Overview

• After three lawsuits and two appeals court trips, Mark McCloskey reclaimed his AR-15 from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police following a post on X.
• The rifle was seized in June 2020 when the couple brandished firearms to deter Black Lives Matter protesters outside their home.
• Gov. Mike Parson pardoned their misdemeanor assault and harassment convictions in 2021 and a Missouri appeals court expunged the record in 2024.
• The St. Louis Sheriff’s Department still holds Patricia McCloskey’s pistol as negotiations for its return proceed this week.
• Conservative supporters including President Trump and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed briefs backing the couple’s demand for their weapons.