Category: Safety

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.

As I understand it, the Israelis have these strict gun laws because they’re afraid the number of their citizens, who are actual Arabs, would more easily be armed to aid and assist their terrorist minded brethren when an opportunity presented itself.

Israeli National Security Minister Wants US Gun Laws at Home

Israel is a country in a tough spot. They have people who don’t just want to defeat them militarily all around them, and some inside their own borders, but who want them eliminated from the planet. They’re openly calling for genocide, and that includes voices all across the world, including within our own country, for some idiotic reason.

Because of that, there are certain laws in place that try to make the nation a tough target for anyone to take on.

You might be able to beat Israel in a war, but they’re damned sure going to make you pay for it first. They kind of take that “Never Again” thing seriously, and for good reason.

But they still have a lot of gun control. That’s not exactly conducive to being as hard a target as possible. Now, an Israeli minister has taken a look at the American gun culture and figures that Israel should adopt similar laws to the United States.

Israel’s controversial National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir recently visited the U.S., where he met with Jewish groups, law enforcement officials and politicians, as well as facing several clashes with protesters.

The shouting critics, however, did not appear to bother Ben-Gvir, who was a right-wing activist in his youth….

Prior to his meeting with Mast, Ben-Gvir had the chance to visit his home state where he saw something that he wanted to take back with him to Israel: gun culture.

Ben-Gvir has long been an advocate for wider distribution of firearms in Israel, and while he was visiting the U.S., he took time to see how America handles guns. He had the opportunity to visit both a shooting range and a gun store, which he said was “fascinating.”

“I was surprised by the quantity and types of weapons available. Even I haven’t reached that level,” Ben-Gvir told Fox News Digital.

He spoke about how critics have accused him of arming militias, which he denies. When speaking with Fox News Digital, Ben-Gvir said that the weapons he distributed in Israel “saved many lives.”

“I believe we need to learn a from the Americans. One of the important lessons is their policy on weapons,” Ben-Gvir told Fox News Digital. “I’m not sure I would distribute arms to the same extent, but I definitely believe in expanding access because citizens have the right to defend themselves.”

Gun culture in Israel has changed since the Oct. 7 massacre. Before the attacks, Israel was strict about who was eligible to obtain a firearm. Pre-Oct. 7, firearm licenses were restricted to those who live and work in high-risk areas, licensed tour guides and those who served with Israeli police or IDF security forces, among a few other specified categories, according to an Israeli government website from 2019.

Frankly, they should “distribute arms to the same extent” as the US, in part because then October 7th might have gone very differently. As it was, some Hamas fighters were killed by armed civilians who made the terrorists pay for all the Israeli blood they wanted to spill.

Yet more guns in more hands might have actually changed everything, up to and including potentially preventing that particular atrocity.

Less than a month before that attack, Hamas lashed out at armed Israelis.

*cough* *cough

They knew what they had planned and hoped to have more Israelis disarmed as a result, thus potentially making their vicious attack all the worse.

While not every Israeli would own a gun, even if they could do so easily, imagine what it would be like for the neighbors of the gun nuts who had a lot of AR-15s or AK-47-style rifles. Hamas is coming, but the neighborhood gun nut has put a fighting rifle in the hand of every man, woman, and child on the block with enough ammunition to beat back an army.

Or even just a few rifles among close friends.

Anything is better than being a sitting duck when so many people want you purged from humanity.

Kansas Supreme Court affirms product liability immunity of gun maker, seller in civil suit

Case centers on wounding of ESU football player in mishandling of Beretta

TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court agreed Friday with a district court decision tossing a lawsuit filed by a former Emporia State University football player shot by a teammate who mistakenly believed that disassembling his newly purchased handgun required pulling the trigger.

In 2018, Andre Lewis bought a Beretta APX 9mm handgun at Bass Pro Outdoor World in Olathe. While idling his Dodge Charger at a downtown Emporia stoplight several months later, Lewis decided to show his front-seat passenger, Marquise Johnson, that he knew how to take the gun apart. Court records show Lewis was convinced the gun wouldn’t fire with the magazine removed and that the trigger had to be pulled before disassembly the weapon.

Lewis was wrong on both counts, and the bullet that had been in the chamber struck Johnson in his left leg. The wound resulted in amputation of the limb below the knee.

Johnson’s attorneys filed a product liability lawsuit against gun manufacturer Beretta and retailer Bass Pro Shops. The suit alleged Bass Pro sold and Beretta manufactured a defective and unreasonably dangerous handgun.

“Unintentional shootings like Marquise Johnson’s are preventable,” said plaintiff’s attorney Jonathan Lowy. “Like any other product, guns can and should be made as safe as possible to make injuries less likely.”

The District Court in Lyons County granted summary judgment in favor of the firearm maker and seller based on a reading of the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. The PLCAA forbids lawsuits against manufacturers or sellers when a person criminally or unlawfully misused a firearm. This federal immunity designed to shield the gun industry wouldn’t hold if the gun was used as intended or in a reasonable way.

The case attracted an amicus brief from Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund that argued the immunity law applied only if the “volitional act, apart from the discharge, constitutes a criminal offense.”

In a split decision, the Kansas Court of Appeals reversed the district court and determined the federal statute didn’t offer immunity to defendants in this case because Lewis didn’t intend to discharge the gun.

In an appeal to the Kansas Supreme Court, however, the firearm manufacturer and dealer argued the Court of Appeals came to the wrong conclusion about application of the federal law and that liability immunity existed because Lewis deliberately pulled the trigger. The state Supreme court found that argument persuasive.

“We hold that firearm sellers’ interpretation is a better reasoned and more accurately reflects Congress’ intent as reflected in the text of the PLCAA,” said Supreme Court Justice K.J. Wall.

Wall, an appointee of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, said factual disputes about whether Lewis’ actions made him culpable for a criminal offense would typically be resolved by a jury. However, the justice said, it was a violation of state law for Lewis to discharge the gun on a public road.

“Under the unique facts of this case,” Walls wrote, “any dispute about Lewis’ mental state cannot save Johnson’s lawsuit from the PLCAA’s immunity provision.”

He said the Court of Appeals erred by reversing District Court Judge Merlin Wheeler’s decision to grant summary judgement against Johnson.

The court record indicated Lewis purchased the Beretta after reviewing Bass Pro Shop’s “10 commandments of safe gun handling,” which included a rule about keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Apparently, Lewis reviewed the rules before signing a form to acknowledge he had read them.

The Beretta was accompanied by a user manual that explained the gun could fire even after a magazine had been removed. In addition, the booklet stated the gun’s striker-deactivation button allowed users to disassemble the gun without pulling the trigger.

The Beretta APX had a warning stamped on the gun frame that was on point in the case: “FIRES WITHOUT MAGAZINE.”

Idaho Panhandle School Board Okays Armed Teachers

The St. Maries, Idaho School District, located in Benewah County at the confluence of the St. Joe and St. Maries rivers southeast of Coeur d’Alene Lake, has okayed teachers to carry guns on campus and in classrooms following a 4-0 vote to finalize the policy.

Under the policy described by the Spokane Spokesman-Review, in order for a staff member to be approved to carry on campus, he/she must have an Idaho enhanced concealed carry license, go through a background check and 40-hour firearms training course which includes de-escalation and threat assessment instruction, and they must be screened and interviewed by local law enforcement.

St. Maries is the largest city in Benewah County.

MyNorthwest noted that School Board Chairman Seth Stoke said none of the volunteer teachers or staff who are armed will be identified.

“They can assume that everybody is armed,” he said. “The whole idea is not knowing who is carrying.”

The plan is in reaction to a rise in school shootings over the past 25 years. MyNorthwest pointed to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which said “there were 1,453 school shootings from the 1997–1998 school year to the 2021–2022 school year.

“The most recent five school years have had a substantially higher number of school shootings than the prior 20 years,” the group said.

Firearms carried by staff must be personally owned, and either carried or placed in a district-approved lock box at all times.

The Spokesman-Review noted another development in school security is also in the works. The school board approved a three-year agreement with Panacea NW Region Corporation, a school security consulting firm based in Hayden, which is north of Coeur d’Alene. Panacea NW will conduct emergency response training with school district staff and parents.

The Spokane newspaper said a majority of residents in the community support the armed teacher program, while school staff is “about evenly split.” Some staff reportedly support having an armed school resource officer with the Sheriff’s Department on campus instead. Such an officer was hired last month, the Spokesman-Review reported.

Just my opinion, but the homeowner likely doesn’t really need time on a range to practice his marksmanship, but simply a reconsideration of whose lives he values more.

GA Sheriff Issues Warning After Armed Citizen Stops ‘Deranged’ Man From Climbing Through Child’s Window

A sheriff in Georgia is praising the actions of an armed homeowner who stopped a would-be intruder from gaining access to a child’s bedroom, while also issuing a warning to other criminals in the county.

Butts County Sheriff Gary Long says a man named Abdul Aquil is in custody in connection with the break-in, and is lucky to be alive after his encounter with the armed citizen. Aquil allegedly first tried to gain entry to the home through a bedroom window with a child on the other side, but the child’s father heard the commotion and interrupted the burglar as he was crawling inside.

Long said the father of the child “challenged the intruder and the suspect exited the window.”

According to Long, the father then went to his room and got a gun as Aquil busted the living room window, trying to get inside.

The father fired his gun, missing the suspect, but causing the suspect to run away.

Long said in a Facebook post, “The shot fired by the homeowner was UNFORTUNATELY about 8 inches too high, missing the intruder, which would have resulted in his death.”

Thankfully the errant shot didn’t hit anyone else either, but it did cause the suspect to turn tail and run away. Deputies caught up with Aquil a short distance away and took him into custody after what the sheriff’s office calls a “brief altercation” with law enforcement, and at last report he’s cooling his heels in the Butts County Jail.

Long, meanwhile, has two messages for residents of Butts County. In that Facebook post he “strongly” encouraged citizens who can legally possess a firearm to get their hands on one and attend a gun safety class hosted by the sheriff’s office, adding that “if the homeowner last night was not a gun owner, I am afraid the outcome could have been much different.

The sheriff’s message for those in Butts County who might be thinking of engaging in a little late-night burglary, on the other hand, is a warning that they should be aware they may very well come across a homeowner who won’t miss.

“To the criminals, listen up and pay close attention, if you decide to break into a home in Butts County, make sure you are ready to meet your maker. My staff and I will spend as much time as it takes to make sure the citizens of this County are well-trained, educated and capable of making great shots to protect their family and homes. So, unless you are prepared to die, I would highly recommend you to find a home in another County to burglarize, because this is not the one.”

Aquil is currently facing a litany of charges; including burglary, home invasion, terroristic threats, first-degree cruelty to children, and second-degree criminal damage to property. If convicted, Aquil could spend the next decade or more behind bars. In fact, Georgia’s home invasion statute has a mandatory minimum ten-year sentence, so Aquil is guaranteed to live out the next few years in custody if he’s found guilty on that charge alone.

The armed homeowner who defended their family isn’t facing any charges, and it sounds like it didn’t take investigators long at all to figure out that his errant shot was a justifiable use of force. Some range time might be in order, but thankfully the shot he fired didn’t need to strike its intended target to stop the threat posed by the would-be intruder.

Why Do I Have Guns? Because of People Like Taylor Lorenz.

Former New York Times and Washington Post “journalist” Taylor Lorenz is not a very good person, but I want to start by making it very clear that the headline is not a threat against her. I wish her absolutely no physical or even psychological harm from any kind of violent encounter.

No, I carry a gun because of people like her, but not so much because I’m looking to hurt them.
I’m looking to make sure me and mine don’t get hurt by the kind of people who want to impress people like her.

As you may have heard, Lorenz embarrassed herself by fawning over UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s alleged killer. Luigi Mangione reportedly shot Thompson with a privately made firearm with a privately made suppressor on the streets of one of the most anti-gun cities in the country.

Mangione is someone that, apparently, many women find to be a good-looking guy. He doesn’t do it for me, but then again, dudes never will.

Lorenz, however, celebrated the murder from the start, and in her latest comments during an interview with CNN, she literally called Mangione “moral.”

Yes, the guy accused of killing another, who Lorenz believes did it, was the moral one. A lot of people agree with her.

This is sick and twisted, especially as this kind of celebratory attitude encourages others to kill people they disagree with or simply don’t like because they did something “bad.”

Yet Lorenz isn’t exactly my biggest fan, apparently. She blocked me on X shortly after I criticized what one might laughingly call her work. I said she sucked at her job and she got bent out of shape over it. It’s safe to say, at least at that moment, that she probably thought I was a bad person.

And now we know what Lorenz wants to see happen to “bad people.”

In this day and age, there are a ton of people who think like this. They’re the people firebombing Tesla dealerships or plotting to kill President Donald Trump or Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro because they don’t like what they believe these people represent.

So why would anyone believe those deemed “bad” won’t become the target of people who want to be seen as “good” by their side, by people like Lorenz?

While I don’t think I’m likely to ever be the victim of any such thing, I’d be stupid to act like I’m impervious. That’s true of just about everyone out there, even those of us who don’t have a particularly high profile. I mean, despite being a health insurance CEO, Brian Thompson wasn’t that well known, all things considered.

People like Lorenz celebrate the murder of people they don’t like, which feeds into the idea that the ends justify even the most violent means. It doesn’t matter whether there are non-violent means available; they still support violence.

Taylor Lorenz will likely never act violently herself. Not for her politics and not for much of anything else, except maybe in her own defense.
But her and people like her celebrating and swooning over a killer and pretending he’s a hero has the potential to result in a whole lot more deaths than Luigi Mangione could have possibly carried out himself.

Just my personal opinion, but I’d add that knowing how to use that strength and knowing how and when to proficiently use your preferred firearm(s) are more important than merely being strong.

Training: You are the Operating System for Whatever Firearm You Choose to Use.

“Strength makes everything better.” Ryan “Matt” Reynolds said to the group of students gathered for the “Fight Strong” class in Camden, Tennessee at the Tactical Response headquarters. A couple of weeks prior, James Yeager had called me and said, “Matt Reynolds is coming up to do a strength class. You and Jarrad need to get your asses up here.” Having complete respect for James, I told him that we would be there.

At the time I was working out regularly in the gym that Jarrad and I were running in Biloxi, Mississippi. I would run on the treadmill, do heavy bag work, lift dumbbells, and even spar often, despite being well north of forty. I wondered, based upon my decades of exercise experience, if there was much I could learn in the class. Nonetheless, I parked my ego and made the trip. It would turn out not only to be truly beneficial, but it quite literally saved my life.

Strong People are Harder to Kill

The quote comes from Mark Rippetoe and was from an article he wrote for the Crossfit Journal, of all things. The full quote is, “Strong people are harder to kill than weak people, and more useful in general.”

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The Door Gun
Keep your friends close, and your defensive firearm closer.

When I was a kid just about every country home had what we called a “kitchen-door gun.”  That was an old .22 rifle or maybe a single-shot .410. It was used to dispatch unwanted critters from the porch or yard. Poisonous snakes would be a good example. Of course, the kitchen-door gun occasionally came into play when dealing with even more dangerous, and bigger, critters.

In today’s society, having a long gun safely stored near your external doors is really a good idea. Even though you may be wearing a defensive handgun, getting your hands on a long gun really increases your chances of surviving a criminal attack. In my own case, my door gun has evolved into a 12-gauge pump shotgun with an 18-inch barrel.

And I really don’t think the door gun has to be a shotgun. It should be whatever rifle or shotgun the individual handles best and feels most confident with. It might be a good idea to have a light attached to it and it is certainly a good idea to have extra ammunition attached. I also like the idea of the door gun being as short as legally possible in order to be more handy in working around a door or a confining foyer.

Living in the country, I have often thought that one of the modern coach guns would be an excellent idea. A short, double-barreled 12 gauge…or 20 gauge…with exposed hammers so that it can sit loaded without any springs being depressed. One barrel would hold a field load of #6 shot for little varmints and the other barrel would contain a full load of 00 buck for big varmints. Also, I’d want a butt cuff attached to hold some extra ammo.

Another good choice might be an AR with a collapsible butt stock because it is short and easy to handle in close confines. Again, a light and extra ammo carrier is a good idea.

The biggest challenge, should you decide to have door guns is finding a way to keep them out of sight and secure. The real challenge is to do that and still have them available on very short notice, while keeping them safe from unauthorized access. The individual will just have to study his own dwelling and situation to work out a solution. Of course, it is important that every family member authorized to use the door gun be trained in its safe operation and know how to handle it safely.

When properly thought out, the door gun is a country tradition that is just an awfully good idea regardless of where a person resides.

GSCC police set to host Advanced Women’s Self-Defense Class

The Gadsden State Community College Police Department will host a free Advanced Women’s Self-Defense Class on Saturday, April 19, at the Beck Conference Center on the Wallace Drive [Gadsden, Alabama] Campus.

This empowering and educational course is open to the public for women ages 13 and up and will run from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and resume after lunch from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., for those wanting to attend the shooting range portion.

Designed to build confidence and equip participants with valuable tools to protect themselves, the class will include hands-on training and cover the following key topics:

  • Situational Awareness
  • Legal Insights
  • Hands-on Self-Defense Techniques
  • Firearm Awareness and Safety

An optional shooting range session will be available to participants from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. for those who bring a functioning handgun and 50 rounds of ammunition.

The event is made possible through the support of our exceptional instructors from various agencies and local sponsors.

“This class is about more than just physical defense—it’s about empowering women with knowledge, confidence, and a strong sense of preparedness,” said Jay Freeman, Chief of Police at Gadsden State Community College. “We want every participant to leave feeling stronger, smarter, and more capable of protecting themselves and those around them.”

Are SIG P320 Discharges Really About the Gun… or Just Overloaded Duty Rigs?

Another day, another headline dragging the SIG P320 through the mud. This time, it’s the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission banning the P320 from its academy due to concerns over accidental discharges. Recruits who were issued the striker-fired SIG are now being handed loaner guns for firearms training.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock—or purposefully tuned out the noise—you’ve probably seen the P320 lawsuits, user complaints, and media blitzes. Considering the P320 is the U.S. military’s standard sidearm and one of the top-selling pistols in the country, controversy was inevitable.

But is it really about the gun? Or are we ignoring something bigger?

Holster Mishap or Firearm Flaw?

Seattle’s KING-5 News recently covered an incident involving a sheriff’s deputy responding to a call involving an emotionally disturbed individual. During the takedown, a round discharged from the deputy’s holstered P320. No injuries, fortunately.

But here’s where it gets weird: the agency claimed the discharge was caused by a loose handcuff arm getting into the trigger guard while still holstered.

You read that right.

The holster in question was fitted for a weapon-mounted light, which inherently adds bulk and leaves a wider opening. That extra room between the gun and the holster mouth? It’s an invitation. Whether it’s a cuff arm, zipper pull, drawstring, or even a suspect’s finger during a scuffle, you’ve now got a clear path to the trigger.

We’re not looking at a design defect. We’re looking at a setup fail.

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Tesla attacks and political unrest spark ‘self-defense’ gun sales

Political unrest urged by anti-Trump liberals, coupled with attacks on Tesla vehicles and dealerships due to founder Elon Musk’s close association with the president, appears to be pushing some people to buy guns for self-defense.

According to the marketing director for one of the nation’s largest gun sellers, customers are buying up smaller concealed carry firearms despite a slight drop in overall gun sales recorded by the FBI’s background check system.

“Economic pressure continues to affect our business, though we are still seeing steady sales of self-defense and concealed carry handguns,” said Justin Anderson, the marketing director for Hyatt Guns of Charlotte, North Carolina.

“If news of people torching Tesla dealerships is any indication, this summer is going to be a difficult one, especially in major American cities. Civil disturbances have traditionally fueled an uptick in gun sales, especially in the home and self-defense sector,” he told Secrets.

In its analysis of March FBI background checks, the National Shooting Sports Foundation said sales likely hit 1,386,724. That was a 3.8% drop compared to March 2024.

Graphic courtesy National Shooting Sports Foundation

Still, it continued a several yearslong sales explosion of over 1 million firearms a month.

“Over 1.3 million times, Americans freely approached the gun counter to lawfully exercise their Second Amendment freedoms. Economic challenges notwithstanding, this is indicative of the desire of Americans to safely and responsibly keep and bear arms. Americans continue to invest in their freedom and safety because it still remains a high priority,” said Mark Oliva, spokesman for NSSF, the industry trade group.

The number could be higher because 24 states issue permits that allow those who have already passed a federal background check to buy again without having to go through the FBI system.

Anderson said his customers have been buying self-defense firearms even though they are concerned about the economy, which has been recently shaken by President Donald Trump’s push for record trade tariffs that have thrust confusion into financial markets.

“That slight upward movement lets me know that people, despite having little disposable income, are unsure about the future and are taking out an insurance policy in the form of a firearm,” he said.

And as the Trump moves shake out, he added, the gun industry is hitting the pause button on expansion until clarity returns to the economic outlook.

“We are taking a wait-and-see approach to wholesale purchasing right now, and focusing our efforts in other parts of our business,” Anderson said.

Civilian gun club wins lawsuit against Fort Devens for violating their rights
Gun club had to file a lawsuit against the Fort in 2022.

A small civilian gun club located just 50 miles northwest of Boston has won a “landmark” lawsuit against nearby Fort Devens for violating their rights and federal law by denying them access to military rifle ranges at reasonable rates.

The Ft. Devens Rifle & Pistol Club, Inc., filed suit in 2022 claiming that Fort officials were charging range fees in violation of federal law, according to club treasurer Jim Gettens, a retired attorney who assisted with the legal fight.

Gettens said Monday that his club’s victory was a major “David vs. Goliath” event.

“They were running an illegal profiteering racket,” he said. “That’s the best way to describe it. This was a landmark case.”

Gettens and other club members noticed that their problems with the range began only three days after Joe Biden took office in 2022, which they said would never have happened under President Donald Trump’s Administration.

At issue was a little-known section of U.S. code that requires the Army to make rifle and pistol ranges available for civilian use as long as it does not interfere with military training, and it prohibits officials from charging exorbitant fees for range access.

Another federal statute requires the Army to provide logistical support to the Civilian Marksmanship Program. The Fort Devens Rifle & Pistol Club, Inc., is an affiliate of both the Civilian Marksmanship Program and the National Rifle Association.

For decades prior to the 2020 election, club members had been using a wide array of rifle and pistol ranges at Fort Devens free of charge. Club members supplied their own targets, ammunition, Range Safety Officers and other supplies. They even policed their own brass. Most of the club members are veterans, so they are intimately familiar with range safety protocols and other best practices. To be clear, in terms of taxpayer dollars, the club cost the Fort very little, which is why club member were so surprised when the Fort began charging them.

Just days after the 2020 election, the club was notified in writing that they would have to start paying a minimum of $250 per range, and that the fees would increase based upon the total number of shooters.

The bottom line was that Fort Devens tried to charge personnel costs for Range Safety Officers and technicians who were never there. In addition, a range staff member admitted in a memorandum that the range was unable to prove maintenance, supply and repair costs because the Fort never kept any such records.

“The odds were certainly stacked against us,” Getten said Monday. “As it turned out, the U.S. Army Garrison at Fort Devens croaked themselves with their own administrative records. A range officer filed a memo for the record admitting they kept no maintenance, supply or repair records—one of the most egregious abuses. We detailed all of this stuff in a memorandum in support for summary judgement. We just destroyed them.”

While the gun club won and can stop paying fraudulent fees, hundreds of civilian police officers are still charged for their time at the range, which Getten said is a legal problem for their agencies.

“Non-DoD law enforcement officers, state police and municipal police departments are still paying out the wazoo for all of those costs,” Getten said. “Non-DoD law enforcement agencies should not be getting hosed the way they are. Also, ICE, FBI, U.S. Customs and other federal law enforcement agencies pay out the wazoo for their range time and pass the costs onto taxpayers.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julian N. Canzoneri, who defended the government against the gun club’s lawsuit, did not return phone calls or emails seeking his comments for this story.

Dad spent nearly 2 years stationed on Guam between WW2 and the Korean War.

AG: Self-defense is ‘inherent right’

There are many scenarios that can justify the use of deadly force, for instance, a home invasion or a person carrying a machete while aggressively approaching you on your property. Both could be arguments for the castle doctrine law on Guam, but as Attorney General Douglas Moylan stressed, the facts must support that an imminent threat of death or serious injury was present.

On Saturday, the Francisco C. Chargualaf Gymnasium filled with residents of Malesso’ and the surrounding southern villages. All wanted to learn more about the laws in place that allow them to protect themselves and others through deadly force on their property and curtilage.

Moylan explained that through the castle doctrine, Guam law provides homeowners the right to use deadly force to defend their homes or vehicles with protection from prosecution when acting against threats such as home invaders and burglars.

“This isn’t just about firearms, OK? This is about any weapon that you use. The focus of the law is a right to self-defense and the right to use deadly force, and there is a presumption that if, in certain areas, that you’re threatened, you have a right to use deadly force. Whether you’re using a machete, a knife, a bow and arrow, anything that causes the potential injury or death to another person, that is what the castle doctrine speaks to,” Moylan told the audience in attendance.

Moylan referenced the recent amendment to the castle doctrine, which extends those “certain areas” to curtilage.

Curtilage legally refers to the immediate land and buildings surrounding a home. An example would be the yard between the front door and public easement, where children may play or an area where one can expect to have reasonable privacy from government intrusion, like a shed at the back of a home.

“There is an inherent right for everybody to be able to protect themselves and to protect their loved ones and to protect one another,” Moylan said.

Several southern residents who spoke presented scenarios like a homeowner catching a thief stealing a lawn mower as the suspect turns to get away. Or an individual trespassing on property and taking produce and firing a warning shot. They all questioned how to know if the requirements of the castle doctrine are met in different scenarios.

“No. 1 is, whenever you’re confronted with a situation, always try to think when is the last moment can I use deadly force? If you do that, and … if you have the presence of mind to be able to think, I’m not going to, for instance, if you have a gun, I’m not going to immediately shoot what I’m seeing in my house, which the castle doctrine, I think, was originally designed for. But I (the homeowner) want to figure out (how) not to harm somebody as much as possible until they become that clear and present danger to you. Because if you use that type of rule, you’re probably going to be able to get through our AG’s office analysis when the police come there and do the police report and then send it up to our office so that we don’t charge you,” Moylan said.

However, Moylan cautioned against pulling the trigger on a retreating culprit.

“And just to jump to the front of the line here, if you guys see the guy that came into your house at 2 o’clock at night, turn around and then try to get out of the house because he saw you, you guys made eye contact. Please don’t shoot him,” Moylan said.

While Moylan was not advocating for shooting another person, recognizing that many crimes committed in Guam are fueled by methamphetamine addiction, he did support the right to defend oneself as allowed in the castle doctrine law.

“You can use deadly force if the person is using a weapon against you. You have to use nondeadly force if the person is coming to just fight you,” Moylan said. “You can’t just pull out the firearm and shoot him in the street.”

Application of the castle doctrine law comes down to the “fact patterns” of the case and whether the AG green lights the prosecution.

“So, you literally can have somebody killed by you, the police officer would put together the report, what they’re seeing, different statements, and then it would come up to the AG’s office. My first group would be looking at it and, especially if it caught my attention, it would be brought to me, or they would have the sense of mind to bring it to me, and then I would sit down with them and then go over the facts on what happened,” Moylan said noting the need for the facts to justify the use of deadly force.

Moylan referenced the Dave Barber Shop shooting, where the shop owner shot a burglar in the leg as the suspect entered their private living quarters. He noted the shop owner was afforded criminal and civil protections of the castle doctrine law and not charged.

Moylan encouraged residents, if faced with the need to use deadly force against an aggressor at home or in a vehicle, to aim for the leg or fire a warning shot.

“When you shoot somebody, you don’t need to hit them between the eyes. You don’t need to hit them necessarily in the heart. You can hit him in the leg. You can hit him in the kneecap,” Moylan said.

Moylan repeatedly stressed that castle doctrine law does not protect one’s property from theft or damage. For the doctrine to apply, the threat of imminent loss of life or serious bodily injury must be present to respond with deadly force.

WINNING: CA Democrat Withdraws His Own Anti-Self Defense Bill in State Assembly

In a victory for common sense, human rights, and the Second Amendment, a California Democrat assemblyman, Rick Zbur, has withdrawn his own bill, which would have gutted legal protections for innocent citizens who use force in self-defense.

The California Globe has more details on AB 1333:

Assemblyman Rick Zbur (D-Los Angeles) announced late on Wednesday that he would be withdrawing his new self-defense limitation bill following significant public backlash and confusing language in the bill.

Assembly Bill 1333, which was introduced last month, would have eliminated certain circumstances under which homicide is justifiable, including, among others, in defense of a habitation or property. The bill would have also additionally clarified circumstances in which homicide is not justifiable, including, among others, when a person uses more force than necessary to defend against a danger.

Zbur said that AB 1333 would simply close a “legal loophole” over public confrontations and then claiming self-defense. However, AB 1333 instead sparking public outrage. Many pointed out that the bill would severely limit self defense against crime and leave open questions into when homicide was and wasn’t legal.

In non-political speech, this law could have implemented serious legal dangers, with one GOP assemblyman calling it a “complete assault on self defense.” Both Republicans and Democrats balked, forcing Zbur to withdraw the bill:

“This bill is a complete assault on self defense!” said Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) last month. “Imagine this: A violent criminal breaks into your home, and YOU have to second-guess whether defending your family is ‘justifiable.’ The misguided energy behind this proposal is beyond comprehension.”

Flooded with criticism from both Republicans and some Democrats, Zbur swiftly responded on X, saying that he wanted to target vigilantes and that AB 1333 would be amended soon to clarify the bill language.

As with so many poorly thought-out gun and self-defense laws, this proposal would never have any effect on criminals but would only serve to place innocent citizens in the position to choose between suffering a criminal attack or suffering legal hassles and possible jail time.

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Bill Allowing Armed Teachers, Staff Moving in West Virginia House

Legislation to allow armed teachers and staff for classroom defense is set to come before the West Virginia House.

The bill, HB 2187, passed the West Virginia House Education Committee, according to WSAZ.  It is next scheduled for the House Judiciary Committee.

HB 2187 amends the language of current West Virginia law “relating to possessing deadly weapons on premises of educational facilities; authorizing teachers, administrators, or support personnel in elementary or secondary schools to carry concealed firearms and be designated as a school protection officer (SPO).”

The bill also sets forth “information” and “certain qualifications” that must be met in order for a teacher or staff member to become an SPO.

In addition to concealed firearms, SPOs would be able to carry “stun guns or tasers.”

LootPress pointed out that SPO applicants must already have a concealed carry permit and will undergo additional training under the auspices of the “Security Protection Officer Training Program.” The training program includes “firearms training, de-escalation techniques, crisis intervention, active shooter response, trauma care, and other security-related topics.”

Rand.org noted that “at least 28 states allow schools to arm teachers or staff (not just trained guards or peace officers) in at least some cases or as part of specific programs,” as of January 1, 2024.

CNN observed that on April 26, 2024, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) signed legislation allowing armed teachers in the Volunteer State. This puta the number of states allowing armed teachers for classroom defense up to at least 29.

Tennessee moved to arm teachers after Nashville Metropolitan Police Chief John Drake indicated the March 27, 2023, school shooter originally planned to hit another target, but chose the Christian school instead because it had less security. Six innocents were killed in the school, where no one was armed for classroom defense.

BLUF
Heroic citizens stopping bad guys would be just as interesting to watch as police stopping crimes, but permit holders are rarely portrayed that way on television. This reluctance to show normal good guys with guns endangers public safety by fostering a false perception that armed civilians are more of a threat than a solution.

If we truly care about public safety, we should acknowledge the proven role that responsible gun owners play in stopping violent attacks — rather than avoiding the truth for the sake of an anti-gun agenda.

Study: Concealed Carriers Do A Better Job Of Stopping Active Shooters Than Police

You’d never know it from watching television, but civilians stop more active shooters than police and do so with fewer mistakes, according to new research from the Crime Prevention Research Center, where I serve as president. In non-gun-free zones, where civilians are legally able to carry guns, concealed carry permit holders stopped 51.5 percent of active shootings, compared to 44.6 percent stopped by police, CPRC found in a deep dive into active shooter scenarios between 2014 and 2023.

Not only do permit holders succeed in stopping active shooters at a higher rate, but law enforcement officers face significantly greater risks when intervening. Our research found police were nearly six times more likely to be killed and 17 percent more likely to be wounded than armed civilians.

Those numbers paint a fuller picture than the FBI’s crime statistics, which fail to include many of the defensive gun uses my organization has cataloged. But the problem with the FBI’s crime statistics isn’t just the errors in their reported data — they also fail to address useful questions, like how concealed handgun permit holders compare to law enforcement. Kash Patel and Dan Bongino face a major challenge in reforming how the data is collected and reported at the FBI.

What We Found

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