The Armed Citizen® January 2010

by
posted on December 18, 2009
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
ac2009_fs.jpg

*Shocked onlookers watched as a vehicle careened across a mall parking lot, nearly striking a tree. Inside, a man was savagely beating his girlfriend as she screamed for help. While others stood by and watched, a 27-year-old man with a concealed carry permit ran to the woman's aid, drew a Glock semi-automatic pistol and shouted at her boyfriend to end the assault. The boyfriend saw the gun and promptly complied. Police praised the armed citizen's actions. "For all we know, he could have saved her from serious injury," said Police Captain Norman Cloyer. "I'm going to call him and tell him that when he gets ready to renew his [concealed carry] license, it's on me." (News-Telegram, Sulphur Springs, TX, 10/15/09)

*A great-grandmother and five of her relatives were enjoying a family trip when an armed robber stormed inside their motel room. Shouting orders, the robber forced the great-grandmother onto the floor, which actually positioned her closer to her .357 magnum revolver, a gun she inherited from her late husband and for which she had a permit to carry. As the robber threatened three generations of the woman's family and demanded money, she quietly got her gun. A shot rang out. "I thought I was shot," her son said. "I didn't realize my mother had shot him. It was mass chaos." The robber stumbled outside and died. "She said to me, 'God was with me tonight. You know I couldn't have done that myself,'" her son recalled. (The Columbus Dispatch, Columbus, OH, 10/23/09)

Armed Citizen Extra:

(The following account did not appear in the print version of American Rifleman.)

Police say a Chicago man awoke in the middle of the night to two intruders attempting to burglarize his apartment. The man, who is in his early 20s, struggled for quite some time with the suspects before finally getting a hold of his gun and firing a shot, killing one of the men. The other suspect quickly fled the scene. The resident was not expected to be charged with a crime. (Chicago Tribune, Chicago, IL, 09/22/2009)

 

From The Armed Citizen Archive:

January 1969: When two bandits entered a Van Nuys, Calif. Liquor store and pulled a gun on the clerk Lew Barnett, Barnett let them have the $340, then grabbed his pistol from under the counter and shot one dead. The accomplice fled to a getaway car driven by a female confederate and fled the scene. Police soon picked up the pair who led them to a hideaway where 8 co-conspirators were taken into custody. (Van Nuys News, Van Nuys, CA)

Latest

Savage 110 Trail Blazer rifle in 22 Creedmoor
Savage 110 Trail Blazer rifle in 22 Creedmoor

Review: Savage 110 Trail Blazer Rifle in 22 Creedmoor

Savage’s new 110 Trail Blazer rifle offers top-shelf performance at entry-level pricing.

I Carry: Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro 9 mm Pistol in a PHLster Holster

In this week's episode of "I Carry," we have a Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro 9 mm pistol with a Meprolight MPO Pro-S red-dot sight carried in a PHLster Skeleton kydex holster.

The Armed Citizen® Jan. 16, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

FN Releases New SCAR Rifles & QD Suppressors

FN made headlines when it announced it would discontinue its legacy SCAR rifle platform in 2025, but for 2026, the design is back and better than ever.

Review: KelTec SUB2000 GEN3 In 10 mm

At long last, KelTec has answered customer requests for a more potent version of their folding pistol-caliber carbine with its SUB2000 GEN3 chambered for the 10 mm Auto cartridge.

Lowering Decibels For Less: Lyman's New Sonicore Suppressor Lineup

As 2026 shapes up to be the "Year Of The Suppressor," firearm manufacturers are racing their new designs to market, and one of the most affordable options out of the gate is Lyman Products' Sonicore line of suppressors.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.