The Armed Citizen® June 12, 2020

by
posted on June 12, 2020
** 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 (3)
Armed Citizen® Today

Around 4 a.m. on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, four men arrived at the Firing Line gun shop in Philadelphia, Pa., and used tools to break into the building. Once in, they headed up a staircase to the second floor.

On the second floor, the owner of the shop was waiting for them. The owner had been alerted by the recent spate of looting in the city and was inside the building, safeguarding his firearm inventory.

The suspects were met by the armed shop owner, who fired three shots. One of the suspected robbers was shot fatally and another was wounded. The four men fled the building and sought treatment at a local hospital, where they issued a false report regarding their gunshot wounds. Police were quickly able to link the men to the failed robbery at the Firing Line.

"The facts we know and the law are clear that the business owner’s use of force while inside his own property against a burglar accompanied by others who was entering with a gun in his hand was justified," the Philadelphia district attorney stated in a news release. "It is fortunate for the City of Philadelphia that this large cache of guns and ammunition were not taken and sold on the street.”

At the time of reporting, a 17-year-old suspect had been charged with robbery, burglary, conspiracy and related charges stemming from his alleged involvement with the armed robbery attempt. (FOX 29, Philadelphia, Pa., 06/02/2020)
  
   
From the Armed Citizen® Archives November 1960

Alarmed by a series of burglaries in the vicinity, Alfred L. Davis lay in wait for the fifth night in his Laclede, Mo., store when a plate-glass window crashed and two burglars entered.

Davis fired at one figure silhouetted in the doorway, the blast killing the intruder instantly. Police arrived to take the dead man's accomplice into custody. They later traced three earlier burglaries to the pair. (Brookfield News Bulletin)

Latest

National Firearm Act
National Firearm Act

150,000 NFA Applications Filed On Day 1 After $0 Tax Stamp Becomes Official

Approximately 150,000 NFA enthusiasts filed their paperwork through ATF’s electronic system in just the first 24 hours of 2026, the first day after the $0 tax stamp for most NFA items became official.

Gun Of The Week: Caracal USA CMP9K

Caracal's CMP9K pistol is based on a design originally produced to replace the aging stock of Heckler & Koch MP5s in United Arab Emirates service.

The Armed Citizen® Jan. 9, 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.

Preview: Roundhouse Provisions Ultimate Campout Kit

Founded by Chuck Norris (yes, that Chuck Norris), Roundhouse Provisions is a company that produces emergency foodstuffs designed to be quickly and simply prepared that will stay fresh for years.

New For 2026: Taurus TX9 Pistol

Taurus launches the TX9 family of striker-fired, polymer-frame pistols, adding to its popular TX series of handguns.

Heavy Browning At War: Combat Tales Of The Browning M1917 Machine Gun

For the first half of the 20th century, one of the most important firearms in the U.S. military arsenal was the water-cooled Browning M1917, known to gunners and infantrymen alike as the "Heavy Browning."

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.