The Armed Citizen® Jan. 19, 2024

Armed Citizen® Today

A 32-year-old woman faces charges of burglary after an attempt to rob a jewelry store in Gardendale, Ala., during which she was shot by the store's owner.

Just before 5 p.m. on Dec. 6, 2023, the shop owner watched the woman enter the front door wearing a mask and coat and carrying a purse. "I'm always a little bit alert," the man told AL.com. "Even though we're past COVID, there's still a lot of people wearing masks." The woman then bent down and placed a block to prevent the front door from closing behind her. "I knew then what was happening," the shop owner said.

The burglary suspect then said, "Happy holidays. I don't want to hurt y'all, but I am," and then began assaulting store employees with bear spray. The shop owner drew his firearm and shot the woman once in the shoulder. "I didn't have any choice once she started spraying the bear spray because I didn't know what was going to come next," he said.

The suspect screamed, "Stop, stop! I don't want to die! Please stop!" She dropped her purse and fled the store. A subsequent search conducted by local law enforcement found the woman at an apartment complex in Birmingham, Ala. She was taken into custody and treated for her wounds at a local hospital. "I did what I had to do to protect my store and my employees," the shop owner said. "I had no idea what she was capable of." (AL.com; Gardendale, Ala.; 12/6/23)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives – April 1971

Rabbi Jacob Bergman of South Bend, Ind., was awakened by his wife, who heard noises and saw furniture being removed from a house across the street. He went over with a shotgun, captured a husband-and-wife burglary team, then held them for police. (The South Bend Tribune; South Bend, Ind.)