The Armed Citizen® February 26, 2013

by
posted on February 26, 2013
** 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 (3)

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)

From The Armed Citizen Archives

November 1970: Opening his front door at 11:00 p.m., Robert Epstein of Brattleboro, Vt., discovered two men with stockings drawn over their faces, one of them carrying a knife. Epstein quickly slammed the door and yelled out that he had a gun, whereupon the strangers fled. (Daily Reformer, Brattleboro, VT)

Latest

Gotw Rra Lar 22 Tactical Carbine Web
Gotw Rra Lar 22 Tactical Carbine Web

Gun Of The Week: Rock River Arms LAR-22 Tactical Carbine

This week, we're on the range with the Rock River Arms LAR-22 Tactical Carbine, a rimfire variant of the AR-15 that's designed for reliability and gives enthusiasts a way to shoot affordably.

The Armed Citizen® July 11, 2025

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

Japanese Last-Ditch Small Arms Of World War II

The crude assortment of fighting tools used by the Japanese during World War II give clues of an unprepared and unmatched last-ditch fight that ultimately lead to Allied victory.

Federal Ammunition Awards 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships

Federal Ammunition recently awarded the 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships to two 4-H shooting sports teen ambassadors.

2025 Optic Of The Year: Burris Eliminator 6

Even as new generation after new generation of Burris Eliminator continued to add more advanced technology and functionality, it remained odd-looking—until the launch of this year’s sixth-generation product, which is the first in the line that can mount atop a rifle using standard 34 mm scope rings.

I Have This Old Gun: Star Model B

Of the many Spanish-made firearms to emerge throughout the 19th and 20th century, one of the most recognizable is the Star Model B, largely due to its similarity to the Colt Model 1911.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.