Category: Self Defense

We Must Protect the Right to Self-Defense Nationwide

For the past several years, America has been undergoing a self-defense awakening. From urban centers to rural towns, more Americans spanning all walks of life are making the personal decision to arm themselves for protection. The USCCA has seen firsthand this growing movement — a reflection of citizens taking responsibility for their own safety in an uncertain world.

As a former FBI Supervisory Special Agent, I have spent my 30 year career in law enforcement focused on keeping Americans safe. I understand the importance of preparation, awareness, and the right to self-defense. Today’s environment — marked by rising crime, strained law enforcement resources, and growing concerns about personal security — has prompted a renewed commitment among everyday Americans to take proactive steps in safeguarding themselves and their loved ones.

To put this into context, in 2024, there were over 15.2 million background checks processed through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), according to the NSSF, the Firearm Industry Trade Association, marking the 65th consecutive month with over 1million checks. This underscores a sustained commitment to responsible firearm ownership following pandemic-level highs.

Organizations like the USCCA are encouraged by the tremendous support from Americans across the country who are purchasing a firearm and seeking proper training. Yet right now, because of an antiquated patchwork of state laws, there are tremendous legal risks for law-abiding gun owners who simply want to protect themselves and their families. For example, if a gun owner carries a concealed weapon into a state that does not recognize their permit, they may be charged with a felony or misdemeanor, even if they’re otherwise following the law.

Earlier this year, a bill that would create a federal standard allowing law-abiding gun owners with concealed carry permits to legally carry in other states, was introduced in the House of Representatives. H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, sponsored by Representative Richard Hudson (NC-09), has the potential to be one of the most significant pieces of self-defense legislation passed by Congress in recent years.

This critical framework will bring much-needed clarity to the current patchwork of state laws, which often leaves gun owners uncertain about when and where they can safely exercise their rights, ultimately compromising their safety and the security of their families. By recognizing concealed carry permits issued in any state, the bill empowers responsible gun owners to exercise their fundamental right to self-defense, regardless of state boundaries. If enacted, this crucial legislation will keep us all safer, safeguarding and bolstering Americans’ right to defend themselves and ensuring firearms are in the hands of responsible gun owners.

The bill’s momentum in the House of Representatives represents a move in the right direction, a resounding wave of support for ensuring that Second Amendment rights are respected from coast to coast. It appears now, more than any other point in recent history, there is the political will both in Congress and in the White House to safeguard the fundamental right to self-defense.

President Trump’s administration is already taking decisive action to protect the Second Amendment. Earlier this year, an Executive Order directing a review and rollback of unconstitutional, anti-gun policies from the previous administration represents a strong step toward restoring and strengthening Americans’ right to self-defense.

The message from Americans is clear: the right to self-defense must be protected, not punished. More than half a million citizens have already signed a USCCA-sponsored petition urging Congress to pass national concealed carry reciprocity—demonstrating broad, diverse support from across the country.

As communities continue to grapple with crime, Americans are standing up and saying enough is enough. No longer should responsible gun owners be criminalized for acting on their Constitutional right to protect themselves or their loved ones. There’s a growing national realization: self-defense is not just a right—it’s a necessity. Congress now has a historic opportunity to respond—to recognize that self-defense is not just a right, but a necessity—and enact national reciprocity to protect the Second Amendment for millions of gun owners nationwide.

Rob Chadwick is the Director of Education & Training for the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA)

Another moron brought an axe to a gunfight. This time he survived though

Monroe County homeowner shoots home invader armed with an axe

UPDATE: Monroe County Sheriff Tom Boatwright said Justin Ray, the man who was allegedly shot by a homeowner as he attempted to break into a home armed with an axe, has been booked into the Monroe County Jail.

MONROE COUNTY, Ala. (WALA) – In the Eureka Landing community early this morning [May 3], a homeowner discharged a firearm in an act of self-defense against a home invader who was armed with an axe, according to the Monroe County sheriff.

Deputies responded to the home shortly after 2:30 a.m., Sheriff Tom Boatwright said. They found the wounded suspect behind the residence.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, a resident contacted law enforcement to report that an individual had broken into the home armed with an axe. The homeowner shot the invader, striking the suspect once in the torso, officials said.

The MCSO said emergency medical personnel provided immediate care to the suspect at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital. The suspect’s condition was not available.

According to the sheriff, the homeowner is not expected to face charges related to this incident.

“We commend the quick response of our deputies and the homeowner’s decision to defend themselves and their loved ones,” Boatwright stated. “Our investigation is ongoing, and we will release additional information as it becomes available.”

Tiananmen Square Anniversary: Chinese-American Warns U.S. to Protect Gun Rights

Today is the anniversary of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) troops storming Tiananmen Square to massacre the freedom protesters who had gathered there. A survivor of the CCP’s tyranny who now lives in the U.S. has a message for Americans this anniversary: Don’t give up your guns.

Lily Tang Williams is an American citizen now, an entrepreneur who is running for Congress in New Hampshire. But the self-described “Survivor of Mao’s Cultural Revolution” remembers all too well the nightmare of Communist rule in China, and on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, she emphasized how vitally important the right to keep and bear arms is in preventing such massacres by dictatorial regimes.

Williams took to X to commemorate the anniversary and reaffirm the United States’ Second Amendment. She included a screenshot of her previous post, which warned that the “champion of all the mass killings in this world is always a tyrannical government.”

 

Her previous post referred to the slaughter by the CCP troops of thousands of students at Tiananmen Square, and expressed regret that the students in 1989 did not have guns like the ones she is able to own now in America. “I am a Chinese immigrant and an American citizen by choice. I once was a slave before and I will never be one again,” Williams wrote.

The U.S. State Department and Secretary Marco Rubio put out a statement, too, honoring the “bravery” of the Chinese freedom protesters and explaining:

In the spring of 1989, tens of thousands of students gathered in Beijing’s largest public square to mourn the passing of a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader who tried to steer China toward a more open and democratic system. Their actions inspired a national movement.

Hundreds of thousands of ordinary people in the capital and throughout China took to the streets for weeks to exercise their freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly by advocating for democracy, human rights, and an end to rampant corruption.

The CCP responded with a brutal crackdown, sending the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to open fire in an attempt to extinguish the pro-democracy sentiments of unarmed civilians gathered on Beijing’s streets and in Tiananmen Square.

The fact that the civilians were unarmed is precisely what Williams was warning about in her statements.

On her website, Williams says, “I grew up under Mao’s cultural revolution in China and fled communism for the freedom of the United States. Now, I fear the country I love is becoming the country I left.” It is a fear that many of us have experienced in recent years as we witnessed the attacks on our rights by the Biden administration, and now the increasing dictatorial activism of the judiciary. But one way to deter government tyranny is to exercise our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, to be ready always to stand up for ourselves and our liberties, as the Founding Fathers were.

In Dangerous Times, Train for Self-Defense
My wife and I built our defensive skills with six days of sweat, dust, and the right mindset.

If you’re going to own a tool, it’s best to know how to properly use it. That’s as true for firearms as it is for chainsaws. Given the rising temperature of American politics, including escalating violence against people and property, my wife Wendy and I decided it was time to up our game when it came to self-defense. To that end, we enrolled in Gunsite Academy’s Defensive Pistol class.

Continue reading “”

Homeowner shoots, kills intruder in Riverside County,

An armed homeowner shot and killed an intruder in Riverside County late Thursday night, according to local authorities.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office says a caller reported a man trying to break into their home in Lake Mathews on the 16000 block of Hidden Peak Lane.

The homeowner told dispatchers that they were armed with a firearm. The suspect, officials said, eventually forced his way inside and was shot.

Deputies arrived at the scene around 11 p.m. where they found the suspect suffering from his wounds. Paramedics responded and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Homicide detectives responded to the scene, and the homeowner was transported to the Lake Mathews Sheriff’s Station for “further investigation.”

Neither the suspect or the homeowner have been identified.

The investigation remains ongoing and is currently described as a homicide investigation, although the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office will ultimately decide if those charges are pursued.

 

Just because they’re kids doesn’t mean they’re not thugs.

Shooting suspect killed after 2 hurt in downtown Seattle

SEATTLE — A 16-year-old boy accused of shooting two people in downtown Seattle was shot and killed by someone else Wednesday night.

The initial shooting happened around 10 p.m. near the Four Seasons Hotel on Union Street.

Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes said three people got in a fight. One took out a gun and shot two people, then ran from the scene.

Police said a private citizen who was licensed to carry intervened and shot the suspect, who was a 16-year-old boy.

Seattle fire crews said they treated an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy. They were taken to the hospital in serious condition.

The suspect was also taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he died of his injuries.

The private citizen who shot the suspect cooperated with police, and was taken to Seattle Police Headquarters, where he was interviewed by detectives. Police said the citizen has not been arrested.

Police activity blocked all lanes of First Avenue from University Street to Pike Street, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation.

 

Unruly patron killed in shooting after being kicked out of Peoria sports bar

PEORIA, AZ (AZFamily) — A man who reportedly fired shots into a Peoria sports bar after he was kicked out late Tuesday night is dead following a shootout with two other armed men.

Peoria Police have identified the man as 46-year-old Mario Franco of El Mirage.

Investigators say the incident began just before midnight at the Deli Sports Bar near the Loop 101 Agua Fria Freeway and Peoria Avenue. There, an employee called 911 to request that police help with an intoxicated patron, Franco, who refused several requests to leave.

While officers were en route, police say Franco went to the parking lot, grabbed a handgun from inside his car and started firing shots in the air and into the bar. Dispatchers then received another call that someone in the bar had been shot in the leg by someone in the parking lot.

Two men on a nearby park bench saw what was happening and intervened. Police say Franco then pointed his weapon at the two men, who were also armed, and a gunfight ensued.

Franco was shot in the chest, while the two other men weren’t hurt.

Peoria Police Officer Kristopher Babros said that when officers arrived, the two men were still pointing their handguns toward Franco, who was inside the passenger side of his BMW sedan. Both men cooperated with police and were briefly detained.

Franco was pronounced dead at the scene.

The person inside the bar who was shot in the leg has since been treated and released from the hospital. Babros commended the men who intervened before any other innocent people were hurt.

Peoria PD said there is no further threat to the community.

Burglary suspect shot by homeowner in Aurora (Colorado)
The homeowner was notified of the attempted burglary through a home security camera, according to police.

AURORA, Colo. — A homeowner shot and injured an intruder in their detached garage early Monday in Aurora, police said.

Aurora Police interviewed the homeowner Monday morning and released him, saying they don’t expect any charges.

That does not mean the investigation is over, police said. Investigators will report their findings to the District Attorney’s Office, which is standard practice. The District Attorney’s Office determines what, if any, charges will be filed.

The shooting happened in the 1200 block of Moline Street. About 4:49 a.m., the homeowner confronted a man breaking into his detached garage and shot him. The suspect was taken to the hospital and remains there with life-threatening injuries, police said.

The homeowner reported a similar break-in on Saturday, where he said about $400 worth of items were stolen. After the break-in, the homeowner told police, he bought and installed cameras in his garage, which is what tipped him off to Monday’s break-in.

The homeowner told police that he confronted the person in his garage, which resulted in an altercation. That’s when the homeowner shot the intruder, police said.

Third Street Promenade shopkeeper fatally shoots man during attempted robbery

A shoe store owner shot and killed a man Sunday night during an attempted robbery on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, according to police.

The shooting unfolded around 9:30 p.m., the Santa Monica Police Department announced in a news release. The owner of the shoe store, Sole & Laces, was carrying out an after-hours sale with a customer when the attempted robbery took place, according to property manager John Alle.

A second person, who allegedly knew the customer taking part in the private sale, entered the store and pepper-sprayed the owner, according to police. There was a struggle and the store owner, who had a legally owned gun, shot the suspect, police said.

The suspect was taken to a local hospital and later died from his injuries, police said.

The customer who arranged for the private sale, later identified as Karen Melikyan , 41, was arrested on suspicion of being involved in the attempted robbery, according to authorities. He was booked on suspicion of murder, robbery and conspiracy, police said.

The name of the person killed in the shooting was not released pending notification to the kin. The incident appears to be targeted and involved people who knew each other, police said. “There is no ongoing threat to the public,” the Santa Monica Police Department said in a news release.

Police said the shopkeeper, who was also not identified, is cooperating with the authorities.

The investigation remains ongoing.

New Oklahoma law changes how guns can be used to protect property: What ‘defensive display’ means

Oklahomans can now legally point a firearm or other weapon at someone if they are defending their home, private property or business under a new law signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt.

Existing state law allows people to point weapons in self defense, but House Bill 2818 expands the justified “defensive display of a firearm or other deadly weapon” to include defense of property.

The new law took effect immediately after Stitt signed it on Thursday, May 16.

During debate on the House floor, Democratic lawmakers questioned the law’s author, state Rep. Jay Steagall, on responsibilities of a gun owner and whether Oklahoma youths would interpret the law to allow flashing a weapon as an acceptable response to fear of confrontation.

“We don’t have any control over the way someone else perceives something. There’s not a way for me to legislate that,” Steagall said during a presentation in March. “But what we can do is provide a clear definition of what’s lawful and what’s not lawful when it comes to the display or the pointing of a firearm.”

What is considered ‘defensive display of a firearm’ under House Bill 2818

According to the new law, defensive display of a firearm includes the following:

    • Verbally informing another person that you possess a firearm or have one available – “I’ve got a gun”
    • Exposing or displaying the weapon in a manner where a reasonable person would understand that it’s meant to protect against unlawful force
    • Placing your hand on a firearm while it’s “in a pocket, purse, holster, sling scabbard, case or other means of containment or transport

This is the latest law to expand gun rights in Oklahoma, a state known for its permissive rules on the ownership, carrying and use of firearms. Another proposed law recently sent to the governor’s desk for his approval would allow elected municipal officials and judges with a valid firearm license to carry concealed guns in buildings leased or owned by their city, if a policy is approved by the city council.

In the United States, most states follow some version of the Castle Doctrine, which allows the use of deadly force in self defense. According to an analysis by FindLaw, however, state laws vary when it comes to which locations or specific situations allow someone to claim their use of force was justified.

The National Conference of State Legislatures notes that Oklahoma is one of 28 states where the person claiming self defense has no duty to attempt retreat before firing their weapon. It’s also one of just 10 states that allow that person to “stand their ground.”

In 2019, Stitt signed legislation on the “constitutional carry” of handguns. The measure loosened the state’s gun laws, allowing most adults to carry a loaded, concealed firearm without a permit.

Teen fatally shot in self-defense at Berkeley County apartments.

HANAHAN [South Carolina] — The person who shot and killed a teenager outside an area apartment complex will not be charged after police determined it was a case of self defense, authorities said.

Hanahan police responded to the parking lot area near the Bowen Village shopping plaza just before 9 p.m. May 12 to find 18-year-old Tra’sean White of Wadmalaw Island suffering from a gunshot wound, according to Police Chief Richard Gebhardt. White was pronounced dead on the scene.

The shooting occurred near a Domino’s Pizza restaurant at 9105 Bowen Pier Drive and several other stores and restaurants attached to the Channel Family Apartment Homes complex.

A day after the shooting, police arrested Deonte Calen Trevon Lancit, 18, of Charleston. He is charged with armed robbery.

An investigation revealed that Lancit and White had been in the area attempting to rob someone. During the robbery, the intended target shot and killed White, Gebhardt told The Post and Courier.

Authorities presented evidence to prosecutors at the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office who determined the shooting was an act of self-defense.

Lancit is in the Hill-Finklea Detention Center after being denied bail by a magistrate judge, according to a clerk at the Berkeley County jail.

Of course, politicians (I’m pointing a finger at both the Texas House and Senate) can’t simply pass the same bill in both houses of their legislature.
It’s like they’ve never heard of email, text messages, or the telephone where they can coordinate things.

Texas House Lawmakers Pass Self-Defense, Pro-Second Amendment Measures

Texas House members have passed legislation that would strengthen Second Amendment rights and expand protections for individuals who lawfully exercise self-defense.

House Bill 170, filed by State Rep. Ryan Guillen (R–Rio Grande City), would prohibit civil actions against an individual who threatens or administers force or deadly force if a grand jury does not indict them, or if charges are dismissed or the person is acquitted.

In addition, if the person pursuing the civil action is found to be prohibited from seeking it, Guillen’s proposal would require them to pay court costs and the defendant’s attorney fees.

The measure is similar, but not identical, to Senate Bill 1730 by State Sen. Bob Hall (R–Edgewood), which senators passed 26-3-2 on Monday afternoon.

Like Guillen’s measure, Hall’s would extend civil immunity protections to those who exercised self-defense and never faced grand jury charges. However, unlike Hall’s measure, Guillen’s proposal would extend immunity to those who merely “threaten” the use of force.

“This strengthens the Texas castle doctrine by extending civil immunity to individuals who lawfully threaten to use force or deadly force in self-defense, without requiring the force to actually be used,” said Guillen.

HB 170 finally passed in a 118-20-3 vote by representatives on Tuesday.

Another proposal, HB 2458 by State Rep. Wes Virdell (R–Brady), would provide a defense to prosecution for aggravated assault when an individual threatens death or serious bodily injury by displaying a deadly weapon if they:

  1. Successfully demonstrate that their threat constituted legally justified self-defense.
  2. Reasonably believed that using the deadly weapon was immediately necessary to protect themselves from aggravated assault.

The legal term “defense to prosecution” is a type of total affirmative defense. These defenses, even if the prosecution proves the elements of the crime, present additional facts that could otherwise negate the defendant’s liability.

“This is just saying that if you have to unholster your weapon while you’re acting in self-defense, then it’s a defense to prosecution,” explained Virdell.

Lawmakers passed HB 2458 in a 119-18-2 vote.

Two proposals dealing with citizens’ gun rights were also approved by representatives on Tuesday, but they faced more pushback from Democrats than those related to self-defense, with both votes splitting largely along party lines.

HB 3053, filed by Virdell, would ban local municipalities from adopting or enforcing firearm buyback programs—government initiatives intended to remove guns from circulation by purchasing the firearms.

State Rep. Gene Wu (D–Houston) pushed back on the proposal, arguing that cities should be able to decide for themselves if they want a buyback program.

While Virdell contended that cities often ignore their citizens in passing the programs, Wu argued that the buyback program in Houston was widely supported by residents.

“I have been to multiple gun buyback programs in my districts that were overwhelmingly popular—that people lined up around the block for hours and hours and hours to trade in their weapons,” said Wu.

Virdell noted that most firearms bought through the programs are not destroyed entirely, with the government auctioning off parts of the weapons to private contractors who then resell them back to the public.

“At millions of dollars per city that’s doing this, and the estimate by The Trace over the time period this has been going on is over a billion dollars right now,” said Virdell.

The measure passed 85-56-2.

HB 1794, filed by State Rep. Carl Tepper (R–Lubbock), would permit those with a license to carry (LTC) to bear concealed handguns at certain polling locations, unless carrying at the location is otherwise prohibited by state law.

Primary or secondary schools are examples of polling locations at which Tepper’s proposal would not apply.

“I would also like to add here that private property owners get to keep their own policies,” said Tepper. “So, if the grocery store doesn’t allow handguns, the polling place will also not be allowed to have handguns.”

Tepper’s measure passed 83-50-2.

All four of the measures will now be sent to senators, who have increasingly limited time to read over and consider the hundreds of measures that representatives have stacked up for them.

We already have that in Missouri

Texas Senators Approve Measure Strengthening Right to Self-Defense
While Texas is already a castle doctrine state, individuals whom a grand jury declines to prosecute may still face civil action after exercising self-defense.

Texas senators have approved a measure strengthening the state’s protections for justified use of force or deadly force in self-defense situations.

Senate Bill 1730, filed by State Sen. Bob Hall (R–Edgewood), passed 26-3-2 on Monday.

The measure would prevent a claimant from recovering civil damages for personal injury or death if a grand jury has declined to pursue, thrown out, or acquitted the defendant of criminal charges.

In addition, if the claimant is found to be prohibited from seeking civil action, the proposal would require them to pay court costs and the defendant’s attorney fees.

Hall explained when laying out the measure before lawmakers that Texas is a castle doctrine state, meaning individuals are permitted to use force or deadly force in order to defend themselves on their own property.

“However, under current Texas law, individuals may file civil lawsuits seeking damages for personal injury or death resulting from the use of force or deadly force, even in cases where the defendants’ actions have been deemed lawful in a criminal proceeding,” claimed Hall.

The senator further argued that the current system creates “a substantial financial and emotional burden” for defendants who are faced with lawsuits after having already been cleared of criminal charges.

State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt (D–Austin) pointed out that the standards for civil and criminal actions are different, with criminal action requiring proof “beyond a reasonable doubt” and civil action having lesser standards.

Hall said that, although he is not an attorney and could not speak on Eckhardt’s comments directly, the intent of his measure is to “protect someone who has acted lawfully in their home … from an arduous civil case.”

Continue reading “”

Homeowner kills man with ax trying to break in

DUPLIN COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – No charges have been filed after Duplin County deputies say a man was shot and killed while trying to break into a home Sunday morning.

It happened on Sheffield Road near Magnolia around 6:30 a.m.

Deputies were told David White was using an ax, trying to break in through the back door.

A news release says the homeowners fired multiple shots through the door, hitting White. Deputies say they found the man lying on his back at the bottom of the steps with multiple gunshot wounds.

They say a large ax and other weapons were near White’s body.

Deputies say after consulting with the D.A.’s office, no charges are being brought against the homeowners at this time.

Summerville home invasion leaves suspected intruder dead

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) – Dorchester County deputies are investigating an apparent home invasion that ended with the suspect’s death.

The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office responded early Wednesday, just after 1 a.m., to a call for an active home invasion in which one person was reported shot.

Upon their arrival to the 100 block of Hope Drive in Summerville, deputies found that the alleged intruder died at the scene.

It remains unclear who the shooter was or if they will face any charges, something that will be determined as the investigation continues.

The Dorchester County Coroner’s Office has not released the identity of the person who died.