The Armed Citizen® October 19, 2020

by
posted on October 19, 2020
** 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. **
armed-citizen-main-image.jpg (4)
Armed Citizen® Today

A man driving on the interstate in Kenton County, Ky., was forced to defend himself with his pistol after being involved in a road rage related crash, after which the driver of the other vehicle pointed a rifle at him through the car window on Oct. 9, 2020.

The man, from Cincinnati, Ohio, was driving Northbound that Friday on I-75 near Fort Mitchell, Ky., when he became the victim in a rolling road rage confrontation that ultimately resulted in the two vehicles crashing. After the crash both vehicles pulled to the side of the road. It was at this point that the other driver got out of his vehicle and approached the man's vehicle with a .30-'06 Sprg. Tikka bolt-action rifle in hand. The aggressor then pointed the rifle through the passenger side window into the man's face.

In response to the rifle being pointed in his face while he was still in his vehicle, the man drew his 9 mm Taurus handgun and fired at least four shots at the aggressor. The man called 911 at 1:22 p.m., just after the crash, recording a verbal confrontation between the two men and the gunshots. The man told the dispatcher he fired shots and struck the other man, after which he could be heard administering first aid to the wounded aggressor. 

Police arrived to the scene of the crash around 1:30 p.m. The 41-year-old aggressor had multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he later died. Investigators found multiple empty liquor bottles in the aggressor's vehicle. Witnesses also shared photos with authorities in which the aggressor can be clearly seen pointing the rifle through the passenger side car window at the man 

Authorities also recovered the Tikka rifle used by the aggressor, unloaded and with the trigger locked. Kenton County Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders says the shooting was justified and his office is not pursuing charges in the incident against the man. Sanders also said that "There was no way for the man to know the rifle being stuck in his face was inoperable," and that his use of deadly force against the aggressor was not unreasonable or unlawful. (c
incinnati.com, Cincinnati, Ohio, 10/12/2020)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives June 1979  

Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Gantt were at home when a muscular young intruder climbed through their bedroom window one night in St. Petersburg, Fla., and assaulted the elderly couple. He then began to ransack their house. Though his hip had been broken in the attack, the 73-year-old husband reached for his loaded pistol, while his wounded wife pushed a chair against the bedroom door.

When the assailant burst through the door, Mr. Gantt shot him in the neck. Police later said that the attacker had been out of prison only a short time after serving 28 months for similar crimes. (The Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.)

Latest

9X18 Makarov
9X18 Makarov

Shooting Surplus: Finding Affordable Mil-Surp Ammo in 2026

Today, the market for mil-surp ammo is vastly different than it was even just a few years ago. If you're a military-surplus collector and shooter, what should you look for in 2026? Here's our guide.

Colt Electro-Optics Introduces New Red Dots & Magnifier

No stranger to rebirth, Colt has recently spun off an optics division to make sure that, in a world where optics are considered to be standard equipment, a fully kitted-out gun can be all-pony.

What This Huge NFA Ruling Means for Gun Owners

The recent ruling in Jensen v. ATF and the subsequent lack of an appeal by the U.S. Department of Justice has left many gun owners with questions about purchasing NFA items. Here is some guidance.

Gun of the Week: Smith & Wesson Model 386 Night Guard

In partnership with Lipsey's, Smith & Wesson recently re-introduced two of its classic Night Guard revolvers, the Models 386 and 396, which are chambered for the .357 Magnum and .44 Special, respectively.

The Armed Citizen® Aug. 14, 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 (Slightly Confusing) History of Colt's Police Positive Revolver

For one of the most popular law-enforcement revolvers ever made, the history of the Colt Police Positive isn't nearly as linear as one would think it'd be.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.