Category: Self Defense

Ohio: No Duty to Retreat Legislation Heads to the Senate Floor

On Wednesday, the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee passed important No Duty to Retreat Legislation, Senate Bill 383. This self-defense measure now heads to the Senate for floor action.

Senate Bill 383 strengthens Ohio’s self-defense laws by stating that individuals have no duty to retreat from a place that they are lawfully present before using force in defense of themselves or others. Previously the law only applied to residences and vehicles, however SB 383 expands that to allow for law-abiding gun owners to be able to defend themselves without being required to retreat from any place they are allowed to be.

Store clerk shoots robbery suspect in Maplewood

MAPLEWOOD, Mo. (AP) — A robbery suspect is hospitalized after being shot by a store clerk in suburban St. Louis. Police say they won’t likely ask for charges against the clerk, who they say acted in self-defense. The incident happened Wednesday night in Maplewood. Police say the 21-year-old suspect was found inside the break room of the Boost Mobile store. He had been shot three times and underwent surgery. Police say the Boost Mobile employee was alone when the man came in with a gun. The employee was able to pull out his own gun and shoot the suspect. The clerk was unhurt.

Suspect in string of Jacksonville robberies killed by homeowner

JACKSONVILLE, Ark.- Police in Jacksonville said the suspect in a series of robberies is dead after being shot by a homeowner while attempting another theft.

When officers with the Jacksonville Police Department responded to reports of a robbery near Military Road and Bailey Street Monday night, they discovered the body of a man matching the description of a robbery suspect from an earlier call.

Dispatchers received that call just after 8 p.m. about an attempted robbery at the Jacksonville Stop and Shop. Two hours later, police said the suspect attempted to rob another victim outside her home.

Investigators said the suspect’s third robbery attempt turned fatal when the man’s intended victim shot the suspect in self-defense after the suspect shot at them.

The identity of the suspect is unknown at this time, but was described as a Black man, 19 to 24 years of age, wearing a black shirt, black jacket and red sweatpants with brown Ugg boots.

Homeowner in Elizabethtown area shoots intruder

Police continue to investigate the shooting of an intruder Saturday night by a homeowner in the Elizabethtown (Indiana) area.

The homeowner called Jennings County dispatchers at 7:15 p.m. to report there had been an altercation and he had shot the intruder who was inside his home, according to a report from the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department.

While officers were en route to the home, Jennings County dispatchers received a call from a male who said he had been shot. That male was at the Elizabethtown Volunteer Fire Department State at 700 Washington St.

Police went to both the home and fire station where medical aid was provided.

Indiana State Police were contacted and during the course of the investigation, it was determined there was a physical altercation between the homeowner and a male subject who gained entry into the home. The homeowner discharged his firearm striking the male, who then drove himself to the fire station.

Medical aid was provided by members of the fire department and area law enforcement. The male was eventually airlifted to an Indianapolis area hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound and is listed in critical condition, police said.

Woman Shoots Man Attempting to Rob Her Car

HOUSTON — Houston Police reported an interesting event early Friday morning near Clear Lake.

A woman parked at an apartment complex in the 10900 block of Gulf Freeway around 12:30 a.m. After she parked, the woman noticed a man trying to break into her car. The woman went inside and grabbed a gun before going outside to confront the burglar.

During the confrontation, the woman shot him in the leg. The burglar was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive. He faces a burglary of a motor vehicle charge

The woman isn’t expected to face charges related to the shooting.

Personal Defense During the Holidays

Here we are, once again, entering the Holiday Season—the most stressful time of the year for most folks—in a year like no other year any of us has ever experienced or expected. What that means for folks like us is that we’ve got to really increase our awareness and keep personal defense in the forefront of our minds at all times.

We know that robberies and home invasions increase during these last days of the year. But you also have to realize that ordinarily good folks are getting awfully stressed out. They’ll be letting their anger and frustrations get the best of them. They’ll do stupid things. And they will do things that place other’s lives in danger.

We can begin by recognizing that we, too, can become overly frustrated and angered. Talking with the family about finding ways to avoid stress is a really good place to start. Often, just supporting each other is a good way to keep that stress level within bounds. And we can also make a concerted effort to remain polite and courteous to everyone, strangers included. When a person loses his temper, he has also weakened his defense level.

The holidays are also a good time to review the personal defense plan, especially the need for being aware of what is going on around us. We also need to make sure that we are communicating regularly with other family members and that we know each other’s location at all times. When another family member is especially stressed or not feeling well, we need to be there to pick up the slack, carry some of their load for them.

And this is also not the time to let your pistol practice wane. Yep, I know that ammunition is difficult to come by but that just means that you need to increase the time you spend in dry practice. Practicing the basics—draw stroke, flash sight picture, trigger press—can also still be honed during dry practice. And you might want to do it while wearing that heavy coat and winter gloves that you’ll be wearing when you go out.

Getting serious about our personal defense and having a solid personal defense plan does not have to hamper our enjoyment of the holidays. Once these principles become ingrained in our everyday lives, we can enjoy ourselves and still be careful. You say you haven’t gotten around to developing a personal defense plan and discussing it with your family? Well, now is an awfully good time to start it.

You can’t avoid being a target, but you can decide if you are going to be an easy target or a hard target.

So find ways to keep the stress within due bounds. Make it a point to put a smile on your face at the same time that your head is on a swivel. Focus on your family and the other stuff that really matters and you’ll likely get through these trying times successfully.

First-time gun buyers projected to top 8M: Smith & Wesson
Women are making up 40% of new buyers

Background checks, a metric for gun sales, are hitting an all-time high in 2020, and nearly half of the purchases being made this year are by first-time firearm owners, firearm manufacturer Smith & Wesson said Thursday.

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To date, nearly 8 million Americans have already decided to “exercise their Second Amendment rights for the first time,” chief executive Mark Smith told analysts in an earnings call.

For their findings, the company cited data from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), which estimated that 40% of the tens of thousands of firearm purchases in 2020 are coming from first-time owners.

Smith noted that these new purchases are further “broadening and diversifying” its consumer base and are an indicator of the long-term vitality of the industry as a whole.

Smith said NSSF data indicated that “women are making up 40% of new buyers and overall firearm purchases by African Americans are outpacing all other demographics with 58% growth in the first half of the year alone through June.” Continue reading “”

Lawmakers set to expand gun rights in Ohio, DeWine’s reform plan unlikely to pass

Gov. Mike DeWine’s package of gun reforms appears unlikely to pass the Statehouse this session, but lawmakers are poised to permit armed Ohioans to stand their ground in public settings and use deadly force in self-defense.

Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp, R-Lima, said he plans to move House Bill 796 “as soon as possible,” which could be as soon as next week.

Currently, Ohioans have a “duty to retreat” from dangerous situations, if possible, before using force in self-defense. HB796, sponsored by state Rep. Kyle Koehler, R-Springfield, would eliminate that duty. Continue reading “”

Employee at Akron Metro PCS store shoots robber who pulled out gun

AKRON, Ohio (WOIO) – A man who pulled out a gun during a robbery at an Akron MetroPCS store Tuesday night was shot by an employee who pulled out a gun of his own, Akron police said.

The robbery happened just before 8 p.m. at the MetroPCS store on Main Street in Akron.

According to Akron police, the suspect entered the store, pulled out a handgun, and took money from the cash register.

The suspect then tried to get access to the safe.

That’s when a MetroPCS employee pulled out his own handgun and fired multiple shots at the subject before running from the store.

Officers took the suspect into custody when they arrived on scene.

The suspect had been hit by at least one shot and is in the hospital where he is in serious, but stable, condition, police said.

SKYROCKETING MURDERS IN MAJOR CITIES UNDERSCORE GUN CONTROL DISASTER

BELLEVUE, WA – Skyrocketing murder rates in several major American cities with strict gun laws offer hard evidence that gun control isn’t just a failed policy, it’s a disaster, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.

More than 700 people have been murdered in Chicago so far this year. Baltimore’s total is above 335, and Philadelphia has logged more than 450 slayings. Even relatively benign Seattle has nearly doubled the number of homicides it reported for all of 2019, a fact not lost on CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. So far this year, the Jet City has seen 55 murders, while 2019 produced 28 slayings.

“Seattle is a textbook example of horribly failed policies,” Gottlieb said. “The city council just slashed the police department’s budget following months of civil unrest, vandalism, property destruction and rising crime. Five years ago, the city adopted a gun and ammunition tax to finance a so-called ‘gun violence reduction’ program that drove business out of the city and obviously hasn’t prevented any violent crime. The city adopted a ‘safe storage’ mandate for gun owners. It has also obviously failed, and is currently being challenged in court by the Second Amendment Foundation and National Rifle Association.

“Ironically,” he noted, “the city is headquarters to a billionaire-backed gun prohibition lobbying group that has bankrolled two extremist gun control initiatives. The rising body count is proof positive their anti-gun-rights crusade has been an unmitigated failure.”

CCRKBA checked Seattle homicide data back more than a decade. Over the 12-year period from 2008 to 2019, the city averaged just over 24 slayings annually.

“It’s time for the gun control lobby to admit its schemes have all failed, and for the city, and the state, to change course dramatically,” Gottlieb said. “Laws that penalize honest citizens while being ignored by criminals don’t accomplish anything and they should be scrapped.

“Seattle anti-gunners like to boast about how progressive they are,” he observed. “If doubling the number of murders is their idea of progress, maybe we should all go back to living in log cabins.”

CCRKBA Director of Operations Julianne Versnel said there may be a “silver lining” to Seattle’s foolish response of cutting police funding and pushing stricter gun control.

“People living in adjoining communities will see criminals going into Seattle to commit crimes,” she said, “and leave suburbs alone.”

Resident of Home Shoots and Kills Armed Suspect in the 17600 block of Fenton

DETROIT, MI – On Monday, November 30th, 2020, at approximately 7:00 p.m., in the 17600 block of Fenton, the 22-year-old male suspect, armed with a long gun, entered a home without permission.

Once inside, he confronted an occupant of the home at gunpoint. At some point during the incident, the resident, who is a CPL holder, produced his handgun and fired multiple shots at the 22-year-old male suspect, striking and fatally wounding him.

Medics responded to the location and pronounced the 22-year-old man dead at the scene. Officers recovered both weapons from the scene.

The homeowner was detained for questioning. The circumstances surrounding this incident are still being investigated.

Detroit woman shoots home invader in attic after warning

Detroit — A 19-year-old man was shot in the leg Tuesday night on Detroit’s east side by a homeowner who allegedly found him in her attic, police said.

Shots were fired about 9 p.m. in a home on the 16600 block of Fairmont, said Latrice Crawford, a spokeswoman for Detroit Police Department. That’s north of East State Fair and west of Kelly.

A man was allegedly spotted on surveillance camera entering the home earlier in the day, but was never seen inside or found.

That night, the homeowner, 38, heard noises. She grabbed a gun and moved toward the sound.

It was coming from the attic.

Police say she entered the attic and warned whoever was there to show themselves. When he did not, and she saw movement, she fired and struck the man.

When officers arrived, they applied a tourniquet and then medics transported him to a hospital. He is listed in stable condition and is in police custody.

When medically able, police will transport him to Detroit Detention Center.

Carjacking victim shoots, kills 14-year-old suspect in Jennings

JENNINGS — A 14-year-old boy suspected in an attempted carjacking has died after being shot by the car’s owner, police said Monday. The boy was identified as Damaurio Thomas of the 5100 block of Lexington Avenue in St. Louis.

The attempted robbery occurred at 9301 Lewis and Clark Boulevard in Jennings, on the parking lot of a gas station. Police were notified about 3:45 p.m. Sunday and found the car’s owner and Damaurio near Jennings Station Road and Lewis and Clark Boulevard. Police said the man who fired the fatal shot was 53 years old. He was taken into custody by police and was cooperating with investigators, St. Louis County police Sgt. Benjamin Granda said.

Damaurio had an accomplice who got away, authorities said. Police have not released a description of the accomplice. After being shot, Damaurio tried to run away but was found by officers near the scene suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to a hospital where Granda said he died hours later.

Granda said police recovered guns from the man and the boy. He said it wasn’t clear if the suspects fired a weapon.

The man’s car was a Cadillac CTS and officers “believe the suspects entered the vehicle but did not leave the property in it,” Granda said in an email.

Suspect in attempted carjacking dies after being shot by motorist, hit by vehicle in Compton

A man suspected in a carjacking attempt in Compton died after being shot by the intended victim and then run over by at least one vehicle Sunday night, authorities said.

Deputies responded to the intersection of Compton Boulevard and Santa Fe Avenue shortly after 8:30 p.m. when someone reported hearing gunshots in the area. A man was found lying in the intersection and pronounced dead at the scene, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department stated in a news release. The unidentified man had at least one gunshot wound and had apparently been struck by at least one vehicle, according to the release.

Investigators believe the man, who was armed with a handgun, had tried to carjack a vehicle that was stopped for a red light when he was shot by the motorist. The shooter stayed at the scene and was talking to investigators, Sheriff’s Department Lt. Alfred said.

It was unclear whether the suspect was hit by one or more vehicles. The driver or drivers did not remain at the scene, Alfred said. Officials have not determined whether the man’s death was the result of the gunfire or being struck by a vehicle.

It’s also unknown if the motorist who shot the suspect was legally carrying their firearm.

Philadelphia customer walks in on robbery at takeout restaurant, shoots suspect dead

A customer who walked into a robbery happening at a Philadelphia takeout restaurant shot and killed the armed suspect and will likely not face charges, authorities said.

Police said three employees were inside the Wingstop in northeast Philadelphia Sunday when a 53-year-old man walked in wearing a mask and gloves around 10:30 p.m. The suspect allegedly pointed a gun at them and demanded the employees hand over the money from the cash register drawer.

Investigators said that’s when a customer, identified by police only as a man in his late 20s, walked in talking on the phone, likely not noticing a robbery was taking place, WPVI reported.

The suspect then turned and pointed his firearm at the customer, demanding he turn over his cell phone.

The customer pulled his own gun and fired one shot at the perpetrator, striking him in the neck, said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident remains under investigation and police are reviewing surveillance video.

The customer remained at the scene and was cooperating with authorities. He is not expected to face criminal charges.

“The customer who was also a victim because he had the gun pointed at him remained on scene, did cooperate with police,” Small said, according to KYW-TV. “We do have his weapon we know that just one shot was fired from that customer.”

Robbery suspect fatally shot by victim in Lauderdale Lakes

LAUDERDALE LAKES, Fla. – A man was fatally shot by the victim he was trying to rob last week in Lauderdale Lakes, authorities said.

According to Broward Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Carey Codd, the unidentified man and another suspect, identified as Litanis Alcira, 41, of Margate, committed an armed robbery around 10:30 p.m. last Friday in the 3900 block of Northwest 34th Way.

Codd said one of the robbery victims fired his gun and shot Alcira’s accomplice.

Alcira drove the man away from the scene and called 911, Codd said.

She said deputies responded, as well as Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue personnel.

The man who was shot was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died.

Alcira was arrested on charges of murder and two counts of armed robbery.

The case will be forwarded to the Broward County State Attorney’s Office to review the circumstances of the shooting by the robbery victim, Codd said.

Resident shoots 2 suspects in Lynchburg home invasion

The Lynchburg Police Department is investigating a home invasion that occurred on Wooldridge Circle early Wednesday morning, Nov. 25.

According to police, at 1:40 a.m., officers responded to the 100-block of Wooldridge Circle for a report of a burglary in progress.

They say two men knocked on a residence and assaulted the resident before trying to enter the home. The resident shot both suspects who suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

27-year-old James Franklin of Roanoke is charged with breaking and entering and assault and battery and 26-year-old Alan Douglas Mould of Lynchburg is charged with breaking and entering and assault and battery.

 

Clerk shoots robbery suspect in Tuscumbia

TUSCUMBIA, Ala. — A robbery suspect was airlifted to Huntsville Hospital Monday after being shot at a Tuscumbia gas station, police said.

Tuscumbia Police Chief Tony Logan said the robbery happened at the Fuel City on Highway 72 around 11 a.m. A clerk shot the suspect as he was trying to get away, Logan said.

The clerk, Miranda Mullins, told News 19 she was suspicious of the man when he came into the store because he had his hood up and was wearing sunglasses.

Mullins said the man demanded money at gunpoint. As he was leaving, Mullins said she pulled a gun from under the counter and shot him in the shoulder.

The suspect got into a vehicle with a woman, who drove off and then was involved in a wreck at Avalon and Montgomery avenues, near Helen Keller Hospital, Chief Logan said. The woman was not injured in the crash, he said.

The suspect was airlifted from Helen Keller to Huntsville Hospital. His condition was not immediately available Monday afternoon.

Mullins continued working her shift after the incident.

Authorities are investigating the possibility that the suspect is connected to other armed robberies across the Shoals.

Robbery Attempt Leaves One Man Dead

One man is dead and another was shot after an apparent home invasion and robbery attempt went bad early Saturday morning in Elk City.

25-year-old Isaiah Johnson was arrested Sunday on a complaint of second degree murder for his role in the crime.

According to authorities with the Elk City Police Department the shooting took place inside a home in the 600 block of N. Watkins. The home owner would tell police that two men, Johnson and 39-year-old Samuel Castro Junior had entered his home and approached the victim in his bedroom. He would say that Castro would point a gun at his head and demanded money. Fearing for his life, the homeowner would successfully overpower and take the gun from Castro and stated that he shot Castro multiple times until he fell to the floor. Castro died at the scene. The homeowner stated that Johnson would flee the home.

Later, police were contacted by the Great Plains Regional Medical Center to report a man that was being treated for a gunshot wound to the chest and arm. The man, Johnson, was treated and released to the Elk City Police where he was transported to the Elk City Police Department for questioning.

Police say after a lengthy interview, Johnson would allegedly confess the he knew that Castro had a handgun before entering into the home. Johnson would tell police that he was inside the room where the shooting occurred and would flee the scene after being shot in the chest and arm. He stated that he then walked to the hospital for treatment.

Johnson is currently being held in the Elk City Jail on a $1 million bond.

And with the states where the citizenry doesn’t need to have a permit to carry concealed, the author gets the point that this is is a minimal number.

There Are Nearly 20 Million Concealed Carry Permit Holders in USA

There are nearly 20 million concealed carry permit holders in the United States and perhaps untold millions more who carry every day in the 16 states that don’t require such permits.

The NRA-ILA reported figures from the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) showing there are over 19.48 million concealed carry permit holders in the USA, including 820,000 permit holders who were added in 2019 alone.

The near-20 million permit holders represent a 34 percent increase over 2016 figures.

In 14 states, more than ten percent of the adult population has a permit to carry. Those states are Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia.

On November 2, 2020, Breitbart News reported that October was the tenth consecutive month of record firearm background checks. That means every month in 2020, beginning with January, set a record for the most background checks performed in that given month.

In other words, more checks were performed in January 2020 than in any January on record, and more in February than any February on record, and more in March, and in April, and so on, all the way through October.

On November 17, 2020, Breitbart News reported National Shooting Sports Foundation numbers showing Americans own a total of 434 million firearms.

 

75-year-old Meals-On-Wheels driver shoots teen in self-defense in Northeast Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) — A 75-year-old Meals-On-Wheels driver shot a teen in self-defense during an alleged robbery, police say.

The shooting occurred around 11:10 a.m. on Nov. 20 in the 1200 block of East 18th Street.

Columbus Police said one of the teens, a 14-year-old, pulled out a gun while the other, believed to be 15-years-old, entered his car and stole the driver’s cell phone and wallet.

The driver pulled out his legally-owned gun and shot the 14-year-old.

Medics arrived and transported the teen to Nationwide Children’s Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The 14-year-old has a criminal record for similar crimes. Police said the boy was arrested in August of 2020 for Theft of a Motor Vehicle, a felony, and in July of 2020 for two counts of Robbery and Kidnapping, both felonies.

Police are not charging the driver, but are charging the 14-year-old. Officers are still searching for the other suspect who fled the scene.

LifeCare Alliance President and CEO Charles Gehring sent a note to LifeCare Alliance stakeholders Friday afternoon.

According to what we know,” Gehring said, “he is legally allowed to carry the weapon and, again, the young person pulled a gun on our driver. Our driver was not hurt and is home and resting. Like all of our drivers, he passed our extensive background checks.

Man shot and killed after breaking into Phoenix apartment

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — A 22-year-old man is dead after breaking into an apartment in Phoenix.

Phoenix police said officers responded to a shooting call in the area of 40th Street and Thomas Road around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

When officers arrived on the scene, they learned 22-year-old Luis Romero allegedly forced entry into the apartment of a man who was known to him.

According to police, Romero was shot by the resident of the apartment. The 22-year-old man was transported to an area hospital where he died from his injuries.

The man who lived in the apartment remained on the scene and cooperated with police.

Texas already has something similar to this

Tennessee bill would allow use of deadly force for a property crime

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The law in Tennessee is clear: You can use deadly force only in self-defense if you fear for your life or someone else’s, but, what if you could shoot someone who stole from you?

For now — that would be a felony. But a new bill expands the uses of deadly force.

“I think the last year has raised a lot of questions in Tennessee about whether you can use force or deadly force,” said John Harris, executive director of the Tennessee Firearms Association.

Harris said the thinks the destructive demonstrations and looting at the Davidson County Courthouse and the businesses along Lower Broadway this past May raised some concerns.

Now State Representative Jay Reedy has filed a bill that would allow a person to use deadly force to protect their property.

Harris said with police occupied elsewhere, store owners, for instance, under current law could not use lethal force to stop looting, and people are tired of it. Continue reading “”

Ohio Senate Approves Armed School Staff Legislation

There are already dozens of school districts across the state of Ohio that have armed school staff in place, but a lawsuit filed with the help of Everytown for Gun Safety is putting the legality of thousands of vetted and trained school staff in jeopardy. Parents in the Madison school district argue that under Ohio law, teachers and staff need to have the exact same training as police officers before they can legally carry, and the issue is currently before the state Supreme Court.

Lawmakers in the Buckeye State aren’t waiting for the court to decide if the current statutes allow for districts to determine their own training policies for armed school staff. On Wednesday, the state Senate approved legislation that specifically authorizes school staffers to carry without going through hundreds of hours of peace officer training.

State Sen. Bill Coley, a Butler County Republican sponsoring the bill, said the “court went off the reservation” with its ruling. The legislation, he said, would ensure that “school districts in my area of the state can have the same rights that all of your school districts in your areas of the state have.”

Gun-rights groups, including the National Rifle Association, have expressed support for SB 317, arguing local education officials should be allowed to determine the best policies for ensuring their schools are safe. The Madison Local School District put its policy in place after a 14-year-old student opened fire at Madison Junior-Senior High School in 2016, injuring four.

Several Democratic senators spoke against the legislation prior to the bill’s passage in the GOP-dominated Senate. They argued that the bill is unwanted by most Ohioans and makes schools less safe.

“No child in Ohio should have to worry about if there is a gun at school, or if the person with the gun has had proper training,” said state Sen. Hearcel Craig, a Columbus Democrat.

First off, no teacher or staff member in Ohio is carrying without first volunteering, being vetted, and then undergoing several days of training, typically through the Ohio FASTER program, which focuses specifically on stopping armed threats at school. Educators not only learn how to respond to an attack with their lawfully-carried firearm, but they learn de-escalation techniques, first aid, and other strategies to deal with an active assailant and the aftermath. Continue reading “”