The Armed Citizen® June 18, 2021

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

by
posted on June 18, 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 man in Atlanta, Ga., was forced to defend himself when he was beaten by a group of thugs in the street on June 5, 2021.

The man had gotten into an argument with another in a group of people that Saturday evening, which escalated to the point that the five men in the group began to physically assault him. As they assaulted and battered him, the man managed to draw a concealed handgun and shoot his attackers. The shot wounded one of the attackers and convinced the others to stop their attack.

Police responded to the scene around 10:50 p.m. with the report of a shooting. They recovered and rushed the wounded attacker to the hospital before discovering the battered victim and witnesses to the defensive shooting who told them what happened. As a result, the five men, including the one the victim shot, where arrested for charges of aggravated battery and robbery. (ajc.com, Atlanta, Ga., 06/16/2021)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives May 1987

An armed robber walked into a Chalmette, La., bar and demanded money from bartender Gail Ford. When she walked to the cash register and saw the man still had the gun in the waistband of his pants, she picked up a revolver lying next to the register and pointed it at the man. The police said , "She had the drop on him, so he ran out of the bar." (The Times Picayune, New Orleans, La.)

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.