A 12-year-old Colorado Springs, Colorado, boy received a five-day suspension from school after one of his teachers spotted a toy gun in his hand during an online art class, local news reports.
Isaiah Elliot was participating in a group virtual learning session, <a href="https://kdvr.com/news/problem-solvers/12-year-old-suspended-over-toy-gun-seen-in-virtual-class/">a local Fox affiliate reports</a>, when he allegedly &#8220;flashed&#8221; what looked to be a weapon. The gun was, in fact, toy &#8212; &#8220;a neon green and black handgun with an orange tip with the words &#8216;Zombie Hunter&#8217; printed on the side.&#8221;
The teacher &#8220;notified the school principal who suspended Isaiah for five days&#8221; &#8212; a suspension reportedly consistent with threatening classmates, even though Elliot was in a virtual environment and not in the same classroom as his peers where a &#8220;threat&#8221; of violence might be more meaningful. The principal then took the additional step of contacting the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office to conduct a &#8220;welfare check&#8221; on the family.
Local media reports that the principal never consulted the boy&#8217;s parents to get clarification on the incident, and Fox 31 says the teacher knew the item was a toy gun and not a real, usable weapon.
Elliot&#8217;s parents were furious, they say, especially because Elliot and his parents are black.
“It was really frightening and upsetting for me as a parent, especially as the parent of an African-American young man, especially given what’s going on in our country right now,&#8221; Curtis Elliot, Isaiah&#8217;s father told local media, referencing the recent national outcry over racism and racially motivated brutality in policing &#8212; an issue that can arise even from seemingly innocuous contacts with law enforcement, like a welfare check.
“He was in tears when the cops came. He was just in tears. He was scared. We all were scared. I literally was scared for his life,” he added.
“For them to go as extreme as suspending him for five days, sending the police out, having the police threaten to press charges against him because they want to compare the virtual environment to the actual in-school environment is insane,” Elliot&#8217;s mother, Dani, said.
Elliot&#8217;s mother noted that neither the teacher nor the principal bothered to check in with either her or her husband &#8212; a decision she can&#8217;t understand.
“If her main concern was his safety, a two-minute phone call to me or my husband could easily have alleviated this whole situation to where I told them it was fake,” she said.
It also appears, from a video of the incident, that Isaiah did not intend for his teacher or classmates to see the gun as he moved it from one side of his laptop to the other.
&#8220;A sheriff’s deputy recorded the video on his body cam and showed it to the boy’s father. Curtis Elliott told FOX31 the video shows his son sitting at home on his sofa when he momentarily picks up the toy gun on the right side of where he’s sitting and moves it to his left side, not realizing that in the process his teacher and fellow students saw him move the gun across the computer screen,&#8221; Fox 18 reported.
A second student, who also played with the toy gun, is believed to have received a similar suspension. That child allegedly handled the &#8220;Zombie Hunter&#8221; weapon and may have pointed it at the screen, but it&#8217;s not clear whether that student knew he was on video and in view of teachers at the time.
The school district refused to comment on the incident but did say that they were not yet &#8220;familiar&#8221; with all aspects of virtual learning.
“The platforms we use for distance learning have the feature to record classes for educational purposes. During our first week of school, we were still becoming familiar with the platform. It is not our current practice to record classes at this time. Parents will be notified if that changes. We will continue to support all families in our school to make sure they feel safe, respected, and educated.”
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toy gun

Colorado 12-Year-Old Suspended From School After Teacher Spots ‘Gun’ During Online School Session

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Education

Guns

A 12-year-old Colorado Springs, Colorado, boy received a five-day suspension from school after one of his teachers spotted a toy gun in his hand during an

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The Attorney General of California, Xavier Becerra, displeased with the mid-August decision by the Ninth Circuit that held the California ban on magazines that hold over 10 rounds of ammunition to be unconstitutional, has <a href="https://michellawyers.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2020-08-28-Petition-for-Rehearing-En-Banc.pdf">petitioned</a> the Ninth Circuit to review the case en banc.
The petition states: “California respectfully petitions for rehearing en banc of the panel’s decision, which invalidates a state law restricting large-capacity magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.”
In late March 2019, Judge Roger T. Benitez <a href="https://www.ammoland.com/2019/04/jewels-of-wisdom-from-court-finding-california-magazine-ban-unconstitutional/#axzz6WMSxkbhW">ruled that the magazine ban was unconstitutional</a>. He noted, “As evidenced by California’s own crime statistics, the need to protect one’s self and family from criminals in one’s home has not abated no matter how hard they try. Law enforcement cannot protect everyone … However, California citizens, like United States citizens everywhere, enjoy the right to defend themselves with a firearm, if they so choose. To protect the home and hearth, citizens most often choose a handgun, while some choose rifles or shotguns.”
“Regardless of current popularity, neither a legislature nor voters may trench on constitutional rights,” he continued. “The Second Amendment protects the would-be American victim’s freedom and liberty to take matters into one’s own hands and protect one’s self and family until help arrives. … According to the U.S. Supreme Court’s reasoning, acquiring, possessing, or storing a commonly-owned 15-round magazine at home for self-defense is protected at the core of the Second Amendment.”
On August 14, 2020, the Ninth Circuit upheld Benitez’s decision. Appellate Judge Kenneth Lee, <a href="https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CalifGunMag-9CA.pdf">writing for the majority</a>, stated:
<blockquote>In the wake of heart-wrenching and highly publicized mass shootings, the state of California barred its citizens from owning so-called “large capacity magazines” (LCMs) that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. But even well-intentioned laws must pass constitutional muster. California’s near-categorical ban of LCMs strikes at the core of the Second Amendment — the right to armed self-defense. Armed self-defense is a fundamental right rooted in tradition and the text of the Second Amendment. Indeed, from pre-colonial times to today’s post-modern era, the right to defend hearth and home has remained paramount.
California’s law imposes a substantial burden on this right to self-defense. The ban makes it criminal for Californians to own magazines that come standard in Glocks, Berettas, and other handguns that are staples of self-defense. Its scope is so sweeping that half of all magazines in America are now unlawful to own in California. Even law-abiding citizens, regardless of their training and track record, must alter or turn over to the state any LCMs that they may have legally owned for years — or face up to a year in jail.</blockquote>
The ruling explained, “The Ninth Circuit employs a two-prong inquiry to determine whether firearm regulations violate the Second Amendment: (1) whether the law burdens conduct protected by the Second Amendment; and (2) if so, what level of scrutiny to apply to the regulation.”
The court then delineated further:
<blockquote>The panel held that under the first prong of the test, Cal. Penal Code § 32310 burdened protected conduct. First, the panel held that firearm magazines are protected arms under the Second Amendment. Second, the panel held that LCMs are commonly owned and typically used for lawful purposes, and are not “unusual arms” that would fall outside the scope of the Second Amendment. Third, the panel held that LCM prohibitions are not longstanding regulations and do not enjoy a presumption of lawfulness. Fourth, the panel held that there was no persuasive historical evidence in the record showing LCM possession fell outside the ambit of Second Amendment protection.
Proceeding to prong two of the inquiry, the panel held that strict scrutiny was the appropriate standard to apply. First, the panel held that Cal. Penal Code § 32310 struck at the core right of law-abiding citizens to self-defend by banning LCM possession within the home. Second, the panel held that Section 32310’s near-categorical ban of LCMs substantially burdened core Second Amendment rights. Third, the panel held that decisions in other circuits were distinguishable. Fourth, the panel held that this circuit’s decision in Fyock v. City of Sunnyvale, 779 F.3d 991 (9th Cir. 2015), did not obligate the panel to apply intermediate scrutiny.</blockquote>
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California Gov. Newsom And CA Attorney Gen. Becerra Hold News Conference Responding To Trump Revoking State&#8217;s Emissions Waiver

CA Fights Ruling Making Large-Capacity Gun Magazines Accessible, Files Petition

California

The Attorney General of California, Xavier Becerra, displeased with the mid-August decision by the Ninth Circuit that held the California ban on magazines

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Chicago saw a marked decrease in the number of shootings and homicides in August, according to numbers released by the Chicago Police Department Tuesday, marking the first month since the end of the coronavirus-related lockdown where gun violence has actually ticked down.
A release, issued to local media Tuesday morning, noted that “the Chicago Police Department saw a significant reduction in overall crime compared to the summer months before, including decreases in murders and shootings in some of Chicago’s most vulnerable neighborhoods.”
&#8220;Following increased flexibility and focus in staffing from two new citywide teams and thanks to ongoing partnerships with street outreach organizations, community-based organizations and community leaders, the month of August saw a 45% decrease in murders compared to the previous month, and a 35% decrease compared to the month of June,&#8221; the CPD said in the report.
&#8220;In fact,&#8221; it continued, &#8220;this month saw the lowest number of murders since April. Additionally, the number of shooting victims has dropped by 22% this month compared to July, and shooting incidents have declined by 15% compared to the previous month.&#8221;
The numbers, though, are still staggering, especially in comparison to 2019. <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/over-500-shot-in-chicago-in-august;-police-say-crime-is-still-down/6398276/">According to Chicago&#8217;s ABC affiliate</a>, &#8220;503 people were shot, 63 fatally in August 2020 compared to 268 shot, 49 fatally in August of 2019.&#8221;
Overall, murders are actually up 50% compared to last year. Overall crime numbers, though, the police department reports, are down and continue to trend downward. Even as the city has seen a spike in gun violence, its seen fewer other crimes &#8212; and that number stays low even when Chicago&#8217;s recent spate of looting is taken into consideration.
The city has seen &#8220;double-digit reductions in criminal complaints for theft and criminal sexual assault. Additionally, burglary, robbery, theft, and overall crime figures in Chicago remain at 20-year lows, looking at year-to-date figures,&#8221; ABC 7 Chicago reports.
Chicago&#8217;s police superintendent David Brown was quick to credit the police department for the declining figures, noting that CPD has changed its policing strategy significantly in recent weeks, following the deaths of several young children caught up in the crossfire between rival gangs battling on the city&#8217;s south and west sides.
&#8220;This has been an unprecedented year in policing, as coronavirus, civil unrest and violence have all converged in Chicago and in cities throughout the country,&#8221; Brown said at a press conference Tuesday. &#8220;Thanks to not only the launch of our two citywide teams but also our ongoing partnerships with street outreach and community-based organizations, we have seen a substantial decrease in violent crime in August compared to the previous summer months.&#8221;
Although Brown did not mention it, Operation Legend &#8212; a Trump administration program designed to pair federal officials from several key agencies, including the FBI, ATF, and DEA, with local investigators to help anticipate and quell violent action before it begins and to better contain organized criminal enterprises &#8212; is likely to have had an effect on the city&#8217;s crime rate.
A &#8220;<a href="https://abc7chicago.com/operation-legend-chicago-crime-police-fbi/6378978/">progress report&#8221; on Operation Legend</a>, issued last week, shows the program made at least 61 arrests in Chicago. Most of the individuals detained are facing charges of narcotics trafficking, weapons trafficking, and illegal gun possession.
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Chicago

Chicago Shootings, Homicides DROP Nearly 50% In August As City Changes Policing Strategy, Welcomes Feds

Violence

Chicago saw a marked decrease in the number of shootings and homicides in August, according to numbers released by the Chicago Police Department Tuesday,

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The city of Kenosha, Wisconsin has been the latest to burn. After another harrowing but inconclusive video depicting a police shooting — and after Democrats, in what has become their standard practice, did everything in their power to stoke racial tension — violent “protests” broke out once again. All week, the country has watched rioters <a href="https://twitter.com/Rhamenator/status/1298212561930911744?s=20">burn cars</a> and beat their opponents <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1298293310734376960?s=20">senseless</a>.
In Washington, D.C., screaming mobs <a href="https://twitter.com/rawsmedia/status/1298078919527202816?s=20">demanded</a> that diners raise their fists in the black power sign or face vituperative abuse. It’s encouraging to see that some brave patriots are defying these demands. But to look in the deadened eyes of those who acquiesce is to feel their helplessness and know how it is that mobs and tyrants win.
Christians often find themselves in a curious position when the bad guys take to the streets. On the one hand, we are told to “turn the other cheek.” There are those who think this means we should forego violent resistance and live as pacifists. Others can’t imagine that the Christian thing to do is to let the most aggressive criminals overrun society for lack of physical opposition.
That was C.S. Lewis’s position. In his day, Christ’s injunctions to love the enemy and turn the other cheek weighed heavily on the two generations of British men who were forced in the World Wars to slaughter or be slaughtered.
But Lewis argued that to refrain from fighting against Hitler would be to pervert the relevant commandments. In a 1944 interview, he said:
<blockquote>You are told to love your neighbour as yourself. How do you love yourself?&#8230; I do not think that I love myself because I am particularly good, but just because I am myself&#8230;. You [may] dislike what you have done, but you don&#8217;t cease to love yourself&#8230;. You may even think that you ought to go to the Police and own up and be hanged. Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person&#8217;s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.</blockquote>
There is no good for criminals — no love — in letting them continue to terrorize others and mutilate their own souls. Certainly it is not love to leave the innocent at the mercy of strong and violent men.
Lewis made this argument most forcefully in 1940, in front of a society of pacifists in a speech called “Why I Am Not a Pacifist.” He pointed out that pure nonviolence, if carried to its logical conclusion by all men of fighting age, would leave the pacifist nations defenseless and the world at the mercy of totalitarians and Nazis.
Lewis hoped that the prospect of world domination by the Third Reich would make clear his point that to refrain from violence is hardly the most loving approach in every instance.
He knew his opponents would counter that pacifism, idealist though it was, represented humanity’s only shot at a world without war. But that notion, he responded, “belongs to a mode of thought which I find quite alien to me. It consists in assuming that the great permanent miseries in human life might be curable if only we can find the right cure.”
Another Christian teaching — that sin and misery are permanent fixtures of a fallen world, capable of being alleviated but never escaped — warned Lewis against the alluring but disastrous temptation to cleanse the world of its imperfections.
Lewis did not imagine that the war he was urging upon the young men of Britain was anything other than an unspeakable horror. He had seen the war himself, and described it with ruthless detail in The Screwtape Letters, his fanciful rendering of Hell’s attempts to capture a human soul. The devils in Screwtape relish “the scream of bombs, the fall of houses, the stink and taste of high explosives on the lips and in the lungs, the feet burning with weariness, the heart cold with horrors, the brain reeling, the legs aching.”
No one should imagine that fighting comes without a terrible cost. No one should take lightly the need for self-defense on our city streets. And none of this justifies vigilantism — it’s self-defeating to fight lawlessness with lawlessness. But self-defense and the rule of law are hallmarks of a free society and perfectly consonant with Christian teaching.
No Christian should consider it his duty to roll over and die. “Love” is not another word for “nicety” or “passivity.” It is as fiercely aggressive as it is aggressively selfless — and sometimes, it means taking up arms.
More from Spencer Klavan: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/c-s-lewis-on-what-to-teach-your-kids">C.S. Lewis On What To Teach Your Kids</a>
Spencer Klavan is host of the <a href="http://youngheretics.com/">Young Heretics</a> podcast and assistant editor of the <a href="https://claremontreviewofbooks.com/">Claremont Review of Books</a> and <a href="https://americanmind.org/">The American Mind</a>. He can be reached on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/spencerklavan">@SpencerKlavan</a>.

C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis On Why Christians Can’t Be Pacifists

Second Amendment

The city of Kenosha, Wisconsin has been the latest to burn. After another harrowing but inconclusive video depicting a police shooting — and after

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On Friday, in a decision that exhilarated gun rights supporters and shocked gun control activists, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down California’s ban on ammunition magazines with more than ten bullets.
The 2-1 decision in Duncan v. Becerra upheld the 2017 ruling of U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez, who blocked the law that banned magazines holding more than ten bullets from gun owners, as <a href="https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/08/14/9th-circuit-court-panel-ends-california-ban-high-capacity-magazines-guns/">CBS San Francisco</a> noted.
Appellate Judge Kenneth Lee, <a href="https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CalifGunMag-9CA.pdf">writing for the majority</a>, stated:
<blockquote>In the wake of heart-wrenching and highly publicized mass shootings, the state of California barred its citizens from owning so-called “large capacity magazines” (LCMs) that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. But even well-intentioned laws must pass constitutional muster. California’s near-categorical ban of LCMs strikes at the core of the Second Amendment — the right to armed self-defense. Armed self-defense is a fundamental right rooted in tradition and the text of the Second Amendment. Indeed, from pre-colonial times to today’s post-modern era, the right to defend hearth and home has remained paramount.
California’s law imposes a substantial burden on this right to self-defense. The ban makes it criminal for Californians to own magazines that come standard in Glocks, Berettas, and other handguns that are staples of self-defense. Its scope is so sweeping that half of all magazines in America are now unlawful to own in California. Even law-abiding citizens, regardless of their training and track record, must alter or turn over to the state any LCMs that they may have legally owned for years — or face up to a year in jail.</blockquote>
The ruling explained, “The Ninth Circuit employs a two-prong inquiry to determine whether firearm regulations violate the Second Amendment: (1) whether the law burdens conduct protected by the Second Amendment; and (2) if so, what level of scrutiny to apply to the regulation.”
The court then delineated further:
<blockquote>The panel held that under the first prong of the test, Cal. Penal Code § 32310 burdened protected conduct. First, the panel held that firearm magazines are protected arms under the Second Amendment. Second, the panel held that LCMs are commonly owned and typically used for lawful purposes, and are not “unusual arms” that would fall outside the scope of the Second Amendment. Third, the panel held that LCM prohibitions are not longstanding regulations and do not enjoy a presumption of lawfulness. Fourth, the panel held that there was no persuasive historical evidence in the record showing LCM possession fell outside the ambit of Second Amendment protection.
Proceeding to prong two of the inquiry, the panel held that strict scrutiny was the appropriate standard to apply. First, the panel held that Cal. Penal Code § 32310 struck at the core right of law-abiding citizens to self-defend by banning LCM possession within the home. Second, the panel held that Section 32310’s near-categorical ban of LCMs substantially burdened core Second Amendment rights. Third, the panel held that decisions in other circuits were distinguishable. Fourth, the panel held that this circuit’s decision in Fyock v. City of Sunnyvale, 779 F.3d 991 (9th Cir. 2015), did not obligate the panel to apply intermediate scrutiny.</blockquote>
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s office responded to the ruling by saying, “Until further proceedings in the courts, the stay on the injunction issued by the district court remains in place. The Attorney General remains committed to using every tool possible to defend California’s gun safety laws and keep our communities safe.”
California Rifle &amp; Pistol Association attorney Chuck Michel celebrated the decision as “a huge victory” for gun owners “and the right to choose to own a firearm to defend your family.”
The ruling affects Western states under the jurisdiction of the 9th Circuit, but Michel pointed out that the decision could influence the Supreme Court, asserting, “The Supreme Court seems inclined to do away with the complicated subjective tests that many courts have wrongly applied in Second Amendment cases, in favor of a clearer, more objective ‘originalist’ approach that considers the text, history and tradition of a law to determine what infringements might be tolerated.”
Eric Tirschwell, managing director for Everytown Law, warned, “We expect an en banc panel will rehear the case and correct this erroneous, dangerous, and out-of-step decision.”
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Utah Company Makes Bullet Proof Shelters For Use Inside Classrooms And Offices

Huge Gun Rights Victory: 9th Circuit Strikes Down CA Law Banning Gun Magazines With Over 10 Bullets

Gun Control

On Friday, in a decision that exhilarated gun rights supporters and shocked gun control activists, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of

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Chicago police are investigating what looks to be one of the city&#8217;s most brazen gun crimes in an already difficult year: the shooting death of a Chicago-based rapper in broad daylight, just a block away from Chicago&#8217;s Magnificent Mile shopping district.
Officers, the <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2020/8/4/21354819/fbg-duck-shot-killed-gold-coast-shooting-gun-violence-oak-rush-michigan">Chicago Sun-Times reports</a>, are also bracing for what could be a burgeoning gang war.
FBG Duck, whose real name is Carlton Weekly, &#8220;was shot Tuesday afternoon on Oak Street after two men jumped out of cars and opened fire,&#8221; the Sun-Times said. Weekly &#8220;was on social media antagonizing rival gang members before he was killed Tuesday afternoon, according to an officer safety alert issued late Tuesday.&#8221;
Oak Street intersects with Michigan Avenue – the Magnificent Mile shopping district, a top destination for tourists visiting Chicago – and is home to some of the city&#8217;s high-end boutiques. The shooting happened in the afternoon, around 4:30 pm local time.
Of larger concern, Weekly&#8217;s affiliation with one of the city&#8217;s oldest and largest street gangs, and whether Weekly&#8217;s death could be the triggering event for a gang war. Weekly &#8220;belonged to a Gangster Disciples faction and police believe it may now seek retaliation against the Black Disciples across the South Side,&#8221; <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-gold-coast-shooting-fbg-duck-20200805-fqsdba7b3vdwznzkeybnspsk2m-story.html">the Chicago Tribune reports</a>.
Weekly had recently posted a video on Instagram &#8220;where he made derogatory statements toward deceased members of the Black Disciples,&#8221; the outlet added.
&#8220;Officers in at least four police districts — Wentworth, Grand Crossing, Gresham and Englewood — have been warned to use &#8216;extreme caution&#8217; because of the &#8216;high probability of further violence,&#8217; according to an advisory issued by the Police Department,&#8221; the Tribune notes. “Intelligence suggests that both these gangs are in possession of large caliber and high capacity firearms.&#8221;
Chicago&#8217;s mayor, Lori Lightfoot, addressed the situation in a press conference on Tuesday, noting that Weekly had been live-streaming his travels around the city, and it appears assassins caught up with him while shopping with his entourage.
Weekly, she said, was “an individual who fancies himself as a rapper but also is a member of a gang.”
“What we’re seeing is a manifestation of a larger problem, which is that way too many young men — particularly young men of color — have access to guns and are willing to use those guns to settle petty grievances,” Lightfoot added, continuing a trend of blaming Chicago&#8217;s increasing violence on lenient gun laws in places other than Illinois.
Chicago has seen a 50% increase in its murder rate since late May when the city released coronavirus-related lockdown restrictions. Although crime is down in the city generally – by about 9% overall – murders and shootings are up, <a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-murders-and-shootings-up-overall-crime-down-halfway-through-2020-police-say/2298155/">NBC News Chicago</a> reports, and many of those murders and shootings are driven by gang violence.
&#8220;Six months into the year, 329 people have been killed in Chicago, an increase of about 34% from the 246 homicides during the same period last year, according to police. Shootings in that period rose by about 42%, from 978 in 2019 to 1384 in 2020,&#8221; NBC notes. &#8220;Shootings across the city increased by 75% last month alone, with 424 shootings in June 2020 compared to 242 in June 2019, according to police statistics. Murders in Chicago rose by 78%, with 89 reported in June 2020 compared to 50 in the same month last year.&#8221;
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Police Line

Chicago Rapper Shot To Death In Broad Daylight In City’s Tourist District

Chicago police are investigating what looks to be one of the city&#039;s most brazen gun crimes in an already difficult year: the shooting death of a

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Newly-released FBI statistics show that there were more background checks completed last month for firearm purchases than any previous July for which records exist.
&#8220;In July 2020, the FBI conducted more than 3.6 million firearm background checks, making it the third highest month on record for checks since the bureau began keeping statistics in 1998, according to new data released on Monday by the agency,&#8221; CNN reported. &#8220;By comparison, the bureau conducted just over 2 million checks in July 2019.&#8221;
The two months that had the highest number of <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/nics_firearm_checks_-_month_year.pdf/view">background checks</a> completed both happened this year with 3.74 million background checks being processed in March, when the pandemic started to impact life in the U.S., and 3.91 million in June, when violent riots and looting broke out across the U.S. in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Some Democrats in cities across the country have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mcenany-scorches-democrats-over-crime-surges-in-cities-after-defund-the-police-calls-there-are-consequences">defunded</a> police departments, or called for defunding police departments, in the aftermath of Floyd&#8217;s death and some officials have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-ilhan-omar-defund-minneapolis-police-theyre-cancer-we-dont-want-your-damn-reforms">referred</a> to the police as a &#8220;cancer.&#8221;
Fox News reported that there have been <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/first-time-gun-owners-safety-protection">2.5 million</a> first-time gun buyers so far in 2020 while The Free Beacon <a href="https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/dealers-report-surge-in-gun-ownership-among-blacks/">noted</a> that there has been &#8220;record-setting growth in new gun ownership&#8221; in the black community. The 2.5 million number reported on by Fox News is likely low given the fact that the statistic came out at the start of June and June and July ended up finishing as the #1 and #3 months, respectively, for the most background checks processed for firearm sales.
The record number of gun sales this year comes as violent riots have plagued Democrat-controlled cities and images and videos of the violence have often gone viral on social media. Some of the cities that have been hit hard by the violent riots and looting include <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-extremists-attack-authorities-in-portland-tear-down-part-of-fence-before-getting-rushed-by-police">Portland</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stunning-video-of-minneapolis-riot-aftermath-democrat-rule-will-equal-america-in-ruins">Minneapolis</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-york-city-rioters-vandalized-303-nypd-police-cars-cost-city-at-least-1-million-in-damages">New York City</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-violent-rioters-bust-into-cnn-headquarters-throw-explosive-inside">Atlanta</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-has-deadliest-weekend-of-the-year-amid-riots-looting">Chicago</a>, <a href="https://www.kltv.com/2020/08/01/dps-makes-additional-arrests-connection-violent-protests-austin/">Austin</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rioters-torch-justice-center-in-seattle-attack-stores-at-apartment-complex-hit-store-owners">Seattle</a>, and others.
“Millions of Americans are discovering how important it is to have the right of self-defense amid the push to defund the police,” Fox News contributor Joey Jones <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/joey-jones-surging-gun-sales-defund-police">said</a> on Tuesday. “I’ve been to my local gun store. A good friend of mine, an Army Ranger, owns it and they’re always busy and there is nothing on the shelves. He has over a half a million dollars in inventory on backorder waiting to come in so he can sell it.”
The most recognizable instance of someone using a firearm to protect themselves during the riots happened in St. Louis when leftist activists stormed on to a private street and reportedly threatened <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-armed-st-louis-residents-stand-guard-over-property-as-demonstrators-enter-residential-neighborhood">Mark and Patricia McCloskey</a>.
“The only thing that stopped the crowd from approaching the house was when I had that rifle and I was holding it,” Mark McCloskey <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/homeowner-sounds-off-rioters-threatened-to-kill-us-take-our-home-rifle-only-thing-that-saved-us">said</a> during an interview following the incident. “That was the only thing that stemmed the tide.”
McCloskey added, “There’s mayhem in the city every night, you never hear about it, there will be dozens of shootings, multiple deaths, no one seems to care about those black lives, but, you know, it’s when there [is] political capital to be made from somebody’s death, that death matters, no other life matters that I can see.”
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Activists Hold Protest At Rifle Manufacturer In Illinois

Gun Sales Smash Records As Violent Riots Hit Cities, Democrats Push ‘Defund The Police’. Millions Buy Their First Gun.

Newly-released FBI statistics show that there were more background checks completed last month for firearm purchases than any previous July for which

Gun Sales Smash Records As Violent Riots Hit Cities, Democrats Push ‘Defund The Police’. Millions Buy Their First Gun. | The Daily Wire

https://www.dailywire.com/news/gun-sales-smash-records-as-violent-riots-hit-cities-democrats-push-defund-the-police-millions-buy-their-first-gun/

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Remington Arms Company has filed for bankruptcy for the second time in over two years.
The gun manufacturer, one of the oldest in the United States, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday as it struggled under a mountain of high-interest debt and legal fees, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/remington-arms-declares-bankruptcy-despite-surging-gun-demand-11595903187">The Wall Street Journal</a>. The filing comes as gun sales are surging across the United States in a market driven by the pandemic and violent protests.
Remington has faced steep financial challenges for nearly a decade following a lawsuit by family members of victims killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The gunman used a Remington gun, the Bushmaster, to kill 20 children and six adults.
Gun-control activists used the tragedy to pressure Remington’s investors as well as stores that carry Remington products to cut ties with the company. The pressure campaign worked to some extent, forcing the gun company to take out high-interest loans to buy out investors. At the same time, the company borrowed to cover mounting legal fees as the shooting victims’ families attempted to hold the company accountable for the gunman’s actions.
In 2018, Remington filed for bankruptcy and restructured, transferring most of its ownership over to its creditors, including Franklin Templeton Investments and JPMorgan Asset Management, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/business/remington-bankruptcy-guns.html">The New York Times</a>.
In March of last year, the Connecticut Supreme Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/families-sandy-hook-victims-allowed-sue-ar-15-amanda-prestigiacomo">ruled</a> that the lawsuit over the Sandy Hook mass shooting could move forward, a blow to the company.
The plaintiffs argued that Remington’s marketing for the Bushmaster, an AR-15-style rifle played a role in the shooter&#8217;s choice of weapon. The gun company argued that federal law protects it from liability should its products be used to commit criminal acts such as in the case of Sandy Hook.
UCLA law professor Adam Winkler told the NYT that the gun company’s financial troubles are almost entirely due to its poor management and legal troubles, and the company’s failure is not likely to be repeated throughout the industry.
“Remington’s problem is mostly a problem of Remington mismanagement and not a reflection of larger trends in the gun world,” Winkler said. “I don’t think we’re going to see a whole bunch of gun companies going under now.”
In June, gun sales at retailers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-wake-of-protests-gun-sales-so-high-retailers-running-out-of-guns-and-ammo-report-says">surged</a> over 145% from June 2019, according to a study by Small Arms Analytics &amp; Forecasting. The spike in sales came after the outbreak of violent protests and riots in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Floyd, a black man, died in police custody after an officer kneeled on his neck for close to nine minutes.
The June spike followed similar <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gun-sales-in-may-hit-record-again">surges</a> in demand in May and April after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and forced government shutdowns of wide swaths of the economy. National Shooting Sports Foundation spokesman Mark Oliva said the high demand is being driven by widespread “uncertainty.”
“This shows us there is continued appetite among Americans to be able to provide for their own safety during times of uncertainty,” Oliva said. “These are buyers who have witnessed their government&#8217;s empty prisons … Police departments are stretched beyond capacity in many cases. Law-abiding Americans recognize this and exercising their right to own a gun and defend themselves and their loved ones.”
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Remington shotguns

Major U.S. Gun Maker Files For Bankruptcy

Gun Sales

Remington Arms Company has filed for bankruptcy for the second time in over two years. The gun manufacturer, one of the oldest in the United States, filed

Major U.S. Gun Maker Files For Bankruptcy | The Daily Wire

https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-u-s-gun-maker-files-for-bankruptcy/

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ESPN 710 Seattle radio host Paul Gallant dismissed a warning last month from President Donald Trump about the violent anarchists that were causing significant damage in Seattle.
&#8220;Seattle Mayor says, about the anarchists takeover of her city, &#8216;it is a Summer of Love&#8217;,&#8221; Trump tweeted. &#8220;These Liberal Dems don’t have a clue. The terrorists burn and pillage our cities, and they think it is just wonderful, even the death. Must end this Seattle takeover now!&#8221;
Gallant responded to Trump by writing, &#8220;Walked through it last night out of curiosity and saw no burning, pillaging, or deaths. Chill dawg.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Walked through it last night out of curiosity and saw no burning, pillaging, or deaths. Chill dawg
&mdash; Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) <a href="https://twitter.com/GallantSays/status/1271497790066028546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Gallant has undergone a bit of a transformation since then, which he admits took place after the rioters showed up to where he lived over the weekend.
Over the weekend, violent rioters vandalized a Starbucks store connected to an apartment complex, smashing its windows, leaving its interior in shambles, and prompting reports of smoke coming out of the shattered windows.
&#8220;Moving through the Capitol Hill, hitting a Starbucks,&#8221; New York Times reporter Mike Baker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rioters-torch-justice-center-in-seattle-attack-stores-at-apartment-complex-hit-store-owners">wrote</a>. &#8220;Smoke is coming out the window and people are now calling for the residents above to evacuate.&#8221;
Gallant tweeted out a video from inside the restaurant, writing, &#8220;Came home to my apartment complex. The Starbucks underneath has been destroyed, and cops are telling us to stay away in case something explosive is inside.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Came home to my apartment complex. The Starbucks underneath has been destroyed, and cops are telling us to stay away in case something explosive is inside. <a href="https://t.co/OOJgzUmusk">pic.twitter.com/OOJgzUmusk</a>
&mdash; Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) <a href="https://twitter.com/GallantSays/status/1287167490183684097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Unrelated, there’s a fire a few blocks from me which had me freaked out when I saw it from the highway,&#8221; Gallant continued. &#8220;Zero clue what’s going on, but the cat and I are g’ing t f out.&#8221;
&#8220;I feel like I need to buy a firearm, because clearly this is going to keep happening,&#8221; Gallant added. &#8220;Enough is enough. It looks like a block party down the street from me. Really angry right now.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I feel like I need to buy a firearm, because clearly this is going to keep happening. Enough is enough. It looks like a block party down the street from me. Really angry right now.
&mdash; Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) <a href="https://twitter.com/GallantSays/status/1287169807033352192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Gallant responded to another Twitter user by writing, &#8220;I&#8217;m relatively new too. Seemed harmless. Over the last few weeks there&#8217;s been a lot of changes on that front that have swayed my perception.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m supposed to stick to sports, and I hate divisive twitter. The only reason I shared was it because it happened to me,&#8221; Gallant continued. &#8220;If that&#8217;s hypocritical, so be it. But opinions should be able to adapt and evolve.&#8221;
He then added a direct reference to his previous response to Trump. &#8220;The chill dawg responses have been very funny.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I&#39;m supposed to stick to sports, and I hate divisive twitter. The only reason I shared was it because it happened to me. 
If that&#39;s hypocritical, so be it. But opinions should be able to adapt and evolve.
The chill dawg responses have been very funny
&mdash; Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) <a href="https://twitter.com/GallantSays/status/1287486490163810306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/police-declare-riots-protests-turn-violent-cities-nationwide/story?id=71994983&amp;cid=social_twitter_abcn">reported</a> that 59 police officers were injured during the violent riots in Seattle on Saturday and that 47 people were arrested.
RELATED:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rioters-torch-justice-center-in-seattle-attack-stores-at-apartment-complex-hit-store-owners">Rioters Torch Justice Center Construction Site In Seattle, Attack Stores At Apartment Complex, Hit Store Owners</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-at-blm-event-in-co-allegedly-fires-at-jeep-that-was-allegedly-fleeing-incident-tx-driver-kills-blm-protester-who-may-have-aimed-ak-47-at-him-police-say">Man At BLM Event In CO Allegedly Fires At Jeep That Was Allegedly Fleeing Incident; TX Driver Kills BLM Protester Who May Have Aimed AK-47 At Him, Police Say</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/extremists-injure-nearly-2-dozen-seattle-police-attack-police-station-explosives-used">Extremists Injure Nearly 2 Dozen Seattle Police, Attack Police Station, ‘Explosives’ Used</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-extremists-attack-authorities-in-portland-tear-down-part-of-fence-before-getting-rushed-by-police">WATCH: Extremists Attack Authorities In Portland, Tear Down Part Of Fence Before Getting Rushed By Police</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/violent-rioters-torch-courthouses-in-california-and-colorado-attack-police-chant-racial-slurs">Violent Rioters Torch Courthouses In California And Colorado, Attack Police, Chant Racial Slurs</a></li>
</ul>
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US-POLITICS-PROTEST-UNREST

ESPN Radio Host Dismissed Trump Warning On Rioters. They Came To His Home. Now He Wants A Gun.

Antifa

Donald Trump

ESPN

Seattle

Starbucks

ESPN 710 Seattle radio host Paul Gallant dismissed a warning last month from President Donald Trump about the violent anarchists that were causing

ESPN Radio Host Dismissed Trump Warning On Rioters. They Came To His Home. Now He Wants A Gun. | The Daily Wire

https://www.dailywire.com/news/espn-radio-host-dismissed-trump-warning-on-rioters-they-came-to-his-home-now-he-wants-a-gun/

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Federal agents, assigned to help Chicago officials address an ongoing spike in violence, have arrested and charged three individuals with federal gun crimes, the <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2020/7/24/21337821/three-arrested-weapons-charges-first-chicago-operation-legend-trump-lightfoot-federal-court">Chicago Sun-Times reports</a> &#8212; the first such arrests under the new &#8220;Operation Legend&#8221; initiative.
Chicago&#8217;s Mayor Lori Lightfoot and President Donald Trump agreed, on Thursday, to bring federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA); and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) into a partnership with the city&#8217;s crime control efforts to help stem the bloodshed that has rocked Chicago since late May, when coronavirus-related lockdown measures were lifted.
Code-named &#8220;Operation Legend&#8221; after 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro who was killed in the ongoing violence in Kansas City, Missouri, last month, the initiative is designed “to fight the sudden surge of violent crime” in many major cities, according to the Department of Justice.
After several days of heated back-and-forth with President Donald Trump and other federal officials &#8212; and after 15 mourners were wounded in a drive-by shooting at a funeral service on the city&#8217;s south side &#8212; Lightfoot begrudgingly agreed to allow Operation Legend to operate in Chicago, provided assigned agents assist Chicago police officials, rather than station themselves to aggressively defend federal property, as Customs and Border Patrol is doing in Portland, Oregon.
The Feds announced the first Operation Legend arrests late Friday, just a day after the initiative was first authorized.
&#8220;Three men charged with illegally possessing guns and ammunition are the first in Chicago prosecuted under Operation Legend, officials announced,&#8221; per the Sun-Times. &#8220;Darryl Collins, 30, of Dolton, is charged with one count of illegal possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Romeo Holloway, 21, is charged with illegal possession of a firearm by felon. And Darryl Phillips 22, is charged with illegal possession of a machine gun, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.&#8221;
All three were arrested while officers were on patrol in target neighborhoods on the city&#8217;s south and west sides.
In addition to providing better coverage in areas where gun violence is spiking, federal agencies also provide officials with the opportunity to charge offenders with federal crimes &#8212; something that could help bring an end to a revolving door for Chicago&#8217;s gun offenders.
A <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3541091">study by the University of Utah College of Law</a>, published in February, found that Chicago&#8217;s &#8220;bail reform&#8221; initiatives, which allow some low-level offenders (including, surprisingly, gun offenders) to return to the streets as soon as 24 hours after being arrested, have increased crime.
Although Chicago officials &#8212; including <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/investigations/ct-cook-county-bail-bond-reform-tim-evans-20200213-tkodxevlyvcp7k66q2v2ahboi4-story.html">Cook County&#8217;s chief judge</a> &#8212; have challenged the study&#8217;s findings, federal agents appear to be focusing their efforts on apprehending and charging gun offenders. Early reports form Operation Legend also indicate that federal agents will be assisting Chicago law enforcement with identifying and tracking gang members, so that officials can head off drive-by shootings and reprisals, like the one that took place last week outside of a Chicago funeral home.
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Lori Lightfoot

Feds Arrest, Charge Three In Chicago With Gun Crimes As ‘Operation Legend’ Kicks Off

Federal agents, assigned to help Chicago officials address an ongoing spike in violence, have arrested and charged three individuals with federal gun

Feds Arrest, Charge Three In Chicago With Gun Crimes As ‘Operation Legend’ Kicks Off | The Daily Wire

https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-arrest-charge-three-in-chicago-with-gun-crimes-as-operation-legend-kicks-off/

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St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, a Democrat, announced on Monday that she is charging the St. Louis couple who defended their private property using firearms last month with felony unlawful use of a weapon. The couple is also <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/20/st-louis-couple-charged-guns-373517">reportedly</a> facing a fourth-degree misdemeanor assault charge.
&#8220;Mark and Patricia McCloskey each are facing a single felony count of unlawful use of a weapon — exhibiting,&#8221; The St. Louis Post-Dispatch <a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/mccloskeys-charged-with-felonies-for-waving-guns-during-protests/article_73bfcc8c-6828-5b77-8a58-37cd10d97f4c.html">reported</a>. &#8220;Charging documents say he pointed an AR-15 rifle at protesters and she wielded a semiautomatic handgun, placing those protesters in fear of injury.&#8221;
In a statement, Gardner said, “It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in nonviolent protest, and while we are fortunate this situation did not escalate into deadly force, this type of conduct is unacceptable in St. Louis.”
Mark McCloskey, who is a lawyer, said last month during a local interview, “I went inside; I got a rifle … because as soon as I said ‘this is private property,’ those words enraged the crowd.”
“Horde, an absolute horde came through the smashed-down gates, coming right at the house,&#8221; Mark McCloskey said. &#8220;And then I stood out there, the only thing we said is, ‘This is private property, go back, private property, leave now.’ At that point, everybody got enraged, there were people wearing body armor.”
“One person pulled out [some] loaded pistol magazines and he clicked them together and he said, ‘You’re next,&#8217;” McCloskey continued. “We were threatened with our lives, threatened with the house being burned down, my office building being burned down, even our dog’s life being threatened. It was about as bad as it can get. You know, I really thought it was the storming of Bastille, that we would be dead and the house would be burned and there was nothing we could do about it. It was a huge and frightening crowd and they broke in the gate and they were coming at us.”
Republicans have stood up for the McCloskeys as Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/josh-hawley-calls-for-civil-rights-investigation-into-prosecutor-who-confiscated-weapons-from-st-louis-couple">sent</a> a letter to United States Attorney General William Barr urging him to action against Gardner. Twelve Republican members of the House of Representatives sent a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-send-letter-to-barr-demanding-decisive-action-to-protect-americans-from-mob-rule">letter</a> to Barr, in which they specifically named the McCloskeys, demanding that he take &#8220;decisive action&#8221; to protect Americans from &#8220;mob rule.&#8221; Missouri Republican Governor Mike Parsons signaled last week that he would likely <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/missouri-governor-says-pardon-likely-if-st-louis-homeowners-charged">pardon</a> the McCloskeys if they were charged.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) responded to the charges by writing on Twitter, &#8220;St. Louis&#8217;s Soros-funded prosecutor let dozens of violent rioters go free, she sued her own police department, and murder has skyrocketed under her watch. Yet despite refusing to arrest violent criminals, she targets a family with a felony for guarding their home.&#8221;
A few hours before news broke about the charges, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) wrote on Twitter, &#8220;Soros-funded DA criminally prosecuting citizens—and confiscating their guns—for defending their home &amp; their family from the mob. Gov says he will pardon them. What are the chances a Dem gov would do the same? Sadly, ZERO. Elections matter.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The angry mob that mowed down a private fence to trespass on private property ceased being peaceful the moment the gate was damaged.
&mdash; Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) <a href="https://twitter.com/DLoesch/status/1285339030520045569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2020</a></blockquote>
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This report has been updated to include additional information.
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Couple points guns at protesters marching to St. Louis mayor&#8217;s home to demand resignation

Democrat Prosecutor Charges McCloskeys With Felonies After Using Guns To Defend Private Property

Mark McCloskey

Patricia McCloskey

St. Louis

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, a Democrat, announced on Monday that she is charging the St. Louis couple who defended their private property

Democrat Prosecutor Charges McCloskeys With Felonies After Using Guns To Defend Private Property | The Daily Wire

https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-democrat-prosecutor-charges-mccloskeys-with-felonies-for-using-guns-to-defend-private-property/

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The number of FBI background checks conducted last month for people attempting to purchase firearms shattered the previous all-time record, and experts say the surge in gun sales was directly tied to current events rocking the United States.
&#8220;The new coronavirus pandemic, civil unrest after the killing of George Floyd and the ensuing movement to defund police are bringing in new buyers worried about their personal safety, according to buyers, store owners and gun experts,&#8221; The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/background-checks-a-metric-for-gun-sales-hit-all-time-high/2020/07/01/a5e6fe8c-bbdb-11ea-97c1-6cf116ffe26c_story.html">reported</a>. &#8220;In June, background checks for firearms were up 136%, compared to a year earlier &#8230; background checks in June for civilians seeking a license to carry were the highest since the FBI began conducting checks 20 years ago.&#8221;
FBI statistics that were <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/nics_firearm_checks_-_month_year.pdf/view">released</a> at the start of the month showed that 3,931,607 background checks were processed last month, which is by far the most ever recorded. The previous all-time record was set in March – when parts of the U.S. began going into shutdown over the coronavirus – when 3,740,688 were conducted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Firearm sales in June were the highest monthly sales since data collection began in 1998: 3.9M firearms sold. <a href="https://twitter.com/phil_wellesley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@phil_wellesley</a> and Robin McKnight explore the trend, as well as potential causes and consequences. <a href="https://t.co/X7ZdI0zP3X">https://t.co/X7ZdI0zP3X</a> <a href="https://t.co/WKRchQ07SK">pic.twitter.com/WKRchQ07SK</a>
&mdash; Brookings Econ (@BrookingsEcon) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrookingsEcon/status/1282821114553663493?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The Journal reports that dealers estimate that some 40% of sales have been going to first-time buyers, &#8220;an increase over the normal average of about a quarter,&#8221; and are claiming that many of the new buyers &#8220;are people who say they never thought they would own a firearm and were previously critical of those who did.&#8221;
The surge in gun sales comes as the U.S. has experienced a wave of violent riots in response to the death of George Floyd. The riots have spanned from Los Angeles to New York City, and ultimately led to calls from leftist activists and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-ilhan-omar-defund-minneapolis-police-theyre-cancer-we-dont-want-your-damn-reforms">Democrat</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nyc-proposed-budget-would-cut-1-billion-from-nypd-aoc-it-isnt-enough">politicians</a> to defund the police. Violent crime has <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/deadly-weekend-in-seattle-chicago-minneapolis-as-new-york-city-reports-uptick-in-shootings">surged</a> in inner cities in the days and weeks following the riots and the demonization of law enforcement officials.
Social media was flooded with images of rioters destroying police cars that were abandoned by law enforcement officials, looters <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/woman-in-l-a-begs-alleged-looters-to-stop-this-is-going-to-get-trump-re-elected">stealing</a> items from stores, and criminals <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-officers-hit-by-cars-shot-beaten-in-numerous-cities-on-monday-night-amid-violent-riots">attacking</a> law enforcement officials by hurling objects at them and even running them over.
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POLICE CARS DESTROYED: Rioters destroy a line of police cars, ghost riding them into each other and setting them on fire in West Philadelphia. 
MORE: <a href="https://t.co/Xm93XDEQV4">https://t.co/Xm93XDEQV4</a> <a href="https://t.co/8qcjnBHaHI">pic.twitter.com/8qcjnBHaHI</a>
&mdash; FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX29philly/status/1267186742207164423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
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One gun buyer told the Journal that he was applying for a permit because he feared that law enforcement officials would not be able to protect him, saying, “I don’t want to ever shoot anybody ever. But if I had to duck and shoot back in self-defense, at least I’d have a chance.”
John Kingdon, a registered Democrat who has been a gun control activist in the past, told the paper that he purchased a semi-automatic pistol just a couple of months ago, saying, “If I had a hard time getting police to respond to me when we weren’t in a pandemic, what about now?”
British media personality Piers Morgan, who opposes the Second Amendment, derided the surge in Americans engaging in their constitutionally protected right, writing on Twitter: &#8220;Just when you thought the news couldn&#8217;t [be] more depressing&#8230;8.3 million guns have been sold in the United States since March, meaning 2020 is on course to be the biggest year for gun sales in American history.&#8221;
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BREAKING: Just when you thought the news couldn&#39;t more depressing&#8230;8.3 million guns have been sold in the United States since March, meaning 2020 is on course to be the biggest year for gun sales in American history.
&mdash; Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) <a href="https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/1278382083837235211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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US-POLITICS-RACISM-JUSTICE-police-minorities

Riots, Violent Crime, ‘Defund Police’ Push Surged In June. Gun Sales Exploded To All-Time High, FBI Data Suggests.

Defund The Police

The number of FBI background checks conducted last month for people attempting to purchase firearms shattered the previous all-time record, and experts

Riots, Violent Crime, ‘Defund Police’ Push Surged In June. Gun Sales Exploded To All-Time High, FBI Data Suggests. | The Daily Wire

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Chicago, in the midst of a dramatic spike in shootings and homicides, has once again had a record-setting weekend of violence, this time involving a rush-hour shootout on a crowded major highway.
&#8220;So far this weekend, 47 people have been shot, seven fatally in violence across the city,&#8221; <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-shooting-shootings-this-weekend-violence-how-many-shot-in/6313550/">ABC 7 Chicago</a> reported Sunday. The latest victim, yet again, was a minor &#8212; this time, a 15-year-old boy who was killed in a hail of gunfire on the city&#8217;s southwest side.
&#8220;The teen, identified as Terrance Malden by family, was in the street when a light-colored vehicle pulled up and someone inside fired shots, Chicago police said,&#8221; <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-shooting-shootings-this-weekend-violence-how-many-shot-in/6313550/">according to ABC 7</a>. &#8220;Malden was shot in the back. He was transported to the University of Chicago Hospital in critical condition, and later pronounced dead, Chicago police said.&#8221;
A 14-year-old boy was also shot this weekend, on the city&#8217;s west side. He was hit in the abdomen and remains in serious condition.
The violence caps off a weeks-long spike in violence in Chicago, which began just before Memorial Day and has continued unabated, despite the city&#8217;s increased efforts at controlling violence. Each Monday morning, Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot delivers a press conference on the state of the city, and the conferences have lately become a grim announcement of that weekend&#8217;s deadly toll.
In July, to date, 32 people have been shot and killed in the city and more than 180 shot and wounded. A number of minors are among the dead, including a 20-month-old boy shot while driving home from the laundromat with his mother.
This weekend&#8217;s violence kicked off with a shocking incident &#8212; a reported gang-related shooting on the city&#8217;s crowded Dan Ryan Expressway during rush hour Friday.
Following an altercation, a &#8220;29-year-old man crashed his vehicle near 79th Street on the Dan Ryan Expressway after he was shot while driving in the first block of East 99th Street,&#8221; <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-chicago-79th-street-shooting-20200709-5ydmsg2x35cc5my7ujhb676ivm-story.html">the Chicago Tribune reported Friday</a>. &#8220;The shooting happened about 3 p.m. Thursday in the 100 block of East 99th Street. The man heard shots and felt pain. He then proceeded to enter the expressway and crashed around 79th Street, police said.&#8221;
After crashing his car, the man, holding his wounds, ran through traffic towards a subway station adjacent to the highway. He was eventually apprehended and taken to the University of Chicago hospital.
Police closed two highways to conduct an investigation.
So far, this weekend, Chicago&#8217;s mayor and police chief have been silent on incidents of gun violence. Last week, the mayor, unable to articulate a concrete reason for the spike, blamed lax gun control laws and the coronavirus pandemic. This week, the city has been focused on cracking down on businesses to prevent the spread of the virus and made no announcement about an increase in police presence in targeted neighborhoods.
Chicago, of course, is far from the only city suffering a sudden spike in deadly shootings. Minneapolis, Baltimore, and several other cities are experiencing their own violence spikes.
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chicago pd

Chicago Suffers Another Weekend Of Violence, Including Rush Hour Shooting On Major Highway

Shooting

Chicago, in the midst of a dramatic spike in shootings and homicides, has once again had a record-setting weekend of violence, this time involving a

Chicago Suffers Another Weekend Of Violence, Including Rush Hour Shooting On Major Highway | The Daily Wire

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Videos posted on social media show parishioners, both black and white, being harassed and physically assaulted at Grace Baptist Church in Troy, New York.
The protesters, repeatedly shouting &#8220;Black Lives Matter,&#8221; even harassed and blocked churchgoers while they were with their young children, using a megaphone to scream at the families, shaming and threatening their parents with calls to CPS, or Child Protective Services.
The assaults, harassment, and protesting have been occurring since at least the end of June, according to the viral videos posted online. The church has refused to close or back down, directing men from the parish to help escort fellow worshipers inside as they are blocked by BLM protesters.
Grace Baptist Church made headlines last month for giving away an <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/06/29/upstate-new-york-church-faces-backlash-for-ar-15-giveaway/">AR-15</a> as a prize for a church raffle. When the giveaway was first reported, Pastor John Koletas told <a href="https://wnyt.com/troy-new-york-news/gun-giveaway-grace-baptist-church-troy-rensselaer-county/5775568/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">WNYT</a> that the church held it in solidarity with hunters and gun owners who have been &#8220;viciously attacked by anti-Christian socialist policies.&#8221; One local critic told <a href="https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/troy-church-gives-away-ar-15s">WRGB</a> at the time that the giveaway exhibited &#8220;extreme poor taste,&#8221; citing &#8220;all of the shootings going on in all of our communities.&#8221;
However, it&#8217;s unclear if the gun-giveaway is connected to the protests shown in the videos. In the videos, protesters slam the church as &#8220;racist&#8221; but do not appear to mention the AR-15 giveaway.
In one of the videos, protesters storm the church and repeatedly chant &#8220;Black Lives Matter&#8221; and a near-fight breaks out. Additionally, one of the protesters yells at a churchgoer, &#8220;f*** you.&#8221; He responds by saying &#8220;Jesus loves you.&#8221; The protester replies by telling the man Jesus doesn&#8217;t love him.
In other footage, mostly black churchgoers are shamed and screamed at by protesters as they walk into the church. One female protester yells at a black parishioner, &#8220;You should be ashamed, sister.&#8221;
A young white mother with three kids is also harassed as she tries to enter Grace Baptist. The mother is seen trying to console one of her young sons as he is visibly upset and scared, trying to leave the area.
At one encounter, a churchgoer attempts to go up the steps into Grace Baptist but is held back and physically assaulted by protesters. The pastor of the church gets involved to save the man, who is grossly outnumbered.
The pastor was apparently assaulted during the scuffle, as one protester taunts, &#8220;How&#8217;s your head feel, pastor?&#8221; The pastor was also called &#8220;soft&#8221; and a &#8220;p****.&#8221;
&#8220;Stop hiding behind your godd*mn religion,&#8221; another protester shouted. &#8220;This church is racist,&#8221; screamed another.
As for the church, Grace Baptist is not backing down.
A Twitter account for the church posted a video of one of the pastors vowing to continue on, refusing to change his messaging or being scared away by the novel coronavirus or the &#8220;mob.&#8221;
&#8220;We will NEVER apologize to the mob!&#8221; the video, posted on Monday, is captioned (view below).
&#8220;It&#8217;s not my fault for preaching the same thing we&#8217;ve preached for 33 years,&#8221; the pastor says. &#8220;It&#8217;s not my fault everybody wants to put it online, I don&#8217;t care. They can shut us down. I ain&#8217;t changing my preaching because we&#8217;re [online].&#8221;
WATCH the violent protesting, below:
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These young children were more mature than the thugs berating them and their mother as they walked into church. 
Hear as pastor asks them multiple to stop blocking the church entrance. GBC men form a line to protect children. <a href="https://t.co/iZYJaxH1sH">pic.twitter.com/iZYJaxH1sH</a>
&mdash; Grace Baptist Church (@realgbctroyny) <a href="https://twitter.com/realgbctroyny/status/1279151637915992065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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attendees to Grace Baptist Church in TROY. NY had to be escorted in and out of church today as they were berated by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BLM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BLM</a> protestors: take a hard look at this ——&gt; <a href="https://t.co/zWwpilWDy8">pic.twitter.com/zWwpilWDy8</a>
&mdash; Kevin McCashion 🇺🇸 (@Kevin_McCashion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_McCashion/status/1277418795015995392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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We will never back down from wickedness in Troy, NY! <a href="https://t.co/g1WYDmebG9">pic.twitter.com/g1WYDmebG9</a>
&mdash; Grace Baptist Church (@realgbctroyny) <a href="https://twitter.com/realgbctroyny/status/1277264052578910216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Christians at Grace Baptist Church in Troy, NY we’re gathering to worship Sunday when BLM stormed their sanctuary and took over their church.
Violent BLM members stopped the service and assaulted the peaceful Christians verbally and physically.
WATCH:<a href="https://t.co/GIwEMOFsBj">pic.twitter.com/GIwEMOFsBj</a>
&mdash; Benny (@bennyjohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1280165501642178560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Why is the mob beating church members in Troy, NY for trying to enter church and escort black members through the mob?
“No justice, no peace” “Peaceful protest” <a href="https://t.co/qsE1kUvqnR">pic.twitter.com/qsE1kUvqnR</a>
&mdash; Grace Baptist Church (@realgbctroyny) <a href="https://twitter.com/realgbctroyny/status/1278860285386919936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
WATCH the response from Grace Baptist:
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We will NEVER apologize to the mob! <a href="https://t.co/Vsa6fABoYc">pic.twitter.com/Vsa6fABoYc</a>
&mdash; Grace Baptist Church (@realgbctroyny) <a href="https://twitter.com/realgbctroyny/status/1280177350882230273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Black Lives Matter Protest In New York

WATCH: Protesters Storm Baptist Church, Harass Children, Assault Parishioners: ‘How’s Your Head Feel, Pastor?’

Black Lives Matter

Race

Social Justice

Socialism

Videos posted on social media show parishioners, both black and white, being harassed and physically assaulted at Grace Baptist Church in Troy, New York.

WATCH: Protesters Storm Baptist Church, Harass Children, Assault Parishioners: ‘How’s Your Head Feel, Pastor?’ | The Daily Wire

https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-protesters-storm-baptist-church-harass-children-assault-parishioners-hows-your-head-feel-pastor/

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Chicago&#8217;s mayor, Lori Lightfoot, had an odd explanation for the gun violence gripping the city Sunday, suggesting that lax gun laws and coronavirus-related lockdowns were largely to blame for the spike in shootings, which has left at least four children dead and dozens of Chicago residents wounded.
Speaking to a press conference, Lightfoot said the violence problem is “complicated,&#8221; according to the <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/with-murders-up-nearly-80-in-chicago-last-month-lori-lightfoot-blames-guns">Washington Examiner</a>.
&#8220;That’s a complicated question,” Lightfoot told media. “We have way too many guns on the streets.”
&#8220;Lightfoot also suggested that the coronavirus shutdowns that kept people inside for months played a role in creating a &#8216;perfect storm&#8217; while also pointing out the death of George Floyd as an event that sparked anger in the community,&#8221; the Examiner reported.
That &#8220;perfect storm&#8221; is responsible for a nearly record-breaking streak of violence in the city. As of late June, &#8220;329 people have been killed in Chicago, an increase of about 34% from the 246 homicides during the same period last year, according to police. Shootings in that period rose by about 42%, from 978 in 2019 to 1,384 in 2020,&#8221; NBC <a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-murders-and-shootings-up-overall-crime-down-halfway-through-2020-police-say/2298155/">Chicago reports</a>. Crime, overall, is down by 9%.
There have been only five days in July, but already this month 84 people have been shot and wounded in the city, and 18 have been shot and killed. In just the last three weeks, several children have been murdered by gun violence, one as young as a year old.
Although the Chicago city government pledged to put 1,200 additional officers on the streets through the Fourth of July holiday, at least 16 people were killed – including a 7-year-old girl who was celebrating the holiday at her grandmother&#8217;s house on the city&#8217;s south side – and 63 were wounded. Two incidents of gun violence had more than eight victims, making them &#8220;mass shootings.&#8221;
Lightfoot responded to the weekend&#8217;s violence on social media.
“Tonight, a 7-year-old girl in Austin joined a list of teenagers and children whose hopes and dreams were ended by the barrel of a gun,” she tweeted Sunday. “We cannot grow numb to this. We are making progress in slowing shootings, but we have to do better, every single one of us.”
Chicago residents are not strictly prohibited from owning guns, but Illinois requires each gun owner to submit to an intensive background check and obtain a Firearm Owners Identification (or FOID) card before purchasing their first gun. The state prohibits open carry (and concealed carry, in many circumstances), and there are tight restrictions on gun sales in the city.
Neighboring states, like Indiana and Wisconsin, have looser gun laws, and authorities are typically quick to blame a lack of federal oversight in weapons trafficking for the continued gun violence problem inside the city of Chicago. Part of the issue may also lie with the Cook County States Attorney, Kim Foxx, whose &#8220;bail reform&#8221; program has seen violent offenders returned to the streets quickly, often in as little as 24 hours after being arrested, according to the <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-chicago-guns-cook-county-bonds-20170127-story.html">Chicago Tribune</a>.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers with the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Blames Guns, Coronavirus For City’s Spike In Violence

Chicago&#039;s mayor, Lori Lightfoot, had an odd explanation for the gun violence gripping the city Sunday, suggesting that lax gun laws and

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Blames Guns, Coronavirus For City&#039;s Spike In Violence | The Daily Wire

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Two children &#8212; a 7-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy &#8212; were among the more a dozen killed in Chicago this weekend, as the city suffers through its worst streak of gun violence in years.
Of the nearly 70 wounded in the city between Friday night and Sunday morning, nine were minors. Several were shot in two eight-plus victim mass shootings, both on the city&#8217;s south side, <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2020/7/5/21313171/fourth-july-weekend-chicago-gun-violence-homicide-shooting">according to the Chicago Sun-Times</a>, which has been tracking the city&#8217;s dramatic uptick in gun crime since late May, when Chicago began to release its coronavirus-related lockdown measures.
&#8220;A 14-year-old boy was among four people killed in a shooting that wounded four others Saturday night in Englewood on the South Side,&#8221; the outlet reported Sunday morning. &#8220;They were at a large gathering in the street about 11:35 p.m. in the 6100 block of South Carpenter Street when four males walked up and started shooting, according to Chicago police. The 14-year-old boy was hit in the back and pronounced dead at Comer Children’s Hospital.&#8221;
An 11-year-old and a 15-year-old were also wounded in that shooting, and three men were killed.
The 7-year-old girl, Natalie Wallace, was celebrating the Fourth of July with her family at her grandmother&#8217;s home when, in a similar fashion, &#8220;a vehicle pulled up and three men got out and started shooting indiscriminately,&#8221; according <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/chicago-erupts-in-july-4-gunfire-with-girl-7-and-boy-14-among-those-killed">to Fox News</a>.
&#8220;Three men got out of a white car and shot more than 20 rounds in the direction of the people holding the party,&#8221; the Sun-Times added, noting that a 32-year-old man was also injured in the fray.
&#8220;It was a family gathering so there was many kids. There were kids riding on bicycles enjoin the Fourth of July as they have should have been and now this child is gone,&#8221; a Chicago Police Department spokesperson told the local ABC News affiliate, <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-shooting-4th-of-july-fourth-shootings/6299274/">ABC7 Chicago</a>.
In just five days, the month of July has seen 18 people shot and killed and more than 80 shot and wounded. Four children under the age of 10 have been killed in as many weeks, one, Sincere Gaston, a 20-month-old boy, was riding home with his mother from the laundromat when their car was ambushed by a gunman and he was killed.
Chicago Police detailed their plan to contain the violence, adding 1,200 officer shifts to the calendar across the Fourth of July holiday weekend, and announced a violence prevention board charged with identifying gun violence &#8220;hotspots&#8221; across the city and to &#8220;coordinate efforts between police and violence prevention group,&#8221; according to ABC7.
&#8220;The best way to reduce violence is to prevent it from happening,&#8221; Chicago police superintendent David Brown said Friday. &#8220;We will be targeting criminal networks that are the pipeline to violence in this city over this 4th of July weekend.&#8221;
&#8220;I will also have officers on foot patrols across our neighborhoods including the walking beat to get to know their neighborhood and residents and protecting them so they can celebrate safely,&#8221; Brown added.
It does not appear the efforts were enough to curb the shooting.
Chicago&#8217;s mayor, Lori Lightfoot, seemed at a loss for words Sunday.
“Tonight, a 7-year-old girl in Austin joined a list of teenagers and children whose hopes and dreams were ended by the barrel of a gun,” Lightfoot said on social media. “We cannot grow numb to this. We are making progress in slowing shootings, but we have to do better, every single one of us.”
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2020 Chicago Auto Show Media Preview &#8211; Day 1

Two More Childen Killed In Chicago Violence Spike, City Sees Two Mass Shootings In Under 24 Hours

Two children -- a 7-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy -- were among the more a dozen killed in Chicago this weekend, as the city suffers through its

Two More Childen Killed In Chicago Violence Spike, City Sees Two Mass Shootings In Under 24 Hours | The Daily Wire

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A Florida sheriff says he will deputize legal gun owners to “to stand in the gap between lawlessness and civility” if violent rioters come to his county.
Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels released a video statement on Tuesday warning that the scenes of violent riots, burning shops and police cars, and toppled statues would not be replicated in Clay County. Daniels said that he and his deputies would defend activists’ right to protest but warned demonstrators against stepping “out from under the protection of the Constitution” to harm the community.
“We’ll be waiting on you and we’ll give you everything you want. All the publicity, all the pain, all the glamour, and glory, for all that five minutes will give you,” Daniels said while standing in front of a line of his deputies. “Is it a threat? Absolutely not, but somebody has to step up in front of the camera and say enough is enough. Tearing up Clay County? That’s not going to be acceptable.”
“If we can’t handle you, you know what I’ll do? I will exercise the power and authority as a sheriff and I will make special deputies of every lawful gun owner in this county, and I’ll deputize them for this one purpose: to stand in the gap between lawlessness and civility. That’s what we’re sworn to do, and that’s what we’re going to do. You’ve been warned,” Daniels concluded.
The sheriff also criticized the media and Black Lives Matter for “making themselves a spectacle” and pushing a divisive and disruptive message that lacks &#8220;God.&#8221;
George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody on May 25 sparked protests against police brutality and perceived systemic racism among police departments across the country, many of which ultimately became riots.
The protests reignited a debate over the place of Confederate monuments and symbols on public property. Rioters have taken advantage of anger against Confederate symbols to justify vandalism and destruction against a wide array of public monuments including those to Founding Fathers George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, Catholic St. Junipero Serra, and Union general and former President Ulysses S. Grant.
In cities such as Seattle, Washington, D.C., and New York City, activists have set up protest zones meant to bar law enforcement from certain areas. In Seattle, city officials left the “Capitol Hill Occupied Protest” zone in place for weeks until the area suffered a string of fatal shootings.
<iframe title="Sheriff Daniels speaks on who we are as a people" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/25-10yKyKuI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Read Daniels’ remarks in full:
<blockquote>Hey, folks. Me and the men and women of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office just want to weigh in on what we are seeing going on played out across the media, or mainstream media in this country. Look, folks. Don’t fall victim to subjecting yourself to this conversation that law enforcement is bad, that law enforcement is the enemy of the citizens that we are sworn to protect and serve. We swore and oath, and in that oath we swore to support, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States and the government, and that we are duly qualified under the state’s constitution to hold office. That is for me as a sheriff and for these men and women as deputy sheriffs, and we end that with “so help me, God.” But God is absent from the media’s message or Black Lives Matter or any other group out there that’s making themselves a spectacle, disrupting what we know to be our quality of life in this country. In Clay County, we know we have a great quality of life. We have a great relationship with out community. But across this country, not so much. I just wanted to take a stand with these men and with these women who feel the same way that I do. Lawlessness, that’s unacceptable in this country. Lawlessness, that’s unacceptable in Clay County, and if you threaten to come to Clay County and think that for one second that we’ll bend our backs for you, you’re sadly mistaken. I know what happens when lawlessness prevails. And in this day and time, God is raising up men and women just like the folks you see standing behind me who will have strong backbones and will stand in the gap between lawlessness and the good citizenry that we are sworn to protect and serve. So you can threaten all you want. You can say, ‘Hey, let’s go to Clay County’ or let’s go to some other peaceful county where their problems don’t exist or not so much like across this country, where relationships are great and not strained, and where the people support their sheriff and support the men and women who wear the uniform, and you’ll have something waiting on you that you don’t want. Yes, we’ll protect your constitutional rights as long as you remain under the umbrella of peaceful protest or peaceful march, but the second that you step out from under the protection of the Constitution, we’ll be waiting on you and we’ll give you everything you want. All the publicity, all the pain, all the glamour and glory, for all that five minutes will give you. Is it a threat? Absolutely not, but somebody has to step up in front of the camera and say enough is enough. Tearing up Clay County? That’s not going to be acceptable. And if we can’t handle you, you know what I’ll do? I will exercise the power and authority as a sheriff and I will make special deputies of every lawful gun owner in this county, and I’ll deputize them for this one purpose: to stand in the gap between lawlessness and civility. That’s what we’re sworn to do, and that’s what we’re going to do. You’ve been warned.</blockquote>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Capitol Hill Organized Protest

Florida Sheriff Says He’ll ‘Deputize Every Lawful Gun Owner In The County’ To Control Violent Protests

Florida

Riots

A Florida sheriff says he will deputize legal gun owners to “to stand in the gap between lawlessness and civility” if violent rioters come to his county.

Florida Sheriff Says He’ll ‘Deputize Every Lawful Gun Owner In The County’ To Control Violent Protests | The Daily Wire

https://www.dailywire.com/news/florida-sheriff-says-hell-deputize-every-lawful-gun-owner-in-the-county-to-control-violent-protests/

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Gun sales have skyrocketed so dramatically that now some gun retailers are claiming they are nearly out of guns and ammunition.
In the wake of violent protests and looting across the nation, gun sales set a record nationwide for the month of June, <a href="https://freebeacon.com/issues/record-setting-gun-sales-could-leave-stores-dry/">The Washington Free Beacon</a> reports. On Wednesday, Small Arms Analytics &amp; Forecasting <a href="http://smallarmsanalytics.com/v1/pr/2020-07-01.pdf">released a study</a> showing over 2.3 million guns were sold in June, an increase of at least 145.3% compared to June 2019, short of the record 2.5 million in March, but far outstripping the estimated 1.7 million guns sold in May and 1.8 million in April.
The study stated, “Likely single handgun sales increased year-over-year by 177.5% whereas single long-gun sales increased year-over-year by 114.3%. All other likely background check-related sales increased year-over-year by 74%. This includes so-called ‘multiple sales’ where the allocation between handguns and long-guns cannot be determined from the data record.”
At the rate guns have sold in 2020, the final total of the year would set a record. Brandon Wexler, owner of Wex Gunworks in Delray Beach, Florida, told the Free Beacon, “Obama was the best gun sales in the country, they claimed. No, COVID-19 is.” He added, “Pretty much everything is out of stock. We have been doing it since the late ‘70s and have never seen literally no supply available. As of last week, at all major distributors you could not get any guns. Everything was literally sold out. Can’t even get hearing protection.”
“Our sales within just a few thousand dollars of doubling in June 2020 as compared to 2019. Popular guns and ammo SKUs have been sold out for some time and now it is becoming a challenge to keep anything in stock that is among the higher demand categories … things like handguns, home defense shotguns, AR/MSRs and the associated ammo, particularly 9mm,&#8221; Rex McClanahan, president of Bud’s Gun Shop echoed.
Windham Taylor, outreach manager for Ammo.com. added, “Things are not slowing down in the ammo world at all. Sales have continued to soar throughout June despite major shortages from nearly all suppliers due to the sustained demand from our customers. We are working hard to keep up with demand and will continue to provide the best customer support possible.&#8221;
McClanahan admitted, “Distributors and manufacturers are all struggling now, several months into this extremely high demand market. The current status of the supply chain is already overwhelmed with both no end to the current demand in sight … and a presidential election coming up in just four months.&#8221;
After the gun sales were reported in May, Mark Oliva, a spokesman for National Shooting Sports Foundation, the gun industry&#8217;s trade group, <a href="https://freebeacon.com/coronavirus/three-months-6-million-guns-sold/">noted</a>, &#8220;Our recent survey of firearm retailers shows us that 40 percent of these gun buyers are buying a firearm for the first time. Of those first-time gun owners, 40 percent are women and these buyers are overwhelmingly purchasing handguns for personal protection.&#8221; 
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers with the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

US-HEALTH-VIRUS-GUNS

In Wake Of Protests, Gun Sales So High Retailers Running Out Of Guns And Ammo, Report Says

protests

Gun sales have skyrocketed so dramatically that now some gun retailers are claiming they are nearly out of guns and ammunition. In the wake of violent

In Wake Of Protests, Gun Sales So High Retailers Running Out Of Guns And Ammo, Report Says | The Daily Wire

https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-wake-of-protests-gun-sales-so-high-retailers-running-out-of-guns-and-ammo-report-says/

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Horace Lorenzo Anderson, the father of a 19-year-old black teen shot and killed inside Seattle&#8217;s Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) is speaking out and demanding the city bring in the National Guard to help break up the increasingly violent protest, now in its third week.
Horace Lorenzo Anderson, Jr., was the first person killed in CHOP, more than a week ago, during an outbreak of gun violence inside of the &#8220;autonomous zone.&#8221;
Anderson&#8217;s father, Anderson, Sr., spoke late Monday, after another black teen, this time a 16-year old, was killed in the CHOP over the weekend, and a 14-year-old left wounded.
&#8220;I ain&#8217;t been sleeping. You see my eyes. I&#8217;ve been crying. I&#8217;m trying not to cry on TV,&#8221; Anderson said in the Monday press conference, according to <a href="https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/second-deadly-shooting-prompts-louder-calls-dismantle-seattle-protest-zone/SFVT6IWU2ZBTRE5FGDW7VPKB54/">KIRO Seattle</a>.
&#8220;This doesn&#8217;t look like a protest to me no more,&#8221; said Anderson. &#8220;That just looks like they just took over and said we can take over whenever we want to.&#8221;
Since last week, at least two people have been killed and several others wounded in CHOP gun violence. And although Seattle&#8217;s mayor Jenny Durkan has pledged to bring an end to the demonstration, which is occupying six square blocks of Seattle&#8217;s Capitol Hill neighborhood, including the Seattle Police Department&#8217;s East Precinct, many believe Durkan is sympathetic to the plight of protesters and reticent to use force.
Anderson, to the contrary, says that if the city cannot break up the protest alone, officials should bring in the National Guard.
&#8220;They should deployed them here to say &#8216;Man, it&#8217;s time to go,'&#8221; Anderson said. &#8221; &#8216;It&#8217;s time to move on. And break this up.'&#8221;
Seattle Chief Carmen Best, also present at the press conference, challenged the mayor to assist the police in moving the demonstration out.
&#8220;I&#8217;m not going to let the detractors and the naysayers and the agitators be the ones that are the voice here,&#8221; she said of the Capitol Hill situation as protesters jeered her from afar. &#8220;There are people who live here. There are multiple people who are being injured and hurt. And we need to do something about it. It is absolutely irresponsible for this discontent to continue.&#8221;
So far, though, KIRO reports, the mayor has done little but issue strongly-worded pleas for protesters to vacate Capitol Hill and promising city social services to those who have nowhere else to go or are suffering from addiction or mental health issues.
A federal lawsuit, filed against the city of Seattle last week by long-term Capitol Hill residents and small business owners, alleges that the city has deliberately allowed CHOP &#8212; and its inherent lawlessness &#8212; to flourish.
For their part, protesters say they have no plans to leave, even though CHOP&#8217;s leadership has called for a transition to &#8220;virtual activism.&#8221; On Friday, the city&#8217;s public works department tried to remove signs marking CHOP&#8217;s borders but were turned away by angry demonstrators who even staged a &#8220;die-in&#8221; to block construction equipment from moving concrete barriers.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers with the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Seattle CHOP

Father Of Black Teen Killed In CHOP: It’s Time To Bring In The National Guard

CHOP

National Guard

Horace Lorenzo Anderson, the father of a 19-year-old black teen shot and killed inside Seattle&#039;s Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) is speaking out and

Father Of Black Teen Killed In CHOP: It&#039;s Time To Bring In The National Guard | The Daily Wire

https://www.dailywire.com/news/father-of-black-teen-killed-in-chop-its-time-to-bring-in-the-national-guard/

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Chicago&#8217;s police chief announced late Monday that the city will deploy 1,200 additional police officers to &#8220;hot zones&#8221; experiencing an increase in violence, in hopes of containing a wave of shootings that has left dozens dead &#8212; including at least 10 children &#8212; and hundreds wounded.
Chicago Police Supt. David Brown announced that officers will work additional shifts from Thursday until Sunday and focus on controlling violence on the city&#8217;s south and west sides over the holiday weekend. The department will also be working proactively to control crowds gathering in violent areas before shooting breaks out.
“We’ll be deployed throughout our hotspots, we’ll be working with city services, we’re engaging our violence interrupters, and so it’s a full-court press,” Brown said. “Our endgame is arrests for the precursors to violence, so every day we’re going to be clearing corners.”
Brown blamed the city&#8217;s spike in violence on &#8220;open-air drug markets&#8221; and gangs taking advantage of ongoing anti-racism protests to increase activity, recruiting younger members, and increasing street-level drug operations.
“It’s an evil methodology. It’s why they’re on the corners because it protects the masterminds,” Brown said. “They are there because there’s no opportunity in their neighborhood. They are there because of the failures, and many other social service opportunities are just not available to them, but that’s why they’re there; to feed their families. It’s a bad choice.”
The increase in police presence will require officers to work overtime hours, Brown said. It&#8217;s something that the city has avoided over the last several weekends after forcing cops to work overtime to handle protests and rioting in the wake of George Floyd&#8217;s death on Memorial Day.
Chicago, though, has experienced a shocking increase in gun violence since the city lifted its coronavirus-related lockdown. Beginning in May, when the city set a record for the most people shot in a single weekend since 2016, hundreds of individuals have been shot and dozens have died. Over the course of the last week, six children have been shot and two killed, including a 20-month-old boy and a 10-year-old girl.
The week before, a 3-year-old boy was shot and killed.
Last weekend alone, <a href="https://fox6now.com/2020/06/29/4-children-shot-18-people-dead-47-wounded-in-weekend-violence-in-chicago/">Chicago&#8217;s Fox affiliate reports</a>, 65 people were shot and 18 people were killed. Overall, since January of 2020, 300 people have been killed by gun violence in the city &#8212; a grim milestone that, in 2019, took until August to reach.
Chicago&#8217;s mayor Lori Lightfoot addressed the violence in a press conference Monday afternoon.
“The last two Mondays, I’ve woken up with an incredible sense of dread, incredible feeling of despair, because of the weekend violence,” she said. “This can’t be who we are, as a city.&#8221;
So far, Lightfoot has resisted President Donald Trump&#8217;s offers to allow Federal agencies to assist in Chicago&#8217;s violence control, but that resistance seems to be thawing.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers with the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Chicago Police Will Deploy 1,200 Extra Officers To Control Violence Over July 4th Weekend

Chicago&#039;s police chief announced late Monday that the city will deploy 1,200 additional police officers to &quot;hot zones&quot; experiencing an increase in

Chicago Police Will Deploy 1,200 Extra Officers To Control Violence Over July 4th Weekend | The Daily Wire

https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-police-will-deploy-1200-extra-officers-to-control-violence-over-july-4th-weekend/

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