Category: Self Defense
We need gun rights because men aren’t angels
Being an advocate for individual rights and civil liberties can be difficult. When terrorists attack, when the economy fails, when a pandemic strikes, and yes, when evil visits schools , the natural instinct is to demand security above all else.
So, after each tragedy, I easily understand the reaction that soon fills my social media feeds: “We have to do something. There should be laws restricting guns so they don’t get in the hands of these deranged murderers.”
The logical impulse for those of us who defend private gun ownership is to avoid such discussions altogether, to let the passions settle. But on the contrary, it’s more important than ever to present our position with clear-eyed resolve.
Even against the backdrop of each latest tragedy, I still support the fundamental right to armed self-defense. Especially in an imperfect world where madness abounds, I oppose policies that would restrict legal gun ownership by law-abiding citizens.
I say this despite having grown up in Canada and never owned a gun. I’ve shot handguns and rifles about a dozen times at friends’ invitations but have never gone hunting. For about a decade before moving to the Virginia suburbs, I lived in Washington, D.C., where, despite the Supreme Court’s 2008 ruling in Heller, it’s still hard to obtain a firearm and near impossible to carry one legally. So I hope you can accept that I’m not a “gun nut.”
But you don’t have to be crazy about guns to recognize that no law could make the 400 million firearms in America disappear. Even making it illegal to own a gun wouldn’t prevent a criminal or madman from carrying out the malevolent deed to which he has committed himself. Robust policies to prevent legal gun ownership only translate to guns being overwhelmingly possessed by those willing to break the law — that is, criminals.
Written after the Parkland School shooting, but still applicable today
Israel Has Only Had 2 School Attacks in 44 Years, Here’s How They Make Sure Their Kids Are Safe
In the wake of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting that claimed 17 lives last week, there has been a renewed debate surrounding gun control and children’s safety, leading some to make a comparison to the changes Israel made in response to a terror attack more than four decades ago.
In 1974, Palestinian terrorists took over the Netiv Meir Elementary School in what has been called the “Ma’alot Massacre,” which left 22 children dead and many others injured.
The attack forced Israel to come up with a solution in order to prevent such a situation from ever happening again. The nation requires its schools to have a security system, and that policy is still going strong after 40 years.
The results are clearly evident, as there have only been two successful attacks at Israeli schools since 1974, according to Dr. Ted Noel, writing in American Thinker. Noel wrote that “in both cases, the bad guys were killed by armed teachers.”
According to Red State, Israel’s Ministry of Education funds school security, which ranges from shelters and fences to armed and trained guards at every gate.
To take it a step further, Israel also prepares its students and teachers for the slight chance a gunman does get through security by teaching them to be proactive in times of terror by barricading a door or sensing the ripe opportunity to get away safely.
The guards on the doorsteps of Israel’s schools are also trained to look for any suspicious activity, which usually deters anyone with ill intent from entering in the first place.
That added layer of protection, argues Noel, is a proactive step in shielding children from the gunman. Once the shooters are past school gates, the damage is irreversible and quick to happen since any and all faculty and students immediately become targets.
“The Israelis saw this and got busy,” Noel wrote. “They knew that the vast majority of terror attacks are stopped not by police, but by armed civilians.”
“So they started training teachers in firearms use,” he added. “Those teachers took out the bad guys in the two incidents since the Ma’alot Massacre.”
Noel wrote that once a shooter is no longer in a “free fire zone,” the situation — and the possible outcome — is likely to change, as he becomes a potential target.
“On top of that, he doesn’t know which of the staff might be ready to shoot, or where they might be coming from,” Noel said. “In short, only an idiot would try to shoot up a school with a trained staff of shooters.”
This sentiment was echoed by CNN‘s Steve Cortes, who suggested that guns may not be the problem in the U.S. as much as America’s lack of security when it comes to its children. Cortes compared Wednesday’s shooting not just with Israel, but a disaster that didn’t involve any bullets whatsoever.
“Since the awful Our Lady of the Angels elementary school fire of 1958, which killed 92 students and 3 nuns, there has not been a large casualty school fire in America,” Cortes wrote. “Why? Because we took myriad precautions since then: better fire exits, more extinguishers and sprinklers, routine fire drills, etc.”
“Water squelches a fire,” he added. “And only a gunman, I would argue, can stop another gunman.”
The recent conversation around gun control suggests that an added layer of protection would not only improve school security but also prevent the government from infringing on the Second Amendment, as well as prove that guns aren’t necessarily the problem — people are.
Cortes added to this idea when he argued that stricter gun control laws have failed the world, as seen in the 2015 Paris Bataclan nightclub attack and numerous other incidents, as those who wish harm upon others will always find a way to do so.
“Evildoers, by definition, do not respect our rules and will find ways to skirt them,” Cortes added, suggesting the only sure-fire way to combat these horrific acts is to improve school security and put America’s children first.
“Let’s value our children like the treasure they are and guard them accordingly,” he said. “How? Let’s start with key cards, fences, entry checks, biometric scanners, and — yes — armed guards, and a lot of them.”
Victim shoots Hammond teen after robbery and altercation; suspect’s mother also arrested
HAMMOND, La. (WVUE) – A 17-year-old was shot in the chest after getting into a struggle with a resident in what the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office is saying was an armed robbery.
District Attorney Scott Perrilloux’s office says that Ermonee “Money” Bell, 17, of Hammond, will be charged as an adult due to the severity of the crimes. Bell faces armed robbery, attempted first-degree murder, and one count of illegal carrying of a weapon.
TPSO Chief Jimmy Travis also said that Bell’s mother, Prince Felder Bell, 42, has been arrested and faces a charge of one count of improper supervision of a minor.
Travis says that the incident occurred on Sat., May 14 on Klein Road where they found Bell suffering from a gunshot wound on the scene. He was later sent to North Oaks Medical Center for care.
Deputies determined that during a robbery, the victim fought back and shot Bell.
Bell was booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail on Mon., May 23.
Another School Shooting in a Place where teachers and staff were banned from carrying guns
A shooting at a Texas elementary school left [18] children and [2] teacher[s] murdered. While about 30% of school districts in Texas 2020 had armed teachers and staff, unfortunately, the Robb Elementary School in the Uvalde, Texas CISD doesn’t appear to be one of them. Their firearm regulations are detailed here. There are no provisions in their regulations for teachers or staff to carry.
The attack in Buffalo, New York illustrates once again how these murderers are attracted to places where the victims are not armed. In his manifesto, he wrote: “areas where CCW are outlawed or prohibited may be good areas of attack.”
Unfortunately, as we found in our 2019 study, despite 20 states allowing teachers or staff to carry guns, all the school shootings have occurred in schools that don’t allow them to carry. From the abstract of our study.
Currently there are about 50.6 million students enrolled is US public schools between aprx. 98,000 schools. With the 40 billion we sent to Ukraine with a pop. of 44 million we could have invested $408,000 per school to defend our own! #ImpeachBiden
— 🦍 Nik 🦍 (@nekramp) May 25, 2022
Uvalde, Texas school shooting: 14 students, one teacher killed, suspected shooter dead, Gov. Abbott says
Salvador Romas,18, killed multiple children and a teacher at an elementary school in Uvalde, a small city located 80 miles west of San Antonio, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said
A mass shooting at a Texas elementary school killed 14 children and one teacher Tuesday and the suspected gunman was killed, Gov. Greg Abbott said.
Abbott identified the suspect as Salvador Romas, a Uvalde resident, who is also dead and acted alone, authorities said. He had a handgun and possibly a rifle when he opened fire at Robb Elementary School, he said. Two police officers were shot and wounded but were expected to survive, Abbott said.
“Texans across the state are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime and for the community of Uvalde. Cecilia and I mourn this horrific loss and we urge all Texans to come together to show our unwavering support to all who are suffering,” he said in a statement.
The shooter was likely killed by responding officers but the investigation was still ongoing, authorities said.
A law enforcement officer helps people cross the street at Uvalde Memorial Hospital after a shooting was reported earlier in the day at Robb Elementary School on Tuesday. (Billy Calzada/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)
The Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers have been instructed to work with local law enforcement.
As the incident unfolded, Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin told Fox News that the shooter had become barricaded inside. The school, located 80 miles west of San Antonio, serves students in the second, third and fourth grades.
“There is an active shooter at Robb Elementary. Law enforcement is on site,” the school posted on Facebook shortly after shots rang out. “Your cooperation is needed at this time by not visiting the campus.”
University Health in San Antonio said it received two patients – a child and a 66-year-old woman who is in critical condition. The condition of the child was not released. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been briefed on the shooting.
The agency is also coordinating with local and state authorities. Uvalde Memorial Hospital said Tuesday evening it was having an emergency blood drive on Wednesday, though it was not clear if the event is related to the shooting.
The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District first reported the school lockdown at 11:43 a.m. local time.
“Please know at this time all campuses are under a Lockdown Status due to gunshots in the area. The students and staff are safe in the buildings,” the district had said in a message to parents.
The district initially asked parents not to pick up their children and that students needed to be accounted for before being released. Parents were notified to pick up their children around 2 p.m.
All district and campus activities, including after-school programs and events have been canceled. Parents were being asked to pick up their children at their regular dismissal times at their school campus. School bus transportation has also been canceled.
Police officers will escort students to the parent vehicles.
Folks, I don’t know how many times I’ve posted about this.
IF THE SCHOOL YOU SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO DOES NOT HAVE ARMED SECURITY ON SITE, and by that I mean not just uniformed armed ‘School Resource Officers’, but also armed teachers and staff, you do not have a ‘Gun Free Zone’ but a shooting gallery with your children as the targets.
It’s a continual amazement to me that parents apparently have to still learn this the hard way
‘I had to do what I had to do:’ Florida woman, 69, shoots, kills intruder
ORLANDO, Fla. – A 69-year-old woman shot and killed an intruder Sunday afternoon during a home invasion in Orange County, according to sheriff’s officials.
The fatal shooting happened around 12:30 p.m. in the 6500 block of Bentwood Street, near Colonial Drive and Semoran Boulevard.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to a burglary in progress and found a man in who had been shot by the homeowner. Deputies later identified the man as 38-year-old Ezequiel Rosario-Torres.
The man was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, deputies said.
“I feel sorry for his family, but I had to do what I had to do,” said Virginia Morrison, who owns the home.
The sheriff’s office told News 6 that the man entered the home and startled Morrison, who asked the man to leave. She shot the man when he refused to leave the property, according to deputies.
Morrison, who is cooperating with investigators, told detectives that she had never seen the man before.
“Something wasn’t right with the man,” she said, adding that he didn’t say a word. “He had a blank look on his face.”
She said she thought her fiance was outside, so the door to the house was unlocked.
Morrison said the stranger stepped inside so she asked him who he was and what he wanted, but he did not respond.
“I said, ‘I’m getting my damn gun.’ So I went to my bedroom and got my gun and I went out the back door and I came to the fence and he sees me and he starts toward me,” Morrison said. “I fired a shot above him, then said, ‘Back off, dude. I’ll shoot you.’ And he kept coming toward me, so I shot him.”
Morrison said it was the first time she’s ever used her gun.
“Keep your doors locked. Anybody can walk into your house now,” she said. “I killed a man. I didn’t intend to do that. I’m trying to protect me and (my fiance).”
The state attorney’s office will determine whether charges will be filed in the case.
An investigation is ongoing.
Comment O’ The Day
The robbery rattled residents in the area. “I thought this was a very safe neighborhood,” Walnut resident Elaine Thai told CBS News Los Angeles.
It’s sad that people have to get such a wake up call to realize that no one neighborhood is any more ‘safe’ than another. This has been proven time and time again, yet people continually are shocked when their ‘bubble’ gets popped.
Suspect Killed In LA County Home Invasion Robbery
A young couple found an intruder in their Walnut home early Saturday morning and shot one of two suspects, according to sheriff’s officials.
WALNUT, CA — A suspected home-invasion robber was shot and killed in a confrontation with residents in Walnut over the weekend and a second suspect is at large, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.
The shooting occurred early Saturday morning when a husband and wife heard footsteps inside their home in the 20000 block of East Country Hollow Drive, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
A 27-year-old man and his 26-year-old wife heard strange noises at about 4 a.m. and went to investigate when the man “was confronted by a male suspect armed with a handgun and a shooting ensued,” sheriff’s officials said.
“The suspect sustained gunshot wounds to his upper torso and was pronounced deceased at the scene,” the sheriff’s department said.
Neither resident was injured in the shooting, and the suspect’s gun was recovered at the scene, according to the Los Angeles sheriff’s Department.
A second suspect fled the location. The robbery rattled residents in the area.
“I thought this was a very safe neighborhood,” Walnut resident Elaine Thai told CBS News Los Angeles.
Walnut officials stressed the city’s safety Sunday and said the sheriff’s department would be “utilizing all of their resources to investigate” the shooting death of a suspected burglar by a homeowner.
“The City of Walnut places safety as a top priority within this community and crime rates have been continually low compared to neighboring cities,” according to a statement released Sunday by the city. “This type of incident is uncommon in our City and the Walnut Sheriff’s Station will be utilizing all of their resources to investigate the matter.
“The City of Walnut is relieved the homeowners are safe and were able to defend himself, his family and his home. We will continue to work with the Walnut Sheriffs to keep the residents of our community safe. We as a Council are committed to the public safety of our residents,” the statement continued.
MAYOR ADAMS OFFERS VERY BAD ‘BE VERY CONCERNED’ ADVICE TO NEW YORKERS
Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams was elected to get his city back on a path to safety. He’s instead continued down the path of his predecessors to punish law-abiding New Yorkers. He’s failed to turn the focus and resources towards those that commit crimes and hold them to account.
The result is crime surging and Mayor Adams’s recent “big announcement” was a nationalized gun control plan that will do little in his city.
Mayor Adams is facing the likelihood that the U.S. Supreme Court will strike down New York’s restrictive “may issue” pistol permitting law, his plan is to instill fear over confidence. He told media, “We should be very afraid. I’m very concerned.”
The Stakes
New York is one of just eight “may issue” states that restrict concealed carry permits to law-abiding gun owners based on the whims of bureaucrats. New Yorkers must first prove they have a “good enough” reason before a government agency allows a permit to protect oneself outside the home. This differs from other states where if a firearm owner who passes the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) verification and applies for a carry permit, the state “shall issue” the permit.
States with “may issue” restrictions are ripe for corruption. California and New York – specifically in Mayor Adams’s New York City – are prime examples of why the law should be struck down. In 2016, federal prosecutors uncovered a pay-to-play scheme within the New York Police Department’s licensing division where workers were paid thousands of dollars to rubber-stamp carry permits. Four officers connected to the scheme were arrested.
The corruption is disgusting enough but the right for law-abiding Americans to carry a firearm shouldn’t be left to arbitrary whims and inconsistent decision makers. The landmark 2008 U.S. Supreme Court Heller decision recognized the pre-existing right of Americans to own and possess firearms for self-defense. The court will shortly rule on New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen challenging New York’s “may issue” law in the coming weeks.
False Forecasting
Mayor Adams likely sees the writing on the walls. Make no mistake, a Supreme Court ruling that strikes down NYSRPA v. Bruen is a good thing for law-abiding New Yorkers and Americans protecting themselves and their families. The prospect of “may issue” laws falling, though, has national gun control groups, President Joe Biden, New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Adams scared.
At a press conference, the mayor was asked about the imminent ruling. The city, despite his new leadership, is still facing an ongoing crime spike and violence.
“This is a significant issue for our city: it is the right to carry. After what we saw what the Supreme Court did on abortions, we should be very afraid,” Mayor Adams said, referring to a pending gun rights case. “In a densely populated community like New York, this ruling could have a major impact on us.” He continued, saying, “But we should all be concerned.”
The mayor is flat wrong. No greater example exists than the recent Brooklyn subway attack, where one individual targeted innocent New Yorkers left defenseless by New York’s strict gun laws.
Attempted robbery in Antioch turns into self-defense fatal shooting
One man dead, another hospitalized after gunfire at apartment
ANTIOCH — One man died and another was injured after gunfire at an apartment early Friday that resulted from an attempted robbery, police said.
Police did not make any arrests and called the shooting a case of self-defense. Authorities did not identify either man immediately.
The self-defense shooting was one of two that occurred in the eastern area of Contra Costa County early Friday. An Oakley woman also fatally shot a man against whom she had filed a restraining order for elder abuse, police said.
The Antioch shooting happened about 3:30 a.m. in the 2100 block of Lemontree Way, police Sgt. Matthew Koch said in a statement.
Officers arrived after hearing reports of a shooting and found both men injured, Koch said. A 37-year-old died at the scene, and a 29-year-old was in stable condition at a hospital Friday, Koch said.
According to police, the 37-year-old tried to force the 29-year-old resident into his apartment unit and wanted to rob him. The resident got his hands on a gun — police did not say if the gun belonged to the homeowner — and shot the suspect, fatally wounding him. Before he died, the 37-year-old returned fire, hitting the resident in the lower body, police said.
An ambulance took the younger man to a hospital. Authorities did not immediately identify the person killed, pending confirmation of their identity and notification of next of kin.
Oakley [California] Woman Fatally Shoots Man in Self-Defense
A woman shot and killed a man in Oakley early Friday in a case that police are treating as self-defense.
Officers responded at 12:39 a.m. to a report of a 51-year-old man shot in the 200 block of West Cypress Road.
The man was found in the driveway of a home and succumbed to his injuries at the scene, police said. His name has not been released.
Investigators detained three people at the home and learned that a 74-year-old woman there has an elder abuse restraining order against the man because of a history of physical violence, and more alleged violence by the man led her to shoot him in self-defense, according to police.
The woman was not taken into custody.
Not unexpected. They demand the drivers be helpless
Uber suspends driver who shot alleged cop impersonator in Buckhead
An Uber driver who shot a man Sunday in presumed self-defense has been suspended from the ride-share platform while the company investigates.
The man she shot, 21-year-old Tyriq Wiggins-Younger, followed the driver about two miles from a motel on Cheshire Bridge Road to a Target store on Peachtree Road in Buckhead, where Atlanta police said he crashed into her car and she shot him multiple times. No charges are pending against the Uber driver, but Wiggins-Younger is facing several charges, including impersonating an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department.
In newly released 911 audio, the Uber driver told authorities she had never seen the man before and thought he was trying to kill her. She is frantic as she stays on the line with emergency dispatchers, screaming when her vehicle is rear-ended several times.
“I’m on Lenox Road,” the woman said as she passed Lenox Square. “They keep following me. I don’t know who this (expletive) is but they keep following me. I’m trying to find a policeman.”
According to police, Wiggins-Younger ran the woman’s Audi A3 off the road and both vehicles crashed on a sidewalk outside Target. The woman can be heard asking the man “who are you?” and “are you a maniac?” as she warns him to stay back. She announces she has a gun and will shoot to kill. She is hysterical.
A single shot rings out, but a male voice continues speaking to the woman.
“You’re not a cop, you crazy (expletive),” the woman said at one point during the 12-minute 911 call, just before a second gunshot is heard.
Police arrived at the Target shortly before 11:45 p.m. and found Wiggins-Younger in the parking deck with three gunshot wounds, one in the back, one in the leg and one in the shoulder. He told officers he was an active member of the LAPD and tried to pull the woman over for a traffic violation. He did not have any identification, and his Chevrolet Cruz was not equipped for lights or sirens, according to a police report.
In addition to the impersonation charge, Wiggins-Younger was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and drug possession. Police found a small plastic bag of suspected cocaine, marijuana and a smoke pipe in his Chevrolet, according to the report.
Atlanta police confirmed Thursday they do not intend to bring charges against the Uber driver, who shot “fearing for her safety” and is considered the victim in this case, according to a department spokesperson. The police investigation remains active.
But carrying a gun while driving for Uber, in violation of the company’s firearms policy, has cost the woman access to the app. No drivers or passengers are allowed to carry guns while using the app.
In metro Atlanta, shootings involving Uber drivers have become commonplace. Earlier this year, a pregnant woman was forced into early labor after College Park police said she was shot by her Uber driver. In 2021, one Uber driver was killed outside a nightclub in Union City, and another was arrested in a separate shooting that killed a passenger at a northeast Atlanta gas station.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Uber said the company has removed app access for the driver in Sunday’s shooting but will re-evaluate her status if she can submit written clearance from law enforcement that she is not being charged.
“The reported details are frightening, and we’re relieved the driver was unharmed,” the spokesperson said. “We’re in touch with the driver as we continue to look into this incident. We’re standing by to assist law enforcement on their investigation.”
Man shot and killed after attempting to enter Lenoir City home
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — One man was found shot and killed Tuesday after a homeowner said he attempted to force his way into the residence, Lenoir City Police said.
Officers responded to West 2nd Avenue around 10:15 p.m. for a report of a disturbance. Upon arrival, officers became aware of another disturbance at a nearby home on the same street where a man reportedly attempted to force his way into the residence.
Lenoir City Police said the owner of the second home shot the man, identified as 20-year-old Michael Owen, multiple times. Owen was pronounced dead at the scene.
The initial disturbance police had responded to was between Owen and people living at the first West 2nd Ave home. Witnesses told police that Owen was acting erratically before the shooting and claimed that he may have been under the influence of an unknown substance.
The body has been sent for an autopsy.
Judge Napolitano is too kind. Actually she doesn’t have blinders on. She’s just another wanna-be tyrant who complains about the Constitutional restrictions on goobermint like they all do.
BLUF:
The governor has blinders on. She complains of too much freedom. In New York, there is too little.
Within hours of the tragic killings of 10 Americans — nine Black and one white — in a Buffalo supermarket by a deranged white racist last week, the governor of New York began calling for infringements upon personal liberty. First, she argued that social media platforms were somehow liable for these killings since they provided a platform from which the killer could reinforce his hatreds and on which he could manifest them.
Then, she argued that hate speech and incendiary speech should be prosecuted. Finally, she attacked the U.S. Supreme Court, which is about to rule on a challenge to New York’s restrictive concealed carry laws. She said twice that “New York is ready for you.” It is unclear just what she meant, but the implication was that she’d find a way around whatever the court rules.
She uttered a bitter constitutional mouthful.
From the writings and mental history of the gunman, we know that he was and is deeply disturbed. Police brought him to a mental hospital after he made threats at school, and his hatreds were posted on dark websites. Nevertheless, New York gun laws — among the strictest in the country — did not stop him from lawfully purchasing a rifle and the ammunition with which to use it.
The gun control crowd, personified by the governor, makes critical errors in its arguments and shows material misunderstandings of fundamental liberties.
Its critical error is a mistaken belief that someone willing to commit mass murder will somehow comply with gun regulations. It doesn’t matter to the killer what the gun laws are; he will find a way to attempt to kill. What matters is a set of laws with which law-abiding folks do comply, the effect of which is to neuter their ability to defend themselves.
This column has steadfastly maintained that the only language mass murderers respect is their own — violence. Only violence against them, or its serious imminent threat, will stop them.
Gun Owners Need to Think Like Supply Chain Managers Before the Next Ammo Shortage.
During the two years that COVID-19 has altered American life, we have seen shortages of goods ranging from toilet paper and N95 masks to semiconductors and new cars. The supply chain disruptions that fueled those shortages often followed a general pattern.
- Unexpected demand caused booming sales for a given product.
- Retailers and manufacturers depleted their inventories of that product.
- Supply chain bottlenecks such as temporary Covid-related factory closures or delayed shipments prevented firms from replenishing their inventories, leading to stockouts, rationing, and higher prices.
- With their resources and options limited, manufacturers and retailers streamlined their offerings, focusing on their most popular products while abandoning niche items.
While gun and ammunition supply chains are unique in some ways, they have experienced many of the same problems and trends seen in other industries during the pandemic.
Below, we examine how gun and ammo supply chains performed in the face of massive demand and outline supply chain principles that will help gun owners prepare for future shortages.
Firearm Supply Chains
Guns
When uncertainty looms, demand for guns surges. Anxiety over election outcomes, civil unrest, and increasing crime rates all fuel demand spikes. In fact, the connection between gun prices and the federal election cycle is strong and predictable enough to be classified as an economic law. But the COVID-19 pandemic raised the bar considerably.
Many gun buyers seem worried that the exponential spread of COVID-19 will lead to a season of hard-to-find essentials — of illness-related disruptions in the grocery supply chain — with angry have-nots out to steal from the haves.
From the Washington Post . . .
Speaking to the Charlotte Observer, a North Carolina [firearms retailer] said, “Our new motto is, ‘Dedicated to helping you protect your toilet paper.’”
The coronavirus, supply chain disruptions, social unrest, federal economic stimulus, and a lockdown-fueled spike in durable goods spending caused unprecedented demand for guns. FBI mandatory background check records dating back to 1998 show that 2020 and 2021 saw eight of the ten busiest days for background checks and nine of the ten busiest weeks. More than 5 million Americans became first-time gun owners between January 2020 and April 2021.
While some supply chains would have buckled under such pressure — particularly during a global pandemic — the American firearms supply chain performed fairly well. Prices rose, but that was inevitable given record demand. And though some retailers experienced stockouts of popular models, they were often able to offer satisfactory alternatives from various domestic and foreign manufacturers. The robust secondary market for used guns acted as a final backstop for buyers.
Ammunition
While consumers were able to buy guns without too much hassle, finding ammunition proved far more difficult. This is a classic example of how fluctuations can be magnified through a supply chain.
Changes in firearm demand cause even larger changes in ammunition sales. Firearms are durable goods that can be passed down for generations if correctly maintained. And though ammunition has a long shelf life if properly stored, a marksman may go through hundreds of rounds with a single gun during a visit to the range, so each gun sale causes demand for many more bullets.
As new and longtime gun owners reacted to the pandemic’s uncertainty by stocking up on hundreds or thousands of rounds — and media reports about bare gun store shelves fanned the flames — ammunition manufacturers could not meet the demand.
Several factors contributed to the ammunition shortage. For example, while there are dozens of American ammo manufacturers, only four produced primers when the pandemic began. With domestic primer production capacity stretched to its limits and a primer shortage serving as a bottleneck to ammo production, some manufacturers began the lengthy process of sourcing and importing European and Asian-manufactured primers.
Manufacturing and shipping disruptions also interrupted the flow of foreign-made ammunition into the country. And while imports of Russian ammo helped mitigate the shortage early on, the Biden administration restricted those imports in September 2021 as part of its sanctions against Russia for the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, a vocal critic of Vladimir Putin.
While the shortage affected all types of ammunition, eventually popular calibers like 9mm handgun bullets and .223 rifle cartridges were easier to find than some of their more obscure counterparts.
This reduction in product variety (so-called “SKU reduction”) is a typical coping mechanism for stressed supply chains. Managers allocate scarce production capacity to their most popular offerings. You have probably noticed this in your local grocery store: while your favorite brands are still on the shelf, fewer sizes or flavors are available.
The shortage was amplified by ammunition manufacturers’ reluctance to invest too heavily in new productive capacity to meet record demand that will eventually wane. Firms in other industries made similar calculations during the pandemic, but few industries have experienced the severe “boom or bust” cycles ammo companies have seen in recent decades.
Executives who saw massive demand during Barack Obama’s presidency give way to a four-year long “Trump slump” know full well that this too shall pass.
Additionally, it is not too conspiratorial to fault big business collusion for the shortage. Two entities — Olin Corporation and Vista Outdoor — own most major American ammunition companies, so it was fairly easy to unify the industry in choosing “market stability” (and high prices) over new and risky investment in production capacity.
Supply Chain Principles for Gun Owners
The pandemic has dramatically raised public awareness that supply chains exist and can be disrupted. While that was not news to longtime gun enthusiasts who have experienced previous ammunition shortages, we will highlight a few core principles of supply chain management that should help all gun owners weather the next shortage, whenever it may come.
- Flexibility – When the pandemic began, companies who were able to quickly adjust their manufacturing, sourcing, product development, and shipping plans fared much better than their inflexible competitors. During an ammunition shortage, those who own guns of various calibers and those who have firearms with interchangeable barrels that can accept multiple kinds of ammunition are much better positioned than those who rely on a single type of ammo.
- Demand Forecasting – Retailers and manufacturers plan their yearly operations using demand data from recent years (though that historical data had little value during what will hopefully be a once-in-a-century pandemic). Once the current shortage ends, recent history suggests that demand will go up when a Democrat is president and down when a Republican is in office. Given ammunition’s long shelf life, it makes sense to stock up when low demand drives down prices.
- Inventory Management – Just-in-time inventory management is a thing of beauty when it works well, as it generally did during the three decades preceding the pandemic. But recent supply chain disruptions have led some firms to take more of a just-in-case inventory approach that involves holding more safety stock. Gun owners may be wise to follow this trend as well, and keep a bit of extra ammo on hand just-in-case.
- Procurement Diversity – The pandemic has shown companies the dangers of relying on one region, country, or factory to provide key inputs. Similarly, the ammunition shortage shows that it is important for gun owners to build relationships with fellow enthusiasts and multiple shop owners whom they can rely upon when the next shortage hits.
A final principle for gun owners is to adopt a strategy of total quality management—of pursuing excellence at each stage of the supply chain, from gun and ammunition purchase to firearm cleaning and maintenance after a day at the range.
In the end, the purpose of the firearms supply chain is “rounds on target.” This requires excellence in marksmanship, which in turn requires excellence in training and equipment. Higher-order competence in “delivery” cannot exist without competence in the earlier stages of the supply chain: procurement, and inventory management.
Andrew Balthrop is a research assistant at the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business. Ron Gordon is a Supply Chain Communications Specialist at the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business. Doug Voss is a Professor of Logistics and Supply Chain Management at the University of Central Arkansas.
Well, if a man did the same in the same situation, I’d say there would be an excellent case for claiming self defense too. Yeah, do call 911, but always remember – and as seen in this situation – when seconds count, the police are only minutes away.
Woman shoots man allegedly impersonating officer, claims self-defense
ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) – Atlanta police are investigating after a man was shot several times by a woman claiming she was being followed.
It happened on Sunday around 11:35 p.m. along Peachtree Road NE. According to investigators, the woman, who was driving for a ride-share company had dropped off a passenger near Cheshire Bridge Road when a man, later identified as 21-year-old Tyriq Qwadere Wiggins-Younger, attempted to use his vehicle to block her from leaving the area.
The woman fled and Wiggins-Younger pursued her in his own vehicle forcing her to crash near Peachtree Road. Police say Wiggins-Younger then approached the woman who shot him claiming that she feared for her safety.
Atlanta police tell CBS46 Wiggins-Younger claimed to be an off-duty officer attempting to make a traffic stop. He now faces charges of Aggravated Assault, Impersonating a Police Officer, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Related Objects.
At this time the rideshare driver is not facing any charges, police say.
“We’re still trying to determine if this was self defense, or what actually took place. In this case we do believe that the person in the dark-colored vehicle (the woman) was scared and just trying to get away from this person,” Atlanta Police Public Information Officer, Karlo Peek said.
Police said if you ever find yourself in a situation, where you believe you are being followed, call 911 right away.
Man Kills Armed Intruder in Shootout at Lauderhill Home
An intruder who climbed through the window of a home in Lauderhill was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire with a man inside the home, Lauderhill Police said.
The incident happened just after 11:00 p.m. Sunday in the 5900 block of Northwest 23rd Street.
A preliminary investigation showed that a man and woman were inside the home when an intruder climbed through a window and brandished a firearm, Lauderhill Police officials said.
The intruder and the man inside the home exchanged gunfire and the intruder was shot, police said.
The intruder was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials said their investigation began with a strange 911 call.
“It appears that somebody from inside the residence dialed 911 and hung up the phone, that automatically goes to the dispatch centers and an officer was dispatched to that location just to make sure everything was okay,” Lauderhill Police spokesman Michael Santiago said.
The identities of the intruder and the man and woman inside the home have not been released, but police said the intruder and the other man knew each other.
Police said all parties involved are cooperating with the investigation.
Homeowner kills 2 intruders, holds 2 more at gunpoint for police
AUBURN, Ind. (WANE) — An Auburn homeowner shot two suspected armed intruders dead and held two more at gunpoint early Sunday.
It was just before 6 a.m. when four people reportedly broke into a home at 1650 S.R. 8, near the Walmart Distribution Center on Auburn’s far west side.
Indiana State Police said investigators believe the four burglars entered the home and were confronted the homeowner, who produced his own firearm and fired at the suspects.
Two were shot dead by the homeowner and the other two were held at gunpoint until the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and the Auburn Police Department arrived, according to Indiana State Police.
Tabitha L. Johnson, 42, and Shaun T. Kruse, 42, both from Fort Wayne, were taken into custody. ISP said they will face charges of felony murder and burglary, a level two felony.
The two people killed were identified as Rameica Lasharon Moore, 36, of Fort Wayne, and Dylan Scott Morefield, 22, of Churubusco. Autopsies for both are pending with the Northeast Indiana Forensic Center.
At this time, the homeowner faces no charges.
71-year-old man shoots suspected burglar in North Linden
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A 71-year-old man shot a suspect that was breaking into his garage early Saturday, police say.
At 3:14 a.m. the Columbus Division of Police was called to the 1100 Block of Carolyn Ave after a shooting.
The victim said he woke up to someone breaking into his garage and went to confront the suspect with a gun.
According to police, there was a struggle and the victim’s gun “accidentally went off,” striking the suspect in the upper chest.
The suspect was transported to Riverside Hospital in critical condition, but according to police, the suspect is expected to recover from the injuries.