‘Stand Your Ground,’ Self-Defense and the Rhetoric That Emboldened Recent Shooters Pro-gun groups on the right have for years promoted the right to armed self-defense and warned of pervasive threats.
Gregory Kielma • June 18, 2023
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Pro-gun groups on the right have for years promoted the right to armed self-defense and warned of pervasive threats. Experts and critics say the recent shootings of innocent people are the consequence.
Ringing the wrong doorbell, pulling into the wrong driveway, accidentally getting in the wrong car: Mundane, everyday mistakes ended in the shootings of several young people – and the death of one of them – last month when the men on the receiving end of the errors reached for their firearms and decided to shoot.
The shootings captured public attention nationwide, breaking through the unfortunate white noise of pervasive gun violence for their brazenness and similarities. They have reignited the fight over so-called “stand your ground” laws expanding the legal protections around self-defense. And critics, too, have pointed to the incidents as the natural end result of a society flooded with firearms.
But experts and gun control advocates say the shootings are a symptom of a much broader cause: the proliferation of rhetoric on the pro-gun right and among conservatives in general about persistent, pervasive threats, danger and crime, and also of guns as the only means of personal safety against the criminals that lurk around every corner.
“For seven years, all of us here today have been engaged in an epic struggle against the corrupt forces and communist maniacs – and they’re all over the place – that are absolutely trying to destroy our country,” former President Donald Trump said this month in a speech at the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting. “They want to take away your guns while throwing open the jailhouse doors and releasing bloodthirsty criminals into your communities.”
Wayne LaPierre, the embattled chief executive officer of the pro-gun organization, expressed similar sentiments.
“You don’t need the government to tell you the sky is blue, water’s wet or that you have the God-given right to self-defense,” he said.
‘This Could Happen to Anybody’
In Kansas City, Missouri, Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager, rang the wrong doorbell on April 13 while trying to pick up his siblings from a friend’s house. The octogenarian homeowner inside the house shot Yarl in the head in what he said was self-defense, in an action prosecutors say had a “racial component.” Two days later in upstate New York, a car full of young people pulled into the wrong driveway while looking for another friend’s house. The homeowner shot at the car from the porch. Twenty-year-old Kaylin Gillis died. And just days after that, a man shot two teenage cheerleaders in Elgin, Texas, after one of them tried to get into his car by accident, thinking it was her ride. She realized her mistake, exited the car and tried to apologize. But the man opened fire. Yarl’s shooting made headlines in part because it highlighted issues relating to race, and public attention quickly turned to the other shootings in the days after. Though the U.S. experiences gun violence at the highest rate of any developed nation, the shootings broke through the news cycle in part because they easily inspired empathy.
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“This could happen to anybody. I mean, there was a racial factor involved in at least one of these. But beyond that, it's just like, this could happen to me or this could happen to my kid,” says Michael Lawlor, an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of New Haven and a former member of the Connecticut House of Representatives. Lawlor, a Democrat, also served as the state’s undersecretary for criminal justice policy.
Focus turned, then, on Missouri’s “stand your ground” law, which is like a law of the same name that is in place in Texas. Gun rights advocates have pushed for years to enact the measures, which expand protections around the use of force when acting in self-defense. Under the law, a person has the right to use deadly force when acting in self-defense anywhere they have a legal right to be, and without first retreating – in other words, using force does not have to be a last resort. The laws burst onto the public debate stage in 2012, when Florida police noted it as the reason they refused to arrest George Zimmerman, who fatally shot Trayvon Martin, a Black unarmed teenager. Zimmerman was later charged and then acquitted.
New York has a similar, albeit more limited, law called the “castle doctrine” that allows for use of force by a person defending their own home – or castle, so to speak. And the passage of “stand your ground” laws has happened in concert with a focused emphasis by the pro-gun right on crime, threats, and self-defense. While promoting firearms as a tool for self-defense is not a new idea, the expansion of laws allowing for use of deadly force may contribute to a climate where gun owners are more ready to do so, says Matthew Lacombe, an associate professor of political science at Case Western University who specializes in gun politics, the NRA and political ideology.
“The NRA narrative that you might use guns for armed self-defense is not new. What is newer is liberalization of particularly state-level laws pertaining to how, when and why you can use lethal force to defend yourself,” Lacombe says.
The men who perpetrated the recent shootings will likely not be covered under such laws, Lacombe notes. But in a wider context, “it's probably the case that the general shift legally has encouraged more and more people to think about self-defense in these terms, encouraged more people to buy guns specifically for self-defense purposes, and in some ways emboldened them in terms of what they see as a reasonable use of them,” he says. The NRA Institute for Legislative Action, which has championed the laws, did not respond to a request for comment about the recent shootings and self-defense laws.
Politicians and advocates for more restrictive gun control laws have pointed the finger at “stand your ground” laws for such an embodiment.
“I think we now have a shoot-first, ask-later policy in this state – or at least that is what people have interpreted it to be,” Missouri state Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat, was quoted by The Kansas City Star as saying in the wake of Yarl’s shooting. Nurrenbern introduced a measure in the legislature earlier this year to limit the state’s law, but the bill went nowhere. The context around the laws, including a focus on firearms as a means for self-defense as opposed to other uses, Lacombe says, is critical for understanding what effect they may have on society.
“It's not just the laws, it's also the sort of marketing campaigns and rhetoric surrounding the laws, which I think have increasingly turned the gun-rights space into one focused on armed self-defense specifically, as opposed to other uses of guns,” Lacombe says.
Part of that context also includes a pervasive narrative pushed by pro-gun advocates and the NRA that has intertwined gun rights and core values like freedom, making expansive gun rights a core part of the conservative ideology – even identity. “Owning a gun isn't just having an object that you might use for recreation or self-defense, but it's more of a sort of symbol of who you are and what you stand for. And part of that relates to self-sufficiency,” Lacombe says of the narrative. “We think of self-sufficiency as being politically coded – you know, ‘I don't need handouts’ – but it's also in recent years come to even involve notions of protection.”
Fear and Freedom
Republicans have in recent years emphasized crime and threats in their electoral messaging around – a threat they say is posed by an “invasion” of illegal immigration, the threat posed by criminals emboldened by Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies, the threat of eroding rights and norms.
“The sinister forces trying to kill America have done everything they can to stop me, to silence you, and to turn this nation into a socialist dumping ground for criminals, junkies, Marxists, thugs, radicals and dangerous refugees that no other country wants,” Trump told the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference earlier this year. “If those opposing us succeed, our once-beautiful USA will be a failed country that no one will even recognize – a lawless, open-borders, crime-ridden, filthy, communist nightmare.”
Trump is considered the current front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. His comments echo narratives threaded through many right-leaning news and commentary shows and other forms of media, as well as the electoral strategies of other candidates.
Fear is an old and effective political motivator, experts say, and that motivation was also on display at the NRA’s annual meeting earlier this month, with speeches replete with warnings about self-defense, crime and protecting freedoms from those who want to take it away by force.
“Threat is a pretty powerful motivator, so associating support for gun rights with addressing different types of threats is something that historically has worked pretty well for the NRA,” Lacombe says.
Lawlor, the criminal justice professor, and former state legislator, describes fear and threat as a “political business model” that shifts and changes in topic over the years but remains a pervasive strategy.
“In 2004, the presidential election was all about gay marriage. Right now, it’s all about drag queens. A couple of cycles ago, it was all about immigrant caravans. There is always something that can be that thing that everyone should fear,” Lawlor says. “And so, we're back to crime now. That's where we are now – that you should be scared that someone's going to steal your car or break into your house.”
Though crime rates vary by city, the violent crime rate in the U.S. overall has plummeted since the 1990s, when gang violence associated with an epidemic of crack cocaine fueled urban homicide rates. In fact, violent crime rates have been slashed by more than half – though polling shows that Americans believe the number has gone up, despite the data.
The result of threat-based rhetoric, Lawlor argues, can be what happened in Missouri – a senior citizen “who's watching Fox News all day with the volume all the way on max, has a gun, of course, to protect themselves, and he's been told that sooner or later, some Black guy is going to show and try and kill you or break into your house or whatever.”
‘There's a 16-year-old kid knocking on his door by mistake, and – boom, right? So this outcome is predictable,” he says.
Open carry is "the law of the state," Florida's top cop says The open carry of firearms is now legal in Florida thanks to a recent court decision deeming the state's ban on the practice unconstitutional, Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Monday. Why it matters: His guidance provides a statewide read of the appellate court decision amid differing interpretations by local law enforcement leaders. Driving the news: "As of last week, open carry is the law of the state," Uthmeier posted on X about the First District Court of Appeal's ruling, issued Wednesday. • Attached was a memo to Florida law enforcement agencies and state attorney's offices saying they "should refrain from arresting or prosecuting law-abiding citizens carrying a firearm in a manner that is visible to others." Between the lines: Although the nearly 40-year-old law banning the practice can only be repealed by the Legislature, several agencies indicated prior to Uthmeier's guidance that they would stop enforcing it. Yes, but: Some sheriffs — including those in Pinellas, Polk, Hernando and Manatee — said that open carry remains illegal until Sept. 25, after the 15-day window during which parties can appeal the court ruling. • "To be on the safe side, you probably don't want to change your actions until Sept. 25," Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis said Monday in a Facebook Live video. • Uthmeier refuted that in his memo, citing legal precedent that says the effective date "is the date appearing on the face of the decision." The intrigue: Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who has long been against open carry, further questioned the reach of the ruling, saying Friday in a statement that Pinellas is under the jurisdiction of the Second District Court of Appeal, not the First. • Gualtieri also noted a previous Florida Supreme Court ruling that upheld the ban, saying that it may trump the lower court's decision. What they're saying: "We will follow the law and respect statutes and court decisions," said Gualtieri, who is also a lawyer. "However, we must know 'what' the law is and where it is applicable before we can decide 'what' and 'how' we enforce the law." • The agency will publish additional guidance to the public before Sept. 25, Gualtieri said, "but in the meantime, please remember, the open carry of guns in Florida is still unlawful." • Gualtieri did not immediately return Axios' request for comment Monday. Zoom out: Both local sheriffs and Uthmeier emphasized that last week's decision doesn't impact where you can bring a gun. • Private property owners maintain their right to ask those bearing arms to leave. • Guns remain banned at government buildings and meetings, schools, polling places, college campuses and bars.
They killed the man… but they could never slay the idea. Charlie Kirk drew his last breath at the hands of a depraved assassin. He leaves behind a widow and two small children – one of whom instinctively ran to him for comfort after hearing the shot ring out. Charlie was a family man. A believer in fair, open-minded dialogue. A champion of good-faith debate. These things carried him… until that bullet stole his life. Take a moment. Let grief wash over you. Feel the ache for his wife, his children, his loved ones. This was no political encounter. This was an innocent soul, cut down while standing for what he believed. But here’s what they won’t understand: Charlie may have fallen, but the ideals he championed swirl stronger now than ever. A single bullet might end a heartbeat… but it cannot end the idea that beat within that heart. That idea is you. Millions across this nation stand in that very heartbeat. With courage. With conviction. With eyes wide open to the evil forces rising among people who are fundamentally at war against the principles that make this nation great, forces that traffic in coercion, in censorship, in an unhinged thirst for power. These are not abstract threats: they seek to break you, your family, your freedom. When they require silence, we must roar. When they want you cowed, we must stand tall. Now is no time for quiet compliance. Now is the time to organize, to rally, to fortify yourself politically and spiritually. To that end, Tactical K Training and Firearms is donating $1,000 to Turning Point USA… because we can’t think of a better way to pay tribute to this fallen Patriot, a God and family loving man for truth and freedom. We invite you to stand beside us. Please donate today. Every dollar you give fuels: • The courage to speak truth… even when the mob demands silence • The training to understand politics, policy, and our rights… so we can defend them • The infrastructure to build movements rooted in grace, strength, and unyielding hope Invest in the idea. Invest in your children’s future. Because they killed the man, but never the idea. And you are that idea alive, beating, and refusing to yield. Stand with us. Honor him. Protect your family’s freedom. Please give to Turning Point USA God Bless America, Charlie Kirk and his family.
Recently a friend learned someone they know owns a firearm. How do I 'red flag' them so the government takes the firearm away and destroys it? Gregg Kielma Says Gregg Kielma, firearms Instructor, FFL Gunsmith and First Aid Fundamentals Instructor, "thank you, John, for your question, it highlights the reason why most gun owners protest red flag laws. It's because of people like you John, that believe that just owning a firearm is a crime. You are the one that cause legal firearms owner death of innocent people through lies and deceit. John, what do you think happens when the police come in the middle of the night with a no-knock warrant? The lies you told law enforcement concerning a legal firearm owner who use firearms for protection and their safety amounts to a crime. It sets the stage for armed confrontation and for what? A police officer or innocent homeowner dies because you don't like firearms and you're a liar? John, thank you for your question. This may help clarify why some people have concerns about red flag laws. John’ if you ever do such a thing you should go to jail for the rest of your life. No appeal, no questions—just time in a jail cell to reflect on your actions. Shame on you.
If you are carrying a concealed firearm and are approached by someone with a knife with the intention of robbing you, should you threaten them by saying you have the gun, or draw it first? Thoughts from Tom H. Says Kielma, you give the commands, stop, stop, The perp has one of two choices, retreat or continue to advance. Either way you're in a very difficult position. Use distance and time to your advantage. Always be situationally aware. T he perp already knows the risks and is committed. See Tom’s reasoning below. Your gun is ‘all or none’. Don’t threaten, don’t brandish, don’t mess around. Use it, or don’t. Once you decide that you need to shoot and commit to that course of action, you draw and fire. If he didn’t get the picture in the half second or so you afforded him, that’s unfortunate for the perp. He should have thought about that when he decided to try to rob you with a deadly weapon. If he’s within twenty-one feet, or just a little more than the length of a full-sized pickup truck, you are essentially out of time. If he gets any closer before you decide to draw and fire, he can charge you and slash or stab you with his blade before you’ll be able to draw, aim, and fire at him. You might have hit him as he’s closing in, however, he’ll still have the inertia to reach you if you can’t make space between you and him. You also don’t know what he has in mind unless he says things that clue you in. He may be wanting to rob you, but he also may just want to stab you to death for whatever twisted reason his broken brain can conjure up. There may be someone or something he absolutely despises, and for some reason, when he looked at you, his delusional mind registers that. If he attempts to attack you with a knife, you counter his attack with your gun to keep his knife away from you.
Common Myths and Misconceptions About Firearms and Ammo Gregg Kielma Firearms and ammunition tend to stir strong emotions and heated arguments. Some of that comes from genuine concerns, but just as much is fueled by myths that have been repeated so often they feel like fact. You'll hear them in news stories, political debates, gun shop chatter, and even around the dinner table1 claims about how guns work, how dangerous ammunition really is, and what different terms actually mean. If you want a real conversation about firearms, it helps to clear away the fog. Here's a closer look at some of the most persistent gun myths, with a dose of reality. Key Points • Inaccurate ideas about firearms from rumors, mass media, and political rhetoric can endanger people and distort policy debates. It's important to ground our perspectives in facts. Why These Myths Matter • Some of these misconceptions are harmless but others shape how people vote, legislate, and talk about safety. Believing that a suppressor makes a gun silent, for example, can lead to calls for bans based on an inaccurate picture of what they do. Thinking that ammo is dangerously unstable might cause unnecessary fear, while assuming a gun never needs cleaning could result in a dangerous malfunction. Reliable information enables safe gun maintenance, clarifies risks for non-owners, and ensures informed public discussion. For those wanting more gun regulations, understanding how they work can help focus political effort on things that really will help improve public safety, not just assuage public opinion. Myth 1: "Silencers" Make Guns Whisper-Quiet • In Hollywood, the hitman fires a pistol with a little metal tube on the end and all you hear is a soft pfft. The truth is far less sneaky. A suppressor often called a "silencer “doesn’t make a gunshot silent. It simply reduces the noise by about 20 to 35 decibels, which is enough to make shooting safer for hearing but nowhere near silent. A typical suppressed handgun is still as loud as a jackhammer. It won't go unnoticed, and hearing protection is still a must at the range. Suppressors are about reducing ear damage and improving shooter comfort, not about turning gunfire into a whisper. Myth 2: Ammunition "Goes Off" Easily • Some imagine that a box of cartridges is like a row of tiny grenades, ready to detonate if dropped or left in the sun. A bullet fires only when its primer is sharply struck, usually by a gun's firing pin. Dropping a round might dent the casing or damage the bullet, but it won't cause the kind of dramatic explosion you see in movies. Extreme heat can make ammo dangerous, and rounds tossed into a fire may pop. But without a gun barrel to contain and direct the energy, the bullet isn't going to rocket across the room like a miniature missile. Safe storage still matters, but the odds of "accidental" firing from normal handling are extremely low. Myth 3: Modern Civilian Guns Are "Machine Guns" • A common confusion exists between semi-automatic and fully automatic firearms. Civilian rifles that resemble military models are typically semi-automatic, firing one round per trigger pull. In contrast, fully automatic weapons—often called machine guns—fire continuously while the trigger is held and have been strictly regulated in the U.S. since 1934. Visual similarity does not mean identical function. Myth 4: Bigger Caliber Means Guaranteed "Stopping Power • Pop culture often portrays larger bullets as having greater effects, but while bigger calibers can generate more energy, shot placement is generally more important for stopping a threat. A small round placed accurately may be more effective than a larger one that does not hit vital areas. Medical studies indicate that there is no specific bullet size that ensures instant incapacitation, except for explosive devices such as grenades. Actual outcomes are influenced by factors like target movement, shooter accuracy, ammunition design, and chance. Myth 5: Ballistic "Fingerprints" Are Foolproof • Crime shows often portray forensic experts matching a recovered bullet to a specific gun with certainty. While it's true that rifling in a barrel leaves unique marks on bullets, these markings can change over time as the barrel wears. Poor-quality ammo, damaged bullets, or environmental factors can make identification harder. In the real world, ballistic matching can be a valuable investigative lead, but it's far from the flawless "fingerprint" you see on TV. Myth 6: You Don't Need to Clean Modern Guns • Some owners believe that advancements in modern manufacturing make gun cleaning less necessary. While many contemporary firearms are more corrosion-resistant than older models, regular maintenance remains important. Powder residue, dirt, and moisture can cause malfunctions, particularly with frequent use or improper storage. Cleaning and applying lubrication support reliable firearm function. For guns kept loaded for home defense, periodic inspection and maintenance—at least every few months, or sooner if fired—is recommended. Myth 7: "Smart Guns" Are Common and Reliable • Smart guns, designed to work only for authorized users via fingerprint or RFID technology, remain costly, slow, and prone to malfunction in real-world scenarios. Adoption by police, military, and civilians has been minimal. Colorado's Bio fire is among the first to offer a biometric gun with facial recognition. Myth 8: Gunshots Have Great Range and Accuracy • Many people believe firearms can easily hit distant targets, but actual effective range varies by firearm type, ammunition, and shooter skill. Most handguns are reliable up to 25–60 yards, while rifles require training and good equipment for consistent long-range accuracy—details often overlooked in movies. Myth 9: "Armor-Piercing" Ammo Is Everywhere • The term "armor-piercing" is often misused. Police body armor stops most handgun rounds, but some rifle cartridges can penetrate based on bullet type, velocity, and armor rating. True armor-piercing rounds are military-grade and illegal for civilians. Myth 10: Ammunition Expires Quickly • Ammunition has a shelf life of decades when stored in a cool, dry place away from temperature extremes. Many World War II surplus rounds still function reliably. However, any ammo showing signs of corrosion, swelling, or damage should be safely discarded. Myth 11: Explosions, Richochets, and More • Films often depict cars exploding when shot, bullets propelling individuals backward, and ricochets occurring on any metal surface. Gunfire rarely causes cars to explode, as gasoline must vaporize and mix with air at a specific concentration for an explosion to occur, and vehicles are constructed to reduce fuel explosion risks. Individuals struck by bullets typically fall in place or stumble rather than being forcefully moved. Ricochets are less frequent than commonly portrayed; their occurrence and behavior depend on the bullet type, the material's hardness, and the angle of impact.
Gun recovered in Charlie Kirk assassination revealed — and ammo bore pro-trans, anti-fascist messages A rifle recovered in the hunt for conservative influencer Charlie Kirk’s assassin contained ammo engraved with “transgender and anti-fascist ideology,” according to preliminary reports from law enforcement sources. The weapon — an imported .30-06-caliber Mauser bolt-action rifle was discovered wrapped in a towel by investigators in a wooded area following the killing of the conservative leading light, who was shot once while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, according to the memo. A bolt-action rifle recovered near the scene where Charlie Kirk was fatally shot is seen in a photo obtained by the New York Post. Obtained by the NY Post A source familiar noted that the Justice Department is investigating the descriptions alleged in the ATF memo, but that the agency was unable to confirm that the description matched the evidence recovered at the scene. Kirk, 31, was struck in the neck by a single shot fired from a distance of around 200 yards while answering an audience member’s question about mass shootings committed by transgender people. A surveillance image of the person of interest wanted for the shooting of Charlie Kirk. Sources said they believe the fatal shot was a high-caliber round — similar to the ammo used in long-range sniper rifles or for hunting big game. The father of two and Turning Point USA founder was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
If someone is pointing a gun on you, would you still try to draw your gun? Gregg Kielma No. Not while they are looking directly at me anyway. That’s a good way to end up shot or possible dead. You wait your turn. Anyone carrying a concealed firearm should have at least a 1.5 second draw to the first shot time. So, the idea is to wait until the chance presents itself and then go to work. That is called “waiting your turn”. For example, if someone is pointing a gun at you and they turn their head to look at something else and their ear is towards you, that means it is now your turn. With a 1.5 second draw to the first shot time, if his ear is towards you, you can literally put a couple bullets in the guy before he has time for his mind to register what is going on and react. A 1.5 second draw to the first shot is not that hard to accomplish. Anyone who is a concealed carrier should be able to achieve a 1.5 second draw to first shot. If the perp turns the back of his head towards you, it gets even better for you because now all you need is about a 2.5 second draw to the first shot time which is easy to accomplish with practice. However, if the perp is looking directly at you… it’s practically a no-win situation for you so it’s almost always better to wait your turn. I highly suggest training with Tactical K Training and Firearms today. There is information on the website to sign up for class with a certified instructor. We will conduct real self-defense encounters, break down the options, analyze what is happening, and teach you about when and how to react. It’s lifesaving information. Please call or sign up today.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has shown the country how pro-gun governors operate By Lee Williams Every morning as I don my Staccato 9mm and my Microtech automatic knife without any permits or paperwork cluttering my wallet, I realize that these freedoms would never have taken place without the honest pro-gun leadership of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Law-abiding Floridians no longer need to apply in writing or pay a state fee to carry a concealed weapon. Gov. DeSantis saw to that. For the state’s millions of gun owners, our 46-year-old, soon-to-be-former governor has been a true friend. Unfortunately, DeSantis is term-limited and barred from running again. Fortunately, during his terms in office, the good governor gave gun owners one heck of a good ride. Let’s take a close look at his pro-gun accomplishments. Permitless concealed carry On April 3, 2023, in Florida’s state capitol of Tallahassee, Gov. DeSantis signed House Bill (HB) 543, which strengthened Floridians’ Second Amendment rights by allowing concealed weapons to be carried without a state permit. Concealed-carry permits are still available but are no longer required. “Constitutional Carry is in the books,” Desantis said at the time. Florida became the 26th state to enact concealed-carry legislation. However, Open Carry remains prohibited. According to state law, Floridians may only carry an exposed handgun “while traveling to or from fishing, camping, hunting or target shooting.” “Would be great to see it hit my desk — Florida needs to join the overwhelming majority of states and protect this right,” DeSantis posted about Open Carry on X. DeSantis has promised he would change this and sign Open Carry legislation; however, the state’s Republican-led legislature has never given him a bill to sign, and they have never fully explained why. Some believe tourism – Disney and the beaches – as well as the powerful Florida Sheriffs Association could be the reasons why millions of Floridians do not yet enjoy all of their Second Amendment rights. Florida State Guard In December 2021, while Joe Biden occupied the White House, DeSantis created the Florida State Guard, a 200-member volunteer paramilitary force that answered to him, not Joe Biden. The Florida State Guard assists the Florida National Guard in state emergencies. DeSantis noted that the Florida State Guard was not “encumbered by the federal government,” and that the unit would give him “the flexibility and the ability needed to respond to events in our state in the most effective way possible.” Florida, he pointed out, has always been one of the most pro-military and veteran-friendly states. “We are proud of our veterans and active-duty military members and proud of what our communities do to support them,” DeSantis said in a press release. “Florida is one of the most veteran friendly states and I think there are very few places that you would rather be on duty than in the state of Florida. As a veteran, I really appreciate what everyone who wears the uniform does in our state and am excited about these proposals – they will go a long way and have a meaningful impact. In Florida, we are going to continue our momentum of supporting our military, supporting our veterans and being good stewards of our military installations.” Other 2A actions Last May, DeSantis ended a confusing portion of state law that automatically imposed reprehensible firearm restrictions during a local state of emergency.
Jefferson Parish Man Guilty of Possessing Machine Gun Thursday, September 4, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana shane.jones@usdoj.gov NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on August 21, 2025, JAHBRELL PRICE (“PRICE”), age 25, of Marrero, La. plead guilty before United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to a two-count indictment pending against him. Count 1 charged PRICE with possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(3). Count 2 charged PRICE with possession of a machine gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2). Sentencing is set for December 4, 2025. According to court documents, on January 7, 2024, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives located PRICE at a motel in the 6700 block of Westbank Expressway, Marrero, Louisiana. He was taken into custody for an outstanding Orleans Parish arrest warrant. Detectives then secured a search warrant for PRICE’s hotel room and located twenty (20) bottles of promethazine (9,460 ml), $1,375.00 in United States currency, and a Glock Model 45 nine-millimeter handgun with an attached external and visible machine gun conversion device. PRICE faces up to 1 year imprisonment, up to a $100,000 fine, and a $50 mandatory special assessment fee as to Count One, and up to 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count Two, as well as payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count. 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. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit . Contact Shane M. Jones Public Information Officer United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana United States Department of Justice Updated September 4, 2025
Laredo Weapons Trafficking Coordinator Pleads Guilty to Charges for Conspiring to Smuggle Military Grade Firearms to Mexican Drug Cartel U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas SAN ANTONIO – A Laredo man pleaded guilty in a federal court in San Antonio today to four conspiracy counts related to his role as the coordinator for a weapons trafficking organization that illegally obtained hundreds of firearms and smuggled them from the U.S. to Mexico in support of the Cartel Del Noreste (CDN). According to court documents, Gerardo Rafael Perez Jr. aka Jerry, 24, and his network of straw purchasers illicitly obtained the firearms, including FNH SCAR rifles, Barrett .50 caliber rifles, FNH M249S rifles, M240s and M1919s, from gun stores and unlicensed dealers in San Antonio and other Texas cities. They also acquired FightLite MCR belt-fed upper receivers, which allow standard AR-15 lower receivers to use belt-fed ammunition and provide for a greater capacity of continuous fire before reloading. Perez directed the acquisition, trafficking, and illegal export of guns and parts in support of the cartel, all without an export license or a license to deal firearms. Agents searched for the cell phones of multiple straw purchasers of firearms who were receiving directions from Perez, revealing communications in which Perez sent instructions on specific guns to buy from specific sellers across Texas. On one occasion, a straw purchaser purchased six firearms for Perez in San Antonio with nearly $50,000 in cash, including three FN SCAR 17S 7.62 caliber rifles, an FN SCAR 20S 7.62 caliber rifle, an FN M249S belt-fed rifle 5.56 caliber, and a Barrett M82A1 .50 caliber rifle, all which Perez acquired for the purpose of delivery to Mexico. Communications showed Perez telling another straw purchaser he was obliterating serial numbers from trafficked guns so there was no way the gun could be tracked to the original seller. On Sept. 26, 2023, law enforcement conducted a search of Perez’s residence and recovered multiple firearms and various types of ammunition, blank ATF Form 4473s, and CDN jewelry. Agents seized and searched Perez’s cell phone and found photos depicting him in tactical gear and wearing CDN jewelry, as well as photos of numerous guns. His phone also contained messages in which Perez solicited firearms, coordinated their purchase, and negotiated prices with sellers. Perez was arrested March 20, 2024, along with co-defendants Antonio Osiel Casarez, Luis Matias Leal, Francisco Alejandro Benavides Jr., and Mark Anthony Trevino Jr. Three other co-defendants, Gerardo Ibarra Jr., Gerardo Corona Jr., and Jose Emigdio Q. Mendoza were named in an earlier indictment and arrested in 2023. The ninth and tenth co-defendants, Armando Mata Jr., and Felipe Vasquez III, were charged in a superseding indictment and arrested in March 2025. Perez pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to traffic firearms, conspiracy to straw purchase firearms, conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States, and conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces up to 25 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Calve is prosecuting the case. 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). ### Contact USATXW.MediaInquiry@usdoj.gov Updated September 4, 2025
