The Armed Citizen® April 14, 2025

by
posted on April 14, 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 carjacking spree was ended by an armed citizen in Indianapolis, who fired on his alleged carjackers and stopped the assault, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police.

Officers were initially called to the scene of an attempted, but unsuccessful, carjacking in the parking lot of a local shopping complex at about 5:40 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 15. The caller had escaped the attempt in their vehicle and called 911 to report the crime. While en route, officers were notified of another carjacking attempt and were told that a person had been shot.

The three carjackers, two of whom were armed, targeted another person in the parking lot after failing in their first theft attempt. This time, the intended victim was armed, too, and opened fire, critically wounding one of the thieves. The other two suspects fled. Police recovered a knife at the scene and transported the wounded 23-year-old suspect to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. (Indianapolis Star; Indianapolis, Ind.; 1/16/25)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives – May 1960

In St. Catharines, Ont., Mrs. J.C.R. Fitzgerald, a widow in her 80s, refused when a burglar broke into her bedroom and demanded her jewelry. Instead, Mrs. Fitzgerald reached for her .38-cal. revolver in the shoebag hanging on the door near her bed.

The burglar tried to wrest the gun away, but the widow fired. The would-be jewel thief fled the house. "The last time I remember firing it was many, many, many years ago," Mrs. Fitzgerald said. "But my gardener has kept it cleaned and loaded for me." (Buffalo Courier-Express)

 

Latest

Robinson Armament Xcrl Gotw 1
Robinson Armament Xcrl Gotw 1

Gun of the Week: Robinson Armament XCR-L

One man, Alex Robinson, took it upon himself to address what he saw as several shortcomings in the AR-15 design. He consulted with special forces operators and asked what they wanted in a rifle platform. The result was the Robinson Armament XCR.

Maryland Bans Glocks and the NRA Responds

Legislation recently signed into law by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore essentially bans nearly every Glock and Glock-style pistol on the market from being sold within the state.

The Armed Citizen® May 29, 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.

Federal Signs Agreement With U.S. Army to Improve Ammo Performance

Federal Ammunition announced this week that it has entered into an agreement that allows the U.S. Army to utilize its patented Peak Alloy ammunition case technology for use in multiple cartridges and weapon systems.

Four Armed Citizen Stories That Tell us a Lot

Each self-defense case is different. As we read them, we find ourselves wondering what we would have done, and then asking if the citizen made the best decisions possible in the worst-case scenario.

The Three Rs of Performance Shooting: Rise, Return & Realignment

Way back in the day, the three Rs of learning were colloquially known as "Readin’, Rightin’ and Rithmatic." In today's modern performance shooting, the three Rs become Rise, Return and Realignment, the core mechanics of recoil control.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.