From crphilli@hound.edaca.ingr.com Fri Jun 10 07:19:38 1994 Received: from nova.unix.portal.com (nova.unix.portal.com [156.151.1.101]) by jobe.shell.portal.com (8.6.4/8.6.5) with ESMTP id HAA25271 for ; Fri, 10 Jun 1994 07:19:36 -0700 Received: from hound.edaca.ingr.com (hound.dazixca.ingr.com [129.135.106.43]) by nova.unix.portal.com (8.6.7/8.6.5) with SMTP id HAA28203 for ; Fri, 10 Jun 1994 07:18:46 -0700 Received: by hound.edaca.ingr.com (4.1/SMI-4.1) id AA06504; Fri, 10 Jun 94 07:16:51 PDT From: crphilli@hound.edaca.ingr.com (Ron Phillips) Message-Id: <9406101416.AA06504@hound.edaca.ingr.com> Subject: Armed Citizen - 1994 To: chan@shell.portal.com (Jeff Chan) Date: Fri, 10 Jun 94 7:16:50 PDT X-Mailer: ELM [version 06.00.01.12 (2.3 PL11)] Status: R THE ARMED CITIZEN +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Studies indicate that firearms are used over 2 million times a year for personal protection, and that presence of a firearm, without a shot being fired, prevents crime in many instances. Shooting usually can be justified only where crime constitutes an immediate, imminent threat to life or limb, or, in some cases, property. Anyone is free to quote or reproduce these accounts. Send clippings to: "The Armed Citizen," 11250 Waples Mill Rd., Fairfax, VA 22030. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARMED CITIZEN - JANUARY 1994 ===================================================================== San Francisco bus driver Hal Womack professes to be a peaceful man, but he started carrying a pistol after a 1982 attack left him with permanent eye injuries. Womack had to use the gun when he was again attacked after trying to put two profane men off the bus. Womack stepped off the bus after his attacker fled, but the man returned and threatened him again, prompting Womack to pull his gun and fire twice, wounding the man in the leg. (The Orange County Register, Santa Ana, CA 10/30/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Christopher Clouse is a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, insurance agent who obviously believes that a pistol also constitutes a good policy. After talking with Clouse, a "customer" in the agency pulled a pistol and demanded money. Clouse got cash from the office, but also got his gun. After a brief struggle, Clouse shot the robber, putting him to flight. He was arrested later at a hospital where he had gone for treatment. (The Herald, Miami, FL, 10/30/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Robert Gehl was asleep in his Curtis Park, California, home, when two armed men forced their way inside. Awakened and alerted by the panic in his wife's voice, Gehl got a .357 Mag. revolver. When one intruder, with Gehl's wife in tow, burst through the bedroom door, Gehl ordered his wife to duck and fired twice, killing the man. The accomplice fled. (The Union, Sacramento, CA, 09/24/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Lamar Williams was working in the office of the Cleveland restaurant he co-owns when two armed teenagers broke in. When Williams walked out of the office, one of the thugs shot him in the arm, but Williams was able to pull his own gun and return fire. The two criminals fled, but police picked up two wounded suspects at a local hospital. (The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH, 09/18/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Abdel Ahmad moved to the United States to escape warfare in the Middle East, only to find himself at the front in the crime war in Phoenix. Held up at gunpoint, Ahmad "went a little crazy" and decided the robber wasn't going to escape. He grabbed his own gun, gave chase and after a shoot-out in which neither was hurt, held the crook at gunpoint for police, who affirmed Ahmad's actions. (The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ, 10/22/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Awakened early one morning by his security system, Charles Tanner of Phoenix expected a cat to be the culprit, but took his .45 Colt just in case. Tanner opened his front door and found a man in his driveway. The man charged the homeowner and slammed through the screen door, prompting Tanner to fire four times, killing the intruder. "We had lots of firearms training. It all came back to me," said the former reserve county sheriff's deputy. (The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ, 11/06/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Baltimore, Maryland, stockbroker John Slaughter was ready when a man broke into his home early one morning. Alerted by the sound of shattering glass downstairs, Slaughter got his shotgun and waited upstairs. Slaughter fired a fatal blast when the man came up the stairs and charged. Police, saying Slaughter acted in self-defense, expected no charges. He had lost more than $5,000 in property during a burglary of his home earlier this year. (The Sun, Baltimore, MD, 09/21/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Joe Carter was driving down a Hillsborough County street near St. Petersburg, Florida, one evening when a man jumped out and blocked his way. The man and two accomplices began pounding on and rocking Carter's truck, prompting Carter to draw his pistol and warn the trio away. When they didn't take the hint, Carter rolled the window down and fired a shot, wounding one man. Carter alerted police, who arrested a wounded suspect. (The Times, St. Petersburg, FL, 10/05/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Crime doesn't pay, even when you're married to your partner, a Washington, North Carolina, couple found out. Robert Griffin woke up early one morning to a commotion in his yard. When he looked outside, he saw the couple loading his lounge chairs into their van. Griffin armed himself and held the married perpetrators at gunpoint until police arrived. (The Daily News, Washington, NC, 10/22/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Aaron Smith was waiting outside the Crystal Springs, Mississippi, convenience store where his wife works when he heard her scream. He started inside, where a man was rifling the till and holding a gun to his wife's chest, but retreated when the gunman pointed the pistol at him. Smith grabbed a 12-ga. shotgun from his car, and when the crook exited the store, ordered him to stop. Instead of complying, the man raised his gun, and Smith killed him. (The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, MS, 10/18/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Sue Atkins of Durham, North Carolina, appeared in this column in February 1993 after shooting a man who tried to rob her Western Union office/fish store. Atkins didn't need to shoot the man who attempted to rob the store this time--her fifth encounter with criminals--but she did chase him out. The man entered, asking about fish, but then threatened to kill Atkins. She pulled her handgun and chased the man, but lost him. Police promptly arrested a suspect. "I will fight back," said Atkins. (The Morning Star, Wilmington, NC, 10/06/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== A female clerk at a Stamford, Connecticut, area store noticed a man stuffing two videos into his pants before coming to the counter to pay for a magazine. When confronted, the man denied having the videos, so the clerk reached over the counter and grabbed them. When the "customer" threatened her, saying "you're sorry, you're dead," the clerk pulled a pistol and ordered him from the store. Police caught up with the would-be shoplifter a few blocks away, and noted that the clerk had a permit for the gun. (The Advocate, Stamford, CT, 10/25/93) ===================================================================== ARMED CITIZEN - FEBRUARY 1994 ===================================================================== Joseph D'Angelo's early morning sleep was shattered when his neighbor began screaming that a man was breaking into her Glascow, Delaware, area home. D'Angelo grabbed his gun and ran outside, where he found an intruder in the woman's yard. D'Angelo ordered the man to halt, but fired a fatal shot when the man approached him. The State Attorney General's office said D'Angelo would not face charges. (The News Journal, Wilmington, DE, 12/01/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Only two days after browsers had asked for details on the store's inventory and alarm system, John Sobran's Pittsburgh-area jewelry store was robbed at gunpoint. The robbery didn't go entirely as planned, however. As one thug grappled with Sobran's mother and threatened her with a pistol, Sobran emerged from a back office, wounded the would-be robber with a .45 and ended the attack. Two accomplices fled in a stolen car. "As far as I am concerned [Sobran] didn't do anything justifying criminal prosecution. No charges are forthcoming," said the local police chief. (The Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, 12/2/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Intent on protecting his sister from a former suitor who threatened her, Oroville, California, area resident Glen King armed himself with a 12-ga. shotgun and went to her house. When the former boyfriend tried to force his way into the home, King fired once through a rear door, wounding the man and stopping the intrusion. Police recommended no charges against King. (The Enterprise-Record, Chico, CA, 11/16/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== An attempted robbery at a Palmdale, California, market ended in death for a teenage robber when the victim and the clerk in another store pulled guns and fought back. Robbed at gunpoint by two of the teens, the shopkeeper grabbed his gun and followed them outside. When he ordered them to stop, they turned and fired. Return fire from the two vendors mortally wounded one of the crooks. The other two fled but were apprehended several hours later. (The Antelope Valley Press, Palmdale, CA, 11/11/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== "One of the patrons in the store got the drop on them," was how one police officer described the scene at a Waterbury, Connecticut, convenience store after a customer shot and killed one of two armed robbers. The men, armed with a sawed-off shotgun and pistol, entered the store, but before they could even lay their hands on the till, the customer pulled his .380 and fired. The other would-be crook fled. (The Republican-American, Waterbury, CT, 11/15/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Next-door neighbors Thomas Graham and Ken Whitson both know the language spoken by their dogs. Recognizing their pets' warning growls, the Bradenton, Florida, men, without knowing what the other was doing, went to investigate. Before leaving the house, Whitson grabbed a shotgun, and when the neighbors converged from opposite sides of the driveway, they captured a 41-year-old prowler between them. He was held for police. (The Herald, Bradenton, FL, 10/27/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== After checking out several apartments in the neighborhood, a would-be burglar attempted to break into Nathan Hunsinger's Savannah, Georgia, home. It proved to be a fatal mistake. Awakened by the noise of a back window being jimmied, Hunsinger warned the man away, then fired when his warning shot was ignored. Hunsinger's shots killed the man. Police said Hunsinger would face no charges. (The Morning News/Evening Press, Savannah, GA, 11/13/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Bessie Jones is 92 and confined to a wheelchair, hardly able to defend herself against the human predators that inhabit her Chicago neighborhood. What makes Jones their match, however, is her handgun. After a young thug broke and wheeled her from room to room looking for valuables, Jones managed to get her gun and warned the teenager off. When he ignored her, Jones fired and killed him. (The Sun Times, Chicago, IL, 11/09/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Walking home from a Bible study class, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, resident Keith Wallace was accosted by a man who claimed to have a gun and demanded money. Reaching into his pocket, Wallace produced his own, licensed, pistol, prompting the man to flee. (The Journal-Gazette, Ft. Wayne, IN, 11/13/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== A clerk at a Greenville, South Carolina, pawnshop didn't hesitate when two men entered the store and announced a robbery. Instead of waiting to see what the men would next do, the clerk jumped behind a partition, pulled a handgun and fired a shot. The two men ran from the store, uninjured. Police quickly apprehended two suspects, plus four suspected accomplices, confiscating two handguns. (The News, Greenville, SC, 11/12/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== "If I could have got my shotgun, they wouldn't have got nowhere," said William Odell about the men who apparently tried to burglarize his Roanoke, Virginia, area home. Investigating strange noises outside the house, Odell saw two armed men on his porch. When one fired a shot, Odell jumped back inside and grabbed his own revolver, prepared to fight it out, but the duo was beating a hasty retreat. To held them along, Odell shot out several windows of their getaway car. (The Times & World-News, Roanoke, VA, 10/16/93) ===================================================================== ARMED CITIZEN - MARCH 1994 ===================================================================== As one young thug beat Rochester, New York, store owner Boleck Slepecki, the other raided the cash register. Even though his face was bloodied and his glasses smashed, Slepecki was able to get his .357 out of his waistband and fired twice. One of his shots hit the door frame, the other hit his attacker in the leg. Both robbers fled but were quickly apprehended. (The Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY, 12/28/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Taking care of his banking at a bank in Carrollton, Maryland, Anthony Campagna was startled to see a man bolt out the door and hear a teller yelling she had been robbed. Campagna ran after the man and began chasing him on foot. After a short chase, Campagna drew his licensed handgun, fired a warning shot, and when the robber tripped, held him for police. (The Sun, Baltimore, MD, 12/24/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== A trio of juveniles obviously expected easy pickings when they attempted an armed robbery at a Phenix City, Alabama, convenience store early one morning. But the clerk on duty had a different idea. After the trio kicked in the door and fired two blasts from a shotgun, the clerk ducked behind the counter and came back up with a gun. In an exchange of shots, he mortally wounded one would-be robber. Two companions fled and were arrested later. (The Ledger-Enquirer, Columbus, GA, 12/19/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== A Milwaukee woman didn't hesitate to use her gun when, upon investigating a noise in her home late one night, she found a man breaking in and already halfway through the window he had smashed. The woman fired her .38 three times, hitting the man in the chest and killing him. The district attorney's office said no charges would be filed. (The Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, WI, 12/29/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== On the lam from a massive police manhunt after an armed robbery, a convicted felon grabbed Nadav Joshua as he stepped out the front door of his Cypress, California, home and took him hostage. Joshua ordered his wife to run, but she screamed for help and, armed with a knife and antique gun, attacked her husband's abductor without effect. But neighbor Mike Weiser rushed across the street with his shotgun. He ordered the abductor to freeze. When the warning went unheeded and the man raised his gun, Weiser killed him. (The Orange County Register, Santa Ana, CA, 12/31/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== A Miami family was out shopping for a piano Christmas Eve, and when they stopped the car at a red light, a man smashed the car's back window and attempted to grab a purse off the back seat. The driver pulled his gun and shot the would-be thief. Two accomplices fled. (The Herald, Miami, FL, 12/24/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Tending to chores outside her Willoughby, Ohio, area home, Patricia Tycast was startled to see what appeared to be a flashlight in a second-floor window. Walking next door, she told her father, William Barrett, that someone might be in her house. Barrett grabbed his .38, and went to Tycast's house, where he found two men fleeing the home. Barrett helped them along with five shots from his revolver. (The News-Herald, Willoughby, OH, 12/20/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Asleep on the couch, a Hartsgrove, Ohio, woman was startled awake by suspicious noises in her laundry room. She grabbed her husband's rifle and confronted an intruder, holding him at gunpoint. While she was on the phone with police, however, the man fled, with an accomplice in tow. Two suspects were quickly apprehended. (The Star Beacon, Ashtabula, OH, 01/05/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== A fixation proved to be fatal to a Tennessee man when his former girlfriend armed herself. When the man broke into Geneva Mason's Ten Mile, Tennessee, home and threatened to kill her four-year-old daughter with a knife, Mason fired several shots from her .38, striking him fatally. (The News-Sentinel, Knoxville, TN, 12/23/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Two brothers were using a Newport News, Virginia, car wash when a man approached, brandished a gun and demanded money. After confronting the robber, who threatened him with a gun, the older brother drew his 9mm and fired several times, mortally wounding the thug. The dead man was a convicted drug offender whose sentence had been suspended. (The Daily Press, Hampton Roads, VA, 01/06/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Guy Velardo is a veteran of World War II and six robberies at his Wakefield, Massachusetts, pharmacy, so he doesn't rattle easily. When a man walked in one evening and demanded prescription drugs and threatened to shoot Velardo if he didn't comply, the druggist simply pulled a .380--a war trophy--and fired a single shot. The man fled, but a wounded suspect was arrested at a local hospital. (The Globe, Boston, MA, 11/19/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== A court order against her former boyfriend was no sure protection, but Cheryl Belshe's handgun was. When the man, who had a history of violence against girlfriends, violated the order and broke into Belshe's Norman, Oklahoma, home, she shot and wounded him. "This is the type of case that the 'Make My Day' law was intended to allow a victim to protect themselves in their home," said the local district attorney, who added that Belshe would face no charges. (The Daily Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, OK, 12/03/93) ===================================================================== ARMED CITIZEN - APRIL 1994 ===================================================================== In the finest tradition of armed citizens who take on crime in their communities, Texan Travis Neel helped save a wounded Harris County deputy sheriff's life. Witnessing the shooting by one of a trio of Houston gang members after a traffic stop just west of Houston, Neel--who was on his way to his pistol range--pulled his gun and fired, driving the officer's assailants away. An off-duty sheriff's deputy also came on the scene and joined Neel in covering the deputy, whose life was saved by his body armor. The trio was captured after a manhunt. (The Post, Houston, TX, 01/22/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Kelvin Marion was stopped at a red light in Indianapolis when a man tried to force his way into the car, then started pounding on the windows, breaking one. Marion got out, and when the man attempted to snatch his necklace, Marion pulled his licensed pistol and fired once, wounding his assailant. (The Star, Indianapolis, IN, 01/19/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Don Heaton was only too happy to show furniture to three men who entered his Idaho Falls, Idaho, store. But he became suspicious when he noticed that one of the trio had disappeared. Investigating, Heaton caught the man with his hand in the till. The man ran from the store, but Heaton grabbed a pistol from under the counter and held the other two for police. (The Post Register, Idaho Falls, ID, 02/02/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== James Humphreys was napping on Christmas Eve when he was startled awake by the sound of shattering glass in his Hulmeville, Pennsylvania, home. Humphreys grabbed his .38 and went downstairs, discovering a man who had just crawled through a broken window. Humphreys fired a shot, and the man fled. (The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 12/30/93) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== After his home was burglarized, Alan Jones reluctantly purchased a handgun, little knowing he would use it a month later to break up a robbery attempt. Jones, of Benge, Washington, was driving home when he saw a farmer neighbor apparently helping two men get their truck out of a ditch. Jones stopped to help, but came under fire from one of the two strangers. Jones grabbed his own gun and fired back, prompting the duo to flee in the neighbor's truck. One of the pair, a suspect in a number of other burglaries in the area, was caught in the ensuing manhunt. (The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA, 01/27/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== A career criminal didn't let the fact that he was in a cast, the result of a hip replacement a month before, keep him from crawling through the window of Elaine Wingren's Portland, Oregon, home. When Wingren returned home, she saw the man, who then crawled through the basement window and headed toward her. Wingren screamed, and fearing that the burglar had armed himself with one of her guns, pulled her licensed pistol and shot him to death as he came at her. The dead housebreaker, out on parole, had a lengthy criminal record. (The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 02/06/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== "I had gotten the wood stove full of wood, and it was too hot to stay inside, so I went outside and I saw a flash of light," said Cottonwood, California, resident John Grunder. Thinking someone was trying to steal gas from his shed, Grunder took his 12-ga., investigated and discovered a man hiding by his fence. When the man fired on him, Grunder returned a blast from his shotgun. Neither man was hit. Police apprehended the gunman, who was wanted in connection with a murder, in a manhunt the next day. (The Record Searchlight, Redding, CA, 01/24/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Mike Martin of Copper Fork, West Virginia, grabbed his .30-30 and went to investigate after noticing suspicious activity early one morning at the home of a neighbor who had been killed in an accident several weeks earlier. Martin found several men removing items from the house. He got the drop on two and held them for police, who also caught two more suspects. (The Star, Ravenswood, WV, 01/29/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== An Albany, Oregon, woman bought a shotgun after her estranged husband threatened to kill her. It saved her life less than a month later. The woman's husband, armed with two handguns and ignoring a restraining order, showed up at the house and started shooting, wounding the woman. Brad Adamson, a friend, got the shotgun and fired a blast that killed her attacker. (The Democrat-Herald, Albany, OR, 01/17/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== "With a store like this, I need a gun to protect myself and my family," said Worcester, Massachusetts, market owner Hassan Elmaola. Elmaola's unease with one of his customers was confirmed when the man quietly demanded money, then flashed a handgun. Instead of complying, Elmaola pushed his 15-year-old son out of the way and grabbed his pistol. The would-be robber broke and ran. (The Telegram & Gazette, Worcester, MA, 01/24/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Patsy Tankersley's attackers made a big mistake when the held a knife to her young daughter's throat and ordered the Frayser, Tennessee, woman to go to her bedroom and disrober. Tankersley turned the tables when she got her revolver and started firing. The duo fled, but were quickly caught. One was jailed, the other was hospitalized with a chest wound. (The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN, 01/26/94) ===================================================================== ARMED CITIZEN - MAY 1994 ===================================================================== The burglar who broke into Joseph Thompson's Saranac, Michigan, home hit Thompson in the face with a steel pipe as he slept, breaking Thompson's jaw. But that didn't stop Thompson from nabbing his assailant and holding him for police. The crook had stopped at the home earlier in the evening, professing car trouble, and returned later when Thompson was asleep and assaulted him. After a struggle, Thompson managed to get a rifle and held the intruder for police. (The Press, Grand Rapids, MI, 02/12/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== "He picked the wrong guy to pick on," was one Washington Court House, Ohio, resident's assessment of an armed robber who was killed by his intended mark. The armed, masked man entered the town pharmacy and demanded money, prompting pharmacist Larry Lehman to shoot and mortally wound the gunman. (The Dispatch, Columbus, OH, 02/24/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Brenda Jones, a 24-year-old University of Virginia graduate student, was leaving her Charlottesville, Virginia, apartment when a man grabbed her from behind. During the ensuing struggle, Jones and her attacker fell back into the apartment, where Jones managed to break free of her assailant. Jones sprinted to her bedroom and grabbed her revolver. Training it on the criminal, she demanded he leave, which he did. (The Daily Progress, Charlottesville, VA, 02/11/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Bernie Ames, a Hempstead, New York, bookstore owner, didn't count on his 69th birthday being quite so exciting. Ames was behind the counter of his store when a crack addict walked in and demanded money. Ames threw a bag of money at the robber and pulled his own .38 and fired. Wounded, the crook fled, but was quickly apprehended. Police, affirming Ames' actions, said the drug abuser had a long criminal record. (Newsday, Long Island, NY, 02/11/94 ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== "This is my ID and this is a robbery," a teenager told San Diego liquor store owner Norman Mansour while drawing a gun and demanding money. In response, Mansour grabbed his wrist, and the culprit sprayed the store with bullets. Reaching under the counter for his revolver, Mansour traded shots with the teen and his accomplice. The pair fled, but two suspects were captured the next day, apparently as they tried to retrieve the handgun they had abandoned before fleeing the store. (The Union-Tribune, San Diego, CA, 02/03/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Robert White was reading his morning paper at this Tacoma, Washington, home when his wife informed him there was an intruder in the basement. White, 73, got his revolver and went downstairs, where he found the housebreaker. He knelt at White's order, but then grabbed a bar stool and threw it. White ducked. As the assailant picked up another stool and prepared to throw it, White fired, killing him. (The Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, WA, 02/10/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== After an attempted break-in at her Charleston, West Virginia, home four years ago, 74-year-old Ruby McFarland decided to keep her antique revolver loaded. She recently needed it to scare away two would-be robbers who cut her phone lines and tried to break into her home. As the two tried to get in through the front door, McFarland fired two shots, prompting their flight. "They were going to get me and I wasn't going to let them," said McFarland. (The Daily Mail, Charleston, WV, 02/09/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== A handgun provided the margin of protection Camden, New Jersey, store owner Raoji Prajapati needed when a thief armed with a knife burst into the business, threatened Prajapati's wife with the knife and demanded money. Prajapati drew his pistol and fired, killing the crook. The local prosecutor cleared Prajapati. (The Courier-Post, Cherry Hill, NJ, 02/06/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Returning home one evening, a Garland, Texas, woman was set upon by an armed robber in her driveway. Witnessing the developing situation, the woman's husband confronted the thug, who ordered him back inside the house to get money. The homeowner complied, but also retrieved his shotgun. When the criminal fired at him with a .25 cal. pistol, he responded with a 12-ga. blast that killed the crook. (The Morning News, Dallas, TX, 03/03/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Brenda Lackey runs a convenience store in Gastonia, North Carolina. She is also a former police officer. The man who attempted to rob the store apparently didn't know that. Suspecting the "customer" might try to rob her, Lackey was ready when he demanded money. She drew her 9 mm -- a retirement present commemorating her 16 years as an officer -- and chased him from the store. "I'll always be a police officer," she commented. (The Gaston Gazette, Gastonia, NC, 02/03/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Bob Weaver, owner of the Old West Gun Room in El Cerrito, California, probably thought he was seeing double when twin brothers entered his shop and, after feigning a bit of shopping, pulled handguns and announced a robbery. Weaver knocked the gun out of one's hand and then dove under the counter, where he grabbed his own pistol and started firing. The twins, both wounded, fled, but were quickly apprehended. (West County Times, Richmond, CA, 02/12/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Shelly Greenbaum returned to college to get a degree to help troubled youths. But she was forced to shoot and kill a troubled teenager when he robbed her at gunpoint in a Miami parking lot. Convinced the youthful criminal was going to end the robbery by killing her, Greenbaum pulled her .38 out of her back pocket and fired twice. The dead 19-year-old had juvenile and adult records, police said. (The Herald, Miami, FL, 03/04/94) ===================================================================== -- ************************************************************ * Ron Phillips crphilli@ingr.com * * Senior Customer Application Engineer * * Intergraph Electronics * * 381 East Evelyn Avenue VOICE: (415) 691-6473 * * Mountain View, CA 94041 FAX: (415) 691-0350 * ************************************************************ From firearms-politics-errors@cup.hp.com Thu Aug 18 09:41:31 1994 Received: from demon.corp.portal.com (demon.corp.portal.com [156.151.1.10]) by jobe.shell.portal.com (8.6.4/8.6.5) with ESMTP id JAA20411 for ; Thu, 18 Aug 1994 09:41:29 -0700 Received: from relay.hp.com (relay.hp.com [15.255.152.2]) by demon.corp.portal.com (8.6.7/8.6.5) with SMTP id JAA29887 for ; Thu, 18 Aug 1994 09:43:34 -0700 Received: from hpda.cup.hp.com by relay.hp.com with SMTP (1.37.109.8/15.5+ECS 3.3) id AA19972; Thu, 18 Aug 1994 09:40:29 -0700 Received: by hpda.cup.hp.com (15.11/15.5+IOS 3.20+OMrelay) id AA24666; Thu, 18 Aug 94 09:43:10 pdt Errors-To: firearms-politics-errors@cup.hp.com Sender: Precedence: bulk X-Info: Accepted by firearms-politics distribution list at Thu Aug 18 09:43:07 PDT 1994 X-Info: Submissions to firearms-politics@cup.hp.com X-Info: Change requests to firearms-politics-request@cup.hp.com Received: from onet2.cup.hp.com by hpda.cup.hp.com with SMTP (15.11/15.5+IOS 3.20+OMrelay) id AA24623; Thu, 18 Aug 94 09:42:53 pdt Received: from hound.edaca.ingr.com (hound.dazixca.ingr.com) by onet2.cup.hp.com with SMTP (1.37.109.11/15.5+IOS 3.20+cup+OMrelay) id AA002557807; Thu, 18 Aug 1994 09:36:47 -0700 Received: by hound.edaca.ingr.com (4.1/SMI-4.1) id AA11259; Thu, 18 Aug 94 09:34:02 PDT From: crphilli@hound.edaca.ingr.com (Ron Phillips) Message-Id: <9408181634.AA11259@hound.edaca.ingr.com> Subject: Armed Citizen - August, 10, 1994 To: ca-firearms@shell.portal.com (California Firearms), firearms-politics@onet2.cup.hp.com (Firearms Politics) Date: Thu, 18 Aug 94 9:34:02 PDT X-Mailer: ELM [version 06.00.01.12 (2.3 PL11)] Status: RO THE ARMED CITIZEN +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Studies indicate that firearms are used over 2 million times a year for personal protection, and that presence of a firearm, without a shot being fired, prevents crime in many instances. Shooting usually can be justified only where crime constitutes an immediate, imminent threat to life or limb, or, in some cases, property. Anyone is free to quote or reproduce these accounts. Send clippings to: "The Armed Citizen," 11250 Waples Mill Rd., Fairfax, VA 22030. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARMED CITIZEN - AUGUST 10, 1994 ===================================================================== Philadelphian Michael Malloy knew he could be robbed while driving his newspaper delivery truck. That's why the 36-year-old former policeman carried his licensed .44 under his money apron. Then it happened. An armed man entered Malloy's truck and demanded money. Malloy gave him some, but the man insisted that Malloy surrender his money apron too. This gave Malloy the chance to pull his gun. He fired, striking the criminal three times in the side. No charges were filed against Malloy. (The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 05/23/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== After her husband died in 1991, Ontario, Oregon, resident Patricia Ireland decided to learn to defend herself by enrolling in a women's gun class. Now she's glad she did. When she heard three men breaking into her home, Ireland called 911 and retrieved her .357 Mag. When one of the men started to break a window, Ireland let a round fly over his head. the perpetrators ran to their car and sped off. they were apprehended later. (Argus Observer, Ontario, OR, 04/25/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== A Kansas City man had more than ring-around-the-collar on his mind when he entered a coin laundry. Brandishing a revolver, he demanded the clerk's wallet. The employee surrendered it, then grabbed his own gun from beneath the counter. The would-be robber shot six times, missing. The clerk shot once, hitting his target. The criminal, who had just been released from prison, fled, but soon turned up at a local hospital. (The Star, Kansas City, MO, 05/13/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== After seeing her 87-year-old husband beaten during a holdup at their north Philadelphia liquor store three weeks previous, Jacqueline Arnao, 78, vowed not to let it happen again. So when three masked men, one brandishing a shotgun, burst into the store, Mrs. Arnao reached for her .38. Firing once, she set the trio running for the door. Mrs. Arnao promised to use the pistol again if need be: "I'm going to go and learn how to shoot it properly so I can get him next time." (The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 04/30/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== "As he was helping himself to my money, I was helping myself to my pistol," says 77-year-old O'Dell Alston of Beaufort, South Carolina, describing her encounter with a knife-wielding robber in Alston's grocery store. Pretending to make a purchase, the robber waited for Alston to open the cash register. He then pulled his weapon and went behind the counter, where be began removing money from the drawer. Once he saw that Alston was armed, however, he fled. Police Lieutenant Steve Rogers said Alston's actions were legal. "You have a right to protect your business, especially when you are threatened with a deadly weapon like a knife." (The Gazette, Beaufort, SC, 04/26/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== Phoenix resident John Steyer, 56, had to take a detour from his regular route home at 3 a.m. Feeling somewhat uneasy in the unfamiliar neighborhood, Steyer reached under his seat and unsnapped his pistol holster when a van pulled up next to him. Just then one of the van's occupants opened the door and put a revolver to Steyer's head. Steyer knocked the gunman's arm away and grabbed his own pistol, firing once at the criminal's leg. Steyer then sped off and called the police, who found the wounded culprit still lying in the road. Police officials say Steyer did not commit any firearms violations, and he was later cleared of any criminal wrongdoing. (The Daily News Tribune, Tempe, AZ, 04/20/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== An escapee from the New Hanover, North Carolina, minimum security prison resumed his life of crime almost immediately by breaking into the home of William Jennings Bryan, 58, about a half mile from the prison. Awakened by the sound of breaking glass, Bryan grabbed his .38 Smith & Wesson from the nightstand and confronted the convict in his kitchen. Bryan then ended the felon's brief foray into freedom with a single shot to the chest. The escapee was serving a 24-year sentence under North Carolina's habitual felon law. Police say no charges will be filed against Bryan. (The Daily News, Jacksonville, NC, 05/20/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== "I had my pants in one hand and a pistol in the other and I was buck naked," says Larry Ayres, of Mobile, Alabama. Ayres was relaxing in the bathtub when his wife began screaming that someone was in the house. Ayres ran from the bathroom and confronted the intruder. "All I could see was that he was coming at me with a gun and I wasn't going to let him get to me," Ayres says. He fired twice, killing the intruder. The district attorney says the case does not warrant presentation to a grand jury. (The Press-Register, Mobile, AL, 05/06/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== West Palm Beach, Florida, jewelry store owner Art Samuels was on his way to lunch when he noticed a badly bleeding man rushing out of a store. Samuels ran to the aid of the victim, and a few seconds later an assailant exited the store swinging a pair of nunchakus. "He lunged and came toward me," Samuels said. "I pulled out my gun." A retired U.S. Navy commander, Samuels has a concealed weapons permit for his .40 Glockl with a laser sight. Just the sight of it was enough to make the criminal hit the deck, where he stayed until police arrived. (The Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 05/08/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== When pistol-packing preacher Rev. Ronald Kirk went to investigate the motion alarm going off in his church, he came face to face with a burglar. Kirk pulled his pistol and, fearing the criminal might also have a gun, ordered him to disrobe. When Kirk went to call police, the burglar made a break for it. Police say it wasn't hard to track the bare bandit through the residential neighborhood on Buffalo's east side. They found him minutes later in a house, hiding under a bed. (The News, Buffalo, NY, 04/30/94) ===================================================================== - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===================================================================== A career criminal in Milwaukee may think twice before he strikes again, thanks to an armed homeowner who caught him in the act. The professional thief was shot in the arm and held at gunpoint until police arrived. Police say they had arrested the suspect more than 40 times, and he has been convicted of five felonies. (The Journal, Milwaukee, WI, 04/02/94) ===================================================================== -- ************************************************************ * Ron Phillips crphilli@ingr.com * * Senior Customer Application Engineer * * Intergraph Electronics * * 381 East Evelyn Avenue VOICE: (415) 691-6473 * * Mountain View, CA 94041 FAX: (415) 691-0350 * ************************************************************