Category: Self Defense

Women for Gun Rights Applauds Creation of New Second Amendment Rights Section

Women for Gun Rights applauds the U.S. Department of Justice’s creation of a new Second Amendment Rights Section within the Civil Rights Division, marking a historic step to protect the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun owners and elevate the importance of firearms freedom at the federal level.

This is the first time the federal government has established a dedicated unit focused on protecting, not restricting, the Second Amendment. For millions of women across America – mothers, professionals, survivors, and first-time gun owners – this represents a welcome shift.

“This is a tremendous moment for the millions of Americans who choose to exercise their right to protect themselves and their families,” said Dianna Muller, Founder of Women for Gun Rights. “For too long, federal agencies have been used to advance gun-control agendas. The creation of a Second Amendment Rights Section signals that our rights are civil rights, and they deserve to be defended at the highest levels of government.”

Prior to President Trump’s inauguration in January, Women for Gun Rights called on the incoming administration to repurpose the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which poured over $1 billion dollars into the states to advance gun control legislation, toward firearms safety, education, independent research and empowerment.

“This new section is a strong step toward restoring balance, reaffirming constitutional freedoms, and ensuring the federal government upholds the rights of law-abiding Americans,” Muller added.

About Women for Gun Rights

Women for Gun Rights is a nationwide organization of women committed to safeguarding the Second Amendment. A non-partisan initiative of daughters, mothers, and sisters that believes education is the key to firearm safety and violence prevention, not legislation.

Learn more at www.WomenForGunRights.org.

Michigan man who shot shovel-wielding man acted in self-defense, police say

A 60-year-old Michigan man who shot another man who attacked him with a shovel acted in self-defense, authorities said.

The incident happened around 5:30 p.m. Sunday in the 1200 block of Douglas Avenue in Kalamazoo.

Police say a 60-year-old man returned a ladder to a home in the 1100 block of Douglas when he was approached by a 49-year-old man holding a snow shovel and told to leave the area. The 49-year-old then shoved the 60-year-old and hit him with the shovel, causing a minor injury, police said.

During the alleged assault, the 60-year-old fired two rounds, hitting the 49-year-old twice, before calling police and waiting for officers to arrive.

The man who was shot was taken to an area hospital, where he is in stable condition, police said.

Police recovered the shovel used in the assault, two 9mm shell casings and a handgun.

The man who fired the shots is cooperating with police and used a handgun that is legally owned and registered. Investigators say video obtained by detectives supports the man’s account of the incident.

An investigation is ongoing and will be sent to the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

2 men killed after shooter claims he acted in self-defense while being followed, HCSO says

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Two men were shot and killed after another man said they followed him to a neighborhood in the Spring area, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said the shooter told them he acted in self-defense in the shooting Friday night in the 22100 block of Greengate Drive.

First responders said they found two men with gunshot wounds, one of whom died at the scene, and the other was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the shooter reported that the men had followed his car for a while and tried to block him when he reached the neighborhood.

Deputies reported that everyone got out of their vehicles, and the shooter said the men started kicking him and his car.

According to HCSO, the shooter stayed at the scene and is cooperating with investigators.

HCSO identified the men who died as 57-year-old Timothy Underwood and 59-year-old Keith McDonald.

HCSO said no charges have been filed, and the shooter is not in custody. The case is still under investigation and will be reviewed by the District Attorney’s office.

Narrative Fail: Crime’s Down in Seattle as More People Own and Carry Guns.

News outlets in Seattle, Washington have been reporting a decline in gun-related violence this year in surrounding King County, but the announcement overlooks a significant fact which unintentionally derails one of the greatest gun control myths of all time, that more guns equal more violent crime.

The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, whose national headquarters is in King County, notes this crime decline has happened while the number of active concealed pistol licenses in the county has climbed. It is actually following a national trend, as crime has dropped around the country while gun ownership nationally has increased.

CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb noted the irony of these declining crime reports when balanced against the rise in gun ownership and concealed carry, not just locally, but around the country.

“For decades,” he observed, “we have seen one gun control myth after another used as excuses to restrict our Second Amendment rights. Yet here we are, when those rights are being gradually restored thanks to strategic court victories, when 29 states have adopted permitless carry laws, when more people own guns and more people are legally carrying them for personal protection, and the data shows violent crime involving guns is declining. Looks like we’ve been right all along, and the establishment media essentially is confirming it.”

For King County—Washington’s most populous and most liberal—it is simply a matter of math, Gottlieb said. August ended with 114,826 active carry licenses in the county, and September finished with 115,363 CPLs in circulation. October finished with 115,457 licenses. Nationally, the Crime Prevention Research Center estimates more than 21 million citizens are licensed to carry, and there are even more legally-armed citizens in the 29 states where no permit is required, who are carrying without a “government permission slip.”

“Gun sales are continuing steady,” Gottlieb added, “which is not surprising, considering reports of police manpower declines in many jurisdictions. In Seattle, there have been two high-profile incidents where legally armed citizens stopped criminals in their tracks this year. Around the country, people are fighting back. Maybe the criminal element is beginning to get the message.

“We’re delighted violent crime is on the decline while gun ownership is on the rise,” he said. “It demonstrates that responsible armed citizens are not part of the problem, but are part of the solution.”

Missouri prosecutors fear ruling means deadly force can be self-defense against simple assault

Missouri prosecutors are concerned that a recent decision by the state Court of Appeals could open self-defense laws so broadly that the slightest threat of a minor attack could justify a person responding with deadly violence.

The Nov. 12 ruling by the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, would threaten public safety by making it difficult to charge, try or resolve violent crimes, Robert W. Russell, president of the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, wrote in an amicus curiae, or “friend of the court,” brief.

“If the opinion becomes law, mere shoving matches could justifiably be escalated to gun battles,” Russell wrote.

The ruling was made on a case that involved a fight between two women outside Anchor House, a veterans’ homeless shelter in Warren County, west of St. Louis, in November 2022.

Danielle Lechocki, a former Marine with several medical issues, said she felt “extremely threatened” after another shelter resident threatened to “mollywock” her, meaning hit her. Lechocki pulled a knife from her backpack, according to court documents, after the other woman lunged at her.

The other woman denied she went after Lechocki, who said she was just trying to show she wasn’t a “pushover.” A third person stepped in between the two women and no one was hurt.

But the county judge denied Lechocki’s request to use self-defense to justify her actions, agreeing with the prosecutor who argued that as a matter of law, deadly force cannot be used to repel a simple assault and battery.

The jury ultimately found Lechocki guilty of attempted unlawful use of a weapon but acquitted her of fourth-degree assault. Lechocki was sentenced to two days in jail and a fine of $1,000, which would be waived if she served 25 hours of community service.

The appellate court ruled that the judge erred in refusing to instruct the jury on self-defense. The lower court’s ruling was reversed and the case was sent back for a retrial.

The Missouri Legislature changed the law on deadly force in 2007, the appeals court ruling said, allowing the use of deadly force when a person reasonably believes it is necessary to protect himself or herself or a third person “against death, serious physical injury, or any forcible felony,” which was defined as “included but not limited to murder, robbery, burglary, arson, kidnapping, assault, and any forcible sexual offense.”

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Homeowner shoots and kills would-be burglar in Kendall

Four people trying to break into a Kendall home were met with gunfire Saturday evening, leaving one of the suspects fatally shot by the homeowner, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office officials said.

The attempted burglary happened just before 7 p.m. at a home near Southwest 141st Street and 110th Avenue. Detectives told NBC6 the homeowner was inside the home and opened fire when the four suspects tried to force their way into the home.

“I heard two shots,” said a neighbor who added that he had never seen gun violence in the neighborhood before.

One suspect was shot in the upper extremities, police said. That person later died at the hospital.

The other three people fled the scene and remain on the run.

Deputies are investigating the home invasion.

Rapper 4 Block Lil Mari got shot by concealed carry holder during botched carjacking, officials say

A south suburban teenager who raps under the name “4 Block Lil Mari” has been jailed after prosecutors accused him of shooting a woman during a botched South Shore carjacking that ended with the victim, a concealed carry holder, shooting him as well.

Kamari Bonslater, 17, of Steger, was already on pretrial release for allegedly possessing a machine gun and a stolen vehicle at the time of the shooting, prosecutors said.

The charges stem from a failed carjacking on September 7 in the 6700 block of South Cregier. Chicago police initially described the incident as a drive-by shooting that left a 16-year-old boy in critical condition with three gunshot wounds and a 34-year-old woman shot twice in the leg. It now turns out that Bonslater, who has since celebrated his 17th birthday, was the critically wounded teen.

According to a detention petition, the episode did not play out the way CPD first believed.

Instead, prosecutors say, the victim, a 34-year-old woman, and a 31-year-old female companion were sitting in the victim’s parked car when “multiple individuals” approached and struck up a “brief conversation.”

Prosecutors said Bonslater tried to yank open the passenger door while pointing a gun at the women. The victim, a licensed concealed carry holder, reached for her own firearm, prompting Bonslater to shoot her in the leg before she returned fire, hitting him multiple times, according to prosecutors. She then sped away from the scene.

The victim’s companion later told police she recognized the gunman as a local rapper and provided his stage name: 4 Block Lil Mari.

Bonslater was found near the scene with multiple gunshot wounds. Surveillance footage shows him standing by the victim’s car at the moment shots were fired and collapsing as the vehicle sped away, prosecutors said.

The video also shows several accomplices carrying him into an alley. Officials said Bonslater and at least two of those accomplices, who remain at large, fired at the fleeing car.

Bonslater, who has the word “Murda” tattooed on his neck, is charged with attempted second-degree murder, attempted vehicular hijacking, and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.

Judge Susana Ortiz ordered him detained pending trial.

Bonslater is the 20th person charged with killing or trying to kill someone in Chicago this year while on felony pretrial release. Those crimes involved 38 victims, nine of whom died.

The “not horrible” series

This report continues our coverage of individuals accused of killing, shooting, or trying to kill or shoot others on pretrial release for a felony allegation. CWBChicago began our series of reports in November 2019 after Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans publicly stated, “We haven’t had any horrible incidents occur” under the court’s bond reform initiative.

The actual number of murders and shootings committed by people awaiting trial for felony allegations is undoubtedly much higher than the numbers seen here. Since 2017, CPD has brought charges in less than 5% of non-fatal shootings and 33% of murders, according to the city’s data. You can see all of the “not horrible” stories here.

Grand Prairie resident fatally shoots suspected burglar in self-defense

A Grand Prairie homeowner shot and killed a burglar in self-defense inside his house early Sunday, police said. Officers responded to the 400 block of Santa Margarita Street about 2 a.m. on a suspicious person’s call, Grand Prairie police said in a news release.

The homeowner, who called 911, told police that an unknown person forcefully entered the back door of his home, police said. The homeowner, described as an elderly man, was armed with a hunting rifle and confronted the burglary suspect “who was rummaging through property inside the house,” police said.

The resident, “fearing for his life,” shot the burglar who died at the scene, police said. The shooting is being investigated as self-defense and no charges are expected on the homeowner, police said. The person who died will be identified by Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Officer after next of kin have been notified.

 

 

New York City residents should keep Bernie Goetz’s travails in mind if they’re going to go armed in public.

Senior citizen who saved himself from would-be mugger is heading to prison because of NYC’s ‘draconian’ laws

A Queens senior citizen who shot dead a man who tried to rob him will spend four years in prison after admitting to toting an unlicensed revolver — as his lawyer ripped the city’s “draconian” gun laws.

Charles Foehner, 67, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal weapons possession Thursday in a deal to end his case more than two years after he fatally shot would-be thief Cody Gonzalez, who charged at him near his Kew Gardens home.

The Queens District Attorney’s Office chose not to prosecute Foehner, a retired doorman, for Gonzalez’s killing after he told cops that he’d defended himself from a mugger who lunged at him late at night holding what looked like a knife — but which turned out to be a pen.

Foehner was not charged with manslaughter after claiming self-defense, but pleaded guilty to a lesser gun charge.Brigitte Stelzer

But prosecutors slapped Foehner with a slew of weapons raps for the unlicensed handgun and for an arsenal of illicit handguns, revolvers and rifles inside his home in the quiet neighborhood.

Foehner took the plea deal to avoid a trial, where he faced 25 years in prison on gun charges that are not hard to prove, said his attorney Thomas Kenniff after Thursday’s hearing in Queens Supreme Court.

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District attorney says Eugene Walmart shooting was self-defense

On Sept. 5, just before 5:30 p.m., Elijah Lais shot and killed 21-year-old Javier Lagarda-Govea in the parking lot of a Walmart Supercenter near the intersection of West 11th Avenue and Commercial Street.

Lagarda-Govea was reaching for a loaded handgun tucked into his waistband while he pursued Lais and his stepson as they ran to their truck in the parking lot. Lais got his gun from his truck and pulled the trigger first.

That’s the conclusion of Lane County District Attorney Christopher Parosa’s investigation into the shooting, which involved reviewing surveillance and cell phone videos and witness accounts, which Parosa said confirmed Lais and his stepson’s recollection of what happened that day.

Parosa announced Nov. 20 the shooting was self-defense.

What happened at the West 11th Avenue Walmart

A few days before the shooting, on the afternoon of Sept. 2, Lais, his stepson, and his stepson’s attorney were at the Lane County Courthouse for a court date. While they were standing outside on the south side of the courthouse, two men approached in a black SUV.  One of them got out and verbally accosted them, stating something along the lines of “I’m gonna blow your head off,” Parosa said in a written statement.

The day of the shooting, Lais and his stepson were inside the Walmart Supercenter when they again encountered the three men, who began to cuss at the pair and call them racial slurs.

Parosa said as Lais and his stepson were leaving the store, Lais realized the three men were following them and told his stepson to run ahead to their truck parked outside. The stepson confirmed to investigators he ran to the truck and locked himself inside. Lagarda-Govea began to run after the stepson but Lais pushed Lagarda-Govea to the ground.

Lais ran to the driver’s side of his truck and noticed Lagarda-Govea get up and reach for his waistband, pulling a loaded firearm. Lais grabbed his own firearm from the driver’s side door and shot Lagarda-Govea. After he was shot, Lagarda-Govea’s firearm fell out of his hands onto the ground. Lais kicked it away.

“Mr. Lais’ stepson also stated that Mr. Lagarda-Govea was grabbing for his firearm as he chased him toward his stepfather’s truck, and that Lais would ultimately shoot Mr. Lagarda-Govea when as close as an arm’s length apart from Mr. Lais,” Parosa said.

Lais called 911, remained on scene and was cooperative with police throughout the investigation.

The other two men who accompanied Lagarda-Govea immediately fled the scene but were later identified. Police found another loaded firearm belonging to one of the individuals in a field near the Walmart after the shooting.

In making his final decision, Parosa cited ORS 161.205, which states the use of physical force on another person that would otherwise constitute an offense is justifiable and not criminal in self-defense or in defending a third person, in defending property, in making an arrest, or in preventing an escape. He also cited ORS 161.219, which states a person is not justified in using deadly physical force unless the person reasonably believes the other person is committing or attempting to commit a felony involving the use of physical force, a burglary in a dwelling, or about to use unlawful deadly physical force against a person.

Fired 7-Eleven clerk sparks debate over self-defense and company policy

Oklahoma City, Okla. — The firing of Stephanie Dilyard, a former 7-Eleven clerk in Oklahoma, has ignited widespread debate over self-defense rights and corporate policies.

Dilyard, 25, was terminated after using her personal firearm to shoot Kenneth Thompson, 59, who she claims attempted to strangle her when she refused a counterfeit bill.

Despite being protected under Oklahoma’s self-defense law, 7-Eleven cited a violation of company policy as the reason for her dismissal.

The incident has drawn significant public attention, with many criticizing 7-Eleven for prioritizing protocol over employee safety.

Attorney Noble McIntyre commented, “It’s unfortunate she didn’t shoot him twice,” highlighting the tension between self-defense rights and employment policies.

McIntyre noted that Oklahoma is an at-will employment state, allowing employers to terminate workers for almost any reason, provided it doesn’t violate public policy.

However, he emphasized that Oklahoma’s stand-your-ground law supports Dilyard’s right to defend herself.

Ed Blau, a criminal defense attorney, explained the company’s stance, stating, “7-Eleven as a corporation, they do not want all of their employees packing heat while working all over the country. That presents a tremendous liability risk for them.” Blau suggested that Dilyard might face challenges in pursuing a wrongful termination lawsuit, as the company’s policy was clear.

The case raises questions about the responsibility of employers to ensure the safety of their employees.

Blau noted, “If an employee of a convenience store such as 7-Eleven is injured or even killed while working and that store did not provide either adequate safety measures or security, that store could be held liable for putting their employee in an unsafe space.”

As the debate continues, Dilyard remains resolute, stating she would make the same decision again to ensure she returns home to her children.

The story has sparked a broader conversation about employee safety and corporate accountability, with many calling for 7-Eleven to reconsider its policies.

WSJ Launches Another Attack on ‘Stand Your Ground’ Laws

In late October, the Wall Street. Journal ran a big piece claiming that “it’s easier than ever to kill someone in America and get away with it,” because of Stand Your Ground laws. The paper claimed that justifiable homicides by civilians increased by 59% from 2019 through 2024 in a “large sample of cities and counties” in 30 states with Stand Your Ground statutes, compared with a  smaller 16% in in total homicides in the same jurisdictions.

As we noted at the time, the WSJ’s piece had several flaws, including ignoring the fact that, besides the 30 states with Stand Your Ground statutes, there are another eight states where Stand Your Ground is found in common law. And importantly, the paper’s investigation didn’t really spend any time at all considering whether the law is allowing more people to legitimately act in self-defense.

Well, now the WSJ is out with a followup of sorts, this one allegedly focusing on “the self-defense cases that made Jacksonville No. 1 in legal homicides.” And yet again, the paper’s reporting alleges that Stand Your Ground laws are letting an untold number of people get away with murder.

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Everytown Misfires in Attack on Defensive Gun Uses

When Everytown for Gun Safety announced it was holding online gun “training” classes, many anti-gun activists and volunteers with the organization were sharply critical of the move, declaring it was akin to the group normalizing gun ownership instead of advocating for a gun-free future.

Of course, the so-called training has proved to be mostly anti-gun talking points, but if the group’s anti-2A critics have any doubts that Everytown is still as opposed to our right to keep and bear arms as ever they just have to look at the organization’s latest report for reassurance.

Titled “Disarming Fear: Debunking Myths of Defensive Gun Use”, Everytown’s report starts with several incidents that they allege were reported as defensive gun uses even though there were elements of each incident that were immediately known that undercut any self-defense claim. One incident highlighted by Everytown, for example, was the shooting of teenager Ralph Yarl in Kansas City after he knocked on the wrong door of a home when he went to pick up his little brothers from a friend’s house. While Andrew Lester Lester told police that he believed that Yarl was trying to break in to his home and was “scared to death” of Yarl’s size, it only took prosecutors four days to file charges against him.

Everytown asserts that legitimate defensive gun uses are “exceedingly rare,” and that they are “often deployed against unarmed perpetrators, and often accompanied by underappreciated personal and social risks, including loss of life and property.”

How rare? Everytown says it used National Crime Victimization Survey data and came up with a figure of about 69,000 DGUs every year between 2019 and 2023. That’s far below the estimates of 1 million or more DGUs from researchers like Gary Kleck and William English, but even so, that’s about three times the number of homicides in the United States. If DGU’s are “rare”, then murders involving firearms are even more rare, which undercuts Everytown’s entire ideology.

Everytown also takes issue with using a gun to defend yourself against someone who doesn’t have a firearm.

In the majority of these uses, suspected perpetrators are unarmed. In fact, 58 percent of perpetrators are not armed with any weapon. In eight out of 10 DGUs, the suspected perpetrator is not armed with a gun.

So what? An unarmed individual can still pose a threat to life and limb. Just look at the recent DGU in Los Angeles where a 79-year-old Vietnam veteran shot and killed a man who had thrown him to the ground and broke both his legs and continued to assault him while he was writhing in pain. Does Everytown believe George Karkoc should be charged for acting in self-defense since his attacker wasn’t armed with any kind of weapon?

If not, it sure looks like they at least believe Karkoc would have been better off without a gun.

Crime victims who responded with a gun were less likely to get away from the offender than those who responded without one (7 percent with a gun compared to 18 percent without) and less likely to avoid injury (39 percent compared to 44 percent).

So… in either case the vast majority of individuals who were the victim of a violent crime were unable to get away from their attacker, and the difference in the injury rate is honestly negligible. If that’s true, then I would definitely prefer to be armed if someone decides to invade my home, carjack my vehicle, or assault me on the street.

Everytown also notes that violent crime is trending down across the United States, but as FPC’s Rob Romano notes, they still claim that an armed society is a more dangerous place.


Giffords has also recently complained about the number of justifiable homicides, which makes me wonder if this going to be a new talking point for the gun control lobby. “Too many people are defending themselves from violent attackers” doesn’t sound like a great argument to me, but maybe their focus groups are telling them differently.

Everytown’s conclusion, of course, is that you’re better off not owning a gun at all. I’d say the gun control group gave us 69,000 reasons to disregard that advice. In reality the number of defensive gun uses is likely much higher than what the anti-gun org is wililng to admit, but even using their numbers hundreds of people are protecting themselves with firearms each and every day across the United States; proof positive that DGUs aren’t uncommon or unnecessary.

Licensed gun owner shoots would-be thieves trying to carjack him in Belltown

SEATTLE — Seattle police are investigating an attempted armed carjacking in the Belltown-Queen Anne area that resulted in a legally armed victim shooting two suspects early Sunday morning.

The incident unfolded around 3:30 a.m. on the 2200 block of 1st Avenue.

Officers responding to the scene found one suspect suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The suspect was detained and received medical aid from firefighters before being taken to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition, where he remains under armed guard.

The victim, whom police called a “licensed gun owner,” was also detained for questioning.

According to police, the victim had parked his sports car along 1st Avenue when a white sedan with four masked occupants approached. After a brief exchange, two men armed with guns attempted to steal the sports car.

Fearing for his safety, the victim fired multiple rounds, hitting one of the suspects.

The other suspects fled in the sedan before police arrived. Later, the white sedan dropped off a second suspect at Harborview Medical Center, also suffering from a gunshot wound. This suspect is in serious condition and under armed guard as well, the SPD says.

The vehicle and its remaining occupants left the hospital before police could arrive.

Officers and robbery detectives processed the scene, collected evidence, and interviewed witnesses. The victim was taken to Seattle Police Headquarters for further questioning by detectives before being released.

The investigation remains open and active, with the Robbery Unit leading the case.

Burglar shot after attempted break-in near 40th Street and Thunderbird Road Sunday morning

PHOENIX — A homeowner shot a suspected burglar after the man forced his way into a house in north Phoenix on Sunday morning, police said.

Officers were first called to the neighborhood near 40th Street and Thunderbird Road around 9 a.m. for a reported burglary.

While police were following up on that call, another report came in from the same area about a shooting.

Investigators say a homeowner shot a man who allegedly broke into his home.

The man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Detectives are continuing the investigation.

More stand your ground lies

By Mike McDaniel

Since the Trayvon Martin case—my home blog Martin case archive is here–the racial grievance industry has endlessly claimed “stand your ground”—SYG—laws allow white racists to murder innocent blacks at will. Never mind that SYG was not implicated in that case and that neither the prosecution nor the defense raised it. An unmistakable case of self-defense, the local prosecutor refused to prosecute. So racially charged was the political atmosphere, then Florida AG Pam Bondi appointed a corrupt special prosecutor who lost the case.

The anti-liberty/gun industry continues to lie about SYG laws, and the Wall Street Journal has jumped on the creaky bandwagon:

 

The premise of the WSJ story is that Stand Your Ground laws have led to a 59% increase in the number of justifiable homicides in some states between 2019 and 2024, and that the law is allowing some folks to literally get away with murder.

As we discussed yesterday, though, none of the anecdotal cases cited by WSJ in support of that premise are slam dunk examples of murders that were deemed justified as a result of SYG laws. The data set used by the paper is also suspect, since it did not include the significant number of states where Stand Your Ground exists in common law but not specifically in statute.

The WSJ is, at least, misleading:

Even using the WSJ’s own flawed dataset, the percentage of homicides deemed justified in SYG states has climbed from about 2.8% in 2019 to 3.8% in 2024. We don’t know how many self-defense claims were raised in the 96.2% of homicides that were deemed murder, but we know the number isn’t “zero.” Stand Your Ground laws aren’t a “get-out-of-jail free” card for armed citizens, despite the slanted reporting from the WSJ and Gifffords’ wild suggestion that many or all of these justifiable homicides are actually murder.

Just because a state has a SYG law doesn’t mean SYG is implicated in every murder or justified instance of self-defense. All SYG laws do is remove any legal requirement that people unlawfully attacked run away before defending themselves. If they are legally present when and where attacked, they may “stand their ground” and defend themselves.  That’s it. The legal criteria for the use of deadly force remain, and the good guys, not Democrat’s criminal constituency, have the advantage.

Keep in mind I’m not an attorney. I’m providing only general information available by reading the use of force statues of most states. Visiting attorney Andrew Branca’s Law of Self Defense site is also helpful.

Generally, one may use deadly force if a reasonable person in like circumstances would believe they are facing an imminent threat of serious bodily injury or death. Whether those elements are fulfilled is the job of the police to determine. No detective is going to simply take a defender’s word for it.

They’ll exhaustively interview all witnesses. They’ll find and collect all video from the area—almost everything is recorded these days. They’ll determine if the defender’s account is supported by physical and forensic evidence. They’re required to investigate every unattended death, even if it initially appears to be an obvious case of self-defense, as a murder until they can conclusively prove otherwise.

In the Martin case, that’s just what they did and discovered George Zimmerman was telling the truth. Ambushed out of the dark by Martin, who broke his nose, knocking Zimmerman to the ground and straddling him. Ruthlessly beating him in “MMA ground and pound” fashion as a witness recounted, Martin repeatedly beat Zimmerman’s head on a concrete sidewalk. Unable to defend himself, Zimmerman managed to draw his legally carried handgun. One round ended the attack.

Would a reasonable person in Zimmerman’s position, pinned to the ground and being viciously beaten, unable to fight back, believe he was facing serious bodily injury or death? The jury, applying Florida law, thought so and so should any reasonable person.

SYG didn’t apply because Zimmerman couldn’t run even if he wanted to. All the evidence supported Zimmerman’s account.

Claiming people can “shoot first and ask questions later” or all people have to say is “I feared for my life officer,” and that SYG laws require nothing more is either a complete misunderstanding of the law or an outright lie. In the Martin case, that lie tried to further anti-white racism. Now, Giffords and the WSJ are trying to deprive Americans of their Second Amendment rights and necessary legal protections, which would only worsen criminal violence.

Both are as predictable as they are despicable.

Baltimore store owner’s fatal shooting of burglar ruled self-defense

(WBFF) — The Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office ruled that the fatal shooting of a suspected burglar by a jewelry store owner was an act of self-defense.

The decision, announced Monday by City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates, follows a review by the office’s homicide unit.

The incident happened on Oct. 16, just after 2 a.m., when the store owner, who lives above the business on Fleet Street in Canton, opened fire on 39-year-old Richard Rolfe, killing him.

Christine Wilson, a neighbor, recalled the early morning gunfire. “I heard it right outside my window. And so, kind of nervous about, called 911,” she said.

Under Maryland law, self-defense or defense of habitation can be claimed by meeting several factors, including:

  • If a suspect attempts to enter a property
  • The owner believes the suspect intends to commit a crime leading to death or serious injury
  • The owner reasonably believes force is necessary.

The investigation revealed that the store owner believed Rolfe was armed, although it was later found that Rolfe did not have a gun. “Based on the facts of this case, we believe that this shooting meets the requirements of self-defense in the state of Maryland,” Bates said.

Wilson expressed relief at the decision, saying, “That is fantastic news. That is great news for all of us in this neighborhood.” She added, “It’s sad that a life had to be lost at all and there are people grieving for that person. So, it’s not really a celebration but it’s just like, ok, great, the system works.”

The store owner, who declined an on-camera interview, did say he was relieved and satisfied with the ruling.

One person shot and killed in Tulsa after apparent Friday break-in attempt

On October 31st, 2025, around 11:50 p.m., Officers responded to a shooting at the Crossing at Silver Oaks Apartments near 71st and Yale.

The caller reported they heard around 20 gunshots, then saw a man down on the ground with a gun next to him police said.

Officers arrived and found 20-year-old Jamond Silas dead in front of the apartment doors.

On the scene, a man came forward and said he shot Silas. According to authorities the man said he was inside an apartment when Silas kicked in the door and entered the apartment, and the man said he shot Silas in self-defense.

The man was questioned by police and released pending further investigation.

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Tulsa Police say a person is dead after being shot during what police believe to be a break-in attempt Friday night.

Officers say someone inside the home shot and killed the intruder.

This happened at a residence near 71st and Yale.

Police say the person responsible for the shooting stayed at the scene, was questioned by officers, and was released pending further investigation.

Off-duty Texas deputy fatally shoots man allegedly trying to enter car with his small child inside
Darrius Williams, 27, pronounced dead at hospital after Harris County deputy fired multiple shots

A deadly shooting unfolded in Texas Friday when an off-duty Harris County deputy opened fire on a man who allegedly tried to get into his car, as his young child sat just feet away.

The shooting happened at about 2:45 p.m. Friday in Atascocita, about 20 miles northeast of downtown Houston, after an off-duty deputy called 911 to tell them he had someone at gunpoint, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.

Maj. Ben Katrib said the deputy had just placed his child in a car seat when an unknown man, later identified as Darrius Williams, 27, allegedly attempted to get into his car.

Officer involved shooting in Atascotia, Texas

First responders provided aid at the scene, but the suspect later died at the hospital. (Mark Herman, Harris County Constable Precinct 4)

The deputy was heard giving multiple verbal commands to Williams, but he allegedly ignored the warnings and opened the passenger door of the deputy’s car.

Katrib said the deputy opened fire, hitting Williams multiple times.

First responders provided aid, but Williams was later pronounced dead at the hospital, FOX 26 Houston reported.

The shooting happened outside the off-duty deputy’s home, according to officials. Officials said the deputy, who has not been publicly identified, and his child are OK.

It is unclear if Williams had any weapons at the time of the alleged intrusion, or how many times he was shot, according to the report.

Williams’ mother, Tieneeshia, said her son was released from jail Thursday night and was struggling with mental health issues.

Officials said the deputy has not yet been charged in connection to the shooting, as authorities continue to investigate.
“Last night they picked him up for walking into oncoming traffic and ran his name. So he had a warrant for failure to appear from the last episode,” Tieneeshia Williams said. “The officer called me when she was there with him on the scene and asked me a lot of questions, and I said, ‘Ma’am, why don’t you just take him to the psychiatric ward. He’s walking into traffic.’ She said, ‘Oh no, we’re going to deal with this warrant, he’s going to jail.'”

Sources told FOX 26 Ring camera video footage may have captured the incident.

The sheriff’s office and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office have opened separate investigations into the incident, according to the report.

When the investigation concludes, the DA’s office will present the findings to a grand jury to determine whether charges will be filed.

Self-Proclaimed ‘Human Rights Defenders’ Attack Right to Keep and Bear Arms

Self-defense is a human right. In fact, I’d argue it’s the most fundamental of all our inherent rights. Without that right to protect our lives, what does it matter if we have the right to think or say what’s on our mind, or to worship (or not) as we choose?

So, anytime I see a self-described human rights activist talking about the right to keep and bear arms, I’m always curious to see if they’ll actually embrace the human right of self-defense, or pretend that it doesn’t exist.

Sadly, it seems that the group Mindbridge Center falls into the latter category. In a new post at Psychology today, the self-described human rights defenders argue that only by denormalizing gun ownership and adopting laws that make it harder, if not impossible, for people to defend themselves, can we build a safer America.

While many Americans believe gun ownership is widespread and normalized, the truth is more nuanced. Only about 30 percent of Americans own a gun, and among men, 60 percent do not own a firearm (Pew Research Center, 2024). Yet, public perception often overestimates gun prevalence due to cultural portrayals and media emphasis.

If 1-in-3 people engage in a particular activity, I’d say that’s a pretty normal activity, wouldn’t you? More importantly, the Mindbridge Center itself says on its website that human rights defenders are those “advocating for minoritized groups such as racial minorities, Indigenous people, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, or the disabled community.”

So here’s my question to Mindbridge; if advocating for minoritized groups is defending human rights, and “only” 30% of Americans own guns, then why isn’t advocating for gun owners a defense of human rights?

And a followup: if members of these minoritized groups face threats of physical violence because of who they are, do the folks at Mindbridge really believe that they’re better off disarmed and defenseless? Shouldn’t they have the ability to protect themselves from those who would do them harm? Don’t they have the right to protect their lives?

The most obvious answer is that the folks at Mindbridge don’t think so. After all, it’s clear they want to denormalize and stigmatize gun owners. As they write in their call to action::

You don’t need to be a policymaker to help shift the culture. Start by challenging the myths: Most men don’t own guns, and most Americans support regulations like background checks. Share this truth in conversations, on social media, and in community spaces. Campaigns that highlight these facts, such as billboards or digital media stating “60% of American men don’t own a gun,” can help redefine what responsible citizenship looks like.

Got that? For Mindbridge, being a “responsible citizen” means not owning a gun. Which brings up another question: why bother pushing for things like “universal” background checks if they think that gun ownership itself is a problem?

The fundamental premise of their mindset is that, unless “both structural change and cultural transformation” surrounding gun ownership takes place, it’s impossible to “build a safer future.” That ignores the fact that violent crime is dropping at record levels at the moment, and 2025 is on pace for the lowest homicide rate in more than 60 years.

We are building a safer future (and a safer present as well), and we’re doing so while robustly exercising our right to bear arms… as well as our human right to self-defense.