This happens CONSTANTLY, where a law abiding citizen uses a firearm to defend themselves, but it hardly ever gets national coverage at all.
http://www.nraila.org/ArmedCitizen/
A man and his girlfriend were in the downstairs laundry room of his mother’s apartment building in Philadelphia, Pa., when a criminal attempted to rob the couple at gunpoint. A scuffle ensued in which the man was shot and pistol whipped by the robber. Hearing the altercation from her apartment, the man’s mother, a Right-to-Carry permit holder, retrieved a gun and rushed to intervene. Once downstairs, the mother shot and killed the criminal.
Police are conducting an investigation, but Chief Inspector Scott Small noted, “It appears preliminarily that she was intervening in a robbery that was being committed against her son and she had to use deadly force.” The wounded victim is listed as in stable condition. (WPVI, Philadelphia, Pa., 12/28/11)
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WSFA, Montgomery, Ala. 05/30/11
State: AL
American Rifleman Issue: 6/2/2011
A burglar in in Pintlala, Ala. had an unlucky night when he ran into not one, but two, armed citizens. First, when Tim McCullough arrived at his home, he noticed that the house had been broken into. As the burglar came out of the house and attempted to flee in a truck, McCullough retrieved a gun, shot out one of the truck’s tires and took the vehicle’s keys from the criminal. The criminal then fled on foot and broke into the home of Natalie Norris. Norris awoke to the noise of the intruder, retrieved a pistol and confronted the intruder, telling him to get out of her house. Having met a second armed citizen, the intruder fled once more, but was captured by police a few hours later. Julius Norris, Natalie’s father, encouraged his daughter to provide for her own self-defense, telling local media, “I’ve always instructed her that if we’re not here and she’s by herself to take my pistol to her bedroom with her.”
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KTVK, Phoenix, Ariz. 09/13/10
State: AZ
American Rifleman Issue: 9/14/2010
Grandfather John Miller was babysitting his two grandchildren in his son’s Arizona City, Ariz. home, when he was awakened by a suspicious noise. Miller retrieved a gun, went to investigate, and found two criminals who had broken into the garage. The intruders confronted Miller, who responded by shooting both intruders. One intruder fled the scene after being shot, but both ended up at local hospitals and in police custody. Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Spokesman Tim Gaffney noted that it is unlikely Miller will face charges.
KVOA, Tucson, Ariz. 03/15/10
State: AZ
American Rifleman Issue: 3/24/2010
An 82-year-old woman was walking to her car in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart in Sierra Vista, Arizona, when criminal Stephen Prickett confronted her. Prickett told the elderly woman, “This is your day. You are too old to be alive anyway, ” and began beating the woman with her own cane. During the attack, the elderly woman was able to retrieve her handgun from her purse and open fire on the criminal, which alerted bystanders, who came to help. Police arrived on the scene a short time later and took Prickett into custody; he faces several charges, including attempted murder. The woman later explained to local media her support for armed self-defense, particularly for the elderly, and went on to say, “If I go naturally or to a sickness or something, fine. I'm ready to go, but I'm not ready to let some idiot like that take me out.”
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The Lake County Record-Bee, Lakeport, Calif., 07/25/11
State: CA
American Rifleman Issue: 7/27/2011
A 77-year-old woman who uses a wheelchair was asleep in her Lucerne, Calif. home when she was awakened by a man pounding on one of the home’s sliding glass doors. The woman called 9-1-1, retrieved a gun and ordered the criminal to stop. Undeterred, the intruder continued to try to break the glass window by kicking and hitting it. As the glass began to break, the woman fired at the criminal several times, striking him once in the leg and causing him to flee. Police captured the would-be home invader a short time later, transporting him to a local hospital and then to jail.
The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento, Calif. 06/17/11
State: CA
American Rifleman Issue: 6/17/2011
Around 3 a.m., a woman driving her one-year-old son pulled her vehicle into the garage of her home in Rancho Cordova, Calif. As the woman exited the car, two men who had followed her into the garage attacked, striking her in the head. Hearing the commotion, a male resident of the home retrieved a gun and came to the aid of the woman, exchanging gunfire with the attackers as the woman regained her bearings, got back in her car and escaped the violence by smashing through the garage door. As a result of the gun fight, the resident received a minor wound to his hip; one criminal was wounded severely, and the other was struck in the leg but fled the scene. Police captured both attackers a short time later. Sacramento County Sherriff’s Department Spokesman Jason Ramos was supportive of the armed citizen’s actions, stating, “He defended his property and his woman and his kid… I guess you could describe it as heroic action. Things could be a lot worse for her and for the resident.”
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The Gazette, Colorado Springs, Colo. 06/01/11
State: CO
American Rifleman Issue: 6/3/2011
A robber armed with a knife approached a man in his car at the Power Wash car wash in Colorado Springs, Colo. and demanded money. The driver feigned reaching for his wallet, but retrieved a pistol. Upon seeing the pistol, the criminal fled the scene. Police have noted that the driver was lawfully carrying the firearm.
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WOFL, Orlando, Fla. 11/25/11, The Orlando Sentinel, Orlando, Fla. 11/26/11
State: FL
American Rifleman Issue: 11/29/2011
After a midnight Black Friday shopping trip, the Neal family was followed by a pair of criminals to their home in Apopka, Fla. The robbers stormed the house, threatened the family and pistol-whipped one family member. As one of the criminals put a gun to the head of her eldest child, family matriarch Secretta Neal retrieved a 9mm handgun from a nearby closet and fired at the home invaders, who returned fire. During the gunfight, one robber was killed, the other fled to a getaway car and Secretta suffered minor wounds to her arm and hand. An armed neighbor also rushed to help the family after hearing gunfire. Secretta has been hailed as a hero by her community, but she is just thankful her family is safe, telling the local media, “I just thank God we made it… It wasn’t our time to go.”
WJXT, Jacksonville, Fla. 09/14/11
State: FL
American Rifleman Issue: 9/16/2011
Two burglars in Jacksonville, Fla. picked the wrong house to rob when they attempted to break into the Murray Hill neighborhood home of a former marine and current gun range employee. After hearing the sound of breaking glass, the homeowner retrieved a shotgun and went to investigate. Upon finding the pair of criminals, the homeowner opened fire, striking one intruder in the hand and the other in the head and neck. The burglars fled the scene, but were captured nearby after pleading with a resident to call for medical attention. Neighbors have been supportive of the homeowner’s actions, with one stating, “He’s a hero in my book, and always will be. He just wants everybody to leave so he can come back and get to his normal life.” Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Lonnie Mills, noted that charges for the homeowner are unlikely and that “It appears that the homeowner was defending his house.”
WINK, Fort Myers, Fla. 09/05/11, The Naples Daily News, Naples, Fla. 09/06/11
State: FL
American Rifleman Issue: 9/12/2011
Dwain Daniels III was driving down State Road 29 in the Florida everglades, when he saw an alligator attacking 90-year-old Margaret Webb on the front lawn of her property. Webb was holding on to a tree by a body of water, while the alligator had hold of her leg. Daniels retrieved a rifle from his truck and ran to Webb’s aid. Along with the help of Webb’s son, Daniels got Webb to safety, later recalling, “She was holding on. I'm telling you right now, when I pulled her to the bank she still didn't let go of that limb. I couldn't imagine the pain she was going through, and the fear.” Once Webb was out of harm’s way, Daniels fired at the alligator, striking it in the head and ending the attack. Despite being struck in the head, the alligator survived and was later captured by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials. Following his heroic actions, Daniels remains humble, telling local media, “I think it's kind of ridiculous to be honest with you. Anybody that would have seen it, I guarantee you would have done the same thing I did.” Doctors were forced to remove part of Webb’s leg following the attack, but she has been upgraded from critical to serious condition.
The Gainesville Sun, Gainesville, Fla. 09/06/11
State: FL
American Rifleman Issue: 9/6/2011
After hearing his dog barking at around 11:40 a.m., a homeowner in Gainesville, Fla. retrieved a shotgun and went to investigate. The homeowner discovered a man in his carport stealing a knife-like tool and putting it in his back pocket. The thief then went to the homeowner’s back door and attempted to open it. The homeowner met the intruder in the doorway with the shotgun and ordered the criminal to put the tool back and to leave his property. After complying with the homeowner, the thief was captured by police nearby. An investigation revealed the criminal had served two prison terms for felony convictions.
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Anyway, it goes on and on, and doesn't really get reported. Stats show that over 2 MILLION crimes are averted each year by the lawful presence of a firearm, the vast majority of times without a shot being fired
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