The Armed Citizen® August 4, 2017

by
posted on August 4, 2017
** 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

During a road trip, a Texas man and his wife received an unpleasant late-night visit to their hotel room in the town of Hot Springs, Ark. The couple heard someone banging on their door in the overnight hours. Not knowing who it could be, the man armed himself with his firearm before he answered the door. One assailant struck the man in the face as soon as he opened the door, causing the Texan to fall backward into the room. Three men and a woman then forced their way into the room. The armed citizen responded by firing at the man who hit him and at a second assailant, hitting each and scaring off the others. The four were later apprehended. The suspects told the police that they were retaliating against the couple for a suspected burglary of their rooms a few days prior. (Arkansas Democrat, Hot Springs, AK, 5/11/17) 

The Armed Citizen® Extra
Late one night, two would-be burglars were staking out neighborhood homes before choosing to enter one of the homes through a garage. Luckily, the act was caught on film from a neighbor’s surveillance camera. The footage showed the two intruders, one of whom was wearing a mask, entering the garage where the homeowner often watched television with the door open. The intruders ordered the homeowner to open a safe that was in his garage. Police said, “After being confronted by the armed suspects, the resident/victim retrieved a firearm and fired at the victims in his own defense,” killing the two intruders. The homeowner was not charged as the police lieutenant stated, “You have a right to defend yourself in your home.” (Ventura County Star, San Francisco, CA, 6/23/17)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
July 1983
Carolyn Bennett had her reading interrupted by noises late at night in her Tice, Fla., home. She picked up a gun before investigating, then discovered a masked man in the hallway. Bearing a knife, he threatened to kill her. Instead, when he advanced, she shot him dead. Police said the man recently had been paroled from a Florida prison. (The News-Press, Ft. Myers, FL)

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Bulwark 1
Gotw Wilson Combat Bulwark 1

Gun of the Week: Wilson Combat Bulwark

Wilson Combat has long been known for its custom work on 1911-style designs, but the company also develops its own firearms, and one of its latest in-house creations is the new Bulwark.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 4, 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.

NFA Wait Times Continue to Drop

In early 2021, it took the ATF about 280 days to process a Form 4 NFA transfer. In August 2026, using the recently implemented eForms system, that wait time had dropped to only nine days.

Pelican Air Carry-on Case Review

An industry staple just made air travel more convenient.

The ROSE Program by SIG Sauer: Empowering Women in Shooting Sports Across the Nation

The ROSE Program is a shooting program created specifically for women. It aims to create a community of women in shooting that can learn about shooting and self-defense.

I Have This Old Gun: French MAS-49

Despite being early adopters of several semi-automatic rifles for military use, the French army took several decades to work out a standardized semi-automatic rifle for general service use. The rifle that finally came to being was the MAS-49.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.