Video: Anti-Trump protester appears to headbutt angry pro-Trump motorist in street — then victim grabs rifle from his truck



An anti-Trump protester appeared to headbutt an angry pro-Trump motorist during a Saturday anti-Trump rally in downtown Lafayette, Indiana, according to video recorded by a Lafayette Journal & Courier reporter.

Video shows the apparent victim — whose nose was bloodied — react by retrieving a rifle from his truck and returning to argue with anti-Trump protesters. The male who appeared to headbutt the pro-Trump motorist ran away, and police told the Journal & Courier they are looking for the alleged attacker.

A witness told the Courier & Journal that the anti-Trump protester who apparently headbutted the pro-Trump motorist 'took off running' after the confrontation.

The paper said hundreds showed up at the Tippecanoe County Courthouse as part of a national "Hands Off! Mass Mobilization" movement, which also occurred at other locations around the United States.

The motorist in question apparently got angry when protesters were crossing Third Street and wouldn't let him turn at the intersection, the paper said, adding that the motorist soon got out of his truck and confronted the protesters.

Video shows the angry motorist — who is bearded and, according to photos in the Journal & Courier story, is wearing a white Make America Great Again hat — pointing his fingers and arguing with a handful of anti-Trump protesters in the street. Soon an anti-Trump protester — who is wearing a half-red, half-black hood — is seen pushing the angry pro-Trump motorist backward before apparently headbutting him.

The pro-Trump motorist briefly reaches for his face, walks out of frame, and then returns with a rifle, confronts the crowd, and hollers for someone to call 911 as he wipes blood from his nose.

A witness told the Courier & Journal that the anti-Trump protester who apparently headbutted the pro-Trump motorist “took off running” after the confrontation.

Arriving police detained the pro-Trump motorist, placed him in the back of a police vehicle, and drove away from the scene, the paper said.

According to the paper, police stated that "during the event, an adult male driver attempted to make a lawful turn at the intersection of Third Street and Columbia Street when his path was obstructed by protesters standing in the roadway. A verbal altercation ensued between the driver and protesters. The situation escalated when the driver exited his vehicle and was subsequently pushed and battered by individuals in the crowd."

Police added that "officers detained the driver due to reports that he had allegedly pointed the firearm at protesters. Officers conducted a thorough investigation and determined that the driver did not point the firearm at anyone and did not commit a crime, the driver was then released," the paper said.

Police said they are seeking the male who headbutted the motorist and are asking those with information to contact them at 765-807-1200, the paper added.

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Hard target: What I learned at my first nighttime shooting competition



Bullets spilled out of the gun like loose teeth in a nightmare. I squeezed the trigger again: nothing. Then I performed a “tap-rack-bang” — the gun equivalent of blowing into a Nintendo cartridge. Nothing.

Every time I racked the slide, more 9mm rounds tumbled out of the Walther PDP Compact 4. I squeezed the trigger again. More spillage. More teeth.

The range at night was disorienting, a real equalizer. Darkness could downgrade even the most skilled daytime shooters.

I hadn’t expected to dominate my first nighttime shooting competition, but this was ridiculous.

Under the supermoon

It was a windy 55 degrees on the firing line under the glow of a supermoon — the last of 2024. It was my first time at the range after sunset, and there I was, fumbling with a gun like some kind of purple-haired vegan barista.

The moonlight made everything feel dreamlike, glassy, and strange. It was dark. And apparently, I had loaded the rounds into the magazine backward, something I’d like to believe I could never do in daylight.

This wasn’t just my first night shoot; it was my first shooting competition of any kind, even as an observer. While I’ve gone to many ranges over the years, I’ve only made it a habit in the past three months.

The event was hosted by the committee members of my local sportsman's club and the owner of Blackbush Armory, a high-end gun shop specializing in tactical and custom firearms and gear, including all the iconic firearms of history and lore. Typically, the club doesn’t allow shooting when it's dark, but this “Whiteout Shoot” was an exception.

I shot last, so I had time to observe the walkthroughs for each stage and watch the 11 other shooters.

Their spread of gear was magnificent — thousands of dollars’ worth of rifles and pistols and optics and cases and vests and ammo, all laid out like tiny metal fortresses. They were ready for any scenario, but not arrogant about it; happy to help anyone who had shown up less prepared.

Multiple times, guys offered me equipment, advice, and encouragement.

I’d heard about the event from my friend, a gun collector who had previously introduced me to the joy of Henry repeating rifles, and my dad, who didn’t compete. Initially, we’d planned to cover a Sig Sauer event in Oklahoma City, but this local shoot was a more interesting alternative. At the very least, it was a unique way to spend a Saturday night, well worth the $10 entry fee.

Stage 1: Pistol

The course of fire for Stage 1 included three scenarios. First, shoot an array of steel plates horizontally, then shuffle left and knock out vertical targets. Then eject your magazine and fire your last shot at the bull's-eye plate on the left.

The faster, the better. Scores were based on both speed and accuracy. After each shooter finished, the safety officer rattled off numbers to the scorekeepers in the bunker.

The range at night was disorienting, a real equalizer. Darkness could downgrade even the most skilled daytime shooters.

“Just focus on getting out there,” said my friend, handing me a replacement pistol. “And even if you don’t hit a single target, you’ll be all the more successful the next time you hit one. That'll double your accuracy. And most of all, enjoy the big goofy smile you’ll have.”

Miss, miss, miss, miss, miss — PING!

Around the fire

Here we were, a group of heavily armed men, soft-voiced and jovial. The atmosphere was calm, yet focused — a level of tranquility you’d expect at a monastery. We could just as easily have been gathered around a fire in the shadows of a cave, millions of years ago, equipped with the same ancient instincts of survival and camaraderie.

Civilizations need strong men and women on the local level. And by gathering at the gun range on a Saturday night, we expressed faith in the strength of our neighbors. Iron sharpens iron. Trust is enacted, not invoked — actions, not words.

Because here’s a truth about gun culture: This joy is rooted in discipline and protocol.

Safety protocol was strictly enforced. This was a cold range, meaning all firearms had to remain unloaded unless the competitor was under the direction of a range officer. The rest of the time, you stayed behind the red line, away from your weapons.

The event organizers had even notified the sheriff that we’d be shooting at night, in case anyone reported gunshots. Odds are, nobody did — most people were still blasting fireworks every night to celebrate Trump’s landslide victory nine days earlier.

The youngest competitor was 16, shooting alongside his grandfather. The rest of us spread across every decade in between them. Among the group were a former pilot, an entrepreneur, a sheriff, and a professional drummer.

Stage 2: Rifle

Rifles make more sense to me than handguns. They feel natural. So I was less nervous heading into Stage 2, although a vague static lingered in my mind.

The gun shop owner, serving as safety officer, was calm and encouraging. He told me about “sweeping,” accidentally pointing the rifle uprange toward the guys. “Keep your muzzle forward,” he said, adding humbly that he’d once been disqualified for this exact mistake.

“Make ready.”

Magazine in. Bolt back.

BEEP.

In Stage 2, you began crouched behind an obstacle in a surrender position (hands raised, rifle slung on your back). Lean left around the barricade, flip the flashlight on, and fire two shots at the first cardboard target. Then scoot right to the next target.

To my relief, the motions felt natural. The anxiety dissipated.

Next, lean right, two shots, then move to the final target — a hostage situation. The “hostage” was a cardboard cutout nicknamed Macaulay Culkin being manhandled by a “terrorist,” a featureless paper cutout. The challenge was to hit the bad guy without blasting Macaulay to Neverland.

Lost in the cosmos

Heading into the final stage, everyone had talked a lot about the cosmos. It felt like the moon was within reach, glorified by a rainbow-like crown. Low-flying propeller planes puttered toward the local airport, just northwest of the hilltop casino. Everything around us could be charted by its trajectory and velocity.

Guns have only been around for the past millennium or so. But their lineage runs much deeper, and political actors often ignore this reality. Use of weapons preceded the discovery of fire. Early humans were strapped with spears, clubs, and hammers.

This military mindset accelerated civilization and led to political order.

Humanity has always advanced at the pace of its weapons. Some tools spread by innovation, others by necessity or force. Guns were the latter. Societies without them had no choice but to adapt or surrender.

The invention of the ship is also the invention of the shipwreck. Guns deliver godlike power. So our handling of them has to be grounded in clear-cut morality.

Gun culture is misunderstood in this respect. It’s not primarily a political movement; it’s a communion with the past, a metric of the technological present. Some collectors find meaning in cars or cameras. Guns are different. They aren’t just artifacts; they’re instruments of life and death, protection and apocalypse.

Stage 3: Rifle and pistol

The final stage required both rifle and pistol. We moved to the skeet-shooting area on the other side of the range. The entire field was volcanic, crowded with the bright orange clay discs that trap and skeet shooters substitute for birds.

Each step disrupted the rubble. “That’s the crunch of shattered pigeons,” said the kind extrovert who, like many of the guys, had been giving me advice and encouragement.

“Maybe I’ll just do the rifle part,” I suggested. “I don’t feel great about the pistol part.”

“Don’t,” said the kind extrovert. “It’s worth it to challenge yourself. Pistols are work; rifles are fun. The real competition is with yourself.”

The course of fire involved two scenarios, ending with a target shaped like a goat.

The ricochet sparks of bullets against steel lit up the dark. And a red light flashed any time you hit a target.

When it was my turn, I surprised myself by hitting all but one pistol target. The lads cheered.

Then I strode left. Crouched, grabbed the rifle, readied to fire, and — nothing. The night ended with a rifle jam — fitting, given how my evening started. But this time, it was mechanical, not ignorance. “That’s a major malfunction,” said the safety officer. Then he helped fix it nonchalantly.

Ping-ping. Ping. Now for the finale. I took a breath, fired. The shot grazed the goat, but I ended the night with a goofy smile that matched my friend’s prediction.

By the end of the competition, what began as three distinct groups had coalesced into a single community. Moments like these are a crucial reminder for an era trapped in a permanent state of revolution: Any civilized society is armed to the teeth.

Virginia Gov. Youngkin vetoes 30 anti-gun bills, keeping law-abiding citizens armed and Democrats angry



Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) blew away 30 bills this week that he figured encroached on the rights of law-abiding citizens, including a Democratic bill prohibiting the sale or possession of new so-called "assault" rifles.

Among the bills Youngkin ultimately shot down were:

  • HB 2, a Democratic bill that would ban the sale or possession of new "assault rifles";
  • HB 454, a Democratic bill that would have criminalized an otherwise law-abiding citizen's possession of a firearm in a building owned or operated by a college or university — which Youngkin noted was unnecessary granted the present ability of institutions of higher education to implement prohibitions on their respective campuses;
  • HB 585, a Democratic bill that would have barred firearms sales within 1.5 miles of an elementary or middle school — which the governor said appeared "unconstitutional, retaliatory, and arbitrary";
  • HB 799, a Democratic bill that would have required the submission of fingerprints with an application for a concealed handgun permit or permit renewal — which Youngkin said "targets individuals already subject to background checks and mandatory training, creating superfluous and onerous restrictions on responsible citizens exercising their Second Amendment right to self-defense";
  • SB 273, a Democratic bill that would have required a waiting period to purchase a firearm — which Youngkin said would "impede individuals facing threats of violence from promptly acquiring a firearm for self-defense";
  • HB 798, a Democratic bill that would have barred Virginians with a misdemeanor conviction of assault and battery or stalking from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm;
  • SB 99, a Democratic bill that would have banned the carrying of so-called "assault firearms" in public areas; and
  • SB 327, a Democratic bill prohibiting any American under the age of 21 from purchasing a handgun or "assault firearm" — which Youngkin indicated would render meaningless the constitutionally protected right to possess a firearm for those under 21.

The Washington Post noted that in Youngkin's first two years in office, Republican lawmakers successfully prevented gun-grab legislation from advancing in the House of Delegates. This spared the governor from having to evidence his support for the Second Amendment.

However, with majorities in both the state House and Senate, Democrats apparently figured they could advance their agenda or at the very least expose the governor as a defender of the Constitution.

Youngkin said in a statement, "I swore an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of Virginia, and that absolutely includes protecting the right of law-abiding Virginians to keep and bear arms."

The governor did, however, ratify a bill preventing parents from "willfully allowing a child who poses a credible threat of violence to access a firearm" as well as a bill banning the manufacture, transfer, or possession of an auto sear — a device that converts semi-automatic firearms into automatic weapons. Neither of these bills were opposed by the Citizens Defense League.

"I am pleased to sign four public safety bills which are commonsense reforms with significant bipartisan support from the General Assembly, and offer recommendations to several bills which, if adopted, will make it harder for criminals to use guns in the commission of a violent act," added Youngkin.

The governor's vetoes were not well received by Democratic lawmakers, who do not have two-thirds majorities required to override them.

Democratic state Sen. Creigh Deeds complained on X, writing, "2 more of my bills, prospectively banning assault style weapons, and keeping guns off college campuses are being vetoed. Shameful and unthinking action!"

Deeds' colleague, state Sen. Mamie Locke (D), responded, "Consider the source. Guns for everybody, no redemption for anyone, suppress the vote and voters and tax cuts for millionaires. Who's backwards?"

Heather Williams, the president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, claimed, "Republicans continue to make it clear that they care more about guns than people."

The National Rifle Association, on the other hand, lauded Youngkin's resolve.

"Governor Glenn Youngkin's courageous veto of dozens of ill-conceived gun control bills is a resounding victory for the Second Amendment in Virginia," Randy Kozuch, NRA executive director, said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.

"His refusal to bow to unconstitutional overreach — stopping widespread bans on semi-automatic firearms, blocking ill-conceived laws like arbitrary waiting periods, and unjust age restrictions — underscores his fierce commitment to safeguarding our fundamental rights," continued Kozuch. "This is a clear message: Virginia stands firm against the erosion of our liberties."

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Rifle-toting intruder forces his way into home in middle of night. Homeowner puts him in chokehold; cops find intruder dead.



A rifle-toting intruder forced his way into home in Midland, Texas, early Saturday morning — but the homeowner put the intruder in chokehold, and police said they found the intruder dead.

What are the details?

Midland police said George Samuel Butler, 37, entered a home in the 1400 block of Daventry Place “by force with a rifle," MRT.com reported, after which the homeowner placed the suspect in a chokehold "in an apparent case of self-defense."

Police said they responded to the scene just after 4 a.m. after a report of a disturbance with weapons and found Butler dead, the outlet added.

MRT.com noted that the police department's Crimes Against Persons Unit and Crime Scene Unit also responded to the scene, next of kin were notified, and the investigation into the fatality continued.

Not the first instance

MRT.com added that Butler was previously arrested for burglarizing a home in Midland.

The outlet, citing police, said a woman stated in July 2022 that "Butler had kicked in her front door."

Arriving police said officers saw Butler through windows of a residence searching a room and looking under beds — and cops also saw pieces of the front door frame hanging, MRT.com reported.

More from the outlet:

Officers made several announcements for Butler to exit the residence, but he refused and shut the door, preventing officers from conducting their duties. When officers entered the residence and attempted to place him in handcuffs, Butler started fighting an officer and placed him in a headlock. The officer was able to take Butler to the ground before placing him, with the help of other officers, in handcuffs. The officer also sustained a bloody nose.

MRT.com said Butler was arrested for assault on a peace officer/judge, a second-degree felony; burglary of habitations, a second-degree felony; and two misdemeanor charges. The outlet reported that he was held on a $57,000 bond.

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Federal judge once again deems California's 'assault weapons' ban unconstitutional, noting 'guns in the hands of law-abiding responsible citizens are necessary'



A federal judge ruled Thursday against California's so-called "assault weapons" ban, reaffirming law-abiding citizens' right to defend themselves in the crime-ridden Democrat-run state.

U.S. District Court Judge Roger Benitez stressed once again that the ban and related statutes were unconstitutional, serving not only to trample Americans' Second Amendment rights but also to leave them outgunned by criminals to whom such laws mean nothing.

The background

The Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989 made it such than any firearm on a list specified in the state's penal code was considered an "assault weapon." Such firearms became illegal to purchase, keep for sale, offer for sale, expose for sale, give, lend, manufacture, distribute, or import. Additional prohibitions were built atop this act over time.

Benitez previously struck down the ban in 2021, noting, "Like the Swiss Army Knife, the popular AR-15 rifle is a perfect combination of home defense weapon and homeland defense equipment. ... Yet, the State of California makes it a crime to have an AR-15 type rifle. Therefore, this Court declares the California statutes to be unconstitutional."

State Attorney General Rob Bonta appealed the ruling and petitioned for a stay. The Ninth Circuit subsequently put a hold on Benitez's ruling. Following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 reaffirmation of Americans' Second Amendment Rights in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, the Ninth Circuit remanded the case back to the federal district court on Aug. 1, 2022.

This week, Benitez ruled on the remanded case.

The ruling

Judge Benitez's Thursday decision greatly resembled his previous ruling, although this time around he opted for a Bowie knife in his opening metaphor contra the Swiss Army knife from before.

"Like the Bowie Knife which was commonly carried by citizens and soldiers in the 1800s, 'assault weapons' are dangerous, but useful. But unlike the Bowie Knife, the United States Supreme Court has said, '[t]here is a long tradition of widespread lawful gun ownership by private individuals in this country,'" wrote Benitez.

"The American tradition is rich and deep in protecting a citizen's enduring right to keep and bear common arms like rifles, shotguns, and pistols," continued the judge. "The 'assault weapon' prohibition has no historical pedigree and it is extreme."

The judge, who just weeks ago ruled against California's high-capacity magazine ban, also noted that law-abiding Americans have an interest in not being "outgunned" by the state's many criminals, particularly when "crime happens a lot."

Benitez also noted that those seeking to trample the Second Amendment tend to focus on stories of criminal gun use, but neglect the millions of instances in which law-abiding citizens use firearms to save innocent lives and restore order.

In his conclusion, Benitez wrote, "The State's attempt to ban these popular firearms creates the extreme policy that a handful of criminals can dictate the conduct and infringe on the freedom of law-abiding citizens. ... There is only one policy enshrined in the Bill of Rights. Guns and ammunition in the hands of criminals, tyrants and terrorists are dangerous; guns in the hands of law-abiding responsible citizens are necessary."

Deeming the ban unconstitutional, he struck it down. Benitez did, however, grant the state 10 days to seek a stay from the Court of Appeals.

The reaction

Gov. Newsom called the ruling "radical," suggesting that Benitez's comparison of a rifle to a Bowie knife "is a direct insult to every victim of a mass shooting and their families."

"Californians’ elected representatives decided almost 35 years ago that weapons of war have no place in our communities. Today, Judge Benitez decided that he knows better, public safety be damned," continued Newsom. "Judge Benitez is hellbent on making it more dangerous for our kids to go to school, for families to go to the mall, or to attend a place of worship. We are working with Attorney General Rob Bonta to fight this extreme and logically incoherent ruling and keep California safer, but we should not have to go get Judge Benitez overturned every time he decides to write a love letter to the gun lobby."

Bonta claimed in a statement that the decision was "dangerous and misguided," vowing to "work vigorously to reverse it on appeal."

John Dillon, an attorney for the pro-Constitution plaintiffs who sued to overturn the ban, indicated his clients were "very happy" about the decision, reported the Los Angeles Times.

"It seems like the court has applied the standards properly and correctly. There's no doubt about it," said Dillon. "We're glad that our plaintiffs' rights are going to be respected."

According to the CATO Institute's "Freedom in the 50 States" index, California is second-last in the country in terms of gun rights.

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Exclusive: Texas Lawsuit Could Freeze Biden’s Attempt To Turn Pistol Brace Owners Into Felons, With New Injunction Request

Paxton argues the regulation unconstitutionally taxes citizens for exercising their Second Amendment rights, is arbitrary and capricious, and is unconstitutionally vague.

Man killed after dog steps on gun



A man passed away in Kansas last weekend after apparently being fatally shot in a freak accident when a dog caused a rifle to fire.

The Sumner County Sheriff's Office reportedly indicated that the animal stepped on the gun, causing the firearm to discharge — the round hit the man, who passed away from his injuries.

NBC News reported that Wellington Fire and EMS Chief Tim Hay said that another individual who was located in the driver's seat was not hurt.

The deceased man, Joseph Smith, was reportedly just 30 years old.

The Wichita Eagle, citing, Capt. Roger Church, reported that the man and a friend had been hunting doe — the firearm belonged to the friend, Church noted, according to the outlet.

It appears that a GoFundMe campaign has been set up in response to the man's death. The campaign by Browns Plumbing Services has raised more than $8,000 so far.

"My name is Chris, and I am creating this on behalf of the Smith family in order to help with the funeral and memorial costs of our beloved employee, Joe Smith, who unexpectedly was taken from us over the weekend," a message on the GoFundMe campaign page reads. "Joe is absolutely the most unique individual I have had the pleasure of meeting. He was loved by all of us from all walks of life and loved the same. He made us laugh every morning whether it was at him or because of him he always made sure to be a positive light at my company. No matter how bad or stressful my or our day was, Joe always had something to lift our spirits. I have been a plumber for a long time and met many many different guys but never have I met another Joe and I am confident there may not be another."

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Rifle raffle to raise money for youth football players, cheerleaders in N. Carolina community blasted with backlash — but then support rolls in from across country



A rifle raffle to raise money for youth football players and cheerleaders in a North Carolina community was blasted with backlash recently — but when the league's story went national, support for its endeavor rolled in from across country, Fox News reported.

What are the details?

The East Henderson Youth Football and Cheerleading League in East Flat Rock — about a half hour southeast of Asheville and with just over 6,000 people — offered the winner of its raffle an FN 15 Patrol Carbine M-LOK 16", an ArmaLite 15-style rifle with a suggested retail price of $1,299, the cable network said.

Football players in the parent-run league range in age from 5 to 13 years old, and cheer team members range in age from 4 to 13 years old, Fox News said, citing the EHYFCL.

When word got out about the raffle, the cable network said the league was hit with criticism — yet refused to cave.

"We kicked off this fundraiser with the expectation that it would raise enough money to purchase a few new shoulder pads, some new padded football pants, which we are in desperate need of, and have enough funds to get us through to next season," a mother with the league told Fox News. "What we never expected was for a parent to take her grievances to the local news station instead of having a conversation with us. That is particularly frustrating. We certainly didn't expect to be headline news across the nation."

The parent said the rifle raffle is inappropriate for a children's league and told WLOS-TV, "I was honestly shocked when I received the message that the children were going to be selling an assault rifle because of what’s going on at schools around the country." The parent added to the local station, “I thought it was in very bad taste for them to choose a weapon that is being used against children."

Pushback against the pushback

But the mother with the league told Fox News that initial stories about the raffle were full of "false headlines, misleading reports, and inaccurate information," and that some articles "took direct quotes from our page and changed our very own words to advance their own narrative."

The cable network said in its Sept. 4 article about the backlash, the mother with the league indicated that the raffle met legal requirements — and that the rifle in question is not an assault rifle.

"Some reports even added information that puts our children in more danger than selling tickets to a legal raffle ever would," the mother added, according to Fox News. "Our practice locations were broadcast in one article; other articles reported us as schools in our area. We've received hate mail, nasty messages, uninformed opinions, pushback ..."

Support starts rolling in

She noted to the cable network that once folks around the country started hearing about the attacks against the league and its raffle, support came rolling in.

"In a time when our world has felt so small, so godless, so dark and so lonely, our world grew brighter this past week," she told Fox News. "From coast to coast there has been an overwhelming wave of support for not only [for] our league, but our community as well."

The mother added to the cable network that "there are not many states we haven't had at least one person reach out from."

'We have far surpassed our goals'

She also told Fox News that the support has translated into tangible gains.

"We have far surpassed our goals and now have the ability to pass those blessings on to others in need," she added to the cable network. "We have read every message, transaction note, and email that has come our way. The supportive messages are coming from both retired and active military personnel, law enforcement officers, firefighters, fellow youth organization leaders, teachers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and grandparents trying to save our backwards society."

The mother with the league also told Fox News that supporters deserve thanks for "teaching [our children] to have a backbone, to stand up for what they believe in, to protect our constitutional rights, and to not back down to bullying. Everyone wants to talk about bullying, but no one wants to stand up against them. When someone finally does stand up, they are the ones who are punished, not the bully. We've all had enough."

The below video isn't related to the raffle but does show the kind of rifle that's being offered:

FNH FN15 Patrol Carbineyoutu.be

Navy veteran grabs his rifle after spotting prowlers outside his home — then a furious shootout erupts: 'I knew I had to act'



Navy veteran Whitfield Smith grabbed his rifle after spotting prowlers outside his Georgia home in the middle of the night last week — and a furious shootout erupted after he headed to his driveway to get a closer look.

Much of the scary encounter was captured on surveillance video.

What are the details?

WAGA-TV characterized Smith's neighborhood near Jonesboro — about 30 minutes south of Atlanta — as "quiet."

It was anything but in the early morning hours of July 11 after Smith saw potential trouble outside his home, the station said.

"As I keep looking at the Ring camera I noticed a young man running from the neighbor's yard across my yard and into the street to meet up with two other gentlemen," he told the station.

Image source: WAGA-TV video screenshot

Then things got scarier for Smith, as one of the individuals headed down his driveway.

"I can see from the camera he’s hunched down wearing a gray hoodie, and he has a firearm in his hand. He tries to get into the BMW in the driveway. The door's locked," Smith recounted to WAGA.

Image source: WAGA-TV video screenshot

"My first thought was to protect my house and protect my property," Smith told WAGA. "I just wanted to get the intruders away."

Whitfield SmithImage source: WAGA-TV video screenshot

'I grab my rifle, and I head outside'

"I grab my rifle, and I head outside," he told the station.

Smith was shirtless and wearing only flip-flops and pajama pants in that moment — but the main thing on his mind was protecting his wife who was hiding inside their home, WAGA noted.

"I knew I had to act,” Smith added, according to Inside Edition.

Surveillance video shows Smith approaching his driveway — he later added to WAGA that the armed individual was using his truck as a shield — and then a shootout erupted.

Image source: WAGA-TV video screenshot

Smith is then seen quickly backpedaling toward his home, kicking off his flip-flops, and heading back inside.

Image source: WAGA-TV video screenshot

He soon returned to the driveway with a shirt and shoes on.

Image source: WAGA-TV video screenshot

“I could hear them trying to get away," he added, according to Inside Edition. "They're jumping over fences."

'I survived Afghanistan and everywhere else'

While Smith was uninjured, he added to the station he fears he would be dead if it weren't for his BMW shielding him from the nearly two dozen bullets fired in his direction.

Image source: WAGA-TV video screenshot

"I don’t want to die at home. I survived Afghanistan and everywhere else. To die at home? In my own yard?" an incredulous Smith — who's also a father — reflected to WAGA.

Image source: WAGA-TV video screenshot

"This was coordinated," he told WAGA of the incident. "They were working together as a team to get this done."

Anything else?

The station added that a gun which was inside Smith's truck was stolen, and that those who know anything about what took place can contact Clayton County police anonymously.

Crook holds gun to back of man's head, steals rifle he was open carrying. But victim heads to his vehicle, pulls out another gun, and shoots crook.



A 31-year-old man held a gun to back of a man's head outside a St. Louis-area grocery store last Friday afternoon and stole the rifle the man was open carrying, KSDK-TV reported.

But the victim apparently had a backup plan.

Police said he headed to his vehicle, pulled out another gun, and shot the man who stole his rifle, the station said.

What are the details?

Shortly before the incident unfolded, a customer with a rifle entered Wellston Food Market at 6250 Page Ave., KSDK reported, citing Major Ron Martin with the North County Police Cooperative.

Martin told the station the customer was open carrying the rifle in a gun sleeve underneath an article of clothing and didn't threaten anyone inside the store. The station's video broadcast said the rifle was in the style of an AR-15.

But after the customer departed the store, a man held a pistol to the back of the customer's head and stole his rifle, KSDK said, citing a probable cause statement.

After handing over his rifle, the victim headed to his vehicle, grabbed another gun, and fired at the alleged stick-up man, the station said, adding that a shootout between the two commenced.

What happened next?

The alleged rifle thief was hit several times by gunfire, KSDK said. Two women not involved in the altercation also were shot, the station said, adding that their injuries weren't life threatening.

Video of the shooting aftermath shows at least one car with a shattered window.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

The station said over a dozen bullets were fired.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

The victim whose rifle was stolen fled the scene, KSDK reported, adding that police believe a third man arrived soon after, shot the alleged robber, and took off.

When police arrived at the scene, they found a wounded Bobby Lee Booker Jr. lying in front of the grocery store, the station said, adding that he was taken to a hospital in critical condition and was still there Wednesday.

Police told the station they recovered the alleged robber's vehicle.

It's unclear if the three men know each other, KSDK said.

Booker is charged with armed criminal action, first-degree robbery, and two counts each of unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm, the station said, adding that his cash-only bond is $500,000.

Suspect, 2 bystanders injured in shootout outside St. Louis County grocery storeyoutu.be