Reason to Carry: Kidnapping attempt at Galleria Mall

18 year-old Toyanell Kuykendall was arrested after he threatened a woman and attempted to kidnap her at knifepoint. The suspect approached an 18 year-old woman at around 3PM in the parking lot of the Galleria Mall in Henderson. After a struggle, the woman escaped unharmed. A few hours later, the suspect was arrested ad booked into the Henderson city jail for assault with a deadly weapon and second-degree kidnapping.

Wisely, the victim did not comply with the threats and fought. Had she submitted to the suspect's demands, who knows what horrors she would have been subjected to. 

This another story in Nevada knews reminding us all why we should carry a gun.

2015 Legislature Bill Draft Requests

This Reno Gazette-Journal article presents a good synopsis of the bill draft requests (BDRs) pending in the legislature. Several good bills here. And the article is fairly presented. More coverage, analysis, and opinion from Nevada Carry will follow when the actual bill text are availible.

Bill Draft 45-561 Assemblyman John Ellison, R, Elko

Bow hunting

Would allow for carry of guns when bow hunting, currently prohibited by NAC 503.144(c).

Bill Draft 15-221 Senator Don Gustavson, R, Sparks

Constitutional carry

Would institute constitutional carry; i.e. no requirement for a concealed carry permit (ala our neighbor Arizona), as long as you would be legally able to own a gun. Exact details unknown without the full text of the bill, but probably similar requirements to open carry or along the lines of what's required to obtain a concealed weapon permit.

Bill Draft 15-522 and Bill Draft 15-97

Concealed carry permit reciprocity

Senator James Settelmeyer, R, Gardnerville and Assemblyman Jim Wheeler, R, Gardnerville want to do away with the arbitrary way the Nevada Sheriffs and Chiefs Association, legislatively appointed as the arbitrator, determines what states' concealed weapons permits are recognized here. Any state's valid permit would be recognized in Nevada.

Read a letter submitted to the senate in support of constitutional carry.

Bill Draft 15-97

Ending Clark County 'blue card' registry

Senator James Settelmeyer, R, Gardnerville

Would repeal the handgun registration requirement in Clark County, which is antiquated, expensive, and basically useless.

Bill Draft 15-817

Assemblywoman Shelly Shelton, R, Las Vegas

This bill would expand the Castle Doctrine, in that a homeowner who kills an intruder in his home would be presumed to have acted lawfully, rather than having the burden of proof upon the homeowner. This would take Nevada from basically "probably innocent unless proven guilty" to definetly "innocent until proven guilty" in the event of a home self-defense shooting.

Nevada's current justifiable homicide law is fairly strong as it stands, but the more legal protection for the law abiding, the better. 

AB 2 and Bill Draft 20-242

Campus carry

Assemblyman John Hambrick, R, Las Vegas and Assemblywoman Michele Fiore, R, Las Vegas

AB 2

Would allow for the carry of weapons on school campuses when in an occupied vehicle, an unoccupied locked vehicle, or in an unoccupied vehicle in a locked container--all when stored out of sight. Text of AB2 is availible.

Bill Draft 20-242

College carry?

Assemblywoman Fiore's bill content is unknown, but we can only hope it allows for carry of weapons on college/university campuses. Rapes, violence, school shootings; why wouldn't someone want to keep good guys from protecting themselves? 

Nevada Carry supports all of these bills.

Illustrated Guide to Gun Control

http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/2013/11/08/cake-and-compromise-illustrated-guide-to-gun-control/

Florida Man Legally Carrying Handgun Attacked by Vigilante

A Florida man was arrested and also placed on a mental health hold under Florida’s Baker Act after he attacked a man legally carrying a concealed weapon. The attack occurred at a Hillsborough, Florida, Wal-Mart. Michael Foster, 43, saw that 62-year old Clarence Daniels, shopping for coffee creamer, was carrying a concealed handgun. Foster apparently saw Daniels take his weapon from his vehicle and holster it under his clothing before entering the store.

Security camera footage shows Foster approach Daniels from behind, grab Daniels’ head, and knock Daniels to the ground. After a brief struggle, Foster subdues Daniels. Passersby assisted in restraining and disarming Daniels. During the struggles, Foster was yelling “He has a gun!”. Daniels replied “I have a permit! [to carry the weapon]. Someone also called 911. Later, the two parties were separated. Video footage is included in this source article.

On arrival, police quickly sorted out the situation and arrested Foster for battery. Though hisofficial arrest record no longer reflects it, he was subjected to the Baker Act’s 72 hour mental health hold. Foster was released from the Hillsborough County jail on 1/25/2015 on $500 bail.

Foster had no reason to attack Daniels. Nothing has be released regarding Foster's choice to attack a man who was doing nothing wrong. One could reasonably presume it was either because of race out of Foster's fear/hate of guns.

The other shoppers presumably became aware of the disturbance and saw two men grappling on the ground, one shouting that the other had a gun. It would be reasonable for someone who had no knowledge of why Foster attacked to assume that Daniels was the aggressor, and therefore not unreasonable, to disarm him. Having been subjected to an assault and then suffering the humiliation of being restrained and disarmed would be an infuriating thing for Daniels to undergo.

One has to wonder why someone, like Foster, who would be afraid (or concerned) of a man carrying a gun would assault a person with gun, especially when that person is behaving lawfully. In America, the presumption is innocent until proven guilty, and in place where concealed weapon permits are issued regularly, the presumption ought to be that there is no crime or ill-intent being committed—at least until proven otherwise.

Could racism been at work here? Foster, the aggressor, is white, while the victim, Daniels, is black. In fact, Florida’s concealed carry law was passed mostly as a way to prevent blacks from carrying weapons.

Shannon Watts, of one of hydra-headed Bloomberg supported groups, posted on Twitterapparently supporting the attack. Such anti-gun groups, through their supporters, are known foradvocating such attacks or false reporting to police, known as ‘SWATing’, to harass law abiding guns owners. Irrational fear of guns and vigilantism (the latter ironically what those who are anti-carry accuse gun owners to be) could be inspired by the vitriol, hatred, and outright shown by those  opposed to guns and concealed/open carry. Perhaps this attitude of fear and distain lead to the killing of West Point graduate and licensed concealed carrier Erik Scott in Las Vegas.

The fact remains that Foster was a hot-headed fool, who engaged in violence because of his own personal fears and beliefs without a shred of evidence that Daniels was engaged or about to commit any crime. The specter of racism raises its ugly head high in this case as well. The desire to protect oneself is righteous and the desire to deprive someone of that right is evil. And evil is always irrational.

All who carry guns, openly or concealed, should be very aware of their surroundings and maintain control over their weapon at all times. Daniels acquitted himself well during this frightening, embarrassing, and ultimately outrageous attack against his person and his natural and constitutional right. Thankfully, by arresting Michael Foster, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies got the right man and helped show what the anti-gun/anti-carry crowd is all about.

Fox 5 Behind the Badge Features 'The Right to Self-Defense'

Video from Fox 5 Las Vegas here. 'Behind the Badge' is their regular segment with LV Metro PD. Good to see this on local TV news instead of hype and stories that guns are bad.

Vegas Woman Shoots Stalker

An anonymous woman in Las Vegas defended herself against a stalker who broke into her apartment on September 26. “Police said the woman fired two shots at the man once he made entry into the unit, hitting him once in the chest.”http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/26635005/man-shot

This is her story and her picture, found on Imgur. I am posting it here, as I do not want such a harrowing, yet inspirational, story to disappear.  Original source: http://imgur.com/gallery/giExlcJ

I'm writing this staring at the mess the police left for me, in a bit of a fog.  After 6 months of stalking and threats against my life my stalker finally snapped and decided to kick my door in and make good on his promise. Out of fear, the past month I had begun sleeping with a chair propped against my front door, to give myself a few extra precious seconds in case of emergency. I shudder to think how differently things might've turned out had I  not barricaded the door. I awoke around 1:15 am to the sound of the door giving way after one kick followed by the sounds of my stalker struggling to dislodge the chair while forcing his way inside. I jumped up and grabbed the gun I've learned to do everything even shower with. I stood at the top of my stairs and fired twice. Hitting him in the chest, I hear his scream, his disbelief that I'd stood up for myself… 0 to 100 in milliseconds. I've never been so afraid in my life. I do not know if he is living, but I do know the police have him and that's what helps the most. For months of him evading the police I began to question whether he was unstoppable. Untraceable. Houdini, he would murder me and get away with it. As of now I'm in a haze of guilt, surprise, relief  and disbelief. I shook as the canines drag him out from his hiding place under a bush. I survived,where so many people do not. Holy shit, I survived.
The outpouring of support is WILD. I can’t thank you guys enough. Everyone can be a critic and the fact still remains, you don’t know what you will do in a situation until its presented in front of you. Those who believe there was other things to be done have never had someone tell you that you no longer deserve to draw breath and mean it. And for the should’ve fired a warning shot folks: There are no warning shots, a gun is a deadly force, you only pull that trigger if you are in fear for your life and all other methods of deterring are gone. When he kicked my door in, there was no longer a deterrent preventing harm. Warning shots are dangerous and could hurt the unintended. This is not a wild west movie. That's what responsible gun ownership is. I’ll update once things have calmed down a bit I promise. I’ll write back to everyone and after being isolated for so long,  anyone who wants to be friends, I am always accepting those. A few people have asked so I finally created one, anything that is donated will help and be seriously appreciated.

Support her campaign to recover the money she lost here: http://www.gofundme.com/Stalked

This woman is a survivor. She did what the media and the elitist anti-gun crowd told her not to do. Only by owning and using a gun did she avoid being a victim. The anti-gun folks rail about how making guns harder to obtain and carry will supposedly protect women from violent men, but they ignore stories like this.

Crimes like these are why Nevada’s system of open carry, shall issue concealed weapons permits, and yes, even face-to-face sales without background checks, are necessary to ensure that women can fight back against violent men who may be stronger than they.

Still disagree? Tell me how soon the police would have arrived and if calling 911 would have made a difference. A restraining order? Bug spray? 

Update 10/18/2014: More of her story, in her own words, on Reddit. Note the extreme and determined lengths the stalker went to find and contact her. If you are involved in a situation like this, it is recommended you have NO social media presence at all. 

Update 01/12/2014: This commendable woman is doing well and has become a certified range safety officer with the goal of teaching others how to protect themselves. Article here. She is still affected by things one might describe as PTSD, which one could consider only natural after enduring such stress, trauma, and having to use deadly force (though not in this case) to protect her life. Notice the determination and resolve in her words. This is the woman that Shannon Watts does not care about. The anti-gun crowd would rather have seen this woman dead and/or raped, than her have the ability to defend herself. This is what hand gun ownership is all about.

I will quote the young woman here, as it seems her Reddit post, the source, was deleted.

I thought I’d update my fellow redditors. The past few months have been a roller coaster for me. Since my last update, I’ve moved and started a new job I cherish and made amazing new friends. I now work in a firearm range that doubles as education hub for shooters of all experience levels and recently gained my cert. to become an NRA Range Safety officer.
I can’t even begin to describe how working in this environment has helped me. I get to be around like minded individuals AND help broaden people’s knowledge and understanding of firearms and safe handling while expanding my own. I’ve learned so much from the people that I work with and their positivity and support is what’s been the most helpful.
If I told you that what happened to me no longer affects me I would be dishonest. It does and it does so everyday. I still jump when I hear doorbells or someone knocking. No matter how much I try to shake it, it won’t leave. I have nightmares, more often than I’d like and become anxious when I’m home alone. I am more aware of my immediate surroundings, but I trust less and my small town mindset and naïveté has pretty much vanished. Even certain movies I used to like, I can no longer enjoy because of the subject matter.
A piece of me is forever hollowed by my experience but that part is slowly becoming overshadowed by the part of me that’s helping others to feel more confidently and assertive about not having to become someone’s victim themselves.
After multiple court resets and subpoenas the man who was stalking me made a deal and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb.11. Initially, I didn’t want to speak at his sentencing, I just wanted to close this hideous chapter and get on with my life but now I feel like I need to.
I need the court to understand the severity of what this person did to me, I still fear the justice system falling under his spell and giving him leniency because he was shot. I need them to understand what it may feel like to have someone hunt you down and toy with you like their prey. Or how you can become accustomed to lodging a chair against your door routinely the same way you brush your teeth before bed. I need them to know that I am a real person and not just a name read off of a piece of paper.
I feel as though I am ready now to look him in the eye and have him swallow the fact that I am the one who put him there. No one saved me, but me. I am alive, I am here despite many threats against my life, and almost giving up myself. I laugh and smile everyday because I know there are others in similar situations who won’t have the chance to. I am so much stronger now because of it. Today, I am happy to report, life is good. So yeah, Ask me anything.