The Armed Citizen® October 6, 2017

by
posted on October 6, 2017
** 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)

A well-intentioned citizen had to think fast when he was set up to be robbed. A 72-year-old man living in Tennessee obliged a young homeless woman with a request for a ride home. She asked him to stop at a nearby apartment on the pretense of picking up some clothes. Once there, the woman got out of the car and walked around to the other side of the building. Moments later, two men appeared, one armed, demanding the elderly man hand over his money. They proceeded to hit him several times. Unfortunately for the two thugs, the driver was an armed citizen. “I was getting the gun out at the same time while he was asking for the money,” the man said. He fired off a single shot into the chest of one of the attackers. The second man escaped with a large sum of cash, and is at large. Authorities arrested the woman, who was trying to pay off a drug debt. She remains jailed on $100,000 bond. (Guns.com, Madison, TN, 7/20/17) 

The Armed Citizen® Extra
Early one Saturday morning, a homeowner was investigating noises in his garage when he was confronted by a knife-wielding trespasser burglarizing his vehicle. The burglar advanced toward the homeowner with the knife, to which the homeowner responded with gunfire. Wounded, the criminal fled the scene the scene. Police later received a call from a woman who said her son had been shot. Police identified him as the burglar and he was transported to a hospital. He was to be booked into jail upon his release. (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, 7/18/17)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
October 1962
Awakened by noises in his home in Rosamond, Calif., Kenneth B. Walker got up, walked into his living room, and discovered his television set was missing. Seeing the back door open, Walker armed himself with a .22 pistol and started out. He met the burglar returning to the house and shot him twice. (Bakersfield Californian, Rosamond, CA)

Latest

Building an AR-15 lower receiver
Building an AR-15 lower receiver

Review: Assembling an AR-15 Lower Receiver

Building a high-quality AR-15 starts with selecting appropriate components.

Suppressors Deregulated in South Dakota

In a move anticipating a further reduction of restrictions, South Dakota has removed the law requiring the Federal stamp.

The Pursuit Of Increased Muzzle Velocity Comes With A Price

The quest to make our firearms’ projectiles move downrange at ever higher velocities cuts across multiple shooting pursuits and predates anyone alive today.

Review: Springfield Armory Hellcat .380 Pistol

Springfield Armory just released its popular Hellcat double-stack, striker-fired pistol in .380 ACP, and it might be an ideal option for armed citizens looking for a soft-shooting handgun for concealed carry.

New for 2026: Langdon Tactical Technology Beretta Cheetah Pistol

Beretta's .32 ACP Cheetah gets the Langdon Tactical upgrade package.

The Armed Citizen® Feb. 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.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.