The Armed Citizen® September 12, 2016

by
posted on September 12, 2016
** 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 (2)

An armed citizen in Bastrop County, Texas, knew he had to do something when he encountered a sheriff’s deputy grappling on the ground with a suspect. When the criminal went for the officer’s firearm, the bystander—who also happens to be a veteran of the Marines—drew his own gun and ordered the 32-year-old man to freeze. The intervention by the concealed carrier caused the attacker to stop pummeling the deputy and to flee, and he was immediately apprehended by other law enforcement officials responding to the scene. “I’m alive today because of him,” the deputy later said of the armed citizen. The suspect now faces charges of aggravated assault of a public servant, taking an officer’s weapon, evading arrest and driving while under the influence with a child under 15—the offense that instigated the initial traffic stop. (Austin American-Statesman, Austin, TX, 1/31/16) 

The Armed Citizen® Archives
December 1964
When a Chicago, Ill., housewife, Mrs. Tommie S. Owen, heard someone tell her husband, who had just answered the door, “This is a stickup,” she retrieved a .25 ACP-chambered pistol and went to aid him. As the bandit started toward her with a raised gun, Mrs. Owen fired once. The bandit, clutching his midsection, tried to fire his gun, but it misfired. He then fled, but was found by the police a few doors away, mortally wounded. (Chicago Daily News, Chicago, IL)

Latest

attack in a back alley
attack in a back alley

Cold Performance: How to Prepare for the Uncertainty of Self-Defense

Defensive gun use is defined by uncertainty. You don’t know when it will happen, how far away the threat will be, how many threats you will face or what position you will be in when it begins.

Derya Goes Silent: The OBone Suppressor

In 2025, Turkish manufacturer Derya Arms opened a new facility in Florida, enabling the company to produce a number of new products domestically, such as its new OBone suppressor.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 26, 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.

Rifleman Q&A: Understanding a Firearm's Cycle of Operation

The cycle of operation is the mechanical sequence of events that it takes to fire one shot out of a firearm. If one of those steps fails to take place as designed, there is an interruption in the cycle of operation and the gun stops firing.

Review: Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm Riflescope

Looking for a performance LPVO without the usual associated cost? The Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm might be your answer.

Myths & Misunderstandings About the “Modern Fighting 1911”

The Colt Model 1911 pistol and its derivatives are among the most iconic military handguns ever made. But in 2026, does the M1911 still hold up as a quality defensive arm?

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.