A 73-year-old man returned home from a weekend away to find his house had been burglarized, but saw that many valuable items remained. Realizing the burglars were likely to return, he slept with a loaded SIG Sauer 9 mm pistol under his pillow. Just after 5 a.m., the doorbell rang. The homeowner did not answer and heard someone enter his home shortly afterwards. Gun drawn, the homeowner came downstairs and told the intruder “not to move,” and the intruder followed his directions. The homeowner, who had a concealed-carry permit, held the intruder at gunpoint while he contacted police. The alleged intruder, age 51, had previous burglary convictions and was charged with burglary. (Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio, 8/28/19)
Armed Citizen Extra
When two men broke into a couple's home, they met with stiffer resistance than they may have anticipated. Circumstances first went the way of the invaders, as they pointed a pistol at the home's male occupant and grabbed his 11-year-old daughter. When the homeowner indicated he had nothing for them, the burglars became irate, and one began pistol whipping him while the other kicked him in the head. His wife, however, despite being eight months pregnant, decided to turn the tables. After peeking out of the back bedroom to see what was going on, the woman was fired upon. She then retreated to grab an AR-15 and returned fire, clipping one man when he came toward her doorway. The man died fleeing the scene. His partner fled after the fatal shot was fired. The male victim of the attack sustained a fractured eye socket, a fractured sinus cavity, a concussion, and abrasions requiring 20 stitches and three staples in his head. (baynews9.com, Lithia, Fla., 11/1/2019)
From the Armed Citizen® Archives
November 1973
Alerted to a burglary taking place on a lower level of his Reno, Nev., apartment house, Douglas Stewart got a gun and confronted a thief removing stereo equipment. Stewart commanded the burglar to stop and turned him over to police. (The Nevada State Journal, Reno, Nev.)