The Armed Citizen® August 26, 2011

by
posted on August 26, 2011
** 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 (3)

Tim Lewis was at the park throwing a Frisbee for his German shepherd when he said “all hell broke loose.” Three pit bulls, all off-leash, quickly advanced upon his dog and one of them attacked. Lewis tried to pull the pit bull off, but then the other two joined in. The owner of the pit bulls showed up and helped Lewis pull back the most aggressive pit bull, but then it turned on Lewis. That’s when Lewis, a concealed-carry permit holder, drew his pistol and fired a shot, striking the attacking dog. The wounded dog was recovering after surgery. “If I didn’t have my gun, I’d be dead right now,” Lewis said. “It’s not something I wanted to do. I love animals.” (Kirkland Patch, Kirkland, WA, 05/21/11)

The Armed Citizen Extra

(The following account did not appear in the print version of American Rifleman.)

Jason Bennett, the manager of a Florida pizza shop, had closed up the restaurant for the evening and was heading out to his car when he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. Suddenly, Bennett saw a man holding a gun to the back of his coworker's head, demanding money. Bennett moved quickly, knocking the gun out of the attacker's hands. Bennett's coworker, a concealed-carry permit holder, grabbed his .38-caliber revolver and held the would-be robber at gunpoint until police arrived. (St. Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg, FL, 08/13/11)

From The Armed Citizen Archive

August 1976: After waiting until all customers had left, two men, one wearing a long coat, entered a Fontana, Calif., book store and approached the clerk Larry Singleton. When Singleton saw a gun being pulled from under the coat, he snatched up a pistol from beneath the counter and fired two shots. Both would-be robbers ran. (The Sun-Telegram, San Bernardino, CA)

Latest

Hk G36 22Lr 1
Hk G36 22Lr 1

Gun of the Week: Heckler & Koch G36 .22 LR

Due to Germany's strict firearm-export laws, along with U.S. firearm import laws, the closest any HK fan could get to owning a real G36 was in the form of the HK SL8. Now, though, Heckler & Koch has introduced its G36 .22 LR, which, profile-wise, is a G36 in all but chambering.

The Armed Citizen® July 17, 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.

A Visit to the New Smith & Wesson Academy

Let the training (re)commence at Smith & Wesson's new Academy in Tennessee.

New for 2026: Leupold LCO Pro F2 Red-Dot Sight

The optic giant has updated its flagship red-dot sight with a host of upgraded features.

Rifleman Review: Heckler & Koch CC9

When Heckler & Koch USA launched its micro-compact CC9, it proved to be one of the most robustly built micro-compact handguns yet made.

Beyond the Headlines on Armed Citizen Stories

Concealed carriers in the U.S. commit almost no crimes with their lawfully owned firearms. Armed citizens do, however, stop a lot of crimes.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.