Democrats’ Favorite Talking Point About Children And Gun Deaths Is A Lie
Gun control advocates often claim that guns are the leading cause of death among children — but that is false.Gun control advocates often claim that guns are the leading cause of death among children — but that is false.Anonymous, Gun-Themed Website Targeting Rep. Hageman Referred To The FEC
The website's cookies can see you, but you can’t communicate with it or know anything about the humans behind it.Florida man sees back door of mom's home left open. So he goes inside, hears strange noises — and grabs a gun.
A Florida man on the evening of the Fourth of July noticed a rear door of his mother's home in Osceola County was left open, so he entered the residence, WKMG-TV reported, citing the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
After reportedly hearing strange noises, the man armed himself with a revolver, the station said. WOFL-TV reported that the noises were coming from the back bedroom.
'Don't let the libs hear about this ... they'll be pushing to put the shooter in jail.'
After the man called out to see if anyone else was in the home, an alleged intruder emerged from a hallway and charged toward him, WKMG said, citing the sheriff's office.
With that, the man fired a single shot into the alleged intruder's leg, WKMG reported.
Deputies responded around 8:30 p.m. to the home along Deer Run Road where the homeowner’s son was holding the alleged burglar — Mitchell Platt, 37 — at gunpoint, WKMG said.
The man who fired the shot was not injured, investigators added to WKMG.
Platt was hospitalized for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, was released, was then arrested, and was being held on no bond for charges of burglary of an occupied dwelling and possession of burglary tools, WKMG said.
Osceola County court records show Platt "having a number of court cases relating to arrests for drug possession, theft, and burglary," WESH-TV reported.
Those with information about the incident are asked to call the sheriff’s office’s non-emergency line at 407-348-2222, WKMG noted.
Not all of the observers who left comments under Yahoo News' republication of WOFL's story were completely satisfied with the outcome of the incident:
- "You, sir, need more time at the gun range!!!" one commenter declared. "Why[?] Because IT lived."
- "At the leg. Oh, please," another commenter lamented. "You ought to practice more at the range. Now, your tax [dollars are] ... taking care of this dude's medical bills, etc."
- "The shooter needs to learn how to shoot — make every shot count — now, he will probably be sued by the [burglar]," another commenter opined.
- "Don't let the libs hear about this ... they'll be pushing to put the shooter in jail," another commenter predicted. "How dare he [shoot] an intruder ... right libs?"
- "Correct me if I'm wrong, but a revolver should hold six rounds. Dead men tell no tales. They also commit no more crimes," another commenter wrote.
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Deputy on patrol gives brutal physics lesson to convicted felon who sheriff says pulled gun while fleeing on bicycle
A Florida sheriff's deputy conducting patrols in Palm Coast late Saturday night spotted a male on the sidewalk alongside Pine Lakes Parkway standing next to a bicycle on the ground, the Flagler County Sheriff's Office said. Palm Coast is just over half an hour south of St. Augustine.
The patrol car's video indicates the deputy tried to get the attention of the male in question — later identified as 38-year-old Michael McDermott — and ordered him to stop, after which the deputy activated his emergency lights.
The sheriff's office said a 9mm Ruger firearm was found near McDermott — who actually was wearing a holster for the weapon.
While McDermott appeared to comply, slowing down enough for the deputy to stop and exit his patrol vehicle, McDermott apparently changed his mind and disregarded the law enforcement officer's command and starting pedaling away down Westminster Drive.
With that, the deputy got back into his patrol vehicle and went after McDermott — and then soon saw McDermott pulling a gun from his pants, the sheriff's office said.
Fearing that McDermott would engage him with the firearm, the deputy struck McDermott with his patrol vehicle, ejecting McDermott from the bicycle.
The deputy — with the assistance of another deputy who arrived as backup — handcuffed McDermott, pulled him from the ground, and began questioning him on the hood of the patrol vehicle.
The sheriff's office said a 9mm Ruger firearm was found near McDermott — who actually was wearing a holster for the weapon.
McDermott was arrested for assault or battery on a law enforcement officer, fleeing and eluding, resisting an officer with violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, the sheriff's office said.
McDermott first was taken to a hospital due to a minor injury to his right ankle, officials said, after which he was taken to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility.
The suspect possesses an extensive arrest history in Flagler County since 2013, the sheriff's office said, adding that he was released from that same jail on Dec. 17 after serving a 90-day sentence for possession of fentanyl.
“The job that a deputy sheriff does to proactively protect our community is a dangerous one, and deputies must often make split-second decisions,” Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly said. “In this instance, Deputy Murphy was forced to make a split-second decision in a dangerous encounter with an armed felon. This incident could have taken a deadly turn, and I am thankful that the situation was quickly resolved before that became a reality.”
'My mother says when you gonna live your life right'
Substantially adding to comic relief was the revelation by the sheriff's office that "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper indeed was playing on the deputy's radio while the incident unfolded.
Content warning: Language:
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'60 Minutes' helps Mexico blame US for gun violence but unwittingly make case against gun laws
After proving unable to meaningfully help Kamala Harris avoid another failed presidential bid with its apparently deceptive edit of her October interview, CBS News' "60 Minutes" moved on to narrative curation for another apparent lost cause: the Mexican government.
In an episode that aired Sunday, "60 Minutes" advanced the Mexican government's preferred line regarding its failure to clamp down on gang violence, smearing Americans as "the bad actors in this dynamic" — an allegation that the foreign nation has raised against U.S. gunmakers in a case that will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in February.
In the process of pinning Mexico's ills on America's Second Amendment, CBS News unwittingly helped make the argument that gun-control laws are ineffective in stopping violent crime.
While Article 10 of the Mexican Constitution entitles Mexican citizens to own guns, citizens must jump through numerous hoops to legally acquire a firearm, and there is only one gun store in the country where they can buy one in person.
According to a 2023 Americas Society/Council of the Americas report, Mexican lawmakers greatly limited this constitutional right following civil unrest in the late 1960s, depriving citizens of the right to open or concealed carry in most cases; banning various gun types and calibers for personal use; and making gun ownership conditional on both a one-year permit from the secretariat of national defense and membership in a shooting club. To acquire a gun permit, applicants must be 18 or older with past military experience and evidence of the mental capacity to operate a weapon. Mexicans reportedly cannot legally own more than 10 firearms or purchase ammunition for calibers of weapons they do not own.
'I'm not going to advocate for restricting my rights because another country wants to shift blame.'
Despite these laws, Mexican criminals packing heat have driven a six-year trend of over 30,000 murders annually, and there are an estimated 16.8 million guns in civilian possession.
A viral segment from the Sunday episode of "60 Minutes" details the lengthy process involved in legally acquiring a firearm in Mexico.
"There's only one gun store in Mexico in the middle of a heavily guarded military base in Mexico City," says the narrator. "Before customers can enter, they have to show proof they've passed psychological tests, drug screenings, and extensive background checks. The store sells about a thousand guns a month, mostly shotguns, small-caliber rifles, and handguns."
"What civilians can't buy here are the weapons the cartel favors. Those are not legally sold anywhere in Mexico," added the narrator.
While the apparent point of the episode was to blame Mexico's gun violence on weapons imported from the U.S., critics noted that CBS News helped demonstrate that gun-control laws aren't great at reducing violent crime.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) tweeted, "Mexico must be the safest, least-violent country in the world. Oh wait ..."
One user on X, citing the cities with the highest homicide rates in the world, responded, "This gun control policy is so successful only 9 of the top 10 most murderous cities are in Mexico."
Sean Davis, CEO of the Federalist, wrote, "Mexico is definitely known for having no murder problems, so obviously that policy is working great."
"You can tell this method is working by looking at Mexico's extremely low crime rate," said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' press secretary, Jeremy Redfern.
Blaze News' Julio Rosas noted that the point of the "60 Minutes" piece was "to blame the U.S. and our Second Amendment for Mexico's violence. As much as I love Mexico, I'm not going to advocate for restricting my rights because another country wants to shift blame."
The program leaned on claims from former Mexican President López Obrador and others to suggest that restricting American gun sales would be something of a panacea.
Jonathan Lowy, an American lawyer representing Mexico in its lawsuits against U.S. gunmakers, told "60 Minutes" that "you need to stop it at its source. Because all those problems are driven by the supply of U.S. guns to the cartels."
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Brothers beat up tire shop worker amid dispute, take worker's gun, hit him with it. One arrested brother on immigration hold.
Two brothers beat up a Miami tire shop employee amid a dispute over a work order Monday afternoon, police said. Both brothers were arrested — but one of them, a Cuban national — reportedly was placed on an immigration hold.
Miami-Dade police told WPLG-TV that 40-year-old Pedro Luis Rodriguez and 32-year-old Luis Angel Rodriguez-Candano came to Tire Liquidators Miami II in the 2000 block of SW 67th Avenue in west Miami-Dade and argued with the employee over a job done on a car.
Rodriguez grabbed the employee's gun, hit him on the head with it, and said in Spanish, 'What good is it to kill you?' WPLG noted, citing the police report.
Police said Rodriguez began punching the employee multiple times amid the argument, WPLG reported.
The employee then drew a gun from his waistband and held it in the air, the station said, citing a police report.
With that, Rodriguez-Candano lunged at the employee and began pushing him, WPLG said, adding that authorities indicated both brothers jumped on top of the employee, punching him multiple times in the head and body.
The employee then fired three shots — and one of them struck Rodriguez in the leg, the station said.
Rodriguez grabbed the employee's gun, hit him on the head with it, and said in Spanish, "What good is it to kill you?" WPLG noted, citing the police report.
Police said Rodriguez ran out of the office to call for help, the station said.
Police added that Rodriguez-Candano, once outside, continued to punch the employee, took the gun from Rodriguez, and pointed it at the victim, WPLG reported.
Medics were sent to the scene just after 3:45 p.m., the station said, citing dispatch records,
Authorities told WPLG that the tire shop employee suffered a cut to the top of his head and bruising on both arms but was not taken to a hospital.
Police added to the station that the employee told them he fired the gun in self-defense — and the tire shop owner also supports that claim.
The brother who was shot was taken to a hospital in stable condition, WPLG said.
The station, citing jail records, reported that both brothers are facing one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and that Rodriguez-Candano is facing a separate charge of battery.
The brothers appeared in Miami-Dade bond court for second hearings Tuesday, WPLG reported, adding that both required Spanish interpreters and were represented by attorneys appearing via Zoom.
Rodriguez, a Cuban national, was placed on an immigration hold, and his bond was set at $5,000, the station said.
Rodriguez-Cadano was also given a $5,000 bond, WPLG reported, adding that a judge ordered both brothers were ordered to stay away from the victim.
You can view video reports about the incident here and here.
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'Great day at the range': Dem candidate Lucas Kunce leaves reporter gushing blood at outing with Adam Kinzinger
In an apparent effort to outdo Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's embarrassing hunting-themed photo op, Democratic Senate candidate Lucas Kunce attended a sport shooting campaign event Tuesday north of Kansas City with Harris booster Adam Kinzinger.
Unlike Walz, Kunce, a gun control advocate trying to unseat Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), actually hit something — or rather somebody: KSHB-TV reporter Ryan Gamboa.
According to the Kansas City Star, Kunce was firing a rifle at a private residence when a bullet fragment ricocheted off a steel target at close range and struck the reporter in the arm.
Upon realizing he left the fourth estate in need of first aid, Kunce wrapped his belt around Gamboa's arm to arrest the bleeding. KSHB indicated that its wounded reporter went to a nearby hospital for professional treatment and was later discharged.
'Will Kamala condemn the gun violence by Kunce and Kinzinger?'
Kunce attempted to make light of the incident, tweeting, "Great day at the range today with my friend @AdamKinzinger."
"We got to hang out with some union workers while exercising our freedom. Always have your first aid kit handy," continued Kunce. "Shrapnel can always fly when you hit a target like today, and you've got to be ready to go. We had four first aid kits, so we were able to take care of the situation, and I'm glad Ryan is okay and was able to continue reporting."
Criticism and mockery soon began pouring in.
Hawley, who The Hill indicated was leading Kunce by an average of 7.3% across 10 polls, noted, "When liberals play with guns, people get hurt."
The Republican senator asked in jest, "Will Kamala condemn the gun violence by Kunce and Kinzinger?"
Apparently unable to help himself, Hawley also wrote, "I know the Kunce campaign needed a shot in the arm, but this is taking it a little far," and "I condemn all acts of violence against reporters."
"It's been a really rough month for Dems trying to appear competent with firearms," wrote the National Association for Gun Rights.
After noting that "cosplay can be dangerous," Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt (R) shared a 2021 video of Kunce offering his services for a weapons safety course ahead of his last failed Senate run, writing, "This aged well."
Police analyst and Townhall columnist Phil Holloway had some questions: "Why did you put a tourniquet on a grazing flesh wound? Why are people wearing their eye protection on top of their head? Why are you firing .223 rounds at metal targets 20 feet away? Asking for a few million friends."
'Calm down, Dick Cheney.'
After dwelling on photos from the disastrous photo op, Sean Davis, co-founder of the Federalist, highlighted other issues Kunce and Kinzinger apparently failed to register:
- "They are shooting steel at 5-7 yards with rifles, which could've killed somebody given the force with which the bullets will ricochet off the steel targets at [that] distance. You would instantly get permanently banned at my range if you did that. Zero questions asked."
- "Kinzinger holds his rifle like a complete ninny, and that will never not be funny to me. And pro-tip for @AdamKinzinger: the eye protection works better when it's on your eyes, not your head. You stupid idiot. Try using your brain for once. You’re lucky you still have one after today."
- "Kinzinger is for some reason using a high-powered scope (at least a 3-9x by the looks of it) to shoot a target 5 yards away."
- "There is a bolt action rifle on the table, so presumably someone was also using that to shoot steel at 5 yards. Insane."
- "There are at least two canisters of explosive Tannerite powder on the table, down range from where guns are being fired. That could've potentially killed or seriously injured someone if someone shot it or if someone was stupid enough to be shooting close enough to steel for a ricochet to hit it."
- "At one point the cameraman is down range from all the guns, which — given the violations we’ve found so far — we can assume are not safe and unloaded. Way to think that one through, dummy."
Ryan Cleckner, a former special ops sniper, affirmed Davis' critiques, writing, "[Davis] told me 'it gets better the more you look at it.' He was so right."
"'Great day! We only shot one person!' Calm down, Dick Cheney," wrote one user.
Conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck noted, "Democrats need to stop cosplaying with guns because it's getting embarrassing."
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'Openly totalitarian': Footage surfaces of Harris threatening to storm houses of law-abiding Americans for surprise gun checks
A 2007 clip of Kamala Harris threatening to storm the homes of law-abiding Americans for surprise gun inspections resurfaced this week, renewing concerns about what version of the vice president is now seeking her boss' job as well as about the fate of Second and Fourth Amendment rights should Harris get what she wants.
The footage was taken at a San Francisco press conference where then-Mayor Gavin Newsom and then-San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris discussed anti-gun legislation on which they had collaborated.
Harris suggested that the possibility that "some kid" might steal a legally acquired firearm justified the government in violating law-abiding owners' privacy and in running roughshod over their rights.
"We're going to require responsible behaviors among everybody in the community," said Harris. "Just because you legally possess a gun in the sanctity of your locked home doesn't mean that we're not going to walk into that home and check to see if you're being responsible and safe in the way you conduct your affairs."
'If we don't resist this, we're done.'
Harris made clear that she and Newsom were looking to "legislate our values" and "encourage certain types of behavior."
Harris also cackled at the mention of the National Rifle Association's inevitable grievances, noting it would likely oppose the legislation, which Fox News Digital indicated she helped draft.
The legislation Newsom ultimately ratified banned the possession or sale of firearms on city property; required residents to store their guns in locked containers or apply trigger locks; and required gun dealers to submit inventories to police every six months.
Newsom noted it left the city with the "strictest anti-gun laws in the country."
"Everybody has a right to self-defense," Alan Gottlieb, the founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, told the Fog City Journal at the time. "The mayor is basically denying people the right of self-defense."
The footage of Harris threatening the "sanctity" of American's locked homes went viral this week.
The Trump campaign called Harris "an anti-gun RADICAL."
"Kamala Harris wants mass gun confiscation, and she's willing to weaponize the government to enter your home and seize your legally owned guns," tweeted the NRA.
Tucker Carlson tweeted, "This is openly totalitarian. If we don't resist this, we're done."
Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) wrote, "A reporter asked me two weeks ago in AZ why I kept referring to Harris as a totalitarian. This is just one more example."
"Kamala Harris literally said they will be doing a gun confiscation. What’s it going to take for everyone to realize these people are straight up communists and they are coming for our guns, our free speech and all our constitutional rights," wrote X user Wall Street Apes.
When asked about her ever-morphing political positions in an interview last month, Kamala Harris said that her "values have not changed."
This response prompted critics to wonder whether she has been trying to pull one over on voters with her recent moderate act — whether she intends to Trojan-horse her California radicalism into the White House.
Such a strategic deception would account for why Harris would all of a sudden feel comfortable claiming to be tough on the border despite previously calling the border wall a "stupid use of money" and overseeing the flood of tens of millions of illegal aliens into the country while border czar, or claiming to be a tough-on-crime "prosecutor" despite praising the "defund the police" movement, bailing out Black Lives Matter rioters, and supporting so-called "police reform."
If her values have indeed not changed, then that would also mean that upon taking power, her newfound moderate outlook might be abrogated by her 2019 outlook — which entailed decriminalizing crack cocaine for personal use, cutting Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding, eliminating the Hyde Amendment, and making taxpayers fund sex changes for illegal aliens — as well as by her outlook in 2007.
When discussing Harris' desire to confiscate Americans' firearms, President Donald Trump told Greg Gutfeld Wednesday, "One thing about a politician — they always revert back to where they were at the beginning because that is what their natural inclination is."
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Inmate escapes into woods, manhunt commences; 3 days later, gun owner encounters fugitive outside his home
A Georgia homeowner on Thursday detained at gunpoint an inmate who had escaped into the woods and had been on the run for three days.
The Towns County Sheriff's Office said 39-year-old inmate Bruce Douglas Partin Jr. was on work detail Monday at the county dump when he escaped into the woods on Highway 288 around 2:30 p.m.
But Kirby had a gun on him, and authorities said he drew his weapon and ordered Partin to the ground. Partin complied.
The sheriff’s office deployed a drone and K-9 tracking dog with no success. Authorities said Partin was being housed in the Towns County Detention Center and was awaiting a court appearance on the following charges: purchase, possession, manufacture, distribution or sale of marijuana; theft by taking; probation violation; and burglary.
Authorities added that Partin was spotted on a trail camera at the end of Ivy Mountain Road in the Fodder Creek area Tuesday around 1:20 p.m. The sheriff's office Facebook post includes a pair of images showing Partin in the woods.
The sheriff's office added that Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Natural Resources all utilized every resource, including aerial patrol and K-9 units, to assist with the search for and capture of Partin. Authorities added that he was still at large as of 4:40 p.m. Tuesday.
Captured
The sheriff's office said a resident on Fodder Creek Road in the Gander Gap area spotted Partin in his orange jail uniform around 5:15 p.m. Thursday and called 911. With that, authorities said sheriff's deputies saturated the area in search of the suspect.
About two hours later, the sheriff's office said Steven Kirby — a resident who lives on Vester Road — was inside his home when Odie, his labradoodle, began aggressively alerting him to someone outside the residence.
The sheriff's office said Kirby went outside, and Partin — who's 6 feet, 4 inches tall — confronted him. But Kirby had a gun on him, and authorities said he drew his weapon and ordered Partin to the ground. Partin complied.
An image on the sheriff's Facebook page shows Kirby pointing a gun at Partin, who's facedown on the ground with his ankles crossed and his hands behind his back.
Authorities said Kirby’s wife, Amy, called 911, and sheriff’s deputies quickly arrived on the scene to take Partin into custody just after 7 p.m. Online maps indicate Partin was captured around six miles southwest of the area where he made his escape.
The sheriff's office said Kirby noted that he's committed to protecting his family and property from harm.
Authorities said Sheriff Ken Henderson expressed gratitude toward the Fodder Creek community for their vigilance and assistance, but most of all to Kirby for his courage and willingness to act: “It is truly a pleasure to work in a community where we can count on the ongoing support of citizens like Mr. Kirby to stand behind us and, in cases like this, even physically aid us when necessary."
What's more, the Kirby family on Friday received the $500 reward offered for information leading to Partin's arrest — and Steven Kirby and his dog Odie got a commendation.
"Sheriff Henderson strongly supports the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms and was thankful that Mr. Kirby's instincts kicked in, and he went above and beyond to not only protect his family and property but his community as well," the sheriff's office Facebook entry said.
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