Swansboro, N.C., lost a little of its small-town charm one day in February, when a law enforcement officer and someone he had pulled over for a traffic violation got into a tussle. Fortunately for officer Aaron Thompson, an armed citizen who was not too far behind, prevented the situation from escalating. Thompson had been on patrol when he noticed a box truck being driven erratically. The vehicle pulled over when Thompson flashed his lights and siren, but when the police officer exited his car, the truck driver took off. Thompson caught up and the vehicle stopped again. This time, the police officer ordered the driver out of the truck and took him to the side of the road, where the culprit started “fighting or pulling away from the officer,” according to Swansboro Police Chief Ken Jackson. A passing armed citizen saw the two men wrestling in the roadside ditch. He stopped his car, grabbed his Smith & Wesson handgun and yelled at the scoundrel to stop resisting. Upon noticing the gun, the suspect complied. (Jacksonville Daily News, Jacksonville, NC, 2/19/18)
The Armed Citizen® Extra
When a homeowner’s dog began barking early one Sunday morning, the homeowner was suspicious, as the dog usually never barks. Curious, the man went to investigate and was shocked at what he found. The homeowner came face to face with an intruder trying to enter his home through the outdoor sunroom. He quickly grabbed his rifle and went to confront the trespasser. He told the stranger to lie on the ground and asked for his name and what he was doing. The stranger complied with the order but did not answer the questions. The homeowner proceeded to call police while holding the thug at gunpoint. While waiting, the delinquent started to rummage through his pockets, pulling out needles and throwing them under the homeowner’s vehicle, making the homeowner uneasy. However, police showed up and arrested the prowler, who struggled with the deputy at first but was eventually taken into custody and charged with breaking and entering, resisting an officer and possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. Later reports reveal the criminal was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the break-in. (Statesville Record & Landmark, Statesville, NC, 4/13/18)
From the Armed Citizen® Archives
April 1961
When the customer at the counter in Mrs. Daisy Parker’s Philadelphia luncheonette menaced her with hand in pocket and announced a stickup, Mrs. Parker edged away, grabbed her cal. 32 revolver from under the counter, and came up firing. Three shots sent the bandit lurching out the door. After picking him up, police closed a second case when another robbery victim identified him. (Philadelphia Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA)
