was self-defense

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) – Evansville Police say a deadly shooting Saturday at a home on Delmar Avenue near Broadway was self-defense.

Police found 34-year-old Carson Helmling with a gunshot wound to the chest.

Police say Helmling owned the home. He had gotten into an argument with two people his brother had allowed to stay there. Officers say Helmling tried to get them to leave and swung a board at them.

Police say based on evidence and statements from witnesses, the shooting was done in self-defense.

“So initially officers responded, detained multiple people, both witnesses and the shooter, who remained on scene afterwards, and then began the investigative process. So through that they interviewed multiple people, people that were present as well as again the shooter, and determined that it was likely a self-defense situation,” said Sgt. Anthony Aussieker.

No arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Evansville Police Department.

TRUST IN GOD AND KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY