The Armed Citizen®: January 12, 2015

by
posted on January 12, 2015
** 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)

After the office door was closed, staff members at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital reported hearing loud arguing inside. The staff opened the door to find a patient holding a doctor and caseworker at gunpoint. They immediately dialed 9-1-1. Gunshots were heard a short time later. The caseworker was shot and killed by the gunman. The doctor was grazed by gunfire, and promptly pulled out his own gun and returned fire. When the patient emerged from the office, he was wrestled to the floor and disarmed by another doctor and caseworker. The suspect sustained multiple gunshot wounds, but was reportedly expected to recover. The doctor was expected to recover from his wounds as well. Many praise the doctor’s actions, which likely saved lives. The responding police chief said of the incident, “Without that firearm, this guy [the patient] could have went out in the hallway and just walked down the offices [shooting] until he ran out of ammunition.” (Bucks County Courier Times, Darby, PA, 7/25/14)

The Armed Citizen® Extra:
Two teenagers entered a jewelry store in Fresno, Calif., pointed a handgun at the clerk’s head and announced that they were robbing the place. When the store owner, who had been in the back office with his daughter and new-born grandchild, heard the clerk say he was being robbed, he armed himself with a shotgun and confronted the pair. Upon seeing the shotgun, the two robbers hastily fled the scene. The entire encounter was caught on security cameras, and since the teens had not bothered to wear masks or disguises, tipsters were quickly able to assist the authorities in identifying them. One of the culprits turned himself in to police, and his compatriot was arrested two days later. There were no injuries, and nothing was stolen. Both men pleaded no contest to their charges. (The Fresno Bee, Fresno, CA, 12/11/14)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives January 1980:
Responding to a knock on the door of his Louisville, Ky., home, James F. Freeman was confronted by an armed man who ordered him and five friends to lie on the floor and then demanded cash. When Freeman’s wife went into another room to get the money, the gunman followed. Freeman hurriedly found his revolver and greeted the robber with a burst of gunfire, wounding him in the side. The robber managed to escape with the cash, but was later identified by Freeman at a hospital and arrested. (The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY)

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.