The Armed Citizen® February 3, 2020

by
posted on February 3, 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

firefighter (also a reserve deputy constable) was working on his home under construction May 2018 in Zachary, La., at 3:30 a.m. when an armed male, 23, approached him while riding a bicycle. The robber demanded money, but when the firefighter said he had none, he was forced at gunpoint into his vehicle and told to drive to multiple ATMs, where he withdrew cash, according to sheriff’s deputies.

Unhappy with the amount of money, the robber told the firefighter to go to his residence and get his wife’s ATM card. The firefighter asked the man to wait outside because he had large dogs inside that would attack. The robber agreed but threatened to kill the man and his family if he didn’t return to the vehicle. Once inside, the firefighter told his wife to call 911 and armed himself. The robber became impatient, entered the house and was promptly shot once by the armed citizen, who disarmed the robber and detained him until police showed up.

The robber was briefly treated for injuries from the gunshot and released from the hospital. He was then booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and convicted Oct. 31 of aggravated burglary, armed robbery and aggravated kidnapping, the last of which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison. (The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La., 11/1/2019; wafb.com, Baton Rouge, La., 5/7/2018, 6/27/2018)

Armed Citizen Extra
A 76-year old Genesee County man was forced to act quickly one Tuesday night in rural New York, when his evening was interrupted by an armed intruder. Upon answering a knock at his door, the burglar stuck a gun in the homeowner's face, and demanded money. After scraping together the money they had, the armed robber ordered them into a downstairs laundry room, at which point the homeowner was certain they would be shot. Refusing to be a victim, the 76-year-old took his chance while the robber was waiting on his wife to get in her stair-chair, went down to the basement and retrieved a shotgun. Hiding it behind his back, he waiting for the robber to enter the room before producing it, and sending a barrel's worth of bird shot at the unwelcome visitor. With the would-be robber neutralized, he called police, who retrieved the wounded intruder about 15 minutes later, ending the incident. (WGRZ, Stafford, New York11/6/2019)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
February 1975
Having been robbed just the night before, Mrs. Carol Williams, manager of a San Antonio, Tex., convenience store, responded to another demand for money by reaching under the counter "for the money bag." Instead, she came up shooting with a .22 pistol. The frightened robber fell to the floor, crawled to the door, and ran outside with an accomplice. (The San Antonio News, San Antonio, Tex.)

Latest

Chiappa Rhino Large Frame 01
Chiappa Rhino Large Frame 01

A Bigger Rhino: The Chiappa 60DS L-Frame In .44 Mag.

The Chiappa Rhino revolver design is "anything but ordinary," and for 2026, the company is upscaling the concept to handle the .44 Magnum cartridge.

Preview: Magpul MOE QD Bipod For M-Lok

Simple, inexpensive and supremely easy to use, the new MOE QD Bipod For M-Lok is Magpul’s fastest-mounting bipod model by far, as it takes only about five seconds for the practiced hand to securely affix it to an M-Lok-clad fore-end.

Gun Of The Week: Henry SPD HUSH

For its first design, Henry Repeating Arms' Special Products Division developed the HUSH, or the Henry Ultimate Suppressor Host. 

The Armed Citizen® Dec. 19, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

TriStar Arms Protégé X: A Pocket-Size Punch

Inspired by successful designs of the past, the TriStar Arms Protégé X is a pocket-size, M1911-style handgun chambered for the popular 9 mm cartridge.

Hornady Family Honored with Legacy Award

In October, the Hornady family was recognized by the Greater Grand Island Community Foundation for its contribution to the city that Hornady calls home.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.