The Armed Citizen® August 6, 2021

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

by
posted on August 6, 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

A homeowner in Lake County, Fla., stood his ground when an intruder came onto his property and refused to leave on July 31, 2021.

It all started that Saturday when the homeowner noticed a strange man walk into his back yard and into the screened-in pool area. The homeowner walked out and confronted the man, asking him “What are you doing?” The intruder didn't give an answer, but instead asked for a drink of water. Weary over the situation and nature of his uninvited guest, the homeowner then retrieved a snub-nosed .357-cal. revolver and ordered the intruder to leave.

However, the intruder refused to do so, instead choosing to rip the screen door to the pool area before jumping into the water. The homeowner called police and held the intruder at gunpoint until they arrived. After police arrived and eventually got the intruder into custody, he asked for water again. When given a bottle, he sprayed it onto a deputy. The intruder turned out to be a repeat drug offender, and was arrested on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, trespassing, criminal mischief and resisting arrest. (villages-news.com, The Villages, Fla., 08/02/2021)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives - December 1982

After two earlier visits, a man entered a Bell Gardens, Calif., furniture store and, displaying a gun, forced proprietor Raymond Nitkin into a back room. Shoved aside when the gunman was distracted by the presence of two young employees, the shopkeeper ducked behind a refrigerator and drew his own gun. An ensuing exchange of gunfire dropped the gunman. Police later identified the injured man as an escaped convicted murderer. (The Times, Los Angeles, Calif.)

Latest

Federal Premium 7Mm Backcountry Artv 1
Federal Premium 7Mm Backcountry Artv 1

Behind Federal's 7 mm Backcountry Cartridge

In 2025, Federal Ammunition introduced its new 7 mm Backcountry cartridge, which operates at higher pressures than any previous commercial ammunition offering.

New for 2026: Beretta 94X Performance

The latest step in the evolution of Beretta's 90 series of handguns is the 94X Performance, a handgun that the company calls “the ultimate evolution of the Beretta competition pistol for IPSC and USPSA.”

Review: Spandau Arms RL

The Remington Model 700 lives on in the form of this RL bolt-action rifle produced in Turkey by Huglu and imported into the U.S. by Spandau Arms.

NRA Outstanding Achievement Youth Award Applications Open

The NRA is accepting applications for the 2027 NRA Outstanding Achievement Youth Award from junior shooting sports participants who demonstrate active involvement in their communities and in shooting sports.

The (Not So) Gray Man: Tips to Avoid Tacti-Cool & Blend into the Background

Being a true "gray man" is not flashy. It won’t get you followers or likes or nods from across the room. What it will get you is something far more valuable in the real world: freedom of movement. Reduced attention. Lower probability of being selected, targeted or remembered.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 28, 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.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.