Keep and Bear Arms - Gun Owners Home Page

Lessons from Armed Defense and Gun-Control Submitted by: Robert Morse Website: http://slowfacts.wordpress.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
We have millions of new gun owners in the US. Armed defense is both effective and common. Many existing and many proposed gun-control laws put us at greater danger rather than making us safer. Let us look at the news and see what we can learn.

FL: �I kept trying to get away�: Prosecutors drop charges against Broward man who claimed self-defense in fatal road-rage shooting
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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A hair salon owner heading to work on a July morning was suddenly the target of a racist, road rage-fueled pursuit in Coral Springs that ended in the death of the man chasing him and his own arrest, attorneys say.

Melvin Foster said he shot Thomas Sconzo that day in 2021 because he was afraid for his life, claiming self-defense under Florida�s �Stand Your Ground� law. On Wednesday, nearly three years after Broward Sheriff�s deputies arrested Foster, prosecutors dropped the manslaughter charges against him.

LA: Man facing up to 40 years for killing S&WB co-worker walks free after judge considers harassment claims
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Almost everything about the second-degree murder case against Damon Rideau in the fatal shooting of his Sewerage & Water Board co-worker Darren Gallin was unusual.

The final confrontation was caught on video, showing Gallin blocking Rideau�s SUV with his truck, and then getting out to confront him. Rideau was charged with second-degree murder after fatally shooting Gallin, despite calling 9-1-1, staying on the scene and claiming self-defense.

TN: Tennessee bill allowing self-defense devices on college campuses named after slain nursing student
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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A bill allowing the lawful carry, possession or use of pepper spray, a taser, or any similar nonlethal devices for purposes of self-defense on a college campus in Tennessee was recently amended to honor slain nursing student Laken Riley.

The bill would eliminate the criminal offense of carrying a self-defense device on a college campus.

Riley was a nursing student at the Augusta University College of Nursing at its Athens campus in Georgia. She was found dead near Lake Herrick with �visible injuries,� according to our sister station WANF.

TX: Texas Homeowners Warned About Using Force Against Squatters
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Texans have been warned by legal experts not to heed Governor Greg Abbott's remarks that the state's castle doctrine allows them to use force against squatters.

"In Texas, anyone 'squatting' in your home is breaking the law," Abbott wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, adding that squatters were violating state laws including criminal trespass.

He said that "the Texas Castle Doctrine empowers Texans to use force to defend themselves & their property."

Ed.: The Governor may be right, but there are varying legal opinions, and it won't be the Governor who decides if you get charged or not.

FL: Man Shot Through Bible During Violent Confrontation, Endangering 3-Month-Old
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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A 26-year-old man, Jason Kaercher, was involved in a violent confrontation that led to him being shot multiple times through a Bible he was holding, in a situation deputies have classified as self-defense under Stand Your Ground laws.

The incident, which took place near a Melrose elementary school, began when Kaercher, after displaying erratic behavior, was with his family and a case worker from the Department of Children and Families. He endangered his 3-month-old child by squeezing them until they turned blue and claimed he was �God� while walking dangerously on State Road 21.

Gun Violence Statistics 2024: A Comprehensive Look at the Data Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
If guns were more regulated, would crime rates go up, down, or stagnate? We can review several years� worth of gun violence statistics, ownership, and crime trends between states and countries to better understand the impacts of guns on crime.

CO: Colorado Second Amendment Sanctuary Counties Less Likely to Use �Red Flag� Law
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Those are the findings of a new study released Monday in JAMA Network Open from a team of researchers with the University of Colorado School of Medicine Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative. It examined civil court documents for each instance Colorado�s Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) law was used from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2022. It found that across the state, ERPO petitions were less likely to be filed, less likely to be initiated by law enforcement, and less likely to be approved by a judge in self-declared sanctuary counties than in non-sanctuary counties.

ND: Why an apparent non-issue is a main campaign topic for gubernatorial candidates
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Every election year, candidates from each side lay out the platform they are running on and their stance on the issues. The North Dakota governor�s race on the Republican side seems to be focusing on one issue in particular that is strongly supported in the state.

Second Amendment Rights is something Tammy Miller and Kelly Armstrong have both been focusing on a lot in their campaigns for governor. The question is �Why?� since North Dakota is already pro-Second Amendment.

WY: 2nd Amendment supporters can�t keep ignoring mental health solutions
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Senate President Ogden Driskill was spot on when he characterized the revival of the gun-free zones bill as absolute insanity. What is just as insane is these elected officials most opposed to funding the 988 suicide crisis hotline and the expansion of Medicaid also hold themselves out to be strong Second Amendment supporters. These same elected officials opposed to Medicaid expansion and the 988 hotline are also the strongest opponents of gun-free zones in schools, public buildings and private businesses as well as red flag laws.

WY: Among first states to ban red flag gun laws, Wyoming tests prohibition�s constitutionality
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Wyoming became one of the first states in the nation to ban red-flag gun laws when Gov. Mark Gordon signed new legislation into law last month.

Senate File 109 � Prohibit Red Flag Gun Seizure Act says no local government, agency or police department can implement or enforce any rule that keeps a Wyoming resident from firearms or ammunition unless that gun owner meets certain criteria.

It also bans using funds from Wyoming or the federal government to implement red-flag gun seizures, reports the Daily Montanan.

Second Amendment Roundup: A Double Shot of Oral Arguments
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Once it decided N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Ass'n v. Bruen (2022), the Supreme Court acted on several Second Amendment cases it had been holding, granting petitions for writs of certiorari, vacating the judgments, and remanding the cases for reconsideration in light of Bruen. One was a challenge to California's ban on magazines holding over ten rounds, and another was Maryland's "assault weapon" ban. With sparks aplenty flying, these cases were argued en banc on March 19 and 20 before the Ninth and Fourth Circuits respectively.

These cases should be decided in favor of a straightforward application of the constitutional test for addressing challenges to "arms ban" laws set forth in District of Columbia v. Heller.

Illinois judge ruling: Illegal immigrants' firearm possession rights controversial Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
Illinois U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman ruled that prohibiting illegal immigrants from possessing firearms is a violation of the Second Amendment. The ruling, issued on March 8th relates to the United States V. Heriberto Carbajal-Flores case, where Flores was arrested in 2020 after violating federal law that prohibits undocumented immigrants from possessing guns.

IN: Rep. Victoria Spartz earns endorsement from NRA-PVF
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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On Monday, Congresswoman Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.-05) announced that her 2024 re-election campaign has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association�s Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF).

�As a lifetime NRA member, I am proud to have the NRA endorsement once again,� Rep. Spartz said. �As someone who grew up under a tyrannical government, I understand that our Second Amendment is second for a reason � to protect all other rights against all enemies foreign and domestic. I will always stand strong for Second Amendment rights for all law-abiding Americans.�

DOJ's Dangerous 'Red Flag' Distribution Center
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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The Department of Justice (DOJ) is embarking on a dangerous journey to distribute the destruction of rights by creating a �one-stop-shop� for states to deny Due Process rights to citizens.

The DOJ created the National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center to provide �training and technical assistance� to law enforcement, judges, lawyers, clinicians, victim service advocates, activist organizations and behavioral health professionals so they can work to implement laws that allow for firearm seizures. The one thing that this center won�t be training anyone on is how to adequately protect the Due Process rights of the accused.

ID: Elderly Woman Fatally Shoots Home Invader
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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In a striking example of self-defense, a home invasion in Bingham County turned the tables on the aggressor, showcasing the vital role of legally owned firearms in protecting innocent lives. The incident, which unfolded in the quiet community north of Blackfoot, resulted in the death of 39-year-old Derek Ephriam Condon of Blackfoot, as identified by Bingham County Coroner. Despite the ongoing investigation into the precise cause and manner of Condon�s death, the implications of the event speak volumes about the importance of the right to self-defense, especially in one�s own home.

March Gun Sales Up From February, NICS tops 1.4 million Last Month
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Americans continue to reach for their wallet when it comes to practicing the right to keep and bear arms, with data suggesting over-the-counter gun sales passing the 1 million mark for the 56th month in a row.

Last month was the 7th-highest March on record in terms of federal background checks for likely over-the-counter gun transfers since the Federal Bureau of Investigation�s National Instant Criminal Background Check System was established over 20 years ago.

The unadjusted figures of 2,497,577 checks conducted through NICS last month-- while a 15.5 percent decrease from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 2,954,230 in March 2023-- is 6.6 percent higher than the 2,336,390 logged in February 2023.

3rd Circuit Denies Rehearing In SAF Pennsylvania Gun Rights Victory
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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The Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a petition for a rehearing in the Second Amendment Foundation�s victory in a case challenging Pennsylvania statutes that prohibit law-abiding young adults from carrying firearms for self-defense and prevents them from acquiring a state license to carry (LTCF) because of their age. The case is known as Lara v. Evanchick.

The petition for an en banc rehearing had been filed by attorneys representing the Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. SAF is joined in the case by the Firearms Policy Coalition and three private citizens, including Madison M. Lara, for whom the case is named.

Introducing �In Guns We Trust�: A Podcast About How the U.S. Became So Divided Over Guns
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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�In Guns We Trust� � produced by Long Lead and Campside Media in partnership with The Trace � explores the evolution of America�s gun debate. Host Garrett Graff begins at Columbine High School, then goes all the way back to the writing of the Second Amendment, following the trail of guns from the country�s founding to the present day, featuring insights from Trace senior news writer Jennifer Mascia, who helped research the series, and guest appearances by Trace writers Mike Spies and Alain Stephens.

DOJ Reconsiders Denial of Documents in Hunter Biden-Related NICS Permanent Entry Consent Suit
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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In a Joint Status Report filed Friday, the Department of Justice now says it will produce documents for a Freedom of Information Act request by this correspondent that resulted in a complaint after the Department initially claimed it could identify no responsive records regarding a questionable condition set forth in its Hunter Biden plea deal.

The case was first reported in AmmoLand Shooting Sports News in August of last year when a FOIA request was issued based on reports that Biden had �consent[ed] to a permanent entry in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System such that he will be denied via NICS if he attempts to legally purchase another firearm.�

Friends Don�t Let Friends Buy Guns
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Once upon a time in America, people rolled their eyes at seatbelts, four out of ten high school students smoked cigarettes, and campers left their fires smoldering through the night. Then we changed. Not primarily because of policy reforms, but because teams of marketers crafted public health messaging campaigns in which chatty crash test dummies told us to buckle up, teens piled 1,200 body bags in front of the Philip Morris headquarters, and Smokey Bear identified who, precisely, can prevent forest fires

Hawaii Rep. Jill Tokuda takes aim at 'zombie gun' loophole creating untraceable firearms
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii) is taking aim at closing a legal loophole that allows gun disposal companies to make a profit selling recycled gun parts on the second market, creating untraceable weapons known as �zombie guns.�

The congresswoman recently co-sponsored the Destroy Zombie Guns Act with fellow Democrat Rep. Maxell Frost of Florida after learning that firearms seized by law enforcement agencies are sent to companies for disposal. But for the gun to be legally considered destroyed, only one piece, like the receiver or frame, needs to be crushed.

GA: Gun rights activists challenge Savannah mayor's proposed safety ordinance on firearms
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Gun rights activists are pushing back against Savannah Mayor Van Johnson's new gun safety proposal.

Mayor Van Johnson will propose an ordinance at the next city council meeting requiring gun owners to report stolen guns and lock them in park vehicles.

"We support the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. So, this ordinance will not affect one's ability to legally carry a gun in one's car. It does add to irresponsible actions by gun owners," said Mayor Van Johnson.

TN: Legislation to arm Tennessee teachers with guns is progressing at the Capitol
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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A bill allowing teachers to carry a gun inside of K-12 schools is advancing in the Tennessee state legislature.

Republican Senator Paul Bailey�s bill, Senate Bill 1325, would give school districts and local sheriff�s departments the ability to green light teachers' access to carry a firearm inside of schools.

The bill is making serious headway at the state capitol, but Shelby County legislators sit on both sides of it.

�The arming of teachers or a staff member - this is a very rigorous process that an individual would have to go through,� Bailey said.

Tuesday, a senate committee recommended passage of the proposal.

GA: Worth a shot: Proposed ordinance requiring owners to report stolen guns makes sense
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Earlier last week, Mayor Van Johnson announced that the Savannah City Council would be considering an ordinance which would require firearm owners and dealers to not only report the theft of a firearm to the Savannah Police Department and also require firearms left in parked vehicles be stowed in a locked compartment.

This seems common sense and should be happening everywhere. Except it has glaringly not been the case. In last week�s coverage, it was reported that the Savannah Police Department reported 244 guns stolen from cars, with 203 stolen from unlocked vehicles. Through the end of March 2024, 56 out of 69 firearms stolen from cars came from unlocked vehicles.