Georgia authorities named a 68-year-old business owner an honorary deputy for his heroism during an armed robbery. The businessman was closing his shop for the day when two young thieves burst through the door. They demanded his money, then one struck him in the face for good measure. Although the store owner was dazed, he grabbed a shotgun and fired, striking both suspects. Both teens were hospitalized and have since been taken into custody and charged in connection with the robbery. The Burke County Sheriff’s Office later recognized the victim, presenting him with the honorary deputy title and badge. (wrdw.com, Augusta, GA, 12/15/17)
The Armed Citizen® Extra
When a patrol officer saw a pair of feet dangling out of a bin for a local food pantry that sponsors a clothing-recycling program, the officer immediately stopped to see what the person was doing. As the individual climbed out, he initially refused to take his hands out of his pockets. When he eventually revealed his hands, he started to beat the police officer, fracturing the officer’s eye socket. A man driving by noticed the attack, stopped his vehicle, retrieved his pistol and pointed it at the assailant, ordering him to stop. The attacker stopped and sprinted away. Officers later found the criminal, charging him with assault on a police officer among other charges. The wounded officer was treated at a hospital and released. (The Buffalo News, Springville, UT, 2/5/18)
From the Armed Citizen® Archives
February 1963
Police responding to a burglary call at a jewelry store in Seattle, Wash., arrived on the scene to find R.W. Bartlett holding the thwarted would-be thief at gunpoint. Bartlett, who holds a permit to carry a pistol, had been passing by when he saw a man break a window in the door of the jewelry shop. (Seattle Times, Seattle, WA)
