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

Ithaca Model 87 Ultra Special 1
Ithaca Model 87 Ultra Special 1

The Model 87 Ultra Special: A Rare Survivor of Ithaca's Final Gamble

In the spring of 1990, an 18-year-old received a shotgun he didn't order. The Ithaca Model 87 Ultra Special he got instead was the last gasp of one of America's most iconic shotgun makers.

As Gun Sales Stay High, Violent Crime Hits a Historic Low

According to a recent report from the FBI on national crime statistics, violent crime has decreased 9.3 percent from 2024, marking the largest year-to-year drop since the 1930s.

Five Million Friends

From one room of friends in Missouri to a nationwide movement, Friends of NRA celebrates more than five million lives touched through community, volunteerism, and a shared commitment to the future of the shooting sports.

Federal to Provide Rifle Ammunition to Top Nordic Police Agencies

The Nordic Police, comprised of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, recently selected two Federal Ammunition rifle loads for duty and training use.

New For 2026: Beretta APX A1 Ported

Beretta first entered the polymer-frame, striker-fired pistol market in 2017 with its APX, and nearly 10 years later, the company has added the APX A1 Ported to the lineup.

CDC Restores Basic Armed Citizen Data

As of Aug. 24, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s webpage is again providing defensive-gun-use data.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.