McCloskey couple demands St Louis return firearms after they were prosecuted for defending their home during 2020 BLM riots

The St. Louis, Missouri couple who went viral for defending their home in an armed confrontation of Black Lives Matter protestors on their property in 2020 has demanded that the city give them back their guns. Mark and Patricia McCloskey, both of whom are personal injury lawyers, recently had their misdemeanor convictions scrubbed from their criminal records, however their firearms remained in state custody.

After being pardoned by Gov. Mike Parson in 2021, the McCloskeys sued for the return of their weapons, however a judge denied that request, and the ensuing appeal. Mr. McCloskey has warned that if the city doesn't give them back, he will be left with no other option but to file another lawsuit.



"It's time for the city to cough up my guns," he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

On that day in 2020, the McCloskeys were at home when a group of BLM protestors approached their property, breaking down the iron gate and trespassing. The couple emerged from their home, weapons drawn, in an attempt to get them to leave, but did not fire the weapons. 

The firearms in question, a Colt AR-15 rifle and a Bryco .380-caliber pistol, were surrendered during a plea agreement. The McCloskeys had originally been hit with felony charges of unlawful use of a weapon and evidence tampering, however they struck a deal with prosecutors that saw Mr. McCloskey plea guilty to fourth-degree assault and his wife second-degree harassment.

They petitioned the court to erase the misdemeanor convictions from their records in January 2024, and, following a hearing, the request was granted. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore's office claimed that the McCloskeys were still a threat to public safety, however the couple argued that they were not. Judge Joseph Whyte sided with them, noting that the threat they presented had been ephemeral, limited to the date in question, June 28, 2020.