The Armed Citizen® September 11, 2012

by
posted on September 11, 2012
** 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)

Georgi Layous, 66, owner of Starlight Jewelry, was inside the small shop with his wife and two young grandchildren when 19-year-old Musa Thomas entered. Thomas produced a gun and ordered Layous to empty the cash register. He got angry when he found only $11 in the register and pushed Layous and his wife to the floor. Thomas continued to threaten their lives as he took jewelry from display cases and even snatched a necklace from Layous’ 4-year-old granddaughter’s neck. Thomas turned his back as he tried to retrieve surveillance video from a computer. Layous told his wife in Arabic to give him the .380-caliber pistol he keeps in the store for protection. Layous then shot Thomas in the leg. Thomas was arrested and charged with armed robbery after being treated for his gunshot wound. (Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Ill., 5/3/12)

From The Armed Citizen Archives

August 1970: Thomas A. Ciccone returned to his Wilmington, Del., home one evening to find the first floor ransacked. Hearing a noise on the third floor, he got his revolver, quietly climbed the stairs and captured the burglar. (Wilmington, Del., Morning News)

From The Armed Citizen Archives

September 1988: Awakened by his dog's growls, Savannah, Ga., resident Dennis Warren reached for his handgun and went to his bedroom door. Discovering a man advancing toward him in the hallway, Warren announced he was armed and ordered the intruder to stop. But, as Warren backed into his bedroom, the burglar lunged at him, and the resident fired. He then held the wounded man at gunpoint while his wife summoned police, who charged the man with burglary. (The Evening Press, Savannah, Ga.)

Latest

Smith Wesson Model 29 10 Facts 1
Smith Wesson Model 29 10 Facts 1

10 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About The Smith & Wesson Model 29

Without a doubt, the Smith & Wesson Model 29 is one of the 20th century’s most shootable, collectible "superstar" revolvers. Here are a few little-known facts about the gun.

Packable Punch: Discreet Ways to Carry More Firepower

While folding and takedown firearms chambered for full-power rifle cartridges may be niche defensive tools, the dark situations in which they shine brightest aren’t going away anytime soon.

Southpaw Solution: Ruger Introduces Left-Handed American Gen II Ranch Rifles

Traditionally, Ruger has offered a range of left-handed rifle models for the southpaws among us, and now, the company's Gen II American rifles are available in a left-handed variant, starting with the Ranch models.

Gun of the Week: Kimber 1911 DS Warrior LW

In 2026, Kimber developed its 1911 DS Warrior, an American-made, double-stack design that is intended to be an affordable entry point into Kimber's double-stack handgun line.

The Armed Citizen® April 24, 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.

Spin Difference: The Impact of Barrel Twist Rates on Terminal Performance

When most shooters think of rifling-twist rates, they mostly think of rifles with their high BC projectiles, but the rpm of a bullet also plays a part in terminal performance.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.