FBI Director Warns of Terrorist Threats; Leaves Out 2A Defense

Sixth Circuit Sends Gun Range Zoning Case Back for Consideration After Bruen, iStock-955760380
The attack on Israeli citizens by Hamas has brought the Second Amendment battle in this country back to center stage. iStock-955760380

One week after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel that left hundreds of innocent people, including some U.S. citizens, dead with reports of depravity and mass slaughter, FBI Director Christopher Wray was “ominously warning there is a rising number of terror threats against the US — and that the biggest concern involves potential lone wolves,” according to the New York Post.

While Wray was talking about keeping law enforcement on alert, he appears to have overlooked possibly one vast difference between Israel and the U.S., which might make a major difference if such an attack were to happen here: An armed civilian population capable of immediately fighting back.

It should be no wonder why groups such as the National Rifle Association, Second Amendment Foundation, Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Gun Owners of America, Firearms Policy Coalition, and affiliate groups too numerous to mention have been fighting for decades to protect the Second Amendment, and the right it enshrines.

In the wake of the Oct. 7 attack, reports circulated that Israelis were asking for easier access to firearms, and at least one high-profile Israeli, Rabbi Raz Blizovsky, had been pushing the government for “easier access to weapons.”

Audacy.com reported that changes in Israeli gun laws would “cover changes to interview processes, expired permits, some training requirements and more.”

Israel does not have a Second Amendment. The U.S. Constitution does, and it has been upheld and clearly defined as protective of an individual fundamental right by three Supreme Court rulings over the past 15 years: Heller (2008), McDonald (2010), and Bruen (2022).

Anyone wondering why the Second Amendment remains important today need only read a Sunday New York Times report focusing on a woman identified as Hila Fakliro, 26, who described the slaughter at the “Tribe of Nova” celebration that ignited the current conflict between Israel and Gaza.

One paragraph in the Times story jumps out: “They were rounded up and shot like animals within hours of losing themselves, and the pressures of Israeli life, in thumping soundtracks of mystical peace and love. “There were these crazy maniacs with guns and people falling one by one,” Ms. Fakliro said. “It was like a shooting range.”

As reported by Fox News, Director Wray was speaking at the annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police in San Diego.

The Fox story included this quote from Wray: “In this heightened environment, there’s no question we’re seeing an increase in reported threats, and we have to be on the lookout, especially for lone actors who may take inspiration from recent events to commit violence of their own. And I’d encourage you to stay vigilant, because as the first line of defense in protecting our communities, you’re often the first to see the signs that someone may be mobilizing to violence. And I’d also ask you to continue sharing any intelligence or observations you may have.”

In a report from the Crime Prevention Research Center published in August, CPRC founder John Lott asserted that the FBI has vastly underestimated the number of active shooter incidents thwarted by armed private citizens.

“An analysis by the CPRC identified a total of 440 active shooter incidents during that period (2014-2022) and found that an armed citizen stopped 157,” the CPRC report said. “A previous report looked at only instances when armed civilians stopped what likely would have been mass public shootings. There were another 27 cases that we didn’t include where armed civilians stopped armed attacks, but the suspect didn’t fire his gun. Those cases are excluded from our calculations, though it could be argued that a civilian also stopped what likely could have been an active shooting event.

“The FBI reported that armed citizens thwarted 4.6% of active shooter incidents, while the CPRC found 35.7%,” the report added.

Past research by Lott has revealed millions of U.S. citizens are legally licensed to carry, and in more than half of the states, a carry permit or license is no longer required to carry a firearm for personal protection.

The events in Israel are reminiscent of the aftermath of the Russian incursion into Ukraine when the government could be seen in newsreel footage handing out semiautomatic weapons to citizens so they could fight back. It hasn’t happened yet in Israel, but such cases underscore the legitimacy of having a Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights, protecting the right to keep and bear arms.

Anti-gunners are fond of arguing that if a new restriction “saves just one life, then it’s worthwhile.” What about an armed citizen acting and saving perhaps countless lives? Such incidents have already occurred in the U.S., and by no great surprise, the gun prohibition lobby and its allies in Congress and state legislatures have all been mute in the aftermath.

There was the quick action by 22-year-old Elisjsha Dicken at the Greenwood Mall in Indiana on July 17, 2022. There was the December 2019 swift action by 71-year-old Jack Wilson at the Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas, taking down a shotgun-wielding killer. In May 2022, an unidentified woman drew her legally carried pistol and fatally shot a would-be mass shooter during an event in Charleston, W.Va.

In August 2022, Lott authored an article in Real Clear Investigations, which listed several incidents where armed citizens intervened.

If Wray is correct—and there is no reason to doubt his sincerity because even CBS News grudgingly acknowledges a spike in “terror watch list” hits along the U.S.-Mexico border—there is the potential for some type of attack on U.S. soil.

Ignoring the potential of such an attack being stopped by an armed citizen might be ignoring one of the nation’s best assets. As the saying goes, the Second Amendment is “homeland security” in its most basic form.


About Dave Workman

Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, author of multiple books on the Right to Keep & Bear Arms, and formerly an NRA-certified firearms instructor.

Dave Workman

34 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Darkman

I fear the FBI, ATF and the rest of the federal alphabet agencies, more than I do any terrorist organization.

Ledesma

They’re responsible for one of humanities greatest attempted undertakings. To safeguard millions of helpless liberals when the lights go out.

Courageous Lion - Hear Me Roar - Jus Meum Tuebor

They were responsible for one of the greatest attacks against American civilians in Waco Texas years ago. They are TRAITORS and deserve a traitors death.

swmft

no, they are responsible for figuring what happened to all the liberals when the lights go out

Laddyboy

I do not “fear” this DemoKKKratic COMMUNIST party. I JUST DO NOT TRUST THEM AT ALL! They arrest and jail people for OBEYING ESTABLISHED road laws.

musicman44mag

Side bar note. Supreme court backs O’bidens ghost gun rules.

FJB

Orion

yep, i read that earlier. very disappointing.

Colt

not necessarily. All the Supreme Court said was they didn’t want to get involved with an Interlocutory appeal. As I understand it, they weren’t willing to run rim shot over a lower court proceeding, but rather wanted to wait till the case made it to the Supreme Court on its own.
Frames and Receivers isn’t dead…. we have to play in ATF’s pooped up sandbox for now.

HLB

Sometimes we get caught up in the small things. While it is nice to have the Supreme Court agree with us, we still make the rules on the ground.

HLB

USMC0351Grunt

THAT is EXACTLY right! Also, the 10th Amendment isn’t dead in any manner. Creativity in it’s use is the key and a form of a final straw of WE, The People in our defense of freedom and liberty.

Bozz

It’s not the law of the land. It’s a temporary until it gets to SCOTUS. However long that takes. But yes, FJB

Ledesma

Even after long scholarships in the new “super-extended” background check, they STILL pretend we’re crooks.

Duane

The difference the court is giving the government cases is worrying.

People say the court doesn’t want to get involved is BS.

They involved themselves by siding with the government.

They could just as easily let the injunctions stand.

But the decided to put Americans at risk instead.

USMC0351Grunt

Which is wholly counterproductive of the purpose of the judiciary in the first place.

Last edited 1 year ago by USMC0351Grunt
Bigfootbob

Thanks Dave. I appreciate these kind of “In Your Face Wray” articles that debunk the liars lies. Im sure I’m not the exception, probably closer to the rule but the more they mess around the more guns I buy or make. And when I say “they” you know who I mean. Japanese Admiral Yamamoto famously said “We can never invade America, there would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.” Even with the fact that our population has more than doubled since 1941, about the time the wise Admiral uttered that phrase, nothing has changed, there’s still a rifle… Read more »

Laddyboy

So the CENSORS are busy deleting comments they do not like!?!? I still give KUDOS to the woman who carried her piece in a dangerous setting!

Courageous Lion - Hear Me Roar - Jus Meum Tuebor

Watch how fast “citizen militias” form if this crap comes home to the US. If we had more control over the psychopathic control freak parasites we wouldn’t be dealing with ANY “terrorism”. But I tell you…if MY wedding party had been droned, I would be looking for payback. Or BLOW BACK as Ron Paul calls it. The IsraHELL BS needs to be looked at from another view. How about a JEWISH Political Science Professors point of view…

Matt in Oklahoma

Lol shoot one their precious Terrorist and see what happens to you. You’ll be put through the ringer just like those who defended against BLM

Laddyboy

I wonder if the NY council woman who was arrested for “gun carrying” in a NONSENSICAL sensitive place will FINALLY be taken to court and REMOVE these UNCONSTITUTIONAL INFRINGEMENTS. My prayers are with this BRAVE Woman!

What made my comment put onto the “AWAITING FOR APPROVAL LIST”????????????

Last edited 1 year ago by Laddyboy
DunRanull

EVERY comment I make goes to the “Waiting for approval” list.

Cappy

You do know when they say, “lone wolf terrorist” they are talking about us. Of course, they are wrong. But when has that ever stopped them?

Deplorable Bill

Awaiting approval on last post as of 1809, 10/16/23

Arm up and carry on

Bigfootbob

Your tagline says everything you need to know about this issue, thank you.

Deplorable Bill

I suppose that Yamamoto said it best when he was asked why he did not invade the American mainland after the Perl Harbor attack, he said, “There would be a gun behind every blade of grass”. As armed as America was back then we are many times more so now. Terrorism and evil governments depend upon unarmed victims who are simply not capable of fighting back. Out here in rural Az. we have a sure cure for terrorists, cartel operators, invading armies, treasonous, tyrannical governments, murderers, home invaders etc………..We shoot back. If someone tries to do US harm they may… Read more »

Zhukov

The FBI has been corrupt since its inception. Hoover kept files on as many people as possible to use for blackmail purposes.

swmft

fbi and atf are both criminal organizations, they were set up to control black soldiers after ww1. new class of free thinking upwardly mobile individuals, who were armed and able. black wall street made them afraid, willson and fdr both were racist as hell, they set up organizations to control not to serve

J.galt

fbi director IS the terrorist threat.

F those nazis and their extended families!!!!

THERE ARE NO GOOD NAZIS. PERIOD!

Courageous Lion - Hear Me Roar - Jus Meum Tuebor

Basically a WELL REGULATED MILITIA being NECESSARY to the SECURITY of a FREE STATE. She was the head honcho. Good for her. Call it a security detail, but for all intents it fits the definition of A WELL REGULATED MILITIA.

Last edited 1 year ago by Courageous Lion - Hear Me Roar - Jus Meum Tuebor
hippybiker

Wray is an Obfuscating, traitorous, crook!

Montana454Casull

Looks like we’re all going to need the Biden administration to pass out those special weapons that have chambers that hold a 100 rounds Joey talked about last weekend to defend ourselves .

DIYinSTL

That would certainly put the “long” in “long gun”. I’m sure you are familiar with early attempts to create repeating rifles that stacked one muzzle loaded charge on top of another.

Boz

F the fBIie!

StLPro2A

“An armed civilian population capable of immediately fighting back.” How’d that work out for the two locations in the recent Maine shootings. Not a single word about a single EDC gun person returning fire at either site. A right not exercised, is a right not held. Probably left their carry guns in their cars due to alcohol being served on premises, creating a “fish in a barrel” killing zone….er, my bad…..a Gun Free Zone (Mass Murderers Excepted.) Practice your every day situational awareness. Spot anomalies in your environment, if it doesn’t look right….it’s probably not right…head on a swivel, trust… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by StLPro2A