The Armed Citizen® September 12, 2016

by
posted on September 12, 2016
** 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)

An armed citizen in Bastrop County, Texas, knew he had to do something when he encountered a sheriff’s deputy grappling on the ground with a suspect. When the criminal went for the officer’s firearm, the bystander—who also happens to be a veteran of the Marines—drew his own gun and ordered the 32-year-old man to freeze. The intervention by the concealed carrier caused the attacker to stop pummeling the deputy and to flee, and he was immediately apprehended by other law enforcement officials responding to the scene. “I’m alive today because of him,” the deputy later said of the armed citizen. The suspect now faces charges of aggravated assault of a public servant, taking an officer’s weapon, evading arrest and driving while under the influence with a child under 15—the offense that instigated the initial traffic stop. (Austin American-Statesman, Austin, TX, 1/31/16) 

The Armed Citizen® Archives
December 1964
When a Chicago, Ill., housewife, Mrs. Tommie S. Owen, heard someone tell her husband, who had just answered the door, “This is a stickup,” she retrieved a .25 ACP-chambered pistol and went to aid him. As the bandit started toward her with a raised gun, Mrs. Owen fired once. The bandit, clutching his midsection, tried to fire his gun, but it misfired. He then fled, but was found by the police a few doors away, mortally wounded. (Chicago Daily News, Chicago, IL)

Latest

Ithaca Model 66  Super Single Shotgun
Ithaca Model 66  Super Single Shotgun

I Have This Old Gun: Ithaca Model 66 Super Single Shotgun

There was a time when a lever-action, single-shot scattergun was all the rage. Today, it still has some value and practical utility.

Cold-Weather Carry: 5 Great Items for Winter CCW

Don’t let the cold stop you from being prepared should things get hot.

Sighted Fire vs. Point-Shooting

A long-standing argument among handgunners revolves around the concept of sighted fire versus point-shooting. A more productive approach is to understand the problem each is trying to solve.

Derya Expands TM22 Family with Timekeeper & Pump Models

Derya continues the expansion of its rimfire line with two new models for 2026, an update of the original semi-auto TM22 and a new pump-action version.

Gun of the Week: Taurus RPC

The Taurus RPC is a welcome addition to the growing marketplace of PDWs, or personal defense weapons, a concept that pairs pistol-caliber cartridges with larger-format firearms.

The Armed Citizen® Nov. 13, 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.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.