According to a release from the Darlington County Sheriff's Office, shortly after the man arrived at the hospital, officials responded to a shooting on Martin Luther King Boulevard in the Hartsville area.
Investigators and officials determined that the incidents were connected, and a home invasion incident caused the shooting on Martin Luther King Boulevard.
The person shot is believed to be one of the intruders from the incident, according to the release.
Texas bill SB706 is on the way to Governor Abbott. He is expected to sign the bill into law. The bill simplifies the way the State of Texas recognizes handgun carry permits from other states. SB706 makes a simple statement:
"A valid license to carry a handgun issued by any other state is recognized in this state."
The previous subparagraph (b) of § 411.173 was not quite as clear. Old law § 411.173(b):
(b) The governor shall negotiate an agreement with any other state that provides for the issuance of a license to carry a handgun under which a license issued by the other state is recognized in this state or shall issue a proclamation that a license issued by the other state is recognized in this state if the attorney general of the State of Texas determines that a background check of each applicant for a license issued by that state is initiated by state or local authorities or an agent of the state or local authorities before the license is issued. For purposes of this subsection, “background check” means a search of the National Crime Information Center database and the Interstate Identification Index maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In addition, there were complications where other states issued permits to citizens who between 18 and 21 years old. Texas generally did not recognize many of those permits.
Texas SB706 replaces the old § 411.173(b). Here is the changed language of what the new law is expected to be. It is a bit more than a single sentence:
A valid license to carry a handgun issued by any other state is recognized in this state. The governor shall negotiate with any other state an agreement that provides for the reciprocal recognition of a license to carry a handgun if the other state requires such an agreement before recognizing a license to carry a handgun issued by this state. The department shall publish on its Internet website and annually update a list of states in which a license to carry a handgun issued by this state is recognized.
Texas already has permitless carry, but the legislation only applies to people 21 years of age or older. A federal court case changed that. Texas now accepts applications for concealed carry permits from 18-20 year old people.
SB706 brings Texas law into conformity with the court case recognizing the right of 18-20 year old people to bear arms. The legislation did not receive two thirds of the votes in both houses of the legislature. If it had, it would go into effect when Governor Abbot signs the bill into law. Because the bill did not receive two thirds of the votes, the bill, once signed, will go into effect on September 1, 2025.
Analysis: The practical effect of SB706, when signed by Governor Greg Abbott, simplifies Texas statutes, making it easier for ordinary citizens, judges, and peace officers to determine if other states' permits are valid in Texas. It brings Texas law closer to conformity with the growing body of law recognizing young adults, who are 18-20 years old, are included in "the people" whose exercise of rights are protected by the Second Amendment. The Supreme Court has refused to hear a Minnesota case which held that Minnesota must issue carry permits to 18-20 year old people on the same basis it issues permits to older people. The NRA is appealing an Eleventh Circuit decision which upheld a Florida law which forbids the sale of firearms to people under the age of 21.
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
Officers responded to the 6400 block of East Roosevelt Boulevard around 5:30 a.m. for a report of a robbery in progress.
The manager at the Dunkin' tells Action News that two armed men came in to rob the store and the customers inside.
The incident spilled outside, and the manager says, an armed customer fired shots, killing one of the alleged robbers.
The second robber was able to get away.
Police found the man who was fatally shot in an alleyway behind the 2600 block of Elbridge Street.
On April 28, 2025, in a Parliamentary election in Trinidad and Tobago, the United National Congress (UNC) party won 26 of 41 seats. This was a resounding defeat for the People's National Movement (PNM) party, which had been in power for ten years. The PNM lost, in large part, because of their unrealistic assumptions about the nature of violence and firearms.
The Prime Minister for most of the ten years had been Dr. Keith Rowley. PM Rowley stepped down on March 16. His Successor, PM Stuart Young, called for a snap election on March 18, to be held on April 28. A month before PM Rowley stepped down, he attended the three day Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government, held on February 19-21, 2025. When the Conference was over, Dr. Rowley explained his party's approach to violent crime. From blackstarnews.com:
Addressing the media following the three-day 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government in Barbados, Prime Minister Rowley also revealed that leaders will continue to treat violence as a public health issue, noting the impact on communities and the public health system.
“So we adopted the working definition of crime and violence as a public health issue since the effect on human conditions is such that violent crime – largely carried out by firearms – 80% of the killings that we are experiencing are done by firearms – and 90% of those firearms are coming to us from one particular source. So we agree that this is a public health issue, and of course, we will continue to engage it as such,” said Dr. Rowley.
Trinidad and Tobago have been plagued with an enormous increase in violent crime since Hugo Chavez had imposed his "Bolivarian" revolution on Venezuela. Trinidad and Tobago are off the coast of Venezuela, with only seven miles separating the two countries.
As the homicide rate in Trinidad and Tobago soared with the importation of gang violence and extortion, the treating of violent crime as a disease was completely inappropriate and ineffective. Try to make some sense of PM Dr. Rowley's statement above. It reminds this correspondent of the "word salad" approach of the Democratic Party's Presidential candidate in 2024, Kamala Harris.
PM Dr. Rowley seems to try to explain why the party decided to consider violent crime as a public health issue, but there is no explanation. There is no complete sentence. No causal relationship is offered. The closest to an explanation is an assertion that violent crime is "largely carried out by firearms", and that "80% of the killings that we are experiencing are done by firearms".
Neither of those assertions make any sense. Firearms cannot carry out crimes. Firearms cannot do killings. Firearms are inanimate objects. Firearms do not have volition. Firearms cannot make choices. P.M. Dr. Rowley also says "90% of those firearms are coming to us from one particular source." This correspondent presumes the source is the United States. Again, there is no causal connection. The United States produces most firearms in the Western Hemisphere. It would be very strange if most firearms used in criminal acts came from some other source.
If the violent crime as a "public health" issue made any sense, then violent crime in the United States, where there are more guns than people, should have a higher rate of homicide than in Trinidad and Tobago, where guns are relatively scarce. The homicide rate in Trinidad and Tobago in 2023 was 37.6 per 100k. In the United States, it was 6.61, or about 18% of what Trinidad and Tobago experienced. In 2024, the homicide rate in Trinidad and Tobago increased to 45.7 per 100k. The United States rate for 2024 has yet to be released.
The winning party in the Trinidad and Tobago election took a different approach to firearms and violent crime. The approach was to believe law abiding citizens could use firearms to protect themselves from violent criminals. Using some state laws in the United States as successful examples, candidate, now Prime Minister, Persad-Bissessar made access to legal firearms, a "stand your ground" law, and reform of home defense laws a core part of her campaign.
The campaign was successful. The new Prime Minister and her cabinet are currently working on the reforms. Her understanding of reality is far different than the previous Prime Minister and the People's National Movement party.
In the next few years, results should indicate which of the two views of reality is closer to the truth.
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
Investigators said he stated he would bring his girlfriend back to handle the problem.
According to the MCSO, the store cashier then called a family member and stated she had been threatened. The sheriff’s office said the cashier’s family member went to the store.
The MCSO also said Curtis and his girlfriend, Lakenya Russell, 39, then arrived at the store and attacked the cashier as well as the cashier’s family member. During the altercation, the investigators said, the family member shot Curtis and Russell.
Surveillance video shows the altercation occurred as described by witnesses, the MCSO said.
The incident happened around 4:50 a.m. in the 1400 block of Gorman Street.
According to authorities, the suspect entered the apartment and fired several shots, prompting the resident to return fire. No injuries were reported.
RPD have identified the suspect, who remains at large.
Laws banning the carry or possession of weapons in government buildings are a very late addition to the United States of America. At the time of the ratification of the Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment, there were only three places where the possession and carry of weapons were banned with some regularity. Those were: Court rooms while court was in session; legislative chambers where governmental bodies were involved in their legislative duties; and polling places on election day. There were no bans on carrying or possessing weapons in most public buildings most of the time. From the Supreme Court Bruen opinion, bold added p. 27:
Although the historical record yields relatively few 18th- and 19th century “sensitive places” where weapons were altogether prohibited—e.g., legislative assemblies, polling places, and courthouses—we are also aware of no disputes regarding the lawfulness of such prohibitions.
It wasn't until the 1960s that the federal government banned the possession of firearms in government buildings. This was made clear in the arguments put forward in the United States v Ayala case. The case is about whether a federal law banning the possession and/or carry of weapons in post offices violates the rights protected by the Second Amendment. The district court found the post office ban to be unconstitutional. The case is being appealed.
The documents in the Ayala case reveal interesting information. As late as the 1920's, the post office armed mail clerks. From USA v. Ayala Document 57:
P. 11 In fact, when mail train robberies became a growing threat in the early twentieth century, the Postmaster General armed railway mail clerks with “government-issued pistols” from World War I. USPS, AN AMERICAN HISTORY at 23, 107.
Pilots flying air mail were required to carry pistols from 1922 until shortly after WWII.
The dates, statutes and regulations listed below come from Courtlistener Docket for USA v. Ayala, Document 32, p. 14:
Regulations banning weapons were instituted in 1964 and in 1972.
In 1962, as part of the new Federal Property Management Regulations,
firearms and other weapons or explosives were banned from federal property except for official purposes. 29 F.R. 15982 (1964). In 1972, the United States codified the ban of firearms, dangerous or deadly weapons, or explosives on postal property except for official purposes. Conduct on Postal Property, 37 Fed. Reg. 24346, 24347 (November 16, 1972).
In 1988, federal statute 18 USC Chapter 44 Section 930 was passed, which bans weapons in federal facilities (buildings where federal employees regularly work).
Pub. L. No. 100-690, 102 Stat. 4361, § 6215 (1988); 18 U.S.C. § 930. Exceptions exist for (1) federal or state officials performing official law enforcement activities, (2) other federal officials or members of the Armed Forces “if such possession is authorized by law,” and (3) possession incident to hunting or “other lawful purposes.” 18 U.S.C. § 930.
The law is rather vague about what "other lawful purposes" might be. To a layman, those appear to include carrying for lawful self defense.
In 1998, the post office re-enforced the general ban of 18 U.S.C. § 930 with a postal regulation. From Ayala, Document 32, p. 14:
Additionally, in 1998 the same ban was codified, reinforcing that “[n]o person while on postal property may carry firearms, other dangerous or deadly weapons, or explosives, either openly or concealed, or store the same on postal property, except for official purposes”. Conduct on Postal Property, 39 C.F.R. § 232.
From the beginning of the United States of America in 1776, and the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1789, there was no general ban on the possession and carry of weapons in government buildings until 1964, when the 1962 regulation was published. A bill passed in 1967 prohibited the possession or carry of weapons in the District of Columbia Capitol Buildings. Congress did not pass a statute banning weapons in federal governmental buildings in general until 1988, only 37 years ago.
Analysis: For at least 175 years, the United States did not attempt to ban the possession and carry of weapons in government buildings. Except for courthouses and legislatures in session, or polling places on election day, the right to keep and bear arms was not infringed in government buildings.
The bans on weapons in government buildings are neither traditional or long-standing. They are recent innovations which specifically infringe on the rights protected by the Second Amendment.
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
Upon arrival, officers were met by a woman who stated that her 38-year-old husband, who had left the home a week prior, had returned and forcibly entered the home by kicking in both the front and back doors.
According to police, the woman says that once her husband was inside he began threatening her.
The woman then retrieved her handgun and fired, striking him in the upper right shoulder.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The shooting happened just before 9 p.m. Saturday in the 3300 block of Fredericksburg Road. Police said a man in his early 30s attempted to rob a 32-year-old man while armed.
During the attempted robbery, the suspect fired at the 32-year-old man, striking him multiple times, police said.
The victim returned fire with his own firearm, striking the suspect, police said.
The Missouri Legislature had once again killed a bill to restore the ability to legally exercise rights protected by the Second Amendment on public transportation. Senator Schnelting has been promoting these bills for years. They make progress, then they are killed by inaction. From mo.gov:
On April 10, HB328 passed the House, 106 to 45. HB328 was sent to the Senate. On April 22, the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety committee held a hearing on the bill. On April 24, an "SCS" (Senate Committee Substitute) was passed. No other action was taken on the bill before the Senate adjourned on May 14. Thus, the bill was killed by Senate inaction.
Most of the public testimony against the bill consisted of the "guns are bad" argument, with no statistical evidence to back up the emotional statements that people are afraid of guns, and where there are guns, something bad might happen.
People who have concealed carry permits are some of the most law abiding people in the country, several times more law abiding than police. Police are allowed to carry on mass transit in Missouri, but people with concealed carry permits are not allowed to do so.
What the legislature has failed to do may be accomplished in the courts. There are several challenges to bans on carrying guns on public transportation in the courts.
A Chicago judge has ruled bans on carry on public transportation are unconstitutional. The case is being appealed.
Analysis:
Virtually all the arguments against people carrying firearms on public transportation are either ideological "guns are bad" or means-ends "guns will cause bad things to happen". The Supreme Court in the Bruen decision has settled those arguments. They are not to be used to determine if a restriction on the right to bear arms in public is Constitutional or not.
The Constitutional question is: were such bans commonly enshrined in law at the time of the ratification of the Bill of Rights in 1791, or far less importantly, were such laws commonly imposed on the public during the period in which the Fourteenth Amendment was passed, after 1866 and before 1900? The answer is categorically no. The earliest such laws were passed in the 20th century, and they were very rare, only in a couple of eastern cities. Courts which uphold these laws are simply defying the Supreme Court. In part, it is bigotry against poor people.
Wealthy people seldom ride public transportation. Many of the people riding public transportation are black or Hispanic. Judges seldom ride public transportation. In a recent hearing on the Missouri law, a Senator asked if a woman supporting the bill rode public busses. From komu.com:
However, when Myers was questioned by Sen. Barbara Washington, D-Kansas City, Myers said she never rode a public bus and did not know if the group of women her organization spoke to had been injured as a bus rider.
The implication was clear. If the Second Rights supporter did not ride public buses, their rights were not being infringed. For decades, the rights of poor people to bear arms were consistently infringed. It is when those infringements were being applied to the majority that Second Amendment supporters realized the rights have to be applied to all, or they can be taken from all, little by little.
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Police said, around 9:10 p.m., a 46-year-old woman got into an argument with a man and a woman in the 4700 block of South Lake Park Avenue.
During the argument, the man and woman began hitting the victim in the face before she pulled out a gun and fired shots.
A 33-year-old woman was shot twice in the left armpit, and was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition.
The 46-year-old woman, who has a valid FOID card, suffered bruises to the face from the attack, and refused medical attention.
After the blows were thrown, Curry allegedly got a gun and then opened on the first man, who had a gun of his own and returned fire.
Curry then reportedly fled the scene and arrived at DCH Regional Medical Center with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound he sustained in the exchange.
Captain Kennedy said the majority of the altercation and gunfight was captured on surveillance cameras, and after reviewing video evidence and interviewing witnesses, investigators arrested Curry and charged him with attempted first-degree assault.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office says a caller reported a man trying to break into their home in Lake Mathews on the 16000 block of Hidden Peak Lane.
The homeowner told dispatchers that they were armed with a firearm. The suspect, officials said, eventually forced his way inside and was shot.
The incident happened on Wednesday along Curtis Drive in Forsyth. Investigators say one driver pulled a gun and fired a shot.
Sheriff Brad Daniels said the prosecutor is investigating the shooting as a likely self-defense motive.
Michael Dean, of Myrtle Beach, died after he shot into the home, the Horry County Coroner's Office said. The homeowner returned fire.
The home invasion appeared to be a domestic-related incident, police said. During a confrontation, shots were fired and the homeowners returned fire.
The National Instant background Check System (NICS) numbers for firearm sales and back ground checks in April, 2025 show a continuation of the slight decline we have been seeing the last year. April of 2025 gun sales were about 3.7% less than those of April of 2024. April of 2025 background checks were about 3.2% less than those of April 2024. If you look at the last 26 years of April data for adjusted NICS, which is a close approximation of firearm sales, 2025, while lower than the last five years, is close, even a little higher, than the sales seen since the election of Barack Obama to his second term in 2012.
Firearm sales have been at historically high numbers for more than a decade. Several factors have contributed to these sales.
The importance of the political scene cannot be overstated. President Barack Obama declared his goal was to "fundamentally transform the United States". He came very close to doing so. The two elections of President Donald Trump, with the disastrous presidency of Obama surrogate Joseph Biden during the intervening four years, have been a strong counter revolution against the policies of the Obama/Biden presidencies. The resulting uncertainty and reasonable fear of absurd economic, international, and domestic policies sent firearm sales skyrocketing. As the second Trump term unfolds, unraveling the absurdities of the Obama/Biden policies continue to present an unknown, if more hopeful future.
Technological change is another important factor. Decreasing costs of firearms manufacture, brought about by less expensive materials, greater automation in manufacture, and strong international and domestic competition, make very good firearms available at prices far below comparable firearms only two decades ago. The prices have to be compared in constant dollars because of inflation. It is obvious an ordinary worker in the United States can purchase very good firearms for far less expenditure of labor. Technological change continues to offer innovative and interesting firearms, helping to avoid market saturation. While there have been some times where ammunition supply was less than market demand, ammunition today is less expensive than it was even 30 years ago, and far less expensive than 60 years ago.
The last 50 years of restoring rights protected by the Second Amendment are a third reason. We are still far from the state of rights protected by the Second Amendment which existed when the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791. We have restored much of what was lost from 1791 to 1970. There is permitless (Constitutional Carry) in 29 states. Handguns have become more popular than long guns. Suppressors, which appear to be close to being removed from the National Firearms Act (NFA), have been, in large part, legitimized. The Supreme Court has held, and affirmed, the right to keep arms and to carry them for protection outside the home, are individual, fundamental, Constitutionally protected, rights.
The chart below shows how popular handguns have become. The blue line and bars show handgun sales. The green line and bars show long gun sales. The orange and red lines and bars show "other" and "multiple" firearm sales.
"Other" most likely represents the sales of finished receivers which can be assembled into either pistols or rifles, depending on the wishes of the purchaser.
This correspondent expects the policies of the Trump administration to succeed. If they do so, stability in prices and in domestic and international tranquility will have a dampening effect on gun sales. A moderate counter to this could result from increasing prosperity. If silencers are removed from the NFA, an increase in sales of firearms threaded for accessories, or integrally suppressed, is likely.
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
Officers learned the male found unresponsive had arrived at the
residence in a silver SUV, exited the vehicle and started damaging
property. The male and another individual then forced entry into the
residence and there was an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and a
male occupant of the residence. The suspect was struck. No one else was
injured. The individuals inside the home called 911. Detectives learned
the suspect was previously in a dating relationship with someone inside
the residence.
A witness informed officers that the silver SUV involved in the shooting
incident had fled the scene. Officers located the vehicle and
attempted a traffic stop, however, the driver evaded, initiating a
pursuit. The driver was later taken into custody without incident.
That person, identified as 46-year-old Mario Franco, was escorted out but then retrieved a firearm from a BMW in the parking lot, where police say he fired several shots in the air and into the bar.
One person inside the bar was shot in the thigh and taken to a hospital for treatment. He was later released.
Police say two citizens were sitting on the bench outside of the bar who reportedly defended themselves by “taking action” in an exchange of gunfire in the parking lot.
Franco was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Initial information from the investigation indicates that the deceased was brandishing a knife during an altercation near the apartments,” according to the press release. “Investigators were told that the deceased attacked a man who had a gun who shot him in self-defense. Investigators are still working to determine what led up to the altercation. After consultation with the District Attorney’s Office, all parties involved were released.”
On May 14, 2025, Governor J. Kevin Stitt signed Oklahoma HB 2818 into law. This type of law is known as a Defensive Display law. it codifies and clarifies actions which are allowed during defense of self, others, and property while being armed. HB 2818 was passed by the House with a 73-16 vote on March 25, 2025. It passed the Senate 39-7 on May 8, 2025. The law took effect immediately. From oklegislature.gov:
4. For purposes of this subsection, "defensive display of a
firearm" includes, but is not limited to:
a. verbally informing another person that the person possesses or has available a firearm or any other deadly weapon,
b. exposing or displaying a firearm or any other deadly weapon in a manner that a reasonable person would understand was meant to protect the person against the use or attempted use by another of unlawful physical or deadly force, or
c. placing the hand of the person on a firearm or any other deadly weapon while the firearm is contained in a pocket, purse, holster, sling scabbard, case or other means of containment or transport.
Texas has a defensive display law, Penal section 9.04, which was last amended in 1993. Arizona passed a defensive display bill in 2009. The Florida defensive display, HB89, was signed into law in 2014.
Defensive display is a simple concept. If a person reasonably fears a potential opponent, defense display allows them to inform the potential adversary they are armed, both verbally, or by showing the potential adversary they have a weapon. Actually pointing the firearm at a potential adversary is usually reserved for circumstances which would allow the use of deadly force.
Some states have confusing statutes, which make it legally dangerous to let an opponent and possible attacker know a person is armed. Some are quite severe. In Arizona, before the defensive display law was passed in 2009, showing a firearm could be prosecuted as an aggravated assault, a felony. Prosecutorial abuse of this statute lead to the passage of the Arizona law.
As a practical matter, the display or reference to a firearm most commonly results in the aggressor stopping the aggression and leaving. These numbers are difficult to quantify, but appear to happen in about 90-95% of defensive uses of firearms. This is reasonable. Once an aggressor knows they are facing an armed opponent, who is aware of their intent, they stop the aggression. Criminals have often been recorded as saying they fear armed victims more than they fear police.
Professors James D. Wright and Peter Rossi surveyed 2,000 felons incarcerated in state prisons across the United States. Wright and Rossi reported that 34% of the felons said they personally had been “scared off, shot at, wounded, or captured by an armed victim”; 69% said that they knew at least one other criminal who had also; 34% said that when thinking about committing a crime they either “often” or “regularly” worried that they “[m]ight get shot at by the victim”; and 57% agreed with the statement, “Most criminals are more worried about meeting an armed victim than they are about running into the police.” (James D. Wright & Peter H. Rossi, Armed and Considered Dangerous: A Survey of Felons and Their Firearms [1986]. See Guns and Public Health: Epidemic of Violence or Pandemic of Propaganda? by Don B. Kates, et. al. Originally published as 61 Tenn. L. Rev. 513-596 [1994]).
Making the most effective defensive use of firearms illegal is extremely dangerous for both suspects and victims. In states where the law is still ambiguous, prosecutors have enormous discretion.
Analysis: HB2818 is a welcome reform of defense law in Oklahoma. The law protects defenders, and makes the killing or wounding of suspect less likely. States which do not have a defensive display law would do well to consider adopting HB2818 as an good example.
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
Three men approached the pair with guns and announced that it was a robbery.
The man pulled out a gun of his own and shots were fired.
Police say blood was found at the scene.
Officers believe one of the suspects may have been hit by gunfire before running.
AURORA | An Aurora man shot and critically injured another man he said was an intruder in the garage of his northwest Aurora home early Monday, police reported.
Police said the unidentified man “was alerted” to someone breaking into his garage in the 1200 block of Moline Street about 4:30 a.m.
Upon arrival, officers were met by an adult male who stated he was the victim of a carjacking. During the encounter, the victim fired two rounds toward the actor, who then fled the scene in the victim’s stolen vehicle.
Pittsburgh Police were not involved in the pursuit of the stolen vehicle. However, they issued a BOLO describing the vehicle as it was seen heading eastbound, out of the city.
A short time later, Pitcairn Police observed a vehicle driving erratically that matched the description of the stolen car. Pitcairn Police conducted a traffic stop in the 4400 block of Broadway Boulevard and noted the adult male driver had sustained two gunshot wounds, one to the arm and one to the shoulder.
According to Baldwin County Sheriff's Office, on Sunday, May 18, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office assisted in a vehicle pursuit that began in Conecuh County, Alabama with a wanted murder suspect out of Georgia who had already fired shots at pursuing officers.
Baldwin County deputies were able to spike the vehicle’s tires, bringing the chase to an end. The suspect then ran from the vehicle and attempted to car-jack an 18 wheeler, striking the driver multiple times in the head and face with a pistol. A passenger in the 18 wheeler fired several shots at the suspect, who then jumped off the truck and ran into the woods.
Image from Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
The Russian-Ukraine is the first drone war. Not the first war in which drones have been used (arguably WWII), but the first war in which drones may have accounted for the largest proportion of casualties. Defense against drones is an imperative, and many different approaches are being tried.
One approach this correspondent has considered is using Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) in ordinary shotguns. On one forum, a commenter stated a Ukrainian soldier had obtained a Keltec KS7 to use for drone defense. Shotguns have obvious utility for close in drone defense, against smallish drones. Many drones are small quad-rotor designs the size of a pheasant. Sizes rang upward to drones as large as commercial jet planes. A shotgun defense might work against drones as large as geese.
Ordinary lead shotgun loads have very limited range. The pellets are lead. Significant improvement could be made by using TSS shot in shotguns. TSS shot is very hard and very spherical. It is about 2/3 more dense than lead, about 18-18.5 grams per cubic centimeter. Lead is about 11.3 grams per cubic centimeter. Because of the hardness, symmetry and density, TSS holds tight patterns at long range, often with little choke. TSS #5 shot is considered to have enough energy at 105 yards to bring down geese. It should have enough energy to disrupt small drones, if it hits a vital component. There are 106 #5 TSS shot per ounce. It is easy to fit 1.5 ounces of TSS in an ordinary 2.75 inch 12 gauge shotgun shell. Tungsten has been used as a military projectile for years. TSS may have been developed for military purposes, such as in anti-aircraft missiles.
Drones can be very difficult to bring down. About 50 years ago, this correspondent was supporting and witnessed a test at Hunter Liggett Military Reservation in California. About 60 troops were on a firing line. Most were armed with M16 rifles. As I recall, there were also a pair of M60 machine guns. A drone, a small radio-controlled plane, was the target. The wingspan was about 4-5 feet. It had a gas engine and a propeller. It was operated to come perpendicularly at the line of fire from about 300 yards out. It was probably 50 yards high when it passed over the center of the line. It seemed reasonably fast, probably over 70 mph.
As the drone approached, the entire line opened up with automatic weapons fire. The drone was disabled about once out of a dozen runs. It was hit more often, but only the engine, the prop, and controls were vital. A bullet or three through a wing did not bring it down.
Small quad-rotor drones may be more vulnerable. Break a rotor or a motor and they will likely come down. Hit the processor, or maybe a battery, and they will likely come down. Rifles and machine guns have plenty of power, but not sufficient projectiles to be a serious threat, unless they are tied to a fire control system with radar or lidar.
Shotguns and TSS shot offer a cheap possibility for short range protection against small drones. Another possibility is to mount a shotgun on a hunter-killer drone as a way to shoot down other drones. A potential range of a hundred meters seems useful. Targeting could be built into the drones software, or relayed back to an operator for shooting decisions. Multiple jamming strategies are driving drones toward more autonomous operation. It would not be a difficult test for Ukraine to obtain a couple of drones, a couple of kilos of TSS shot, and a couple of shotguns to see which, if any, loads might be effective as a drone defense.
It may be that shotguns and TSS shot are already being used as drone defense weapons in the Russia-Ukraine war. If readers have any knowledge of such use, please let us know in the comments.
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
The two in the back seat exited with guns. The seller said he ran to the front seat of his car to grab his gun when one of the masked gunmen put a gun to his head and demanded that he open the trunk, the affidavit states. "He then began to shoot at the suspects who had come at him with their guns."
Detectives used school surveillance video to help verify the man's story. The victim was shot and killed near the driver's door of the Malibu. Police said they identified him, in part, by a tattoo. He is identified in the arrest report only by the initials "T.V.
“We were just chilling and a drunk guy pulls up and just starts barging into our house,” said victim Daniel Siri.
He said that’s how a terrifying situation began outside his new home off of U.S. 41.
“That’s when he gets in his car, backs up, and then, like, angles straight to drive straight into me and my wife and the other tenant who was also here as well,” Siri said. “Luckily, I pushed them out the way, but I got caught in the middle and I got pinned down on one leg between the car and the house.”
Siri said the driver used to live at the home and came by to collect some of his stuff.
Upon arrival, they found a man in the driver’s seat of a car who had been shot. The passenger, who was in a relationship with the man, was an off-duty officer of the Mount Pleasant Police Department. She told police that the shooting happened as a result of an argument that turned physical.
During a struggle for a gun, it fired. The Mount Pleasant Police officer called emergency services.
According to the Santa Monica Police Department, officers were called to the 1300 block of the Promenade around 9:30pm for a report of an assault with a deadly weapon. When they arrived, they found one person critically injured inside the store. That individual was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Investigators say the business owner had arranged a private, after-hours sale with a known associate. During the meeting, a second man, believed to be connected to the associate, entered the store and sprayed the owner with a chemical irritant. A physical struggle broke out and the owner, who was carrying a legally owned firearm, shot the suspect.
Police found 48-year-old Clayton Parker with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Lorain Police found Parker allegedly was trying to break into the home when an “occupant” in the home shot him, according to the release.
In 1984, the National Rifle Association (NRA) Annual Meeting was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was the first Annual Meeting this Correspondent attended. It was characterized by manipulation, lies, and betrayal.
In 1984, this correspondent was a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin. A masters degree in mining engineering was nearing completion. A life membership in the National Rifle Association had been paid off in installments. When informed the annual meeting would be held in Milwaukee, this correspondent, his brother, and a mutual friend, Jim Blair, made plans to attend.
Neal Knox had been booted as head of the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) and off the NRA Board of Directors in 1982, because he was considered too aggressive in defending Second Amendment rights on Capitol Hill. Neal was the first head of the ILA after reformers had taken control of the NRA in what became known as the revolt in 1977, at the annual meeting of that year. Neal had submitted the motions for the By-Law changes which effected the "revolt". Neal had been aggressively recruited by the Executive Vice President, Harlon Carter, in 1977, to head up the ILA. Carter reportedly fired Knox at the request of Senate Majority Leader Robert (Bob) Dole.
Neal and supporters had organized a mini-revolt for the 1984 meeting in Milwaukee. The plan was for the membership at the meeting to pass resolutions re-installing Knox on the Board of Directors and condemning his removal from the ILA. As a young activist, this correspondent became aware of the plan. Activists in the NRA were not happy with Knox' removal from the ILA. We planned to do something about it.
During the meeting, it became clear the political winds favored Neal Knox. The person chairing the meeting saw what was happening and put a counter-plan into action. The Chair said it appeared this would be a long meeting (The Revolt in Cinncinnati had lasted until 4 a.m.). He said it would not be fair to the people who were waiting for the presentation of awards. He asked for a motion to suspend the rules, so the awards could be granted before the rest of the business of the meeting was done. He promised the controversial resolutions would be addressed, and the meeting would stay in session as long as it would take to do so.
It was a well thought out plan. Instead of a motion to suspend the rules, there could have been a motion to alter the sequence of the agenda. However, the motion to suspend the rules passed in spite of Neal Knox attempting to raise a point of order.
Many of the activists immediately started leaving the hall, in order to obtain a bite to eat. They anticipated a long session, as the Chair had promised. This correspondent, brother, and friend went to a McDonalds less than a block away. We sat down with another couple of activists. As we were eating, this correspondent noted, under a suspension of the rules, the meeting could theoretically be adjourned before we returned. None of us expected the meeting to be adjourned.
We quickly finished our meal and returned to the convention hall. As we approached it, hundreds of members were streaming out of the doors. We asked what was going on? The meeting is adjourned, we were told. Some one had called for adjournment. The Chair recognized them, and immediately asked for a voice vote. After the vote, the Chair claimed the ayes have it and the meeting was adjourned. It was a direct betrayal of the promise of the Chair and the members who had gathered for the meeting. It was this correspondent's initiation into the Machiavellian internal politics of the NRA.
As the members were leaving, this correspondent spoke briefly with Jeff Knox, Neil's son. Later, Jeff and this correspondent became colleagues and friends. It is unlikely Jeff would remember the brief exchange from over 40 years ago.
The official account of the Annual Meeting in the American Rifleman did not mention the drama and the betrayal.
This correspondent performed numerous searches on the Internet to find an account of the 1984 Annual Meeting. Conversations with my brother and old friend confirmed the gist of what happened, but not the exact date. A search of my personal journal from 1984 revealed almost two full pages of entries for May 25, 26, and 27, when the NRA Annual Meeting in Milwaukee occurred. The journal entries are the basis for this article.
Neal Knox started his Hard Corps Report a month after the 1984 Annual Meeting. He remained the foremost proponent of reform within the NRA until his death in 2005. Jeff Knox continues to publish the Hard Corps Report.
This correspondent met Neal Knox a few times and spoke with him occasionally. Neal Knox was a genius at understanding the legislative process and long term effects of firearms legislation. Jeff Knox has continued the fight to reform the NRA.
Who would have thought the machinations of a corrupt and racist New York Attorney General would have resulted in victory of NRA reformers in 2024 and 2025?
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
The incident occurred around noon on property in the Byng area.
Scott said it appears the elderly man shot the other man, and the injured man then returned fire, killing the elderly man. However, Scott cautioned that the matter remains under investigation, which includes what occurred prior to the shooting.
Scott said the deceased man is a relative of a person who owns landlocked property, who had gotten an easement for a road to the property. The injured man is a relative of a property owner, of which the easement traverses, according to Scott.
Washington, D.C. – In a bombshell report released Tuesday, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence accused the FBI of deliberately downplaying the politically motivated 2017 shooting that nearly killed House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and injured several others. The shooter, James Hodgkinson, was a far-left extremist who opened fire on Republican congressmen practicing for the annual charity baseball game—but the FBI called it “suicide by cop.”
That decision, the report says, wasn’t just wrong—it was dishonest.
The 27-page unclassified report, compiled from more than 3,000 pages of FBI records recently turned over by new Director Kash Patel, reveals that the Bureau ignored or buried clear evidence of political terrorism. Hodgkinson had a hit list of GOP members, had cased the field for two months, and had posted violently anti-Republican rants online. Yet the FBI’s leadership under then-Acting
Director Andrew McCabe told the public there was “no nexus to terrorism.”
“The FBI used false statements, manipulation of known facts, and biased and butchered analysis,” the report concludes.
A security guard working at a Los Angeles marijuana dispensary opened fire on suspected burglars early Thursday morning, authorities confirmed.
The attempted burglary was reported around 4:20 a.m. at the ERBA Markets location at the 12000 block of W Pico Blvd, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
There, police said three or four male Hispanic suspects wearing masks attempted to break into the store with crowbars.
Officers were called about 5:15 p.m. to an altercation at the Hart Terrace apartment building, 3308 E. 11th Ave., police said in a news release. Lt. Jay Kernkamp told reporters Tuesday that officers found two people injured in the parking lot of the complex. Police and other emergency personnel tried to save them, but both died, according to the release.
Detectives believe the man with a knife first attacked a woman in the apartment building, according to a Wednesday police release. The woman was uninjured as another tenant came to her aid and pulled her into an apartment, separating her from the man.
The man with the knife then stabbed and killed a different man near a stairwell, police said.
The suspect with the knife started walking through the complex before encountering a man walking a dog. The suspect ran at the man, who drew a gun and shot the suspect, killing him in what appeared to be self-defense, police said.
Tennessee Capitol
On January 23, 2023, Tennessee was required by court order to allow individuals aged 18-20 to carry handguns under the Tennessee permitless carry (Constitutional Carry) law, and to obtain carry permits under the law governing the issue of handgun carry permits.
On May 8, 2025, the government of Tennessee reduced the age requirement to obtain a handgun carry permit from 21 to 18. HB1332 became public chapter no. 356.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1351(b), is amended by deleting the language and substituting:
(b) Except as provided in subsection (r), any resident of Tennessee who is a United States citizen or permanent lawful resident, as defined by § 55-50-102, who has reached eighteen (18) years of age, may apply to the department of safety for a handgun carry permit. If the applicant is not prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm in this state pursuant to§ 39-17-1316 or§ 39-17-1307(b), 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), or any other state or federal law, and the applicant otherwise meets all of the requirements of this section, the department shall issue a permit to the applicant.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1351(x)(1), is amended by deleting the language "twenty-one (21) years of age" and substituting "eighteen ( 18) years of age".
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.
Young citizens who are 18-20 years old may be in greater need of self defense than older citizens. In a South City apartment complex, four suspects hunted down two young men and killed them. From wreg.com:
Police say last Thursday, an Infiniti pulled into the South City apartment complex at Mississippi Boulevard and Lauderdale.
Surveillance video shows four suspects, all armed with guns, getting out and walking through the complex and shooting both victims multiple times, police said.
As they got back into the Infiniti, police say Patterson was shot by someone inside the apartment complex. He fell out of the car onto the ground.
Only one person at the complex shot back. The problem with denying the ability of people to legally be armed, is the law will only effect those who are interested in following the law. This idea was placed into common thought by Cesare Beccaria, who stated it thus in 1764, according to a translation:
Laws that prohibit the carrying of arms are laws of that nature. They disarm only those who are not inclined or determined to commit crimes . . . These laws worsen the plight of the assaulted, but improve those of the assailants.They do not lessen homicides, but increase them, because the confidence of carrying out an assault against the disarmed is greater than against the armed. These laws are not preventive ones, but born out of the fear of crime.
Analysis: There are several federal court cases challenging the discrimination against young adults 18-20 years old.
There is a current split in the circuits. Some circuits claim a prohibition on the ability of 18-20 year olds from being able to exercise rights protected by the Second Amendment is not prohibited by the Second Amendment. The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has ruled the opposite. Tennessee is in the Sixth Circuit. At some point the Supreme Court will have to resolve the issue. The logic and facts are clear. At the time of the ratification of the Bill of Rights, there were no barriers to 18-20 year olds exercising rights protected by the Second Amendment.
The Supreme Court has not ruled that any requirement for a permit to carry concealed is unconstitutional. The Court prefers to change precedent in small, incremental steps. It would not surprise this correspondent if Constitutional Carry for all states becomes law during the next decade.
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
BOND HILL, Ohio (WKRC) - Police say a neighborhood fight resulted in a shooting Tuesday.
Crews were called to Glenmeadow Lane in Bond Hill shortly after 11 a.m.
Police say a woman shot another woman who had a baseball bat.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEVV) — Evansville Police are still looking for the two burglars who were apart of the deadly home invasion.
Authorities say the 911 call came in just before 2 p.m. on Tuesday at a home on Sweetser Avenue, near McConnell Avenue.
“2 of the subjects fled, one person is diseased inside the home," said Evansville Police Public Information Officer Anthony Aussieker
In a parliamentary election in Trinidad and Tobago, held on April 28th, 2025, the United National Congress (UNC) party won 26 of 41 seats, returning Kamla Persad-Bissessar to power as Prime Minister after 10 years on the sidelines. From caribbeanamericanpassport.com:
At age 73, Persad-Bissessar becomes the first person in the nation's history to serve non-consecutive terms as Prime Minister, having previously held the office from 2010 to 2015. She remains the only woman to have led the twin-island Caribbean nation.
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar made reform of defense laws and access to legal firearms a core part of her campaign. Law abiding citizens will be able to obtain a Firarms Users License (FUL), essentially making the FUL "shall issue". From guardian.co.tt:
“We will be reviewing shortly the firearm license laws. Remember we’ve said we will consider giving legal firearms to law-abiding citizens? But they will only be given to persons who want it,” the PM said.
“I see some people complaining and saying, ‘No, No, No!’,” she observed. “If you don’t want it [a FUL], you know what to do. Do not apply.”
The UNC made legal gun ownership, ‘stand your ground’ and anti-home invasion laws a pillar of its campaign strategy.
As discussed in an AmmoLand article in January, crimes in Trinidad and Tobago have skyrocketed, presumably because of the dysfunctional society which exists in Venezuela. Trinidad and Tobago exist close to the Venezuela coast. At the closest point, there are only seven miles separating Trinidad and Tobago from Venezuela.
The homicide rate in Trinidad and Tobago was at historic highs in 2024, at 45.7 homicides per 100,000 people. Leftist academics blame an increase in the availability of illegal firearms for the increase. In 2000, the rate was a little over 9 per 100,000. Hugo Chavez started implementing his "Bolivian" revolution in 2000.
As organized crime, extortion and murder have skyrocketed in Trinidad and Tobago, the idea of armed self defense has become more popular. The previous government in Trinidad and Tobago declared a state of emergency which lasted 105 days, ending on April 13. Under the state of emergency, the police could search homes and individuals without a warrant.
It remains to be seen what legislation will be passed in Trinidad and Tobago. The UNC, with nearly two thirds of the seats in Parliament, has the ability to pass legislation at will. If Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar fulfills her promises, enacts "shall issue" reforms for the FUL, and passes "stand your ground" and anti-home invasion laws, Trinidad and Tobago will be an interesting test case among Carribean nations. When Jamaica enacted draconian anti firearms laws in the 1960s, homicides broke record highs. When President Bolsonaro of Brazil reformed the extremely restrictive firearms laws in Brazil, homicide rates dropped sharply.
There is considerable academic debate about whether restricting the access to legal firearms increases or decreases the homicide rate. There have been many decades of experience with draconian gun controls, in many countries. The United States of America stands out as highly unusual where access to firearms is readily available to most people. When comparing large countries such as India, China, Brazil, and the United States, it appears controls have little effect except to make criminals out of people who experience a strong need to protect themselves. Academic John Lott states that in every case where guns (or just handguns) are severely restricted or banned, the homicide rate goes up.
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
Sgt. LaQuitta Wade said two males tried to rob a man. The robbery victim fired shots, striking at least one of the suspects.
The suspect was taken to UAB Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Wade said though he is critical, he is stable.
A neighbor told News 5 that the incident began as a graduation party up the road, but moved to the end of the cul-de-sac, where a fight broke out.
According to the release, witnesses at the scene told deputies the juvenile and Rivers began arguing, and Rivers allegedly fired multiple shots at the juvenile. The juvenile reportedly returned fire, killing Rivers, the release said.
According to Joye, a customer, now identified as 24-year-old Daquan Markel Brown, went into the Cook Out with an AK-47 style rifle while an employee he knew was working.
The customer and the employee, identified as 17-year-old Eugene Travis McClease Jr., started arguing and then shooting at each other, Joye said. The sheriff added that the customer was shot, sending them to the hospital.
Judkins reportedly got into an argument with Green’s girlfriend. During the fight, Green allegedly saw Judkins pull something from his waistband, police said.
Worried for his and his girlfriend’s safety, police said Green shot Judkins before calling 911.
Police said Green claimed self-defense and that no charges have been placed against him at this time.
Bear approaches door of home. Image from Winter Springs, Florida, Police Department
An 89-year-old Florida grandfather appears to have been attacked and killed by a black bear during the early morning hours of May 5th, near Jerome, Florida. Jerome is a rural area on the opposite side of the state from Miami, between the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area and the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, part of the Everglades.
The relative of 89-year-old Robert Markel called 911 to report a bear had killed Markel's dog as the relative had watched, and that the elderly relative was missing. The call was made about 7 a.m. From fox4news.com:
"No, he’s gone completely. His whole camper was destroyed," the 911 caller said. "He’s not in there. He’s 89-years-old...he can’t run. He literally can’t even walk without falling over," he added.
The granddaughter told deputies on scene the last time she saw her grandfather was 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
When deputies arrived, the report says the trailer was in disarray, the mattress was off the bed and items were scattered throughout the trailer.
One relative said (video) the dog was tied to a fence outside the camper when the bear attacked Markel and dragged him from the camper. It is not clear if the dog was tied up when the dog was killed by a bear hours later.
Investigators from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission suspect Robert Markel was killed hours before the 911 call. The call was made at about 7 a.m. If correct, Markel was attacked in the early morning hours, before daylight. Sunrise, on May 5th in South Florida was scheduled for 0641, in Eastern Daylight time.
Video of the scene showing a woodline indicates the area is heavily forested.
[caption id="attachment_596784" align="alignnone" width="600"]
Woodline near where fatal Florida bear attack took place.
Markel's pants and bloody t-shirt were found about 20 yards from the camper. His body was found about 100 yards away, in the woods, covered in leaves and dirt. It is common for bears to cover large prey with dirt and forest debris.
So far, three bears have been killed by FWC agents. They are testing the bears for DNA to make certain the remove the offending bear or bears.
Analysis: with a rapidly expanding black bear population in Florida, and increasing bear-human conflicts, a fatality was nearly inevitable. Less than a year ago, Florida Governor DeSantis signed a bill which restored some of the rights of people to defend themselves against bears which threatened themselves, their homes, and their pets. It appears black bears are very common in the area where the fatal attack occurred. If the victim had been able to access nearly any type of firearm, it is likely he would not have been killed. Black bears usually to stop attacking if they are hurt or wounded.
The last time an official estimate of the black bear population was in 2014-15. The estimate, at that time, was there were more than 4,350 bears. Black bear populations, with abundant food and habitat, can easily increase by 15% a year, after subtracting cannibalism by adult male bears and the approximate 300 black bears killed in vehicle accidents in Florida each year. A new estimate of the Florida black bear population is due shortly. This correspondent has been unable to find any official estimate of the black bear population in Florida since the study conducted in 2014-15.
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
The Houston Police Department said a man in his 20s, who was loitering, was shot and killed at the Red Roof Inn, not far from Centerwood.
HPD said witnesses reported that an argument broke out and then gunfire erupted around 1:30 a.m.
Police said officers have a man in his 50s or 60s detained for questioning right now, who is claiming self-defense.
Police say a man drove to the 2700 block of Farnell Drive and began shooting at another man. This led to the victim shooting back.
MPD says an occupied dwelling and two unoccupied vehicles were struck by gunfire during the altercation.
According to Mobile police, the incident was isolated. We’re told the case is active, and there no additional information at this time.
The Gan Jewish Preschool confirmed in a written statement that its armed private security officer had shot a man who had threatened and assaulted him.
"During this interaction, the individual
presented a direct threat to the guard. In response, the guard was
forced to take protective action, using his licensed weapon to defend
himself," the statement read.
The Portland Police Bureau says no
arrests have been made and the security officer is cooperating; however,
the investigation is ongoing, and it is not ruling out the possibility
of charges in the future.
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCIV) — A suspected intruder who was fatally shot after being accused of attempting a home invasion in Summerville Wednesday was identified by the county coroner Thursday.
Richard Williams, 42, of Summerville, was fatally shot while entering a home on Hope Drive around 1:25 a.m., Dorchester County Coroner Paul Brouthers said.
Major John L. Plaster discusses use of suppressed firearms during SOG operations
The seminars and workshops offered at the NRA Annual Meetings are an often overlooked and valuable resource. The seminars and workshops are held in smaller spaces in the same venue as the annual meeting. The seminars and workshops are usually held in meeting rooms. The rooms typically hold a couple of hundred people. They fill up at popular times and have plenty of extra space when people are leaving the event.
This correspondent attended a seminar conducted by Major John L. Plaster, the well known author and expert on the SOG secret wars during Vietnam, in Laos and Cambodia. Behind Enemy Lines: The Men and Guns of SOG, by Major Plaster, was offered only once.
The level of expertise was world class. The seminar lasted two hours and was free to NRA Meeting attendees. This correspondent learned a great deal about the scope of the conflict, the techniques and tactics used, in the two hours than from years of occasional contact with veterans. Considerable misinformation which was widely spread by the old media, was dispelled. More than two dozen seminars and workshops were available during the NRA Annual Meeting over a three day period. Many of the seminars were offered several times during the three days of the event. Here are a few of the offerings which were available:
The 26TH NATIONAL FIREARMS LAW SEMINAR
ARMED CITIZEN: HOW TO INTERACT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT
GUNS OF IWO JIMA
RELOAD LIKE A CHAMPION
There were over twenty others. Noted researcher and author John Lott gave several seminars over the three days. These seminars offer rare opportunities to interact with top of their field authorities such as John Lott and Major Plaster. The seminars offer information and insights nearly impossible to obtain elsewhere. Most of the 70 thousand plus attendees ignore the free seminars and workshops. In this correspondent's experience, this is a mistake. The seminars and workshops were all listed at the NRA Annual Meeting website. They were all listed in the printed program available to attendees when they register.
It is impossible for one person to attend all the incredible content available. There is top of the line content available for a wide variety of interests. This correspondent suggests attendees look over what is available and prioritize what is most important to them. During the three days of the Annual Meeting, this correspondent was able to attend most of three seminars.
This correspondent would like to see all of these seminars video taped and posted online by the NRA. It is a shame to see the exposure limited to the few hundred people who may see it during the event. There are serious issues about copyright and content which would have to be worked out. The technology is there. Perhaps, it could be done on a voluntary basis by the people giving the seminars. These seminars offer world class information which deserves a wider audience.
Most the struggle to restore the rights protected by the Second Amendment, indeed most of the struggle to retain and keep our constitutional republic, is a struggle over information. As more people are exposed to more and better information, more winning will happen.
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
Witnesses said that a man, identified as Justyn McDaniel, was standing near the drive-up ATM outside the Nusenda Credit Union at 6501 Indian School Rd NE. McDaniel began to harass the people in line, demanding money. When confronted by two Nusenda employees, McDaniel punched one in the face.
McDaniel then jumped on the hood of a woman’s vehicle and when she
wouldn’t give him any money, he kicked in her windshield. A person in
line behind the woman pulled a gun and fired it in the air to scare
McDaniel away. When that did not work and McDaniel approached another
customer, that person shot the suspect in the leg.
That's when two men approached and held them at gunpoint, but the victims didn't back down.
Police said the boyfriend got into a fight with the men and that when the girlfriend intervened, one of the suspects shot her in the leg.
The men then pistol-whipped and stole $1,000 in cash from the couple. But as the suspects were leaving in a getaway vehicle, police said the boyfriend -- who was licensed to carry -- pulled out his own gun and fired off 16 shots at the car.
A home invasion in Lynnwood led to a shootout Tuesday morning, leaving a woman injured and the suspect later arrested in Shoreline, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded around 11:20 a.m. to reports of an assault involving a weapon at a home in the 900 block of 210th Place Southwest.
Investigators say a 48-year-old man forced his way into the residence and exchanged gunfire with one of the occupants.
The Sledge Patrol, by David Howarth, 233 pages, published by Macmillan in 1957.
$10 in mass market paperback from Amazon. First editions available as used copies.
The Sledge Patrol is a one of those fascinating glimpses of WWII which show the conflict through an unexpected and unusual lens. It is the story of the East Coast of Greenland and how a few men can affect a much larger conflict, in ways of which they are unaware. As a bonus, there is the description of a conflict between polar bear and man alone on the ice. The polar bear conflict is not listed in the Polar Bear Human-Information Management System (PBHIMS) data base. It should be included.
When WWII began, Denmark was unexpectedly invaded by the Germans on April 9th, 1940. Greenland was a colony of Denmark. The King of Denmark ordered all Danes to submit. Greenland refused to do so, because the administrator believed the King was acting under duress. The administrator, Eske Brun, decided to defy the order to submit. He believed, sooner or later, the Americans would enter the war. The Western coast of Greenland was easily under the protection of the United States. The East coast was another matter. It could only be patrolled unsatisfactorily by airplane at great expense; or it could be patrolled by a small number of men with dog teams. Thus was formed the Greenland Sledge Patrol, with 15 men who knew the hundreds of miles of coastline, and who could hunt, live off the land, and exist for months in their scattered and isolated hunting huts. The firearms in Greenland consisted of hunting rifles.
Greenland came to matter because of the few weather stations available. Greenland covers hundreds of miles of the Northeast coast of the Atlantic ocean. The battle of the Atlantic was soon raging. One of the advantages the Allies had was reliable weather observations from Greenland. Lack of these left a large hole in Axis weather maps and degraded their weather forecasting.
In 1942, the Germans established a weather station outpost on the East coast of Greenland. An American plane flew right over them on their way in, but did not spot the ship in the pack ice. Six months later, the Sledge patrol found them.
As part of the drama to accompany this conflict, one of the patrol members escaped capture, and made his way over 50 miles of ice and snow, on foot, with a rifle and scavenged clothes, to warn his comrades. A few miles from his point of escape, he and a polar bear encountered each other at close range in a broken ice field. From p. 84:
One of the curious things about polar bears is that in nature they never see any animal which does not run away from them as well as it can; and so if a man stands his ground in front of a bear, or goes toward it, it often takes fright and goes away. But, on the other hand, if the man runs away, the bear regards him as another animal, much easier than most of its prey, and will lope after him and almost casually fell him with its paw.
For once, Marius did not want to shoot the bear. He did not know how close the Germans were. They might easily have come along the sea-ice more quickly than he had come over the hill, and he thought they might hear a shot. So he advanced toward the bear, hoping to scare it; but it would not move. For some minutes, he and the bear stared each other out, each waiting for the other to give the first sign of fear. It was Marius whose nerve broke first: he reluctantly raised his rifle and fired. The bear fell dead. The sound of the shot echoed around the hills and he listened, half expecting an answering shot; but the silence fell back again.
The story is well researched and riveting. Most of the principals were interviewed by David Howarth, the author, including the German commander. Extensive official records were made available.
The Axis powers were denied meteorological reports from Greenland at the most crucial time. Perhaps it made a significant difference in the D-Day invasion. It is impossible to know for certain. Most of the principals survived the war and continued their lives.
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
Posts
All Comments
