Former CNN Anchor & Concealed Carry Holder, Lynne Russell – Survives Shootout

Ammoland for John Lott's take on it

Shooting at Pinch Pharmacy - Justified or Not?

How much bullshit are alleged DGUs anyway?

In this case, the DGU that turned out to be false, when someone in Doylestown claimed that the Souderton mass shooter, Bradley Stone, had tried to carjack him.  Instead of making himself a hero, this claim diverted police attention and resources from the manhunt.

"We contend that he performed an enormous hoax that cost taxpayers a lot of money," Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler said at a news conference Friday night. "This is terrible conduct. This is unacceptable conduct."

However  the police officers were suspicious about the claim, according to Heckler.

And well the officers should have been suspicious since the two locations are about 13 miles apart.  Mapquest says it would take about a half hour to drive this, which is probably optimistic given the stop lights and traffic.

Of course, the pro-gun side is happy to look at these incidents as proof that ""guns save lives" when the reality here was that it wasted police resources.

I have to admit curiosity as to how many DGUs are actually verifiable incidents: especially now that the Get Away With Murder laws have stopped any inquiry as to the actual events when someone claims "self-defence".  Short of a major amount of evidence to the contrary, the claim of self-defence stands.  In fact, even with evidence to the contrary, the claim can pass (e.g., Trayvon Martin).

Breaking, it seems that Bath Township detectives believe they have “overwhelming evidence” to prove a former Navy SEAL, Chris Heben, lied when he claimed he was shot during an altercation with three black men outside of a popular shopping center.

"We have overwhelming evidence based upon video, cell phone records and interviews that the shooting did not occur in the West Market Plaza and that Mr. Heben made false allegations to us," said Bath Township Police Chief Mike McNeely.

George Zimmerman recently pointed out that you should have insurance if you are going to go around shooting people due to the legal costs.

Nothing I haven't been telling you, but you all know the law better than I do.

Yeah. right.

See also:

• Bucks man accused of carjacking hoax during manhunt for Bradley Stone
• Manhunt for Shooting Spree Suspect Bradley Stone Intensifies in 2nd Day | NBC 10 Philadelphia
• Bath Twp. Police: Former Navy SEAL Chris Heben lied about getting shot at West Market Plaza - newsnet5.com Cleveland

Media Bias against Defensive Gun Uses?

I know, I know, you would like me to say that things which don't exist just happen to exist, but unlike an certain intellectually dishonest person (or is he just a pretentious, ignorant fool?), I will not say things I have not found to be true are true.

There is no proof for the 2.5 million defensive gun uses that are claimed by the pro-gun side, which is no surprise since scrutiny usually shows that their arguments are specious.

That said.  The York (PA) Daily Record ran the following editorial about this topic:

Here's another in a series of occasional editorials pointing out that "the media" (or at least this media) do, in fact, report on "defensive gun uses."

Many Second Amendment enthusiasts and letter-to-the-editor writers believe that news organizations refuse to publish stories about people who use their firearms to protect themselves. Some researchers estimate there are more than 2 million defensive gun uses annually in United States, the vast majority of which go unreported.

Other scholars say such uses are far more infrequent. Much depends upon how you define a defensive gun use and whether or not a person who, say, flashes a gun at someone who appears to be a threat reports such incidents to police.

But the bottom line is that when such incidents are reported to police, and police share such information with reporters, it's very likely to be printed in newspapers and online.

Such was the case with a story that appeared in page D5 in last Sunday's edition.

Southwestern Regional Police said a 31-year-old Glenville resident used a gun to greet a man who allegedly kicked in her front door at 7:45 a.m. March 26.

According to the story: "When the man entered her home in the 770 block of Glenville Road, the woman pointed her gun at him and told him not to come any closer. He allegedly obeyed her order and left the residence."

According to police, the man apparently stepped out of a neighboring home, became disoriented and believed he was returning to the same house — and his friend had locked him out.

He was charged with criminal mischief, a minor infraction. Police and the homeowner believed his story of disorientation.

If the story as reported is accurate, the alleged intruder might be lucky to be alive because, according to the Castle Doctrine, the woman might have been within her rights to shoot first and ask questions later.

This seems like an appropriate use of a gun for self-defense — and you might even argue the woman used admirable restraint.

That, of course, is not to say that defensive gun uses can't go horribly wrong.

We've all heard stories of people who shoot and kill friends or family members, thinking they are intruders. See: Oscar Pistorius, the South African track star who claims such a scenario in the shooting death of his girlfriend — though the jury in his ongoing trial will determine the veracity of his story. Also see a recent case in Fayetteville, Franklin County, where a man allegedly took the gun of an armed intruder and hunted him down, shooting him.

These kinds of cases should make all well-intentioned gun owners think twice about whether it's a good idea to keep a loaded weapon under the mattress or in a bedside table.

We think gun owners should keep their weapons locked up and unloaded to avoid mishaps — perhaps even tragic mishaps where a child finds such a weapon. We've all heard many of those kinds of stories too.

Gun storage is an issue that gives rise to reasonable debate.

What's not reasonable, however, is the conspiracy that some Second Amendment enthusiasts believe exists to keep gun-related self-defense stories out of the news.

It's just not accurate.

When we hear about such stories from official sources such as police, we report them.

They're usually interesting stories. They bring high reader interest. There would be no logical reason not to report them.

That doesn't necessarily mean they belong on the front page. But they do have a place in print and online.

There's no need to fan the flames of antipathy between the First and Second Amendments.

They're both important freedoms. They can both be used for good or ill — and most news organizations do their best to report both.

In other words, even the media admit that they would report these if they were as common as is claimed by the "pro-gun" side.

So, my answer to the people who keep repeating that the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution covers a personal right is that I have looked into it and found that is not the case.

I will not take the word of someone on the internet who I don't know and will not provide his credentials and qualifications for his "opinion".

Not all opinions carry the same weight, and from what I have seen of this person's knowledge and expertise, his is not worth paying attention to.  In fact, I'm not sure why I am mentioning him other than I find him ignorant and intellectually dishonest.  I sincerely doubt he has the qualifications he claims as well.

If he were intellectually honest, he would not be  "pro-gun".

Detroit Mom Thwarts Three Home Invaders

via ssgmarkcr

   Just saw this out there and thought I'd pass it on to you.  I understand it might not be proper fare for your blog.  It caught my eye because it was actually picked up by the major media outlets, though that might be more due to the video footage available than anything else. 

    Another thing I noticed was that we had just been discussing the situation in Detroit and the reported long response times.  Yet, in this case it sounds like they were not only able to quickly respond, but had the three misguided urchins in custody in a day. 

Recalling the panic she felt, the mom says "I let them know I had a gun once they were in the house. They said no you don't so I shot off the first round. I wasn't feeling anything at the moment, I got scared afterwards."

We still don't know what they came to steal, but the mother was committed to protecting her two small kids at any cost with her loaded rifle.

http://www.wxyz.com/news/mom-opens-fire-on-home-invaders-in-detroit-to-defend-children

Florida Shooting on Campus - It Was Self Defense

FOX 35 News Orlando

Legitimate DGU - Missouri Store Clerk Thwarts an Armed Robbery

Local news reports

An armed man entered the store and pointed a gun at Jon Alexander. But the clerk, a 30-year veteran of the military, quickly pushed the robber’s gun away and drew his own — placing the gun at the robber’s mouth.

Well, I guess you could call that pointing a gun at the store clerk, but it really looked more like a slow-motion attempt at intimidation. That has to be one of the poorest excuses for an attempted armed robbery in history.

Nevertheless, the hero acted brilliantly.  Kudos to Jon Alexander for not shooting the bumbling would-be thief.

But, what if the store clerk had shot him? What would the pro-gun crowd say about that? Clearly they would have called it a good shoot and "good riddance to bad rubbish."  That's their typical response, which given this video is shown for the barbaric, unthinking, stupidity it is.

However, leaving the hypothetical scenarios aside, I unequivocally award a legitimate DGU to Jon Akexander, veteran of foreign wars and proud gun owner.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

An Example of a Legitimate DGU - Gun Store Manager Against Baseball Bat Robber

Mediaite reports

22-year-old Derrick Mosley reportedly attempted to rob Discount Gun Sales in Beaverton, Ore., on Thursday. Wielding a baseball bat, Mosley strolled into the store and smashed a display case.

But, according to police, upon attempting to steal a gun from the smashed case, he learned that gun beats bat.

All the store manager… of a gun store… had to do was pull out his own personal firearm. And that he did. Pointing it straight at Mosley, the manager successfully ordered the would-be robber to drop the bat, the unloaded gun he was trying to steal, and a nine-inch knife in his possession.

Upon arrival, the sheriff’s department reportedly found Mosley on the floor, still being held at gunpoint by the furious manager. The failed robber was booked on charges of first-degree robbery, first-degree theft, unlawful possession of a firearm, and second-degree criminal mischief.

Second Defense Alliance Offers DGU Insurance

Local news with video

Brian Dorow is Associate Dean of Criminal Justice at Waukesha County Technical College.  He teaches people how to practice the 2nd Amendment safely.

"It's a huge responsibility.  It's your right, but at the same time, the training is what will take you a long way," Dorow says.

He says even if a homeowner shoots an intruder in self defense he or she could face some scrutiny.  "You may satisfy all the legal requirements, you may be completely justified, but ultimately you may still be subject to some civil litigation, or a civil lawsuit."

That's where services like Second Defense Alliance, or SDA, come in.  It'a a new group that helps handle the legal, financial, and emotional risks of shooting a home invader.  Tim Brennan is the COO of SDA.  He says, "The biggest thing is people just don't think about what they would do after they defend themselves with a firearm."

For about $11/month, a legal gun owner can become a member.  SDA will take care of all the messy cleanup of a home shooting.

Reckless Use of a Firearm or a Legitimate DGU?

The Des Moines Register reports

A Des Moines man told police he fired a gun into the air to scare a group of juveniles who had attacked his fiancee.

When officers arrived, they found David Kevin Walker Jr., 29, standing in front of his house, unarmed. Police detained Walker without incident.

Walker told police his fiancee had walked outside their house and yelled across Dean Avenue for their neighbors to quiet down. A group of juveniles ran across the street and attacked the woman, Walker told officers.

They dragged her to a corner of the intersection of East 16th Street and Dean Avenue and began punching her in the face, Walker told officers. He said he grabbed his gun and ran toward the group, firing two shots into the air.

The juveniles stopped and ran away after he fired the shots, he said, and Walker put the gun away in his home.

Walker’s fiancee had a bloody nose and bruising and swelling to her face.

Walker was charged with reckless use of a firearm.

What do you think? 

Criminals Can Also Defend Themselves with Deadly Force

The Seattle Times

A 36-year-old Puyallup man has pleaded not guilty to a federal indictment on gun and marijuana-manufacturing charges after he killed two people in December while protecting his marijuana grow operation.

If convicted, Jeremy Peter Capodanno could face a 15-year mandatory-minimum sentence — and possibly as many as 40 years — for drug trafficking and for using a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The government is also seeking to seize his property, including two homes, and vehicles.

Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist said Thursday that his office formalized its decision not to charge Capodanno for the shootings.

“Regardless of whether you are operating an illegal enterprise, you still have the right to to use deadly force in defense of yourself or others or your property,” he said. “It is undisputed that these men were armed intruders.”

The federal indictment said Capodanno was armed with a 9-mm Glock handgun. Police also found two assault-style rifles, a Tec-9 semiautomatic handgun and a shotgun.

“This defendant chose to enter the illegal drug business, and armed himself to protect his trade, not his home,” U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan said. “This conduct brought thieves to his door, put his 7-year-old son at risk, and ended with him taking two lives.”

It doesn't sound to me like the prosecutor did him any favors.  Allowing that he was justified in the shooting and then charging him with  "using a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking" sounds like bullshit to me.  He was growing pot, for crying out loud.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Murder Disguised as a DGU

Caleb A. Gordley, 16, was killed inside his neighbor's Sterling, Va., home early Sunday morning. Gordley was a junior at Park View High School, and played for the school's varsity basketball team. (Courtesy of Shawn Gordley) 

Local news reports

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office says Caleb A. Gordley, 16, was shot by the owner of the home on the 45900 block of Pullman Court around 2:30 a.m. The house's alarm sounded, and the homeowner found Gordley on the stairwell, police say. 

Gordley, a Park View High School student, died on the scene. The homeowner's name has not been released. 

The sheriff's office says Gordley lived on the same street where the shooting took place, and that they believe he entered the home through a window in the rear of the home. 

Gordley had apparently been drinking, and a Twitter account that appears to be his did post about a party happening Saturday night. 

Shawn Gordley, the teen's father, made his comments on Twitter:

This one could very well be another murder disguised as a DGU. Being a drunk 16-year-old and entering someone's house does not merit death. But you won't hear that from the frightened and fanatical gun-rights advocates.  To them, the downside of hesitating is too much.  They shoot to kill as soon as someone dares to violate their sacred boundaries.

And naturally once the delinquent kid is dead, there's only the home owners side of the story which always includes that he felt threatened.  What he usually feels is outrage and anger that some punk would dare to do something like that. He shoots without making any effort to determine if his life is really in danger and he does so totally justified by the law and all the other self-righteous castle-doctrine proponents.

What's your opinion?

A Questionable Defensive Gun Use in Alabama

The Blaze

Many of these so-called legitimate defensive shootings are nothing of the kind. They are executions of criminals by home owners who are angry and outraged. That's different than a home owner who really thinks his life is in danger or believes the only way to prevent the theft of his property is to kill the intruder.

The idea that as soon as a thief crosses a certain line you can fire at will is a distortion of the self-defense ethic. All the sarcastic justifications notwithstanding, this is a criminal act in and of itself.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Legitimate DGU in North Carolina

More on Defensive Gun Use

The Propaganda Professor wrote a wonderful and lengthy followup to his other posts on the subject. Here are two small bits.

Gunsters often tout "studies" (i.e., surveys) that supposedly prove that there are hundreds of thousands, or even a few million, defensive guns uses (DGUs) every year. But not even all of these surveys support the "more guns, less crime" motif.   Two of the best known figures, both projected by the Dept. Of Justice, are 108,000 and 65,000 DGUs. Both of which fall far short of the documented 400,000-plus crimes committed with a gun annually. No wonder the gun culture has such a love affair with Dr. Kleck, who posits 2.5 million. He calculated this by interviewing just 222 individuals.

And here is where those surveys actually might be of some value. According to Kleck, 8 percent of the defenders wound or kill their assailants. This figure is certainly too low,  given Kleck's extremely loose standards for what constitutes a DGU. But even so, 8 percent of 2.5 million would mean it happens about 200,000 times per year. And yet only about one in 400 of these is reported in the news? Seriously? The National Crime Victimization Survey says it happens 3 percent of the time out of 108,000 DGUs per year.  That's 3240 in which the offender is wounded if not killed. And yet fewer than one in six is deemed newsworthy? Get real. One might argue that the media would have neither the capacity nor the interest to cover 200,000 such incidents per year. Perhaps not. but they would definitely have both the capacity and the interest to report 3240.

Caught Burglar Calls 911

via Mad Mike's America

A suspected burglar called 911 after the owner of the home he broke into caught and held him at gunpoint.

The suspect, Christopher Moore, placed the emergency call in Springtown, Texas, during the botched burglary attempt early Tuesday after James Gerow, the homeowner, and Gerow’s son pointed guns at him as he sat in his pickup truck parked in the driveway.

“I’m out in the country somewhere,” Moore told the 911 operator during the 10-minute call. “Some guy’s got a gun on me.”

Gerow’s wife, Lindy, placed a concurrent call to 911 that confirmed Moore’s account.

“You better come quick,” she said, “or my husband’s going to shoot him.”

“If he gets out of the truck, shoot him in the legs,” James Gerow told his son, according to the Dallas Morning News Crime Blog. “You ain’t gotta kill him—just shoot him in the legs.”

When police arrived, both Moore and Lindy Gerow were still talking to 911 dispatchers.

According to CBS’ Dallas-Fort Worth affiliate, Moore was arrested and charged with burglary. He’s currently being held on a $35,000 bond.

Aggregate courtesy of YahooNews.  For the video click HERE.

I'd say this Texan gun owner displayed the proper restraint. His remark on the video was especially appropriate. He said the guy was obviously not in his right mind and didn't need to be shot.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Store Clerk Shoots Angry Customer - A False DGU

via TTAG where the Armed Intelligentsia was very proud of the shooter's actions, in spite of Robert's calling him an irresponsible gun owner.

My comments:

That’s because the punch was little more than a slap. But, like the manly gun owner he was, he didn’t have to take it. That’s what being armed is all about. You can be a real man, you don’t have to be afraid to open the door to an angry customer, and if he slaps you in the face a little bit, you can shoot his ass.

and

That punch did not look like part of a serious attack. It was more of an exclamation point to whatever he was yelling. It wasn’t even that hard and it wasn’t followed by another punch or any aggressive move.

The shooter should be guilty of attempted murder. Gun owners need to exercise better restraint than that.

Vallejo Man Defends his Son - After the Fact

SF Gate reports

Vallejo police have arrested a 44-year-old father on suspicion of fatally shooting a teenager who fought his son at a party.

Randee Damar Williams' 19-year-old son called him after being in a fight with a 17-year-old Richmond boy as a house party was winding down. Williams came to the house and shot the teen around 3:35 a.m. Sunday.

The Times-Herald reports several people called 911 and reported hearing six gun shots, followed by screams. When officers arrived to the house, they found the victim's body on the ground with gunshot wounds in his body and head.

Williams was later arrested at his home.

You see how easy it is to arrest the responsible person?  It doesn't take a lengthy investigation or consultation with the DA.

In this case, we've got another gun owner who takes the law into his own hands and believes the gun is the solution.  Does it matter if he was a legal or an illegal gun owner?  No, it doesn't.  It only matters that he was one of the irresponsible and unfit ones. He was either a hidden criminal or a bad guy.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Criminal Act Disguised as a DGU - With Police Approval

Local news reports and further to Laci's post about the polite society.

San Antonio police say a shopper who brandished a handgun during a Black Friday scuffle was within his rights.

Officers were sent to a mall's Sears store about 9 p.m. Thursday in response to a call about a shooting.

When they arrived, they detained a man holding a black 9 mm semi-automatic handgun with a black holster.

But the man hadn't fired the loaded weapon. He reportedly showed proof that he has a concealed handgun license. Police say he didn't break the law.

The San Antonio Express-News reported that he told police he pulled the gun to defend himself because a man punched him in the face.

That's a helluva call for the cops even in Texas.

What do you think?  Please leave a comment.

A Good DGU in Pensacola Florida

via Mayuka Kumashiro, a Facebook friend