A couple in St. Louis who had their firearms confiscated after brandishing an AR-15 and a handgun at Black Lives Matter protesters have been sent 50 offers of free AR-15s. President Trump has also voiced his support for the couple.
Mark and Patricia McCloskey became an internet sensation last month after a video went viral of the couple holding their firearms outside their St. Louis home while a group of protesters passed by on their way through a private neighborhood. The couple has been under investigation by St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, and police seized their firearms as part of that investigation.
SEE ALSO: Nevada Judge Allows Suit Alleging AR-15s Should be Considered Machine Guns
Joel Schwartz, the McCloskeys’ criminal defense lawyer, told Forbes that a Missouri gun store—Alien Armory Tactical—“along with 50 people” have contacted the pair and offered to replace the AR-15. Schwartz says his clients are “kindly refusing” the gesture.
In a Facebook post, Alien Armory Tactical also offered free firearms training.
SEE ALSO: Armed Homeowners Brandish Firearms as BLM Protesters Break into Gated Neighborhood
Even though the BLM protesters had trespassed on private property, and the McCloskeys claim some of them threatened the couple with violence, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner has vowed to prosecute the pair.
Gardner has faced criticism for being weak on crime in the infamously violent city, but she’s not holding back in her pursuit of the McCloskeys.
She has yet to file charges, but she issued a statement on Twitter voicing her “alarm” at reports stating that “peaceful protesters” were met by “guns and violent assault.” She vowed to “use the full power of Missouri law” to hold those accountable who threatened the protesters.
President Trump, Missouri Governor Mike Parson, and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley have criticized Gardner and voiced support for the McCloskeys.
The President retweeted a video on June 29 of the couple defending their home, and he defended the couple during an interview with Townhall.
“They were going to be beat up badly, and the house was going to be totally ransacked and probably burned down like they tried to burn down churches,” the president said.
Gov. Parson pointed to Missouri’s comprehensive castle doctrine law to defend the pair.
“That couple had every right to protect their property. They had the ability to do that as private citizens, like everyone else. What they should not go through is a prosecutor attempting to take their constitutional rights away by filing charges against them for protecting their property,” Gov. Parson said.
SEE ALSO: SAF Defeats St. Louis Public Housing Gun Ban to Protect Rape Victim’s 2A Rights
Sen. Hawley issued a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr urging him to investigate Gardner for a possible infringement on the McCloskey’s civil liberties.
“This is an unacceptable abuse of power and threat to the Second Amendment, and I urge you to consider a federal civil rights investigation into the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office to determine whether this investigation and impeding prosecution violates this family’s constitutional rights,” he said.
Gardner responded in an interview with the Washington Post by claiming that the attacks by Trump, Parson, and Hawley are racially motivated. Gardner was the first African American to head the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office.
“This is a modern-day night ride, and everybody knows it,” she told the Post, referring to attacks on African American neighborhoods perpetrated by the Ku Klux Klan. “And for a president to participate in it, in the larger context of racism and cronyism, is scary.”
Oh yes let’s go after the home owners.
But…in D.C. let’s go after the protesters.
Humm…I guess only the government is allowed to defend their house and themselves and they can use tax payer security services, something the private citizen can not afford. What has this country come to. Protesters in Portland Oregon attacking citizens, destroying property and buildings and the same in Seattle and the police are told to back down and let them rampage. But a citizen trying to defend their home, business or family should be prosecuted. Where is the America I grew up in?
The black prosecutor should be arrested, stripped of all power and government funds, benefits, and put in prison with her friends.
I bet they will make fewer donations to Democrats next year.
They pointed guns in a very unfriendly gun state with dozens of cameras around.If they are that rich and only have 2 guns then they might not need to have any. The have no training or common sense. Try a 5 watt laser next time.
Sounds to me the Protesters got the point..LOL
The da committed a civil rights violation and should be disbarred and locked up for a year and a day .The home owners need training badly they are
very lucky not to be shot .
Quote: she issued a statement on Twitter voicing her “alarm” at reports stating that “peaceful protesters” were met by “guns and violent assault.”
Serious question, is it even legally possible to be charged with assault against trespassers on your own land that have been told they are trespassing and yet refused to leave? It seems to me that the only party legally eligible to be committing assault is are the parties assaulting the property owners. The Circuit Attorney is the one saying the home owners committed assault? Sounds like reasonable grounds of being disbarred for incompetence, and potentially criminal negligence because her actions and statements are defiantly harmful to the home owners liberty/
I keep seeing so many examples of lefties getting away with violating laws like this, i simply cannot come to grips with why no one is taking them down, from top to bottom. I thought Trump was draining the swamp? At first people said that Trump was waiting so that all the snakes would reveal themselves, but we have enough! Let’s bag what we got, and let the rest run and hide for a long long time.
These goons/protesters are actually communist whether they realize it or not,they are operating right out of the communist takeover handbook the 45 steps
Wake up Americans!!
I heard the wife’s pistol was unloaded and she was given one by her husband to make her feel safer.
Nevertheless, I think she broke 1, 2, 3, or maybe all 4 firearms safety rules.
These democrats are such hypocrites! That couple were exercising their constitutional right to protect life and property and this prosecutor wants to charge them over the actual perpetrators of the crimes actually committed and when our defenders of these constitutional rights raise their voices against her she pulls the race card! Can’t they see the hypocrisy in that?
I want to know? If the prosecutor says those things aloud? How can he or she? Be allowed to handle anything to do with the couple. Showing angst towards the couple standing off a confrontation?? Because those bad guns right? Wrong!! The husband and wife should be commended!! For their dilligance. They are welcome in my neck of the woods. Semper fi
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This Kim Gardner Clown Persecutor needs to have some “peaceful” looters, arsonists, and attackers show up at her home, kick down her locked gate, and and start threatening her. Surely she can dial 911 and get Police help–STAT! Or maybe within 30 minutes. Or–maybe–never!
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The 2 Lawyers need some 1964 Army Basic Training pointers–for sure. The training Sergeant’s instructions were FIRST!–Take cover!! Get down! Behind a tree or rock, in a trench or low spot, behind a vehicle, behind a porch column, etc. Then–get ready to return fire if necessary.
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They were sitting ducks if there had been a skilled armed shooter in the mob.
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John Bibb
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The prosecutor should be hung by her democrat neck neck until dead. Wake up America!
These Bastards(Rioters) are only out for themselves. Kill the lot of them and,..Let GOD sort it out because they will be kneeling before HIM soon anyways.
What’s good for the goose should be good for the gander, right ? Sounds like “free” (tax payer) money should be coming the N.R.A. and N.S.S.F, etc way.
I entered this comment on the article about the anti-gun groups getting Federal stimulus money. Don’t know how it ended up here?
the problem is that the “protesters” were taking the video. they edited the parts where they broke down the gate and brandished their own firearms.
So Gardner is throwing up the “race card”!! Unbelievable that a public prosecutor would do that!! If a group of KKK members were legally, and peacefully protesting through her neighborhood, I bet she’d want a gun too!! Some of the BLM groups (not all!!) have been violent and destroyed property. If they were marching in my neighborhood… well, if ANY large group were marching through my GATED neighborhood, I’d be very concerned. They weren’t on a public street, they broke through a gate. I don’t care if the gate was left open or unlocked (as they claim) — it’s OBVIOUS that it’s NOT open to the general public. The group was trespassing, but no one was arrested or issued citations for that. Why not, prosecutor??? Isn’t THAT decision “racially motivated”???!!
The couple really shouldn’t have been openly threatening anyone with the weapons. Standing out in front of their homes WITH the weapons, but without raising until/unless they were in danger of being attacked, would have been adequate. They didn’t really know what they were doing from the way they were holding them, but they do have the right to defend themselves, and there was the possibility of them being in danger. I can understand the situation being investigated, and maybe even the weapons being seized during investigation — but they should get off (according to the Governor and the state’s castle doctrine law) and have their weapons returned without further hassle.
Let’s start at the root of the problem. Individual responsibility. Would we be talking about any of this if the rioters weren’t being rioters and protesters instead? Protesters don’t do anything but peaceful protest. They broke into private property whether it was inside or outside. Private property used to mean something especially to the constitution. You weren’t there. You’ve seen the news and only what the news wants you to see. They have cut out most of the violence as they have an agenda. They had every constitutional right to defend their life, liberty and property. Rioters have had weapons and were shooting people. How were these rioters different? Their gun handling wasn’t very safe but who cares. Force and threatening that force is what probably saved their lives and property. Their rights have been violated period. It’s the government showing they only have the right to wield power and the guns to do it.
Just like blm, if you don’t agree, you’re a racist. Gardner sounds like the racist to me. She does need to be investigated. If the conclusion is that there is no legal merit to her investigation she needs to be publicly shamed and labeled as the racist she is.
Her campaign was 1 of many financed by far leftist George Soros. These DA’s and city attorneys have been the ones who release the BLM rioters, looter, and assaulters without charging them. It is Orwellian that those who commit the crimes go free while those just protecting themselves are charged! Maybe this couple can go after Gardner for prosecutorial misconduct.
These folks are multi-multi millionaires living in a literal mansion…both personal injury attorneys…
they can afford to buy their own guns…LMAO
Why is it that companies give stuff to the folks that don’t need the charity? OH…the publicity…right?
I could use a few more ARs…pistols too…heck…just some ammo.
So because these people are by comparison to most of us, “well off”. the possibility of vandalism, home invasion, theft, assault, or arson being perpetrated upon them deserves less attention or empathy ? Interesting ……
To Kim Gardner:
Look in the mirror bitch. You are supporting black criminals attacking white citizens and YOU are violating the white citizen’s constitutional rights to defend themselves. Looks to me like you’re the one that’s racist.
Seriously, somebody offer them free training.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner is a racist! She is attempting to prosecute the couple because they are white, not because they have committed a crime. And now that she has been called out publicly for her racist misdeeds, she is playing the victim card herself. PATHETIC!! I hope William Barr investigates her office and prosecutes Garndner’s sorry ass!
The “Lady” needs instruction on handling a firearm.