The Armed Citizen® January 10, 2020

by
posted on January 10, 2020
** 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. **
armed-citizen-main-image.jpg (2)

While tending to his chickens at 7:30 p.m. in Maryland on Nov. 7, 2019, a man heard his French bulldog frantically barking inside his home. Upon entering the house, the homeowner saw two men allegedly attacking his fiancée. He loaded a 12-gauge shotgun from 1940 with buckshot and chased the two intruders outside, where he shot one man in the legs, while the other fled on foot. The armed citizen used the shotgun to defend himself, his fiancée and his property.

Anne Arundel County Police called the incident a home invasion. They arrested the suspect who fled and charged him with multiple offenses while the injured suspect received medical treatment. The fiancée was pistol-whipped and punched, requiring stitches in her head. According to police, the one suspect allegedly disclosed that he and his accomplice entered the home while armed with a pellet gun. (capitalgazette.com, Annapolis, Md., 11/7/2019; wbaltv.com and baltimore.cbslocal.com, both from Baltimore, Md., 11/8/2019)

Armed Citizen Extra
The old adage states that "no good deed goes unpunished." Fortunately, armed citizens have a little more control over the outcome of their good deeds. When a Good Samaritan approached a man who had been hit by a car with the intention of helping him out, the injured man produced a boxcutter and went after him, as well as another man who had come to help. This prompted an about-face for the Good Samaritan, who was forced to draw his sidearm and shoot the man in the leg. (tampabay.com, Largo, Fla., 4/13/2019)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives (January 1972)
A holdup man in Francisco Collazo's Chicago, Ill., grocery store aimed his gun at Collazo's wife and pulled the trigger twice because his demands for cash were not met. The revolver misfired both rimes. Collazo pulled his own revolver and killed the robber. (The Chicago Daily News, Chicago, Ill.)

Latest

Springfield New Coas 01
Springfield New Coas 01

Making the A-Cut: Springfield Armory's COA-Ready Operator, TRP & DS Prodigy Pistols

Springfield has already released a COA-ready version of its Echelon earlier this year, and the new models will bring the A-Cut to the company’s hammer-fired handguns, including the 1911 Operator, 1911 TRP and 1911 DS Prodigy.

Skills Check: Snake-Eyes Drill

Our drill this month trains you to form a stable firing platform early enough to gain optimal control before the shot breaks. Timing is of the essence.

A Memorial Day Conversation With Grey Team

Grey Team was founded to help armed services members and veterans with the physiological impacts traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain and more.

42 New Handguns for 2026

Within the entire firearm marketplace, handguns continue to be some of the most popular offerings, and for good reason.

The Armed Citizen® May 25, 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.

President’s Column | Hope Is Not a Strategy

It was great meeting so many enthusiastic and supportive NRA members at the NRA Annual Meeting in Houston. Your words of encouragement and suggestions are propelling your NRA 2.0 forward.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.