The Armed Citizen® Oct. 6, 2025

Armed Citizen® Today

An armed citizen in his 20s defended himself against what appeared to be an unprovoked attack on a Philadelphia SEPTA train, according to police.

Officers say that video cameras recorded the entire event and show a suspect, who appeared to be about 18 years old, pacing up and down the train when, without any provocation, he began striking the victim. The man being beaten had a license to carry and had a firearm on him, and he drew his pistol and fired it into the attacker's face. While it is unclear how many shots were fired, the assault continued even after the first shot had been fired, as the assailant knocked the victim to the floor of the train and continued beating him.

When the assailant finally stopped, the armed victim sought out police and told them he had shot an attacker on the train. The suspect was found to be suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The victim suffered serious injuries to his head and was treated at a local hospital.

"Based on what we see so far, we're investigating this as a case of an individual that was attempting to save himself from further serious bodily injury," Philadelphia Police Inspector DF Pace told CBS News. ""It doesn't appear that there wasn't anything between these individuals. It doesn't appear that these individuals knew each other and why this person decided to engage in violence. We just do not know at this time." (CBS News Philadelphia; Philadelphia, Pa.; 8/15/25)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives – February 1978

Two youths entered John Loeffler’s South Lake Tahoe, Calif., drugstore, brandished a pistol and demanded drugs and cash. Loeffler filled a pillowcase with prescription narcotics. Then as he handed it to the armed member of the pair, he grabbed the bandit’s gun.

Loeffler and the robber fought until Loeffler was able to get his own gun and shoot one of his assailants in the leg. He then held both the would-be crooks until the police arrived and took them into custody. (The Daily Tribune, South Lake Tahoe, Calif.)