”A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.”—George Washington
Tiresome are liberals lying and telling people that if they arm themselves, then the criminal is only going to take away the gun and use it on them. Those who perpetuate that, ignore what happens everyday in this nation. The events below are true events that involve real people. Law abiding people going about the business of their daily lives until the point where some criminal interrupts them, threatening harm.
These events are reported at local levels (mostly Newsprint media) and rarely visited beyond that because they do not fit the anti-gun liberal lamestream media’s advocacy of citizen disarmament. Fact: every day law-abiding Americans use guns to stop crime against themselves and their families. As shown below, some criminals lose their lives. But NO CRIMINAL ever took a gun away from these lawfully armed citizens.
The NRA-ILA made this post really easy for me as they have carefully catalogued all of the armed citizen events on their website. Below, are just 12 examples in just six months.
Gas station clerks shoot armed robber
Two clerks were operating a Sunoco gas station in Springfield Township, Ohio, when an armed robber entered the store and ordered one of the clerks to “go behind the counter and get me the money.” As the criminal went behind the counter he fired at the clerks, prompting the pair to retrieve a .40-caliber pistol and a shotgun and fire at the robber. Shots fired by both clerks struck the criminal, killing him.
A daily customer of the Sunoco station was puzzled as to why anyone would attempt to rob the store, telling local media, “I know everyone that works in there. They are all great guys. Everybody knows they have guns. That’s why I’m surprised someone tried to rob them. It does not make sense.” (The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio 12/10/12)
Jewelry store owner combats violent criminals
Two masked and armed criminals entered Joyeria Vanessa jewelry store in San Jose, Calif. and demanded money from the owner. In response, the owner retrieved a pistol and fired at the robbers. The shots missed, but sent the criminals fleeing to a nearby getaway car. Police made clear that the woman had a right to defend herself. (KGO-TV, San Francisco, Calif. 11/26/2012)
Woman defends son and home from burglar
A woman was at home with her three-year-old son in Wyandotte, Okla. when she was awakened by a knock on her door. The homeowner peered outside, noticed a strange man at her door and retrieved a .22-caliber pistol. The man then began breaking into the home, making it through one of two locked doors; at which point the woman opened the inside door and fired a shot at the criminal.
The would-be burglar fled to a waiting getaway car and proceeded to cross the state line into Missouri. After viewing surveillance video of a nearby road, Missouri police were able to determine the criminal’s whereabouts and make an arrest. (The Joplin Globe, Joplin, Mo. 11/21/12)
Woman fights off two armed home invaders
A pair of armed intruders entered a home in St. Helena Island, S.C. and attempted to rob the 31-year-old woman who lives there. The homeowner responded by retrieving a gun and firing at the criminals, striking one and causing both to flee. The wounded criminal was discovered when he turned up at the Savannah Memorial University Medical Center seeking treatment; the other was captured a day later. The home invaders face charges of armed robbery and attempted murder. (The Beaufort Gazette, Beaufort, S.C. 10/30/12)
70-year-old woman scares off home invader
A 70-year-old woman was asleep in her Fayette County, W.V. home, when she was awakened by her burglar alarm. After arming herself with a .38-caliber revolver, the woman went to investigate. When she found the burglar, the criminal punched her in the face. The woman responded by firing at the home invader, causing him to flee.
Local law enforcement officials have been supportive of the homeowner’s actions, with Fayette County Sheriff Steve Kessler noting, “If the victim of the burglary had been unarmed she could have been seriously injured or killed when confronted by this burglar.” (The Register-Herald, Beckley, W.V. 10/12/12)
72-year-old fells home invader
72-year-old Jerry Duncan was asleep upstairs in his Lakeland Village, Calif. home when he was awakened by a loud noise. After getting up to investigate the sound, Duncan discovered that his power had been cut, so he retrieved a flashlight and made his way downstairs. Duncan noticed that an air conditioner had been pushed out of one of the windows, leaving it open, so he retrieved a pistol he had kept nearby and waited at the window. After about five minutes, a criminal attempted to come through the window, at which point Duncan fired, striking the man and causing him to flee. The home invader only made it about 15 feet before collapsing dead.
In recalling the incident, Duncan explained, “All I was thinking about was defending myself… I’m in no shape to fight anybody. I’m 72 years old.” (The Press Enterprise, Riverside County, Calif. 10/05/12)
63-Year-Old Cancer patient detains home invaders
63-year-old cancer patient Dixon Smith was at home in Laketon Township, Mich. when a pair of burglars broke into his house. Smith spotted one of the criminals walking by his front window, and then heard the burglars talking downstairs. After retrieving a shotgun, Smith confronted the intruders, ordering them to the ground. The burglars complied, and Smith held the pair until police could arrive.
According to Smith, the police response took “Kind of a long five to 10 minutes.” (MLive.com, Michigan, 09/21/12)
Employee wounds violent intruder
A 76-year-old employee at a real estate company in Everett, Wash. discovered an intruder at the office at around 9:15 a.m. The employee called 911, retrieved a gun and confronted the criminal, ordering him to stay put until police could arrive. The intruder refused, yelling at the employee and throwing office items at him. Eventually a scuffle broke out in which the employee fired at the criminal, striking him in the leg and causing him to flee. Police captured the intruder only a block away. (The Daily Herald, Everett, Wash. 08/30/12)
Man fells dangerous dog
After a dog owner lost control of her pit bull in Lewiston, Idaho, the dog ran off her property and attempted to attack a husband and wife out walking their dog. Recognizing the threat, the husband drew a pistol and shot the animal, ending the attack. The pit bull was taken to a local veterinary clinic, but later died.
Following the incident, Lewiston Police Department Captain Tom Greene made clear to local media, “If you’re in fear of your life, fear of your safety, and there is a well founded fear, you are able to defend yourself.” The pit bull was known to authorities, having been labeled a level one dangerous dog after it tried to attack a woman in 2011. (KLEW, Lewiston, Idaho, 08/14/12)
Elderly store owner fights off robbers
A group of five masked and armed robbers entered Continental Jewelry in Garden Grove, Calif. and threatened a customer and store employees. After spotting the criminals, the 65-year-old woman who owns the store retrieved a handgun and fired at the robbers through a slot in a security wall. The criminals fled to a getaway car as soon as the owner opened fire.
Criminals should think twice before planning a heist in Orange County, Calif. The attempted robbery in Garden Grove was the second incident in a week in which an Orange County jewelry store owner has defended a store with a gun. (The Orange County Register, Orange County, Calif. 08/01/12, The L.A. Times, Los Angeles, Calif. 08/02/12)
Grandmother wounds home invader
A grandmother was getting dressed at her home in Sarasota, Fla. when she heard a knock at the door. Unable to answer the door at that moment, the homeowner ignored the knock. A few minutes later an intruder wearing a bandana broke-in through a glass door in the back of the house. Seeing the home invader, the homeowner retrieved a .38-caliber handgun and fired twice at the criminal, causing him to flee.
The police were able to locate the burglar after an anonymous tip led them to a nearby hospital where he sought treatment for a gunshot wound to his arm. A recording of the homeowner’s phone call to 911 reveals that she took no pleasure in her actions, as she told a dispatcher, “I’m so sorry. I would never hurt someone, but I was fearful of my life.” (WTSP, Tampa Bay, Fla. 07/10/12, The Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Sarasota, Fla. 07/10/12)
Homeowner defends family, wounds intruder
Vance T. Taylor was at home with his family in Idaho Falls, Idaho when the family dog alerted him to an intruder in the home’s bathroom. As his daughter called police, Taylor retrieved a gun and ordered the criminal to stay put. Disobeying the order, the home invader charged at Taylor, at which point Taylor opened fire, striking the criminal twice in the leg. The intruder fled the scene, but was captured a short time later at a nearby home. (KIDK, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 07/05/12)
H/T to Christopher W. Cox at NRA-ILA and for all he does for our Freedom.
