The Armed Citizen® March 10, 2023

by
posted on March 10, 2023
** 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 licensed-to-carry bystander shot and wounded an active shooter in an El Paso, Texas, mall after the shooter killed a teen and began aiming at other mall goers on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.

That evening, the alleged shooter was part of a group of teens at the mall when they got into an argument with another group near the mall's food court. According to police, the suspect pulled out what was reported to be a stolen handgun and began firing, fatally shooting one 17-year-old male and wounding two others. After the shooting, the suspect ran and began aiming his stolen handgun at other bystanders.

One bystander was a 32-year-old man with a licensed concealed-carry gun. As the shooter ran toward him, the man drew his gun and shot the suspect. The armed citizen then began administering aid to the wounded shooter and other victims with the help of an off-duty El Paso police officer. Charges are currently pending against the suspect. (KTSM, El Paso, Texas, 2/17/23)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives – April 1980

When Ernst Wright was awakened by the sound of a tractor-trailer coming to a halt outside his Corona, N.M., ranch house, he armed himself with a shotgun and investigated. When the driver kicked in the kitchen door and walked inside, Wright asked him to leave, then retreated to the hall. The intruder threw a crowbar at Wright, who fired one shot, hitting his attacker in the chest. State police found the wounded man inside the truck. (The Lincoln County News, Carrizozo, N.M.)

Latest

Icarry Taurus TX9 Compact 1
Icarry Taurus TX9 Compact 1

I Carry: Taurus TX9 Compact in a Galco Holster

In our latest "I Carry" segment, we pair the new Taurus TX9 Compact with a leather Stow-N-Go holster from Galco, Inc. This compact, concealed-carry kit is rounded out with an Xolotl automatic knife produced by CRKT.

The Armed Citizen® March 13, 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: Canik USA MC9 Prime

Canik USA built out its concealed-carry handgun lineup with the MC9 Prime, which is a larger, yet still slim, CCW gun that sits in the same category as other upsized micro-compacts.

U.S. Army Awards Mossberg Contract for Additional 590A1 Pump-Action Shotguns

The U.S. Army has awarded O.F. Mossberg & Sons a contract for approximately $11.6 million dollars to supply the U.S. Army with additional Mossberg 590A1 pump-action shotguns.

250 Years of the U.S. Army: Bolt-Actions & Semi-Automatics on the Battlefield

In just a few decades, the U.S. Army would see itself go from a single-shot, blackpowder design in the form of the Trapdoor Springfield to a modern, semi-automatic fighting rifle in the M1 Garand.

Modernized & Economical Muzzleloaders: The CVA Optima XP & XP-SB

CVA's longest-lasting muzzleloader design, the Optima, has been updated in 2026 with "modern ergonomics and modularity."

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.