The Armed Citizen® June 30, 2017

by
posted on June 30, 2017
** 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 (8)

Sometimes a bad guy who doesn’t heed a warning pays the price. That was the case in Pittsburgh when a man, who was armed with a crowbar, broke into a home. The resident confronted the intruder, told him to lie face down on the ground and said that police were on their way. Rather than complying, the interloper raised the crowbar and charged the armed citizen, who—after a brief scuffle—fired his gun and shot the assailant in the leg. (WPXI, Pittsburgh, PA, 4/4/17)

The Armed Citizen® Extra
Early one evening, a family of four was at home when a young woman, posing as an official from the homeowners association, knocked on the door and asked the female resident some generic questions. The woman waved to a male accomplice in the car, who then approached the home. When the female resident noticed the approaching man, who was masked and armed, she immediately locked the door and screamed for her husband. The male intruder ignored her and proceeded to kick in the front door, but upon gaining entry was shot and killed by the husband. The female accomplice was found shortly after and arrested on charges of first-degree burglary and criminal conspiracy. The homeowner was not charged. (The Post and Courier, Charleston, SC, 3/15/17) 

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
June 1972
Hearing his wife’s screams, Albert Backofen grabbed a 12-ga. shotgun from the rear of his Springfield, Mass., grocery and ran to the front. A masked gunman took one look at the shotgun, pocketed his handgun, and begged “Don’t shoot,” then ran off before police arrived. (Springfield Union, Springfield, MA)

Latest

Springfield Armory Hellcat 380 Gun of the Week
Springfield Armory Hellcat 380 Gun of the Week

Gun of the Week: Springfield Armory Hellcat in .380 ACP

Springfield's latest Hellcat chambering makes the small pistol easier to shoot.

New for 2026: Stoeger M3000 Sporting Shotgun

Stoeger adds a new sporting model to its M3000 semi-automatic shotgun line.

New for 2026: Shadow Systems Axio Pistol Platform

A duty-size handgun platform joins the Shadow Systems family of 9 mm pistols.

The Armed Citizen® Jan. 30, 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.

Review: Hi-Point HP-15 Carbine

In 2025, Hi-Point Firearms surprised the firearm community with the news that it would offer a complete line of HP-15 carbines and pistols. Since then, the company has expanded their offerings.

New for 2026: Springfield Armory Saint Victor .300 BLK 9.5” Pistol

Springfield Armory’s Saint Victor family now has a pistol in .300 BLK.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.