The Armed Citizen® April 17, 2020

by
posted on April 17, 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 (4)
Armed Citizen® Today

A man in Jacksonville, Fla. heard a neighbor screaming from inside a burning home and helped to apprehend the suspect accused of setting the blaze. The Good Samaritan, who works as a security guard, heard his neighbor screaming "Help! Help!" The man grabbed his gun and headed outside to respond.

Immediately, he saw his neighbor's house burning and ran to help. He tore down part of the fence separating the two properties and used his voice to guide the woman to safety. The armed citizen also discovered the man believed to have set the fire, who was later identified as the neighbor's son.

Using his sidearm and the handcuffs from his security job, the armed citizen detained the suspected arsonist and held him at gunpoint until the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office arrived. A video recorded by another neighbor shows the armed citizen preventing the suspect from leaving the premises.

The fire was doused by the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, and the department confirmed that the blaze was set intentionally. (FOX 30 Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Fla., 03/04/2020)
  
   
From the Armed Citizen® Archives April 1967

Ex-Marine William C. Kelley has won his third personal battle with holdup men at his Los Angeles, Calif. service station. When two men demanded the cash in his register, Kelley gave them $32.63 from the cash box. One man went after him for more. Kelley shot the holdup man three times with a .25-cal. semi-automatic pistol, then went inside for his .38-cal. revolver. Both men drove off meanwhile.

Kelley said he shot another bandit through both legs in 1965 and, later that year, killed a holdup man who shoved a shotgun at him, saying, "You're going to die." Pushing aside the shotgun, Kelley, a pistol expert, shot first. He remarked, "I don't doubt anything a man says when he's pointing a gun at you. (Los Angeles Herald-Examiner)

Latest

Sierra’s MatchKing X
Sierra’s MatchKing X

Hunting with a Legend: Sierra’s MatchKing X Bullet

Sierra’s MatchKing is a highly respected target bullet, but for the new trend of long-range hunting, the design needed to offer improved terminal performance. Enter the MatchKing X.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 19, 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.

Review: Stoeger STR-9 Thinline

The new Stoeger carry gun loses nothing—except some weight and girth. This is the Stoeger STR-9 Thinline.

5 Great Products for Your Next Hunt

These five products will help boost your chances at success in the field.

Small Calibers for Self-Defense: Addressing Common Myths & Criticisms

For decades, small cartridges like the .22 Long Rifle were derided as incapable rounds for defensive use and were even considered dangerous for the user by some. Today, those critiques deserve a second look.

New for 2026: HUXWRX Flow 9k PCC & Flow 9 M Suppressors

Continuing the legacy it first established as Operator Suppressor Systems, HUXWRX is still introducing new and mission-specific flow-through suppressors, with its latest products being the FLOW 9 M and FLOW 9k PCC.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.