The Armed Citizen® June 8, 2015

by
posted on June 8, 2015
** 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 (2)
Two Maryland criminals went home empty-handed when the armed resident of the home they were burglarizing caught them in the middle of the act. The pair was breaking into a St. Mary's County home when the 78-year-old resident was awakened by the commotion and came to investigate with his firearm. The two culprits immediately fled the scene without taking anything, and no shots were fired. A police dog was brought to the scene to help track down the two suspects, but as of this time no arrests have been made. (The Enterprise, Lexington Park, MD, 4/1/15)

The Armed Citizen® Extra
A 14-year-old boy, Anthony Hernandez, protected his grandparents by shooting and killing a burglar who was breaking into the family’s Charlotte, N.C., home by climbing through a window. “My grandson told him to stop and get out of here and he didn’t, so my grandson shot him,” Anne Marie Wyant said during a 9-1-1 call. An accomplice has been arrested and charged, and police said the shooting was justified. The Wyants made a commitment to teach their grandchildren about self-defense six years ago, after Anthony’s father was shot to death while working at the auto shop he owned. “[Anthony is] his grandmother’s hero,” Wyant said. “If I was by myself, God knows what they [the intruder and his cohort] would have done to me.” (The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC, 12/18/14)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
November 1981
In seven years of facing criminals at his Glendale, Calif., jewelry store, Ed Kovacs has been held up four times, but has never lost a dime to robbers. The criminals, on the other hand, have suffered two dead and two wounded. In the most recent incident, a trio of criminals entered and demanded loot. Kovacs hauled out a .38 revolver instead, killing one shotgun-wielding robber, wounding a second and holding the third inside the store with the help of an electric lock. Kovacs said World War II service in Italy taught him “if someone points a gun at you, shoot him.” (The Times, Los Angeles, CA)

Latest

Taurus 66 Combat GOTW F
Taurus 66 Combat GOTW F

Gun of the Week: Taurus 66 Combat Revolver

Taurus USA recently expanded its revolver line with the 66 Combat, a larger, all-steel revolver chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge. Watch our "Gun of the Week" video to see the 66 Combat in use on the range.

The Armed Citizen® March 6, 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.

Armed Citizens Outperform the Police in Stopping Mass Murderers

A recent crime study indicates that armed citizens are better at stopping mass killers than the police.

Building A Legacy: One Hunter's Journey Toward a 338 ARC Bolt-Action

Hornady's 338 ARC cartridge was designed to pack plenty of subsonic power into an AR-sized platform. But how does it perform if you're looking to build something a bit more traditional?

Industry Manufacturers Pay $1.3 Billion Tax Bill

Last month, nearly $1.3 billion was delivered to state conservation and wildlife access programs as part of Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson excise taxes paid by manufacturers in the outdoor industry.

250 Years of the U.S. Army: Rifle Muskets, Trapdoors & Early Bolt-Actions

The U.S. Army would enter the 19th century equipped with a smoothbore flintlock musket that differed little from the designs of the past, and it would exit the century with a modern, bolt-action, repeating rifle that used smokeless powder ammunition.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.