BELLEVUE, WA – The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today noted that a church shooting this week in Texas will be difficult for anti-gunners to exploit, because it involved an armed pastor who stopped an electronics thief in the act.

“I’ve read various published reports of the Tuesday morning incident in Baytown, Texas, and all of them clearly note that Pastor Benny Holmes will likely not face charges,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gotttlieb. “It’s not every day we hear stories about a member of the clergy rendering unto a thief what he’s got coming to him.”

Published reports say Holmes confronted a man identified as Lee Marvin Blue, who forced his way into the Church of New Beginnings. Unfortunately for Blue, Pastor Holmes was asleep inside, was aroused by the noise, grabbed his pistol and went to investigate. He reportedly found Blue carrying a box filled with electronics taken from the church, the AP noted. When the suspect made a quick furtive gesture, Holmes shot him. Read more

BELLEVUE, WA – Four Second Amendment organizations, including the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, announced today they are offering a $4,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for the slaying of Donnie Chin, a respected activist in Seattle’s International District, and also a devoted firearms enthusiast and collector.

CCRKBA has pooled resources with the Washington Arms Collectors (WAC), of which Chin was a longtime member, Second Amendment Foundation and Protect Our Gun Rights (POGR), a gun rights umbrella group.

Chin was fatally shot early on the morning of July 23 while patrolling the Chinatown International District. He was the founder of the International District Emergency Center (IDEC) when he was a young teen. He was also an active WAC member and table holder at the group’s monthly gun shows at the Puyallup Fairgrounds. Read more

A man with a gun in each hand fired at four people – including a 1-year-old boy – before a law-abiding civilian with a concealed carry permit returned fire and wounded the shooter.  Details here…

“I can only hope that another woman or even man will take a look and realize there’s a reason to have guns for safety,” said homeowner, Susan Gonzalez of Florida.  When two masked men invaded her home, a pistol saved her life.  Details here…

Lynne Russell and her husband, Chuck de Caro were smart enough to carry a concealed pistol and are alive because of it.  Details of the life they took to save their own are here…