Bullets fly in sign prank

Warren, Pennsylvania:

A pair of teenage boys thought they were playing a prank by knocking down a John McCain campaign sign Saturday afternoon and yelling, “This is for Obama” to the homeowner.

But the homeowner, Kenneth Rowles, 50, was sitting on the front porch and didn’t think it was funny, especially since this was the second time vandals had damaged his campaign signs.

Rowles went into his 1237 Dover St. home in Warren Township, got a .22-caliber rifle and went back to the porch to confront the boys at about 2 p.m.

Rowles said he fired the rifle three times “to scare them” but never pointed the rifle at the boys or the car.

Nonetheless, at about 11 a.m. Sunday, the mother of one of the boys called police — saying her nephew, Kyree Flowers, 17, of 1205 Dover, had been shot once in the arm, and that her tan GMC SUV had been hit by two other bullets.

Now, I think nearly everyone would agree that shooting someone messing with a political sign on your front yard and shooting at their vehicle as it leaves are a bit over the line. The homeowner continues to deny that he shot at them.

One of the kids said he was “joking and playing” when he did it. That doesn’t give him the right to do it and they should be charged.

Campaign sign vandalism can be a local crime, not a federal one. But [Warren’s law director Greg] Hicks added that he doesn’t believe the boys are likely to face any criminal charges “based on the scope of what happened” when Rowles fired his gun at them.

I’m not sure what that means. Based on the scope of what happened, they won’t be charged with trespassing or vandalism? What sense does that make? The homeowner did what he did and should pay the price. The kids did what they did and should pay the price.

Dan Rather investigates “Castle Doctrine” in Jackson

Mississippi:

The retired CBS news anchor is investigating the Castle Doctrine for the TV network HDNet…

“We inform people, we educate people, we illuminate controversial subjects,” Rather said.

Whatever.

Armed Intruder Shot and Killed

Vero Beach, Florida:

At about 5 a.m. Thomas “T.C.” Thompson, an alleged intruder, made his way into a Vero Beach home on 74th Avenue, by prying open the front window and popping out the screen.

Inside police say Thomspon held 2 knives threatening a mother of 2, Joanne Hornsby, laying in bed. She screamed, and detectives with the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office said there was some type of struggle, her sons, Austin and Roger, ages 19 and 20 began to fight the intruder.

The youngest son, Austin pulled out a shotgun and fired on shot at Thompson. Thompson was found dead on the screened-in porch, said police.

You know how this is going to go, right? Intruders using knives will be removed from the pool by homeowners with shotguns. That will leave intruders with guns, and then gun crime will be blamed on people defending their home with firearms.

Shooting near Kirksville becomes a test of Missouri’s new ‘castle doctrine’ law

When Rogelio Johnson allegedly climbed through a window and confronted Jackie Gleason in her home near Kirksville, Mo., in May, she shot him dead.

A crime?

Yes, concluded an Adair County coroner’s jury last month.

Not so fast, said county Prosecutor Mark Williams, who says the shooting may be justified under a new Missouri law known as the “castle doctrine” that allows a person to use lethal force against intruders.

Although the coroner’s jury said Gleason committed “death by felony,” Williams was not convinced the jury completely understood the doctrine. Besides, he said, he found juror misconduct because one juror said Gleason was guilty before hearing testimony.

The shootee was under court order to stay away from the shooter’s house. Climbing in the window does not constitute “staying away” in Murdoc’s book.

Ohio elitists react to Castle Doctrine: “Innocent until proven guilty”, OH MY!

When is “innocent until proven guilty” a controversial concept? When is an Ohio law designed to protect a homeowner protecting themselves from an intruder interpreted a license for drug dealers to murder one another? And when are self-defense advocates and rank-and-file cops described as saying it’s ok to shoot first and ask questions later?

When you are a reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer or a bureaucrat with the Ohio Prosecutors’ Association or Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association.

Much more on this new concept and links to even more at the Buckeye Firearms Association

Franklinton, Ohio:

An 18-year-old man armed with a BB gun was fatally shot while trying to rob the residents of a Franklinton home yesterday afternoon, police said.

Police arrested his two alleged accomplices, one of whom was his brother, and charged them with murder for taking part in a crime that resulted in his death.

The new Ohio castle doctrine law doesn’t take effect until September. The dead intruder apparently held the BB gun to the head of the homeowner’s girlfriend.

Don’t commit crimes. If you do, don’t do it with BB guns.

Uncle on the Brady Bunch and their apparent fall-back position.

Truman, Minnesota

Two people are assaulted in their home, and the intruder suffers a gunshot wound.

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office says it happened last night just before midnight.

They say an intruder apparently entered the home of Elmer and Marcella Sauck at 2488 200th Street in rural Martin County.

Mrs. Sauck was physically assaulted, was able to escape and go to the nearby home of her son, Mark. Mark then went to his parents’ house and found his father being assaulted by the intruder. Authorities say Mark then ordered the intruder to stop several times as he approached him, but he didn’t.

The intruder suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital.

Fair Warning: If Murdoc catches you assaulting members of my family, you won’t be getting airlifted anywhere. I won’t be shooting you in the leg, and there will be no rush to get you where you need to go.

Phoenix, Arizona:

A homeowner shot and killed a suspect who was allegedly trying to break into his West Valley home early Thursday morning.

It happened at about 1:30 a.m., in the area of 59h Avenue and McDowell Road.

Police said the family of four was asleep at the time.

The homeowner reportedly woke up when he heard somebody kicking in the door. That man grabbed his shotgun and waited near his bedroom door.

When the bedroom door swung open, the man said he saw a man with a gun. That’s when he opened fire.

That suspect died on the scene.

When you’re talking home defense, I sure don’t think anything beats a shotgun. Just racking a 12 gauge is sure to give a lot of invaders a moment of pause, and very few are going to stand in the line of fire even against birdshot.

Shotgun shell image from IHEA.

Amended SB184 (Castle Doctrine) Passes Ohio House with a 73-23 vote

Buckeye Firearms Association applauds the Ohio House of Representatives’ 73-23 vote to pass the amended SB184.

SB184 passed the Ohio Senate in April with a 31-0 vote and has now passed the Ohio House in an amended form to include technical corrections and improve laws for law-abiding gun owners in Ohio.

The bill is headed back to the Ohio Senate to work out final details due to the amendments made during it’s time in the House.

See the Buckeye Firearms Association page for all the details.