Homeowner Killed by Police for Resisting Gun Confiscation

By Ready to Fire News On Nov 19, 2018

A horrific story unfolded in Maryland right before the election that illustrates the sheer lunacy of so-called “red flag” anti-gun laws. A homeowner was shot to death in Maryland by police for resisting their attempts to confiscate his gun.

Before you fall into the trap of thinking this is all “legal but unfortunate,” remember the fact that the police never would have been at his home in the first place – because he had committed no crime before they came to seize his firearms.

Here’s what happened. Some do-gooder family member of homeowner Gary Willis, age 60, told the police that Gary is a danger to himself or others. The cops went to a judge and obtained a “red flag” warrant to go confiscate his firearm. Unsurprisingly, the cops started pounding on Gary’s door at 5:00AM morning the next day. Also, unsurprisingly, Gary Willis took his gun with him when he went to answer the door.

While Gary was no doubt struggling with the fog of sleep, he argued with the police at his doorstep as they tried to serve their “red flag” warrant. A cop tried to snatch Gary’s gun out of his hand and as they wrestled for control of it, the gun discharged. No one was hit. The cop’s partner then shot and killed Gary Willis in his own home, moments after he had been awakened by them pounding on his front door at 5:00AM.

Gary Willis was never accused of committing a crime. His due process rights were completely violated prior to his execution by the police. He didn’t get a chance to face his accusers. He didn’t get to plead his case before a judge. Other people decided that he was dangerous and then he was gunned down in his own home by the police for objecting to their intrusion on his private property in the early morning hours. This is the exact end result that gun rights groups argue before state legislatures when they consider these egregious “red flag” laws.

Maryland’s “red flag” law went into effect on October 1st – just 36 days before Gary Willis was shot to death by the police. The law was passed in a rush following the Capital-Gazette newspaper shooting. Under the law, someone can report Maryland residents as “dangerous” and then the cops show up at your doorstep – not to talk to you and determine whether you’re actually dangerous, but to take your guns away. Once your guns have been taken away, you have the opportunity to go to court and argue as to why you should get your guns back. This is guilty until proven innocent.

Maryland’s “red flag” law allows law enforcement, medical professionals, spouses, relatives, boyfriends, girlfriends, ex-spouses and persons you have children with to file petitions with the court. Because they are “red flag” orders, the judge can sign a warrant and have cops headed to your front door in minutes. Although, to protect themselves rather than the citizens they are policing, the cops will likely do this with an early-morning raid like they did at Gary Willis’ house.

These unconstitutional “red flag” laws are a complete violation of your right to gun ownership and to due process. Someone else can make a claim about you, then the cops show up at your door and you comply OR DIE. (Actually, there is a third alternative, and we have no doubt that it will make national headlines when it inevitably happens in Maryland.)

Gary Willis’s family, which got him killed by police, now says that he was a bit of a drunk and they were having a family spat about how he was going to be cared for as he got older. They say he wasn’t dangerous in any way – despite telling a judge one day prior to his death that he was dangerous and should have his gun confiscated!

Plus, what were the police thinking? Haven’t they heard of telephones? What is the first thing you would do if someone pounds on your front door in the dead of night? Most of us would “gun up” before heading to see who’s so urgently knocking while it’s dark outside.

If “red flag” laws are being debated by your state legislature, be sure to write your Representative or Senator and tell them about Gary Willis. Maryland’s “red flag” law got him killed and now everyone in Maryland is whining about how unfortunate this completely predictable outcome was.

~ Ready to Fire News