Category: Self Defense

Bystander shoots man who attacked woman with knife

A man who stabbed a woman at a Waco convenience store Friday night has been hospitalized after a bystander at the store shot him with a handgun, Waco police said.

Police responded at 7:40 p.m. to the QuikTrip at 2350 S. New Road after a report that the man was chasing the woman into the store and continuing to attack her, Officer Garen Bynum said in a press release.

During the response, police learned a “separate third-party individual had intervened in an attempt to defend the female victim by shooting the suspect with a handgun,” Bynum said in the press release.

Both the alleged attacker and victim were transported to a local hospital with severe injuries, Bynum said. The bystander with the gun remained at the scene to speak to officers and is cooperating with the investigation, Bynum said. The bystander has not been charged with a crime.

The stabbing suspect is in the custody of Waco police as he receives medical care, Bynum said.

San Bruno jewelry store owner fights back, stops would-be robbers

SAN BRUNO, Calif. (KRON) – A jewelry store owner who fought back is talking to KRON4 after he kept would-be robbers from taking his livelihood.

Store owners at the Tanforan Mall have been on high alert. Over the last week, robbers have been targeting the mall’s jewelry stores.

One business owner was able to keep these smash and thieves from stealing his merchandise and he’s hoping this group doesn’t return.

Store security video from last week captures the moment a would-be robber smashes a jewelry case with a crowbar. The store’s owner is seen running over to defend his business before drawing a gun on the masked men.

“It was a bad experience, I mean everybody is giving me a thumbs up. I mean, I don’t really feel good about it,” Usman Bhatti said.

Usman Bhatti says smash and grab robberies have become a menace for business owners across the Bay Area.

Bhatti is legally permitted to carry a gun and should he need to protect his business he’s ready. The security video and pictures from police show one of the suspects wanted in connection with this attempted robbery was armed.

Just days after this happened, a second jewelry store at the Tanforan Mall was hit. The brazen nature of the crimes has mall workers worried.

San Bruno police were seen going store to store giving employees tips on how to protect against robberies. Police have also released these two sets of pictures showing people wanted for committing these crimes.

The attempted robbery is something Bhatti never wants to experience again.

This is not a repost of a previous incident, but another citizen TCOB

Pizza delivery driver shoots attempted carjacker 6 times in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — An attempted carjacking suspect was seriously injured after a pizza delivery driver fought back against his attacker on Thursday night.

It happened around 7:38 p.m. when the 39-year-old delivery driver was dropping off food on the 3300 block of H Street in the city’s Kensington section.

“I was just remodeling my kitchen and talking to my son, and he was about to come out the door, and as soon as he went to open the door- that’s when we heard the shots,” neighbor Eric Howard told Action News.

Police say the delivery driver was approached by a 23-year-old man who pointed a gun at the male victim and demanded he get out of the car.

“The driver of that car- when he saw that this male was pointing a gun at him, demanding that he get out of the vehicle – brandished his own firearm, which he was legally allowed to carry,” said Philadelphia Police Inspector DF Pace.

The victim, who police say has a license to carry, grabbed his own gun and shot the suspect six times.

“Th guy was licensed to carry a gun and defended himself,” Howard said.

A suspect was seriously injured after he was shot by a delivery driver during an attempting carjacking on Thursday night.

According to Inspector Pace, the suspect was able to return fire, but the victim was not injured.

The suspect was taken to an area hospital by a private vehicle where he was placed in extremely critical condition.

Police say two people who were with the suspect are also being questioned at this time.

Philadelphia police have ramped up patrols in recent weeks to tackle a spike in carjackings.

There have been more than 90 carjackings so far in the city this year. Last year, there were more than 750 incidents.

Pizza delivery driver shoots armed carjacker in Kensington

PHILADELPHIA – Police say a pizza delivery driver turned the tables on an armed carjacker and shot him multiple times Thursday night in Kensington.

According to investigators, a 39-year-old delivery driver was delivering food on the 3300 block of H Street just after 7:30 p.m. when he was approached by an armed carjacker.

That’s when the driver pulled out his own gun and fired multiple rounds at the suspected carjacker, according to authorities.

He was taken to Temple University Hospital by private vehicle where he was placed in critical condition. Police said he is being held as a prisoner.

Police have not said whether the delivery driver was legally licensed to carry a firearm.

Video ~ China’s Foreign Ministry on Americans’ Second Amendment rights: “That’s the freedom the US advocates — freedom to shoot other people.”

 

Woman shoots, kills man in self-defense after he breaks into house

COLDWATER, Miss. — A man is dead after a woman shot and killed him in self-defense around 8:30 p.m. Monday night, according to the Tate County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office told FOX13 that 63-year-old William Hoskins began shooting outside of a house on Oak Valley Drive near Coldwater, MS, broke into the house with three people inside and continued shooting.

A woman inside who knew Hoskins grabbed a gun and shot him after he broke in, killing Hoskins, the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office said that the two knew each other, but would not elaborate on their relationship.

According to the Tate County Sheriff’s Office, the woman then called 911 and told authorities that she had shot and killed someone inside of the house.

The sheriff’s office deemed that the woman acted in self-defense and no charges have been filed at this time.

Data shows there’s more diversity at a gun range than a university faculty lounge

“Gun-ownership in America is diversifying, because of safety fears,” says a headline over at The Economist. As those of us in the Second Amendment community have known for a while, the sociopolitical climate since the start of the pandemic – egregious criminal–coddling behavior by the state, releasing dangerous prisoners because of COVID, nationwide “fiery but mostly peaceful” riots, rising violent crime, looting / shoplifting, hate crimes, falling trust in law enforcement – contributed to a sudden surge in gun purchases by groups historically not inclined to own them. The Economist reported the following:

Of the 7.5m Americans who bought firearms for the first time between January 2019 and April 2021—as gun-buying surged nationwide—half were female, a fifth black and a fifth Hispanic, according to a recent study by Matthew Miller of Northeastern University and his co-authors.

The 7.5 million number may well be a low estimate; one estimate from the NSSF is that there were 8.4 million new gun owners in 2020 alone. As I’ve written before in these pages, adding up numbers for 2020 and the first half of 2021 points to a potential 11.6 million first-time gun owners. The team here at Bearing Arms has written a lot about growing diversity in the Second Amendment community. We see this not only in data collected nationally and over the long-term, but also experience it first-hand at gun ranges. (As an immigrant who grew up without guns and didn’t touch one well into his adult life, I’m living proof of this demographic shift myself.)

However, diversity is a whole lot more than ethnic bean counting or about the superficial differences – religion, sexual orientation, etc. – among us. What counts the most, in my opinion, is diversity of thought and opinion, and the ability to express those freely without the fear of retaliation or retribution. This is where I think gun owners are simply outstanding; respect for individual freedom, for not treading on someone else lest our freedoms be tread upon, appears to come naturally to lawful gun owners. There is some data on political diversity among gun owners. Anecdotally speaking, the gun owners at my local club cover the gamut from traditional blue-collar tradesmen to Ph.D. holders, from the MAGA coterie to Medicare-for-All supporters.

Contrast that with a typical university faculty lounge and the difference is night and day. There is hard data showing how limited diversity is among university faculty. They may look different, have different national origins or sexual orientations, but politically they are incredibly alike. There’s also plenty of publicly available data that shows how faculty donations to candidates for office is overwhelmingly left-wing. Consider these recent examples: 96% at Harvard University, 97% at Yale University, and 98% at Cornell University.

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Break in suspect shot by resident

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) – Evansville Police say a man who tried to break into a home was shot by the resident.

They say it happened around 3 p.m. Sunday in the 400 block of Kimber Lane.

Police say a woman called 911 because a stranger was inside her fence, yelling at her dog, and trying to break in through the sliding-glass door.

She told dispatchers she yelled at the man, but he pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot her.

They say the woman ran upstairs to get her fiancé for help.

Police say he ran downstairs and saw the man throwing things and the glass door.

They say the resident grabbed his gun and yelled several times for the suspect to stop.

Police say the suspect then grabbed a shovel and shattered the door.

That’s when they say the resident fired one shot at the man.

Police say he walked away from the door, but officers found him when they arrived.

They say he wouldn’t obey commands at first, but finally complied.

Police say they found he did have a gun.

He was taken to the hospital with a non life-threatening gunshot wound.

His name has not yet been released, but will once he’s out of the hospital.

Police say he faces several charges.

Intruder killed in self defense

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) -A man is dead and the Reno Police Department said it appears a homeowner killed him in self defense.

It happened Saturday about 9:45 p.m. in the 2000 block of Idlewild Drive near Idlewild Park.

Police said the homeowner reported having shot an intruder. When officers arrived, they found a man with a gunshot wound who was pronounced dead at the scene, along with the homeowner and a witness.

Robbery/homicide detectives took over the investigation.

Many neighbors described the area as quiet and were surprised to hear about the investigation.

“Everyone here usually has each other’s backs too,” said Adam Thompson. “It’s a very communal neighborhood.”

“Kind of shocked because that usually doesn’t happen in this neighborhood at all, ”said Joe Malfa, a nearby resident since 1980.

“The homeowner in this incident is cooperating with the investigation,” police said in a statement. “At this time an arrest will not be made as this appears to be in defense of himself.”

“In some cases you just gotta do what you gotta do to survive and I think in this case, maybe the homeowner had to do that,” Malfa said.

Deputy shot, killed man who broke into his Atlanta home

ATLANTA – Investigators say a Fulton County deputy shot and killed a man who had broken into his home overnight in southeast Atlanta.

The incident was reported just after midnight near the intersection of Springside Drive NE and Macon Drive SW.

Atlanta police initially responded to the incident. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is now handling the investigation.

According to the GBI, a Fulton County deputy was returning home from work when he received a Ring camera notification that showed a man breaking into his home. When he arrived home, he saw the man from the video walking away from the home carrying tools and other items. The deputy was driving his personal car and was still wearing his uniform and equipment.

“The deputy was coming home to a burglary in process. After that there was some kind of exchange, there was gunfire and the suspect was shot deceased,” Atlanta Police Deputy Chief Charles Hampton, Jr. told FOX 5.

The GBI says the deputy followed the man as he walked away along an unpaved, gravel road. The man stepped off the road into some woods as the deputy approached.

The deputy got out of his car and found the man in the woods. While in the woods, the deputy and man had an altercation and during this time, the deputy shot the man.

The suspect was taken to the hospital where he later died. His identity has not yet been released.

The deputy was also injured, but he is expected to be okay, authorities said.

Kansas City police investigating deadly shooting near 80th and Euclid Ave

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Police Department is investigating a homicide near E. 80th Street and Euclid Avenue.

Police responded to a call around 11:15 a.m. Saturday on a reported prowler. The call was later upgraded to a shooting call.

Upon arrival, officers located a man suffering from a gunshot wounds behind a house.

The man was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.

The homeowner told FOX4 that she was standing in her kitchen when the man tried to break in her back door. That’s when she fired.

That all happening minutes after neighbor, Edward Rogers had encountered the man himself.

“Some guy was trying to break into her house because apparently she said ‘no this is private property,’ ” Rogers said.

“I saw the guy, the guy asked me does anybody live in this house. Did I know anybody that lives here. Have I known anybody that’s been around here and I said no,” Rodgers said.

Police say they are still seeking more information in the deadly encounter.

The Tide Is Turning On Gun Control
After two consecutive years of record violence, some on the left may be rediscovering the importance of self-defense.

Contrary to popular misconceptions, the Second Amendment did not create a right to keep and bear arms. Rather, the Second Amendment acknowledges and seeks to protect the People’s natural right to self-defense and the tools required for the exercise of that right, which obviously include firearms. This is why the amendment speaks of “the right” to arms as something already in existence and not to be infringed—rather than as something newly conferred, a point recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court.

It should not be a polarized and partisan issue. Historically, the right of armed self-defense was understood and exercised by figures who were far from conservative or libertarian, from Eleanor Roosevelt and George Orwell to the Black Panthers and Malcolm X. In a dangerous world, they understood that one’s life should not be left to the mercy of an aggressor.

In light of 2021—a second consecutive year of record violence—are some on the left rediscovering the importance of self-defense? There’s reason to think so.

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The carjacking surge in Philadelphia shows why the Second Amendment is so important

Democrats routinely disparage guns and gun ownership in this country as one of the main reasons for violent crime. As soon as there is a mass shooting, Democratic politicians beat the drums for gun control legislation.

Even now, amid a violent crime surge largely resulting from failed Democratic policies in cities nationwide, they still blame guns. Yet, what goes ignored are the incidents in which guns are used for self-defense.

People are fighting back, demonstrating the importance of the Second Amendment.

Philadelphia has had a tsunami of violent crime in the past couple of years. Homicides reached an all-time high in 2021 after nearly setting a record in 2020. Carjackings have also experienced a surge in the city, going from 225 in 2019 to a whopping 720 in 2021, CBS3 reported .

The crime wave forced the Philadelphia Police Department to publish a survival guide on what to do if confronted with a carjacking. But with the city failing to protect its citizens, some have realized they must protect themselves. As a result, there are numerous stories of citizens defending themselves from carjackings by using their legally owned guns. In these incidents (with several that do not make the news), guns saved lives.

The “good guy with a gun narrative” is widely disregarded by those on the Left in the debate over guns. They continually promote the narrative that guns are evil tools that cause nothing but destruction and the loss of human life. While this is absolutely true, so is the opposite — guns save lives. According to statistics, guns are more often used to save lives than take them.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are anywhere between 30,000 to 40,000 gun-related deaths each year, with about 60% of those being suicides. Conversely, the CDC reports between 60,000 to 2.5 million incidents involving guns to save lives. The “good guy with a gun” narrative happens a lot more than the media or agenda-driven Democratic politicians like to acknowledge. The stories in Philadelphia are just some of the most recent examples.

With people needing guns to defend themselves out of necessity, the Second Amendment is needed now more than ever. Legal gun ownership can mean the difference between life and death. At a time when Democratic politicians have prioritized the safety of criminals over the welfare of the innocent, the Second Amendment could be the difference between being the victim of a violent crime or surviving one.

A Frank Discussion of Knives for Self-Defense

This article owes a lot to Marc “Animal” MacYoung, a prolific writer and thinker about self-defense issues whose work you should really check out. One of his areas of expertise is knife fighting and the use of knives in self-defense. MacYoung presents three basic considerations for knife use in a self-defense context in his must-read article on the subject, and I’m unable to improve on them:

  • A knife is a lethal force item
  • As such its legal/moral/ethical application is narrowly allowed
  • ‘self-defense’ is a legally defined term.

Any discussion of knives for self-defense has to keep these three points in mind. Legally and morally, you’re introducing a lethal weapon into the conflict—and that may have long-lasting repercussions for everyone involved. You may not intend to do lethal damage, but that’s the trick: knives can wound or kill with a touch, and in the chaos of an assault that can happen inadvertently. Another caveat: this article is about the general use of knives in self-defense, not engaging in a knife fight with another armed person. With all that having been said, let’s talk about choosing a knife as a self-defense tool.

The first step, as always, is to get familiar with your local laws on the subject. Each state—and many municipalities—has its own laws about knives: what you can carry, where you can carry, when/how you may use them, and what constitutes the legal use of lethal force (yes, that again) for self-defense. It might be a good idea to book a consultation with an attorney. Yes, that’s expensive, but it’s best to get legal advice from a professional who is bound to act on your behalf.

The second step is to consider your self-defense plan as a whole. Personal protection does not start and end with weapons; there’s a lot that goes into conflict-avoidance and safety planning other than planning for use of force. Make sure you’ve got those bases covered.

Nor should you neglect other possible self-defense tools. Even if you have a knife, you may not be able to deploy it in time, or you may need a less-lethal tool instead. Make sure to keep those options open.

Now, let’s talk about the knife you’ll be carrying. Unless you live in a rural area, you’ll probably legally and logistically be better of with a lock-bladed folding knife, one designed as an all-purpose tool. Because that’s what it’ll spend most of its time doing. Opening boxes, cutting strings and rope, and other mundane tasks are its purview. If legal in your state, there are knives made specifically for knife fighting such as the Colonel Blade or the Clinch Pick.

Finally, you’ll need some training. Probably quite a bit of training. There are numerous systems for the use of knives in self-defense out there. One that comes to mind but I have not taken is the Edged Weapons Overview course by Shivworks. I would suggest selecting a system or school that teaches both armed and unarmed techniques—you’ll likely need both if something does go wrong. I’m a big advocate of the notion that a short-range weapon like a knife exists to give you the time and space to run, so please give that some thought.

These are just some thoughts to get you started. Please reach out to me in the comments section or via email and let me know if you have any further questions or ideas. I love hearing from you.

The Right to Defy Criminal Demands: Negligence and the Robber’s Explicit Demands

I’ve just finished up a rough draft of my The Right to Defy Criminal Demands article, and I thought I’d serialize it here, minus most of the footnotes (which you can see in the full PDF). I’d love to hear people’s reactions and recommendations, since there’s still plenty of time to edit it. You can also be previous posts (and any future posts, as they come up), here.

Let’s return to situation 3 from the Introduction: Craig comes to rob Danielle’s store; he is demanding money, and Danielle has reason to think that, if she doesn’t comply, he’ll injure some of the patrons. Does this make Danielle legally liable if she refuses to comply, on the theory that she has an affirmative duty to protect her business visitors, and failing to give in to the demands violates that duty?

No, several courts have ruled, expressly recognizing a “no duty” rule. The most prominent case is Kentucky Fried Chicken of California, Inc. v. Superior Court, from the California Supreme Court:

[A] shopkeeper does not have a duty to comply with the unlawful demand of an armed robber that property be surrendered…. Recognition of a duty to comply with an unlawful demand would be contrary to public policy as it would encourage similar unlawful conduct….

[T]he standard of a “reasonable prudent person under the circumstances” is the general standard of care [for property owners’ duty to protect their visitors]…. [But] in particular situations a more specific standard may be established by judicial decision, statute or ordinance.

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No charges filed against clerk who shot alleged robbers at Rock Island vape shop

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (KWQC) – Charges will not be filed at this time against a clerk at Blackhawks Tobacco & Vape Shop who shot two alleged robbers, killing one, Tuesday night, Rock Island County State’s Attorney Dora Villarreal said.

“After a preliminary review of surveillance video and witness interviews, it appears the use of force by the employee was justified as self-defense and for the defense of others inside the store during the robbery,” she said in a media release posted on her Facebook page Wednesday night.

Around 10:54 p.m. Tuesday, the business at 2733 18th Avenue in Rock Island was robbed by three males, Villarreal said. One of them pointed a gun at employees inside the store.

One employee was able to get a gun kept by the store owner for protection because the store had been robbed twice in recent months, Villarreal said.

The employee fired the gun several times and struck two of the alleged robbers.

One of them died from their injuries, while the other is being treated at a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Villarreal said she is preparing to file aggravated robbery charges against the two remaining robbery suspects and that additional charges are being considered as the case remains under investigation.

Victim fatally shoots suspect during attempted car theft in Southwest Philadelphia
Police said the victim has a license to carry and was not injured.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Philadelphia police are investigating a car theft that ended with a suspect being fatally shot.

Police initially reported this as an attempted carjacking, but have since released new details about what happened.

Police responded to the 5800 block of Cobbs Creek Parkway in Southwest Philadelphia at about 8 a.m. after a suspect attempted to steal the victim’s car.

Sources told Action News that the suspect attached yellow cables to attempt to tow away the car, but was shot by the homeowner who had come outside to see what was happening.

The car broke off from the cables and the suspect’s car ended up crashing into a school bus, sources said.

The suspect was rushed to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center where he died from his injuries.

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Worker stabbed, fatally shoots attacker at Prime + Proper in downtown Detroit

DETROIT (AP) – Police say a restaurant employee fatally shot a man armed with knife who was attacking him in Downtown Detroit.

Detroit police said there was an altercation between the employee at Prime and Proper restaurant and the person who ultimately stabbed him about 12:10 a.m. Sunday.

Police say the stabbing victim is in stable condition. No other injuries have been reported…………..

Sanilac County man shoots home invasion suspect

FORESTVILLE, MI – A home invasion suspect is in police custody after a homeowner managed to shoot the alleged perpetrator during the attack, according to a news release from the Sanilac County Sheriff’s Office.

At roughly 4:50 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, Sanilac County Central Dispatch received a call about a man who had been shot in the Village of Forestville, according to the release. Dispatchers learned a Forestville resident had been stabbed during a home invasion, but was able to obtain a firearm and shoot the suspect, according to the release.

The victim, a 33-year-old Forestville man, was taken to Harbor Beach Community Hospital for his injuries and was later released, according to the release. The 37-year-old suspect, a resident of Carsonville, was taken to Deckerville Community Hospital and later transferred to Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital in Saginaw. After his treatment, police took the suspect into custody.

The suspect is lodged at the Sanilac County Jail while he awaits arraignment, according to the release. The case is still active and police will not release further details until the suspect is formally charged and the incident is investigated further.

I’ve got a phone number for him – 1-800-CRY-BABY Waaaahhhhh.

Joe Biden Complains About ‘Ridiculous’ Number of Gun Sales After Synagogue Terrorist Incident

President Joe Biden complained about the number of guns sold in the United States after an armed terrorist suspect took four hostages at a Texas synagogue on Sunday.

“There’s so many guns that have been sold of late; it’s just ridiculous,” Biden said when asked by reporters on Sunday about gun control after the incident.

Biden noted that suspect, Faisal Akram, 44, a British national, had allegedly purchased his gun on the street, before the incident.

“The guns are — we should be — the idea of background checks are critical,” he said, but admitted that “you can’t stop something like this if someone is on the street buying something from somebody else on the street.”

Biden said that country had failed to “focus as hard as we should and as consistent as we should” on issues like gun purchases, gun sales, and “ghost” guns.

Akram was killed by the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, nearly eleven hours after he entered the synagogue. None of the hostages were harmed.

Biden called the incident “an act of terror” but said he did not know why Akram was demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui, known as “Lady al-Qaeda” imprisoned at Fort Worth for trying to kill American soldiers.

“I don’t– we don’t have I don’t think there is sufficient information to know about why he targeted that synagogue, why he insisted on the release of someone who’s been in prison for over 10 years, why he was engaged, why he was using an anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli comments,” Biden said.

Just me, but if your congregation doesn’t allow for people to carry, find one that does.

Synagogue standoff shows why we need guns during worship

Imagine you’re sitting in your place of worship, and some psychopath comes in and decides no one gets to leave. His intentions are unclear, but there’s no doubt he’s dangerous. After all, he’s armed and is threatening, if not in words, then in mannerisms.

That’s the reality we saw unfold for some people in the Texas synagogue standoff over the weekend.

The FBI and local police said at a news conference Saturday night that three hostages who were held in a Colleyville synagogue for nearly 11 hours are unharmed and the hostage-taker is dead after a hostage rescue team breached the building.

Authorities said the hostage-taker was killed in a shooting but did not answer a question about whether he was shot by law enforcement or if the gunshot was self-inflicted. The man claimed to have explosives, according to statements he made on livestreamed video, but police have not commented on whether any weapons were found.

Exclusive video taken by WFAA-TV photographer Josh Stephen shows at least some of the hostages running out of a door at the synagogue just before FBI agents enter the building. The footage, shot just before 9:15 p.m., shows a man who appears to be holding a gun following the hostages as they escape, then almost immediately going back inside.

Officials said the rescued hostages are being interviewed by the FBI and will be reunited with their families as soon as possible. Authorities did not release the name of the hostage-taker or the ages of the hostages, but did confirm they were all adults.

Absolutely horrifying, to say the least.

As noted, the hostage-taker is dead. He’s also been identified by police.

The FBI on Sunday identified Malik Faisal Akram, a 44-year-old British national, as the man who held four people hostage at a Texas synagogue in an hours-long standoff Saturday before a rescue team entered the building and killed the suspect.

An FBI Hostage Rescue Team killed Akram after the hostages were released around 9 p.m. local time, the agency said. Crime scene investigators at the Beth Israel Congregation in Colleyville, Texas — about 15 miles from Fort Worth — recovered one firearm they believe belonged to Akram, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives told CNN.

Of course, the FBI says it doesn’t know the motive, seemingly trying to deflect from this being a case of terrorism.

And, in theory, it may not be. I don’t think that’s likely, mind you, but whatever.

However, what isn’t being talked about is how there are still people who see this who think guns shouldn’t be allowed in our houses of worship, regardless of religion.

Some will somehow delude themselves into thinking that if Texas didn’t permit guns in churches to any degree, this wouldn’t have happened. We know this to be true because the laws against taking hostages worked so well. I mean, how can you have a synagogue standoff if there’s no standoff possible? Too bad this jackwagon decided to ignore all those laws.

So, if he’d ignore them, why wouldn’t he ignore the ones saying he couldn’t bring a gun?

Yet, there have been some unconfirmed reports floating around that Beth Israel Congregation’s rabbi didn’t permit firearms in the synagogue. If that is, in fact, the case, then none of the hostages were legally allowed to carry a gun because Texas law allows places of worship to decide for themselves whether to permit firearms or not.

Had one of them been armed, the situation may have turned out very differently. Malik could have come in just the same, of course, but he may have ended up dead hours earlier, and all that would have been left for law enforcement was to clean up the mess.

That would have been a win for everyone there.

Instead, it seems they weren’t allowed to.

But again, that’s based on reports I haven’t been able to confirm just yet. If those aren’t true, well, then it’s still a stark reminder of why people need guns in churches, synagogues, and any other place of worship you care to name. This synagogue standoff was unpleasant for all involved, but we’ve seen far worse committed in places of worship.

This is bad, but I’d much rather experience a hostage situation than a mass shooting. Even if you go home, the trauma of talking about being inside during the synagogue standoff is nothing compared to the trauma of seeing people gunned down before your very eyes.

However, both can be prevented by carrying a firearm. It’s just that simple.