The Armed Citizen® February 22, 2019

by
posted on February 22, 2019
** 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 (6)

Dining out one night with his teenage sons, an armed citizen was called on to protect the innocent. In Birmingham, Ala., the family was leaving a McDonald’s at closing time. As the manager was unlocking the front doors to let them out, a masked man pushed his way into the restaurant and began firing at everyone inside. The attacker’s gunfire hit the armed citizen and one of his sons before he pulled his own concealed firearm and shot back. Police and EMS arrived on the scene to take the three individuals to the hospital, where the criminal later died from his injuries. (Casa Grande Dispatch, Birmingham, Ala., 10/30/18)

The Armed Citizen Extra
After two men stole his trailer early one morning, a San Antonio man followed and confronted them in an attempt to secure the trailer's return. The men were not terribly inclined to return the stolen property however, which led to an exchange of gunfire during which one of the trailer-jackers was hit with birdshot. The other thief took off. The wounded man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was soon in stable condition. (KENS5, San Antonio, Texas, 01/10/2019)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
February 1960
In Saraland, Ala., the berserk husband of a woman charged with possession of illegal whisky killed one police officer and wounded another but, as he tried to make his escape, was shot dead by Carlos McDonald, the proprietor of a nearby shop. (UPI)

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.