The Armed Citizen® April 20, 2020

by
posted on April 20, 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 (5)
Armed Citizen® Today

A 73-year-old Texas man and his 65-year-old fiancée were fast asleep inside their Fredericksburg home when they were awoken by a loud banging noise coming from outside their home. The man went to investigate, discovered a 19-year-old man on his back patio and confronted him.

After being discovered, the young man attacked the homeowner and began beating him with a blunt object. The attacker then put the 73-year-old man into a chokehold, which caused him to lose consciousness.

During the attack, the homeowner's fiancée begged the young man to stop his attack, but he wouldn't cease. She ran to the bedroom, where she retrieved a handgun, and returned to the scene of the assault. She warned the young attacker, but the man would not stop choking the homeowner, and she noticed that her fiancé was no longer moving.

At this point, the 65-year-old woman fired a single shot, striking the 19-year-old attacker in the head. After she stopped the assault, the homeowner regained consciousness, and the pair called 911.

The attacker was treated at the scene by Fredericksburg Fire and EMS and later taken to a hospital in San Antonio, where he was pronounced dead. The Gillespie County Sheriff's Office suspects drug use was involved, and the investigation is ongoing. (KVUE ABC, Fredericksburg, Tex. 04/12/2020)
  
   
From the Armed Citizen® Archives January 1971

Mrs. Deloris Ehle of Ft. Wayne, Ind., was suspicious of two men who parked in her driveway. Consequently, she did not respond when they knocked first on her front door, then on her back door.

But when they took a ladder from her garage and removed one of her window screens, she grabbed a shotgun. Upon seeing the armed homeowner, the two men fled. (Ft. Wayne, Ind., The News Sentinel)

Latest

Smith Wesson Model 29 10 Facts 1
Smith Wesson Model 29 10 Facts 1

10 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About The Smith & Wesson Model 29

Without a doubt, the Smith & Wesson Model 29 is one of the 20th century’s most shootable, collectible "superstar" revolvers. Here are a few little-known facts about the gun.

Packable Punch: Discreet Ways to Carry More Firepower

While folding and takedown firearms chambered for full-power rifle cartridges may be niche defensive tools, the dark situations in which they shine brightest aren’t going away anytime soon.

Southpaw Solution: Ruger Introduces Left-Handed American Gen II Ranch Rifles

Traditionally, Ruger has offered a range of left-handed rifle models for the southpaws among us, and now, the company's Gen II American rifles are available in a left-handed variant, starting with the Ranch models.

Gun of the Week: Kimber 1911 DS Warrior LW

In 2026, Kimber developed its 1911 DS Warrior, an American-made, double-stack design that is intended to be an affordable entry point into Kimber's double-stack handgun line.

The Armed Citizen® April 24, 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.

Spin Difference: The Impact of Barrel Twist Rates on Terminal Performance

When most shooters think of rifling-twist rates, they mostly think of rifles with their high BC projectiles, but the rpm of a bullet also plays a part in terminal performance.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.