The Armed Citizen® August 23, 2021

Law-Abiding Citizens Using Their 2nd Amendment Rights In Self-Defense

by
posted on August 23, 2021
** 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

Two Toledo, Ohio, residents stood their ground when a would-be burglar made his way into their residence on the night of Aug. 20, 2021.

The burglar targeted the home and began to force his way through the front door around 1:00 a.m. that Friday morning. The commotion of his entry alerted both a man and a woman in the residence, and they prepared themselves accordingly for the unwelcome guest. Once the intruder made his way into the home, he was met with force as both the man and woman opened fire on him.

Struck by several rounds from the spontaneous volley, the would-be burglar stumbled back out of the home before collapsing in the front yard. He was found to still be alive when paramedics arrived on scene, and was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. None of the residents of the home, which included several small children, were injured in the invasion. (wkyc.com, Cleveland, Ohio., 08/20/2021)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives–January 1990

Dudley Pearce, a door-to-door salesman from South Macon, Ga., was making one of his regular stops when the son of a customer asked for a ride. Pearce agreed, but after the two drove away, the passenger pulled a knife and demanded the 82-year-old salesman's wallet. The assailant ordered Pearce to pull over, got out and walked around toward the driver's side. Meanwhile, Pearce reached under the seat and pulled a revolver, telling the would-be robber not to come any closer. The man continued to approach, and the elderly salesman fired a single, fatal shot. (The Telegraph and News, Macon, Ga.)

Latest

Smith & Wesson Night Guard revolvers
Smith & Wesson Night Guard revolvers

New for 2026: Smith & Wesson Night Guard Revolvers

Smith & Wesson brings back the Night Guard series of revolvers in .44 Special and .357 Magnum.

Battle On The Border: Pancho Villa’s Raid On America

In March 1916, Americans living in the quiet town of Columbus, N.M., suddenly found themselves attacked by Mexican bandits, and many citizens sought to arm themselves and fight back, both during the raid and afterward.

The Armed Citizen® Feb. 9, 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.

Swiss Armed Forces Select SIG Sauer P320s

Swiss Armed Forces select a domestically sourced SIG Sauer P320 as standard issue.

Preview: Reptilia RECC-E Carbine Stock

Versatile and exceptionally lightweight, the polymer RECC-E SR-15/M4/AR-15 Carbine Stock from Reptilia provides a constant, uniform cheek weld across a generous range of settings for length-of-pull...

The MAT-49: France's Mid-20th Century SMG

After World War II, the French military was left with a hodgepodge of leftover submachine guns. After several years, the army consolidated on a standard service rifle, the MAS-49, and a standard submachine gun: the MAT-49.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.