The murder rate in Indianapolis is decreasing, thanks to Indiana becoming a Constitutional Carry state.   I realize this isn't a scientific study that proves that good guys carrying guns lowers the violent crime rate but many studies have been done over the years.  The murder stats just prove common sense:

• Bad guys don't like to attack people who can protect themselves. 
  
• When bad guys get shot, some of them won't be able to continue in their criminal ways.  

I visited Charlotte, NC recently to see a Carolina Panthers game.  As we were walking to the stadium, I saw the image above etched on the sidewalk.  I love the idea of feeling safe walking around the city.  However, I don't think declaring somewhere a "Violence Free Zone" will actually make it true.  If so, why isn't everywhere a violence free zone?

Check out the video in this article of a man in South Florida pulling a gun in a road rage incident.  We don't know exactly what precipitated his actions, but the minute Mr. Slane gets out of his car with his gun in-hand, he's escalating the situation and no longer able to claim a shooting was in self-defense.  It appears that Mr. Slane didn't know how close he was to getting shot.  You can hear the man in the truck ask his wife, "Should I shoot him?"  Thankfully, the man in the truck kept his cool and no one got shot.   

This is another good video for us all to watch and think about how we would handle it if it happened to us.  I like that the man in the truck had his gun in his hand and kept it out of sight.  This definitely helped to de-escalate the situation.  Your handgun should be your last option.  Don't start shooting until you have no other choice.

Many people keep a gun to protect themselves and their family at home.  If you're in this group, you should read about Kevin Monahan who shot and killed a woman who was a passenger in a car that mistakenly drove up his driveway.   

According to the article, Mr. Monahan and his wife were awakened by the sound of vehicles in his driveway.  He told his wife to hide inside and went outside with a pump action 20 gauge shotgun.  First, he fires a warning shot into the air.  Then, after losing his balance, shoots a shot into the car that killed Kaylin Gillis.  

There are many indicators to me that Mr. Monahan was not trained in self-defense because he did a lot of things wrong:

1. If he thought he was under siege he should not have gone outside.  He lost most of his defensive capability by going outside.  If three cars of people are trying to attack you, you should barricade yourself inside your house and create an advantage with cover and concealment.  Also, call 911!
2. He said he only wanted to protect his wife.  She was safe inside.  A self-defense shooting is only legally justified if there is an imminent threat of death or grievous bodily injury.  Nothing in the article suggested Mr. Monahan should have felt that level of threat.  Also remember, you should not shoot to protect property. 
3. He fired a warning shot.   No, no, no, no.  Seriously, don't do it.
4. If he really did accidentally shoot the shot that killed Ms. Gillis (its clear the judge didn't believe him), then Mr. Monahan was not applying the rules of safe gun handling.  The only way a gun fires is if you pull the trigger.  This can happen accidentally if you rest your finger on the trigger instead of following the second rule of the NRA's rules for safe gun handling:  ALWAYS keep your finger off of the trigger until ready to shoot.

I want to encourage everyone who keeps a gun for self-protection to spend time learning about scenarios you might be put in and thinking about how you would handle them.  Getting some hands-on live fire training is also important.

I recently wrote about the horrific Hamas attack on civilians in Israel and the lack of private gun ownership.  Thankfully, not everyone in Israel was unarmed or the death toll would have been much higher.  For those of you who would say that private citizens cannot stand against terrorists or military-grade weapons, please watch this  incredible account of a man who protected his family against more than 10 terrorists on October 7th armed only with a handgun.

This is a case study in home defense.  Miki kept his cool during the battle and ambushed the attackers as they entered his house.  He also never surrendered, even though Hamas used unimaginable psychologic techniques to try to get him to. 

The 2nd Amendment guarantees the right of Americans to own guns for self-defense and to help ensure an attack like that never happens here.  Let's be ready.

I'm following the horrific news of the terrorist attacks on Israel and murder of innocent citizens.   It is no surprise that many in Israel are calling for expanded gun ownership by private civilians.  This is very similar to what happened after Russia invaded Ukraine last year.  

According to the article:
"In Israel, the usual personal weapon allowed are pistols with a limit of 50 rounds of ammunition. To qualify, one must be of a certain age, depending on IDF service, live or work in an area that demands extra security, not have a criminal record, and pass a training course and background check, among other things."

The requirements are so strict only 1.5% of the population has a gun.  “Who has a gun? The terrorists, and all the criminals. Who doesn’t? Law-abiding tax-payers. The government trusts criminals with guns more than their own civilians,” Yoel Israel, CEO of a digital marketing agency, told The Times of Israel. 

French gun control proven failed during the recent riots.

Watch these videos and be outraged.  ​ Criminals parading down the streets of France with illegal guns while law abiding citizens have no way to protect themselves.   There are many examples from all over the world proving that criminals will have guns, even if they are outlawed.  Last year, I wrote about a school shooting in Russia.  

America has the 2nd Amendment to guarantee our right to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

Here's a great article on Winsome Sears' appearance on the Bill Mahr show.  She is a strong pro-gun advocate and I love her comments in this article about women and guns.

What makes no sense, of course, is Mahr's comments:  "I mean, I do not like guns. I have guns. I do not like them. I always compare them to antibiotics. I never want to take one, but I’m glad they exist because I’m as small as some women," Maher joked.

Hopefully he's joking.  A gun is not very likely to do him any good if he doesn't like them and doesn't want to use them.  It sounds like he's hoping he can somehow rise to the occasion when his life is on the line.   Mahr isn't the only one though, I know several people who own guns for self-protection but have never been trained how to safely use them and never practice with them.   

If you own guns, please don't be like them.  Get trained on safe gun handling, marksmanship and self-defense and then practice regularly.

Russia's strict gun-control policies didn't prevent an awful tragedy in Izhevsk last week where 15 were killed and 24 wounded in a school shooting.  The shooting took place at a school with first through eleventh grades.  11 of those killed and 22 of those injured were children.  The killer was a 34 year-old past student and he killed himself when his rampage was over.

According to the article, Russia has very strict gun control. "For example, handguns are banned from private ownership, as are automatic rifles and pistols. Certain rifles and shotguns may be owned, but private citizens must acquire a firearm license in order to own them."  

We aren't likely to get more details about what happened but it is clear that this guy was able to create a lot of carnage in a short time and likely not challenged by anyone who was armed.