The Armed Citizen® July 5, 2021

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

posted on July 5, 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 Yakima, Wash., couple found an unwelcome surprise waiting for them at home when they got back in the evening of June 24, 2021.

When the couple and their six children got back home around 7:45 p.m., noting initially seemed out of place. That was, until the couple's daughter found a strange man inside her bedroom. The mother took the children and ran outside, while the father grabbed a handgun and confronted the unwelcome intruder. As the mother was on the phone, she could hear shouting inside followed by several shots.

The father shot the would-be burglar several times went he attempted to advance. The intruder was found dead from his wounds at the scene. As it turned out, the man was the family's neighbor, who was described by others as "odd." The father is not facing charges in the shooting, and it was determined that the neighbor made his way into the daughter's bedroom through the window. (yaktrinews.com, Yakima, Wash., 06/16/2021)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives - June 1987

A man armed with a toy gun and a can of Mace entered Mike Stratton's Eugene, Oreg., pharmacy and demanded narcotic pain killers. Telling the robber he had just been hired and pretending not to be familiar with the drugs, Stratton bided his time until he could get to his revolver, then ordered the intruder to lie on the floor while a clerk telephoned police. Police said Stratton handled the situation well. (The Register-Guard, Eugene, Oreg.)

Latest

Gotw Cz Shadow 2 Carry 1
Gotw Cz Shadow 2 Carry 1

Gun of the Week: CZ Shadow 2 Carry

One of the latest concealed-carry handguns to hit the consumer market is the CZ's Shadow 2 Carry. Watch our "Gun of the Week" episode to see the details of this carry-oriented design.

The Armed Citizen® April 3, 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.

In Memoriam: Lt. Gen. William Morgan Keys (1937-2026)

Lt. Gen. William M. Keys, a decorated war veteran and former President and CEO of Colt Defense and Colt’s Manufacturing Company, passed away on Jan. 24.

2026 NRA Board Election Results

The National Rifle Association is pleased to announce the results of the 2026 elections for the NRA Board of Directors.

A Celebration of American Freedom: The 155th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits

With acres of exhibition space, addresses from NRA’s leadership, an epic country concert and literally tens of thousands of guns on display, the 155th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Houston­—and our nation’s 250th celebration—are not to be missed.

The "Dreaded Dry-Fire" Training Talk

Talk to the best shooters in the world, and you will hear the same story: the majority of their skill development did not happen on the range with ammunition. It happened with dry-fire practice.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.