CA: Black Felon Shoots Man in Self Defense, Is Freed

On 2 July, at about 9:40 a.m., Mark Anthony Nelson Jr. shot an apparent armed robber as he exited the Patriot gas station where Nelson worked as a clerk. It would seem to be a clear justified shooting. 

Nelson did lied to police, probably because he is a convicted felon. He was convicted in 2011 of shooting a woman who rammed his vehicle. 

He denied shooting the robbery suspect, Jeffrey Allen Kirwan. He denied having a firearm that was found hidden in the store. The firearm had been reported stolen. Nelson had a bullet in his pocket. 

He was arrested on 2 July. From kymkemp.com:

Nelson Jr. was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of murder (PC 187(a)), possession of stolen property (PC 496(a)) and convicted felon in possession of a firearm (PC 29800(a)). He is being held without bail pending arraignment.

The community started speaking out in defense of Nelson. He had a great reputation. An attorney agreed to represent Nelson pro-bono. On 7 July, 2020, Nelson gave a different statement to investigators. He is reported to have admitted shooting and killing Kirwan, but said it was self defense.

His second statement was consistent with the physical evidence and witness statements. From nothcoastjournal.com:

Mark Anthony Nelson Jr. — a 39-year-old gas station clerk from Eureka — has had quite a week.

A man came to rob the gas station where he worked.

He shot and killed that man, prompting his arrest on suspicion of murder, possessing stolen property and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He was booked into Humboldt County Correctional facility without bail, and quarantined there for five days.

Then yesterday, in a stunning reversal, the Humboldt County District Attorney’s decided no charges would be filed in the case. Nelson walked free, and joined his partner Cynthia Shelton and their 14-year-old daughter for a quiet night at home.

Some claimed that "systemic racism" exists such that a white man wouldn't have gone to jail, in the comments at kymkemp.com:

I have to ask the question. If this man was white (like me) would he be arrested?

Other commenters contest the conjecture, saying that many white men are arrested in similar circumstances.

The discussion about the case shows the ability of the far left to control the narrative is failing in the face of facts and people's experience.

One comment claims there are numerous studies that show how poor people and black people are treated differently than other people in the criminal justice system.

They do not address the problem of systemic bias in academia in favor of leftist narratives.


A reasonable question, given the facts of the case, and the current climate:

Would a white man in the same circumstances been treated as well as Mark Anthony Young?

Convicted felons still have the right to self-defense. A clear, easily followed mechanism should be in place so that they can legitimately regain there Second Amendment rights, as protected by the Constitution.

Mark Anthony Young has gained the trust of the local community.

Perhaps prosecutors are starting to reconsider the common procedure of charging felons with illegal possession of firearms, even when they have been involved in justified self defense shootings.

It should, at least, be a mitigating factor.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

LA: Armed Victim Stops Robber Armed with Knife

A man facing armed robbers on Magazine Street pulled a gun and forced them to flee, New Orleans police say.

The men met around 7:45 p.m. Wednesday in the 3200 block of Magazine Street. Police say at least one of the suspects pulled a knife "during transaction of purchase."
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Another Armed Samaritan stops Active Shooter In Indiana

Image from Google Maps, text, and yellow lines, cropped and scaled by Dean Weingarten

At about 1:15 p.m. on 14 July, at the Brownsburg Cemetary in Brownsburg, Indiana, two men were working  A 20 year old black man, attacked them, in something out of a horror movie.  Joshua Christopher Hays drove to the cemetery, parked, approached the two men, and started shooting.

The two victims separated and ran. Hayes pursed 36-year-old Seth Robertson, catching him at 56th and Grant streets, and executing him with several shots to the chest.

Hays then pursued the second victim, who was able to physically engage Hays. The second victim was wounded. A bullet from Hays gun hit a nearby car stopped at the traffic light (presumably at 56th and Grant street) and wounded a third victim with shrapnel. The third victim was armed. From wishtv.com:

Police say 22-year-old Joshua Christopher Hayes launched an unprovoked attack against two men working in Brownsburg Cemetery Tuesday around 1:15 p.m. Hayes first chased 36-year-old Seth Robertson to a nearby intersection before he fatally shot Robertson.

Hayes then chased after the second man and shot a third man who was stopped at a traffic light nearby. The third man was legally armed and fatally shot Hayes.

“This tragic event could have been much more disastrous. So, victim three not only saved victim two’s life, but he saved potentially the lives of many others,” said BPD Capt. Jennifer Barrett. “Victim three did exactly what anybody would have wanted him to do at that scene that day.”

The life-saving gunfire was dramatic. Hays had the second victim down and was pointing his gun at the victim's head when Hays was struck by the bullet from the third victim, the armed Samaritan, who had witnessed the struggle between Hays and the second victim.

Hays is reported to have turned his attention to the third victim, who fired additional shots to stop the attack.  From yournews.com:

The unidentified licensed shooter’s lawyer Guy Relford explained, “The scenario was fairly clear to him in that the one person was chasing the other and the other was saying, ‘no, no, no, no please don’t shoot me, please don’t shoot me.’ And my client, under incredibly stressful circumstances, took aim, took his shot [and] hit the gunman.”

“The gunman stood up and was looking around and still had the gun in his hand, appeared to clearly intend to continue the attack at which point my client fired another two or three shots and the gunman went down,” he continued.

Hays was black and the known victims are/were white. The police say they have no evidence the attack was racially motivated. From wyrz.org:

Currently, police do not believe that the attack was racially motivated. Hayes, who is black, opened fire on the two victims who are white.

Brownsburg Police Department Captain Jennifer Pyatt-Barrett said, “At this point in time in the investigation, we have no reason to believe this was a racially-motivated crime. We’re leaning more towards evidence suggesting there was mental illness on behalf of Mr. Hayes.”

This is another instance of an active murderer being stopped by an armed Samaritan.  The Indystar quotes the armed Samaritan's attorney:

"So there's no question he saved at least one innocent life and perhaps multiple," Relford said. "Because police said he had a drum-style magazine in his handgun that still had a couple of dozen rounds in it.

"So who knows how much mayhem could have resulted if my client hadn’t been the brave hero and good Samaritan that he was."

It does not appear to have gathered national attention. Why isn't it as much news as when a police officer shoots a person who was resisting arrest?

That is a rhetorical question. It isn't national news because it does not fit the anti-Second Amendment narrative of guns being useless for defense of self and others.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

CO: Pueblo Home Invasion Stopped with Gunfire

The two residents told officers that a white car pulled up and parked in front of the home. Three men exited the vehicle and entered the home through the front door. A physical altercation followed and one of the residents fired a handgun at the intruders. The three intruders quickly left and the residents said they believe that two of the three suspects were hit by the gunfire.

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The Charge agianst St. Louis Couople for Defending their Home

Screen shot from Fox story, cropped by Dean Weingarten

Kim Gardner, the radical St. Louis prosecutor, has asked for and obtained a warrant to seize the rifle and pistol used to defend a St. Louis couple's home, where hundreds of protesters trespassed and screamed at them on Sunday, 28 June, 2020.

Link to video

It appears the charge used by far-left St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, to confiscate McClosky's firearms, is Missouri statute 571.030, Unlawful use of weapons. Bold added for emphasis: 

*571.030. Unlawful use of weapons — exceptions — penalties. — 1. A person commits the offense of unlawful use of weapons, except as otherwise provided by sections 571.101 to 571.121, if he or she knowingly: 

  (1) Carries concealed upon or about his or her person a knife, a firearm, a blackjack or any other weapon readily capable of lethal use into any area where firearms are restricted under section 571.107; or
  (2) Sets a spring gun; or
  (3) Discharges or shoots a firearm into a dwelling house, a railroad train, boat, aircraft, or motor vehicle as defined in section 302.010, or any building or structure used for the assembling of people; or
  (4) Exhibits, in the presence of one or more persons, any weapon readily capable of lethal use in an angry or threatening manner; or

There are exceptions. Number 5 seems to apply. 

  5. Subdivisions (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), and (10) of subsection 1 of this section shall not apply to persons who are engaged in a lawful act of defense pursuant to section 563.031.

Section 563.031 specifically allows the use of deadly force, not just showing a weapon, against people who have entered private property unlawfully.  In order to be justified, the person using the force must reasonably believe  such force to be necessary to defend themselves or a third person from the unlawful use of force.

  (3) Such force is used against a person who unlawfully enters, remains after unlawfully entering, or attempts to unlawfully enter private property that is owned or leased by an individual, or is occupied by an individual who has been given specific authority by the property owner to occupy the property, claiming a justification of using protective force under this section.

There is no question the rioters unlawfully entered private property, which makes this charge very unlikely to stick.

The only serious question would be if the McCloskeys could be shown to be "unreasonable" in their fear of the angry mob who had entered their private property unlawfully, and by their account, threatened them, their dog, and their home with violence.

The left is pushing that narrative.  At a left-wing site, the fact that the angry crowd entered unlawfully, and were reported to be shouting threats at the McCloskeys, is ignored, and the crowd is portrayed as "peaceful protestors" "walking by" the McCloskeys' house.  From lawandcrime.com:

Here is some of the video. The crowd does not sound "peaceful".  300 or 400 loud "protestors" certainly constitute disparity of force.

Link to video

The video, obviously taken and posted by those on the side of the BLM activists, shows the need  to record incidents on media the defenders control.

Video from the McCloskeys perspective would be powerful evidence in court.

Prosecutors have absolute immunity, granted to them by the Supreme Court in the 1970's and 80's. Kim Gardner has little to fear. She can take the McCloskey's guns and claim the mob was peaceful, without fear of lawsuit.

The McCloskeys are likely to prevail in court. But Kim Gardner can inflict considerable punishment by process.

The situation shows the importance of strong Castle Doctrine laws. Without the clear Missouri Castle Doctrine law, the McClosky's would be in serious danger of going to prison, merely for defending themselves.

All it takes is a political prosecutor who is on the side of the mob.


©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

LA: Man Threatens Clerk wtih Machete; Armed Customer Stops Threat

A man who entered a Metairie convenience store armed with a machete and threatened an employee fled after he was confronted by a customer who was armed with a gun, according to authorities.

The blade-wielding suspect was later identified as Robert Merritt, 37, of Metairie. He was taken into custody after returning to the store while deputies were still investigating, a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office arrest report said.
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Head of "Moms Demand Action" : "Police Violence is Gun Violence"

Moms Demand Action has joined the anti-police witch-hunt. 

I have long written that armed citizens and police are natural allies. It is because both of them have strong incentives in enforce order and prevent crime and violence. Two years ago, I wrote:

An armed people and local police are natural allies. When locally controlled police and a population who trust them work together, crime rates plummet to very low levels.

Officers on the street have generally had a positive attitude toward armed citizens. 

I did not expect the Bloomberg funded group, Moms Demand Action, to come out strongly against police.  I should have, as the orientation of the group was always on the far left.  David Horowitz said it this way. On the left, the issue is never the issue. The issue is always about getting and keeping power.

We should anticipate that a far left group like "Moms Demand Action" would support other far left groups like BLM or Antifa.

Emma Hinchliffe, the writer at Forbes, frames the issue this way. From fortune.com:

There was already a strong connection between the movement against police violence and the movement against gun violence; some “Mothers of the Movement” like Rep. Lucy McBath have devoted their efforts to the broader gun violence prevention movement. How has the recent movement for racial justice affected the movement against gun violence?

Moms Demand Action founder, Shannon Watts, answers:

Police violence is gun violence and that’s why our movement must be responsive as well. We’re partnering with leaders and organizations who are experts against policing. We’re committed to working with them to address white supremacy and racism at its roots. We are seeing an appetite among lawmakers to push through anti-police brutality legislation.

Orwellian word usage is how the Left gets and keeps power. "Gun violence" is an Orwellian term used to conflate all uses of guns in defense, police work, and especially suicide, with murder and violent crimes committed with guns.

The new Orwellian phrase is "Police violence". Police, by definition, cannot maintain order without the use of violence. Violence is necessary and good when it is used to defend either individual persons or society as a whole.

The Left redefines words and creates them to destroy their opponent and justify violence against them.  Conservatives, by their nature, prefer fixed meanings to words. Without agreed upon meanings, no debate is possible.

Now Moms Demand Action are "against policing"? It appears so.

We are seeing the results of reduced or no policing in Seattle, Washington, at the CHAZ/CHOP debacle; in Minneapolis, Baltimore, Chicago, Portland as well.

You get horrific property destruction, violence, and skyrocketing murder rates when you pull back police from heavy crime areas.

You don't need as many police in areas where residents have a high trust factor, and police themselves. Those are areas where police and armed citizens work together.

Armed citizens create police and sheriffs to be the backup, so a single couple or homeowner does not have to face the mob by themselves. The ordinary homeowner does not have to do the critical investigative work police do. They do not have to take time from their productive lives to track down criminals and arrest them. It is the productivity of specialization of training in action.

Mob action is now supported by the media, as lefists see they are losing the power to direct the vote.

I do not expect Moms Demand Action to gain followers with this anti-police rhetoric. But they have sent a message. They are against both self defense, and the police.  That is called mob rule.


©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

CA: Man who was Shot may be Connected to Home Break In

A man was found shot in Pasadena late Monday following what he told police was a robbery, but investigators were looking into the possibility the shooting was connected to an incident in which a resident shot a home intruder in the neighboring city of San Gabriel a short time earlier, authorities said.
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TX: Woman Shoots Man who Entered her Apartment Nude

PORT ARTHUR, Texas — A man is expected to survive his injuries after Port Arthur Police say he was shot when he entered a woman's apartment without permission and completely nude Monday afternoon.

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MS: Resident Shoots, Kills Intruder who Broke into Home

According to the Biloxi Police Department, they received a 911 call at 1:10 a.m. from a Biloxi resident who shot an intruder at their home located on Old Bay Road. When police arrived, they found the alleged trespasser in the backyard of the house with a gunshot wound, later identified as a 15-year-old.

The investigation is initial thus far. But at the moment, investigators say the deceased did break into the Biloxi residence and the homeowner shot the intruder during a confrontation.

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NC: Man Shoots, Wounds, 1 of 3 Home Invaders

The man told investigators a woman knocked on his door and when he answered a man tried to force his way inside.

The homeowner shot the male intruder in the arm and the suspects escaped in a car.

Three suspects, identified as Natasha Kerberg, Carmalita Pike and Kenneth Lawrence were later arrested.
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CT: Rabid Bobcat Attacks Dog, then Runs into House

Bettini said he and the other troopers were in the basement with flashlights when he caught the reflection of the bobcat’s eye after shining his beam onto it. “I was fortunate enough to see the reflection of its eye before the other troopers got too close to it,” he said. “I happened to shine my light to a corner and it was on a shelving unit. And the (other troopers) were walking toward that direction and I told them to stop and back up.”

He said troopers then secured the basement and waited for DEEP officers to arrive.When the officers went back into the basement to again approach the cat, Bettini said it had changed location and was clinging to the side of a punching bag hanging in the basement, where it was then killed with a .22 rifle. Its body was removed to test for rabies, which came back positive the next day.
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AL: Man Shoots two Pit Bulls Attacking his Cats

Upon arrival, officers spoke to the victim and he stated that there were two pit bulls in his backyard attacking his cats. The victim also said he shot both dogs, killing one of them. County Animal Control responded and took control of the animals.

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Michigan Deputy Shoots Suspect who Attacked with Knife and Screwdriver (video)

At about 6:47 a.m., a suspect identified as Sean Ernest Ruis was in a confrontation inside a Dimondale Quality Dairy store. Ruis was refused service for not wearing a mask.  He allegedly stabbed a 77 year old man while they were inside the store.  Then Ruis drove off.

At 7:13, a deputy with the Eaton County Sheriff's Office pulled Ruis over. The veteran female officer had 22 years of experience.

Ruis got out of the vehicle and moved toward the officer with weapons in his hands.


Link to video on instagram


The officer attempted to increase distance, but Ruis acclerated toward her, and she fired shots to stop the attack.  The officer continues to fire at Ruis as she attempts to increase the distance, and he attempts to make contact. Ruis uses a toe to heel advance technique, which is taught in some disciplines to close the distance quickly, without appearing to do so.

It was a very close thing. It appears Ruis and the officer made breif contact as she was firing at him.

 Screenshot from police body camera. Text and arrows, cropped and scaled by Dean Weingarten

From the video, it appears Ruis has a screwdriver with about an 8 inch blade in his left hand and a knife or scissors with about a 4 inch blade in his right hand.

It seems likely contact between the officers gun and Ruis' hand caused a failure to feed in the deputy's sidearm.  The sidearm looks like a Glock 19. 

The impact of the bullets had an effect.

The officer cleared the malfunction and continued firing.

This is a classic example of the necessity of training in the Tueller Drill. Assailants with contact weapons can close the distance very rapidly. Even after being shot multiple times, attackers can have sufficient energy and will to close and make a deadly attack.

If, instead of a screwdriver in his left hand, the attacker had an edged weapon, the officer very likely would have been cut, and possibly lost control of the pistol.

Skilled knife users know to go after the weapon hand. It is the primary target to disable.

But bullets beat blades, if the gun weilder has the skill and time to use them. In this case the deputy made the right defensive moves. It was barely enough.

Ruis appears to have had some training, or to have studied knife techniques. Still, displaying a contact weapon and then attacking an opponent armed with a firearm,  smacks of desperation or, possibly suicide by deputy.

 This tragic situation could have been avoided if the suspect had been able to control himself a bit better. It is unknown if intoxicants were involved.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

FL: Domestic Defense? Shotgun Fired inside Garage as men Struggle for Control

A fight between two men inside a garage at a local house led to a shotgun going off and an arrest for home invasion.


Citrus County Sheriff’s Office authorities on July 15, 2020, arrested 30-year-old Justin Lee Sanchez, of Wesley Chapel, on a charge of burglary with battery, following their investigation into the Pasco County resident’s alleged altercation with a Homosassa homeowner.
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TX: Domestic Defense, Woman Shoots Ex who Assaulted her

SAN ANTONIO – Neighbors in a North Side community said they are relieved that a woman is safe after San Antonio police said she was forced to shoot and kill her abusive ex-boyfriend.

Investigators said the woman had a protective order against Robert Wayne Lyssy, 67, amid a history of calls for threats, when he showed up unannounced Tuesday and tried to assault her at a home on Shadow Cliff.
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TX: 73-Year-Old Shoots two Suspects who Rushed him

When he went to check it out he found two men, identified as Zarraga and Rodriguez, removing parts from a vehicle he owned.

The man confronted the suspects at gunpoint and told them to show their hands. The suspects then reportedly rushed the man who shot them both.

Zarraga was treated at a hospital and has now been charged with aggravated robbery.

Rodriguez was airlifted to a Lubbock hospital where he is listed in critical condition.
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Detroit Police Release Video of Justified Shooting which lead to Protests

Link to video

On 10 July, 2020, at about 12:30 p.m., in Detroit, there was another police shooting. A young black man, Hakeem Littleton, 20, was shot and killed by Detroit police. Agitators quickly organized  a protest, and gathered, claiming the shooting was not justified and Hakeem was unarmed.

The police were making an arrest in conjunction with a homicide which took place on 5 July. Hakeem Littleton was a bystander, who tried to prevent the arrest.

Screenshot from Detroit Police Body Camera, cropped, scaled, arrow and text added by Dean Weingarten.

One of the protest organizers admitted it did not matter to her that Hakeem fired at police first. From mlive.com:

“They killed a man today,” Scorpio said, " I don’t give a f**what happened, they shouldn’t have killed a man today...

“We are fighting for a system where the police shouldn’t have been there to begin with, the police shouldn’t be putting people in positions where they feel like they have to protect their lives because they see a badge.”

In the video, the action happens very rapidly. Hakeem reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a Beretta .25 auto. He fires two shots at an officer's head, but misses from a few feet away. Another six shots were fired very quickly, four from and officer, and two more from Hakeem. The last two may have been fired when Hakeem was on the ground. 

Chief Craig was quick to release the body camera video, only a few hours after the incident happened.

The clearest view of the incident in the video clips is that of the officer who fired the shots which struck and killed Hakeem Littleton. You see, form the officers viewpoint, the initial shots. You see him obtain a flash sight picture with a two handed hold, and fire, very quickly. 

The Detroit police are following the model of the San Diego police, who successfully released video of a shooting that occurred on June 28, 2020, in downtown San Diego.

The important thing seems to be to get the information out before the false narrative has a chance to be embedded in the media and culture.

The opposite happened in the George Floyd case. In Minneapolis, the Mayor and Police Chief have fought to keep the body camera video from the public. The attorneys for the police have been fighting to have it released. A transcript was released on 7 July.

Combat the lies with facts quickly enough, with evidence, and the false narratives used by those who want to destroy the United States, can be combated effectively.

We are entering an age where there will be video of nearly everything that happens. The old era of being able to lie about what happened is rapidly going away.

Video clips can be misleading, of course. Knowing how to make videos and place them on the Internet, is becoming as important a skill in preserving liberty as knowing how to load and shoot firearms.



©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

IL: Landlord Shoots Tenant in Dispute, Shooting Considered Justified

The shooting stemmed from an argument over $20,000 Bernotas owed the 76-year-old for back rent, the sheriff’s office said. The man said Bernotas threatened him after he was served with a five-day eviction notice.

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VT: Armed Parent Holds Intruder for Police

Police were notified of a home invasion reported on Bushey Hill Road at around 10:35 p.m.

The caller reported that a man, later identified as Conrad Labor, of Coventry, entered their home and locked himself in their bathroom.

One of the parents gathered the family in an upstairs room while the other, armed with a firearm, detained Labor in the bathroom until police arrived.
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WA: Armed Victim fires Warning Shot, is nearly Disarmed

The victim told Hill not to leave until the police arrived, Murphy wrote, but Hill tried to talk his way out of being caught and started to walk toward the victim with his arms stretched out.

The victim told Hill he would defend himself if Hill continued to approach, Murphy reported, but Hill continued, and the victim fired a warning shot.

Instead of stopping, Hill attacked the victim, Murphy wrote, and attempted to wrestle the gun from the victim’s hand. During the struggle, the victim said he could feel Hill trying to turn the gun into the victim’s body and feared Hill was going to shoot him.

As police arrived, Hill ran off with the victim and a neighbor, who also had been alerted to the vehicle prowl, in pursuit, Murphy reported.

Read more here: https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/crime/article244222397.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/crime/article244222397.html#storylink=cpy

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IN: Armed Samaritan Stops Active Shooter at Brownsburg Cemetary

Next, Hayes encountered a motorist — referred to in the news release as Victim 3 — who was stopped at a traffic light in the eastbound lane of 56th Street. A gunshot from Hayes struck Victim 3, who witnessed Hayes attempting to shoot Victim 2.

“Victim 3 was armed with a firearm that they are legally licensed to carry and intervened on the behalf of Victim 2 and numerous other civilians in the immediate area that were rendering aid to Victim 1 and/or stopped in traffic,” the news release said. “Victim 3 fired his firearm at Hayes as Hayes was pointing his firearm at Victim 2’s head. Hayes died on the scene.”

Victims 2 and 3 were treated for injuries at the scene and cooperated with police.
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OH: Man Shoots Pit Bull that Attacked Girlfriend

Once on scene, officers found that a 31-year-old woman was being transported by EMS to University Hospitals in serious condition and saw the dog lying lifeless in the street, according to police.

The woman’s boyfriend told police that he had shot and killed the dog after we witnessed it attack his girlfriend, police said.
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WA: Domestic Defense? Man who Stabbed Three Shot and Killed by Armed Victim

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Two men died at an apartment building in suburban Seattle after a male relative of the host stabbed her and two other people and one of the stabbing victims shot him, police said Sunday.

The 41-year-old stabbing suspect from Burien and a 21-year-old man from Renton, whom he allegedly stabbed, died, after some kind of disturbance between the 41-year-old and the party's 22-year-old host, police chief Steve Mylett said.
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MO: Gunfight, Armed Victim Shoots, Kills Armed Robbery Suspect

ST. LOUIS — A man was shot and killed after exchanging gunfire with a person he was trying to rob Sunday night.


The shooting happened at about 9:49 p.m. on the 800 block of Cole Street, near the border of Downtown and the Columbus Square neighborhood.
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IN: Domestic Defense? Woman Shoots, Kills Man Attempting Break-in

Investigators say a man was attempting to break into a residence before being shot and killed by a woman who lived inside.

Police were also called to the same home earlier in the day, where a woman was stabbed and taken to the hospital.

The woman who shot the man stayed at the scene and is fully cooperating with police.
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PA: Armed Samaritan Shot Suspect in Double Murder

Court papers say Campbell and Bowersox were on a date at Buffalo Wild Wings when witnesses saw them embrance underneath an umbrella in the parking lot; this before Fernders drove into the lot and began shooting at the victims. Then as Fernanders was returning to his truck, papers say 49-year-old Troy Sprenkle of Sunbury came out of the restaurant and fired three or four shots at the suspect.

Snyder County DA Mike Piecuch tells us Fernanders cannot be arraigned for the murder charges because he’s in serious condition from his gunshot wounds.
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Follow up IL: Domestic Defense, Shooting Death of Willie C. Evans was Justified

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WICS/WRSP) — Police said the fatal shooting that took place on 11th Street earlier this week happened in self-defense.

Springfield Police said the man killed, 29-year-old Willie C. Evans, suffered a fatal gunshot wound by 26-year-old Martin A. Brown as Evans tried to forcibly enter a residence in the 1400 block of North 11th Street. This happened at approximately 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 7.

Witnesses told authorities that when Evans arrived at the residence, he repeatedly banged on the door and threatened violence. Witnesses also said Evans went to a bedroom window and forced an air conditioning unit through it to gain entry to the residence.
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VA: Tenant Survives Gunfight at Doorway, Intruder Killed

Officers were called to the 12000 block of Starboard Drive at 11:36 p.m. for a report of a man causing a disturbance in a breezeway area.

A tenant of the building opened his apartment door and encountered the man, later identified as Daniel Matheson, 29, of Reston, standing in his doorway, police said in a news release.

The tenant reported that Matheson began to raise a firearm in his direction. The tenant, who was also armed, fired one round striking Matheson in his upper body, police said.
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WY: Man Shoots Dog Harassing his Livestock; Owner Complains, no Collar or Tags on Dog

The dog had no identifying tags on its collar when he opened fire, he said, and it wasn’t until after calling another neighbor that he discovered the dog belonged to Michael Parkins, a neighbor whom he’d met but has had limited contact with.

“I was concerned at the time because it was harassing one of my goats,” Lone said in an interview. “If it was 15 minutes earlier, it could have been attacking my kids. I did what I felt was appropriate under the conditions and in accordance with Wyoming statute.”

“I don’t make a habit of shooting animals if I don’t have to,” he added later. “I’m a dog lover myself. I did what I did because I believed my family and my property were in danger.”
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FL: Violent Criminals Target Gun Enthusiast; he Shoots all Three

WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — An armed homeowner shot three men with guns who broke into his home, killing two of them and wounding the third.

It happened early Friday morning in Wesley Chapel. Deputies were dispatched at 12:43 a.m.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said the man was home alone, playing video games, when he heard glass shatter toward the back of his house.

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NICS Background Checks and Gun Sales Continue to Break Records in June, 2020

June of 2020 has continued the run of record setting numbers of background checks and gun sales for this presidential election year.

The National Instant background Check System (NICS) recorded the highest ever number of checks in a month in June of 2020. The total number was 3,931,607. The number is misleading because the number of checks done for permits and permit rechecks has outpaced the checks done for gun sales.

Most of the checks done, in most months, are done for permits and permit rechecks.

June of 2020 has reversed that trend by a little. Only 1.77 million of the checks were done for permits and permit rechecks. More than 2.1 million checks were done for gun sales.

The formula used to estimate gun sales from NICS checks, as provided by the FBI, is checks for handguns + checks for long guns + checks for other + 2.5 x checks for multiple guns on the same form.

The category of "other" consists of sales where the firearm is not classified as either a handgun, rifle, or shotgun. Most of those are probably for lower receivers. A lower receiver could be made into either a pistol or a rifle or a shotgun.  A growing number might be for pistol gripped "firearms" that shoot shotgun shells, and are over 26 inches in length, but do not have a shoulder stock. They are classified only as "firearms".

Such estimates cannot, by their nature, be precise to a few digits. They are a good estimate of the number of guns sold for that period of time.

2.13 million guns sold in one month is an extraordinary number of sales for June. It is a record for the month. Every month in 2020 has been a record, so far. May, June, and July are traditionally slow months for firearms sales. Not in 2020!

According to the monthly estimates, over 10 million firearms have been sold in the first half of 2020.  According to my records, it is more than the total number of firearms sold in every year until 2011!

Many people have decided owning a firearm is a worthwhile insurance policy.

This is not surprising given the current Media campaign to present far-left politicians in Leftist cities, coordinating with Marxist agitators from Black Lives Matters and Antifa, burning down buildings and toppling statutes in their jurisdiction, as a national existential threat.

The threat of a "cultural revolution" lead by the Marxist Black Lives Matter, is real, because it is backed by nearly the entire Media. People are being fired for merely saying "All Lives Matter". 

An uncertain future, mixed with leftist politicians demanding infringements on the exercise of Second Amendment rights, means more gun owners, and more Second Amendment supporters.

If the current trend continues, as seems likely, more than 20 million guns will be sold in 2020. According to NSSF estimates, 40% of those sales are to new gun owners. Eight million new gun owners can have a very significant effect in national elections.

An armed person has a different attitude than an unarmed person.Nicolo Machiavelli is perhaps the most famous writer to note this, in a political context. From The Prince:

Because there is nothing proportionate between the armed and the unarmed; and it is not reasonable that he who is armed should yield obedience willingly to him who is unarmed, or that the unarmed man should be secure among armed servants. Because, there being in the one disdain and in the other suspicion, it is not possible for them to work well together.

The arming of America continues. 


©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

IL: Gunfight, Permit Holder Defends Self and Driver, both Wounded

Two people are in fair condition after gunshots were exchanged between an armed attacker and a concealed carry holder in the River North neighborhood overnight, according to Chicago police.

Citing preliminary information, CPD said a 22-year-old man was driving a 21-year-old woman eastbound in the 100 block of West Superior when two white sedans boxed them in around 2:55 a.m. Friday. An armed man got out of one of the sedans and began shooting at the victims’ car, striking the woman in her leg and arm, police said.

A 23-year-old man was then shot in the leg when the woman’s driver — a concealed carry holder — returned fire, according to police.

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NC: Armed Woman Shoots Man Outside her Residence

STATESVILLE, N.C. — Statesville Police are investigating after a man was shot and killed at the 900 Block of Adams Street on Monday.

According to Statesville Police, officers were called to a shooting at 6:40 a.m. regarding an alleged trespasser. Police say upon arriving on the scene, the body of 54-year-old Statesville resident, Alexis Christopher Barber was located near the driveway.
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Police Shoot Turning Suspect, as He Points Revolver at Officer (video)

A bit before 6 p.m., in downtown San Diego, California, two police officers noticed a man in a red track suit. He was wanted in connection with a recent robbery.  He had a distinctive face tattoo, which is how the officers identified him so quickly.

Link to video.

In the ensuing confrontation, the suspect flees from the police, and is shot.

Protestors claim he was shot without justification.  The next day, a hundred protestors gather. They threatened to "burn down the system".

The San Diego police act quickly. They released video of the shooting from four sources, including two police body cameras.

The video shows the suspect drawing a revolver and pointing it at police just moments before police open fire.

Image a screen shot from release by San Diego Police, cropped and scaled by Dean Weingarten

The well done release by the San Diego Police took control of the narrative.

It is worth watching and studying. It shows how easy it is to justifiably shoot someone in the back in defense of self and others.

Many have said shooting someone in the back is never justified. That is false. Real world defensive shootings are seldom static.

They are fast, dynamic, and changing quickly. Adversaries are often moving, twisting, and turning.

It takes a fraction of a second from the time a decision is made to shoot, to the gun actually firing. In that time the position of a moving adversary can change quite a bit. Just because a person's back is momentarily turned toward you, does not stop them from being a deadly threat.

Ubiquitous security cameras and recording devices are making it harder and harder to characterize events in a simple, deceptive narrative.

Video can be used to create a false narrative. It is done most often by groups or individuals with an agenda. In the George Floyd case, major networks cut the video before it showed a police officer saying, when asked why they did not put Floyd in the car, that they had been trying to do that for several minutes.

Floyd resisted so vigorously, three officers could not secure him in the car.

A similar situation occurred in Los Angeles before the Rodney King riots. All the officers actions were justified, and in accordance with policy, but the major media cut the video to make it appear damning to police.

In this case, with four cameras, different angles, and the still shots released, the story is clear. It stopped another budding, anti-police narrative cold.

In Minneapolis, the City Government has still not released the body camera video.

The revolver shown in the possession of the suspect appears to be a Uberti replica of the cartridge conversion of 1851 Navy Colt cap and ball revolver.  The replicas are chambered in .38 special.

 Image from San Diego PD, cropped and scaled by Dean Weingarten

The replicas have a reputation as a reliable and accurate revolver.

Note the revolver was tucked in the waistband, in a bandana. It was not in a holster. Criminals almost never use holsters, because a holster ties them to a gun, and is not easily disposed of.

Video evidence is becoming ever more important. The ability to record an event is becoming as important to a defender after the event, as having the ability to defend yourself, during the event.


©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

CO: Man Shoots, Kills, Bear in Self Defense at campsite

It appears this was a "problem bear" who was acclimated to humans.

BOULDER, Colo. — A man shot and killed a bear on Monday morning after it scavenged through his campsite and threatened him and his dog.

According to the police report, the bear tried to attack the dog before lunging at the owner.

"The bear got 10 to 15 yards away as it was running to him," said Jason Clay, the public information officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Officials said there are no charges being brought against the camper because he acted appropriately.
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North Carolina Governor Vetos Volunteer Security in Churchs Co-Located with Schools

Image from flickr.com, CC 2.0 5 June, 2007 by Jim Bowen, cropped and scaled by Dean Weingarten

On 2 July, 2020, the Democrat Governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper, vetoed Bill H652, also known as "The Second Amendment Protection Act".

From the Bill:

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO HAS A CONCEALED CARRY HANDGUN PERMIT MAY CARRY A HANDGUN ON EDUCATIONAL PROPERTY THAT IS THE LOCATION OF BOTH A SCHOOL AND A PLACE OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP AND TO ENACT THE 2ND AMENDMENT PROTECTION ACT OF 2020.

H625 has three other mild and incremental reforms of North Carolina weapons law.

1: Allows a person who allowed their permit to carry to lapse, to renew it within 60 days after the permit expires, without penalty. Similarly the permit may be renewed for up to 120 days, if a qualified refresher course is taken before renewal.

2. The bill allows the head of law enforcement agencies to designate non-sworn employees who can carry with a concealed carry permit in law enforcement facilities. 

3. The bill also allows emergency medical services personal to carry with a concealed carry permit if they have completed an approved course.

None of these reforms is a radical transformation of the law. They are reforms which make the law a bit less restrictive. The bill passed with veto proof majorities in the North Carolina General Assembly.

Governor Cooper is at odds with the majorities.

On 25 June, the North Carolina House voted to pass H652,  Yes-77, No-38, and  5-absent.

On the same date, the North Carolina Senate voted Y-33, No-14,  and 3 absent.

After Govenor Cooper vetoed the bill on 2 July, the General Assembly received H652 back from the Governor the same day. H652 was placed on the calendar for a veto override vote in the House scheduled for 8 July, 2020.

A veto override requires 3/5ths vote of the members present, in both houses. In this case, the bill goes to the House first. 

There are 64 Republicans and 56 Democrats in the House. A maximum of 72 votes is needed to override the veto, less if some members are not present.

In the Senate there are 28 Republicans and 21 Democrats with 1 vacancy. A maximum of 30 votes is needed to override the veto.

Governor Cooper has vetoed five other bills which will be on the Calendar for veto review.  In addition to the 2nd Amendment Protection Act, there is H918, H806, H686, H258, and H612.

Governor Cooper has has placed the Democrats legislators into a lose - lose situation. If they vote to override the veto, they can be accused of being disloyal to the Democrat Party. If they reverse their previous vote for the bill, they show themselves to be untrustworthy.

Second Amendment rights are popular in North Carolina. It remains to be seen if party loyalty or the desire to be re-elected will win.

The Democrats in the House, who voted for the Second Amendment Protection Act were:

Rep. Beasly,  District 92
Rep. Bell, District 21
Rep. Brewer, District 66
Rep. Farmer-Butterfield, District 24
Rep. Floyd Elmer, District 43
Rep. Graham, District 47
Rep. John  Sr., District 40
Rep. Lucas, District 42
Rep. Pierce, District 48
Rep. Queen, District 119
Rep. Russell, District 93
Rep. Turner, District  116
Rep. Wray, District 27

Of those 13 Democrats, 8 will need to vote with all 64 Republicans, to ensure a veto override if all members are present for the veto override.

If the 5 Democrats who were absent for the vote to pass the bill remain absent for the veto override vote, only  5 of the 13 Democrats who originally voted for the bill will be needed to override the veto.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

MO: Off Duty Deputy Shoots, Kills Carjacking Suspect

ST. LOUIS COUNTY — An off-duty St. Louis city sheriff’s deputy driving to work Monday fatally shot a carjacking suspect who tried to run over a man and his 10-year-old grandson on a north St. Louis County sidewalk, authorities said.
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KY: Armed Homeowner Shoots, Kills Intruder at 2:30 a.m.

JENKINS, Ky. (WTVQ) – A homeowner apparently shot and killed an intruder early Monday morning in Letcher County.

According to the Kentucky State Police, James Duncan entered a home belonging to Justin and Kimberly Robinson without permission at about 2:30 a.m.
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TN: Bear Attack, Bear Driven off by Gunfire

Marvin told News Channel 11’s Bianca Marais that his first response was to keep his five children, who remained asleep in a tent only feet away, safe.


“When I got up, after he put his teeth in me, I kicked him in the middle — right between the eyes, and he let go,” Marvin said. “I got up and I shot, and I hit him. He screamed pretty loud, and I went over there shortly after — 5 to 10 minutes after — and there was a good blood trail, and it stormed later on that evening, so it doesn’t surprise me [TWRA] didn’t find anything.”

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Did Seattle Left Wing "Security" Murder and Assault Black Children?

Image from KOMO news, cropped and scaled by Dean Weingarten

At 03:00 a.m., in the Seattle lawless zone, known as CHAZ or CHOP, two children were killed by what some refer to as CHOP security.

A couple of minutes before 3 a.m. in the early morning of June 29,  according to the clock on a surveillance camera, the latest shooting at the CHAZ or CHOP occurred just outside the border of the lawless zone. Two teenage boys in a Jeep Cherokee were gunned down. The 16-year-old is dead, the 14-year-old is in critical condition.

Video of CHAZ/ Chop Shooting where you can count the shots.

The Seattle Police Chief said it was obvious the crime scene had been disturbed by numerous people.

No one has reported finding any weapons at the scene. The car window on the passenger side of the Jeep was rolled up, as can be seen by the shattered glass around the frame. 

A car's headlights come around a corner, perhaps 15-20 mph, a bit fast. There is a single shot at 0:54 in the video. A few seconds later, the vehicle appears to bump in a barricade at a slow rate of speed, then two shots,  then another bump into a barricade. The vehicle stops. Then, another seven shots. After a couple of seconds, the vehicle backs up slowly, stops, gets back into gear,  and at a few miles per hour, bumps the barricade again. The Jeep stops for a final time. Then from 1:18 to 1:24 another controlled string of 10 shots.

It is impossible to tell if any of the shots come from the vehicle.  No muzzle flash was noted in the video. The sequence of shots is compatible with two ten round magazines.  One shot, then two then seven for a total of ten; then a spaced sequence of 10, as the vehicle is stopped in the final position where it came to rest.

The last 10 shots do not appear to be justified at all. The driver seems impaired. No gunfire can be discerned coming from the vehicle. After the vehicle is stopped, it seems the last 10 shots are fired into it to finish off the occupants. 

Given the rolled up passenger window, the idea that shots came from the vehicle first, if at all, seems unlikely.

Two members of the Seattle City council refused to express any responsibility for the deaths, or to hold anyone in CHAZ/CHOP responsible.  On KOMO, Lorena Gonzales, City Council President, claimed unscrupulous gun dealers and too many guns were to blame.

Council member Kshama Sawant proclaimed the "movement" was not responsible for any of the violence.

Leftists are quick to claim someone else is responsible. They are never responsible, at least in their own minds.  One of the major purposes of Leftist movements is to eliminate personal responsibility, and replace it with group responsibility, which is to say, no one is personally responsible, and whole groups can be punished for perceived  or imaginary problems.

One of the problems with defunding the police, in a sane society, is it is difficult to assign responsibility for any action without proper investigations and evidence. No one has responsibility to collect evidence. No one at CHAZ/CHOP seemed concerned with gathering evidence.  Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best said the "protestors" were not cooperative. From bbc.com:

Chief Carmen Best, from the Seattle Police Department, said they had found a white Jeep "riddled with bullet holes" near one of the concrete barriers to Chop.

She also accused protesters and residents of "not being cooperative with our requests for help", and said the zone was now "not safe for anybody".

It appears bystanders are protecting the killer/killers identities. No reports identifying the killer/killers has surfaced, to my knowledge.

People at CHOP were quick to claim the vehicle was the same one involved in another incident, earlier. That is far from clear. Some commenters are saying the vehicle merely looked similar.

If police had shot two black children in similar circumstances, killing one and critically wounding the other, there would be riots across the nation. Shoot two black children on the edge of a lawless zone supported by local far-left politicians, and no one in the media seems to care or be curious about the circumstances.

If the 14-Year-old survives, he may be able to tell us his side of the story. 

The audio of the gun shots and the rolled up window in the Jeep make the working hypothesis of murder a valid one.


©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

George Floyd Case: MPD Allowed Neck Restraints; Follow Due Process

Image is screenshot from video cropped and scaled by Dean Weingarten

More facts are surfacing in the George Floyd case. We need to step back, allow a critical examination of evidence and allow the criminal justice system to be applied.

It is important to follow proper procedure, rules of evidence, allowing of the defense to present its case, and an adversarial examination at trial.  It is irresponsible for national media figures to proclaim guilt before a trial is conducted or the defense is heard.  Here are some reasons to withhold judgement.

Having studied self-defense doctrine, and having some familiarity with police policy, it was not surprising neck restraints are allowed by the Minneapolis Police Department.

Numerous people have claimed no department allows neck restraints.  The Minneapolis Police Department explicitly allows neck restraints, including the kind arguably used in the restraint of George Floyd.

Link to  mpd policy  

Update: The link has been removed from the police site. Here is a saved screen shot:




The policy says light pressure applied by the leg or arm, to the side of the neck, is allowed to restrain a person who is actively resisting arrest.

There is video showing Floyd initially resisting arrest as he is taken from the car he was in. Two passengers come out of the passenger side and are not handcuffed.

Floyd resists arrest. It takes two officers to remove him from the car. They handcuff him. One officer moves away, and Floyd appears to be somewhat impaired, because he stumbles and slumps down next to the door.  The officers treat him with care, rather gently it appears.

Floyd violently resisted the officers when they attempted to place him in the police vehicle, after some time where he is siting, handcuffed next to the building. Video of that period has surfaced. Some claim it shows Floyd being beaten, inside the car.  Prisoners must be restrained (in seat belts) inside of the car to be transported. Remember Fredy Gray in Baltimore, where police where criminally charged when Gray was not restrained, and died in police custody. It is very difficult to place a struggling prisoner in a seat belt, especially if they are are large and muscular.

There is at least one photo of three officers restraining Floyd on the ground. It appears it took three or four officers to subdue Floyd on the ground next to the police car, even though he was handcuffed. At about this time, the officers call an ambulance.

On the video showing the officer with a knee on Floyd's neck, one officer at the scene, can be heard to say they attempted to place him in the vehicle for ten minutes.  Without video, it is difficult to be certain of the timing. When in a violent struggle, a person's sense of time tends to change. The phenomena is called tachypsychia.

George Floyd was a very large, reportedly 6'6", muscular man, with a long history of violence and a violent rap sheet.

The police did not move him from that location until the ambulance arrived.

Floyd appears to be resisting arrest for at the first four minutes of the video, where he is on the ground, and the officer has his leg on the back of the shoulders and the side of Floyd's neck.  What is unclear is how much resistance Floyd put up over the entire time period.

The officer can convincingly argue he was following department policy. The police had called an ambulance. The officers knew Floyd had medical issues, suspected drug involvement, and that an ambulance was on the way.

There are two minutes and 43 seconds after that where Floyd was not resisting.
Those minutes will be the strongest argument the officer did not follow policy.

It cannot be determined, from the video, how much pressure was being applied to the neck. It has been argued there was little pressure and that there was strong pressure.  The optics of the video look very bad, but they are not conclusive about how much pressure was applied.

Floyd repeatedly saying "I can't breathe" can be consistent with heart failure. We know it was not blockage of the airway.  Blockage of one of the arteries to the brain is possible. Blockage of both is less likely.  The fact Floyd could speak and move his head some amount, indicates the pressure on his neck was not extreme.

Floyd saying "I can't breathe" is dramatic. It appears very bad in the video. It does not prove the officer's actions were the reason for the complaint.

All the evidence will be exhaustively examined at trial.

We do not know how many times the officer may have heard similar complaints from other suspects, attempting to manipulate him. The phrase gained a lot of "street cred" after the Eric Gardiner case resulted in a large payout.

The autopsy did not find any damage to the neck, and did not find evidence of strangulation or asphyxiation. It found underlying problems with Floyd's heart, and suspected drug involvement.  This does not mean the pressure on Floyd's neck was inconsequential. It leaves room for doubt as to the cause of death.

The toxicology report in the autopsy shows Fentanyl at 11 ng/mL, Norfentanyl at 5.6 ng/mL, and Methamphetamine at 19 ng/mL.  It does not show any alcohol in Floyd's blood.  Lethal doses for Fentanyl, especially as part of a drug cocktail, show a wide variation.

What is needed is a careful examination of the evidence, due process, and the rule of law. Here is a link with a detailed examination of evidence which has not been given much publicity.

All of those things are destroyed by the mob rule and electronic lynching that is happening as I write.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

MO: Independence Homeowner Wounds Intruder

An Independence homeowner shot and injured an intruder who broke into a home early Wednesday.

At about 4 a.m., a man forced his way through the front door of a home in the 1300 block of South McHenry Street in eastern Independence.

“At some point there was a confrontation between him and the homeowner,” said Independence police spokesman Tom Gentry. “The homeowner had a weapon and shot the intruder.”

Read more here: https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article697043.html#storylink=cpy

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Powerful Black Woman is Ready to Stand up to Rioters and Looters

This photo was presented on Twitter by John Burnett.

The image has so many things right about it. A successful Black woman, wife, and mother exercising her Second Amendment rights to protect family and the success she has worked so hard to obtain.

She has much to lose to looters, and she is not going to let it happen.

Dean Weingarten

World Traveler Reports on Wisconsin Open Carry and Walmart Request

A Wisconsin Walmart manager recently followed store policy in Northern Wisconsin. They interacted with a long term friend of mine.

He is an accomplished world traveler, due to his vocation as a missionary. He has traveled extensively in Europe, Asia, and Australia. He has often remarked about how little freedom most of the world has, compared to the United States.

He is a brave man. I marvel at the dangers he considers routine.  When in the United States, he openly carrys a sidearm, most commonly a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol.  He says liberty, unclaimed and unused, is easier to lose.

Here is his report of open carry experiences in Wisconsin over the last six months:

I open carry in Wisconsin on a very regular basis, rarely do I have someone say anything to me about it, but every now and then... 

Last fall I was standing in line to pay for a coffee at our local Kwik Trip convenience store. I was openly carrying my Glock 22. I noticed a man look at me and then go about his business. As I went out to my truck he came outside.

He said, "sir, is it legal to carry a pistol like that in public?" 

I replied yes it is, both our American constitution as well as our Wisconsin constitution protect the right to keep and carry arms. 

"He then said oh, you have a permit to carry." 

I replied, no permit is required to carry openly in the State of Wisconsin. 

This man was both shocked and excited. He thought he must have a permit to carry, and confided that he was wanting to do that, but was afraid the process would be long and expensive. I informed him it is not; while waiting, he should study up on our gun laws and carry. He was very thankful.

Several weeks ago I walked into an Aldis grocery store. Several people took note I was openly carrying, but did not say anything. 

As I walked out of the store, a car was approaching. I waited for it to pass and then proceeded to cross the parking lot. 

The driver of the vehicle got out of his car and crossed the parking lot and said, "sir, I want to thank you." 

I asked him "What for?"  

He replied, "I want to thank you for carrying your sidearm in plain view. It does my heart good when I see people doing that. I feel safe and comforted in knowing if a wacko walks into an establishment with malicious intent, and sees someone who is armed, most likely he will change his mind, as he is looking to hurt, not be shot.  Thank you for using your rights." 

As we talked he thanked me again for open carrying and said that I had given that push he needed to start carrying himself. I told him, more people need to be using their liberty. Liberty unclaimed, unused, is easier to lose.

Today, a buddy and I walked into Wal-Mart. 

I go into Wal-Mart several times a week open carrying.  

I have never had anyone say anything to me, but today was different.

I was carrying my Glock 22. Today was a two mag day. 

My buddy was carrying his nickle plated .45 Long Colt on a western style gun belt. It is a very flashy pistol. 

 

We did our shopping. Upon entering the checkout line, a look of panic appeared on the face of a cashier standing near by.  She called the manager.

The manager came over and said, "men, I expect you, but we have a policy that you not carry openly in our store. So, I respectfully ask you to conceal your pistols." 

We pulled shirts out of pants and covered up the guns. I said, "concealed". 

I asked why there was no sign. She said there is a sign on the door. 

I had never seen such a sign on the door. I asked her to point it out. 

It was a 2 inch phrase in the corner of a general sign. I had never seen it before. 

The lady was very respectful, as were we. She said she has a concealed carry permit and frequently carries. 

She said, she understands our desire to carry. She thanked us for exercising that right, but apologized and referred to store policy. I told her I believe their sign does not meet the legal requirements. We talked some more and parted ways. 

Open carrying a sidearm is a wonderful way to educate the public on liberty and our God given rights. Brush up on talking points and Carry on.

Not everyone is as brave as my friend. As the exercise of Second Amendment rights becomes more common, less courage is required. 

A pleasant conversation with a friendly store manager is nothing compared to being locked in a Russian jail, or using a knife to fight off attacking dogs. 

The fight for liberty in America is still at the talking, writing, and voting stage.  It is better and easier to win at those stages, than to go through the horrors of war our forefathers experienced.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

OK: Pregnant Woman Shoots Man who Attempted to Break in

The woman told police a man she didn’t know knocked on her door, but she did not answer. Police said the woman later took her dog out for a walk, when she went back to her apartment the man returned and tried to force his way inside, according to the report.

Police said the woman retrieved a gun and shot the suspect in the shoulder. He was taken into custody.
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Oklahoma Supreme Court Stops Initiative Designed to Kill Constitutional Carry

On 23 June, 2020, the Oklahoma Supreme Court dealt another blow to the efforts by  Democrat Jason Lowe and others to kill Constitutional Carry in Oklahoma.

Constitutional Carry is the right to carry a loaded handgun in most public spaces, concealed or openly. It is the state of law that existed when the Constitution was written and when the Bill of Rights was ratified.
On 27 February, 2019 Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed HB 2597 into law. Oklahoma became the 15th member of the Constitutional Carry club.

The bill had become very popular in the legislature. It had passed with veto proof majorities in the House, 70 to 30, and in the Senate 40 to 6.

It had been a long, hard, fight, with Governor Mary Fallin vetoing Constitutional Carry on 11 May, 2018.

Oklahoma law allows for a veto referendum to repeal bills passed by the legislature.

On 12 August, 2019, Democrat Jason Lowe, District 97, Oklahoma City, filed a petition for a veto referendum. It was only two weeks until the deadline to collect the signatures necessary.

Two weeks later, the signatures were filed, but fell far short of the number necessary to hold a veto referendum, with 37,057 signatures. 59,320 signatures were required.  The referendum was dismissed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court on 7 October, 2019.

Jason Lowe and others then sought a temporary injunction the prevent Constitutional Carry from going into effect. The temporary injunction was denied by the district court. Lowe and others then applied for an emergency stay and temporary injunction. Those were denied by the Oklahoma Supreme Court on 31 October, 2019.
Lowe and others then filed initiative No. 425 to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to reverse the Constitutional Carry law, at least in part, on 3 February, 2020.

The Oklahoma Constitution grants broad initiative and referendum powers to the electorate. Oklahoma law requires the gist of the initiative (the statement of the changes being made and the effect on existing law), to be accurate to prevent fraud, deceit, or corruption of the initiative process.

Petition No. 425 was challenged by the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association (OK2A), on 21 February, 2020. The case went directly to the Oklahoma Supreme Court.  On 10 March, 2020,  the Oklahoma Attorney General filed a notice of intent, which resulted in a brief to the Supreme Court, generally supporting the OK2A position.

On  23 June, 2020, the Supreme Court of Oklahoma decided, in an opinion, that Initiative No. 425 violated the requirements for a gist that is free of misleading terms or deceitful language. From the opinion:

IV. CONCLUSION

¶28 The gist suggests a change to the law that is not being proposed, does not accurately explain the proposal's effect on existing law, and is misleading.

INITIATIVE PETITION NO. 425, STATE QUESTION NO. 809
IS DECLARED INVALID AND ORDERED STRICKEN FROM THE BALLOT

Seven judges concurred in favor of the opinion, one judge recused themselves from the opinion, and  judge concurred in part and dissented in part.  From

Whether this is an end to the ongoing attempts by Democrat Representative Lowe and others to end Constitutional Carry in Oklahoma remains to be seen.

Initiatives and referendums are expensive.

It is not clear who is paying the bill, and how much money they are willing to expend in these attempts to end Constitutional Carry in Oklahoma.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

AZ: Gunfight, Scottsdale Robbery Suspect, Victim Dead, Armed Samaritan Injured

At the same time, two men pulled into the parking lot of the store. The passenger in the car, later identified as 35-year-old Joseph Toki, entered the store. The second man stayed in the car.

When Toki got into the doors he shot and killed by Blackwater, who was trying to leave. When he got outside, Blackwater noticed the man waiting in the car Toki had arrived in and began firing shots at him. That man was able to return fire from his own gun, hitting Blackwater. He died from his injuries.
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TX: Intruder Shot, Killed, Breaking into Home on Galveston Island

Police say a resident reported that an intruder had been shot while breaking in through the window of a home.

Crews arrived to find one person dead at the scene.
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TN: 72-Year-Old Shoots, Kills Intruder who Lunged at Him

Police say they are classifying a deadly Nashville shooting as justifiable homicide after a man shot and killed a burglar in his home.

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MI: Couple with CCW Permits Charged with Assault

Both Wuestenbergs have been charged with felonious assault Thursday.

Another video from the scene shows the mother and daughters become frustrated at the Wuestenbergs and accuse them of bumping into one of the teenagers. The situation escalated. A thump from the back of the van can be heard in the video as the couple tries to back out. That’s when the woman exited the vehicle and pulls out her handgun.
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MI: Road Rage Leads to Defensive Shooting

He shouted at them and one of the cyclists shouted back, prompting the man to get out of the SUV and confront the vocal cyclist with a knife.

The cyclist's girlfriend, who was an armed, Concealed Pistol License holder, fired a single shot killing the man. Detroit police placed her under arrest.

Attorney and firearms expert Terry Johnson said he believes the shooting was justified.
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CO: Domestic Defense? 14-Year-Old Shoots Stepfather

Deputies responded to a call that a 14-year-old male had shot his stepfather with a 0.22 rifle at around 8:15 p.m. The man was flown from the scene to a medical facility in Loveland and later died, according to Sheriff Garrett Wiggins.

Nearby campers reported to law enforcement that the mother and stepfather had been arguing all afternoon and appeared to have been drinking. Those campers also reported witnessing what appeared to be a struggle between the man and woman.
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TX: Gunfight, Clerk Shoots, Kills Robbery Suspect

A Texas corner store clerk shot and killed a robbery suspect Monday night who allegedly first fired at him after trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill, according to reports.

The Houston Police Department responded to calls about a robbery taking place at the Super Qwik Food Store off Fulton Street and Julia near the North Freeway around 10 p.m.

By the time officers arrived at the scene, a man had been shot and was transported to the hospital, where he later died.
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CA: Domestic Defense, Estranged Family Member, Breaks in, Shot, Killed

“An estranged family (member) arrived at the location and broke into the residence while threatening to cause harm to the occupants,” a sheriff’s statement said. “The occupants confronted the estranged family member who became hostile. During the altercation, a resident used a firearm against the assailant.”

Deputies found Cesar Acosta, 43, of Moreno Valley suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken by paramedics to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

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WA: Two Armed Citizens Hold Shoplifting Suspect at Gunpoint

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - Two people who pointed handguns at a suspected shoplifter in Washington state and threatened to shoot her have received some cautionary advice from police: Be reasonable.

A video posted on Facebook shows a woman being held at gunpoint in her car in Spokane by people who believed she stole from a store on Friday.
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TX: Armed Victim Shoots, Kills Armed Carjack Suspect

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – A man shot and killed an armed suspect who allegedly tried to carjack him at a park in Dallas on Saturday, police said.

Police said they responded to a shooting at William Blair Park in the 3000 block of Municipal Street at around 10:20 p.m.

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CA: Warning Shots Precede Physical Fight, Intruder Arrested

The resident returned to his home to find the front door open and a man his inside his home. The homeowner demanded the suspect exit and fired shots into the ground, according Amber Southard, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

The burglar then got into a physical altercation with the man.

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MO:Gunfight, Teen is Wounded, then Shoots, Kils Home Invader

Officers responded to the 2400 block of North Fremont around 10:30 p.m.

Investigators say Kenneth L. Clay, 36, of Springfield tried to enter the home of David R. Jones, 18. Jones told investigators Clay shot him in the foot. He then shot Clay with his own firearm, killing him.
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FL: Armed Samaritan, Woman Shoots Man through Windshield

PORT ST. LUCIE — Port St. Lucie police are investigating a weekend incident in which a man is accused of driving a vehicle at a woman, who then shot the man in the chest, according to police on Monday.

The incident happened about 10 p.m. Saturday in the 3500 block of Southwest Rosardo Street, said Senior Sgt. Lisa Marie Carrasquillo, police spokeswoman. The location is west of Florida’s Turnpike near Southwest Port St. Lucie and Southwest Tulip boulevards.
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WI: Domestic Defense, Gunfight, Parent Shoots Son Who Invaded Home at 3:45 A.M.

Parents in North Freedom were forced to protect themselves by firing a gun at their son, who allegedly shot in the windows of their home and went into the house with his own weapon, according to a press release from Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister.


At about 3:45 a.m. Monday, deputies responded to a call from one of the parents at 113 South Oak Street. Dispatch officers were told the intruder and homeowner were shooting at one another. When they arrived, officers saw the shot-out windows. They deduced the man had shot out a side patio door to get into the house from a deck facing Willow Street.
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NC: Fayetteville Resident Shoots, Kills Man who Threw Concrete Block

Justin Ryan Hepburn has been  charged with voluntary manslaughter.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Fayetteville man has been charged with manslaughter after police said he shot and killed someone who threw a cinder block into his home on Monday.

In a news release, officers said a woman called 911 to report that a man was breaking her window and trying to get into her home around 6 a.m. Another person in the home, later identified as 30-year-old Justin Ryan Hepburn, grabbed a gun and shot at the intruder.

As the man ran off, Hepburn followed him to the intersection of Cain Road and Rogers Drive where the two got into a fight.
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