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Open Carry Gun Law Went Into Effect For Texans As Of Midnight Friday

The event, sponsored by Open Carry Texas and Texas Carry, is expected to draw about 300 people and a swarm of news media outlets. The rally, dubbed the “Official Uncovering of the Handgun Rally” is being held to celebrate the returned freedom of open carry in Texas.

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Texans with a “Concealed Handgun License” or the new “License to Carry” can openly carry a handgun in accordance with the new law that went into effect at midnight on Friday.

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Passed by Congress September 25, 1789. Ratified December 15, 1791.

Other new laws expanding protections of law abiding gun owners also went into effect. The Campus Carry law has not yet taken effect.

Late in 2015, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) began issuing the new “License to Carry” (LTC). The new license replaces the prior Concealed Handgun License (CHL). If you currently hold a CHL do you not need to get an updated LTC, according to a statement obtained by Breitbart Texas from the DPS.

A rally was held on Friday at about 1 p.m. on the grounds of the Texas Capitol to celebrate the new open-carry law. The event, sponsored by Open Carry Texas and Texas Carry,it drew about 300 people and a swarm of news media outlets. The rally, dubbed the “Official Uncovering of the Handgun Rally” was held to celebrate the returned freedom of open carry in Texas.

The DPS offers the following guidelines to understanding the new law:

  • Authorizes individuals to obtain a license to openly carry a handgun in the same places that allow the licensed carrying of a concealed handgun with some exceptions.  (See “Exceptions” below for more information.)
  • Unconcealed handguns, loaded or unloaded, must be carried in a shoulder or belt holster.
  • Individuals who hold a valid CHL may continue to carry with valid existing license.
  • A separate license will not be required to open carry.  No additional fee will be required.
  • Individuals currently licensed will not be required to attend additional training.  Training curriculum for new applicants will be updated to reflect the new training requirements related to the use of restraint holsters and methods to ensure the secure carrying of openly carried handguns.  The new curriculum will be required for all classes beginning January 1, 2016.
  • The eligibility criteria to obtain a license to carry do not change.
  • The department has updated the website and training materials to reference License to Carry (LTC) instead of Concealed Handgun License (CHL).
  • Changes to the laminated license have been implemented.  For examples of licenses currently in circulation, see:  LTC sample.

Licensees will need to be aware of the new “30.07  signs” that some stores and businesses will be able to post prohibiting the open carry of firearms. The sign must be posted at all entrances to the business establishment. It must be posted in English and Spanish and must contain at least one-inch block letters contrasting in color from the background of the sign. It must contain the exact wording below to carry legal weight:

Pursuant to Section 30.07, Penal Code (trespass by license holder with an openly carried handgun), a person licensed under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (handgun licensing law), may not enter this property with a handgun that is carried openly.

Other stores may choose to allow also not allow concealed carry. Those businesses must post the following sign, in addition to the 30.07 sign:

Pursuant to Section 30.06, Penal Code (trespass by holder of license to carry a concealed handgun), a person licensed under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (concealed handgun law), may not enter this property with a concealed handgun.

More information can be found at the DPS’ FAQ page on handgun licensing.

The DPS lists the following exceptions to where LTC holders can openly carry a handgun:

  • Open carry is not permitted by a license holder regardless of whether the handgun is holstered:
    • on the premises of an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education
    • on any public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage or other parking area of an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education
    • by an individual who is acting as a personal protection officer under Chapter 1702, Occupations Code  and is not wearing a uniform

Also effective earlier in 2015 was a new law, previously reported by Breitbart Texas’ Lana Shadwick, that allows a “defense to prosecution” for people who accidentally carry a weapon into the secured area of an airport. Under the old law, travelers who are found carrying a handgun and certain other weapons in or into the secured area of an airport, are currently subject to immediate arrest and confiscation of their handgun. The offense is a state felony.

The bill makes it a defense to prosecution for possessing or carrying a weapon in or into the secured area of an airport if a CHL holder possessed a handgun at the security screening checkpoint and exited the area immediately upon notification that he or she possessed the handgun, Shadwick reported.

A peace officer could not arrest the CHL holder unless the officer advises the individual of the defense available and gives the actor an opportunity to exit the screening checkpoint for the secured area and the actor does not immediately exit.

The DPS reports the following:

House Bill 554   Effective:  September 1, 2015

Caption: Relating to a defense to prosecution for the offense of possessing or carrying a weapon in or into the secured area of an airport.

  • Amends the Penal Code to add a defense to prosecution if the actor possessed a handgun that he or she is licensed to carry at the security checkpoint of an airport, and exited the screening checkpoint for the secured area immediately upon completion of the required screening process and notification of possession of the handgun.
  • Adds the actor cannot be arrested for the sole offense of possessing a handgun that he or she is licensed to carry, unless a police officer gives the actor the opportunity to leave the area and he or she does not immediately comply.

House Bill 1376   Effective:  September 1, 2015

Caption:  Relating to the application of certain concealed handgun license laws to community supervision and corrections department officers and juvenile probation officers; reducing a fee.

  • Allows supervision officers and juvenile probation officers to establish proof of proficiency by a sworn statement that indicates the person demonstrated proficiency with a firearm instructor licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement within the 12 month period preceding the application for the license to carry.
  • This provision applies to supervision officers appointed or employed under Section 76.004, Government Code, to supervise defendants placed on community supervision.
    • Reduces the fee for a license to carry to $25 for these individuals.
  • Individuals applying under this special condition will be required to provide proof they are a supervision officer or juvenile probation officer.
  • A new fee schedule will be posted on the department’s website.

House Bill 2604    Effective:  September 1, 2015

Caption: Relating to a concealed handgun license application that is submitted by a peace officer or a member of the state military forces.

  • Exempts applicants who are active peace officers from the requirement to submit fingerprints.
  • Repeals the provisions requiring a sworn statement from the head of the employing law enforcement agency regarding the applicant’s conduct and proficiency.
  • Regulatory Services Division (RSD) is in the process of updating the online application checklist.  Until the online application is updated, peace officers may disregard the notations requiring fingerprints and the sworn statement from the head of their employing law enforcement agency.
  • Updated application instructions for peace officers is available on the department’s website at:  Application Instructions for Peace officers/Prosecutors 

House Bill 2739   Effective:  September 1, 2015

Caption:  Relating to the use of a concealed handgun license as valid proof of personal identification.

  • Amends the Business and Commerce Code to require businesses to accept a LTC as a valid form of personal identification for access to goods, services, or facilities.
  • Does not affect laws requiring a driver license to operate a motor vehicle.
  • Does not effect the existing requirement to present a driver license when renting a car.
  • Does not affect the type of identification required under federal law to access airport premises or to pass through airport security.

House Bill 3710   Effective:  September 1, 2015

Caption:  Relating to a voluntary contribution to the fund for veterans’ assistance when applying for a concealed handgun license.

  • Requires DPS to offer LTC applicants an opportunity to contribute money to the fund for veterans’ assistance when applying for an original or renewal license.
  • The applicant will determine the amount of contribution.

House Bill 3747   Effective:  June 16, 2015

Caption:  Relating to the issuance of a concealed handgun license to certain retired judicial officers.

  • Authorizes retired federal judges to receive a discounted LTC in the same manner as a retired state judge.
  • The reduced fee is $25.  A new fee schedule will be posted on the department’s website.

Senate Bill 273   Effective: September 1, 2015

Caption: Relating to certain offenses relating to carrying concealed handguns on property owned or leased by a governmental entity; providing a civil penalty.

  • Prohibits a state agency or political subdivision from posting signs stating where license holders are prohibited from carrying a concealed handgun on the premises, unless specifically prohibited by Texas Penal Code 46.03 and 46.035.
  • Provides a civil penalty to a state agency or political subdivision if falsely notifying a license holder that entering or remaining on certain governmental premises, leased or owned, is illegal.
  • Limits the scope of the governmental meeting prohibition by restricting it to the specific room or rooms in which the meeting is being held, and to public meetings for which notice is required under the Open Meetings Act.
  • Provides an opportunity for the agency or subdivision to cure the violation within three business days of receipt of written notice from a citizen.
  • Complaints of a violation are reported to the Attorney General Office.  More information may be found on the Texas Attorney General website at:  Office of the Texas Attorney General
  • Provides the Attorney General must give notice to the agency or subdivision and provide an opportunity to cure the violation before a civil penalty is imposed.

The new Campus Carry law will not become effective until August 1, 2016, the DPS reports.

Senate Bill 11    Effective: August 1, 2016

Caption:  Relating to the carrying of handguns on the campuses of and certain other locations associated with institutions of higher education; providing a criminal penalty.  

  • Authorizes a license holder to carry a concealed handgun on or about the license holder’s person while the license holder is on the campus of an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education in this state.   Open carrying of handguns is still prohibited at these locations.
  • Authorizes an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education in this state to establish rules, regulation, or other provisions concerning the storage of handguns in dormitories or other residential facilities that are owned or leased and operated by the institution and located on the campus of the institution.
  • Requires the president or other chief executive officer of an institution of higher education in this state to establish reasonable rules, regulations, or other provisions regarding the carrying of concealed handguns by license holders on the campus or on specific premises located on the campus.
  • Authorizes posting of a sign under Penal Code Section 30.06 with respect to any portion of a premises on which license holders may not carry.
  • The effective date of this law for a public junior college is August 1, 2017

Donald Trump

President Trump Announces His Call For A National ‘Red Flag’ Gun Law That Will Allow The Government To Begin Confiscating Guns From US Citizens

President Trump addressed the nation on Monday called for a national ‘Red Flag’ Gun Law allowing the federal government to seize guns from citizens.

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Sen. Lindsey Graham said Monday he’s struck a bipartisan deal to write legislation that would encourage states to adopt “red flag” laws allowing guns to be taken from potentially dangerous individuals, and he vowed action in the wake of this weekend’s shootings.

An estimated 88,000 people die every year from alcohol, and yet alcohol is legal in all 50 states. Over 324,000 babies are killed in abortion each year, and yet abortions are legal in all 50 states. Over 40,000 people each year die in car crashes, the majority of which are linked to alcohol, and yet automobiles are legal in all 50 states.  In 2018, less than 15,000 people died from gun violence in America. Yet somehow, guns are the real problem, go figure.

“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Second Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified December 1791

The newly-proposed National Red Flag Gun Law is absolutely an infringement on the rights of the American people to “keep and bear arms”, it is nothing less than gun confiscation. And it is the Republican Party that is allowing this proposed bill to proceed towards being enshrined in law. If passed, the so-called Red Flag Gun Law is the beginning of the end of not only the Second Amendment, but of all the other amendments as well. Remember, if they can take just one away from you, they can take all of them away from you.

And just so you know, President Trump, who promised the millions of patriots who voted for him he would protect our gun rights, is not only in favor of it he’s also the one pushing for it, as you will see in the video below.

Sen. Lindsey Graham announces bipartisan deal on ‘red-flag’ gun laws

FROM THE WASHINGTON TIMES: The South Carolina Republican said his legislation, which he has worked on with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat, would offer grants to law enforcement to hire professionals to try to decide cases where guns should be taken from troubled individuals.

Mr. Graham said he talked to President Trump about the idea earlier Monday, and the president “seems very supportive.”

“Many of these shootings involved individuals who showed signs of violent behavior that are either ignored or not followed up. State Red Flag laws will provide the tools for law enforcement to do something about many of these situations before it’s too late,” said Mr. Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Congressional Republicans, under pressure to respond to this weekend’s massacres, appear to be coalescing around legislation to help law enforcement to take guns from those who pose an imminent danger — a measure that, if signed into law, would be the most significant gun safety legislation enacted in 20 years. source

Red flag laws have been pioneered in some states such as Florida, scene of the 2018 Valentine’s Day school shooting in Parkland.

Under a red flag law, potentially dangerous individuals can be reported by family or others, and local officials then determine whether there is cause to temporarily remove firearms the person may have. Cases where weapons were removed in Florida involved both risks to others or potential suicide cases.

Mr. Graham said he and Mr. Blumenthal will introduce national red flag grant legislation “in the very near future.” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said there’s no need to wait.

She’s already written and introduced her own version, the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act,” that would create a grant program to encourage states to come up with red flag laws. She said Mr. Graham could put her bill on the committee’s agenda.

“The Senate could vote on that bill today,” she said.

She said that while 15 states and the District of Columbia have red flag laws on the books, neither Texas nor Ohio — scenes of the weekend’s shootings — have one. But she said the Senate needs to go further than that. She called for Congress to renew the Assault Weapons Ban, a now-expired 1994 law that restricted the sale of some military-style semiautomatic rifles.

“It took the Dayton shooter less than 30 seconds to shoot 35 people, nine of whom died. This validates the theory that these weapons are designed to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible,” she said. READ MORE

President Trump Calls For National ‘Red Flag’ Gun Control Law

Donald Trump addressed the nation on Monday in the wake of two deadly mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio over the weekend. He blamed violent video games and mental health for the shooting and called for “red flag laws” as a measure of gun control.

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Gun Control

At Least Two People Shot Dead During Baltimore ‘Ceasefire Weekend’ Proves Gun Bans Don’t Work

At least two people were shot dead during a 72-hour period designated the “Nobody Kill Anybody” weekend by the liberal Baltimore Ceasefire organizers.

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At least two people were shot dead Friday, August 4, through Sunday, August 6, a 72-hour period designated the “Nobody Kill Anybody” weekend by #BaltimoreCeasefire.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Have you ever noticed that cities run by liberals that impose highly-restrictive gun bans are also those cities where gun violence is rampant? Why is that? Because gun bans and gun registration only impacts law-abiding citizens. Criminals do not “register their weapons” and apply for permits. Banning guns completely because people shoot other people is like banning free speech because people insult and threaten other people. The amendments are not the reason for the criminal activity. The only thing that happens when you can guns is that law-abiding citizens are now defenseless. The #1 killer of anyone, anywhere in America, is death by automobile. So how come no Liberals call for banning cars? Hmm…

On July 12, Breitbart News reported that city residents were being urged to take the #BaltimorePeaceChallenge, pledging to go three days without shooting at each other. But according to Fox News, at least three people had been shot before the weekend ended, and two of those victims died from their wounds. Both shooting deaths occurred on Saturday.

The #BaltimoreCeasefire weekend was spearheaded by Erricka Bridgeford, who took to Facebook following the killings to assure everyone that the ceasefire was not over, that “Nobody Kill Anybody” weekend would continue through Sunday.

Bridgeford wrote:

The #BaltimoreCeasefire has NOT ended.

If you are going to run around here acting defeated, A. Part of me wants to give you this nub to your eye, and then, to hug you, and B. You are not ready for this revolution. It’s fine. But please sit down & quiet yourself. Stop panicking out loud. Find a corner & watch us keep GETTING THIS WORK. Be in awe of how nothing stops us from healing our city. Just please know that you and your misguided, “It ain’t work” perception do NOT…. I REPEAT… DO NOT get to speak for this movement. I am turning off your mic right … now.
“If you want to talk about how we come from slaves who ran away, got killed… yet MORE slaves kept rising up…. YOU are a voice of this movement,” she continued. “If you understand that the 2 lives we lost to violence inspire us to #VibrateEvenHigher… YOU are a voice of this movement.”

She went on to describe the “perceptions that have been shifted” and “the immeasurable hope that young people have been given” via #BaltimoreCeasefire.

Baltimore is experiencing death and violence at record levels, and it all comes just four years after adoption of stringent gun controls via the Firearm Safety Act (2013). That Act banned “high capacity” magazines, “assault weapons,” and established a registration/fingerprint requirement for would-be handgun purchasers. These were all pushed in the name of making people safer, yet the two deadliest years in Baltimore’s history were 2015 and 2016.

Moreover, on March 27, 2017, Breitbart News reported that the criminal use of “high capacity” magazines in Baltimore had risen since a ban on the devices was put in place. The Trace, a gun control journalism outlet, shows that the criminal use of such magazines jumped in 2013 and continued to climb in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

The lessons are clear: gun control weakens the position of law-abiding citizens while strengthening the position of criminals.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio.  source

 


 

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20 Times In 2016 That The Bad Guys Were Stopped Cold By Armed, Law-Abiding American Patriots

It is important to note that this list of armed citizens using guns for self-defense could have been many, many times longer.

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What follows is a list containing examples of everyday Americans doing exactly what the left decries as a fabrication of the mind — namely, using firearms to defend their own lives and the lives of others.

In January 2015, Politico magazine described the whole idea behind “defensive gun ownership” as a “tragic myth.” And in October 2015, The New York Times said the idea of average citizens drawing their guns to keep themselves safe is a “foolhardy notion.” More recently — on December 1, 2016 — the NYT suggested it is a “fantasy that citizens can stand up to gunmen by shooting it out.”

Do not tell that to the following 20 individuals who used guns defensively to defend their own lives and the lives of others during 2016:

  1. On January 4, a 65-year-old Manchester, New Hampshire, grandmother used a gun for self-defense after being followed home from the gas station around 11:30 pm. The grandmother was on her way home from work when she stopped at the station, and she noticed a car following her. When she pulled into her parking garage, the car pulled in behind her, and a tall male exited the vehicle then stood between the grandmother and the only path she had to her apartment. He allegedly demanded her purse then reached out to grab her arm. At that point, she shot him. WFEA Radio quoted the grandmother saying her gun is “always locked and loaded.”
  2. On January 22, a barber and a barbershop customer opened fire on two armed men who allegedly entered the Columbia, South Carolina, Next Up Barber and Beauty shop to rob customers. One of the permit holders was Master Barber Elmurray Bookman and the other was a customer sitting in a barber chair. Bookman told WLTX that one of the masked men asked the unidentified customer for money, and the customer told him it was over by another chair. When the men moved toward the other chair to retrieve the money, the customer opened fire and Bookman opened fire as well. The Columbia Police Department reported that one of the two masked men fled the business after being shot “multiple times.” Police discovered his body outside.
  3. On February 14, an Ontario, California, homeowner shot and killed an alleged intruder “during a short struggle” in the entryway of the home. The incident occurred about 5 a.m., and the Los Angeles Times reported that the homeowner’s wife called 911 to say “her husband opened fire on a man who was trying to forcibly enter their home.” When police arrived, they found the suspect — a 26-year-old Los Angeles man — dead in the home’s entryway.
  4. On February 22, a 71-year-old homeowner fired three rounds at an alleged home intruder, striking the suspect twice in the chest. The homeowner, Tony Pitts, is a disabled gentleman who lives in Hickory, North Carolina. WSOC TV reported that Pitts was lying in bed when he heard knocks at the front door. He did not answer because it was so late, but he was soon drawn out of bed by the sound of shattering glass. Pitts said, “I’m disabled and somebody kicks the door in, I got to do something.” He allegedly saw the suspect coming through the door and he fired three rounds, striking the would-be intruder twice and ending the incident. The suspect survived and was arrested.
  5. On March 8, a 65-year-old homeowner on a dialysis machine pulled a gun to prevent a would-be home invader from entering his apartment. Fox 35 quoted deputies who said the suspect allegedly “cut open a screen door and entered the [would-be] victim’s place through a patio.” At that point, the resident picked up his dialysis machine and his gun, walked over to the window, and tapped on the glass with gun. The resident said, “Just wanted to let him know, I’ve got a gun.” The would-be intruder got the message and fled the scene.
  6. On March 12, a concealed carry permit holder shot and killed a man who was allegedly swinging a hatchet at customers and a store clerk in a Seattle-area 7-Eleven. According to Q13 Fox, the “store clerk says the masked man entered the store and immediately started swinging a hatchet toward a customer — then he turned his sights on the clerk.” The clerk was struck in the stomach and suffered “minor injuries” before the attack was stopped by an armed customer who shot the suspect. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
  7. On March 17, a man eating a sandwich in a Whataburger parking lot opened fire on two suspects who allegedly tried to rob him. The San Antonio Express reported that one of the suspects was killed and police confirmed that the deceased suspect “did have a pistol.”
  8. On March 31, an elderly man on oxygen opened fire on two suspects who allegedly invaded his home to steal narcotics. According to the Daily Journal, two men came to the elderly man’s home in Washington County, Missouri. One of the two was known to the elderly man, the second of the two was wearing a mask. The two men allegedly accosted the elderly man and threw him across the couch, and he landed very near the place where he keeps his gun. He was able to grab it and open fire, critically wounding one of the two suspects. Both suspects fled the scene after shots were fired.
  9. On April 20, a Stanton, Kentucky, man violated a protective order to confront his girlfriend and died when she opened fire with a shotgun. WKYT quoted Kentucky State Police who said 32-year-old “Steven Strange confronted 32-year-old Melissa Roberts inside her Stanton home.” Roberts responded by shooting Strange in the chest with a 12-gauge shotgun. Roberts faced no charges for the shooting.
  10. On April 27, an 11-year-old homeschool student opened fire on a burglary suspect, striking him in the leg. The incident occurred in Talladega, Alabama. According to WVTM 13, the boy said the robbery suspect was “crying like a baby” after being shot.
  11. On April 28, an 80-year-old woman shot and killed a man who allegedly stabbed her husband and invaded their home. The incident occurred in Sultan, Washington, around 8:30 pm. The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office told Fox 8 that the 25-year-old intruder entered the home and stabbed the husband “multiple times in the abdomen.” The wife shot the intruder, who died on scene. The husband was in stable condition.
  12. On June 25, a mother in Portland, Oregon, opened fire on a suspect she discovered in one of her children’s bedrooms. The incident occurred around 2 a.m., and CBS News reported that the mother “shot the man… with her personal handgun after a confrontation.” The children were not harmed.
  13. On June 27, a concealed carry permit holder stopped an attempted mass shooting outside Playoffz nightclub in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. According to WISTV, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office says it was about 3:30 a.m. when “32-year-old Jody Ray Thompson pulled out a gun after getting into an argument with another man.” He reportedly “fired several rounds toward a crowd that had gathered out in front of the club.” Thompson shot and wounded three people when he opened fire. The individual who would have been his fourth target, an unnamed concealed permit holder, ended the incident by pulling his own gun and shooting Thompson.
  14. On July 12, a Flagler County, Florida, homeowner shot and killed one of two alleged armed men who had “unlawfully” entered his home. The Daytona Beach News-Journal quoted the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) report that said, “Five adults and a 2-year-old were inside the home when the incident unfolded.” One of the residents, 21-year-old Darien Corbett, said that “he and his roommates were vacuuming a new rug” when he heard someone trying to kick in the front door. Corbett retrieved his handgun and opened the door, only to find himself staring down the barrel of a gun. Corbett “closed [his] eyes and shot twice,” striking one of the suspects. The wounded suspect died at the scene.
  15. On July 12, a robbery suspect with an AK-47 entered a DeSoto, Texas, Waffle House and was shot and critically wounded by a concealed carry permit holder. The Dallas Morning News reported that the permit holder “called out” to distract the robber and prevent him from targeting the permit holder’s wife. The robber then turned toward the permit holder, pointing the AK-47 at him, and the permit holder “shot the robber several times.” The alleged robber — 26-year-old Antione Devon Cooper — was taken to a hospital and placed on life support. No charges were filed against the concealed permit holder.
  16. On August 2, a 15-year-old in Coos County, Oregon, used a shotgun to stop and alleged home invader. The incident occurred just after 8:20 a.m. According to KCBY, the burglar entered the home and began rummaging around for things to steal. As he did, the 15-year-old made his way toward a shotgun and armed himself. The teen was then “in fear of his safety and shot the burglar in the leg with the shotgun.” The suspect was hospitalized in serious “but not life-threatening” condition.
  17. On September 15, a woman in Gwinnett County, Georgia, opened fire on three home invasion suspects who allegedly kicked in her door around 4 a.m. WSBTV reported that the woman and a man were in bed when they heard the sound of people kicking their way into the home. The woman grabbed her gun, confronted the invasion suspects, and gunfire was exchanged. Police said 28-year-old Antonia Leeks was shot and killed in the gun battle. The other two suspects fled the scene.
  18. On November 14, a customer in Porfirio’s II Pizza used a Glock handgun to shoot and kill one robbery suspect while leaving a second suspect in “serious condition.” Levittown Now quoted police, saying, “Two employees were inside Porfirio’s II Pizza and the customer was standing inside when the two robbers, both of whom were armed with handguns, entered the shop around 10 p.m.”  The suspects ordered everyone to the ground and allegedly “began pistol-whipping the customer.” The customer then pulled his Glock and opened fire, striking both suspects. The armed citizen was not seriously injured.
  19. On November 14, an armed passerby intervened and saved a sheriff’s deputy who was under attack on the side of the road. According to WZVN, a Lee County sheriff’s deputy tried to pull a suspect over shortly after 9:30 a.m. in Estero, Florida. The suspect accelerated — “reaching speeds of up to 100 miles per hour” — and the deputy gave chase. At an off-ramp near Corkscrew Road the suspect got out of his car, walked back to the deputy’s car, and began to beat him. An armed passerby intervened and ordered the suspect to stop, but he refused. The deputy could be heard yelling, “Shoot him, shoot him, shoot him.” The passerby fired three shots, and the suspect collapsed on top of the deputy. The deputy was treated at a hospital and released.
  20. On December 26, a Mableton, Georgia, gun store owner shot and killed one of two suspects who allegedly tried to rob his business. According to Action News 5, store owner Jimmy Groover said that “two men wearing masks came in with guns drawn, demanding that he get on the floor, while shouting they were going to kill him.” But Groover was wearing a handgun on his hip and, according to Fox 13 Memphis, “Police said [Groover] pulled out his gun and fired, hitting one of the gunmen.” Police arrived to find shattered glass and the body of one of the suspects on the floor. The second suspect escaped.

It is important to note that this list of armed citizens using guns for self-defense could have been many, many times longer than 20 examples, but we chose to keep the list concise that it might serve as a convenient reminder that “self-defense gun ownership” is not a “tragic myth.” In fact, owning a gun for self-defense is part of American heritage and culture, and it allows the vulnerable to quickly level the playing field when under attack. source

 


 

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