ParrotHead Posted December 14, 2004 Report Share Posted December 14, 2004 And the government won’t take your guns? Yeah right http://www.macombjournal.com/articles/2004/12/05/news/news2.txt MACOMB - Leonard Gamage is sore today, which is understandable since he spent more than 45 minutes fighting off an intruder late Friday. Gamage, 87, suffered some bumps and bruises in a pair of fights with the intruder, who is an unidentified 20-year man. Leonard told the Journal he does feel good about still having the ability to defend his home. "I'm an old soldier," Gamage said. "I was in quite a few scuffles in the Army. I feel like I can still go if I have to." Gamage said the ordeal started just after 9 p.m. He was watching television at his home, located at 1200th Road, near Macomb, when someone came to his front door. Gamage said he went to the back door since both doors face the patio. Gamage did not recognize the young man. When he went to open the door, he said the man grabbed the screen door and forced himself inside the house. "I asked him what he wanted and told him to get out," Gamage said. The intruder allegedly refused to leave. That is when Gamage and the young man got into their first altercation. "We started to scuffle right there in the kitchen," Gamage recalled. "I was able to get him outside the house and told him again to get out." Gamage said he remembered having a pair of rifles in a gun rack inside the house. As he started in that direction, he and the man began to fight again at the back door, in the kitchen/patio area. "I was finally able to get my hands on one of the guns and hit him in the back with the gun stock," Gamage said. "That's when he looked at me and said 'I'm going to get you." Gamage said he was thinking that he would hate to kill the young man, but would if he were left with no choice. Gamage then fired a pair of warning shots, one at each foot, but that did not deter the intruder, according to Gamage, who was feeling weak by this point. Gamage was at the hospital a day earlier being treated for a nose bleed. "I lost a lot of blood the day before and I was weak," Gamage added. "When he said he was still going to get me, I realized this was serious. I shot him in the left foot. It hit him in the arch and he screamed and started jumping around like a chicken with his head cut off." Gamage said he pointed the rifle at the suspect's stomach and ordered him to freeze while Gamage made a telephone call. Instead of calling 911, Gamage called a neighbor, Tom Friday, and told him he had been attacked. When he went back the intruder was gone. Gamage said he did not feel comfortable knowing the suspect was out there, so he went into the dark, looking for the young man. Gamage said he spotted the suspect near the garage, next to the barn. Gamage crept up behind the man and ordered him not to move or he would kill him. "About that time Tom pulled up," Gamage said. "I think he was shocked because I was holding the intruder at gunpoint." Seconds later Gamage said multiple police cars, an ambulance and fire rescue units all converged on his home. The ordeal was finally over. It was about 10:45 p.m. "The intruder would not tell the police nothing but his name," Gamage said. "I told them what happened, but I think they want to come out again Monday for a detailed interview." McDonough County Sheriff Mike Johnson, who responded to the scene at the Gamage residence, said the suspect was taken to McDonough District Hospital and treated for his gunshot wound. The defendant's name is being withheld. His condition is unknown. Johnson said the incident remains under investigation and charges are pending against the man, who is said to be a WIU student. Gamage was trying to take it easy Saturday, in-between interviews with the media about what took place. Ironically, Gamage lost the very rifle that may have saved his life. "I do not have a gun permit so they had to take my rifles," Gamage said. "The sheriff told me if I get my permit, he would see what he could do to help me get them back. I never use them, but they have been in the family a long time." Gamage said the sheriff and other officers told him he "did a **** of a job," defending his property. "If nothing else I hope this prevents other intruders from breaking into someone's home," Gamage said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParrotHead Posted December 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2004 Re: This post is for the stupid, blind...or liberal And for those in the US that said the government wouldn't take away your guns.....just try defending yourself and see how quick you lose your right to bear arms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slugshooter Posted December 14, 2004 Report Share Posted December 14, 2004 Re: This post is for the stupid, blind...or liberal Apparently, according to this article, you need a permit to own a rifle in the state of Illinois, which, I have never heard of anyone needing a permit to own a rifle or shotgun much less buy one, thats what they have background checks for and here in NC you need a permit to buy a handgun but not to possess it unless you are going to conceal it. I have also never heard of someone losing a gun because they defended themselves with it, but most states have laws saying you can't use the gun if the other person doesn't have one, in Florida you can't shoot someone wielding a knife unless that person is actively trying to harm you with it. But , you know how that evil media is, we may not be getting the whole story. Anyone here from Illinois? Educate me as to if you need a permit to have a rifle in your home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted December 14, 2004 Report Share Posted December 14, 2004 Re: This post is for the stupid, blind...or liberal There are a lot of people who need to wake up as to what is going on with gun registration! We need to be very careful as to who we elect both on the local and federal level! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan_Til_I_Die Posted December 14, 2004 Report Share Posted December 14, 2004 Re: This post is for the stupid, blind...or libera This is a perfect illustration of what the anti-Second Amendment groups want to accomplish. Its all about taking away our right (and abilitiy) of self defense. Its not about reducing crime, since virtually all of the statistics prove gun control doesn't do anything to reduce crime and in many cases actually INCREASES violent crime. For whatever reason, they think its the government's role to protect individual citizens and that those same individual citizens are not fit to make the decisions and take the actions necessary to defend themselves. I for one neither expect nor need protection from the government. That's why I have a CHL (concealed handgun license), that''s why I always carry where legal, and that's why I practice my marksmanship continously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldksnarc Posted December 15, 2004 Report Share Posted December 15, 2004 Re: This post is for the stupid, blind...or libera Go, Gamage, go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 15, 2004 Report Share Posted December 15, 2004 Re: This post is for the stupid, blind...or liberal [ QUOTE ] There are a lot of people who need to wake up as to what is going on with gun registration! We need to be very careful as to who we elect both on the local and federal level! [/ QUOTE ] Could not agree more. Some folks just dont seem to understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParrotHead Posted December 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2004 Re: This post is for the stupid, blind...or liberal [ QUOTE ] Could not agree more. Some folks just dont seem to understand. [/ QUOTE ] I think they understand just fine, they're just taking the "less responsibility/more government" route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeNRA Posted December 16, 2004 Report Share Posted December 16, 2004 Re: This post is for the stupid, blind...or liberal [ QUOTE ] There are a lot of people who need to wake up as to what is going on with gun registration! We need to be very careful as to who we elect both on the local and federal level! [/ QUOTE ] Also to join the NRA!!! I hope he gets his rifle back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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