Category: 2nd amend.
Thug pulls gun in convenience store, but clerk also is armed — and isn’t having one bit of it
Memphis police released video showing what went down after a male pulled a gun during an attempted robbery in a convenience store Monday morning, WHBQ-TV reported.
Police said video shows a man dressed in a white hoodie starting to pull out a gun inside the Quick Check Store on Alcy Road near Perry Road around 10 a.m., the station said.
‘Criminals beware and think twice!’
But police said the armed male at that moment jerks back and runs away, WHBQ reported.
Police said the clerk fired a shot at the would-be robber and struck him, the station noted.
Later Tuesday, police released doorbell camera video showing the suspect unmasked and dressed in an orange sweatshirt running into a home, WHBQ reported.
The new video also zeroes in on some type of stain in the suspect’s chest area, the station said.
Police added to WHBQ that they’re still looking for the suspect, who’s described as between the ages of 18 and 22 and standing about 5 feet 5 inches tall with a tattoo over one of his eyebrows.
The station also said he was wearing black pants and black shoes as well as a red shirt underneath his white hoodie.
More from WHBQ:
Under Tennessee’s Stand Your Ground Law, the clerk was within their rights to shoot. It says any person is justified in using force if they reasonably believe there is an imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury. Pulling out that gun would enforce that “reasonable” belief.
The clerk had no duty to retreat or try to get away but could, as the law states, stand their ground.
Those with information about the suspect’s whereabouts are asked to call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH, the station said.
Commenters under WHBQ’s Facebook post about the incident did not hold back:
- “I bet he won’t go back to that store to try and rob it,” one commenter stated.
- “Good job store clerk,” another user added.
- “Need more of this type of news,” another commenter declared.
- “Criminals beware and think twice!” another user noted.
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Knife-wielding person advances toward homeowner who complained about car vandalism, cops say. But homeowner is wielding gun.
Investigators in Arizona said a homeowner and his family member confronted an individual after 1 a.m. Friday after discovering knife damage on two of their vehicles, InMaricopa.com reported.
With that, the person reportedly advanced toward the homeowner while holding a knife, the outlet said.
‘I love it! That’s justice!!! He definitely found out!’
Unfortunately for the person reportedly holding the knife, the homeowner was holding a gun — and used it.
When Maricopa Police officers arrived at the scene on West Thornberry Lane in Homestead, they found an individual shot in the leg, the outlet said.
That person was taken to a hospital and was awaiting surgery as of Friday morning, police told InMaricopa.com.
Image source: Maricopa (Ariz.) Police
Turns out that officers later found other cars in the area with similar knife damage, police added to the outlet.
The homeowner who pulled trigger is not being charged with a crime, as it appears he was acting in self-defense, the outlet noted.
However, the wounded person is facing charges, InMaricopa.com said, adding that the investigation remains ongoing.
Commenters reacting to the outlet’s story on Facebook appeared solidly behind the homeowner’s actions.
- “F’d around and found out,” one commenter said.
- “Lucky it was only his leg shot. Just saying. Good for the homeowner!” another user noted.
- “I mean, torturing my horse would get death — so why wouldn’t touching my vastly improved horse replacement that, at one time, took years of my life to pay for and develop into a usable vehicle?” another commenter quipped.
- “I love it! That’s justice!!! He definitely found out!” another user declared.
- “Sounds like the criminal deserved it — but will probably still sue homeowner for his injuries,” another commenter predicted.
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Top 5 of 2025: Women who fought back when coming face-to-face with crooks
Women have been fighting back for a long time now when confronted by crime, and the year 2025 was no exception.
In one instance, a woman was shopping in a store and used her Second Amendment rights against a male who reportedly was groping other customers and even pulled out a gun and threatened their lives … then we have a story about a mother who hid in a closet with her baby after a man broke into her home, and she permanently ended the threat … and then there was a tale that might make you smile about a woman who faced down a crook and took care of business with her bare hands, to the amazement of her husband.
Here are our top-five moments of 2025 when women decided to take matters into their own hands when facing down criminals:
Video: Woman pulls male intruder out of her car, throws him to the ground with ease — while her amazed husband watches
Astonishing surveillance video from a Hollywood gas station shows the moment when a woman pulled a male intruder out of her car and threw him to the ground with ease.
The woman, Star Carter, was sitting in the driver’s seat of her red Alfa Romeo at the gas station Nov. 4 when a male stranger walked up and tried to open her passenger door, KCBS-TV reported.
Her husband, Michael Carter, was pumping gas at the time and was on the other side of car — and initially thought he successfully told the guy to get lost.
But after Michael got back in the passenger seat, the crook sneaked back and opened the driver-side rear door closest to the gas pump and actually got into the back seat, video shows.
“I’m wrestling with him inside the car,” Michael told the station, “and I’m kinda pushing him and pushing him, and all I know is he just disappeared.”
With that, Star’s husband smiled and told KCBS that “I’m looking over the back, and I said, ‘Oh … ohhh!'”
Michael’s, shall we say, starstruck reaction was due to the fact that his wife got out of her driver’s seat, got to the back door, ripped the intruder right out the car, and tossed him to the ground.
“I don’t condone violence, but I do condone self-defense,” Star told KCBS in the aftermath.
Wisely, the intruder ran off after Star introduced him to the concrete. But she also had some parting advice for him: “I just said, ‘Don’t you ever do no stupid [word redacted in KCBS video] like this again!'”
The station said the Carters actually continued their night out, going to a comedy show at the Hollywood Improv. In the end, her husband was grateful that Star stood up to the crook.
“She is indeed my hero,” Michael noted to KCBS with a laugh in the aftermath. “Thank you, Star!”
Creep with violent past allegedly gropes store customer, threatens to kill others — so woman in store shoots him dead instead
A 42-year-old man followed another customer into the Pink Beauty Supply store in Compton, California, on Oct. 19 and “groped her once inside” the store, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lieut. DeJong told KCBS-TV.
When employees told him to leave, the man allegedly refused and began to verbally assault them and some customers before he started throwing objects inside the store, KCBS added.
Employees and customers noted that the male had an object in his hand that they believed was a knife, the sheriff’s department said, adding that the male made verbal threats that he was going to kill and harm everyone in the store.
With that, one of the customers — not the one he allegedly groped — pulled out a gun, KCBS said.
Fearing for the store employees, herself, and other customers, the sheriff’s department said she fired a warning shot at the male. But the male turned toward her, officials said — and fearing she was going to be attacked, she fired a second shot, striking the male.
DeJong noted to KCBS that “he went down.” The sheriff’s department said the male was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators noted to KCBS that the woman who pulled the trigger was a customer at the store, and she remained at the scene to cooperate with officials. Detectives added to the station that parking lot surveillance video indicates the man was loitering in the area and drinking alcohol.
“He alleged he was a gang member, and LASD says it appears he was a gang member; unknown if still active,” DeJong told KCBS while adding that the male had a lengthy criminal history that included assaults, robberies, thefts, and disturbing the peace.
KNBC-TV said the woman is in her 50s, that she surrendered the gun, and that no one was arrested.
Mother hid from home invader in closet with her baby — then shot thug in the head, police say
A man with a long criminal record faced the ultimate penalty for breaking into the wrong home after discovering an armed mother, according to Illinois police.
The Joliet Police Department said they responded to a residence on Hadrian Drive on the far west side of Joliet around 10:30 p.m. Aug. 15.
Police said they saw signs of forced entry at the home and found an unresponsive man on the second floor with gunshot wounds. Paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene.
They also found a woman at the home with her baby. She told them she hid in a closet in her bedroom with her child after she heard the break in. She also had a handgun with her, and when the man entered the bedroom, she shot him in the head.
Police said they found a screwdriver in the man’s possession and noted he was wearing gloves at the time of the shooting.
The Will County Coroner’s Office identified the man as 36-year-old Shelby Hurd of Chicago. Hurd had been convicted of burglaries in 2022 and 2023 as well as identity theft and burglary in another county. He had been paroled on Feb. 24.
Stalker shows up at woman’s workplace, begins punching her, cops say. But victim has a gun — and she uses it.
A stalker showed up at a woman’s workplace in Pensacola, Florida, on the morning of Feb. 10 and began punching her, police said.
But the victim had a gun on her and shot the male once in the leg in self-defense, police added.
Marquise James, 35, was arrested in connection with the 11:30 a.m. incident at the Downtown Pensacola Holiday Inn, WEAR-TV reported.
Records show James was in the Escambia County Jail on charges of stalking, battery, smuggle contraband, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, resisting an officer, and simple assault. His bond is set at $26,500.
Pensacola Police Officer Mike Wood told WEAR that the stalking “has been going on for quite some time” and that “this male individual has been … using social media, using phones” to do so.
Wood added to the station that “he’s come to her place of employment before, and she told him to leave, and he did. But this time when he came, he saw her in the laundry room, he approached her and began punching her.”
With that, Wood told WEAR that the victim “drew a handgun that she had legally and shot him once in the leg.”
“He’s much larger than she is, and she did what she had to do,” Wood noted to the station, adding that “she did nothing wrong. She was protecting herself like she should have done.”
Police told WEAR that no charges are being filed against the woman.
Wood added to the station that when James “was at the hospital, he kicked one of our officers.” Wood also told WEAR that James “had cocaine and marijuana on him.”
Thug allegedly recorded himself raping woman at gunpoint — before she shot him
A woman said she was sexually assaulted at gunpoint before she was able to retrieve her own gun and shoot the accused rapist, according to Indiana police.
The victim said she was assaulted on the afternoon of Sept. 16 at her home on Meadowlark Drive on the northeast side of Indianapolis, according to court documents.
She said that she was forced to have sex at gunpoint with the male, who was also recording the assault on his cell phone. When the man left the home, she got her gun and shot at him. She appeared to have shot the back window of a blue Toyota that was parked on an adjacent street.
A neighbor called police, and the victim identified the alleged attacker as 23-year-old Trevon Haynes.
About an hour later, a police officer noticed a car with its hazard lights flashing and saw that the driver had been shot in the leg. Haynes was arrested, and police said they found a firearm in the car.
He was charged with rape, intimidation, and burglary, while being armed with a deadly weapon.
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Man fatally shoots 2 in Texas — tells cops pair followed him, tried to block his car, physically attacked him
Two males were fatally shot Friday night in Texas — and the man who pulled the trigger said the pair followed him, tried to block his car, and physically attacked him.
Deputies with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office told KTRK-TV the shooter said he acted in self-defense.
‘Looks like the 2 attackers had road rage. Is he not supposed to defend himself? Whatever it takes.’
Deputies responded around 8:45 p.m. to reports of a possible roadway shooting on Greengate Drive near Spring Stuebner Road in the Spring area, KHOU-TV said.
First responders told KTRK they found two males with gunshot wounds in the 22100 block of Greengate Drive; one died at the scene, and the other was taken to a hospital where he died.
The shooter said the pair followed his car for a while and tried to block him when he reached the neighborhood where the final confrontation took place, the sheriff’s office told KTRK.
Deputies added to KTRK that all three exited their vehicles, and the man who pulled the trigger said the pair started kicking him and his car.
“The shooter in the incident stayed on scene and surrendered himself to arriving deputies,” Sgt. Jason Brown noted to KHOU. The man who pulled the trigger is cooperating with investigators, the sheriff’s office told KTRK.
The fatally shot males have been identified as 57-year-old Timothy Underwood and 59-year-old Keith McDonald, KTRK said, citing the sheriff’s office.
No charges have been filed, officials told KTRK, and the shooter was not in custody.
However, the case was under investigation, and the district attorney’s office will review it, the sheriff’s office told KTRK.
When asked if the two males were armed, Brown told KHOU, “Not that we know of. We’re still in the process of going through the scene … but as of right now, we don’t believe that they were armed.”
Reactions under KHOU’s Facebook post about the fatal shootings were mixed:
- “They don’t have to be armed to do bodily harm or even kill you,” one commenter said.
- “They do if you’re in a car … because why don’t you just jump the curb to get away,” another commenter countered. “How are unarmed men going to hurt you if the doors are locked?”
- “FAFO,” another user bluntly noted before later adding, “Looks like the 2 attackers had road rage. Is he not supposed to defend himself? Whatever it takes.”
- “IDK … call me crazy, but if I felt my life was in danger, I would not park my car and get out of it … would you?” another commenter wondered. “Self-defense doesn’t work here. He was trigger happy and probably had road rage.”
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Elderly NYC man fatally shoots career criminal who allegedly lunged at him — and gets prison sentence for infuriating reason
An elderly New York City man has been sentenced to prison after he fatally shot a career criminal who allegedly lunged at him in 2023 — and for a reason many will find infuriating.
Charles Foehner, 67, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of criminal weapons possession in a deal to end his case more than two years after he fatally shot would-be thief Cody Gonzalez, who charged at him near his Kew Gardens home in Queens, the New York Post reported.
‘If we respected people’s constitutional right and provided practical means for citizens to exercise that right, Mr. Foehner would not be in the position he is in today.’
More specifically, Foehner will spend four years in prison after admitting to carrying an unlicensed revolver, the paper said, adding that Foehner’s attorney blasted the city’s “draconian” gun laws.
The Post said the Queens District Attorney’s Office decided not to prosecute Foehner — a retired doorman — for Gonzalez’s killing after he told police that he defended himself from a mugger who lunged at him late at night holding what looked like a knife, except it was a pen.
More from the paper:
But prosecutors slapped Foehner with a slew of weapons raps for the unlicensed handgun and for an arsenal of illicit handguns, revolvers and rifles inside his home in the quiet neighborhood.
Foehner took the plea deal to avoid a trial, where he faced 25 years in prison on gun charges that are not hard to prove, said his attorney Thomas Kenniff after Thursday’s hearing in Queens Supreme Court.
Kenniff called Foehner a “hero” who was put in an “impossible position” by what he called “draconian” Big Apple gun laws that make it difficult for “law-abiding citizens” to obtain permits to carry firearms.
“If this was a state and a city that had its affairs in order, Mr. Foehner would be getting a plaque, not a prison sentence,” Kenniff told reporters on the courthouse steps, the Post said.
Foehner’s attorney added that lawmakers in New York City and the state capital have “repeatedly frustrated the rights of law-abiding Americans, New Yorkers, that possess firearms,” the paper reported.
The Post said attorney Kenniff is known for successfully defending Marine veteran Daniel Penny from charges of fatally choking a homeless man who threatened New York City subway passengers in May 2023.
“If we respected people’s constitutional right and provided practical means for citizens to exercise that right, Mr. Foehner would not be in the position he is in today,” Kenniff also said, according to the paper.
Following his arrest on the heels of the 2 a.m. fatal shooting in a driveway near his home at 82nd Avenue and Queens Boulevard, Foehner told police he had been carrying the gun in question to protect himself from crime in New York City, the Post noted.
More from the paper:
Security footage showed the alleged robber Gonzalez — who had at least 15 arrests dating back to 2004 and a record of mental illness — continuing to charge at Foehner even after the senior pulled his gun.
Foehner took the deal Thursday with the understanding that he’d be sentenced to four years in prison at his sentencing date Jan. 14, his lawyer said.
Until then, he’ll remain “at liberty” and will be able to celebrate Christmas with his wife, Judge Toni Cimino ruled — over objections from the Queens DA’s Office, which had pushed for him to spend the holidays at Rikers Island.
“While we very much respect DA Melinda Katz and the fine prosecutors she assigned to this case, we were disappointed that the DA’s Office sought to have Charlie remanded before sentencing,” Kenniff noted Thursday, according to the Post. “We are grateful that Judge Toni Cimino agreed to let Charlie rejoice with his wife in the light of this Christmas season before he begins his sentence.”
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Gun-wielding homeowner wastes no time after he says burglar kicked in his door at midnight, ran toward him when told to stop
A North Carolina homeowner told WRAL-TV he was in his bathroom getting ready for bed around midnight Wednesday when he heard someone kick in the door of his home in southeast Raleigh.
The homeowner told the station that when he got to the living room, the intruder was standing there.
‘If somebody breaks in your home, you have to protect yourself.’
“I had my gun, and I was telling him to get down! Get down! Or get out! Then he just ran to me,” the homeowner, who didn’t want to be identified, told WRAL.
With that, the homeowner fired shots, the station said.
When Raleigh police arrived at the scene on Rose Lane, they found 26-year-old Christian Beasley with a gunshot wound, WRAL reported.
Police told the station that Beasley was taken to a trauma center and was stable — and that after he’s released from the trauma center, he’ll be processed on charges of first-degree burglary and damage to property.
RELATED: Gun-wielding male kicks down door of home, opens fire at homeowner. But his target is armed too.
The homeowners told WRAL that they had no choice but to defend themselves and their home.
“If somebody breaks in your home, you have to protect yourself,” the homeowner’s wife added to the station. “And that’s what he did. He had to protect us. We did not know what he was going to do.”
Police told WRAL the homeowner will not face charges at this time but that the incident is under investigation. The station added that forensics investigators gathered evidence at the front door and inside the house.
WRAL said its Breaking News Tracker captured video of people coming out of the house, adding that they got in the back of police cruisers but did not appear to be under arrest.
Commenters on WRAL’s Facebook post about the shooting seemed completely on the homeowner’s side:
- “Lookie there … the burglar found the consequences of his actions,” one commenter said.
- “The homeowner deserves a medal!” another user declared. “Every home should be protected like this!”
- “I’d done the same thing,” another commenter wrote. “Let someone try and break into my house.”
- “It’s about time these criminals got it,” another user stated.
- “Sorry to hear he was taken to a trauma center, should have been taken to a morgue,” another commenter said.
- “America’s fighting back!!!” another user exclaimed.
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Armed carjackers meet their match as gun-toting victim turns the tables, shoots the crooks — among them a 14-year-old male
A crew of carjackers most definitely picked the wrong guy to steal from in Seattle over the weekend.
Officers around 3:30 a.m. Sunday responded to a shooting in the 2200 block of 1st Avenue, police said.
‘Stories like this just warm my heart. I love a happy ending.’
Officers found a suspect suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and detained him, police said, adding that they also detained the victim — a licensed gun owner — for questioning and recovered the firearm.
Firefighters responded with police and provided medical aid to the suspect, police said, adding that medics transported him to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition. Police said the suspect was under armed guard by officers.
Police determined that the victim parked his sports car along 1st Avenue when the driver of a white sedan approached him.
Image source: Seattle Police
Four individuals wearing face masks were in the vehicle, police said, adding that after a short conversation, two males armed with guns tried to steal the victim’s car.
Fearing for his safety, the victim fired multiple rounds, striking one of the suspects, police said.
The remaining suspects fled the area in the sedan before police arrived.
While they were investigating, police said the driver of a white sedan dropped off a second suspect at Harborview Medical Center. The second suspect also had been shot, was in serious condition, and was under armed guard, police said.
The driver of the sedan fled before officers arrived, police said.
One of the wounded suspects is a 14-year-old male, while the other is a 20-year-old male, KING-TV reported, citing police.
Both wounded suspects will be booked into custody when they are released from the hospital, the station noted.
Officers and robbery detectives processed the scene, collected evidence, and spoke to witnesses, police said, adding that officers took the victim to Seattle Police headquarters, where detectives interviewed him; he was then released. KING said the victim is 24 years old.
Police said the case is an open and active investigation assigned to the Robbery Unit.
More than 3,000 comments have flooded KING’s Facebook post about the shooting, and as you might expect, folks seem quite happy about the outcome. The following are a few of their reactions.
- “Not every hero wears a cape,” one commenter said.
- “The vehicle owner doing the Lord’s work,” another user noted.
- “Awesome story,” another commenter wrote before adding “buy that man a beer.”
- “Stories like this just warm my heart,” another user gushed. “I love a happy ending.”
- “FAFO! Whahahaha! I love it!!!” another user exclaimed.
- “When you allow your streets to become the Wild West, sometimes you run into Wyatt Earp,” another commenter observed.
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Thug forces his way into apartment, attacks elderly resident. But armed neighbor rushes over and permanently ends threat.
Police in Medford, Oregon, said officers responded to a report of a shooting at 18 Hawthorne Street just after 3:30 a.m. Sunday.
The investigation revealed that a neighbor heard and observed a loud commotion outside his apartment, police said.
‘Good job neighbor. That’s what it’s about!!’
Through his window, he saw an unknown male attempting to force entry into the front door of a nearby apartment, which he knew was occupied by an elderly resident, police said.
The neighbor grabbed his handgun and rushed over to assist, police said, adding that once he was in the unit, the neighbor saw the suspect assaulting the elderly resident.
During the confrontation, the neighbor shot the suspect, and the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, police said, adding that multiple rounds were fired.
The deceased individual has been identified as 32-year-old Martin Uriel Jimenez of Medford, police said.
The neighbor who fired the shots was detained and is cooperating with investigators, police said.
While no arrests have been made, police noted that detectives are continuing to investigate.
Police added that “as is standard protocol in all investigations where deadly force was used and resulted in death, the case will be presented to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office for review.”
Image source: Medford (Ore.) Police
It appears that many commenters under the police department’s Facebook post about the shooting are squarely behind the neighbor who rushed over to help. The following are but a few of them:
- “I own the property where this occurred,” one commenter stated. “I know all the tenants well. They are all clean, gainfully employed, good citizens. The intruder was unknown to any of them. The intruder was violent, deranged, no pants on, kicked in an apartment door at 3:30am and attacked the tenant inside as he was calling 911. The younger man in the neighboring apartment heard the commotion and came to the aid of his neighbor resident to find the intruder beating the older gentleman/tenant and causing injuries. When the younger neighbor intervened, the random, pants-less, 6’2”, 280# intruder charged at him and was shot by the neighbor in an act of self defense. 100% justified.”
- “That hero better not get charged!” another user declared. “I hope my neighbor would do the same.”
- “The intruder received justice,” another commenter wrote. “I hope the neighbor is cleared as it should be.”
- “Sounds like the neighbor saved the resident, don’t charge that man for anything,” another user said.
- “Good guy with a gun for the win!” another commenter exclaimed.
- “Good job neighbor,” another user said. “That’s what it’s about!!”
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