Not Redundant, I'm Told



I was concerned, after starting this blog, that I might be duplicating efforts of others. I have been assured that while some others are doing this as well, that the style of this is different, and the more people doing this, the better. You will notice that I have added links to others doing similar collections of civilian defensive gun uses as well. The more the merrier!



You'll also notice that I have one accomplice in this now!



Oh yes, if you think this is a valuable resource--feel free to throw some money in the tip jar, on the button that says PayPal. I would love to devote my energy full-time to gun rights political activism, but I'm still a little short of being independently wealthy....

Galt, California



From the November 15, 2003, Sacramento Bee:

A botched robbery Friday afternoon ended with a bloody shootout in a Galt grocery that left one man dead and another injured.



As many as 12 people were in the Compadres Market at the time, and Galt Police Lt. Ken Erickson said they were fortunate to survive unharmed.



"With the number of people and the number of shots, we're very, very lucky there were not more people injured," Erickson said.



The dead man, whom police have not identified, was thought to be one of the robbers. One robber, and possibly a second, is still at large.



A clerk, whom police would not identify, fired at the suspects and was shot once in the small of the back. He was transported to the UC Davis Medical Center by helicopter and was in good condition, police said.

Louisville, KY

From the Louisville, Kentucky Courier Journal of November 11, 2003

Kelly O'Hara contended all along that he was acting in self-defense when he shot and killed his girlfriend's ex-husband during a struggle last January.

Yesterday, a Jefferson Circuit Court jury acquitted him of a murder charge in the death of Michael Henry — and refused to find him guilty of any lesser crimes, including manslaughter or reckless homicide.

San Antonio, Texas



From the San Antonio Express-News of November 13, 2003.



This isn't one of the better examples, since the shooter was no longer directly being threatened. Keep in mind that Texas law is different from every other state: this action would be unlawful just about anywhere else:

A North Side man who fired several shots early Wednesday at a fleeing car after his truck was burglarized will not face charges, police said, because he was protecting his property.



When he heard the alarm on his Ford F-150 going off at 3 a.m., Jason Peña ran from his home in the 12100 block of Stoney Circle with gun in hand. He told police two men had pried open the pickup's door with a screwdriver.



He told them to "freeze," according to a police report.



The men ran off with Peña in pursuit. The taller, slimmer man jumped in a waiting Chevrolet Cavalier, and he and a driver sped off. Peña told police he fired several shots at the fleeing car but didn't know if any had struck the gray car or the people inside.

At least one didn't get away:

Police arrived to find Peña pointing his gun at Hugo Hernandez, lying face down in a driveway in the 12100 block of Ridge Summit.

Detroit, Michigan



From the November 12, 2003, Detroit Free Press:

Valet kills man who attempted to rob him



A parking valet at Cheetah's On The Strip adult entertainment club shot and killed a 29-year-old man who tried to rob him with a fake gun early Tuesday.



Detroit police said the pellet gun looked real and the robber pointed it at the valet before the valet shot him.



Sgt. Paul Jones of the department's homicide section said the valet was in the club's parking lot on 8 Mile at 3:30 a.m. when a man stuck a gun in his face, demanded money and car keys.



After a struggle, the robber took off running, turned around and pointed the pellet gun at the valet while running, Jones said. The valet fired with his .40 caliber handgun, striking the Detroit man in the back.



...



The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office will determine whether the valet will face criminal charges.

Portsmouth, Virginia



From the November 4, 2003, Virginian-Pilot:

PORTSMOUTH — Somewhere between a Food Lion and home, Temesha Greene noticed a van following her.



When she got to her driveway that August night, a man pulled out a gun.



Greene pulled out her own gun.



The man fired at her.



She fired back.



He missed.



She didn’t.



That night, officers found Emmitt M. Warren, 34, in a van near Greene’s house, suffering from gunshot wounds, according to court records. He was taken to a hospital and eventually was charged with attempted murder and weapons violations.



...



No charges were filed against Greene. The incident happened Aug. 9, shortly after Greene bought a house alarm system and her first gun.



The 26-year-old mother began worrying about the safety of her Peachtree neighborhood after she heard about several break-ins.



She ordered the .40-caliber Glock pistol in late July, and it arrived a few days later. She shot it for the first time at a range on Aug. 9.



At first, she said, holding the weapon felt strange. It scared her.



Then she started imagining the target picture was someone coming after her, and she felt more comfortable.



Later that night, someone did, according to court records and testimony Monday. Greene, her two sons and her boyfriend arrived home from a Food Lion about 11 p.m., according to testimony.

Los Angeles, California



From the Los Angeles Times (free registration required), November 4, 2003:

A Koreatown store owner shot a suspected robber to death and critically wounded a second Monday night, police said.



"Both of the robbers were armed with handguns, and as they were fleeing a gunfight occurred," said Officer Jason Lee, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department. "The store owner suffered a minor wound to his leg."