The Armed Citizen® June 19, 2012

by
posted on June 19, 2012
** 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 (2)

A man came to the door of Herschel Matheny, 82, and Jacqueline Hicks, 75, one morning and asked to use their telephone. When the man was given a phone to use, he reportedly stabbed Matheny in the chest and demanded money from Hicks. While giving the man the impression she was leaving the room to get money, Hicks retrieved a firearm instead and forced the man to leave. Matheny was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover. The suspect is at large. (The Southern Illinoisan, Herod, IL, 4/24/12)

The Armed Citizen Extra

(The following account did not appear in the print version of American Rifleman)

It was nearly 10 p.m. in Wilkinsburg, Pa. when two young men approached a home on Montier Street and knocked on the door. The homeowner, upon seeing the two late-night visitors, retrieved a handgun from the bedroom and returned to the front door. The owner opened the door to hear his guests out and was greeted by the barrel of a shotgun. He opened fire first, striking the shotgun wielder and sending the accomplice fleeing down an embankment. The wounded intruder was taken to the hospital and his friend turned himself into police not long after. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, Pa.)

From The Armed Citizen Archives

June 1982: A youthful hoodlum leaped over the counter of Alma Harris' South San Diego, Calif., restaurant and attacked her. As he tried to strangle her with a telephone cord, she grabbed a revolver and shot him four times. The assailant fled, but only made it about a block before collapsing. (The Union, San Diego, Calif.)

Latest

Icarry Springfield Sa35 Polished 1
Icarry Springfield Sa35 Polished 1

I Carry: Springfield Armory SA-35 Polished in a Falco C631 Gorham Holster

In our latest episode of "I Carry" above, we're taking a closer look at the details of the new Springfield Armory SA-35 Polished, and we're packaging it with a high-quality leather holster from Falco Holsters, along with a new EDC knife from Work Sharp.

ATF Suffers Major Cybersecurity Incident

On Aug. 27, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced that an outside group had breached its systems in what it termed a "major incident."

The Armed Citizen® Aug. 28, 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.

A Conversation About Gun-Making in America

Recently, a paper titled “The American Tradition of Self-Made Arms" written by Joe Greenlee, director of NRA-ILA's Office of Litigation Counsel,was cited by a court in an important ruling on frame-or-receiver litigation.

The Model 87 Ultra Special: A Rare Survivor of Ithaca's Final Gamble

In the spring of 1990, an 18-year-old received a shotgun he didn't order. The Ithaca Model 87 Ultra Special he got instead was the last gasp of one of America's most iconic shotgun makers.

As Gun Sales Stay High, Violent Crime Hits a Historic Low

According to a recent report from the FBI on national crime statistics, violent crime has decreased 9.3 percent from 2024, marking the largest year-to-year drop since the 1930s.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.