The Armed Citizen® August 14, 2015

Criminals who broke into the wrong house by mistake got more than they bargained for. Shortly after midnight, one day in February, two brothers reportedly began ringing the doorbell, kicking the door and threatening to “light up” a Springfield, Mass., home. In response to the ruckus, a male resident hid his daughter, who is 3 years old, under a bed and grabbed his registered handgun. The brothers entered the home and confronted the homeowner in his living room, repeatedly addressing him by the wrong name. The intruders refused to leave and advanced on the man, who shot one of the suspects in the chest and arm. The two fled on foot, but were caught by responding officers and have since been charged. “It appears that the brothers were at the wrong house and picked the wrong homeowner to threaten,” said John M. Delaney, a Springfield police sergeant. The unidentified homeowner will not be charged because he acted to protect himself and his child, authorities said. (The Republican, Springfield, MA, 2/8/15)

The Armed Citizen® Archives
February 1966
When a suspicious looking man entered James Fitzsimmons’ store in West Los Angeles, Calif., the store owner secreted a pistol in a money bag under the counter. The man suddenly turned to Fitzsimons, pulled a revolver, and said, “This is a holdup. Put the money in the bag and hand it over.” Fitzsimmons grabbed the gun inside the bag, held out the money sack and fired at the armed thug who fell fatally wounded. (Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Los Angeles, CA)