The Armed Citizen® May 8, 2012

by
posted on May 8, 2012
** 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 (1)

Between 2 and 3 p.m. a woman was stopped along the highway when a man approached her car door. He pulled out a knife that appeared to already have a bloody blade and demanded that she go with him. He threatened her, telling her that if she did not comply she would “end up like that woman on TV.” The woman believed he was referring to a missing teacher confirmed dead just days before. She told the man to wait while she got her cigarettes, then reached down and pulled out a gun. The man quickly fled. (Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Bozeman, Mont., 1/14/12)

The Armed Citizen Extra

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

A man in Illinois entered a convenience store with less than noble ideas on the night of March 15, and wound up getting more than he bargained for. The suspect in question brandished a gun barrel from beneath his white t-shirt and demanded that the store employees give him all of their money. One clerk sprung into action, retrieving a legally owned pistol and firing it upward at a 45-degree angle. The shot sent the would-be robber scrambling for the door and into an alley. Police are still investigating. (The State Journal-Register, Springfield, Ill., 3/17/12)

From The Armed Citizen Archives

May 1981: When he saw three robbers speeding away from a grocery store near his El Paso, Ark., service station, Jim Smith grabbed a .44 Mag. Revolver and a 12-ga. Shotgun and gave chase. He pursued the trio for several miles, eventually catching one stickup man and holding him for police. “I’m a Christian and I go to church,” Smith said, “but I don’t want people running over us.” (The Arkansas Gazette, Little Rock, Ark.)

Latest

25 Weatherby RPM
25 Weatherby RPM

Weatherby Revs Up With Its 25 WBY RPM

The 25 Weatherby RPM might just be the best quarter-bore rifle cartridge yet.

Beretta Releases 500th Anniversary Medal

In honor of its quincentennial, Beretta is offering a keepsake medal with the purchase of certain firearms in 2026.

New for 2026: Mission First Tactical Ultra Low Ride Holster

Mission First Tactical now offers a deep-concealment version of its Boltaron staple.

New for 2026: Smith & Wesson Night Guard Revolvers

Smith & Wesson brings back the Night Guard series of revolvers in .44 Special and .357 Magnum.

Battle On The Border: Pancho Villa’s Raid On America

In March 1916, Americans living in the quiet town of Columbus, N.M., suddenly found themselves attacked by Mexican bandits, and many citizens sought to arm themselves and fight back, both during the raid and afterward.

The Armed Citizen® Feb. 9, 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.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.