Self-Defense

Joel Rosenberg's LiveJournal site has the best coverage of the ongoing story - or non-story - of the Minnesota Personal Protection Act, our celebrated concealed carry reform law. The law turned a year old in April.

I occasionally get an email asking - civilly or as a tart challenge - if I know of any defensive uses of handguns.

It's for sure you'll rarely hear about them in the Strib or the PiPress - but if you monitor Joel's site, the truth is out there.

Jim Ragsdale of the PiPress wrote a piece about the first-anniversary rallies that involved an interview with David Haagenson of Minnetonka, who foiled a carjacking earler in April:

Haagensen, attending one of two competing events Wednesday that commemorated the passage of the state's new gun law, said he foiled an attempted carjacking as he was on his way to work the late shift at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.

"I pointed it at his head, because he was trying to open my locked door, and he was pointing a gun at me,'' he said. "He ran away. I drove to work and called the cops.''

Minneapolis police confirmed that Haagensen reported the April 9 incident and that they are investigating.

Rosenberg adds:

What they didn't mention is that these particular cops treated him very unprofessionally, and that the MPD refuses to release the report to him. I think I feel an essay or two about cops coming on.)

And another one

Now, there's some conflict in the statements, but it comes down to this:

For whatever reason—Frank's take is that it was to get Bozo's attention, so he wouldn't end up running over Bozo—Frank honks his horn as he approaches, then goes on by. Frank stops at the red light. Bozo rides up, drops his bike in front of Frank's car, and walks up to the driver's side window, which Frank starts trying to roll up.

Bozo either "asked [Frank] what he was trying to do," or said, "What the fuck do you think you're doing, you fucking punk?" and grabs Frank.

No question that Bozo grabbed Frank: Bozo only admits to grabbing Frank; Frank says Bozo was trying to choke him.

Frank, who has a permit, tells Bozo that he's got a gun, and goes for it at the same time that he's trying to roll the window up.

Bozo backs up, and when the light turns green, Frank drives through the intersection, going over the bike as he does, getting far enough away so that he can keep an eye on Bozo, and sees him going into the PDQ store there, but not close enough to resume the confrontation.

Read the whole thing.

I'm seeing fewer and fewer "Repeal Conceal" bumper stickers, and some of the stores that used to be posted against legal carry permittees have quietly taken the signs down.

Posted by Mitch at June 3, 2004 06:24 AM