The Armed Citizen® April 27, 2014

by
posted on April 27, 2014
** 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. **
ac2009_fs.jpg (6)

Dave Svensen, 69, was witness to a 22-year-old man's crime spree at a Seattle yacht club. The man used a stolen boat to cause an estimated $500,000 in damage. He rammed other boats docked at the marina, as well as a support post, causing a section of the marina's roof to collapse. Svensen borrowed a shotgun from the owner of an adjacent boat to end the aggressor's out-of-control behavior and prevent anyone from getting hurt. Svensen fired, striking the suspect in the head and hands. However, medics characterized his injuries as non life-threatening. The suspect was treated before being arrested under multiple felony charges. He was reportedly under the influence of narcotics at the time of the rampage. (The Seattle Times, Seattle, Wash., 9/17/13)

A 72-year-old woman was able to scare off two burglars who broke into her home through the garage door. She was sleeping in her bedroom, where she kept the door locked, around 8 a.m. When the resident heard someone trying to open her bedroom door, she armed herself with a firearm and opened the door. "I think I surprised them, but I also had a gun in my hand," the woman said of the incident. Upon seeing the gun, the burglars fled only with items of little value. There was a third suspect waiting in a getaway car outside. All three suspects, however, were later caught and charged with suspicion of burglary and accessory to a crime. (Del Norte Triplicate, Crescent City, Calif., 1/9/14)

From The Armed Citizen® Archives:

April 1933: Kidnapped and then threatened with attack, a 16-year-old Chicago high school girl saved herself when she picked up the man's rifle and held him under threat. The man was captured.

Latest

attack in a back alley
attack in a back alley

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.

Rifleman Q&A: Understanding a Firearm's Cycle of Operation

The cycle of operation is the mechanical sequence of events that it takes to fire one shot out of a firearm. If one of those steps fails to take place as designed, there is an interruption in the cycle of operation and the gun stops firing.

Review: Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm Riflescope

Looking for a performance LPVO without the usual associated cost? The Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm might be your answer.

Myths & Misunderstandings About the “Modern Fighting 1911”

The Colt Model 1911 pistol and its derivatives are among the most iconic military handguns ever made. But in 2026, does the M1911 still hold up as a quality defensive arm?

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.