The Armed Citizen® December 30, 2016

by
posted on December 30, 2016
** 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 (7)

Sometimes words are enough when an armed citizen is confronting a troublemaker. In Salt Lake City, Utah, a homeowner said the magic words—I have a gun—and scared off two burglary suspects. A man and his wife were awakened by the sound of their garage alarm going off around 3:30 a.m. one morning. The male resident got his gun and went to see what was happening. He saw a stranger inside the car in the garage and he asked what the man was doing. The suspect’s accomplice, who had been waiting in a getaway car, noticed that his buddy was being confronted and approached on foot. At that point, the homeowner said he was armed and both suspects scampered off. (Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake City, UT, 10/14/16)

The Armed Citizen® Extra
Law enforcement agents moved quickly to make an arrest in an alleged murder that started out as robbery/burglary. Police were given the location at which they might find the suspect, but the suspect was warned by his father of their impending presence, and fled out the back door of an outside building in which he had been hiding. A foot chase ensued between the suspect and the officers, with the suspect firing shots at the officers. The manhunt continued over the next several hours, but the suspect was eventually located with the help of an observant homeowner, who discovered him hiding under a pool table in his garage. The homeowner had gone into the garage to retrieve a tool when he spotted a man's legs sticking out from under the table. He proceeded to disarm the man and held him at gunpoint until officers arrived. (The Banner-Gazette, Pekin, IN, 11/9/16)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
December 1982
A would-be robber brandishing a piece of broken glass demanded all the money in the cash register of a Rock Hill, S.C., convenience store. Clerk Regina Moore countered with a drawn revolver and forced the man to lie facedown on the pavement outside while she sent her son to get the police. (The Evening Herald, Rock Hill, SC)

Latest

attack in a back alley
attack in a back alley

Cold Performance: How to Prepare for the Uncertainty of Self-Defense

Defensive gun use is defined by uncertainty. You don’t know when it will happen, how far away the threat will be, how many threats you will face or what position you will be in when it begins.

Derya Goes Silent: The OBone Suppressor

In 2025, Turkish manufacturer Derya Arms opened a new facility in Florida, enabling the company to produce a number of new products domestically, such as its new OBone suppressor.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 26, 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.

Rifleman Q&A: Understanding a Firearm's Cycle of Operation

The cycle of operation is the mechanical sequence of events that it takes to fire one shot out of a firearm. If one of those steps fails to take place as designed, there is an interruption in the cycle of operation and the gun stops firing.

Review: Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm Riflescope

Looking for a performance LPVO without the usual associated cost? The Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm might be your answer.

Myths & Misunderstandings About the “Modern Fighting 1911”

The Colt Model 1911 pistol and its derivatives are among the most iconic military handguns ever made. But in 2026, does the M1911 still hold up as a quality defensive arm?

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.