Category: Self Defense

Hope Isn’t a Plan: Is Your Church a Sitting Duck?

Denial isn’t just stupid—it has no survival value. Acting as though the wolves only hunt other sheep in other pastures?  That’s not faith, that’s wishful thinking. So why then do many Christian churches (along with synagogues) opt not to have safety teams?

Are they counting on God’s divine protection? God helps those who help themselves and standing unprepared for evil to come knocking has real-world consequences for real people.

I’ve been to a handful of churches that have top notch safety teams and like many, I’ve been to churches that not only had multiple unlocked and unmonitored entrances — some dark by the way — that had no safety team at all. Unfortunately, unprepared or ill-prepared is still the norm.  Yes, even at events and major religious holidays that bring crowds.

These unprotected churches are sitting ducks.  At one Christmas Eve service I attended, no one had radios or earpieces. No one, save a dad or three who looked like hard-charging alphas, were anywhere to be seen or found. And those men clearly were on dad duty, not part of a safety and security team.

The greeters? Sweet smiles, zero comms. At that service a few years ago, many in the congregation joined me and slipped in through a shadowy lower-level door from the back parking lot…unmanned, unlocked, and unmonitored. It was a perfect back door through which to stage a nightmare. Before, during and after the service?  The pastor stood exposed like a trophy buck in an open field.

I run with security-minded folks, including some who have done it professionally. When I talked about this one particular church they simply shook their heads in disbelief. “They’re one bad incident from going under,” one said.  Indeed.

When one, with sarcasm in his voice, raised the possibility of a super-professional, Secret Service level team, we all laughed. With open side doors and zero visible presence? That’s not discreet, that’s delusional. Unmonitored, dark entrances and an utter lack of thought about congregants’ safety? That kind of negligence is wishful thinking and can turn peace on earth into last rites.

Why do so many religious institutions still play ostrich? Because facing evil means admitting it exists. As for admitting that guns might be necessary to protect people, that’s clearly too icky for the pearl-clutchers in the congregation who think psalms and lordly vibes are body armor enough. As if lunatics and criminals give a damn about holy water and hymnals.

The only thing that stops bad guys with evil in their hearts is a good guy or gal with a gun.

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 We’ve Been Running a Huge, Real-World Experiment in the Expansion of Carrying Guns in America…Here Are the Results.

The United States is currently experiencing what is likely to be a record-low in homicide, which has occurred at the same time as a massive expansion in firearm carry rights across the country. I have previously written
about how those with carry permits almost never commit crime. State-level data proves it, and even gun-skeptical research organizations have recognized that “evidence generally shows that, as a group, [carry permit] license holders are particularly law abiding and rarely are convicted for violent crimes.”

Yet this irrefutable data didn’t stop the usual antigun suspects from predicting doom when the Supreme Court first issued its ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen in 2022. There, the Court held that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home. Gun control groups angrily claimed that the decision would lead to dramatic increases in violence.

For example, the then-Chief Counsel of Brady, Jonathan Lowy, said that Bruen “is extremist judicial activism at its worst, and Americans may die as a result of what the Court issued in the sanctity of its protected chambers.” John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun Safety, said the Supreme Court chose “to put our communities in even greater danger with gun violence on the rise across the country.” Giffords claimed the ruling would “escalate gun violence,” “spur unlawful militia activity,” “embolden those inclined to vigilante justice,” “increase violence at protests,” and cause “more domestic violence and hate crimes.”

Antigun politicians made similar breathless predictions. Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey claimed Bruen was a dangerous decision that “will make America a less safe country.” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said it “severely undermines public safety not just in New York City, but around the country.” Senator Alex Padilla of California put it more bluntly: “Today’s decision will make our communities less safe, plain and simple.”

Countless other examples abound. I encourage you to follow @2Aupdates if you want to constantly be reminded of all these claims.

We all make incorrect predictions from time to time, but the degree to which opponents of the Second Amendment were wrong is simply astounding.

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Deputies: Victim Stabs Intruder in Self-Defense During Early Morning Home Invasion

Two men were arrested after Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies say they forced their way into a residence and attacked the occupant, before fleeing after one was stabbed.

According to a Broward County Sheriff’s Office booking report, Kobi Issiah Torrealba Ruiz, 18, of Lauderhill, and Christian Micheal Chirino, 38, of Lauderhill, were arrested on February 14. Deputies say they responded to a reported home invasion at a Tamarac residence at approximately 5:00 a.m., in which the victim told deputies the men forced their way into his home while looking for his nephew.

Investigators say that after the victim asked the two men to leave, they both allegedly struck him multiple times. During the altercation, the victim stabbed Chirino in what authorities described as self-defense.

The affidavit states that both suspects fled the scene in a silver Nissan Altima. Deputies later located the vehicle in Lauderhill and detained both men. Chirino was observed with a stab wound consistent with the victim’s account and was treated at the scene by Lauderhill Fire Rescue.

The victim positively identified both suspects during a show-up, according to the report.

Both Torrealba Ruiz and Chirino were arrested and booked into the Broward County Main Jail.

Woman fatally shoots teen suspect in ski mask during break-in, police say

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT/Gray News) – Police say a Mississippi woman, fearing for her life, shot and killed one of two suspects wearing ski masks who broke into her apartment.

The incident happened about 2:30 a.m. Sunday at the Park at Inverness Apartments in Jackson.

Jackson Police say their investigation revealed two Black males wearing ski masks broke into a woman’s apartment. Fearing for her life, the resident fired a weapon, hitting and killing one of the suspects.

The second suspect fled the scene.

The deceased suspect was identified Sunday afternoon as 15-year-old Kaden Young, while the second suspect was identified as 18-year-old Quintavion Myles.

Myles was booked into city holding and is currently facing a murder charge.

The resident was interviewed at police headquarters and released.

Police say the investigation is ongoing.

The case will be bound over to the grand jury.

BLUF
Draconian restrictions on the right to armed self-defense in public don’t make peaceable and law-abiding citizens safer. They just render them far less capable of defending themselves and others.

Look at the Defensive Gun Uses that Hawaii Wants to Criminalize.

Late last month, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Wolford v. Lopez, a case challenging a newly imposed Hawaii law that presumptively bans concealed carry permit holders from any private property open to the public (like gas stations and shopping malls) unless they first get express permission from the owner. Combined with other restrictions, the law has the practical effect of making lawful public carry virtually impossible in Hawaii.

Fortunately, the nation’s highest court appears likely to strike down the new restriction. But there’s still so much work left for the court to do when it comes to protecting the right to keep and bear arms—including, specifically, against infringements by the Hawaiian government. Even without the express permission requirement hanging over their heads, Hawaiian concealed carry permit holders will still be prohibited from exercising their rights in an absurdly long list of “sensitive places.”

These include, among other locations:

  • Any bar or restaurant that serves alcohol, regardless of whether the permit holder imbibes;

  • Any “stadium, movie theater, or concert hall”;

  • Any place at which any sporting event of any level of competition is being held;

  • Any beach, playground, or park, including “any state park, state monument, county park, tennis court, golf course, swimming pool, or other recreation area or facility under control, maintenance, and management of the State or a county”;

  • Any parking area adjacent to the prohibited locations above.

Constitutionally, it’s abhorrent. As a matter of public policy, it’s laughable – and dangerous.

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Columbia City shooting was self-defense, authorities confirm

Seattle police are investigating a shooting in Columbia City that officers say was an act of self‑defense.

A man was shot Thursday evening, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) confirmed.

Police officers were called to S. Angeline Street at approximately 6:30 p.m. after receiving reports that gunshots were fired. When they arrived, officers found a 33-year-old man who had been shot in the chest.

A short time later, a 27-year-old man called 911 and reported that he was involved in the shooting.

According to police, the 33-year-old man forced his way into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment and assaulted the 27-year-old man, who is her current boyfriend.

Investigators said the younger man then shot the ex-boyfriend.

Seattle police released the shooter from custody, but the case remains open.

At last check, the man who was shot was in serious condition.

Alleged intruder shot, killed in Harrodsburg home invasion identified by coroner

HARRODSBURG, Ky. (LEX 18) — A 36-year-old man was shot and killed during an alleged home invasion in Harrodsburg early Friday morning, according to the Mercer County Deputy Coroner.

Mercer County Deputy Coroner Dan Eades identified the individual as Daniel Hyatt. Eades said Hyatt was shot by the homeowner during what investigators are treating as a home invasion.

Harrodsburg Police Department responded to the shooting Friday morning and found Hyatt with a gunshot wound. Officers performed life-saving measures, but Hyatt was pronounced dead at the scene by the Mercer County Coroner’s Office.

Police said the incident is isolated and there is no threat to the public. The Harrodsburg Police Department continues to investigate the shooting.

Homeowner shoots suspect in Nassauville burglary attempt

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — An attempted home burglary in Nassau County turned into a shooting Wednesday night.

“If you break into somebody’s home, you should beg to get shot. And that’s exactly what happened,” said Sheriff Bill Leepe, with the Nassau County Sheriffs office.

The sheriff’s office said the shooting was in self-defense. Investigators [say] 18-year-old Anson Shawn Drew and a juvenile broke into a home on Clearwater Road in Nassauville. The report states the suspect pointed a flashlight at the homeowner, who then shot his revolver at the suspect in fear for his life.

The juvenile suspect is recovering at the hospital and is in stable condition after being shot in his lower back. Sheriffs office says both suspects tried to flee on foot after the shooting. The report states Drew left one of his shoes behind when he ran off. He was later arrested at his home.

“Individuals said they liked to break into vacant homes to smoke weed. This time, they broke into their own homes,” said Sheriff Leepe.

The sheriff’s office said the suspects didn’t have any marijuana on this occasion.

This wasn’t the first time the victim’s house had been broken into, as sheriffs say the house was burglarized about a month earlier, and he did have some firearms stolen.

Drew is in Nassau County jail on a bond of more than 10 thousand dollars, and the juvenile suspect will be charged pending a warrant for his arrest.

When Worship Is Attacked, Churches Must Be Prepared to Restore Order
Jordan Howe

Your Church Needs a Response Plan to Ensure Orderly Worship

On January 18, a violent group of “protestors” covertly entered Cities Church in Minnesota and caused a massive disruption of their worship service.

In the days since the event, many Christians have responded in different ways. Some have boasted about the strength and firepower of their congregants (“I’d like to see them try that in my church!”). Others have chosen to emphasize the need for gospel ministry while avoiding any talk about church security (“We just preach the gospel!”).

As both a deacon at my church and a current law enforcement officer for the last decade, I both think about these issues and live them out. That’s why I started Kingdom Defense Training, a ministry designed to train and assist local churches to think more biblically about safety and security. Unfortunately, I would argue that both approaches above overlook the ministerial aspect of church security and fail to recognize that a church must also protect itself physically, civilly, and spiritually.

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Deadly Stockton Flea Market shooting was an act of self-defense during robbery, police say

STOCKTON, Calif. — A shooting at the Stockton Flea Market earlier this month that left two men dead and a woman wounded has been ruled a case of self-defense during a robbery, Stockton police said on Tuesday.

Stockton police said Wednesday that employees at the business involved are not currently being charged, police said.

Two men were killed and a woman injured when gunfire broke out during the Jan. 19 shooting. Both of those who died were involved in the robbery, police said. Police did not have more information to share about the woman who was wounded.

KCRA 3 previously spoke to Salvador Cervantes, a longtime resident and jewelry business owner at the flea market, who recounted the shooting.

He said his son had traded gunfire with one of those involved.

“This individual came, was walking out of my booth with the gun pointing, and I threw myself on the floor when I saw him,” he said. “There was an exchange of fire between my son and them. My son is the one who saved my life for the second time, so I’m pretty much blessed that he was around again for the second time.”

In 2012, Cervantes’ father was shot and killed while selling jewelry at the same flea market.

Stockton police said their investigation is ongoing.

Man killed, another critically injured in apparent self-defense shooting in St. Pete: Police

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – St. Petersburg police say a Friday evening shooting that left one man dead and another hospitalized with critical injuries appears to be an act of self-defense.

According to SPPD, officers responded to the 900 block of 22nd Lane South shortly after 6:30 p.m.

Investigators say Syltico Morand, 29, and another man were armed when they tried to rob two men who were also armed and sitting in a vehicle parked on 22nd Lane South. A confrontation ensued between the men and Morand and the other suspect with him were shot, SPPD said.

Police say Morand died at the scene and the 30-year-old man with him was taken to the hospital with critical injuries. Officers detained the two men that fired shots from their vehicle. Multiple firearms were recovered at the scene, according to SPPD.

SPPD says the men that were detained have not been charged at this time. Investigators believe the shooting was an act of self-defense.

Concealed carry holder shoots attempted robber on Chicago’s NW Side

CHICAGO – A concealed carry holder shot one of two robbery suspects early Tuesday while being confronted at gunpoint on Chicago’s Northwest Side.

What we know:

The incident happened around 2:40 a.m. near the intersection of Montana Street and Laramie Avenue in the Cragin neighborhood.

Chicago police said the 39-year-old man was getting out of his vehicle when two men approached him and one of them pulled out a gun and demanded his belongings.

Police said the victim, who is a licensed concealed-carry holder, drew his own gun and fired multiple shots, striking one of the suspects in the legs. Officers took both suspects into custody at the scene.

The wounded suspect, a 23-year-old man, was treated by paramedics with the Chicago Fire Department and taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center where he was listed in good condition.

Area Five detectives are investigating.

Proposed WV House Bill Would Expand Castle Doctrine, Strengthen Self-Defense Protections

CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) — A newly introduced bill in the West Virginia House of Delegates would expand the state’s Castle Doctrine laws, strengthening legal protections for people who use force — including deadly force — in self-defense.

House Bill 4878, introduced on January 28, would broaden when and where West Virginians may legally defend themselves, their homes, and others, while also shielding them from both criminal charges and civil lawsuits when force is lawfully used.

The legislation clarifies that a lawful occupant may use reasonable force, including deadly force, against an intruder or attacker inside a home or residence if they reasonably believe the intruder could cause death, serious bodily harm, or intends to commit a felony.

The bill also extends those protections beyond the walls of the home to include the curtilage — areas immediately surrounding a residence, such as yards, driveways, and porches — and removes any duty to retreat when a person is lawfully present.

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Stop Overthinking Self-Defense Bullets
Time to Move Past the Small Stuff
Written By Brent Wheat

The other day, I was unloading my handgun during retiree pistol qualifications at the police department when one of the instructors commented on the fact I was carrying, by his reckoning, a bullet that was designed sometime in the sixties — the 1860s.

I just laughed and then proceeded to shoot a perfect score, just to show those of us on “the senior tour” still remember how to use them newfangled shootin’ irons.

In truth, this exchange awoke a major pet peeve from among the thousands on my huge peeve ranch, one of the largest in the lower 48 states. Among this fine and well-fed herd of irritations, there is one which stands shoulders above the rest: all the incessant talk and debate around defensive handgun bullet design and performance.

I understand, really I do. It’s understandable when you consider the only actual physical connection between yourself, the heroic good guy (or gal), and the target is a bullet.

 

To have a good understanding of how a particular bullet performs when it reaches a target, you need to perform tests — lots of them! Most shooters and gun writers won’t invest the time and money needed to have the data on which to base an opinion.

 

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Bradenton man shoots kidnapper dead for trying to abduct his wife, detectives say

BRADENTON, Fla. (WFLA) — A Bradenton man fended off a kidnapper who tried to abduct his wife on New Year’s Day, deputies said.

According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Nicholas Palomo, a 36-year-old felon who had previously gone to prison for kidnapping and other crimes, attempted to abduct a woman who was walking her dog in the area of 18th Place East in Bradenton.

The woman managed to escape Palomo by running from his car and made it to her home and warned her husband about what happened.

Detectives said the husband went outside and confronted Palomo who behaved “in a threatening manner” toward the couple. When Palomo began approaching the victim’s husband, the husband shot him a single time in the driveway.

The sheriff’s office said the whole ordeal occurred within a matter of minutes.

A booking photo of Nicholas Palomo from 2023 (Photo provided by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office)

Deputies responded to the shooting at 12:27 a.m., and despite efforts to save him, Palomo died at the scene.

After collecting further evidence in the shooting, investigators determined that Palomo did not know the couple, classifying the shooting as a “random incident.”

Detectives also found that Palomo previously caused a disturbance at a Circle K before the shooting. It is believed he may have been under the influence of narcotics.

An autopsy found Palomo died of a single gunshot to the chest, and toxicology testing is being done to determine what drugs were in his system at the time.

As such, the State Attorney’s Office classified the shooting as self-defense, justifying the homeowner’s actions.

Police identify alleged intruder shot, killed by Buckeye homeowner

BUCKEYE, AZ (AZFamily) — Authorities have identified the man who police say was shot and killed while attempting to break into a Buckeye home late Sunday.

In an update on Monday afternoon, police identified the suspect as 27-year-old Michael Diaz.

Just before 9 p.m., police responded to a home on Desert Bloom Street, near Yuma and Watson roads, on reports of shots fired, according to the Buckeye Police Department.

Officers arrived and discovered Diaz had been shot multiple times inside the home. He died at the scene, authorities said.

Details are extremely limited, but Buckeye police confirmed a man is dead after being shot Sunday night.
Detectives say a mother and her two adult children were inside the home when they heard banging on the door.

A woman answered the door, and Diaz reportedly tried to force his way inside. Police say the woman’s son grabbed a handgun and shot the intruder after he broke through the security door and stepped inside.

Police say the family did not know the intruder. No family members were injured during the break-in.

“I feel bad for the family that had to endure this, and I feel bad for someone who didn’t take the responsibility of realizing you don’t go into people’s homes,” said CeCe Lopez.

Lopez and her husband, Enrique, live two doors down from the house where the break-in happened. They say a man wearing a hoodie knocked on their door Friday night.

CeCe said she was on the phone and did not answer. Enrique checked the doorbell camera and saw the man leaving. However, on Sunday night, the man came back and knocked on their door again.

“It was about the same time. Our dogs went crazy again,” said CeCe.

Enrique said he stepped outside, but the man was gone. He then ran to see where he might have gone.

“Then I heard four gunshots,” said Enrique.

They say it could’ve been them who shot the intruder if they had answered their door.

“What do you do? You know what I mean? You’re not just gonna let someone come into your home, and you’re certainly not going to let someone hurt my dogs,” said CeCe.

Howard Snader, a Senior Criminal Attorney for Attorneys for Freedom, said in this case, the homeowner who shot Diaz should be in the clear.

“This incident, as reported, appears to be a stereotypical textbook example of the Castle Doctrine, where you have an absolute right to protect yourself, your family from and intruder in your own residence,” he said.

He said if you’re in fear of being hurt or killed in your home, you can use lethal force. However, if you shoot someone outside of your house, like on the front porch, for example, a self-defense claim will be trickier.

“It gets into a really gray area, and you’re going to look at all the circumstances. So in Arizona, do you have the right to stand your ground? Absolutely. But that comes with risk,” said Snader.

Homeowner shoots intruder during attempted robbery in Redlands, police say

REDLANDS, Calif. (KABC) — A Redlands man was arrested late Thursday after police say he broke into a home, pointed a shotgun at the resident and was then shot by the homeowner.

The Redlands Police Department responded to a report of shots fired shortly before midnight on Jan. 15.

The homeowner arrived home and found the intruder inside. He armed himself with a handgun before confronting the intruder, who pointed a shotgun at the homeowner, according to police.

That’s when the homeowner shot the intruder and immediately exited the home to call police, officials said.

When officers arrived, they cleared the home and followed a blood trail that led to the back yard where they found the intruder suffering from a gunshot wound.

Police said the suspect, identified as 52-year-old Daniel Torres Carrion, had property from the home on his person. They also recovered the shotgun, which Torres had found inside the residence.

Torres was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery, burglary and assault with a deadly weapon and transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

He was later discharged from the hospital and booked at West Valley Detention Center where he is being held in lieu of $300,000 bail.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Redlands Police Dispatch at (909) 798-7681 ext. 1.

Anti-Gunner Hacks Use Martin Luther King Jr. to Push for Gun Control, but There’s a Problem

While America is honoring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., some on the left are using his birthday to push for stripping Americans of their Second Amendment rights.

Giffords, one of the nation’s leading anti-gunner organizations, wrote a post on X in which it noted that King “dreamed of a world rooted in justice and peace,” but his “life was cut short by gun violence.”

The organization is honoring King “by continuing the fight for safer communities for all.”

The Stop Gun Violence PAC noted that King “taught us that every person has the right to live free from fear,” but “gun violence steals that freedom from our families every day.”

Here’s something the anti-gunners won’t tell you about King. He applied for a concealed carry permit in 1956 after his home in Montgomery, Alabama, was firebombed.

Back then, the police were responsible for determining who would be allowed to have a permit. They denied his application as they had with most other Black applicants.

King wished to carry a firearm to protect himself and his family against the KKK and others. Yet, the sheriff deemed him “unsuitable.”

The civil rights leader was known for his nonviolent approach to fighting for equality. Yet, most don’t know that he still approved of the use of firearms for self-defense in one’s home.

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