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

Ukraine Operators
Ukraine Operators

Ukraine Operators Use Drone Round to Defeat UAS

Ukrainian operators recently tested and defeated drones with the Drone Round—a purpose-built cartridge that requires no firearm modifications, no new equipment and no additional training.

From The Counter: The Gun Store Prime Directive

When visiting a firearm retailer, know when it’s appropriate to interject, and when you should keep quiet.

Red-Dot Occlusion Training: A Performance-Booster for You & Your Optic-Equipped Handgun

Red-dot occlusion is a passive technique that shooters can use to remain target-focused, thereby speeding up their performance with optic-equipped handguns.

New for 2026: Dead Air Nomad Ti Over-The-Barrel (OTB) Suppressor

The Dead Air Silencers Nomad Ti OTB is designed to be a compact and lightweight suppressor for the backcountry hunter.

I Carry: Diamondback SDR in a Galco Hornet Holster

For our latest "I Carry" episode above, we paired the six-round Diamondback SDR DA/SA snubnose revolver with a simple leather holster from Galco, along with one of the latest EDC flashlights from Streamlight.

The Armed Citizen® May 8, 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.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.