The Armed Citizen® July 20, 2018

by
posted on July 20, 2018
** 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 (5)

An armed thief got a surprise when his intended target turned the tables on him. The young troublemaker apparently thought a man in his 60s, who was withdrawing cash from an ATM, would be easy prey. The miscreant got a surprise when he found out his would-be victim was carrying. The armed citizen, though held at gunpoint himself, drew his handgun and fired. The suspect later died. (fox35orlando.com, Orlando, FL, 5/8/18) 

The Armed Citizen® Extra
A man was outside a local market throwing rocks at the business one evening when a store employee came out and ordered him to leave. The man reportedly uttered a derogatory comment and left, but returned a short time later carrying a loaded, 20-gauge sawed-off shotgun in one hand and a knife in the other. Fortunately, another man, a valid concealed-carry permit holder, was nearby and confronted the aggressor, pointed his gun at him and ordered him to drop his weapons. The armed transgressor complied, then reportedly made another derogatory remark and left the scene. Police later located and arrested him, and he now faces felony aggravated assault charges, punishable by up to five years in prison. (Lewiston Tribune, Lewiston, ID, 6/27/18)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
July 1959
Recently Eberhard Herz was tending his father-in-law’s Los Angeles, Calif., store when two gunmen, armed with a Luger pistol and a sawed-off shotgun, entered. After making Herz empty the register, the bandits demanded whiskey. Masking his movements as he put several bottles into a bag, Herz took a cal. .38 revolver from under the counter and shot at both bandits. One died instantly; the other fell critically wounded, shot in the forehead. Police said the bandits had staged six robberies in the past 36 hours and more than 100 in the past three months. (Los Angeles Mirror News, Los Angeles, CA)

Latest

Hk G36 22Lr 1
Hk G36 22Lr 1

Gun of the Week: Heckler & Koch G36 .22 LR

Due to Germany's strict firearm-export laws, along with U.S. firearm import laws, the closest any HK fan could get to owning a real G36 was in the form of the HK SL8. Now, though, Heckler & Koch has introduced its G36 .22 LR, which, profile-wise, is a G36 in all but chambering.

The Armed Citizen® July 17, 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.

A Visit to the New Smith & Wesson Academy

Let the training (re)commence at Smith & Wesson's new Academy in Tennessee.

New for 2026: Leupold LCO Pro F2 Red-Dot Sight

The optic giant has updated its flagship red-dot sight with a host of upgraded features.

Rifleman Review: Heckler & Koch CC9

When Heckler & Koch USA launched its micro-compact CC9, it proved to be one of the most robustly built micro-compact handguns yet made.

Beyond the Headlines on Armed Citizen Stories

Concealed carriers in the U.S. commit almost no crimes with their lawfully owned firearms. Armed citizens do, however, stop a lot of crimes.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.