The Armed Citizen® October 15, 2018

by
posted on October 15, 2018
** 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. **
1armed-citizen-main-image.jpg

Dark clouds rolled in and blocked out a Saturday afternoon’s rays of sunshine during a back-to-school picnic in Florida when a gunman sprayed multiple shots near the 150 people—many of whom were children—attending the “Peace in the City” event. Fortunately, an attendee with a carry permit was on hand to put a quick end to the disturbance. Titusville, Fla., police said the suspect had gotten into a fistfight with another person at the park. After those fisticuffs, one of the participants retreated, only to return a few minutes later with a gun. He squeezed off several rounds before the armed bystander shot him, sending him to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The shooting was live-streamed on Facebook by a disc jockey who was spinning the hits at the gathering. Police called the armed citizen a hero. “This park was filled with families and children, and, at that time, it was an active shooter situation for him, and he was trained enough to deal with it, and he did,” Titusville Police Sgt. Bill Amos said. (Florida Today, Brevard County, Fla., 8/5/18)

The Armed Citizen Extra
A teenage good Samaritan, who took it upon herself to check on a neighbor after a domestic violence incident, inadvertently found herself in the middle of the ugly situation when she discovered her neighbor’s ex-boyfriend in her own home. Realizing that her power had been cut, the teenage girl armed herself with a .22-cal. pistol, before stumbling upon the intruder. The man, armed with a knife, told her "she was going to die" before stabbing at her multiple times and slicing her arm. The teen fought back, kicking the man and firing at him, which ran him off. The alleged perpetrator was later booked into jail for assault, burglary, domestic violence assault and other charges.  (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA, 9/7/18)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
October 1973
Three men arrived for an appointment at the Winchester, Ind., coin shop of Leon Hendrickson carrying pistols in an apparent robbery attempt. But in the scuffle which followed, Hendrickson’s wife shot one of the intruders fatally with a pistol and her husband held another suspect at bay with a shotgun. The third would-be bandit escaped by car and eluded police. (The Muncie Star, Muncie, Ind.)

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web
Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web

Gun Of The Week: Wilson Combat Division 77 Project 1

Join American Rifleman staff on the range in this video to get a closer look at Wilson Combat’s somewhat cryptically named “Division 77 Project 1.” 

The Armed Citizen® July 18, 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.

Review: POF-USA LMR BASE Rifle

The Patriot Ordnance Factory LMR Base offers a .308 Win. chambering in a lightweight, AR-15-size package, which makes it a capable platform for today's new gun owner. And it comes at a fair price.

2025 Accessory Of The Year: Wyoming Sight Drifter

For each of the past 23 years, the editors of American Rifleman have convened to select our top picks for the past year’s best and most innovative products. Here are the most recent winners.

Henry Donates Rifles To Support Young Leukemia Victim

Henry Repeating Arms has donated a limited run of 50 “Team Keane” Golden Boy .22 lever-action rifles to support 13-year-old Keane Rhodes of Universal City, Texas, who is currently undergoing aggressive treatment for ALL T-cell leukemia.

Rifleman Review: Springfield Armory Echelon

Springfield Armory introduced its Echelon in 2023, bringing a modernized, chassis-style, striker-fired handgun to the market that has since seen several notable line extensions.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.