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Abbreviations used in VA-ALERT:
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1. VCU protest in Richmond on Thursday, December 1st! Another VCU Robbery
2. Voice recorders
3. GMU coverage
4. Armed protesters gather at GMU
5. UVA approves regulation banning guns at the University
6. Reloading
7. Repealing Virginia's One Handgun Per Month Rule
8. Bloomberg's anti-gun candidates win in Va. but control measures could be repealed
9. Why need a gun?
10. College Republicans and Young Democrats debate state issues
11. Holder to accuse investigators of playing Fast and Furious politics, call for gun control
12. LTE: We need common-sense gun control laws
13. Ga. Tech student says was raped on campus before Va. Tech game
14. Who needs a concealed weapon permit in Chicago?
15. 2A under attack on Bill Mahr show
16. A caution about new Kel-tec pistol for non-CHP holders
17. Membership/VA-ALERT issues - changing your email
18. VCDL quoted in article on newly elected General Assembly
19. National reciprocity bill passes House, heads to Senate
20. Hearing on shooting range in Bedford set for November 28th
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1. VCU protest in Richmond on Thursday, December 1st! Another VCU Robbery
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Mark your calendars - Operation Campus Safety will come to the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond on Thursday, December 1st!
The protest will run from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM at the VCU Commons Plaza.
VCU Students for Concealed Carry on Campus is sponsoring VCDL for this event. Thanks to John Allen, who is SCCC's President, for making the arrangement, including lining up the PA system.
More details will be forthcoming as the date draws nearer.
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As if to yet again underscore what Operation Campus Safety is all about, here is yet another robbery of students near VCU:
From the Richmond Times-Dispatch: http://tinyurl.com/7g4gotw
2 students robbed at gunpoint near VCU campus
By: Times-Dispatch Staff
Published: November 18, 2011
Two students escaped injury when they were robbed at gunpoint near Virginia Commonwealth University's main academic campus in downtown Richmond this morning.
Richmond police said the students, one from VCU and one from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, were robbed at 2:45 a.m. while they walked in the 400 block of Gilmer Street, between Clay and Marshall streets and less than two blocks north of VCU's Monroe Park campus.
VCU police said the students were confronted by two males, one of whom was armed with a handgun, while two other males stood nearby as lookouts. After the robbery, the four fled in opposite directions on Clay Street.
All four suspects were said to be young black males. One of the robbers was described as about 5 feet, 8 inches tall, wearing a gray top with a blue bandana in his pocket and displaying a black revolver. The other was described as about 6 feet tall and wearing all black clothing.
Detailed descriptions of the two lookouts were not provided.
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2. Voice recorders
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A VA-ALERT reader emailed me this:
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Philip,
The voice recorder suggestion is excellent and something I've done for a few years now. If our members are looking for a suggestion for a good unit, might I recommend the Olympus VN-8100PC. ($50 at Staples).
-Durable design
-easy to use (nice buttons)
-Standard MP3 recording (no proprietary formats)
-Standard batteries
-50+ hours of battery life
-Easy USB file transfer to your computer
And with a 500 hour recording capacity you can just start it at the beginning of a day and leave it on with no worries!
I have found this unit to give remarkable sound quality from a shirt pocket, pants pocket, or even when tucked into a backpack. (though shirt pocket does seem to work best for obvious reasons).
Just a suggestion for those who might not have any idea about voice recorders.
Dale
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3. GMU coverage [VIDEO]
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From connect2mason.com: http://tinyurl.com/d38rgtx
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4. Armed protesters gather at GMU
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Board member Bruce Jackson emailed me this:
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From burke.patch.com: http://tinyurl.com/7skrgwu
Armed Protesters Gather at GMU
Virginia Citizens Defense League protested the university's policy excluding students and faculty from carrying guns on campus.
By Andrew Knight
November 10, 2011
The Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) protested at George Mason University Wednesday. VCDL members and volunteers were visibly and legally armed. Anti-gun advocates from the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence counter-protested.
The university has a ban on weapons for all students and faculty. However, those who aren't students or faculty may carry guns on campus, if they have the proper permit. The Constitution of Virginia protects the right of citizens to keep and bear arms from government infringement. An overview of Virginia's gun laws are posted by the Virginia State Police.
"I kind of understand both sides, I'm not really lenient towards either," said Julie Manausa, a conflict analysis major at Mason. "I understand the need for self defense, but I honestly don't really see why there would be a need on a college campus for weapons."
Others disagree. In a pre-election debate at Robinson Secondary School, Libertarian candidate Michael Kane said he did not believe in any type of gun control measures and viewed them as an infringement of individual rights. "Criminals will still continue to get guns, regardless," he said. Kane also said that the Virginia Tech shootings could have been averted if students had been allowed to carry guns on campus.
According to their website, "VCDL is a non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots organization dedicated to advancing the fundamental human right of all Virginians to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I Section 13 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia."
"The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence seeks to secure freedom from gun violence through research, strategic engagement and effective policy advocacy," says their website.
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5. UVA approves regulation banning guns at the University
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EM Dave Hicks emailed me this:
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From nbc29.com: http://tinyurl.com/7l9v8b9
UVA Approves Regulation Banning Guns at the University
Nov 11, 2011
University of Virginia Press Release
Friday the University of Virginia Board of Visitors approved a regulation prohibiting weapons at the University, its medical center and the College at Wise.
The regulation, which will be submitted to the state next week, will go into effect upon publication in the Virginia Register and will be published later in the Virginia Administrative Code. No further state approvals are required.
UVA already has a policy banning weapons. Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli wrote an advisory opinion in July that the policy cannot apply to those with concealed-weapon permits because it did not have the force of law. A regulation, such as the one at George Mason University, however, is enforceable, he said.
The Virginia Supreme Court upheld Mason's regulation after gun owner Rudolph DiGiacinto sued, arguing that the ban on guns in campus buildings violates the state's constitution.
The University's regulation is both consistent with its prior policy and the Virginia Supreme Court's guidance on this issue in the DiGiacinto case.
The regulation applies to faculty, staff and students who are anywhere on University property and to members of the general public who are on University property in "academic, administrative, athletic, entertainment or student residence buildings, child care or dining facilities, the University Medical Center or while attending sporting, entertainment or educational activities."
Exceptions are made for educational or artistic displays and University-approved training. Requests for such uses will be considered by University Police on a case-by-case basis.
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6. Reloading
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Mark Jones emailed me this:
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Philip,
It is my opinion that some of the points made in the forth article (Ammo hazards, VCDL Update 11/6/11) may not be accurate (at all) and may lead to unnecessarily scaring a number of readers out there. I have reloaded for years and as far as I know, none of my reloading manuals have any extreme cautions about changing the recommended bullet seating depth of semi-auto pistol cartridges. Certainly not as little as .03 inches. Some reloading manuals don't give a seating depth (related as "case overall length") at all. Just as a point of logic; in some instances, a bullet could be moved back in the very first chambering of that cartridge......... then what is a shooter to do or how is one even to know it? If I had never reloaded or wasn't mechanical at all in thinking, this article would scare the wits out of me, because no off the shelf pistol is going to be made to withstand twice the normal chamber pressure! At least not for long.
Just some food for thought. Please seek other opinions on this.
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7. Repealing Virginia's One Handgun Per Month Rule
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Bruce Jackson emailed me this:
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From opposingviews.com: http://tinyurl.com/746sbv9
Repealing Virginia's 1-Gun Per Month Rule
Submitted by National Shooting Sports Foundation
Nov 10, 2011
A likely re-count not withstanding, Tuesday's elections in Virginia have given Republicans control of the State Senate. This could be monumental for America's firearms industry and Second Amendment advocates in the Old Dominion as 10 gun bills that have already passed the GOP-led Assembly will now go before the Senate. Among the bills to be heard is a repeal of the state's one-gun a month restriction.
Despite the fact that Virginia is largely considered to be a pro-gun state, legislators have for years rationed the Second Amendment rights of its citizens with a law that limits handgun purchases to one a month -- in effect, treating a constitutionally protected right as nothing more than a privilege.
Limiting the sale of firearms to law-abiding Virginians is premised on the false belief that doing so reduces illegal firearms trafficking. Of course, no evidence supports such a claim. In fact, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the significant drop in crime that began in the mid-1990s coincided with more guns being in private possession and more restrictive gun laws being taken off the books.
A great example of this is South Carolina. When the Palmetto State repealed its one-gun-a-month law (allowing for more guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens), like the rest of the U.S., South Carolinians experienced a decrease in violent crime. This decrease has continued even as sales of firearms have reached unprecedented levels.
In its Heller and McDonald decisions, the Supreme Court made clear that the Second Amendment is an individual right. The Virginia Senate should recognize this and repeal one gun a month - a law that only hurts law-abiding citizens.
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8. Bloomberg's anti-gun candidates win in Va. but control measures could be repealed
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From nydailynews.com: http://tinyurl.com/88yn33z
Bloomberg's anti-gun candidates win in Va. but control measures could be repealed
GOP poised to seize control of state Senate
BY JONATHAN LEMIRE
November 10 2011
All six anti-gun Virginia State Senate candidates backed by Mayor Bloomberg won -- but it still may soon be easier for firearms to travel from Old Dominion to the city's streets.
The Virginia Republicans are poised to seize power in the Senate, giving them control over both state houses -- and opening the door for them to repeal some of the state's gun control laws.
Virginia already exports more guns than any other state to New York City -- and that flood of firearms may become a tsunami, one of Bloomberg's top advisers said.
"It's bad for Virginians and it's bad for public safety in New York City," said John Feinblatt, the mayor's Criminal Justice Coordinator.
"This could mean more crime guns," Feinblatt said.
Concerned about the Democrats' slim 22-18 margin in the Virginia Senate before Tuesday's election, Bloomberg donated $25,000 apiece to six candidates who largely share his anti-gun views.
All six won.
But the Republicans flipped one seat in southern Virginia and appear set to take another -- barring a recount.
Republican challenger Bryce Reeves holds a slim 86-vote edge over incumbent Democrat Edward Houck in a district near Fredericksburg, about 50 miles southwest of Washington.
About 150 provisional ballots still need to be tallied and a recount next month seems likely.
If Reeves holds on, it will knot the Senate 20-20 -- but the Republican Lt. Governor would cast the tiebreaking vote.
There are 10 gun bills that have passed the GOP-controlled General Assembly and now could also pass the Senate, including one that would repeal Virginia's current mandate that a person can only buy one gun a month.
However, one of the state's leading political experts noted that sweeping reform was unlikely.
"A lot of wholesale changes will be much tougher with a tied Senate than outright GOP control," said Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia.
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9. Why need a gun?
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Roy Scherer emailed me this:
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From the Richmond Times-Dispatch: http://tinyurl.com/7mzwtg4
Intruder shot dead in home invasion in Prince Edward County
By TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF
November 10, 2011
RICE _ Virginia State Police say an intruder was shot to death during a home invasion late Wednesday night in Prince Edward County.
The home invasion occurred shortly before midnight at a home on Pisgah Road, just off U.S. 460.
State police said an unknown male broke into the home, and when he was confronted by residents, a struggled ensued and the intruder was shot by the homeowner.
The intruder died at the scene, and his body has been transported to the medical examiner's office in Richmond for examination and positive identification.
No one in the home was injured.
No charges have been filed. The shooting death remains under investigation.
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From the Richmond Times-Dispatch: http://tinyurl.com/7zek59n
Pack of violent robbers strikes in Richmond; 3rd time in 22 hours
By JOE MACENKA
November 09, 2011
Robbers traveling in packs struck Tuesday in downtown Richmond for the third time in 22 hours, and police are investigating the possibility that the three crimes are connected.
The latest robbery occurred at 4:40 p.m. at the Harrison Mini Mart in the 900 block of North Harrison Street, in the city's Carver neighborhood, and resulted in a store clerk being hospitalized.
Richmond police Capt. Yvonne Crowder said a group of six to seven black males, all appearing to be in their early 20s and wearing white T-shirts covering their faces -- and one brandishing a handgun -- entered the store and ordered the clerk to the floor. The clerk was struck over the head repeatedly and the men robbed the store of an undetermined amount of cash.
The clerk was taken to VCU Medical Center to be treated for injuries that Crowder said were not believed to be life-threatening.
Tuesday's robbery occurred a short distance northwest of two robberies Monday night that were also carried out by groups of young men.
The first occurred at 6:46 p.m. in the 100 block of East Broad Street, where a victim was robbed by four to five young men who knocked him to the ground and struck him in the forehead. He was treated for a head laceration.
At 7:36 p.m. Monday, two victims were robbed in Abner Clay Park, in the 200 block of West Clay Street, by a group of at least six young men, including one with a handgun. Both victims were struck in the head in that robbery.
Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (804) 780-1000.
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10. College Republicans and Young Democrats debate state issues
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At the College of William & Mary
From dogstreetjournal.com: http://tinyurl.com/825rrvs
College Republicans and Young Democrats Debate State Issues
Nov. 7, 2011 | By Luke Allen, DSJ Staff Reporter
As Republican presidential candidates fought for their party's nomination on the national stage this past week, the College Republicans and Young Democrats here at the College debated the policy issues facing Virginia.
The event, held in the auditorium of Millington 150, was moderated by Professor Clay Clemens of the government department. Clemens opened the debate by citing a poll by Christopher Newport University and the Richmond Times-Dispatch which reported that 70 percent of Virginians are not paying attention to this week's state legislative elections.
Low interest statewide was reflected at the college by an only modest crowd and by debaters who at times seemed disinclined to focus on local politics. And at no point did any of the debaters feel the need, as Mitt Romney had, to put their hand on an opponent's shoulder in an effort to silence them. But the size of the crowd and a lukewarm start did not prevent the debate from turning spirited and vigorous towards the end.
The College Republicans were represented by Chandler Crenshaw, '14, Andrew Follett, '13, Lisa Iverson, '12, and Alex Kocher, '12. Their opponents, the Young Democrats, included Scott Caravello, '15, Elise Orlick, '15, Michael Payne, '15, and Zann Isacson, '13.
The debate was loosely formatted. Clemens presented questions that each side had 90 seconds to answer, with 30 seconds for rebuttal. The teams decided within themselves who would speak to each topic, and some debaters spoke more than others.
Some questions were contentious enough that debaters requested additional time to respond to their opponents. One such question was "What, if any, changes would your party favor in Virginia gun laws and in whether students can carry guns on university campuses?"
Elise Orlick of the Young Democrats answered first, raising concerns about the "gun show loophole" - a term used to refer to the current legality of private vendors selling guns without conducting background checks. She then asserted that allowing guns on campuses would not have prevented the shooting at Virginia Tech, and would instead make campuses less safe.
Lisa Iverson, of the College Republicans, responded that gun policies should be left up to individual institutions and colleges to make. She argued with Orlick's assertion that guns make campuses less safe, stating that people who break the law will obtain guns and break the law no matter the laws about guns. Orlick responded to this by pointing out that the perpetrator of the Virginia Tech shootings, Seung-Hui Cho, bought his guns legally.
The importance of allowing institutions to make their own gun policies was echoed by Chandler Crenshaw of the College Republicans, who argued that "If the College of William and Mary were to pass a resolution banning guns on campus, then they have the right to do that, because students aren't forced to come here."
Andrew Follett, of the College Republicans, stated that areas of the country with the highest levels of handgun ownership have the lowest levels of gun violence. This led to one of the tenser moments of the debate.
Zann Isacson of the Young Democrats argued that a college campus, with "a lot of alcohol that is widely available" was not a space where she would feel comfortable if she knew that some students carried guns. Follett argued back, stating several times that "it doesn't matter how you feel about it, statistically speaking you are safer in a gun-rich environment; it doesn't matter how you feel about it."
Michael Payne, of the Young Democrats, added to the debate the basic point that correlation does not equal causation, and that in areas with more violence, legislators are forced to enact stricter gun laws.
Although debaters on both sides were clearly willing to continue the discussion on guns, Clemens urged them on to new topics, including jobs, immigration, marijuana, abortion, and eliminating the cap on the number of out of state students colleges are allowed to admit.
At the end of the debate, each side was given two minutes to make closing statements aimed at influencing the votes of members of the audience.
Crenshaw went first for the Republicans, arguing that Governor Mcdonnell's 70% approval rate, Virginia's comparatively low unemployment rate, and Virginia's good ranking as a state in which to do business should all encourage the crowd to vote Republican.
Isacson closed for the Democrats, presenting their position as putting "sustainable policies into place that will help us in the long term, rather than short term fixes for our economy."
Students registered as living in Brown, Sorority Court, and Tribe Square will vote at the Williamsburg Community Building at 401 North Boundary Street. All other students will vote at the Williamsburg United Methodist Church, at 500 Jamestown Road. Both polling locations will be open from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm on Tuesday, November 8th.
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11. Holder to accuse investigators of playing Fast and Furious politics, call for gun control
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Holder calling for gun-control after the Government runs guns into Mexico? Talk about being in denial!
From dailycaller.com: http://tinyurl.com/bmtex7d
Holder to accuse investigators of playing Fast and Furious politics, call for gun control
By Matthew Boyle
11/07/2011
An advance copy of Attorney General Eric Holder's Tuesday testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, obtained by The Daily Caller, shows that he will not preemptively address several significant issues raised during the ongoing Operation Fast and Furious scandal.
Holder's prepared testimony does not discuss his May 3 testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, an appearance during which investigators say he either lied, intentionally misled Congress or exhibited outright incompetence when answering questions about when he first learned about the failed gun-walking program.
Two congressmen, House Oversight Committee chairman Rep. Darrell Issa and Rep. Jason Chaffetz, asked him the same question, and Holder answered the same way each time: He said he first learned of Operation Fast and Furious just a few weeks earlier.
Holder continues to claim Operation Fast and Furious was a "local" program run out of Phoenix, Ariz., despite mounting evidence to the contrary. Most recently, Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer, the head of the DOJ's criminal division and Holder's top deputy, confessed last week to at least some responsibility for Operation Fast and Furious.
"Today, I would like to correct some of the inaccurate -- and irresponsible -- accusations surrounding Fast and Furious," Holder's prepared testimony reads. "Some of the overheated rhetoric might lead you to believe that this local, Arizona-based operation was somehow the cause of the epidemic of gun violence in Mexico. In fact, Fast and Furious was a flawed response to, not the cause of, the flow of illegal guns from the United States into Mexico."
In his testimony, Holder also advocates for new gun-control laws that he says would have halted, or at least prevented, Operation Fast and Furious. Holder echoes California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein's comments from last week, when she argued that stricter gun laws would have stopped law enforcement agents from facilitating the sale of guns to Mexican drug cartels.
"Unfortunately, earlier this year the House of Representatives actually voted to keep law enforcement in the dark when individuals purchase multiple semi-automatic rifles and shotguns in Southwest border gun shops," Holder's written testimony declares. "Providing law enforcement with the tools to detect and disrupt illegal gun trafficking is entirely consistent with the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens and it is critical to addressing the public safety crisis on the Southwest border."
In the copy of Holder's testimony obtained by The Daily Caller, he also attacks those in Congress who have been outspoken about the DOJ's continued stonewalling of the congressional investigation.
"As someone who has seen the consequences of gun violence firsthand -- and who has promised far too many grieving families that I would do everything in my power not only to seek justice on behalf of their loved ones, but also to prevent other families from experiencing similar tragedies -- I am determined to ensure that our shared concerns about Operation Fast and Furious lead to more than headline-grabbing Washington 'gotcha' games and cynical political point scoring," Holder says.
"We have serious problems to address -- and sacred responsibilities to fulfill," he adds. "We must not lose sight of what's really at stake here: lives, futures, families and communities."
Holder's written testimony, which has yet to be publicly released, ends with a request. Holder asks Congress to "engage" in what he considers a "responsible dialogue."
Senators on the Judiciary Committee, including Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, will likely grill Holder on the inconsistencies that have littered his correspondence with Congressional investigators throughout the investigation, including in his prepared testimony for Tuesday's hearing.
Though the DOJ and the White House continue to ignore the rising tide of calls for Holder's immediate resignation, Holder has likely noticed them. The last time he accused Congress of using vitriolic rhetoric was shortly after Arizona Republican Rep. Paul Gosar told The Daily Caller that the Obama administration officials responsible for Operation Fast and Furious could be considered "accessories to murder."
Holder cited Gosar's remarks to TheDC in his first unsolicited communication with Congress about the investigation into Fast and Furious.
National Rifle Association president David Keene, who has also called for Holder's resignation, told TheDC that he thinks Democrats in Congress who have not been critical of Holder's role in the gunrunning operation are the ones playing politics.
At present, 36 members of Congress -- all Republican members of the House -- have called for Holder's immediate resignation. There were 35 membersin that camp on Friday, but Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina told TheDC on Monday that he too thinks Holder should resign immediately.
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12. LTE: We need common-sense gun control laws
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From theday.com: http://tinyurl.com/6q2klyk
We need common-sense gun control laws
By Christopher Marquette, Gales Ferry
11/07/2011
Regarding The Day's editorial, "Laws value 'rights' of gun owners more than lives," (Oct. 23), what do we need to pass effective gun-control laws? Politicians with common sense.
The people listed in the editorial are not representative of gun owners nationwide; they are criminals plain and simple. Law-abiding gun owners in this country get associated with them by people (mostly radical liberals) who want only to push their ban-all-guns-from-everybody agenda.
Gun-free places only serve to endanger the law-abiding. Ask the 57 people Seung-Hui Cho shot a Virginia Tech if they are glad they were unarmed. He had been caught peeking up women's skirts trying to take pictures during class. Was he arrested, expelled, or even suspended? No. If you punish someone you might hurt their feelings.
Get rid of laws that do no good. Pass laws that make sense. Stop harassing the honest citizens. And make examples out of people who commit acts of violence.
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13. Ga. Tech student says was raped on campus before Va. Tech game
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Another story in a continuous beat of violent crime on campuses.
Steve Rouse emailed me this:
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From tricities.com: http://tinyurl.com/7jzkhrk
Ga. Tech student says was raped on campus before Va. Tech game
By TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF
November 11, 2011
ATLANTA -- A Georgia Tech student reported being sexually assaulted by a stranger on the Atlanta campus as more than 50,000 football fans and dozens of police officers streamed onto the campus for Thursday night's football game against Virginia Tech.
Police issued a crime alert after the rape, the latest in a series of assaults on female students on and near the Atlanta campus in recent weeks.
The woman said she was attacked behind a fraternity house not far from the stadium around 6:40 p.m. The suspect was described as being around 40 years old with a mustache and white shirt.
Georgia Institute of Technology spokesman Matt Nagel tells WSB-TV that more than 115 public safety officers were on duty for the game against Virginia Tech, in addition to 315 event security personnel.
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14. Who needs a concealed weapon permit in Chicago?
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Gun-free Chicago.
John Treaster emailed me this:
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From dailymail.co.uk: http://tinyurl.com/7ueqju2
Mother and two friends shot dead in a parking lot while out shopping for her two-year-old's birthday cake
By NINA GOLGOWSKI
8 November 2011
A two-year-old girl celebrated her birthday without her mother Sunday, blind to the news that her mother and two friends were killed just the day before while out buying her birthday cake.
Chanda Thompson, 21, was picking up her daughter's birthday cake with two friends at a Chicago bakery early Saturday evening when a gunman approached their parked car and opened fire, according to police.
All three inside, including Cortez Champion, 21, and Shawn Russell, 21, were killed.
'She was working, going to school and raising a two-year-old,' Ms Thompson's brother Joshua Thompson, 22, told The Chicago Sun Times.
'I don't understand why this happened. She was my best friend. You couldn't meet a better person,' he said.
A 17-year-old is in custody in relation to the shooting after witnesses say they saw the shooter approach their vehicle, parked outside 'A Piece of Cake' bakery, and fire before fleeing the scene.
'...they were in the car and he just came up and started shooting,' a witness told NBC affiliate WMAQ. 'And he shot all of them.'
Two of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene, with the third succumbing this his injuries at an area hospital.
The suspect in custody, picked out of a photo lineup, has not been charged as of Sunday evening.
Mr Champion was a grade school friend of Ms Thomspon's and Mr Russell, Ms Thompson's boyfriend, according to her family.
Police are currently investing the two men's possible relation to the shooter, though a motive is not currently known.
'I don't know what happened, but I know those bullets were not intended for her,' Mr Thompson said.
Ms Thompson's two-year-old, Nazhia, unknowing what had happened to her mother, still had her birthday party, however.
She celebrated wearing a small tiara on her head.
'We tried to keep our spirits up,' Mr Thompson said, 'but it was hard.'
Family decorated with balloons and purchased a new cake for the girl, abandoning the former one in the backseat of the car, covered in broken glass.
Family members said they didn't know how to tell the girl, how to begin to explain what had happened to her mom.
'She loved her family,' Camille Williams, a friend of Ms Thompson told ABC affiliate WSL-TV.
'It is such a tragedy that she was murdered and she left behind a 2-year-old baby,' Ms Williams added.
'Everyone called her 'Smiley' because she was always smiling,' Mr Thompson described his sister whom he said was studying at a nearby college for her nursing degree before going to the bakery early Saturday evening.
Around her education he says she was also working at a daycare facility in the nearby area.
A witness to the scene admitted the area as having a rough crowd, but was still shocked about what had happened.
'It was broad daylight in a busy parking lot,' an employee at the next door restaurant told The Chicago Sun-Times, asking to not be named.
'But people are always getting shot or robbed in this neighborhood,' they added.
'...I cried all night. No sleep. And today I was paranoid, thinking one of the customers could be the gunman.'
On Sunday night, community members were passing out leaflets in the area, hoping to find witnesses with more information about the suspect as well as the car he was seen driving.
Making the event harder for Ms Thompson's family, her aunt, Charlene Davis, is a well-known activist against violence of this kind.
One of Sunday night's activists, however, passing out leaflets, spoke with WLS-TV, explaining, 'We want people to see that this is not acceptable, this isn't normal, and we can't get use to it,' Joy McCormick said.
'We have to make noise and we have to be loud and we have to let the city know this is not a South Side problem, this is not a West Side problem - this is a Chicago problem and we need people to stand up and make some noise about it,' she added.
'Residents have to come outside and get off their couches,' an unidentified resident of the area told WMAQ.
'We have to look out the window, we have to make sure everything is, people are who they say they are because we are under siege here in this community,' he added.
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15. 2A under attack on Bill Mahr show
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Bill Mahr, a comedian who is alway angry, and Alex Wagner, an MSNBC analyst, go after the RKBA. But, they don't get away with it unscathed, thanks to guest Congressman Darrell Issa.
From YouTube: http://tinyurl.com/7vq88lr
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16. A caution about new Kel-tec pistol for non-CHP holders
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Kel-tek has a new pistol, the PMR30, that shoots .22 WMR cartridges. The caution is because it comes only with a 30-round magazine. If you do not have a CHP, then it would be illegal under 18.2-287.4 to carry that gun loaded in the Cities of Alexandria, Chesapeake, Fairfax, Falls Church, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond, or Virginia Beach or in the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Henrico, Loudoun, or Prince William.
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17. Membership/VA-ALERT issues - changing your email
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A reminder from our Membership Director, Jacque Blundell:
Being a subscriber to VA-ALERT and being a member of VCDL are two different things! (You don't need to be a member to subscribe to VA-ALERT.)
If you want to change your email address for the VA-ALERT system, you need to do it on-line at the bottom of VCDL's main web page at vcdl.org.
If you send an email to membership asking to "change an email address," it only gets changed in the Membership Database and not in VA-ALERT.
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18. VCDL quoted in article on newly elected General Assembly
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From the Richmond Times-Dispatch: http://tinyurl.com/6o7okxf
McDonnell to govern in a new landscape
By: Andrew Cain
Published: November 14, 2011
Control of the state Senate is likely to give Gov. Bob McDonnell a freer hand on some of his key initiatives, from his upcoming budget proposal to requiring state workers to pay more toward their pensions.
What remains to be seen is whether the governor, who hopes to be considered for the No. 2 spot on the 2012 GOP ticket, will go right full rudder and back socially conservative measures that had been blocked in the legislature.
The economy and jobs will continue to be the main focus in the General Assembly under complete Republican control, said Victoria Cobb, president of The Family Foundation.
But she predicts "a more favorable outcome" for previously defeated measures that would require a pregnant woman to have an ultrasound before an abortion, add the unborn to wrongful death statutes, and give a tax credit to corporations that donate to private school scholarships for underprivileged students.
Other defeated proposals likely to get a new airing include efforts to declare unborn children persons under Virginia law; to end the state's one-gun-a-month limit on handgun purchases; and to require police to check the immigration status of anyone arrested.
"This is a chapter that's yet unwritten," Sen. R. Edward Houck, D-Spotsylvania, said Thursday after conceding defeat to Republican Bryce Reeves.
"We were the backstop to a lot of social conservative legislation that we felt like, and that I feel like, is not quite good for Virginia," Houck said. "It will be interesting to see if that type legislation is now embraced by a Republican-controlled Senate. I would suspect it will be."
Reeves' win means a 20-20 split in the state Senate. That will give Republicans working control of the chamber because Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a Republican, can break ties. Republicans will have at least 66 of the 100 seats in the House of Delegates.
Since the election, McDonnell has cautioned Republicans not to be arrogant and has pledged to emphasize job creation and government reform. He said in a statement that Republican candidates "have focused on providing common-sense solutions to the challenges facing our citizens. And that is how we will govern in the majority."
If Republicans nominate Mitt Romney for president — a candidate whom some conservatives view warily — moves by McDonnell "to motivate the base could be (viewed as) a very positive thing," said Robert Denton, a political analyst at Virginia Tech.
Denton said Virginia is likely to be one of the top five swing states next year, which also could help McDonnell's case for the national ticket.
At the same time, "are there some land mines? I would say yes," he said.
Some new GOP senators have campaigned on controversial issues, Denton said. He noted that Del. Charles W. Carrico, who was elected to a state Senate seat in Southwest Virginia, backs a state constitutional amendment that would allow prayer on public property, including at schools.
So McDonnell must decide: "Is he going to try to manage a group of these freshman senators?" Denton said.
GOP control of the legislature could break a partisan impasse over how to draw new congressional districts. But it is unclear how the partisan balance will affect some other key issues, such as proposed uranium mining and any renewed effort by McDonnell to privatize the state's liquor stores.
In 1996, the last time the state Senate was split 20-20, the parties shared power, but only because Sen. Virgil H. Goode Jr., of Rocky Mount, then a conservative Democrat, insisted upon a "substantially equitable division" of leadership posts, angering his Democratic colleagues.
Sen. L. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, said at the time: "Virgil has gone crazy. He's absolutely lost his mind."
Fifteen years later, Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, is pleased that Republicans will not share power in the split Senate.
"The anti-gun Senate leadership has now had their power stripped from them," he told members of the organization in an email Friday.
He added: "The public has spoken — now to see if the Republican leadership was listening."
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19. National reciprocity bill passes House, heads to Senate
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H.R. 822 has passed the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington by 272 to 164. This bill, WHICH IS NOT YET LAW, requires that states which issue concealed handgun permits honor such permits from all other states that issue them.
One problem with the bill is that Vermont residents wouldn't be able to carry out of state under this bill without state-to-state reciprocity, since Vermont doesn't issue or require a permit to carry. However, that is the case currently, anyway. VCDL is mostly concerned that a law providing for national reciprocity may eventually result in national standards for CHPs.
H.R. 822 now heads to the Senate, where it will be in for a tougher fight. If it survives the Senate, then it heads to the President's desk.
If you wish to help push the bill forward, contact Senators Mark Warner and Jim Webb and ask them to support the bill and to oppose any amendments that would weaken it.
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20. Hearing on shooting range in Bedford set for November 28th
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The shooting range in Bedford County that is owned by Patsy and Timothy Hooper is currently in need of being rezoned and needs to have a Special Use Permit to continue to operate. Last month VCDL members showed up at a Bedford County Planning Commission hearing to show support for such a rezoning and Special Use Permit.
The issue is now before the Board of Supervisors, who will make the final decision on the matter.
For those in the Bedford County area that want to speak or just show support, the Board of Supervisors is having a hearing:
Monday, November 28, 2011, at 7:30 PM
Bedford County Administration Building Boardroom
122 E. Main Street
Bedford, VA
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VA-ALERT is a project of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc.
(VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization
dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to
Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right.
VCDL web page: http://www.vcdl.org [http://www.vcdl.org/]
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