Armed Citizens Save Lives at Home and in Public

U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- You probably didn’t see these stories covered by the mainstream news media, but again last week, responsible gun owners defended themselves and the people they love. Self-defense instructor Ben Branam joins the Self Defense Gun Stories Podcast to look at four new examples. Were these gun owners lucky, or did they have a plan?

First story- Are you armed as you drive?

It is about five in the evening. Your 11 year old daughter is with you and you’re both hungry. You order from McDonalds, and the two of you enjoy your food sitting in your car. You look up a few seconds later. A young man wearing a mask is yelling at you. He has a gun in his hands. He starts shooting at your car, at you, and at your daughter.

You own a gun. You have your Illinois concealed carry permit. You’re armed. You present your firearm and shoot back. The story isn’t clear how you shot back, but you hit your attacker three times as he ran away. You check on your daughter and call 911.

Police are already on their way. They inspect your car and see the bullet holes. They look at the security cameras from the Mcdonald’s and see the unprovoked attack. They follow your attacker to a nearby house and arrest him. He is wounded in his foot, his arm, and his hand. He is out on bail for three previous felony charges. You are not charged with a crime.

Second Story- Are you armed in public?

You’re at the mall with your girlfriend. It is early Sunday evening when you hear a strange sound ahead. You hear gunshots. Both of you crouch down. You tell your girlfriend to stay down and move behind some furniture. You own a gun. You’re carrying concealed tonight. You stand up and move toward the sound of gunfire. You see a young man with a rifle shooting at the customers in the food court. You move behind a column and start shooting. You hit the attacker several times. The attacker stops shooting and starts to move toward the bathrooms. You advance toward him. He falls to the floor and you stop shooting. You tell people behind you to run to safety.

The news reports don’t say when you put your gun away or if you called the police. Your girlfriend is a nursing student, and she starts to treat one of the injured victims. You identify yourself to the police when they arrive. Your family contacts a lawyer for you.

The police chief reviews the security video of the scene. He says you did an excellent job and clearly saved lives. You stopped the attacker in less than fifteen seconds. You started shooting from 40 yards away. You are 22 years old.

You don’t have a carry permit but were carrying concealed under Indiana’s constitutional carry laws. Your grandfather taught you to shoot.

Your attacker tried to blow up his apartment a few months ago. He quit his job and was being evicted.

Third story- Are you armed early in the morning?

The sun is just coming up when you hear your neighbor at your front door. He is shouting for help. You rush to the front door and let your neighbor inside. A stranger pushes his way into your home as well. Your neighbor is trying to push the stranger back outside. The stranger fights with you and your neighbor.

You’re armed. You shoot your attacker until he stops fighting with you. Now, you and your neighbor back up and call 911. Your neighbor says the attacker forced his way into your neighbor’s home a few minutes earlier. You put your gun away before the police arrive.

EMS takes your attacker to the hospital. The police said your attacker appeared to be intoxicated with alcohol and narcotics. You are not charged with a crime.

Fourth story- Are you armed as you drive?

It is several hours before dawn. You’ve been driving and you need a break. You pull over and use the bathroom and buy a snack. You’re getting back into your car when you see a stranger park his car in front of the convenience store. The customer grabs the clerk by the hair and puts a knife to her throat.

You reach into your car and grab your firearm. You walk back inside the store and tell the robber to stop. He lets go of the clerk and grabs his backpack. He says he has something for you. He moves toward you and you shoot him until he stops.

You and the clerk both step back. Both of you call 911. You put your gun down. EMS takes your attacker to the hospital. The police were investigating a series of convenience store robberies linked to your attacker and the car outside. A clerk from the earlier attacks was in the hospital with knife wounds to her hands and neck. The getaway car outside was stolen a few weeks ago. You read that your attacker died in the hospital. He was the same age you are, 26 years old. You are not charged with a crime.

A discussion of each story is at the Self Defense Gun Stories podcast webpage.

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About Rob Morse 

Rob Morse writes about gun rights at Ammoland, Clash Daily, Second Call Defense, and on his SlowFacts blog. He hosts the Self Defense Gun Stories Podcast and co-hosts the Polite Society Podcast. Rob was an NRA pistol instructor and combat handgun competitor.