The Armed Citizen® April 11, 2025

by
posted on April 11, 2025
** 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. **
The Armed Citizen

Armed Citizen® Today

A store manager in Frayser, Tenn., defended himself from an armed man who allegedly attempted to steal a grocery cart full of food at the Gordin's Foods & Butcher Shoppe and then threatened to kill him, according to Memphis Police.

According to eyewitness reports, three men attempted to leave the store just after 11 a.m. without paying for a cartload of food valued at about $200. As the trio pushed the cart outside, the store manager followed them and attempted to retrieve the stolen merchandise as the suspects entered a van in the store's parking lot. One of the three suspects, a 33-year-old man, retrieved a handgun from the van, fired a shot into the air and allegedly threatened to kill the manager.

The victim fell to the ground, and the armed suspect then pointed the gun down at him. The victim then pulled out his own gun and fired shots at the armed suspect. Another suspect, a 22-year-old man, attempted to wrestle the gun away from the victim but was unsuccessful. All three suspects then fled the scene in the van. Later on, police responded to calls of a shooting nearby, where they found the 33-year-old with a gunshot wound.

He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, and records obtained by WREG Memphis show that the man was a felon with a 2018 conviction for kidnapping. The 22-year-old man was also at the scene and admitted to entering the store with the intent to shoplift. He also admitted that he attempted to take victim's gun from him outside of the store. (WREG Memphis; Memphis, Tenn.; 1/13/25)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives – December 1973

A teenage robber confronted Wesley Krouse of Phoenix, Ariz., at his front door and, armed with a .22-cal. revolver, forced the 72-year-old Krouse to turn over some cash and the keys to his truck.

But when the thief pushed the septuagenarian into his bedroom, Krouse grabbed a 12-ga. shotgun and exchanged fire with the bandit, who was killed instantly. (The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Ariz.)
 

Latest

target with holes
target with holes

Resisting the Temptation of "Good Enough" for Firearm Performance

No matter what firearm you're using for whatever purpose, even if it's simply a trip to the range, always resist the temptation to accept “good enough” if there is the possibility of better performance.

Armed Citizens Stop a Lot More Criminals Than Most in the Media Will Admit

Since January 2025, the Crime Prevention Research Center has documented 16 defensive gun uses in which police say armed citizens stopped mass public killings.

Federal & Mossberg Collaborate on Autonomous Airborne Drone Defense

Federal and Mossberg are working with Palladyne AI in the creation of SwarmShot, a kinetic defense system that employs swarms of armed drones to shield troops from unmanned aircraft system threats.

Cold Performance: How to Prepare for the Uncertainty of Self-Defense

Defensive gun use is defined by uncertainty. You don’t know when it will happen, how far away the threat will be, how many threats you will face or what position you will be in when it begins.

Derya Goes Silent: The OBone Suppressor

In 2025, Turkish manufacturer Derya Arms opened a new facility in Florida, enabling the company to produce a number of new products domestically, such as its new OBone suppressor.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 26, 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.