The Armed Citizen® October 5, 2020

by
posted on October 5, 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 (1)
Armed Citizen® Today

A grand jury in Forth Worth, Tex., decided to take no action against a man who shot an armed intruder who killed two others in an area church last December.

The incident happened during at service at the church in White Settlement on Dec. 29, 2019. It started when a suspicious looking-man dressed in a long coat with a fake wig walked into the church.

Jack Wilson noticed the suspicious individual and notified security of the man, who sat at the back of the church with 260 others inside. Wilson is a firearms instructor and was armed at the time. He and two other security guards moved to sit near the suspicious man.

After a while, the suspicious man got up and pulled a shotgun out from under his coat. One of the security officers drew his handgun, but missed and was shot by the armed attacker, who then turned and shot another man before beginning to turn his attention and shotgun to the crowd.

At this point, Wilson drew his handgun and fired a single shot, subduing the armed man who died of his wound. Mr. Wilson's fast action prevented anyone else inside the church from being injured.

A prosecutor with Tarrant County district attorney's office said that Texas law allows a person to use deadly force to protect others when someone is placing them at risk of serious injury or death. Tex. Gov. Abbott awarded Mr. Wilson with the Governor's Medal of Courage for his actions, which is the highest civilian honor in the state. (easttexasmatters
.com, Forth Worth, Tex., 09/29/2020)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives August 1974    

Ohio State Rep. Harry C. (Bud) Malott was awakened in his Williamsburg, Ohio, home by the sound of glass in his front door shattering. snatching up the .38-cal. revolver he keeps next to his bed, Malott confronted two would-be burglars at the front door.

The armed duo responded by firing three shots, all misses. When Malott's wife yelled, "Shoot, Bud, shoot," Malott began firing. The pair escaped, one of them possibly wounded. (The Cincinnati Enquirer , Cincinnati, Ohio)

Latest

Federal Premium 7Mm Backcountry Artv 1
Federal Premium 7Mm Backcountry Artv 1

Behind Federal's 7 mm Backcountry Cartridge

In 2025, Federal Ammunition introduced its new 7 mm Backcountry cartridge, which operates at higher pressures than any previous commercial ammunition offering.

New for 2026: Beretta 94X Performance

The latest step in the evolution of Beretta's 90 series of handguns is the 94X Performance, a handgun that the company calls “the ultimate evolution of the Beretta competition pistol for IPSC and USPSA.”

Review: Spandau Arms RL

The Remington Model 700 lives on in the form of this RL bolt-action rifle produced in Turkey by Huglu and imported into the U.S. by Spandau Arms.

NRA Outstanding Achievement Youth Award Applications Open

The NRA is accepting applications for the 2027 NRA Outstanding Achievement Youth Award from junior shooting sports participants who demonstrate active involvement in their communities and in shooting sports.

The (Not So) Gray Man: Tips to Avoid Tacti-Cool & Blend into the Background

Being a true "gray man" is not flashy. It won’t get you followers or likes or nods from across the room. What it will get you is something far more valuable in the real world: freedom of movement. Reduced attention. Lower probability of being selected, targeted or remembered.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 28, 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.