Mark McCloskey, the Missouri homeowner who, alongside his wife Patricia, became a national symbol of self-defense and Second Amendment rights during the 2020 Black Lives Matter riots, has secured a final legal victory — regaining possession of the AR-15 rifle he used to defend his home from a violent mob.
“It only took 3 lawsuits, 2 trips to the Court of Appeals and 1,847 days, but I got my AR15 back!” McCloskey announced on X.
“We defended our home, were persecuted by the left, smeared by the press, and threatened with death, but we never backed down.”
National Spotlight After Standing Their Ground
In one of the most iconic images of the 2020 riots, the McCloskeys were seen standing on their lawn, with Mark holding an AR-15 and Patricia holding a handgun, confronting protesters who broke through a private gate into their St. Louis property.
The BLM demonstrators were marching past private homes in a gated neighborhood, and the area had seen widespread violence in the days prior, including multiple shootings of police officers.
Despite clear evidence the mob forcibly entered the property, St. Louis