The Armed Citizen® May 18, 2018

by
posted on May 18, 2018
** 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 (4)

Just seeing an armed citizen with an AR-15 in his hands was enough to cause a knife-wielding assailant to stop his assault on a pregnant woman in Kendall County, Ill. “He was half a breath away from getting his head blown off, and he knew that,” the protective neighbor said after he used America’s most popular semi-automatic rifle to thwart the attack. The mother-to-be had ordered a pizza and had gone outside to wait for the delivery driver. While she was standing by, a tenant from her apartment complex started a heated discussion with her. As the argument escalated, the woman’s husband came out to see what was going on. The assailant pulled a knife and stabbed the husband, nicking the woman with the same swipe of the blade. Shouting, including a threat to kill the woman’s baby, ensued. That caught the attention of a neighbor who works as a private security officer. He looked to see what was going on, saw blood in the hallway and grabbed his AR-15. Upon seeing the rifle, the assailant bolted. Police arrived soon thereafter and tracked down the suspect. (The Beacon-News, Aurora, IL, 3/1/18)

The Armed Citizen® Extra
One afternoon, a woman was coaxing her son’s dog into the house with a stick when the dog grabbed her right hand and wouldn’t let go. As this was occurring, a neighbor heard the woman yelling and came to her aid. He tried to get the dog to let go, but when the dog wouldn’t release its grip, he went to his house, grabbed his registered handgun and called 9-1-1. Upon his return, the dog was still grasped on to the woman's hand, so he shot the dog, killing it. The woman was taken to a hospital where she was in serious condition. The neighbor said, “I didn’t want to shoot the dog by any means because I love dogs. It was a life-and-death situation.” (Columbus News Team, Omaha, NE, 4/26/18) 

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
May 1981
A stickup man had been plaguing convenience stores in the Salisbury, Md., area, so when Robert Brown saw a man fitting the robber’s description approaching his store, he reached for a gun. When the would-be robber pulled a pistol from his coat, Brown drew his own gun and the criminal fled. (The Daily Times, Salisbury, MD)

Latest

Taurus TX 9 9 mm pistol
Taurus TX 9 9 mm pistol

New For 2026: Taurus TX9 Pistol

Taurus launches the TX9 family of striker-fired, polymer-frame pistols, adding to its popular TX series of handguns.

Heavy Browning At War: Combat Tales Of The Browning M1917 Machine Gun

For the first half of the 20th century, one of the most important firearms in the U.S. military arsenal was the water-cooled Browning M1917, known to gunners and infantrymen alike as the "Heavy Browning."

Rifleman Review: Smith & Wesson Model 1854 Stealth Hunter

Smith & Wesson's Model 1854 Stealth Hunter is one of the latest additions to the company's line of modernized lever-action rifles.

VKTR Goes 2011: The Vanguard VKP Pro

Primarily known for its premium AR-15 rifles, VKTR Industries jumped into the 2011 handgun world in 2026 with its VKP Pro and Vanguard designs.

Rifleman Q&A: Cracking Marlin’s Code

Q: I have a Marlin Model 782 repeater, Serial No. 27392733, with a Micro-Groove barrel. I would like to understand how to narrow down its time of manufacture.

Review: Ruger 10/22 Carbon Fiber

Ruger recently released a variant of its popular 10/22 made with modern materials and incorporating performance-minded engineering: the 10/22 Carbon Fiber.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.