Mark McCloskey, who gained national attention in 2020 for standing armed with his wife Patricia outside their St. Louis home to confront protesters, has finally reclaimed his AR-15 rifle after a prolonged legal fight. The rifle was seized less than a month after the June 28 incident and held for over five years.
McCloskey announced the return of his firearm on X, writing, “It only took 3 lawsuits, 2 trips to the Court of Appeals and 1,847 days, but I got my AR15 back!” He added that despite persecution by the political left, media smears, and threats to their lives, the couple never backed down.
In June 2020, as protesters entered their private neighborhood, the McCloskeys stood their ground outside their home—Mark holding the AR-15 and Patricia wielding a pistol. The couple claimed they were defending their property from potential violence. Within days, they became the focus of national controversy and a local criminal investigation.
Although the couple was initially charged, the legal pursuit sparked outrage among conservatives nationwide. Their case became symbolic of the right to self-defense and the Second Amendment. They ultimately received pardons from then-Missouri Governor Mike Parson in 2021.
Speaking to Fox News, McCloskey emphasized the principle behind his battle: “That gun may have only been worth $1,500 or something, and it cost me a lot of time and a lot of effort to get it back, but you have to do that. You have to let them know that you will never back down.”
He also indicated that Patricia’s pistol, which was also confiscated, may be returned to her this week.
The McCloskeys’ case remains a key example of political targeting and legal overreach against law-abiding gun owners standing up for property rights.
