Kansas Sheriff's Office Praises Armed Citizen as 'Surprise Guest Hero'

In the gun control debate, there's often an attempt to leverage law enforcement opinion for political gain by both sides. Anti-gunners cite police chiefs' groups, and we tend to talk about the rank-and-file officers, who tend to be overwhelmingly pro-gun.

Everything is a bit more complicated than that, though. Different places have different views, and sheriffs are political creatures to some degree or another out of necessity. I mean, they're elected. They have to be.

So it warmed my heart a bit when Facebook decided to share a little good news with me.

In Kansas, there was a police chase that culminated in an armed citizen being praised for his role in helping keep the bad guy from getting away.

Now, not only was this one of the more entertaining reads I've encountered from a law enforcement agency, but it also specifically singled out an armed citizen, Mr. Anthony Maike. 

This was apparently happening on his property, and he stepped up with his firearm and protected his property as needed.

Making a special appearance was surprise guest hero and homeowner Mr. Anthony Maike, who stepped up to protect his property armed with a super sick boom stick reminding everyone involved that trespassing in rural Kansas is not recommended and we LOVE the 2nd Amendment here in Wabaunsee County Kansas THANK YOU MR. MAIKE!!

No injuries were reported, and I'm thrilled to see a sheriff's office use the word "love" in regard to the Second Amendment. The fact that it was in all caps just makes it that much better.

Granted, this is a rural county in pro-gun Kansas with around 7.000 residents. I'm not super shocked to see such a message, especially in a county that has a place called "Beecher Bible and Rifle Church."

Yeah, that's a thing, and it's glorious.

The truth of the matter is that Mr. Maike has his Second Amendment rights and lives in a state that respects them. When he was needed, he took up arms and assisted. Now, a bad guy has been arrested, no one was injured, and all is right with the world.

Well, other than the fact that some people would prefer a world where Maike was unarmed, the bad guy got away, and law enforcement just shrugged and called it a day, rather than celebrating the capture of a fleeing suspect and the help of a citizen.

Guns save lives. Sometimes, it's obvious how they save lives. Other times, it's less so.

But bad people do bad things even if they don't have guns. Good people are often left powerless if they're unarmed, though, and that's the issue.

I'm happy about this particular report because, frankly, it's a fun story with a happy ending. I'm more bothered by the fact that we live in a world where some people will see this and think that Maike did something wrong, should have minded his own business, or should have been arrested himself.

That's not the America I want my kids to inherit. It's not the America I want anyone to inherit.

Luckily, in that part of Kansas, it doesn't look like that America is going away anytime soon.

Editor’s Note: President Trump and Republicans across the country are doing everything they can to protect our Second Amendment rights and right to self-defense.

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