The Armed Citizen® March 27, 2020

by
posted on March 27, 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 (7)
While asleep on the couch in the early morning hours of Valentine's Day, a Palm Bay, Fla. couple was awakened to the sounds of someone trying to break through the sliding-glass door of their house. The woman grabbed her three-month-old son and ran to the bedroom. The man on the other hand retrieved a pistol and went to see who was trying to get in.

Through the glass, he saw the intruder pointing a pistol right at him. The man, in return, fired several shots through the glass at the intruder until his pistol jammed. The intruder fired several rounds in response at the homeowner, but he was struck in the confrontation and retreated.

Police found a blood trail and two bloodied sandals near the residence after the incident. The intruder turned out to be the woman's ex-boyfriend who had been bitter towards the couple and calling them from several different phone numbers leading up to the incident.

The ex-boyfriend is a felon and borrowed the pistol from a friend's mother who drove him to the residence and then to the hospital after. She reported that he was drinking heavily at the time. Police arrested the intruding ex-boyfriend when he was admitted to the hospital for his wounds. (ClickOrlando, 02/18/2020, Orlando, Fla.)    
   
From the Armed Citizen® Archives October 1985

Barging into an Albuquerque, N. Mex., apartment with a baseball bat, a man threw the female occupant on a bed. The woman managed to stab her attacker with a pair of scissors, and while he tended to his wound, she got a handgun. As he attempted to batter down the bedroom door the woman had locked in his absence, she fired and killed him. (The Tribune, Albuquerque, N. Mex.)

Latest

The Armed Citizen Podcast Savani F
The Armed Citizen Podcast Savani F

What This Huge NFA Ruling Means for Gun Owners

The recent ruling in Jensen v. ATF and the subsequent lack of an appeal by the U.S. Department of Justice has left many gun owners with questions about purchasing NFA items. Here is some guidance.

Gun of the Week: Smith & Wesson Model 386 Night Guard

In partnership with Lipsey's, Smith & Wesson recently re-introduced two of its classic Night Guard revolvers, the Models 386 and 396, which are chambered for the .357 Magnum and .44 Special, respectively.

The Armed Citizen® Aug. 14, 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.

A (Slightly Confusing) History of Colt's Police Positive Revolver

For one of the most popular law-enforcement revolvers ever made, the history of the Colt Police Positive isn't nearly as linear as one would think it'd be.

Honoring America’s 250th and Those Who Defend It

Winchester Ammunition and Bass Pro Shops logos were both featured on the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet in the 2026 Coca-Cola 600 race in May.

I Have This Old Gun: Walther P38

On the eve of World War II, the German military sought a new sidearm that was easier to manufacture than the P08 Luger. Its answer was the P38.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.