Roger Webster, owner of Webster's Store, and a female customer were standing in front of the store when two men approached and forced them back into the store. Webster and the customer were held at gunpoint and ordered to give up money from the cash register. Webster complied. When the men demanded even more money, Webster motioned as if retrieving more cash, but instead retrieved his handgun from the register and fired several rounds at the armed suspect. Both men fled. Neither Webster nor the customer were harmed. (Dorchester Banner, Cambridge, MD 11/2/12)

The Armed Citizen Extra
A 75-year-old Bellingham homeowner held two teenage burglars at gunpoint until officers showed up early Tuesday, Nov. 27, according to police. The man was awakened at 2:20 a.m. by strange sounds coming from a detached garage at his home in the 2800 block of Lynn Street, said a Bellingham police spokesman. The man grabbed a shotgun and went outside. In the garage he caught two brothers, age 15 and 17, rifling through one of his vehicles. According to police, one brother shouted, "Don't shoot!" The homeowner aimed the shotgun at them while a relative, who lives in the home, called 911. Four minutes later, police arrived and arrested the brothers. The brothers were booked into juvenile detention on investigation of residential burglary in the second degree. (Bellingham Herald, Bellingham, WA)

A 35-year-old woman woke around 3:30 a.m. and checked on her husband, who was up late working on his computer. The couple was startled when their home alarm sounded. The woman's husband checked the surveillance footage on his computer only to discover four masked men working to pry open a window. One of the men carried a rifle. As the woman dialed 911, her husband retrieved his own firearm. The intruders gained entry within minutes. The homeowner crouched behind a sofa and fired. The intruders returned fire before fleeing the home. No one was reportedly injured. (The Times-Picayune, New Orleans, LA, 11/16/12)

The Armed Citizen Extra
A naked Miami man jumped the fence of a Little Haiti home, and began choking a Rottweiler. The dog's yelp awakened the homeowner, who came outside armed and confronted the attacker. The intruder turned his attention from the dog to the homeowner. He jumped on the homeowner, and began choking and biting him, according to Miami police. The homeowner fired his gun twice, hitting the intruder once in the foot. Despite being wounded, the intruder was not deterred. The homeowner restrained the assailant, until police arrived. The intruder attempted to bite the police as well. They took him to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he was treated, and he now faces several charges. (The Miami Herald, Miami, FL, 1/5/13)

Douglas Downs, 48, was at home with a friend, 36-year-old Andrew Boyd, shortly after midnight when several armed men broke into his home and tried to rob him. Boyd was forced into the basement before Downs managed to retrieve a handgun from a chair in the living room. Downs fired numerous rounds until the first man dropped his weapon. He then exchanged gunfire with a second intruder. A third intruder appeared and helped his accomplices out of the home to a vehicle where a fourth man waited. Police were later notified that a man with multiple gunshot wounds had been taken to a nearby hospital. All four men were later found, arrested and charged for their involvement in the home invasion. Downs and Boyd were uninjured. (York Daily Record, York, PA, 10/24/12)

The Armed Citizen Extra
A masked gunman was killed and the two young men he was trying to rob were wounded in a shootout during a home invasion. The shooting occurred "inside and outside" the home where two males were playing video games when they were confronted by a man who came to the door, a Pittsburgh police officer said. "There was a knock on the door, and one of the kids opened it to see a man wearing a mask and holding a gun," an officer said. "He tried to shut the door, and the gunman fired, hitting the kid in the side of the face." Both parties fired several shots at each other. The masked man died at a nearby hospital from a shot to the head, and the condition of the other two men was not known. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh, PA, 1/24/13)

Two men knocked on the door of a residence with ill intent. The door was answered by an 83-year-old woman using a walker. The men pushed against the door and gained entry with ease. One of the men stayed close to the elderly resident, while the second intruder made his way into the bedrooms. Fearing for her safety, the woman went to a desk in her living room where she kept her pistol. Upon seeing the gun, the suspect urged the other to "come on." The men fled with cash and jewelry, but the resident was left unharmed. (The Greeneville Sun, Greene County, TN, 11/2/12)

The Armed Citizen Extra
A North Bend resident pulled out his .45-caliber handgun to detain a homeless man who allegedly "sucker punched" another transient outside the Fred Meyer store in Coos Bay. Jeffory Snyder told The World newspaper he grabbed 53-year-old Donald Johnson's shirt when the man tried to get away after the attack. When the homeless man started to come toward him, Snyder took out the gun and pointed it at him. Police Capt. Chris Chapanar said there was mild confusion when officers arrived and saw Snyder pointing the gun at the unarmed Johnson. Snyder, who has a concealed weapons permit, placed the gun on the ground and was put in handcuffs. After speaking with witnesses, police released him and arrested Johnson on suspicion of fourth-degree assault. (The Bulletin, Coos Bay, OR, 1/25/13)

Jill Stucker, 64, was at home watching television around 9:20 p.m. when a 26-year-old man broke in through a window. When Stucker heard the glass shatter, she armed herself with a handgun and proceeded to exit through the back door. As she fled her own home, the intruder followed. When Stucker realized she was being chased, she turned and fired a single shot striking him in the chest. The intruder fled, but later collapsed on nearby doorstep. he was reportedly hospitalized in critical condition. (Lake City Reporter, Lake City, FL, 10/23/12)

The Armed Citizen Extra
Rochester police are investigating a burglary in which a city man used a semi-automatic rifle to chase two burglars from his home. According to police, two male suspects entered the home just after midnight Tuesday. Unbeknownst to the suspects, two male roommates, ages 21 and 22, were inside the house at the time of the break-in. One of the roommates heard a noise, saw the suspects inside the house and notified his roommate of the break-in. Moments later, one of the alleged burglars noticed the roommate and pointed a weapon, which was later determined to be a BB gun, at him. One of the roommates retrieved his legally owned AR-15, and once confronted, the suspects ran out of the house. The roommates then called 911. Police are still investigating the incident.
(Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY, 1/24/13)

Cindy Schachter, an employee at Furnari Jewelers, was working when two men entered the store around 4 p.m. Schachter's boss, Anthony Furnari, was sitting at his desk facing the showroom. Something about the men made Schachter uneasy, so she gave her boss a quiet warning right before they pulled clothing over their faces and jumped over the counter. Furnari quickly pulled his .38-cal. handgun from his desk and fired several rounds at one of the suspects as he came toward him. Furnari was severely beaten as both men tried to gain control of his firearm. When Furnari fought back, the men grabbed a display of gold chains and fled. One suspect was later taken into custody after seeking treatment for several bullet wounds. It was last reported that the second suspect was still at large. Furnari suffered a broken nose, a concussion, multiple stitches to the face and hand, and a fractured rip. Schachter was reportedly unharmed. (The Republican, Chicopee, MA, 10/17/12)

The Armed Citizen Extra
Authorities say an Army veteran who uses a wheelchair wielded a pistol to run off a man who broke into his home near Athens. Mark Sikes, 53, was in bed at his home in western Clarke County around 1 p.m. Wednesday when someone kicked in his front door. Sikes said he reached into his nightstand and grabbed his pistol. He said he pointed the gun at the intruder and told him he should get out. Sikes said the young man "flew like a bat" and is lucky that he wasn't killed by the veteran. Athens-Clarke County police and Oconee County sheriff's deputies have yet to find the intruder. (The Augusta Chronicle, Athens, GA, 1/26/13)

Jack and Linda Dillon were roused from their sleep at approximately 2:45 a.m. when they realized someone had just broken into their home. The intruder gained entry through an unlocked window. He allegedly entered the home with intent to steal electronics. Linda called 911 as Jack retrieved a firearm and confronted the 29-year-old intruder in their living room. Jack fired when the man lunged at him. The intruder's wound proved fatal. (The Morning Journal, Elyria, OH, 10/20/12)

The Armed Citizen Extra
One man was killed and another was at large Wednesday after a woman put her father's lesson in firearms to use during a burglary in southeast Oak Cliff. "I just hate that she didn't get both of them,' said Charles Brown, the homeowner. Dallas police say Brown's daughter was upstairs about 11:30 a.m. when the two men kicked down the front door of the family's home… The woman, alerted by a home alarm, fired several shots at the men, striking at least one of them as they charged up the stairs. Both men ran out of the front door, where one of them collapsed. The armed intruder was taken to Methodist Dallas Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. (The Dallas Morning News, Dallas, TX, 10/18/12)

While at home with his wife and daughter, a homeowner prepared to go outside to investigate a sudden power outage. His wife asked him to carry his firearm with him as a precaution. As he opened the front door to step outside, three men charged him in an attempt to gain entry. The homeowner pushed his wife aside as he fell backward and fired at the intruders. His daughter, a student in her early 20s, hid in another room and called police. One of the three home invaders suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was listed in serious condition. The remaining two suspects managed to escape. The homeowner and his family were not seriously injured. (Sun Sentinel, Miramar, FL, 10/2/12)

The Armed Citizen Extra
As he stared down the barrel of a would-be robber's gun Tuesday, the 70-year-old owner of Eddie's Market had one thought. "He said, 'Don't move. Don't move.' I thought, 'This is my house. Why am I not going to move? You don't move,'" recalled Edilberto Fontanez, who has run the corner store for four decades. So, when the armed assailant tried to jump the high counter, the shop-keeper grabbed his own handgun and fired two shots. The robber fled, but was apprehended a short time later—and police now are eying him as a suspect in a series of other armed robberies in the Hill neighborhood. (The New Haven Register, New Haven, CT, 9/27/12)

George Polanin, 66, went to bed early one evening only to be awakened by noises coming from inside his home. He was upstairs and followed the sound of footsteps to the basement. when he reached the stairs. Polanin said he could see only the intruder's feet. "… I got my weapon and basically told him I had a weapon, it was loaded and I will use it," Polanin said. He then ordered the intruder to come out as he dialed 911. Polanin held the intruder at gunpoint until police arrived. (Kenosha News, Kenosha, WI, 10/17/12)

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Jack Thompson estimates it was three seconds between his back door being kicked in until his bedroom door began opening, and he started shooting. "It's terrifying when you see somebody in your bedroom door," said Thompson, 78, of Brewers. Thompson got off three shots with his Walther .32-caliber semiautomatic about 4 a.m. Monday when the pistol jammed. "Then I was in trouble," Thompson said. He grabbed the loaded 12-gauge shotgun that always lies on his dresser and fired once. "All I could see was the silhouette of him coming in the door," he said of the intruder. Deputy sheriffs found Mitchell Saddoris, 22, of Kirskey lying in a pool of blood on the back porch of Jack and Judy Thompson's home on Oak Grove Church Road minutes later. He had a pistol wound to the abdomen and had taken a shotgun blast to his shoulder. He was going in and out of consciousness. Sheriff Kevin Byars said investigators believe a second person was with Saddoris at the home, but escaped. "Mr. Thompson did exactly what he was allowed to do," Byars said. "There won't be any kind of criminal charges against Mr. Thompson, because he was definitely defending his home." Byars believes the shooting was a burglary gone wrong. The intruders didn't realize the Thompsons had slept with their windows open, and Thompson had time to get his pistol when the couple heard talking and footsteps. Marshall sheriff's detective Matt Hilbrecht said investigators tried to interview Saddoris at Marshall County Hospital, but emergency room staff had put a tube down his throat. Afterward, Saddoris was transferred to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., where he was in critical condition and having surgery. Hilbrecht said Saddoris would face robbery, burglary and possibly other charges once released from the hospital, if he survives. "I'm sorry, but I had no other choice," Thompson said of shooting Saddoris, and added, "That's all that saved my life, I guess, was having a weapon." (The Paducah Sun, Paducah, KY, 3/20/12)

From The Armed Citizen Archives
"Give me all the money you have here," demanded a man armed with a big knife of Cleveland, Ohio, van lines clerk, Mrs. Patricia Cawthon. Mrs. Cawthon walked calmly to a nearby closet, picked up a snub nosed automatic pistol, turned to the knife-wielding bandit and said: "Where do you want it?" The thief ran out the door. (Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio)

Kendra St. Clair, a 12-year-old at home alone one day during her fall break, called her mother at work to say there was a man repeatedly ringing the doorbell and banging on the door. When no one answered the door, she said he disappeared. St. Clair's mother instructed her daughter to get her .40-cal. Glock pistol and go into a bathroom closet. St. Clair heard him break in through the back door. As the man made his way through her home, 911 dispatchers kept St. Clair on the phone. He was inside the home for approximately six minutes before he made his way to the bathroom where St. Clair was hiding. When she saw the door knob begin to turn, she fired the gun. The 32-year-old intruder was taken into custody after being treated for a gunshot to the chest. (The Oklahoman, Durant, OK, 10/20/12)

The Armed Citizen Extra
Police said a man was shot dead early Friday after he became violent and threatened his mother at a home on the Northwest side. According to an incident report, Marcello Passeri, 38, had been in a struggle with several people at a home in the 7000 block of Midway Depot just after midnight when one shot him. Eugene Binkley, 67, told police he and other residents pushed furniture and other heavy items to barricade the front door and prevent Passeri from coming inside, but he forced his way in and fought with them. Binkley reportedly told police he shot the man in the head. Witnesses said Passeri had a drinking problem and had bipolar disorder but was not taking his medication. They also said the man was upset because he had just lost his job. Passeri's mother, who was hiding in a back bedroom, told police Passeri had threatened to kill her and that he was upset because she called police the night before after he caused a disturbance at the home. Passeri was flown to University Hospital, where he died from his injuries. Police spokesman Matt Porter said it does not appear as though the shooter will be charged. (San Antonio Express-News, San Antonio, CA, 4/7/12)