Cindy Schachter, an employee at Furnari Jewelers, was working when two men entered the store around 4 p.m. Schachter's boss, Anthony Furnari, was sitting at his desk facing the showroom. Something about the men made Schachter uneasy, so she gave her boss a quiet warning right before they pulled clothing over their faces and jumped over the counter. Furnari quickly pulled his .38-cal. handgun from his desk and fired several rounds at one of the suspects as he came toward him. Furnari was severely beaten as both men tried to gain control of his firearm. When Furnari fought back, the men grabbed a display of gold chains and fled. One suspect was later taken into custody after seeking treatment for several bullet wounds. It was last reported that the second suspect was still at large. Furnari suffered a broken nose, a concussion, multiple stitches to the face and hand, and a fractured rip. Schachter was reportedly unharmed. (The Republican, Chicopee, MA, 10/17/12)
The Armed Citizen Extra
Authorities say an Army veteran who uses a wheelchair wielded a pistol to run off a man who broke into his home near Athens. Mark Sikes, 53, was in bed at his home in western Clarke County around 1 p.m. Wednesday when someone kicked in his front door. Sikes said he reached into his nightstand and grabbed his pistol. He said he pointed the gun at the intruder and told him he should get out. Sikes said the young man "flew like a bat" and is lucky that he wasn't killed by the veteran. Athens-Clarke County police and Oconee County sheriff's deputies have yet to find the intruder. (The Augusta Chronicle, Athens, GA, 1/26/13)
From The Armed Citizen Archives
August 1978: Armed with a handgun, Joseph Ankenbrandt of Decatur, Ill., encountered two men in his kitchen late at night after he had been awakened by loud noises. While one of the men fled, Ankenbrandt forced the other to lie on the floor until the police could be summoned. (The Herald, Decatur, Ill.)
