The Armed Citizen® May 5, 2017

by
posted on May 5, 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 (1)

A lover’s spat could have turned lethal if not for the efforts of an armed citizen. The ex-boyfriend of an employee came into the 39-year-old’s workplace and began to harass the woman. The offender punched the woman several times before throwing her to the ground. A customer saw the commotion and helped. His intervention made the woman’s ex angry, and he attacked the armed citizen, trying to grab the man’s gun. The Good Samaritan fired twice at the suspect, who was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. (Holland Sentinel, Holland, MI, 2/24/17)

The Armed Citizen® Extra
Late one night, three masked and armed teenagers broke through a back glass door of a home. The homeowner’s son, who was asleep in his room, heard the commotion and grabbed an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. Upon confronting the three intruders, he opened fire, killing all three. The homeowner’s son then barricaded himself in his room and called 9-1-1. A young woman, who dropped the three burglars off at the home, is being charged for three complaints of first-degree murder because the deaths of her accomplices occurred while she was in commission of a felony, one count of first-degree burglary and another for second-degree burglary. The homeowner’s son is not being charged. (Tulsa World, Wagoner, OK, 4/4/17) 

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
May 1981
John and Deby Matthews were asleep early one morning in their Las Cruces, N.M., home when they heard the sounds of cabinet doors opening and closing. John leaped from bed and tackled the intruder, while Deby grabbed a 12-ga. shotgun and followed behind. They held a youthful housebreaker until police arrived. (The Sun-News, Las Cruces, NM)

Latest

2026 New Suppressor Guide
2026 New Suppressor Guide

New Suppressors for 2026: A Full Guide

With the removal of the $200 NFA tax stamp on suppressors, the only sound reverberating across the firearms landscape is “cha-ching.”

MDT Now Offering Lone Peak Arms Rifle Actions

Earlier in 2026, MDT announced that it had acquired Lone Peak Arms, and now, the company's rifle actions are available to consumers.

The Armed Citizen® Aug. 31, 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.

NRA-ILA Launches First-Ever National “Gun Bus Battleground Tour” to Mobilize Gun Owners for 2026 Midterms

The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) today launched its first-ever national bus tour, the 2026 NRA’s Gun Bus Battleground Tour, a more than two-month, 13-state campaign to energize and turn out gun owners in key battleground states ahead of the November midterm elections.

Review: TriStar KR.22

Manufactured by Kral Arms in Turkey, the TriStar Arms KR.22 is a lightweight semi-automatic that offers everything you need to get started or to perfect what you’ve learned over the years.

Safe Space: 5 Must-Have Accessories to Organize Your Gun Safe

It's a perennial problem for gun owners: not enough safe space. Here are five organizing products that will help you squeeze a bit more in your existing gun safe before you have to run out and buy another.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.