ST LOUIS, MO –-(Ammoland.com)- A video of two homeowners defending their property hit the Internet, kicking off debates around the country.
On Sunday, a group of several hundred Black Lives Matter protestors broke down the barrier to a private street in a St. Louis neighborhood. Mark and Patricia McCloskey were about to eat dinner when they noticed a large crowd outside their private gate. Seconds later, the protest broke through the gate and started streaming through the opening towards the McCloskey’s house.
According to the protestors, they were marching to the home of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, who lives in an adjacent neighborhood. Seeing demonstrators walking through their private property towards their house, the McCloskeys grabbed their firearms and headed outside to confront the marchers. Riots due to the killing of George Floyd have recently torn up St. Louis. Rioters have burned several buildings in the downtown area. Looters have destroyed businesses in the city.
Mark McCloskey said he was afraid that his house was going to see a similar fate, and he felt he needed to act to protect his family and home from being overrun. The 63-year-old personal injury attorney thinks the protestors were coming towards his house and didn’t stop until he displayed his AR-15, and his wife pulled out her pistol. In the video, you can see the look of fear on McCloskey’s face.
“I’m not the face of anything opposing the Black Lives Matter movement,” McCloskey said. “I was a person scared for my life, who was protecting my wife, my home, my hearth, my livelihood. I was a victim of a mob that came through the gate. I didn’t care what color they were — I didn’t care what their motivation was. I was frightened, I was assaulted, and I was in imminent fear that they would run me over, kill me, burn my house.”
The protestors stopped short of McCloskey’s home, but the older couple were not the only ones with firearms. The marchers brandished at least two pistols. According to the couple, the protestors with the guns told them that they “were next” as the two residents demanded that the protestors leave the private property. Police did not respond to the couple’s calls for help. The property’s private security also did not show up on the scene to deal with the hundreds of people. The husband and wife felt like they were on their own. Protestors even threatened to kill the couple’s dog.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner’s office is investigating the incident. Gardner is an admitted supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement. She has been critical of police and has excused the rioting and looting in St. Louis as a reaction to police brutality while prosecuting less than 25% of crimes presented by police to her office. She promised swift action against the McCluskeys.
“My office is currently working with the public and police to investigate these events,” she said in a statement. “Make no mistake: we will not tolerate the use of force against those exercising their First Amendment rights and will use the full power of Missouri law to hold people accountable.”
Missouri is a castle doctrine state. A homeowner does not have the duty to retreat when threatened. If the McCluskeys were really in fear of their lives and the protestors did enter their private property it isn’t clear on what laws the McCluskeys broke.
As of this writing, prosecutors have not charged either Mark or Patricia McCloskey with a crime. There is no word on Gardner’s office investigating the protesters that brandished their firearm.
About John Crump
John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. He is the former CEO of Veritas Firearms, LLC and is the co-host of The Patriot News Podcast which can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnews. John has written extensively on the patriot movement including 3%’ers, Oath Keepers, and Militias. In addition to the Patriot movement, John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and is currently working on a book on leftist deplatforming methods and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss, on Facebook at realjohncrump, or at www.crumpy.com.
It’s time to buckle up gals and guys!! We are seeing the clear direction of this battle. The Dems are in clear support of this anarchy actually using it as a tool to support the end goal. The Repubs are hiding under their desks (as usual) trying to figure out how to get everyone to like them. The latter being as destructive as a silent cancer! The police are caught in the middle as those officers, as humans and having families, are finding out that no one has their backs. Therefore decisions are being made to ‘stay alive’ and return… Read more »
It scared the crap out of America as a whole because it showed just how far it’s gone and the our world has changed
THAT…..IS what the 2ND is all about!
No debate about it,It is a perfect example of the intent of the 2 nd. amendment in action.
As to their poor familiarity with gun handling I’m sure by now they are aware of their need for firearms training.
What ? Don’t tell me that those shitasses ignored the “ Neighborhood Watch “ signs ? What about the “protected by ADT “ yard signs ?
Next thing you know people will be ignoring “ gun free zones “
I believe that the CCA ( Communist Circuit Attorney) Kimberly Gardener,
will be prosecuting them for face mask violation also !
What Debate? McCloskey’s had every right to do what they did. And if you think they should be prosecuted then you are the problem. Marxist do not believe in property rights and they don’t believe you have a right to defend property you never owned. This is a dangerous way of thinking and we’re seeing more of it from everywhere. . .
Shoot the closest guy waving a gun at you. In most places that would be justified. Let the other 300 scumbags decide what happens next.
With all that reported news of citizens arming up, I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of firearms safety critics coming out to join them. We seasoned gun owners know safety is paramount, but I doubt that most of us have rarely had the need to do what this couple did. On a positive note, proof positive that firearms even in the hands of laypeople can neutralize a mob. If I were faced with in a similar situation, I doubt that I could get everything right.
I CRINGE with the way the woman was holding and waving the pistol… Looks like she is holding a frigging $1000.00 PURSE !
Yeah, she needs some RANGE TIME…
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom to destroy private property…