The curious case of the Wal Mart parking lot deer hunt

I didn't post on this back when I first heard about it because I forgot.  It also didn't have much on facts back then.  Well, it still doesn't but then there is this:

"Defense attorney Jason Huska argued the reckless endangerment charge was unwarranted because he contends Bianco couldn't have known any workers were in the trailers when he fired."

And you've made their point.  He couldn't have known which means he DIDN'T know which means he never should have pulled the trigger.  Case closed.  Bring in the rope and the stool.

Nevermind the fact that none of this scenario should have ever played out in the first place.  There are very few scenarios where piling out of your truck firing your handgun in a parking lot is acceptable.  Every one I can think of pretty much involve someone already shooting at you.

This is what makes the news.  All of you responsible gun owners didn't make the news again today.  Sorry.

CHL holder assists police, stops person from entering school

Over at That Guy's place.  Highly recommended read for an example of what stops bad people from entering a school.

AR-15 used for good - UNPOSSIBLE

Interesting story:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/05/01/iraq-war-vet-armed-with-rifle-thwarts-gas-station-break-in-police-say/?intcmp=HPBucket

Summary:  Someone working late night at a gas station who also happens to be an Iraq War Vet decides not to take it lying down from a couple of young thugs.  He kicks one, gets his AR and all-of-a-sudden they aren't so tough anymore.  No one is injured, but both are arrested after they scamper away.

Two amazing things about this story:

A. an AR-15 overcame it's inherent evil and was forced to be used to do something good.  I'm also surprised that the Iraq war veteran was able to figure out how to use it, even with extensive training.  After all, Joe Biden says it's so hard to figure out we should all have double-barrel shotguns and shoot through doors and off our balconies with them.

B. according to DHS veterans are potentially the enemy, but here one is doing a positive thing working hard and defending himself from criminals.

I know, go figure.

Victim takes attacker's shotgun (video)

This is pretty amazing video:

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/man-turns-tables-shotgun-wielding-attacker-141851442.html

and from the original report:

http://www.wwl.com/pages/16209701.php

While this is not the recommended course of action to take unless you know what you are doing, it's fascinating to see and sometimes fighting back makes you king of your fate.

This is a good example of why you never get in too close to someone, especially with a long firearm.  It works both ways.  If you're the good guy, stay away from the bad guy if you've got the advantage.

Still, very interesting video to watch.  We always say fight back.  Sometimes it takes some big stones to put your money where the shotgun barrel is, so to speak.  I'm glad this guy came out on top.  After watching the video, I love reading the part when the bad guys come back and try to negotiate, saying they had the victim's cell phone.  Like a typical thug, this guy beats feet like Flash when the tables turn.  I see he had all the time in the world to pick up a dropped cell phone.  :)

Don't bring paintball gun to a gunfight

http://q13fox.com/2013/04/29/dont-bring-a-paint-ball-gun-to-a-shootout/

I have to say this is interesting video.  Other than that, I can't say it any better than Chief Troumbley did in the interview.

Things that make me laugh

Bad guys getting a beat down by karma.

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nbcnews.com/51393157/

This just made me chuckle.

It's not the dog in the fight...

...it's the fight in the dog that counts.  I don't know if I've ever seen anything quite like this.

Apparently, the story is that two thugs get caught after robbing an electronics store and go to jail.  For some reason, they decide to re-visit their last unlucky score.  Their approach is none too bright, but the worker at the store doesn't just fight back a little.  He fights back a whole lot and with some serious gusto.  I don't know if I've ever seen a couple of thugs owned quite like this.  I'm just guessing by the shoes that one might be female, but the faces are covered so it's hard to tell.

Judging from the lettering on the back of the police jackets, I believe this is Poland.  Enjoy the video, I don't know if what this guy did could be improved on.  The other people standing around watching, on the other hand...

School shooting, where's the ZOMG reporting?

I'll tell you where the nationwide reporting isn't; anywhere near this story.

Police say the coach was walking the two girls to their car when the two men allegedly approached and one pulled out a gun and grabbed him by his chain necklace.  The coach then pulled out his gun and shot both of them, according to sources.

How in the world is that story going to fit into a gun control narrative?  As of right now, I haven't seen this story on any main news webpage, much less as a headline story.

Milwaukee Sheriff chastised for common sense

You can use hyperbole and point to an occasional extreme example all you want, but the fact is that he is absolutely right.  All the sheriff did here was state the facts.  He didn't tell everyone to arm up and roam the streets, he simply stated that you are your first line of defense.  People wanting to make political hay have (unsurprisingly) jumped into the mix here.  There are your typical politicians and gun control groups saying what they typically say.  In actuality, what they are saying is quite dangerous.  Law enforcement is rarely ever there in time.  Stating that he should "do his job better" makes no sense statistically.  A fantastic law enforcement response time is around 2 minutes.  The averave, or "acceptable", is probably more in the range of 4 to 5 minutes.  Add at least another 5 minutes if you live in a rural area.  A sheriff generally has a much wider area that they have to police.  It just takes time to drive somewhere.

So, let's take a very good response time of 2 minutes.  Look at your watch.  Someone has just kicked in your door.  Sit there and watch 2 minutes go by and tell me if that isn't an eternity.  Now, response time on scene, not actually involved in your crisis yet.  So, the police pull up and need to assess the situation before charging in.  Add on another minute at least.  Now you're in your bedroom with the house surrounded by the police and the bad guy trapped inside.  Now what?  What is actually irresponsible is telling citizens that they should rely on law enforcement response as their primary means of defense.  Calling 911 should be the same as an officer callingfor back-up.  That is how everyone should view that system.  Find a good defensive place, get the family there and hold your position, ready to use your firearm, while waiting for back-up to arrive.  No "Dirty Harry" about it, just a family defending their lives and home.

Georgia defense shooting 911 call released

And, oh my goodness.  I just posted on this self-defense shooting.  Well, more was released today.  That Guy and I were discussing this via text over lunch and it sent chills through us both.  This is a worst nightmare scenario.  Of course, the mother defending her 9 year-old twins is facing a horrific decision.  Meanwhile, the father is on the phone with her and I'm sure he is feeling like he wishes he could teleport to her.  I have to give him credit for his calm resolve and instruction to the wife.  He is on with 911 relaying what is going on while he is one with his wife.  I'd very much rather be giving my wife instructions over a 911 operator in that situation.  Kudos to them both and I wish her the best in her recovery.  She will need some time to heal from having to do this.

This is worth a listen.

You'll have to turn up the audio on that one, but it is the full call and the neighbor as well.

This one has better audio, but it is a lot of reporting and only a little of the call.  In this report, an officer explains how the guy broke down multiple doors to get to where the wife was.  Very little else was disturbed.  That makes me very happy she had a gun ready for him.

Here are some of the highlights:

"Just remember everything I showed you, everything I taught you, alright?"

That's something you should be able to say.  If you can't, get to the range ASAP.

"If he opens that door, you shoot him, you understand?"

No question, good instructions.

It goes on and I'll just let you listen, since no one can do it justice in print.  I can't emphasize enough how important it is to get to the range and practice.  Just as important are things you can do at home.  Show and explain manipulation of the firearm and practice getting it into play (especially important if a gunvault is involved).

But guns can't do good things

Especially when law-abiding citizens possess them.  I mean, it's just not possible.  I'm sure anti's would rather that we played "what if" and hoped that the repeat felon would just say, "oh, sorry" and leave.  Because that's what happens.

A Georgia mother protects her and her children using a .38 revolver.  Note that she hit him at close range 5 out of 6 shots and he was able to leave, get in his vehicle and end up in the hospital.  Thank goodness it gave her the time she needed to get away.  Wait, why would you ever need more than 10 rounds?  Oh yes, because bad people exist and they don't stop when you want them to stop unless you make them.

For me, not thee

I'd like you to meet Donne Trotter.

Senator Trotter was arrested for attempting to carry a firearm onto a plane.  A class 4 felony.  That generally sucks.  What makes it worse is that Mr. Trotter is a democratic senator from Illinois that decided to vote against a bill that would allow his constituents to carry a concealed handgun.

To quote The Grinch (Jim Carrey's version)

The audacity.  The unmitigated gaul.

It never ceases to amaze me the hypocrisy of this crowd.  Totally against guns except for themselves or their armed bodyguards.

P.S. Please disregard the terminology in the article.  It was written by a "journalist" after all.

Problem solved with application of high speed lead

Seems a jerk in New Mexico thought he'd tail a woman home and do who-knows-what to some poor, defenseless woman.  Wait, did I say defenseless?

Not quite...  < ---  Clicky, clicky

...the woman says Sandoval grabbed a knife, put the knife to her chin and told her to take off her clothes.  The woman told deputies she then reached under her pillow, grabbed a loaded gun and shot him.

 I have not really been a fan of the idea of keeping your loaded gun under your pillow.  There are more secure ways to have it quickly accessible.  However, I am not going to fault someone for at least having something somewhere.  It worked for her.  The great news is that she will hopefully just need to talk to someone to help her through some of the issues from the invasion, but not anything else.

Video: Store Owner uses conceal carry to defend store

It happened fast.  Thank goodness it wasn't in the typical "under the counter" situation you hear about so often.  The shots seemed a little errant into the cooler there, but the affect was quite obvious.  The threat was immediately driven away.  I'd like to see this happen more often.

The alternative is something like this.  Seems to be effective in his scenario (though not the best option).  Lotta anger there.  I give props for the fight in the dog on this one.

Update: The video I promised

I posted it in the original post just in case, but here it is as well.

Now, my original comments went something like this:

I don't know that I'd go charging into a situation in that way.  I also know I wouldn't shoot at a fleeing vehicle unless there was a threat to me.  People go to jail for that kind of thing, even in Texas.  It's hard to know what you would do in that situation, but I can understand the frustration of a neighborhood under siege by worthless trash destroying their hard-earned property.  My actions would have been more along the line of taking a stand (oh, and not with a handgun) at the vehicle.  If they want it back, they'll have to take it.  If they want to run off, fine, but it means I have evidence for the police and they'll be a lot easier to catch on foot.  Now, maybe this just happened too fast and there was no time for that but I just can't get behind shooting at a fleeing vehicle.

On a side-note, great statement by the police officer.  You will find that kind of attitude from a lot of the police in this part of Texas, especially from those in the Sheriffs' Departments.

Neighbor stops burglary using a gun - video

Well, I posted the wrong story and I can't find the one I just saw on the news.  I guess I'm a little to quick on the draw with this news since it's not even on tha interwebs, yet.  Will update very soon.

Update - the video with comments are in the post here.

In the meantime, it's crazy what I found while searching for this one.  Check this out:

Huh, well look here.  Another story very similar with different (and better) results.

Or, you could be unprepared and go about it this way and hope.  Not recommended.

I prefer them to end this way.

Or this one.  The "screaming like a little girl" comment made me laugh, but "led off one round into the ground" sounds suspiciously like a warning shot to me and those are generally not good.

Wow, a bunch of stories of defense in recent news.

"Our prophet said we should protect ourselves"

I actually learned something from this article.  It turns out the Sikhs generally have the right mindset when it comes to the relationship between peace, protection of the defenseless and self-protection .  I knew of Sikhism before this madman went stupid, but I honestly didn't know the Kirpan was religiously designated for self-protection and protection of others.  Some of them seem to have consumed the gun control koolaid, but the pro-carry guy quoted in this article really has the right ideas.  He truly understands what his religion expects of him.  Defense of self.  The Kirpan is but a tool and he understands there are other tools that are better suited for this need in today's world.  It is unfortunate more didn't consider this previous to the incident.  Also, notice that some still think four minutes to wait for help from the police is acceptable.  In reality, it is an eternity in a situation like that.

Concealed handgun owner stops robbery - great video

This is pretty incredible.  I heard about this from my dad a little bit ago and just had to post on it.  I know I haven't been around a while and I'll post on that a little later, but I just had to share.  This is great evidence of someone that has done some training.  I like the stance and the shooting on the move.  He's obviously careful of the bystanders and his field of fire.  He did advance toward the perps, which is kind of a no no, but I'd say it helped to clear his field of fire more and they were moving away, so he did a great job.  This is a perfect example of why to carry.  Who knows what direction this robbery would have taken in there with all of those people.

It's for the children

Well, teach them and train them and you are protecting them.

I totally get where the father is at in his mental state.  I would freak if my child had to undergo something like this.  I train with Mrs. 45er and want her to have the ability to defend herself, but if were up to me I'd want to be the one to have to deal with a situation like that.  The mental aftermath is an entirely different kind of thing you have to prepare for.  I don't think 14-year-old has had enough time on this earth to be mentally ready for something like this.  That said, I'd rather it end this way than any other.  That's one quick thinking and smart kid.  Kudos to good parenting.

Store owner comes out on top with some bullets

Well, good for him I say.  I'm sure being absolutely terrorized by two armed thugs is not any kind of fun.  Especially when they are waving guns and beating on you.  So, kudos for the clerk.  Downside:  apparently it wasn't on his person.  That gun under the counter isn't going to do you much good when you're stocking groceries or in the bathroom when the bad happens.  It also doesn't do a lot of good when you're getting monkey-stomped on the ground.  I'm hoping the clerk is re-considering his choice of firearm placement.  I know if I worked a convenience store I'd look like I had Batman's utility belt on under my shirt and for some reason I would be carrying, like 3 "wallets."  All-in-all, good outcome.  Lessons to learn.  Also, I'd love to see if there is store video released soon.

A little more in this story.

Also, notice that firearms aren't about "stopping power" on an assailant, they are about the power of stopping the assailant.  Neither of these thugs dropped immediately to the floor, but they both stopped what they were doing to try and exit post-haste and that's what matters most.