Don’t Bring a Knife to a Gunfight

A guy on probation thought it would be a good idea to commit a robbery. He was wrong. Rancho Cucamonga homeowner shoots and wounds knife-wielding burglary suspect – Press Enterprise

A homeowner shot and wounded a knife-wielding suspected burglar in his garage Saturday morning in Rancho Cucamonga, according to a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department news release.

So now he is in hospital with multiple gunshot wounds, and facing more time in prison.

Self-defense is a human-right. Good Guys 1, Bad Guys 0.

LAPD Officer accused of sex with 15-yr-old now charged with weapons crimes

Uphold the law. Break the law. Whatever. LAPD officer accused of having sex with teen cadet is charged with weapons crimes – LA Times

Investigators seized more than 100 firearms, including assault rifles and inert grenades, sources with knowledge of the investigation have said. Sources said many of the weapons had been illegally modified and are not legal to own under California law.

The original arrest was part of an investigation into “teen cadets” that apparently stole police cars, radios, tasers and other such things. (I wonder what the stated goals are of that program for teens – probably not achieving those goals.)

A search of the house turned up the weapons. And while I’m sure that the California laws are crazy, the police are supposed to uphold the law, not consider themselves above the law.

Why is the UK Press (or its online version) so Interested in This Bit of Self-defense?

I have seen it in 3 “papers” this week. The Sun, and The Mirror and now the UK edition of International Business Times. Not the most reputable collection of news organizations, but I can only guess they are mesmerized by the video. (It isn’t even that good.) California man who shot two home intruders dead is caught on surveillance video

(For the video, see The Mirror.)

So it’s a fairly basic story of self-defense of the kind highlighted here. A guy is sitting in his garage. Two would-be Bad Guys walk up and demand he open a safe that’s in the garage. He opens the safe, retrieves a loaded gun, and shoots both of them. They die.

Neither the homeowner nor the two killed have been named, WPXI reported. The homeowner will not be charged, as the incident appears to be a case of self-defence, police said.

This is where I would interject an opinion, or an observation, like, “They suffered a breakdown of the victim-selection process.”

There is blurry, night-time security-camera video from a neighbor’s house. There has been better video on any number of clerks defending themselves from attack – as convenience stores are better lit and often have a lot of cameras around.

But given everything that’s been happening in the UK – the London Bridge attack, etc. – I guess it is understandable that the British are becoming more interested in the idea of self-defense.

And for the record: Self-defense is a Human-right. Good Guys 2, Bad Guys 0.

More Self-defense in California

The story calls him a burglar, but usually when a home is occupied, it is termed “home invasion” not just burglary. Whatever you call it, it did not go as he planned. Female Homeowner Shoots Suspect, Thwarts Residential Burglary in Castaic Area: Sheriff’s Dept. | KTLA

After he got into the home, the woman armed herself with a handgun and confronted him, the release stated. Following a brief confrontation, the victim fired at the man, hitting him at least once in the chest.

Cops showed up and hauled him to the hospital. His next stop will be jail.

Self-defense is a human-right. Good Guys 1, Bad Guys 0.

Even in the People’s Republic of California, Self-defense is Legal

Police believe that it is possible to kill someone in self-defense. Police: No Charges for Homeowner Who Fatally Shot 2 Robbers | California News | US News

Northern California police said Friday that a homeowner acted in self-defense when he fatally shot two men during an attempted home invasion robbery.

This story also gets something right, that reporters usually screw up. (Or maybe the screw up is by copy editors. If someone attacks me and I shoot them in self-defense, they are not victims. The original victim of the crime remains the victim, even he or she turns the tables on the attackers.

Self-defense is a human-right. Good Guys 2, Bad Guys 0.

Oakland Cop Was ‘Like a Pimp’

Only 1 trial. One cop committed suicide. 11 were “disciplined” and 4 were fired. Judge Orders Oakland Cop to Trial; Says He Was ‘Like a Pimp’ to Exploited Teen – Hit & Run : Reason.com

On the “Cops Behaving Badly” scale, this one is pretty bad. (The entire litany of who did what is after the break.)

Known as Celeste Guap in initial media reports, the girl was just 17 years old when Oakland cops started passing her between them—a few paying customers, most extorting sex in exchange for helping her avoid arrest—according to her testimony and a good deal of corroborating evidence

These cops in Greater Oakland, California figured that the law didn’t apply to them. A couple plead to misdemeanors and one guy killed himself after all this came to light. So if a dozen or so cops were involved with this one girl, exactly how often does stuff like this happen?

Good Guys 1, Bad Guys 0

He suffered a breakdown of the victim-selection process. Fairfield Police: Would-Be Robber Shot by Store Clerk | FOX40. Even in the People’s Republic of California, self-defense works.

What you can’t see or hear in the video are shots fired. Fairfield police say one of the clerks, fearing for his safety, opened fire at the would-be robber, sending him to the hospital.

Oh, and it being California, neighbors customers were shocked.

“Everybody’s kind of shocked a little bit,” said Williams.

Williams is the clerk’s close friend and a loyal customer. She’s disturbed by what happened to her friend.

“What if I woud have been here? Just a lot of thoughts,” Williams said

Because apparently she thought that she lived and her friend worked in Pleasantville, where such things don’t happen. She didn’t realize that she lived in the Real World™ where crime can and often does happen. And not just to “other kinds of people” in “other kinds of places.”