Training and Firearms: How much have you spent this year?

Smoke Shop Robbery Foiled In Norwalk, California, a smoke shop owner was confronted by four armed men attempting to rob his store. When the owner resisted, one of the robber's pepper-sprayed him. The shop’s co-owner then came to his business partner’s aid, drawing his firearm and shooting one of the robbers in the chest. The criminals fled the scene, but the wounded robber collapsed in a nearby alley. Police transported him to a local hospital, where he later died. In Review Every state has different laws regarding self-defense, but here is my analysis of this case: Legal: In California, deadly force is justified when a person reasonably believes he or she is in danger of death or great bodily harm and the threat is apparent, present and immediate, requiring an instant response. The threat was apparent in the form of four armed men and became immediate when one of them pepper-sprayed the smoke shop’s owner. The store’s co-owner responded immediately to defend his business partner. As of the time of writing, no charges have been filed. Tactical: It’s likely the defender had some form of self-defense training. He demonstrated tactical patience by waiting until his business partner was pepper-sprayed and the robbers were distracted before drawing his handgun and opening fire. He also refrained from pursuing the criminals as they fled the store, again indicating that he was likely trained in appropriate defensive response. Training: It’s hard to argue against the tactics the co-owner employed. He exercised tactical patience by not drawing immediately in the face of a gun already pointed at him. How can business owners prepare for potential robberies? What are the key considerations when deciding to use lethal force in defense of property? Please let me know.

Dozens of congressional Democrats vow to boycott popular D.C. restaurants Dozens of House and Senate Democrats have signed a pledge to boycott some of Washington, D.C.'s hottest restaurants over labor disputes, Axios has learned. Why it matters: The list includes Le Diplomate and posh downtown venues that are popular spots for Democratic fundraisers, giving lawmakers a rare opportunity to throw around some serious weight on behalf of a union. • Former President Obama and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos made headlines when they dined at Osteria Mozza in January. • Then-President Biden was a repeat customer at Le Diplomate during his presidency. State of play: Unite Here Local 25 says the boycott is necessary because "workers have endured months of union busting." Both restaurant groups deny those claims and accuse the union of being heavy handed. • Unite Here is continuing its organizing at all six establishments, though there are currently no unionization elections scheduled. • "Workers are calling for D.C. customers to boycott these restaurants, asking the public not to eat, meet or drink at these locations," says a copy of the pledge provided to Axios. Among the signers are some of Democrats' top fundraisers and biggest names, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). • Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are also on the list. • It isn't just progressives or safe-district Democrats either: Landsman and Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) both signed on despite being moderates in competitive seats, as did Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) What they're saying: "With these restaurants that are frequented so much by members of Congress, our boycott of fundraisers and visiting could have a real impact — could really help these workers," said Casar. • He added: "This is our opportunity when we're here in Washington, D.C. to not just go vote in the Capitol but actually go out in the community and make a difference." • Landsman said his advice to the restaurants is to "avoid the negative publicity, and sit down with them." • "We can say that all members on the list are personally boycotting," Benjy Cannon, a spokesperson for the union, told Axios in a message. "Many of them have been meeting personally with STARR and Knightsbridge workers all year." The other side: "Local 25's call for a boycott is baseless," Starr restaurants said in a statement. "A boycott of any kind can result in lost hours, wages, and tips that hardworking employees rely upon." • "It is unfortunate that an organization that claims to want to represent employees would call for an action that would harm them." • "We respect our employees wishes," Bajaj said. "How many of these congress members even know themselves that they're signing?" Zoom out: Starr's restaurant group has accused Unite Here Local 25 of overly aggressive tactics. • That includes union reps showing up with petitions outside employees' homes, leading one bartender to sign it even though she planned to vote against a union, as Eater reported in February. • Francisco López, a Le Diplomate server of five years, told Axios some employees are holding counter protests to the union. • Bajaj told Axios there haven't been picket lines outside Rasika or his other restaurants in four months.

Citi updating policies to prevent debanking over firearms, political views From Our Friends at FOX NEWS Says Gregg Kielma, without President Trump in office, banks will continue to discriminate against me and my business. Shame on all banks for hurting me, conservatives and leagal firearm owners. I'm pissed and I'm tired of the democrat's narrative, it's going to change today! Bank commits to nondiscrimination on political affiliation amid concerns over debanking conservatives and firearms industry clients National Committee for Religious Freedom Chair Sam Brownback says he is ‘pleased’ to see the positive step towards ensuring fiscal freedom on ‘The Bottom Line.’ Citi announced Tuesday that it will update its policies to ensure clients can access the firm's financial services despite their political views or involvement in the firearms industry. The bank's decision comes following actions by the Trump administration to counter alleged "debanking" of conservatives, crypto firms and other businesses such as firearms dealers who have lost access to financial services because of their views or their connection to disfavored industries. "Citi has always been fully committed to treating all current and potential clients fairly and we have policies, procedures and controls in place for this express purpose," Edward Skyler, head of enterprise services and public affairs at Citi, wrote in a post. "At the same time, we appreciate the concerns that are being raised regarding 'fair access' to banking services, and we are following regulatory developments, recent Executive Orders and federal legislation that impact this area." "In light of those developments, we took an objective look at our policies and practices with the intent of striking the right balance between our commitment to fair and unbiased access to our products while continuing to manage all risks to the bank appropriately," he explained. "We will update our employee Code of Conduct and our customer-facing Global Financial Access Policy to clearly state that we do not discriminate on the basis of political affiliation in the same way we are clear that we do not discriminate on the basis of other traits such as race and religion," Citi said. "This will codify what we’ve long practiced, and we will continue to conduct trainings to ensure compliance." Citi's announcement also addressed its previous policy on firearms, which it explained was a means of ensuring retailers follow best practices in terms of selling guns. "We also will no longer have a specific policy as it relates to firearms. Our U.S. Commercial Firearms Policy was implemented in 2018 and pertained to the sale of firearms by our retail clients and partners," Citi said. "The policy was intended to promote the adoption of best sales practices as prudent risk management and didn’t address the manufacturing of firearms," Skyler wrote. "Many retailers have been following these best practices, and we hope communities and lawmakers will continue to seek out ways to prevent the tragic consequences of gun violence." Congress is weighing legislation that would prevent financial institutions from debanking clients over purported "reputational risk" from disfavored industries. Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, R-S.C., introduced the Financial Integrity and Regulation Management (FIRM) Act in March. The bill would eliminate references to reputational risk as a measure used by regulators to determine the safety and soundness of a financial institution.

Gun Storage Week – A Reminder to Properly Secure Your Firearms By Jacob Paulsen June 1-7 has been designated “Gun Storage Check Week” by NSSF, The Firearm Industry Trade Association. With that in mind, I want to look at the prevalence of current laws that regulate the storage of a firearm, a different take on why we should secure our firearms, and how you can support this new initiative if you feel so inclined. 27 States Have Laws Requiring The Storage of Firearms Or Penalties if A Child Accesses a Gun As of this writing, 27 states have laws that require firearms to be securely stored at least some of the time or that provide for legal consequences if a minor accesses an unsecured firearm. My state of Colorado just revised and reinforced our storage law by extending it to a vehicle. While the exact legislation varies from state to state the rough idea is to require the gun to be secure when a child may or is likely to access the firearm. A handful of states like Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Oregon go so far as to require the firearm to be securely stored anytime the gun isn't in the owner's immediate control. I think it is likely that we'll see these kinds of laws continue to spread across the nation. I Do Not Support The Regulation But I Do Observe The Problem I think that broadly speaking, these laws are unhelpful and do very little to reduce violence and risk. These laws introduce the ability for law enforcement to intrude into one's abode and press criminal charges based on one's own decisions about the best way to stage and or store a firearm. My experience is that responsible gun owners already secure their firearms when they aren't in use or have a good reason not to. Also, I think irresponsible gun owners don't care about the laws that tell them they need to lock it up. This Isn't Just About Kids I like to remind gun owners that the question of secure storage is not solely about children. While certainly, the presence of children should be a serious consideration for one's firearm storage policies, it isn't the only consideration. Theft has to be considered. The primary means of illegally obtaining a firearm is to steal it and guns are at the top of the list of things they are looking for when they invade a home or vehicle for financial gain. Additionally, consider that more than 1/2 of all firearm-related deaths in America are suicides; and firearms are the number 1 most common method of successful suicides. It might be you, but it could be someone else in your social circle or the social circle of a family member. Additionally, there is the real possibility that one might access a gun in a semi-asleep state. It sounds weird but I've seen several incidents in the last few years of people accessing their firearm and shooting themselves or a loved one because they weren't awake enough to fully understand the situation. Leaving a loaded gun on a nightstand for access during the night can have horrible consequences. As a Community, We Need to Do A Better Job Ultimately, if we don't want to be regulated into submission, we need to police ourselves into responsible gun ownership. Talk to members of your family and close friends and ask their thoughts about securing their firearms. Inviting dialogue and expressing our opinions with people within our close circle of acquaintances can be a good way to educate and inform more people. For those of you who are firearm instructors and trainers, consider if your basic firearm class curriculum contains quality instruction about the importance of and best methods of securing firearms.

Kavanaugh, Coney Barrett Defect: Allow Whole Class of Guns to Be Banned in Multiple States Story by Randy DeSoto Kavanaugh, Coney Barrett Defect: Allow Whole Class of Guns to Be Banned in Multiple States The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear a case regarding a Maryland law banning AR-15 rifle ownership, meaning a lower court's ruling upholding the prohibition stands. Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch all would have granted the petition to hear the Snope v. Brown case, but once again, Chief Justice John Roberts, along with Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh, joined with the liberals to deny certiorari. Kavanaugh, who has been a more reliable conservative vote than Roberts or Barrett, explained in a statement regarding his decision, “Although the Court today denies certiorari, a denial of certiorari does not mean that the Court agrees with a lower-court decision or that the issue is not worthy of review.” “Additional petitions for certiorari will likely be before this Court shortly and, in my view, this Court should and presumably will address the AR-15 issue soon, in the next Term or two,” he added. But still, it was an odd position to take, with Kavanaugh even pointing out that in the 2008 District of Columbia v. Heller case, the high court ruled that "the Second Amendment protects those weapons that are in 'common use' by law-abiding citizens." Further, he wrote, "Americans today possess an estimated 20 to 30 million AR–15s. And AR–15s are legal in 41 of the 50 States, meaning that the States such as Maryland that prohibit AR–15s are something of an outlier." The Washington Times reported that "Maryland, Washington, California, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Delaware have assault weapon bans that cover AR-15s." In his dissenting opinion, Justice Thomas refuted the Kavanaugh position of waiting for the next case. Thomas pointed out that if the Supreme Court leaves the issue of the legality of AR-15 ownership open, the federal government could step in with a regulation labeling it a machine gun and therefore banning the firearm nationwide. AR-15s require shooters to pull the trigger each time they want to fire, but modifications like bump stocks can be added to make the gun, in effect, fire much like an automatic weapon, according to the Times. “I would not wait to decide whether the government can ban the most popular rifle in America,” Thomas wrote. “We have avoided deciding it for a full decade.” Adam Kraut -- executive director of the Second Amendment Foundation, which challenged the Maryland law -- responded to the Supreme Court decision to deny review of their case, posting on X, "It is an egregious error that the Court continues to sidestep addressing an important issue that requires its intervention." “Millions of Americans continue to be disenfranchised from exercising their complete Second Amendment rights by virtue of these categorical bans,” he added. Why conservatives like Kavanaugh, Roberts, and Barrett will not uphold a central constitutional right is a mystery and undermines our republican form of government.

Former Key West Firefighter Charged with Possession of a Destructive Device and a Short-Barreled Rifle Friday, May 30, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida MIAMI – A former Key West firefighter made his initial appearance in federal court today to face an indictment charging him with the possession of a destructive device and possession of a short-barreled rifle. According to the indictment, on March 14, Vincent Michael Vega, 38, was in possession of a combination of parts used in converting a device into a destructive device, i.e. an explosive bomb or similar device. Vega was also in possession of a modified semi-automatic rifle, which had a barrel of less than 16 inches. The firearms were not registered to Vega in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon Mallory of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement. ATF Miami is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hannah is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-10023. Contact Public Affairs Unit U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of Florida USAFLS.News@usdoj.gov Updated May 30, 2025

Former Gastonia Police Officer Charged With Straw Purchasing A Firearm Appears In Federal Court After Arrest Friday, May 30, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of North Carolina CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Charlotte charging Xana Dayanae Dove, a former Gastonia police officer, with straw purchasing a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Dove, 28, of Charlotte, was arrested on Thursday, and was released on bond following her initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler. James C. Barnacle, Jr., Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to allegations in the indictment, on May 25, 2023, Dove knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement to Shooters Express, a licensed firearms dealer in Belmont, North Carolina, in connection with the acquisition of a Springfield Hellcat Pro, 9mm pistol. The indictment alleges that Dove falsely stated on ATF’s Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 that she was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm when the defendant knew this statement was false and fictitious. Dove is charged with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm and causing a false report during a firearm purchase. If convicted, Dove faces a combined maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI and ATF for their work on the investigation, and thanked Homeland Security Investigations, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction’s Community Supervision, and the Gastonia Police Department for their assistance with Dove’s apprehension. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. Updated May 30, 2025

Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking Tuesday, May 27, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia Mexican National Purchased More Than 150 Firearms to Be Smuggled from the United States to Mexico ATLANTA – Edson Aregullin has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for unlawfully purchasing firearms for transport from Georgia to Mexico. “Illegal firearms trafficking wreaks havoc in communities within and outside our district,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We are proud to stand alongside our federal law enforcement partners in helping to stem the unlawful flow of firearms to criminals.” “Every illegal firearm that crosses our border becomes a weapon of destruction in the wrong hands,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “ATF is committed to shutting down these criminal pipelines with precision and force. Our communities – here and abroad – deserve nothing less.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Edson Aregullin conspired with several individuals in Mexico to purchase more than 150 firearms from various firearms dealers in the Northern District of Georgia. Those firearms included 9mm pistols and AR-style rifles. Aregullin’s contacts in Mexico sent him detailed instructions concerning the makes and models of the firearms to buy. Aregullin bought the firearms with funds received from the actual buyer in Mexico and then facilitated transportation of the weapons to Mexico. The guns Areguillin purchased illegally were used to commit violent crimes. For example, on April 21, 2022, Aregullin bought a .223 caliber rifle that law enforcement officers in Guanajuato, Mexico recovered just a few months later after a deadly encounter between municipal police and armed combatants. During the ensuing melee, eight people were killed, and four were injured. On May 22, 2025, United States District Judge Steven D. Grimberg sentenced Edson Aregullin, 47, a Mexican national previously residing in Atlanta, Georgia, to 71 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On November 19, 2024, Aregullin pled guilty to Conspiracy to Traffic in Firearms, three counts of Trafficking in Firearms, and three counts of False Statements to a Federal Firearms Licensee. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Gabay-Smith prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. Updated May 27, 2025

Convicted Felon Indicted For Possession Of A Machinegun Tuesday, May 27, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Edward Anderson (44, Bradenton) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a machinegun. If convicted, Anderson faces up to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and up to 10 years in federal prison for the machinegun offense. According to the indictment, Anderson was previously convicted of nine felonies, including two prior firearms offenses. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Beginning on an unknown date and continuing through July 30, 2024, Anderson possessed a Glock pistol that had been modified with a replacement slide cover plate, making the handgun capable of firing as a fully automatic weapon. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Updated May 27, 2025