AR-15 Triumph: McCloskeys’ Ultimate Victory

Five years after their viral confrontation with BLM protesters, the St. Louis couple who made national headlines for standing their ground have finally reclaimed their AR-15—putting a punctuation mark on a saga that embodied the battle lines over gun rights, property, and common sense in America.

Story Snapshot

Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who confronted BLM protesters with firearms in 2020, have had their AR-15 returned after a five-year legal fight.
The couple’s misdemeanor convictions were expunged in 2024, paving the way for the return of their property.
The case became a national flashpoint over gun rights, self-defense, and prosecutorial overreach.
The return of the rifle is viewed as a victory for perseverance, the Second Amendment, and property rights amid relentless political targeting.

Five Years Later, the Rifle Comes Home: A Symbolic Victory for Property Rights

Mark and Patricia McCloskey, once thrust into the media firestorm for defending their St. Louis home against a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020, have finally gotten their AR-15 rifle back from law enforcement. The return of the firearm comes after a grueling five-year legal and political ordeal that saw the couple criminally charged, publicly vilified, and forced to surrender their guns—all for doing what any sensible homeowner believes is their God-given right: protecting family and property from a mob on their front lawn.

The McCloskeys’ ordeal began when their private gated neighborhood was overrun by protesters during the height of the 2020 unrest. Video of the couple standing firm—Mark with his AR-15, Patricia with her handgun—spread like wildfire, instantly igniting debates over self-defense, race, and the limits of protest. The couple asserted they were simply protecting their home against trespassers, but woke prosecutors and left-wing media were quick to paint them as villains, not victims. Charges were filed. Plea deals were forced. Guns were seized. Yet in the end, the McCloskeys refused to be cowed.

Expungement and Pardon Highlight Unprecedented Legal Targeting

The facts are as clear as the day’s viral footage. After the incident, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner—whose soft-on-crime record speaks for itself—filed criminal charges against the McCloskeys, labeling their actions as “unlawful use of a weapon.” The couple eventually pleaded guilty to misdemeanors in 2021 and surrendered their guns as part of the deal. But Missouri’s conservative leadership was not about to let law-abiding citizens be scapegoated for upholding basic property rights. In August 2021, Governor Mike Parson issued full pardons, and in 2024, the couple’s convictions were expunged, essentially erasing the incident from the legal record.

This legal whiplash demonstrates how quickly the justice system can be weaponized against anyone who dares to defend themselves—provided the political winds are blowing the wrong way. The incident became a rallying cry for gun owners nationwide, and the McCloskeys have since become outspoken advocates for the Second Amendment, refusing to let the narrative be hijacked by those who would rather see Americans disarmed and defenseless in their own homes.

Gun Rights, Property, and the Unrelenting Assault on Common Sense

August 2025 marks the conclusion of this high-profile battle: Mark McCloskey finally announced, with visible relief, that the AR-15 had been returned by St. Louis police. His victory statement was a pointed rebuke to the bureaucrats and activists who tried to make an example out of him: “Perseverance pays off. Stand up for your rights, and don’t let them grind you down.” Meanwhile, negotiations continue for the return of Patricia’s handgun, still sitting in the sheriff’s evidence locker—because, apparently, the paperwork never ends when the government has its claws in your property.

This isn’t just about one couple’s rifle. It’s about the principle: if the authorities can strip you of your right to defend your home, seize your property, and drag you through years of legal hell—just for exercising your constitutional rights—what’s stopping them from doing it to anyone who refuses to kneel to the mob? The McCloskey case exposed the ugly reality of prosecutorial overreach, media bias, and the ongoing war on common sense values in this country. It served as a warning—and now, perhaps, as a sign that perseverance and the rule of law can still win out, if Americans refuse to back down.