WTXF, Philadelphia, Pa. 11/18/09, The News Journal,
Wilmington, Del. 11/18/09
Posted on November 19, 2009
At least two robbers armed with handguns entered Flavors Liquor
Store in Wilmington, Del. and demanded money from the clerk. As
the clerk opened the register to give the criminals the money, the
robbers attempted to make their way behind the counter. As the
criminals came towards him, the clerk retrieved a handgun and fired
at them, striking at least one and causing both to flee. The wounded
robber made it about forty feet from the store entrance before
collapsing; he died later that night at a local hospital. The owner of
the liquor store made it known to local press that there had been a
previous robbery at Flavors within the past two years, and went on to
note that he arms all of his businesses, stating “Everyone knows
we're armed in here. I mean, it's common knowledge… I've had liquor
stores before, and I've had some confrontations.” A local woman who
frequents the liquor store also commented to local press, describing
the clerk as a “nice man” and stating, “If someone tried to rob his
store what was he supposed to do? He had to protect himself.”
WPVI, Philadelphia, Pa. 09/11/09
Posted on September 15, 2009
A 74-year-old homeowner in Lewes, Del. arrived home to find his
front door forced open. Inside were two men, who when asked to
leave, began to approach the homeowner. One of the intruders
threatened the homeowner with a garden tool, prompting the
homeowner to retrieve a machete and defend himself. Despite the
machete, the criminals continued to their attack until the homeowner
drew a handgun and fired at them, striking one in the stomach. Both
intruders fled the scene but were found a short time later at a local
hospital.
News Journal, Wilmington, Del, 11/26/08
1
Posted on March 1, 2009
WHEN A 37-YEAR-OLD man started to unload items from his car,
two men approached and jabbed what he believed to be a gun into
his side. Fearing he was about to be shot, the man, who is reportedly
an open-carry advocate, drew his 9 mm handgun and fired a round.
He was unsure if he hit either of his assailants, but he heard a loud
moaning sound as they fled. Police arrested one of the suspects
when he sought medical aid for a gunshot wound.
The News Journal, Wilmington, DE, 2/15/2008
Posted on February 20, 2008
Bernis Martin was rushing to close his Wilmington, Del. liquor store in
order to buy Valentine’s Day flowers for his wife, when he was
startled by four teenagers intent on robbing him. After one of the
youths shot at Martin with a .22-caliber rifle, Martin pulled his pistol
out and fired back, injuring the rifle-toting youth in the thigh. All four
youths were eventually arrested. One local patron of Martin’s store,
City Councilwoman Stephanie T. Bolden, said, “I'm glad he opened
right back up to let them know that he wasn't going to be intimidated
by all of this madness.”
The News Journal, Wilmington, DE, 12/13/04
Posted on March 1, 2005
A string of armed robberies finally came to an end in Wilmington,
Del., when one victim fought back. Michael Brown had been on a
three-month robbery spree when he decided to rob a local liquor
store. When he displayed his gun, the store owner produced a gun of
his own. Brown fled, but a police officer who was patrolling the
neighborhood spotted him. He was able to track down Brown, who
was found hiding under a porch. Brown was linked to at least three
other armed robbery attempts and was charged with each of them.
2
The News Journal, New Castle, DE, 12/13/04
Posted on December 1, 2004
A clerk in a New Castle, Del., liquor store didn't just thwart a robbery
when he drew handgun. As the would-be robber fled his not-sohelpless victim, police gave chase, and eventually apprehended him.
The suspect was linked to three other robberies in the state.
The News Journal, Wilmington, DE, 10/22/02
Posted on January 1, 2003
Three men forced their way into a Wilmington, Del., nightclub in an
apparent robbery attempt that was foiled when the owner fired on the
intruders and they fled. An employee of Larry's After Hours Club had
started to lock up the bar when the three men burst into the club. One
of the intruders grabbed the employee, using him as a shield as they
confronted the club owner. When the owner drew his gun, the wouldbe robbers exchanged fire with him and then fled. No one was
injured.
The News Journal, Wilmington, DE, 10/25/03
Posted on January 1, 2004
A young, armed thug was so startled by his would-be victim's
defending himself that he turned tail and ran, leaving his gun -- and
his pride -- behind. The inept robber entered JP Liquors in
Wilmington, Del., and chatted up the clerk for a moment before
pulling a semi-automatic pistol and demanding money. The 60-yearold clerk responded by pulling his own gun, firing two shots at the
bandit who ran from the store, fell down some steps and dropped his
gun in his haste.
3
The Evening Journal, Wilmington, DE
Posted on August 1, 1977
After several robberies at her New Castle, Del., archery range,
Joanne Hall decided to set up her own stakeout. When a burglar
entered, she levelled a shotgun on the man, who meekly
surrendered.
The News Journal, Wilmington, DE, 5/30/01
Posted on August 1, 2001
A man in Bridgeville, Del., was preparing to go to work about 3:15
one morning when he heard a noise in his kitchen. Grabbing his gun,
the homeowner went to investigate. A man was pointing a shotgun at
the homeowner through the kitchen window demanding he open his
back door. The homeowner responded by grabbing the shotgun
barrel and shooting the would-be burglar. State police reported that
James McNeill, also of Bridgeville, was charged with first-degree
attempted burglary, aggravated menacing and possession of a
firearm during a felony.
News-Journal, Wilmington, DE, 8/5/98
Posted on November 1, 1998
When a quick-thinking Dover, Delaware, area resident heard a noise
coming from his garage early one morning, he instructed his wife to
call police and grabbed his shotgun to investigate. The resident
startled an intruder and seized the element of surprise to strike the
man in the head with the gun's butt, holding him until police arrived.
Police charged the home invader with various counts related to
burglary.
4
The News Journal, Wilmington, DE, 2/17/96
Posted on June 1, 1996
Juana Hernandez reacted instinctively when she saw the robber point
a gun at her husband's head. Reaching beneath the counter of their
Wilmington, Delaware, store, Hernandez grabbed a gun and started
shooting, striking the assailant in the face. He was later arrested after
appearing at a local hospital for treatment.
Sunday News Journal, Wilmington, DE, 1/25/98
Posted on June 1, 1998
Video store owner David Ragan had to react quickly one Friday
afternoon when a 6-foot, 2-inch, razor-wielding "customer" appeared
at his counter. After the man grabbed him, Ragan dropped to his
knees, sliding out of his loose-fitting shirt. He used his left hand to hit
the panic button and with his right hand grabbed his gun, which he is
licensed to carry. A customer walking in the store minutes later found
the 5-foot, 9-inch Ragan naked from the waist up and staring down at
the man who was now spread-eagled on the floor. Ragan, who has a
history of positive community activism, was quoted as saying, "I don't
want to be killed but I'm not going to take it. It's going to take more of
us fighting back to send a message to these criminals that you can't
get away with this." The suspect was arrested six minutes after the
incident by police and was charged with first-degree robbery,
possession of a deadly weapon during a felony and carrying a
concealed deadly weapon, according to state police spokesman Cpl.
Preston Lewis.
5
The News Journal, Wilmington, DE, 5/31/95
Posted on September 1, 1995
Wilmington, Delaware, shopkeeper Dalton Waterman, 70, was shot
during a robbery attempt two years ago and swore next time he
would shoot back --he did. When a man stormed into his store and
pointed a pistol at Waterman, demanding cash, the senior citizen
reactively ducked behind the counter, drew his .38, and cut loose with
a shot in the intruder's direction. Waterman missed his target, but it
was enough to send the crook bolting from the store.
The News, Wilmington, DE, 12/1/93
Posted on February 1, 1994
Joseph D'Angelo's early morning sleep was shattered when his
neighbor began screaming that a man was breaking into her
Glasgow, 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 Morning News, Wilmington, DE
Posted on April 1, 1983
Noticing several household items disturbed upon returning to her
home near Seaford, Del., Mrs. George Mortimer stepped outside to
await her husband. After he arrived and had taken up a .22 rifle, they
searched the house and discovered a would-be burglar hiding under
a bed. Ordered to leave, the intruder instead lunged at the woman,
but was stopped when Mortimer shot him in the leg.
6
The Times-Reporter, Dover, DE, 2/25/81
Posted on June 1, 1981
Pat Tunstall had repeatedly called police to complain about a man
who had chased her and her daughter down a street with a club,
threatening to kill them. Finally, the man broke into the Tunstall home,
shouting that he was "going to kill everyone in the house," including
four children and two grandchildren. When the intruder tried to grab a
.22 rifle from one of the children, it fired, hitting him in the chest and
putting him to rout.
The Morning News, Wilmington, DE
Posted on April 1, 1976
When he heard a break-in in progress at his bar adjoining his
Wilmington, Del., home, Charles Joyner told his wife to phone the
police, grabbed a .22 rifle and went outside to find two men smashing
in a bar window. After the pair failed to heed his commands to stop,
Joyner fired several shots into the ground. Then both men whirled
around to face him, one holding aloft an ax and the other a jagged
piece of glass. Joyner opened fire, killing one crook and critically
wounding the other.
Morning News, Wilmington, DE
Posted on September 1, 1970
Hearing noises late at night in his Cheswold, Del., gunshop, Gerald
Lewis rushed down from his apartment above in time to see a man
flee with two handguns. Lewis grabbed his shotgun, ran into the
street and fired a warning shot. The man dropped the handguns and
was arrested.
7
Evening Journal, Wilmington, DE
Posted on June 1, 1970
Joseph A. Panaro was alone in his Wilmington, Del., liquor store
when a gunman entered and demanded money. Panaro said he
didn't have any, and the man ordered him to empty his pockets.
Panaro pulled a .22 pistol from his pocket, and the gunman turned
and fled.
Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on December 1, 1969
When two men entered Samuel Hornstein's North Philadelphia, Pa.,
grocery store, and demanded money at gun point, Hornstein's son
Allen began a scuffle with one of the men. Hornstein drew a .38
revolver and fired at the man wrestling with his son, hitting him in the
chest. The wounded man fled. He was found by police and later died.
The other robber surrendered.
Morning News, Wilmington, DE
Posted on September 1, 1968
Mrs. Mary A. Martinez surprised a burglar in the kitchen of her
Wilmington, Del, home and opened fire with a .22 rifle. The intruder
dived behind a porch chair squealing "I'm shot!" Police had him
treated for a cut chin, possibly creased by a bullet, then booked him
on burglary charges.
8
The Countian, Sussex, DE
Posted on September 1, 1968
The thugs who entered Wilbert Rogers' store at Harbeson, Del.,
armed with a double-barrel shotgun didn't expect Rogers to meet
them armed with his own. But the storekeeper dived under the
counter and fired his shotgun, first through the counter top and then
into the ceiling. The thug and a companion crashed out the front door
without pausing to open it. Rogers and a customer pursued their
getaway car. Rogers blasted at a rear tire and the men surrendered.
Morning News, Wilmington, DE
Posted on November 1, 1962
After being ordered by an armed bandit to surrender the contents of
the cash register in his liquor store south of Wilmington, Del.,
proprietor Renato Giovannozzi opened the register drawer with one
hand and, with the other, grabbed a .38 revolver from a shelf. He fired
several shots, critically wounding his assailant and sending an
accomplice fleeing from the scene.
Evening Journal, Wilmington, DE
Posted on January 1, 1962
In the hospital awaiting removal of a bullet, a youth with an extensive
police record admitted having twice previously held up the
Wilmington, Del., combination grocery store-service station where he
had been shot by the operator, Mrs. Thelma Lance, during his third
attempt.
9
News, Wilmington, DE
Posted on May 1, 1961
In Dover, Del., when Mrs. Laurin Seaman, Sr., awakened to find a
burglar ransacking her bedroom, her screams aroused the
household. Mrs. Seaman's 16-year-old son grabbed a 16-ga.
shotgun, pursued the fleeing burglar, and killed him with a deer slug
when he ignored a call to halt.
10
Hawaii
The Garden Island, Kauai, HI, 12/9/04
Posted on December 1, 2004
When some dogs on the loose attacked a horse in Kalihiwai, Hawaii,
its owners tried to help the animal escape by opening the gate.
However, that led to more dogs entering and attacking the horse. A
passerby stopped his car, retrieved a shotgun, and then shot one of
the dogs, forcing the rest to flee. "Thank God, the guy came with the
gun," said horse owner Doug Gilette.
West Hawaii Today, Kailua, HI, 9/8/98
Posted on January 1, 1999
When a would-be burglar armed with a handgun entered a Waialua,
Hawaii, residence intent on robbing the owner, he initially received
cooperation--or so he thought. The resident told the home invader
that the money was in a backpack. Rather than booty, however, the
burglar received a boom when the homeowner pulled a 9 mm
handgun and fired two shots. After jumping from a second-floor
window, the burglar ran, trailing blood and dropping his own gun.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu, HI
Posted on June 1, 1976
Moments after breaking into policeman Benjamin Jaus' apartment in
Honolulu, Hawaii, a burglar found himself staring down the barrel of a
service revolver. Jaus turned the crook over to fellow officers, then
went back to bed.
11
The Honolulu Advertiser, Honolulu, HI
Posted on December 1, 1971
Lawrence K.C. Chung, a grocer in Makiki, Hawaii, pulled a handgun
after a knife-wielding robber grabbed a customer and demanded
cash. Aiming at the robber's head, Chung ordered him to release the
customer and drop his knife. When Chung cocked his gun, the robber
obeyed and fled.
12
KCCI, De Moines, Iowa 04/20/10
Posted on April 23, 2010
89-year-old Beatrice Turner was at home in De Moines, Iowa, when
criminal Nelson McAlpine began kicking in her front door. As the door
came apart, Turner retrieved her .22-caliber revolver. When McAlpine
made it inside, Turner was ready for him and fired a shot, which
missed, but caused McAlpine to flee. Turner’s neighbor had called
the police after hearing the commotion of the door being kicked in; so
as McAlpine fled, the police arrived on the scene and arrested him.
Turner explained that the police were supportive of her right to selfdefense, stating, “This is a .22. And the police reloaded it for me… I
know how to work that gun. I just hope and pray to God it don't
happen again.”
The Des Moines Register, Des Moines, IA, 04/03/08
Posted on July 1, 2008
Pizza Hut deliveryman James Spiers thought he was making a
routine delivery, but he was walking into an ambush. As Spiers
approached, an armed man sprang at him with a gun, but Spiers, a
concealed-carry permit holder, was no easy target. Police say Spiers
struggled hard with the assailant until he was able to produce his
handgun. "It was a long ordeal ... my life was, without a doubt, in
danger," Spiers recalls. Spiers shot the suspect three times. The
suspect fled and was arrested at the hospital. Pizza Hut summarily
fired Spiers, a 10-year employee, citing a corporate policy forbidding
employees from carrying firearms. To voice your displeasure, call
Pizza Hut Corporate Offices at 800-948-8488 or visit pizzahut.com.
13
Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa, 10/15/04
Posted on November 1, 2004
When his wife's ex-husband forced his way into their Fort Dodge,
Iowa, home, and assaulted him, Dr. Daniel Cole, a medical examiner,
retrieved a gun and fired a shot, fatally wounding his assailant. A
Webster County grand jury declined to file charges.
The Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa, 8/28/2001
Posted on December 1, 2001
Albia, Iowa, man was shot and killed after he broke into a home,
looking for his ex-girlfriend. Monroe County Sheriff Larry Merrill said
Ronald Frye had broken through a window in search of his exgirlfriend, who was in the home. When homeowner Randy Carr came
out of a bedroom, Frye fired a revolver at him, hitting him in the
stomach. Carr returned fire with a semi-automatic rifle, striking the
interloper in the chest. Frye then left the house and when police
arrived they discovered he had collapsed next to his truck. Sheriff
Merrill said Carr was "justified in using a firearm to protect himself."
The Des Moines Register, Des Moines, IA, 12/20/00
Posted on May 1, 2001
When a 71-year-old Des Moines, Iowa, man answered the door at his
home one afternoon, he was met by a pair of ruffians wearing ski
masks and brandishing a martial arts weapon. After they beat the
elderly resident with the nunchaku hardwood sticks connected by
chain or rope they ordered him to remain seated while they went after
his grandson upstairs. But as the intruders beat the 27-year-old
resident, his grandfather came to the rescue armed with a gun. As he
fired on one suspect and then the other, each leapt out separate
windows and fled.
14
Des Moines Register, Des Moines, IA, 2/26/99
Posted on June 1, 1999
The day after Amy Sash's former boyfriend was released from jail,
where he had been held on a charge of assaulting her, she
purchased a Colt revolver for protection. The decision proved a
fateful one when, only a few days later, the man--who was under
order by a court to have no contact with her--kicked in the door of
Sash's Des Moines, Iowa, residence. After warning him, Sash fired,
sending her attacker to the hospital in serious condition. "[Y]ou have
to protect yourself at some point," said Sash.
Tribune, Des Moines, IA
Posted on October 1, 1970
Two youths armed with a pistol attempted to rob a Des Moines, Iowa,
delicatessen, but turned and fled when owner David Fishel pointed a
revolver at them. The restaurateur foiled a similar attempt less than
two years ago.
The Des Moines Register, Des Moines, IA, 6/25/98
Posted on October 1, 1998
After explaining to a judge how she was beaten, stalked and
threatened, once with a sword swung just inches from her throat, Des
Moines, Iowa's Kelcey Woolery succeeded in having the court order
her abusive ex-boyfriend to stay away. Undeterred, however, the 37year-old man forced his way into the house where Woolery was
staying one morning. Woolery armed herself with a handgun and fired
several shots at the man. He was wounded and was later listed in
serious condition at a hospital where he was scheduled to be
arraigned. No charges were filed against Woolery.
15
The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, IA, 4/20/96
Posted on August 1, 1996
Darlene Loudon was sitting in a Des Moines, Iowa, dentist's office
waiting room when a man approached her, drew an 8" knife from a
bag, and told her he would not harm her if she gave him her purse.
Despite the knife, she refused, and after a brief struggle, the man
snatched the handbag away from her and began to leave. Loudon's
husband, a carry permit holder, witnessed the commotion,
unstrapped his .22, and followed the man outside, shooting him once
in the side before the suspect ran off.
The Register, Des Moines, IA, 7/1/95
Posted on October 1, 1995
A would-be robber armed with a Swiss Army knife had the fight taken
out of him after Charles "Chuck" Brafford, the cashier of a Des
Moines, Iowa, cafe shot him in the arm. The wounded bandit initially
fled the Y Not Grill, only to approach a pursuing patron minutes later
requesting to be taken to jail.
The Register, Des Moines, IA, 7/15/94
Posted on October 1, 1994
Ski-masked burglars have been robbing and terrifying women in Des
Moines, Iowa. But at least one criminal had the scare put on him.
Ardella Oetting heard a noise in the middle of the night and saw
someone on her patio. "I got my gun and I walked up to him while he
was trying to open the glass door," says Oetting. "I pointed my .357
right at him and said, 'Can I help you?'" That was enough to send the
felon fleeing.
16
The Press-Citizen, Iowa City, IA, 10/15/90
Posted on January 1, 1991
When Eric Stewart of Oxford, Iowa, heard that an Iowa state trooper
had been killed in a plane crash while participating in the manhunt for
a robbery suspect, he got his revolver, jumped in his car and joined
the search. He passed a man on foot he thought might be the
suspect. Stewart stopped at a local farm, and while he was talking to
the owners, the man attempted to force his way into the home.
Stewart captured and held him at gunpoint until police arrived.
The Register, Des Moines, IA, 8/23/90
Posted on December 1, 1990
"The first one to come through the door is going to get it," said 72year-old Evans Parker to a pair of housebreakers outside his Des
Moines, Iowa, home. Parker shot the first intruder, hitting him in the
stomach, but was knocked down with part of a car jack. Parker told
them where to find his wallet, but the thieves left it on the porch when
they departed, overlooking the money hidden under a flap. Parker
vowed to be better armed next time: "I'm going to have to trade my
.32 for a .38," he said.
The World-Herald, Omaha, NE, 12/28/89
Posted on March 1, 1990
Council Bluffs, Iowa, gas station attendant Wilber Childers was
mopping when a ski-masked man entered and demanded money.
Childers struck him with the mop handle and forced him out the door.
In moments another masked robber--armed with a shotgun--tried to
rob the station. The attendant sprinted for the counter and grabbed a
handgun just as the robber fired a blast over his head. Childers
pointed his gun at the man, who said, "Please don't shoot me," and
then ran from the building.
17
The Times, Quad-Cities, IL, 12/24/86
Posted on March 1, 1987
John Calvin heard glass breaking, and someone trying to enter the
kitchen of his Davenport, Iowa, home. Getting his shotgun, Calvin
confronted a man carrying two screwdrivers and held the intruder at
bay until police arrived.
The Register, Des Moines, IA, 11/19/86
Posted on February 1, 1987
When 16-year-old Brian Urbanek saw a man approach his family's
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, home, he woke his mother and grabbed his .410
shotgun. As he loaded, he heard his mother yell and ran downstairs
to find her grappling with the knife-wielding intruder. After several
warnings, Urbanek fatally shot the man. A juvenile court judge found
the youth innocent in the slaying, saying the boy was only trying to
protect his mother.
The Register, Des Moines, IA, 3/16/93
Posted on September 1, 1983
Two men approached a pair of young girls as they got off a bus in
Des Moines, Iowa, and asked to go home with them. The girls hurried
away, but one was followed to her home. The pursuers entered the
house and began taunting the child with lewd comments. Her mother,
Elizabeth Tedesco, overheard the men, grabbed a gun and held them
until her police officer husband arrived to take them into custody.
18
The Register, Des Moines, IA
Posted on July 1, 1983
As he switched off the television set, Hugh Gallup heard the stairs
creaking in his Missouri Valley, Iowa, home. Gallup armed himself
with a pistol, then was faced by a masked man waving a knife. The
homeowner fired two warning shots, but the invader kept moving
toward him. With more shots, Gallup dealt the thug a mortal injury.
The dead man was later identified as having been recently released
on parole from an Iowa prison.
The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, IA, 5/2/82
Posted on July 1, 1982
John Deveny was asleep on a pool table in his Des Moines, Iowa,
bar, when he heard the sounds of forced entry. He grabbed a .22
pistol and opened fire, killing an intruder who police found dead with a
crowbar in his hand.
The Tribune, Des Moines, IA, 1/7/81
Posted on April 1, 1981
Virginia Bermann, 64, was alone in her Des Moines, Iowa, home
when a pair of burglars crashed in. Taking refuge in her bedroom,
she fired a warning shot through the door routing the housebreakers,
who fled empty-handed.
19
The State Journal and Register, Springfield, IL, 8/20/81
Posted on November 1, 1981
Thelma Kouba, 85, suffering from shock, had to be removed from her
home by ambulance, after a neighbor's pet bear tried to break into
her Garwin, Iowa, home. The result was kept from being worse by her
son George, who shot the bear twice, slowing it down enough for a
game warden to deliver the coup de grace.
The Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, IA, 12/15/80
Posted on March 1, 1981
A quintet of youthful extortionists threatened Council Bluff, Iowa,
motel owner Rex Nelson with a tire tool and demanded his wallet. But
they didn't count on the reaction of Nelson's wife Velma, who came to
his rescue, driving the five away with a pistol. Police caught the
criminals later on a highway outside town.
The Register, Des Moines, IA, 3/12/80
Posted on June 1, 1980
When 89-year-old Bernard Huston heard someone forcing open a
door to his Des Moines, Iowa, home, he got his 12-ga. shotgun.
Finding an armed intruder in the hallway, Huston fired, and the
intruder and an accomplice fled. Police later arrested a suspect at a
local hospital where he was undergoing treatment for gunshot
wounds.
20
The Cedar Rapids Gazette, Cedar Rapids, IA
Posted on October 1, 1976
Awakened by the sounds of glass breaking in his sister's Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, home, Harry Nobel got a .22 revolver and investigated.
Entering the dining room, he met a ski-masked burglar carrying a
flashlight. Noble fired one shot. That sent the intruder fleeing.
Davis County Republican, Bloomfield, Davis County, IA
Posted on June 1, 1972
Charles Harward's Floris, Iowa, store was burglarized so often he
installed an alarm system connected to his home. Awakened one
night, he and his son took shotguns and went to investigate. They
caught and disarmed one man when another started shooting from
inside the store, then fled by car. He and the girl driver later
surrendered to police.
The Des Moines Tribune, Des Moines, IA
Posted on April 1, 1972
Meredith E. Johnson, 42, Des Moines, Iowa, was working in his office
one morning when he heard noises from another part of the building.
Taking a pistol to investigate, Johnson discovered two intruders, one
rifling a desk drawer. He then held the suspects for police.
21
Journal, Sioux City, IA
Posted on December 1, 1967
Drake University coed Becky Moore, 20, knew the rifle wasn't loaded.
But the man and woman who were prowling her parents' farm house
in Polk County, Iowa didn't. They fled when Becky, alone in the
house, emerged from her pantry hiding place, rifle in hand.
Tribune, Des Moines, IA
Posted on April 1, 1966
As Mrs. Jaetta Hensley was preparing to retire in her Des Moines,
Iowa, home, she was startled by the sound of breaking glass. Arming
herself with a pistol, Mrs. Hensley waited. When she heard the thug
nearing her bedroom, Mrs. Hensley kicked open the door and
ordered the startled man to halt. A neighbor who heard the break-in
called police who took the intruder into custody.
Herald, Oskaloosa, IA
Posted on May 1, 1961
Near Des Moines, Iowa, tavern keeper Edward Mercier ran for a
revolver kept under the bar and fired one shot at a bandit who
slashed the bartender with a switchblade knife after announcing a
holdup. The felon was dead when sheriff's deputies reached the
scene.
22
Prepared store owner foils robbery, WYMT, Hazard, Ky. 09/18/12
Posted on September 20, 2012
A pair of armed robbers entered the Meta Mart convenience store in
Pike County, Ky. and headed towards the counter. Upon spotting the
men, the clerk on duty called out to store owner Garry Thornsberry,
who was in a back office. After glancing up at a security monitor,
Thornsberry recognized the threat, retrieved a gun and fired at the
two criminals, causing them to flee.
Thornsberry told local media that he had mentally prepared himself
for a violent confrontation following robberies at other stores in the
area, stating, “You have to prepare. It’s too late when it happens to
start thinking ‘what am I going to do.’” Thornsberry went on to
comment, “Until we get some of these people off the streets we’re
going to have to live in fear of going to work.” (WYMT, Hazard, Ky.
09/18/12)
92-year-old World War II vet fights off home invaders, NKY.com,
Northern Kentucky, September 3, 2012
Posted on September 5, 2012
92-year-old World War II veteran Earl Jones was at home on the
Boone County, Ky. farm he has worked for over five decades when
he heard a loud noise in the basement. Jones retrieved a .22-caliber
rifle and went to a chair opposite the door to the basement. After
several minutes, a home invader came through the basement door, at
which point Jones fired at the criminal, killing him. The dead intruder’s
accomplices fled the scene, but were captured after calling police
with a lie about how their cohort had been shot.
During an interview with local media, Jones made clear his adamant
support for the right to self-defense. Jones told a reporter, “I didn’t go
to war for nothing. I have the right to carry a gun. That’s what I told
the police this morning,” adding, “Was I scared? Was I mad? Hell,
no… It was simple. That man was going to take my life. He was
hunting me. I was protecting myself.” (NKY.com, Northern Kentucky,
September 3, 2012)
23
WPSD, Paducah, Ky. 03/19/12, The Tribune-Courier, Marshall
County, Ky. 03/20/12
Posted on March 23, 2012
78-year-old Jack Thompson and his wife were at asleep in their
Brewers, Ky. home when two burglars, at least one of whom was
armed, kicked their door in. Upon hearing the burglars, Thompson
retrieved a handgun he keeps by the bed and confronted one of the
home invaders at the bedroom door. Thompson fired at the criminal
three times, striking him once. But the wounded intruder was
relentless and continued after Thompson, until Thompson retrieved a
shotgun and shot the burglar in the shoulder, ending the incident. The
injured intruder was airlifted to a local hospital, where he underwent
surgery; his accomplice fled before police arrived.
During an interview with local media, Thompson made clear that he
intends to keep the pistol by his bed, but doesn’t think he’ll need it,
stating, “I don't think he'll want what his friend got.” (WPSD, Paducah,
Ky. 03/19/12, The Tribune-Courier, Marshall County, Ky. 03/20/12)
WKYT, Lexington, Ky. 02/09/12
Posted on February 14, 2012
Bobby Lee and his two-year-old daughter Zoey were asleep in their
Laurel County, Ky. home, when a trio of criminals broke into the
house. One of the intruders made it into Lee’s bedroom, at which
point Lee retrieved a gun, fired it, striking one of the burglars, and
chased all three criminals from the home. The home invaders made it
to their getaway SUV, but when it broke down Lee ordered all of them
out of the vehicle and held them until police could arrive.
Lee bought his firearm after a previous burglary and practiced with it
several times in order to be prepared for just such a scenario. When
interviewed by local media, Lee noted, “I’m happy I protected my
family. That is something you can take pride in.” (WKYT, Lexington,
Ky. 02/09/12)
24
WKYT, Lexington, Ky. 12/05/11
Posted on December 8, 2011
A pair of armed robbers entered B&N Towing in Lexington, Ky at
around 2 p.m. As one feigned interest in selling the owner an
alternator, the other circled around the owner, then produced a gun
and demanded money. In response, the owner drew a handgun and
shot the armed criminal. Despite being wounded, the robber began
struggling with the owner over the gun, forcing the owner to shoot the
robber two more times, which finally caused the attacker to flee. The
owner suffered minor injuries in the altercation, but is expected to be
fine.
WHAS, Louisville, Ky. 05/09/11
Posted on May 10, 2011
After being dropped off by a getaway driver at around 3:30 a.m., a
criminal broke into a home in Floyd County, Ind. through a garage
door. A resident of the home became aware of the break-in, retrieved
a gun and fired twice at the intruder, striking him once in the chest.
Once struck, the criminal fled the home and into the waiting getaway
car. Police captured the home invader about an hour later when he
arrived at a local hospital seeking treatment. A neighbor interviewed
by the local media was supportive of the resident’s actions, stating,
“It’s bad if you have to shoot somebody. But you never know if
somebody’s going to hurt you or you children.” The resident is not
expected to face charges.
25
WDRB, Louisville, Ky. 1/19/11
Posted on January 21, 2011
After robbing two convenience stores, a criminal entered the Knapps
Food Mart in Louisville, Ky. with the goal of robbing a third. As the
criminal ordered a cashier into the store’s office, where the store
owner was located, the owner retrieved a gun and fired at the robber,
striking him several times. The criminal fled the scene and travelled a
short distance to another convenience store, but was taken to a local
hospital when a bystander noticed his wounds. Police suspect the
criminal is responsible for at least ten other robberies.
The Lexington Herald-Leader, Lexington, Ky. 12/09/10
Posted on December 10, 2010
A trio of home invaders broke into a house in Taylor County, Ky. After
the criminals left, the homeowner called police and gave a description
of the intruders’ vehicle. Police soon spotted the criminals and gave
chase, but lost them when they parked behind a home in Green
County, Ky. The criminals forced their way inside the second home,
but the owner was armed and fired at them, causing them to flee.
Having been forced back onto the road by the armed citizen, police
soon caught sight of the criminals and continued the pursuit, which
ended when police used a spike strip to disable their vehicle. Police
suspect the trio in a string of burglaries.
26
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky. 07/12/10, WHAS, Louisville, Ky.
07/12/10
Posted on July 14, 2010
A homeowner was asleep at home with his wife and four children in
Louisville, Ky. when the burglar alarm sounded. After retrieving a gun,
the homeowner went to investigate and spotted two criminals trying to
break through the front door. The homeowner fired at the criminals,
striking one in the head and causing the other to flee. Authorities
captured the wounded intruder and brought him to a local hospital,
where he was listed in serious condition. Police do not plan to charge
the homeowner Metro Police Officer Carey Klein explained, stating,
“When someone tries to break into your home, you are allowed to
protect your home if you feel your life is in danger.” Neighbors were
also supportive of the homeowner’s actions, with neighbor Lester Hill
remarking, “He's trying to come into your house and take what you
got, so you've got to defend yourself.”
WKYT, Lexington, Ky. 06/24/10
Posted on June 25, 2010
A man was awakened in his home in Lexington, Ky., when a pair of
burglars kicked in his front door. When the homeowner retrieved a
gun and went to investigate the commotion, he saw one of the men in
a hallway and fired at him. The criminals were not struck, but
immediately fled the scene.
27
The West Kentucky Star, Paducah, Ky. 07/30/09
Posted on August 5, 2009
A homeowner in McCracken County, Ky. awoke around 2 a.m. to the
sound of his door being kicked in. The homeowner retrieved his
pistol, went to the door, and yelled to the trespasser that he was
armed. When the intruder failed to heed the homeowner ' s warning
and entered the home, the homeowner fired, striking the criminal.
Undeterred, the intruder attacked the homeowner and struggled with
the police who arrived at the home. Once in custody, the criminal was
taken to a local hospital, where he later died.
WKYT Lexington, Ky. 03/17/09
Posted on March 19, 2009
Around 2 a.m. a father and son at their home in Lexington, Ky.
awakened to the sound of burglar Josh Slone kicking in their back
door. The father grabbed his shotgun and met Slone at the door. The
father forced Slone to the ground at gunpoint, while his son called
911. The police arrived and booked Slone on charges of burglary and
criminal mischief. Two hours later, Slone’s cousin attempted to break
into the same home. The father and son team once again retrieved
their guns, but Slone’s cousin was unable to get into the home before
the police arrived to arrest him.
28
WAVE, Louisville, Ky. 02/10/09, The Courier Journal, Louisville, Ky.
02/11/09
Posted on February 12, 2009
Around 3p.m., a father and his two adult sons broke into a home in
Louisville, Ky. The men were armed with duct tape, wire and a
handgun. Upon becoming aware of the break-in, the homeowner
retrieved his semi-automatic rifle. After a physical altercation with the
group, the homeowner fired at the criminals, striking and killing the
father, while the two sons fled. One of the sons was later arrested
and charged with burglary, assault, kidnapping and even the murder
of his father, since his death occurred as a result of a felonious act
the son was engaged in. The other son is still at large. Lt. Barry
Wilkerson of the Louisville Metro Police stated that the homeowner
has not been charged in the incident and went on to say, “The
homeowner has a right to protect himself.”
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY, 6/6/08
Posted on June 6, 2008
Seventy-year-old Billy Jackson and his wife, of Louisville, Ky., were
cleaning a rental apartment in their house when two robbers forced
their way in and demanded Mr. Jackson’s wallet while threatening to
kill him. "They had the weapon two feet from my head -- I thought I
was dead," he said. Mr. Jackson, wanting to protect his wife, feigned
a heart attack to distract the intruders while he reached for the
handgun in his waistband, then fatally shot the two assailants.
29
Associated Press, Ashland, Ky., 3/8/07
Posted on June 1, 2007
SOMETHING DIDN'T ADD Up about the two men claiming to be
policemen, and Jason Daniels wouldn't answer the door. Police say
Daniels' suspicions proved valid when the suspects broke into the
home and tied him up. They began ransacking the home, and Daniels
took the opportunity to free himself and grab a 9mm pistol from a
cabinet. According to the police report, "When the suspects returned,
they found Mr. Daniels armed and in a shooting stance." One of the
suspects attempted to draw a revolver, and Daniels shot him. The
injured suspect died and the other was apprehended.
Bowling Green Daily News, Bowling Green, Ken., 12/9/04
Posted on December 1, 2004
After being notified that the burglar alarm in his Bowling Green, Ken.,
pharmacy had activated, Carroll Bevarly went to check it out, bringing
along a shotgun and a handgun. He quickly found that burglars had
removed a ventilator from the roof to gain entry and confronted them.
After a brief struggle, the two would-be thiefs fled. Two suspects were
later arrested, and police believe they may have been involved in a
string of burglaries.
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY, 4/10/02
Posted on July 1, 2002
Charlotte Venters and her boyfriend, Brent Billings, were at home at a
Muncie, Ind., mobile home park when a neighbor kicked in their door
and held a steak knife to Billings' throat, threatening to kill him.
Venters came out of another room armed with a gun and warned the
intruder not to harm her boyfriend, said Delaware County prosecutor
Richard Reed. When the suspect pointed his knife at Venters and
made threatening remarks, she shot and killed the intruder.
Prosecutors later said their attacker had been arrested at least 17
times in the past 11 years on various charges.
30
Lexington Herald-Leader, Lexington, Ky., 10/30/01
Posted on January 1, 2002
A 77-year-old woman shot one of two men as they tried to break into
her home early one morning. The woman told deputies she had been
awakened about 1:30 in the morning when she heard someone
banging loudly on her back door. The homeowner, who lives alone,
grabbed her .38-cal. handgun and fired four shots, striking one
intruder as he attempted to climb through a bedroom window. The
suspects fled in a car and then crashed into a guardrail on a nearby
highway.
The Outlook, Monticello, Ky., 9/5/2001
Posted on December 1, 2001
Wayne County, Ky., man, after breaking into a home, was fatally shot
by a woman staying at the residence. Wayne County Sheriff Jim Hill
said the intruder was shot with a .22-cal. revolver after entering the
home through the back door. He was wearing a nylon stocking mask.
Hill noted there have been a number of recent burglary attempts at
the house, which is not used as a permanent residence.
The Kentucky Post, Covington, KY, 8/20/99
Posted on November 1, 1999
Retired utility worker Joe Mergerle was walking in a Kenton County,
Kentucky, park one morning when a man approached him, drew a
pistol and demanded money. Fortunately, Mergerle was one of
51,000 Kentucky residents who held a firearms carry permit under a
three-year-old state law allowing concealed carry. The law along with
Mergerle's .25-cal. pistol may well have spared his life. Mergerle,
fearing for his safety, drew the gun and shot his attacker twice,
sending him to the hospital in critical condition. The would-be mugger
is facing an attempted robbery charge and may also be charged with
attempted murder. Sheriff Charles Korzenborn said of the incident,
"People have not only a right but a responsibility to take care of
themselves."
31
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY (6/3/99)
Posted on August 1, 1999
The robber fraternity apparently has failed to spread the word among
its members that hitting the Bank of Clarkson, Kentucky, when banker
Clyde Bratcher is on duty can be a fatal mistake. Bratcher was in his
office one Tuesday afternoon when a man vaulted over the bank
counter and declared, "This is a robbery!" Bratcher charged to the
rescue, firing twice with a handgun whose shots fatally struck the
bandit in the chest. He had protected the bank's assets in a similar
manner only three years earlier by dispatching yet another would-be
crook who walked into the bank wielding a rifle and wearing a
stocking on his head. Bratcher s grandfather also named Clyde
Bratcher was a bank president when, in 1958, he ran off three
bandits, pointing at them with a gun whose 35-year old cartridges
failed to fire.
Lexington Herald-Leader, Lexington, KY (4/20/99)
Posted on July 1, 1999
Three people armed with a handgun entered the rural, south central
Kentucky home of Harold Clontz early one morning and proceeded to
club the 55-year-old, duct-tape his hands and steal several hundred
dollars from his wallet, according to authorities. What the trio hadn't
counted on was that another man who lived with Clontz was in a back
bedroom at the time of the invasion, and was himself armed with a
12-ga. shotgun. "He heard the commotion and came out and
commenced firing," said Laurel county Sheriff Gene Hollon. When the
smoke cleared, one of the intruders was dead, another was in critical
condition and the third fled only to be caught by police later the same
day.
32
The Daily News, Bowling Green, KY, 5/14/97
Posted on September 1, 1997
Anne Barry of Bowling Green, Kentucky, knows the importance of
having a firearm. "If I hadn't had that gun, I wouldn't have had a
chance," she said. She was asleep alone in her home when she
heard the sound of her garage door being broken in. She grabbed her
.357 Mag. revolver and waited for the intruder, who appeared in her
hallway brandishing a pistol. As he turned to look into another room,
she fired once, hitting the man. He fled, but was arrested for an
alleged break-in not far from Barry's home. "If he would have turned
around, he would have killed me. It was survival. It was him or me,"
she said. Police lauded Barry's actions
The Daily News, Middleboro, KY, 10/15/96
Posted on May 1, 1997
"He didn't stay long. He went running because I had something to
make him run," said 77-year-old Anna Lee England after forcing a
bandit from her Calloway, Kentucky, country store. The elderly
woman was in the store her late husband built in 1967 when a
masked man believed to be in his 20s entered and demanded
everything in the cash register. Instead, England pulled out a .38 and
ordered the thug to leave. He did so quickly. A suspect was soon
detained and questioned in the case. "I just figured I had worked for
what I had, and I was going to protect it. I was just using common
sense," England said.
The Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, KY, 8/9/96
Posted on January 1, 1997
Clyde Bratcher had just opened the rural Clarkson, Kentucky, bank
branch he managed when a man opened the front door and pointed a
rifle at him. Bratcher drew a .45 cal. handgun from beneath the
counter and shot the apparent robber, who staggered outside and
collapsed. Not realizing the suspect would expire before fleeing,
Bratcher followed him outside and shot the tires out on his car.
33
The Herald- Leader, Lexington, KY, 6/17/96
Posted on October 1, 1996
With her husband and son away at church, Brenda Hibbitts was alone
in her London, Kentucky, home when three men broke in through her
front door. At the commotion, Hibbitts grabbed a 9 mm and
confronted the housebreakers, one of whom charged the woman with
a hammer. Hibbitts fired, wounding the brute and forcing all of the
intruders from the premises. Four suspects were arrested in the
incident.
The Enquirer, Pineville, KY, 4/4/96
Posted on September 1, 1996
After spotting a strange truck in the driveway of her Bell County,
Kentucky, home, Darlene Craig stopped and confronted the two men
she found in the process of stealing her television, VCR and other
items. Craig used her .357 to even the playing field and forced both
men to sit on the couch while she dialed 911. When one of the crooks
pushed down the phone's receiver and said he didn't think the woman
would shoot, Craig dared them to "give [her] a reason." The two
opted to wait for police.
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY, 12/17/95
Posted on April 1, 1996
When three men attempted to rob Cleon Sumner in his Vicco,
Kentucky, home, Sumner fought back by shooting at his attackers,
killing one and wounding another as the third man fled. Sumner
suffered only a minor head injury and the third suspect was later
arrested. Sumner was not charged with any wrongdoing.
34
The Sun, Paducah, KY, 11/2/94
Posted on March 1, 1995
State and local law enforcement officials praised Elva, Kentucky,
resident Anthony Sexton, his brother, and two cousins after they
captured four men being sought in a manhunt after burglarizing a
nearby home. Sexton came upon two of the wanted men on a road
and confronted them. His relatives found two more suspects hiding in
the woods. When one of the criminals attempted to pull a stolen .357
Mag., it became entangled in the lining of his jacket--a fortunate thing
for the criminal. "He doesn't know how close he came to getting killed
right there," said Sexton, who had a gun of his own. The criminals
were held at gunpoint until police could arrive.
The Herald-Leader, Lexington, KY, 8/10/93
Posted on December 1, 1993
A Lexington, Kentucky, man had the competition seriously outgunned
and didn't hesitate to prove it. Finding a man trying to break into his
car in a parking lot, he ordered the burglar to stop. Instead of
complying, the would-be thief pointed a small pistol at the car owner,
who pulled his .45 and shot the gunman in the stomach.
The Advocate-Messenger, Danville, KY, 4/8/93
Posted on July 1, 1993
James Petry was asleep in his Waynesburg, Kentucky, home when
two armed men kicked down the door, apparently intent on burglary.
Awakened by the commotion, Petry grabbed a pistol and fired,
wounding one of the burglars and putting both to flight. Two suspects,
one wounded, were apprehended shortly after.
35
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY, 12/2/92
Posted on March 1, 1993
Claiming to be electrical inspectors, two men gained entry to an
elderly Golo, Ky., couple's home and pretended to inspect electrical
outlets. When the homeowner found one of the men rifling his wife's
purse, however, he grabbed a handgun and drove the men off with
several shots.
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY, 3/17/92
Posted on August 1, 1992
Believing the burglars who took more than $20,000 in tools and
motorcycles from his motorcycle shop in Jeffersonville, Ky., would
return, Jim Beatty armed himself with a shotgun and waited. When
two men broke into the shop, Beatty forced them back out again with
several warning blasts.
The Herald-Leader, Lexington, KY, 3/16/90
Posted on June 1, 1990
Sitting in his Bonnyman, Ky., home, 80-year-old Charles McIntosh
heard the burglar alarm sound in his daughter's home next door.
While investigating, the armed McIntosh was attacked by a 33-yearold intruder but managed to fatally shoot him.
The Herald-Leader, Lexington, KY, 7/21/87
Posted on November 1, 1987
Alerted by the sound of his front door being kicked in, Lexington, Ky.,
resident Bernard McCarthy armed himself. When a knife-wielding
burglar burst into McCarthy's residence, the homeowner warned he
would shoot. As the man continued to threaten him with a knife,
McCarthy fired, wounding him. Charges of first-degree burglary were
placed against the man.
36
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY, 3/13/87
Posted on June 1, 1987
An armed intruder kicked down the bedroom door of Sidney Milner's
Louisville, Ky., home, pointed a pistol at the resident and his wife and
said, "Don't move or I'll kill you." The 72-year-old homeowner
responded by picking up a shotgun near his bed and firing at the
intruder, wounding the man. The suspect had been free on his own
recognizance on nine unrelated counts of robbery. Milner was not
charged.
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY, 2/24/87
Posted on May 1, 1987
Seventy-year-old Eric Christian stepped onto the porch of his
Louisville, Ky., home to check a bird feeder when he was attacked by
an armed masked man. His 72-year-old wife tried to lock the door,
but the man caught her and dragged the elderly couple into the
backyard. Alerted by the noise, two neighbors, one armed with a
handgun, came to see what was happening. When confronted by one
neighbor, the attacker ran to the front of the house where he met Jeff
Tafel. The intruder shot at Tafel, who returned fire and killed the man.
Tafel was not charged.
The Times, Louisville, KY, 10/27/86
Posted on January 1, 1987
When two men, identifying themselves as employees of a Louisville,
Ky., hotel, knocked on Essel Jones' room door late at night, he
became suspicious. They said they were checking the heating
system but Jones came to the door, armed with a .38. When he
opened the door, one man shoved a gun in his face and said it was a
hold up. Jones shot the man and the pair fled, only to be arrested at
an area hospital when one sus- pect sought treatment for a bullet
wound.
37
The Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, 5/30/86
Posted on September 1, 1986
A Covington, Ky., resident awoke to find a strange man in his kitchen.
The intruder fled, but Gerry McComas grabbed a rifle and went after
him. The chase ended at the rear of Covington police headquarters,
where the intruder was promptly arrested.
The Herald-Leader, Lexington, KY
Posted on July 1, 1986
Bursting into the Flat Creek, Ky., home, the masked robber pointed a
gun at the horrifed family and demanded drugs and money.
Homeowner Walter Peach grabbed a handgun and killed the intruder.
Police arrested an alleged partner.
The Advocate-Messenger, Danville, KY, 2/20/86
Posted on May 1, 1986
Investigating a sound in his Walnut Flat, Ky., country store, Harry
Bowling was met with gunfire from a burglar trying to enter the store.
The spunky 93-year-old storekeeper wasn't about to give up, though.
Finding his phone line cut, he grabbed two pistols and returned fire.
With his housekeeper reloading his handguns, Bowling traded
dozens of shots with the robber, finally driving him off.
The Herald, Harrodsburg, KY, 2/28/85
Posted on July 1, 1985
Mercer Co., Ky., mail carrier Loyd Bradley was lying in bed when a
rifle-wielding criminal smashed a window and began climbing through
it. When the invader threatened to kill him, Bradley grabbed a
shotgun and fired a shot that halted the attack. Police arrived on the
scene moments later and took the wounded suspect into custody,
charging him for a series of crimes committed earlier that day.
38
The Daily News, Bowling Green, KY, 2/3/85
Posted on April 1, 1985
Walter Brown, who lives above his Bowling Green, Ky., store,
awakened to sounds of a break-in. Brown grabbed a rifle, then
confronted and held a would-be burglar until police arrived.
The New Era, Hopkinsville, KY
Posted on October 1, 1983
A would-be housebreaker ripped the telephone lines from her home
and threw rocks through a window, but Ella McReynolds, 69, of
Hopkinsville, Ky., held him off by firing a pistol through the shattered
pane. Brothers Roy and John Cozac, who were target shooting
nearby, rushed to the disturbance and held the culprit at gunpoint
until a state trooper arrived.
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY
Posted on October 1, 1983
Leaving her disabled husband, Grace Edenholm
grabbed a revolver before answering a pre-dawn
pounding at the door of their rural Rockcastle
County, Ky., home. When she cracked the door, a
young shotgun-toting criminal pushed his way in,
backing her across the room until she stopped
him with a fatal gunshot. "If I start running
because some hoodlums say, 'I'm going to bother
you,' then I don't feel I'm really an American," said
the 67-year-old woman. "...As long as we call this
a land of liberty, we have to...fight for the liberty."
39
The Daily Leader, Fulton, KY, 7/1/83
Posted on September 1, 1983
Mayme Sanders felt the presence of someone in the bedroom of her
Fulton, Ky., home shortly after midnight and looked up to find a man
standing over her. "I told him to get out of my house, that he didn't
belong there," recounted the elderly widow. "Then I brought out the
pistol and started firing." A pair of shots from her .32 revolver sent the
intruder fleeing. Police apprehended a suspect a short time later.
The Sunday Courier and Press, Evansville, IN
Posted on January 1, 1983
A man stepped up to the checkout counter of a Providenc, Ky.,
pharmacy with a tube of salve. When the clerk rang up the sale, the
man pulled a gun and told her to stay quiet. He then ordered
pharmacist Jim Scott to come to the counter. When Scott obeyed, the
robber fired a shot his way. The bullet missed, but the druggist,
having taken up a pistol, returned two rounds which mortally
wounded the gunman.
The Breckenridge County Herald-News, Hardinsburg, KY, 12/10/81
Posted on April 1, 1982
J.D. Tobin of Irvington, Ky., saw the back door of his grocery store
standing open and decided to investigate after summoning his son to
bring his pistol. Tobin got the drop on a burglar whose arms were full
of loot and held the man for police.
40
The Times, Louisville, KY, 7/18/81
Posted on November 1, 1981
Warren Redmond, 87, handed over money to a 15-year-old
delinquent who invaded his Louisville, Ky., home. But when the
young criminal began to beat him, Redmond grabbed a .44 Mag.
revolver and fired once, killing the assailant.
The Times-Tribune, Corbin, KY
Posted on October 1, 1980
Corbin, Ky., motel operator Ray Miracle came upon state trooper
James Phelps attempting to subdue two drunken occupants of a
stopped auto and, carrying his revolver, went to the officer's aid. At
that point, another car stopped and one of two men inside levelled a
gun on Trooper Phelps. Seeing Miracle's drawn gun, however, they
hastily drove off. Kentucky State Police rewarded Miracle with their
highest civilian honor.
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY
Posted on January 1, 1980
Responding to a knock at the door of his Louisville, Ky., home, James
F. Freeman was confronted by an armed man who ordered him and
five friends to lie on the floor and then demanded cash. When
Freeman's wife went into another room to get the money, the gunman
followed. Freeman hurriedly found his revolver and greeted the
robber with a burst of gunfire, wounding him in the side. The robber
managed to escape with the cash but was later identified by Freeman
at a hospital and arrested.
41
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY
Posted on December 1, 1979
Shortly after midnight, the Thomas V. Shouses were awakened by
the doorbell at their Louisville, Ky., home. Shouse responded and
found two women who asked to use the telephone. As the women
entered, two male accomplices, one of them armed, burst into the
house and demanded money and valuables. Shouse's wife, who had
remained upstairs, heard the commotion and fired four warning shots
from a .22-pistol; the foursome fled.
The Times, Louisville, KY
Posted on January 1, 1979
When George Bellamy didn't answer the door of his Park City, Ky.,
home, two men broke the lock and stormed into the living room.
Bellamy yelled at one of the men who responded by shooting at him.
With that, the 73-year-old Kentuckian grabbed his deer rifle and tried
to shoot one of the intruders only to have the gun misfire. When one
of the bandits then made a move toward his wife, Bellamy tried to
shoot again--this time the gun fired, fatally wounding the hoodlum,
and causing his accomplice to flee.
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY
Posted on October 1, 1978
Wilbur Shacklette, Louisville, Ky., octogenarian, answered his door,
opening it a crack only to have two intruders push their way through
and grab him by the throat. Struggling with the two, Shacklette
managed to draw a pistol from his pocket and fire a shot, hitting one
of his assailants in the stomach and causing both men to flee. The
wounded criminal was arrested at the hospital.
42
The Leader, Lexington, KY
Posted on September 1, 1978
When Jackie Murphy, a clerk at Sims Liquor Store in Lexington, Ky.,
returned with change and a bottle of liquor, the man she was serving
drew a knife. She quickly pulled a pistol from under the counter and
pointed it at him, scaring him so much that he dropped his knife and
fled with neither his liquor nor his money.
The Tennessean, Nashville, TN
Posted on August 1, 1978
After banging on the door, the bandit, who had waited for Rebecca
Rone's husband to leave their home in Clarksville, Ky., pulled out his
gun. Watching from behind a curtain, Rone, in an attempt to
discourage the gunman, pulled the fabric aside to show him that she,
too, was armed with a handgun. Nevertheless, he fired, and Rone,
jumping to the side returned fire through the glass and frightened him
away. Authorities apprehended the man a short time later.
The Daily Independent, Ashland, KY
Posted on October 1, 1977
Seventy-six year-old J.H. Short saw three youthful thugs preparing to
rob his Meally, Ky., grocery. He concealed his own pistol and waited.
Whem the trio entered and threatened Short with a shotgun, he
opened fire, wounding one and sending the three fleeing.
The Kentucky Advocate, Danville, KY
Posted on September 1, 1977
When four burglars broke through the back door of Geneva's Store in
rural Stanford, Ky., they got an unpleasant surprise. Owners Julian
Farmer and Bobby Yocum were waiting in the store, armed with
shotguns. The thieves quickly surrendered.
43
The Sunday Herald-Leader, Lexington, KY
Posted on February 1, 1977
Mark Anderson, an employee of a Lexington, Ky., market, was
working in the rear of the store when he heard someone trying to
break in the back door. Anderson got a handgun, crouched behind a
counter and waited. When the would-be burglar entered the market,
Anderson surprised him and held him at gunpoint until police arrived.
The Louisville Times, Lousivlle, KY
Posted on May 1, 1973
Confronted by a gunman in his Louisville, Ky., market, Thomas
Kremer drew a pistol, fired twice, and killed the man. A tattoo on the
slain robber's left arm ironically proclaimed--"Crime Don't Pay."
Daily News, Middlesboro, KY
Posted on April 1, 1973
Two men wearing nylon stockings over their heads attempted to enter
the Arjay, Ky., home of Dr. R.R. Evans. Mistakenly believing they
were hidden by darkness, the pair feigned illness to get the doctor to
open the door. They left only after Evans told them he would shoot.
They would have been "fools to think I wasn't armed," the doctor told
police later.
Central Kentucky News, Campbellsville, KY
Posted on October 1, 1972
Two armed men confronted Mrs. Ray Gaskin and her son at the front
door of the Gaskins' Adair County, Ky., home. While the intruders
held a knife and shotgun on his wife and son, Ray Gaskin sneaked
up behind the men and pointing a pistol at them told them to "get".
They did.
44
The Times Journal, Russell Springs, KY
Posted on March 1, 1972
Three quick shots late one night broke the silence around Mrs. Ruth
Geiger's isolated farmhouse near Russell Springs, Ky. A fourth
shattered a lightbulb outside. Alone, Mrs. Geiger instinctively pulled
out a shotgun when someone tried to force her front door. But the
gun was unloaded so she grabbed a pistol and fired, scaring the
housebreaker off.
The Louisville Times, Louisville, KY
Posted on October 1, 1971
Bruce Hamilton, Oldham [Ky.] County Attorney, was working in his
office about noon one day when a man rushed in and stabbed him in
the stomach. Pulling a gun from his desk, Hamilton held off his
attacker until the sheriff arrived. Hamilton was not injured seriously.
The Lexington Leader, Lexington, KY
Posted on June 1, 1971
When a holdup man entered a Lexington, Ky., grocery store and
demanded to look into the cash register, Junior Mattingly, a clerk,
pulled a gun and scared him out of the store. The would-be robber
was identified and later arrested.
45
Times, Louisville, KY
Posted on June 1, 1970
When Robert Mauk, sales manager of a Louisville, Ky., used car lot,
saw two men trying to start a car on the lot at 2 A.M., he got a
revolver and ordered them to stop. One man started to drive the car
away but stopped when Mauk fired a warning shot. The other ran, but
was apprehended by police as he was getting into another stolen car
down the street.
Herald, Lexington, KY
Posted on January 1, 1968
Randy Carter was lunching with the vice-president of the Bank of
Caneyville, Ky., when a teller dashed into the restaurant yelling that
the bank had been robbed. Carter and the bank officer obtained a
gun, ran to the bank and found the robber outside in his car with $849
in a pillow case. Carter fired, and the robber jumped out and ran.
Carter stopped him with a second shot.
Ledger, Columbus, GA
Posted on August 1, 1967
An intruder will remember the night he invaded the basement of St.
Mary's Catholic School in Covington, Ky. He found himself looking
down the barrel of a .38 revolver held by pistol-packing Rev. Edwin B.
Heile, who surprised him and took him into custody until police
arrived.
46
Leader, Lexington, KY
Posted on July 1, 1966
Two thugs walked into a Lexington, Ky., liquor store and announced
to clerk Jack Barr, "This is a stickup." One of the men walked behind
the counter and took money from the cash register. When the
gunmen started to leave, Barr jerked a pistol from under the counter
and started shooting. One of the bandits fled and the other one
ducked behind a safe and returned the fire. Barr ordered him to
surrender. The bandit complied and was held until police arrived.
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY
Posted on April 1, 1965
Taylorsville, Ky., farmer Roscoe Poe was alone in his home watching
television when two men armed with a pistol and a shotgun broke into
his house. Hearing the noise, Poe grabbed a double-barrel shotgun
and felled one of the intruders. When the other barrel misfired, Poe
ran to a bedroom, got a revolver, and shot the second intruder dead
Messenger and Inquirer, Owensboro, KY
Posted on February 1, 1965
Joe Christian, manager of a grocery store in Owensboro, Ky., saw his
cashier, Ronnie Payne, being held up. Christian got a .45 automatic
and followed the robber out the front door. The man turned and hit
Christian, and then began to run. After he failed to heed Christian's
command to halt, the store manager fired three shots, seriously
wounding the robber. The hold-up man later confessed that he had
robbed the same store twice previously.
47
Post & Times-Star, Cincinnati, OH
Posted on May 1, 1964
Newport, Ky., drugstore owner Parnell Bowling and his wife were in
the rear of their store. An armed bandit walked in and demanded
money. Mrs. Bowling walked calmly toward the cash register. As she
passed between the thug and her husband, Bowling grabbed a pistol
from a drawer and fired three times. The bandit fell dead.
Leader, Lexington, KY
Posted on October 1, 1962
When Mrs. Arletta Norton, wife of the operator of the Valley Drive-In
in Mt. Vernon, Ky., returned to the restaurant one night after closing,
she found two youths inside frying hamburgers and helping
themselves to candy, cigarettes, chewing gun and other stock items.
When police answered Mrs. Norton's call, they found her, armed with
a .38 revolver, firmly in command.
Leader, Lexington, KY
Posted on March 1, 1961
In Arjay, Ky., general store owner Curt Mills was shot in the shoulder
by one of two masked bandits who fled when Mills grabbed for his
pistol. Before they could make their getaway, however, Mills killed the
one who shot him and wounded the other.
48
The Tennessean, Nashville, TN
Posted on January 1, 1961
When two holdup men entered a pawnshop outside Ft. Campbell,
Ky., proprietor Andrew F. King told the one with the gun, "Son, you
can't get away with it. They'll get you sooner or later." Then, as the
armed member came through a gate to go behind the counter, King
seized a pistol from a shelf and fired. The mortally wounded bandit
fell to the floor and police quickly apprehended the fleeing companion
and the driver of their getaway car.
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY
Posted on December 1, 1960
When a felon, recently released from prison after serving eight years
for armed robbery, entered B.S. Denzinger's Louisville, Ky., liquor
store with his hand on an object in his pocket and demanded money,
Denzinger handed it over. But when the man ran out, Denzinger
grabbed his cal. .32 pistol and chased the thief into a blind alley, and
dropped him with a bullet in the arm.
Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY
Posted on September 1, 1960
When a gunman pointed a pistol at Edward J. Burns in his Louisville,
Ky., liquor store, the proprietor dashed behind a partition, the bandit
fired once, and Burns came out shooting with his cal. .32 revolver.
The gunman died in hospital with a bullet wound in the forehead.
49
The Morning Sentinel, Waterville, Maine 02/23/11
Posted on February 25, 2011
A mother and son were at home in Wilton, Maine, when a criminal
attempted to break into their home. The pair retrieved a 12-gauge
shotgun, dialed 911 and ordered the intruder to leave while warning
him that they were armed. When the intruder failed to comply, a shot
was fired through the door, which caused the criminal to flee.
Seacoastonline.com, Kennebunkport, Maine 02/02/09
Posted on February 3, 2009
Around 1:30 a.m., Eric Wallace broke into the Kennebunk, Maine
home of Judie and John Martel. Judie, who had been asleep
downstairs on a couch, heard a loud noise and followed it to find an
intoxicated Wallace using a tool to break apart their door. As Wallace
came inside, Judie shouted at him, telling him to leave. Rather than
leave, Wallace went back out the destroyed door and around to a
barn attached to the house. Judie called 911 and ran to get her
husband John, a Vietnam veteran, who retrieved his shotgun and
headed towards the barn. John confronted Wallace, who was once
again headed toward the house by way of the barn, and fired the
shotgun, causing Wallace to flee. Once the police arrived, they were
able to track Wallace back to his residence by following his footprints
in the snow. Police later confirmed that Wallace had several previous
convictions for theft and called the would-be burglars "pros."
50
Bangor Daily News, Bangor, ME, 06/15/05
Posted on September 1, 2005
Thanks to his trusty .22 rifle, it took less than 10 minutes for a Waldo
County, Maine, man to rid his home of intruders. The man and his
wife, both in their 70s, were awakened at 6:30 a.m. when their front
door was smashed open. The intruders -- at least two of them -blindfolded the woman and left her in the living room. They bound her
husband's feet to the footboard of his bed and threw a pillowcase
over his face. The home-invaders repeatedly asked the couple
"where the stuff was," said Maine State Police Detective David Tripp.
Exactly what 'stuff' they were looking for was unclear, but police
speculate they may have been looking for drugs. While the intruders
were elsewhere in the house, the man freed himself and retrieved a
.22-cal. rifle kept by the side of his bed. When one intruder returned
to the room, the man fired a shot at him, hitting the bedroom wall.
"They fled the residence," said Tripp. It was the fourth home invasion
reported in Waldo County in the past year.
Central Maine News, Eliot, ME, 11/05/04
Posted on February 1, 2005
In the dark of the night, an Eliot, Maine, homeowner was awakened
to the sounds of pounding and screaming at his front door. David
Oeser went to the entrance to find a 6-ft., 2-in., 330-lb. man breaking
down his door. Oeser then fled to his bedroom but was followed by
the intruder, who continued to scream incoherently. Oeser grabbed
his gun and yelled several times, "Stop or I will shoot," but the man
kept coming. Oeser fired, hitting him once. The man was
apprehended at the scene. Police later revealed that less than 24
hours earlier, the intruder had been arrested and given a psychiatric
exam after an unprovoked attack on a man in a local restaurant.
51
Bangor Daily News, Bangor, ME, 06/21/04
Posted on August 1, 2004
Shop Rite clerk Abdrab Ashishi was preparing to close the
convenience store for the night when a man dressed in black and
wearing a white Halloween mask moved behind the counter. The
masquerader, later identified as career criminal David Billups, pointed
what appeared to be a gun at Ashishi, who retrieved a handgun and
fired several shots at Billups, killing him. Hamilton County prosecutor
Mike Allen commented that Ashishi was within his rights. "He did
what he had the legal right to do: He got his weapon and fired," said
Allen.
The Ellsworth American, Ellsworth, ME, 7/20/00
Posted on June 1, 2001
An attack by a rabid raccoon on a Maine family's golden retrievers
could have had more tragic consequences were it not for their 12year-old son's attendance at a 4-H safe shooting course. The animal
had tangled with the dogs before scampering up a tree and then
returned to carry on the fight. As other family members grabbed their
dogs, quick-thinking Timothy Ahern put a stop to the melee by
dispatching the raccoon with a .22-cal. rifle. Fortunately, the
youngster placed his shot so the animal's brain could later be tested
for rabies. Unfortunately, the family still had to undergo a series of
anti-rabies shots as a precaution. That proved a wise decision when
animal wardens later confirmed the raccoon had indeed been rabid.
Portland Press Herald, Portland, ME, 8/18/99
Posted on November 1, 1999
With her husband and older sons on a camping trip, Kathy York and
her 7- and 8-year-old sons were left to fend for themselves when a
rabid skunk attacked the family dog at their Palmyra, Maine, home.
Fortunately, the 8-year-old was more than up to the task of reloading
the single-shot .22-cal. rifle for his mother who fired at the crazed,
wild animal seven or eight times before finally killing it, ending its
relentless attack.
52
Portland Press Herald, Portland, ME, 8/18/99
Posted on November 1, 1999
With her husband and older sons on a camping trip, Kathy York and
her 7- and 8-year-old sons were left to fend for themselves when a
rabid skunk attacked the family dog at their Palmyra, Maine, home.
Fortunately, the 8-year-old was more than up to the task of reloading
the single-shot .22-cal. rifle for his mother who fired at the crazed,
wild animal seven or eight times before finally killing it, ending its
relentless attack.
The Daily News, Bangor, ME, 3/1/97
Posted on June 1, 1997
Defense Secretary William Cohen's brother, Robert, opened the door
to his Bangor, Maine, home and found himself facing the same man
he had filed a police report on for harassing him in a bar two weeks
earlier. The man charged through the door and slashed Robert
Cohen, who fought back with a single shot from a .22 pistol. Cohen
attempted to back up the stairs, but again his six-foot, seven-inch
attacker came after him, cutting the homeowner on the face. Cohen
fired a second shot that sent the intruder tumbling down the stairs.
Police arrested the wounded man at the scene. Two accomplices
were also later apprehended.
The Daily News, Bangor, ME, 6/13/95
Posted on October 1, 1995
A Bangor, Maine, criminal was held for police by armed homeowners
Scott Simcock and Frank Page after the crook attempted to steal at
least three trucks in their neighborhood, extensively damaging two of
them in the process. Dome lights were also on in several other
vehicles along the secluded roadway, leading police to believe the
would-be crook had attempted to break into or steal at least four other
vehicles before being captured.
53
Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME, 1/2/95
Posted on May 1, 1995
When a muddy man in camouflage clothes wandered up his driveway
and asked for a ride, Waterboro, Maine, resident Ray Dion was
suspicious, since his house had just been burglarized. His suspicions
were confirmed when he spotted one of his tools in the break-in
artist's pocket. He held the would-be hitchhiker at gunpoint for state
troopers.
The Courier-Gazette, Rockland, ME, 4/23/92
Posted on August 1, 1992
Mark Rigas was working in his Waldoboro, Maine, pizza shop one
evening when a man walked in, waved a gun around and demanded
money. Instead of complying, Rigas pulled his own gun--which he
keeps in the shop for just such an occasion--and called police. The
would-be robber fled while Rigas was on the phone, but a suspect
was soon arrested. "I work too hard for my money to let some guy rob
me," said Rigas.
The Sun-Journal, Lewiston, ME, 10/9/91
Posted on March 1, 1992
His store burglarized twice in a week, Denis Picard of Lewiston,
Maine, was on hand for the third attempt. When he heard the door to
the business being broken down, Picard got a shotgun and
investigated. Finding a man pawing through a gun case, Picard
ordered him to stop. When the intruder instead started to advance,
Picard helped him make up his mind with a warning blast, then held
him for police.
54
The Evening Express, Portland, ME, 6/9/81
Posted on September 1, 1991
When Wallace Loffreda opened the front door of his Portland, Maine,
apartment, a youth lunged at him with a butcher knife. Loffreda, who
had armed himself with a pistol when the youth had earlier attempted
entry through a rear door, fired once, wounding his attacker. The
youth subsequently pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and criminal
threatening with a knife.
The Newspaper, Wiscasset, ME
Posted on February 1, 1981
NRA Life member Richard Willard awoke to the sounds of someone
rummaging about his Woolwich, Maine, home. Armed with a pistol,
he entered his living room and confronted an intruder who threw a
chair at him. Willard fired one shot that sent the man crashing through
a door in a hasty retreat.
The Daily News, Bangor, ME
Posted on February 1, 1981
Entering his law office in Bangor, Maine, attorney Peter A. Anderson,
an NRA Life member, found a burglar hiding behind his desk.
Anderson drew his licensed .357 Mag. revolver, ordered the intruder
to stay where he was, and called police. The man, who was armed
with a knife, was a suspect in other burglaries.
55
The Sunday Telegram, Portland, ME
Posted on March 1, 1979
Timothy Willard, a 22-year-old policeman in South Paris, Maine, was
shot to death by a man inside a car parked in the lot of O.D.V. Inc.
After gunning down the rookie policeman, the man fired wildly at
company president, Robert Carroll. Carroll, an NRA Life member,
drew his own gun and killed the man.
The Bangor Daily News, Bangor, ME
Posted on February 1, 1976
Though in his seventies, Louis Willett of Fairfield, Maine, proved more
than an equal match for three youths who approached his parked car,
threatened him with a rock and demanded money. Willett grabbed a
revolver and pointed it at the would-be thieves. They quickly fled.
The Portland Evening Express, Portland, ME
Posted on January 1, 1975
Three burglars were about to break into the Belgrade, Maine, home
of Mrs. Scott Cottle when they ran into resolute Mrs. Cottle at the
front door, rifle at the ready. They fled in a pickup truck. Police caught
them hours later and charged them on four counts of breaking and
entering.
Portland Press Herald, Portland, ME
Posted on July 1, 1973
Two hooded bandits, one brandishing a long bayonet-style knife
entered Linwood Eames' Brunswick, Maine, market and demanded
money. Eames dashed into a rear room, got a rifle and chased the
would-be robbers out of the store. The pair escaped in a car driven by
an accomplice.
Franklin Journal and Farmington Chronicle, Farmington, ME
56
Posted on November 1, 1972
Grocer Gordon Probert and his wife stayed in their Strong, Maine,
store the night after a breakin attempt. The vigil resulted in Probert's
apprehension of a would-be robber whom he held at shotgun point
until police arrived.
Review, Fort Fairfield, ME
Posted on May 1, 1960
In Fort Fairfield, Maine, Mrs. Otis Flannery woke her husband,
grabbed a Luger pistol, and ran across the road to their store where
they surprised two burglars. Mrs. Flannery forced the pair to lie at
gunpoint on the floor and held them until a policeman arrived to take
them to jail. Then Mrs. Flannery discovered two accomplices at the
nearby getaway car. They fled at her approach but halted when she
fired the Luger at them. Mrs. Flannery held the gun on her prisoners
and called police again.
57
MASSACCHSETTS
The Eagle Tribune, North Andover, Mass. 10/29/11, 05/17/11
Two armed robbers entered Javier’s Market convenience store in
Lawrence, Mass. and demanded money from cashier Edward
Guzman. In response, Guzman, a carry permit holder, retrieved a
gun. Upon seeing the firearm, the criminals fled the scene. Javier’s
Market was the target of a previous armed robbery in May.
The Boston Herald, Boston, Mass. 02/16/11, NECN, Newton,
Mass. 02/16/11
A robber armed with a hammer entered the Essential Body Herbs
store in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston, Mass., and attempted
to rob the clerk. After seeing the criminal reach in his sweatshirt, the
clerk ran to another part of the store to alert the owner. The owner, a
carry permit holder, retrieved a gun and fired at the robber, striking
him several times and ending the robbery. The wounded criminal was
taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive. An investigation
revealed that the robber has a long criminal history, with the police
describing him as a career criminal. Neighboring business owners
were supportive of the armed store owner’s actions, with one stating,
“They’ve been robbing stores around here for a long time, so
someone has to pay… If (the owner) didn’t have a gun on him,
maybe he’d be dead.”
The Republican, Western, Mass. 05/21/09
Ronald Duval, a condo owner in Wilbraham, Mass. heard a loud
noise at his door and a man asking to be let in. Duval retrieved his
licensed .380 caliber handgun and went to the door. When Duval
opened the door the man came right inside. As Duval tried to assist
him, the man began acting deranged. When the intruder began
behaving in a threatening manner, Duval drew his handgun and
ordered the man to stop. The intruder instead went over to Duval’s
dishwasher, grabbed a wine glass, smashed it and used it to threaten
Duval. As Duval retreated through his house he repeatedly warned
the intruder that he would fire, but the man continued to advance.
58
When Duval began to retreat upstairs, the intruder followed him.
Duval fired, striking the man in the leg. When the intruder continued
undeterred, Duval fired again, killing him. Reports indicate the
intruder had a history of mental illness, including depression and
schizophrenia. After an investigation, Hampton District Attorney
William M . Bennett concluded that there was no evidence Duval
acted improperly . No charges will be filed.
The Standard-Times, New Bedford, Mass., 02/27/08
BRAD CORREIA was tucking his young children into bed when he
heard a knock at the front door. He holstered his .45, then opened the
door to find an 18-year-old man claiming his car had broken down.
According to police, Correia let him in. "His clothes were soaked, he
was bleeding and he'd lost one sneaker in the mud. I thought that if
he were my son, I'd want someone to help him ... ," Correia
explained. But the teen's story kept changing, so Correia secretly
phoned police and discovered that his guest was a suspected pursesnatcher. When the suspect realized who was on the other line, he
leapt from the chair. "That's when I pulled my gun," Correia said. The
suspect quickly changed his tune and police apprehended him within
minutes.
SouthCoastToday.com, Rochester, MA, 2/28/08
Brad Correia and his family had just returned to their home in
Rochester, Mass. when a stranger knocked on the door. With his
children safe in bed, Mr. Correia tucked his handgun into his pants
before answering the door to a disheveled looking stranger who said
his car had broken down on the interstate. The Correias invited him
into their home and offered the use of their telephone along with
warm tea and fresh clothes, but when Mr. Correia began noticing
inconsistencies in the man’s story, he called the police and learned
the man was a fugitive. Mr. Correia held the fugitive at gunpoint until
police arrived. Rochester Police Chief Paul Magee said of Mr.
Correia, “I commend the man for his actions. He did what he needed
to do, and I am glad it worked out well and nobody got hurt.”
59
Boston Globe, Boston, Mass., 12/8/04
Three robberies had occurred in the last six months at Fred's Gas
Auto Service in Medford, Mass. When the clerk on duty recently was
confronted by two masked men, one waving a gun, he drew the pistol
he was licensed to carry and fired. One robber was s
Lowell Sun, Lowell, MA, 4/15/04
A man approached the clerk at Forest Service Center in Lowell,
Mass., and asked for change. When he approached the clerk a
second time, he brandished a knife, pointed it at the clerk and said,
"Don't do anything stupid, and give me all the money." The clerk
responded by drawing a handgun and ordering the would-be bandit
out of the store, reported Lowell Police Chief Bernard P. Nally.
Boston Herald, Boston, MA, 01/23/04
A Somerville, Mass., resident had just stepped out of his shower
when he heard unusual sounds at the back of his house. When a
man broke through his back door, the homeowner retrieved a
handgun, confronted the intruder and shot him in the shoulder. The
wounded burglar ran from the house, but police were able to track
him by following a trail of blood to a nearby rail station. The suspect
was treated at a local hospital for the gunshot wound, and police
were expected to charge him with breaking and entering.
The Salem News, Salem, Massachussetts, 11/28/03
A Salem, Massachusetts, resident learned what a great deterrent
owning a gun can be. The resident called police, not to report being a
victim of a crime, but to say that he discovered a man "all dressed in
black" trying to break into his home. The resident aimed his gun at
the would-be intruder, who decided to cut his losses and run.
60
The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA, 09/02/02
A Randolph, Mass., resident caught a man breaking into his vehicle
and held him at gunpoint until police arrived. The incident took place
about 1 a.m. when a man broke into a car, setting off the alarm. The
owner heard the alarm sound, armed himself and confronted the
suspect. "The owner held the defendant there until police arrived,"
stated Randolph Police Lt. Arthur Sullivan. Police recovered a
woman's wallet and other valuables that had been taken from the
vehicle.
The Boston Globe, Boston, MA, 3/19/02
An Arlington, Mass., woman shot an intruder after he continued to
advance on her when she pointed a gun at him and told him to leave
her home. Police said the woman heard one of her dogs barking,
retrieved her handgun and went toward her front door. There she saw
a strange man standing inside her house. The woman warned him
three times, but he said he would not leave, continuing to advance
and threatening her. The woman later told police the man moved a
hand toward his belt as if going for a gun, so she shot him. "This guy
advanced even after he saw the gun, and that's the sign of an
irrational person, or someone who doesn't have your best interest in
mind," said John Serson of the Arlington Police.
Boston Globe, Boston, MA, 12/29/01
THREE MEN, ARMED WITH GUNS AND KNIVES, rushed the cash
register at a Boston-area liquor store just before closing one night.
During the melee, one clerk's hand was cut and another was shot in
the arm. Then, in a moment's distraction, a third clerk armed with a
handgun turned the tide, shooting all three suspects and sending
them fleeing. Two of the suspects were apprehended by police on the
street amid a pool of blood and cash. The third was found in the
hallway of a nearby building with a gunshot wound to his arm.
61
Salem Evening News, Salem, MA, 6/30/98
A tanning salon owner sent two would-be robbers fleeing after they
entered his place of business and sprayed him with Mace. The
businessman fired his .38-cal. revolver, hitting one of the men in the
shoulder. Hospital officials later called police to pick up the man after
he arrived for treatment of a gunshot wound. Police said the owner
would not be charged in the shooting.
Ipswich Chronicle, Ipswich, MA, 7/9/98
David Ellis, a city councilor for Lynn, Massachusetts, was on his
bicycle conducting a midnight crime patrol when he spotted four men
harassing an elderly woman in her car. Moving to intervene, Ellis
confronted the men, then began to use his cell phone to call for help.
The men charged, knocking Ellis off his bike, kicking him in the head
and yelling, "Kill him!" Ellis reacted by pulling a .357 Mag. handgun
and firing into the group. He then ran to a nearby house and called
police. Two of the four were later caught and charged with armed
robbery.
The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA, 3/27/98
In a vicious attack, a 100-pound Japanese Akita knocked down Ellen
Justice in front of her home in Plymouth, Massachusetts, when she
attempted to collect her mail. As the dog tore at Justice's limbs,
several neighbors tried to intervene. That's when Vincent Mallozzi,
the brother of the dog's owner, shot the animal with a 20-ga. shotgun.
Remarkably, though, it continued its rampage, attacking a police
officer who had arrived to pursue it. Patrolman Kenneth Rood
eventually fired nine rounds from his .40-cal. handgun before the dog
fell dead. Rood and Justice were both treated at a nearby hospital.
Police said Mallozzi did the right thing.
62
The Boston Herald, Boston, MA, 7/24/97
Although ailing, Mark Falletti successfully stopped two armed homeinvaders early one morning in his Boston, Massachusetts, home. The
men kicked in the front door of the apartment and ran up the stairs
towards the Fallettis' bedroom. While his wife called 911, Falletti
confronted the intruders with a pistol. When he startled them and
knocked one intruder's pistol out of his hand, they fled. When one
tried to reenter the home to return for the dropped gun, Falletti shot
him in the leg. The two men again fled. A man with a gunshot wound
to the leg was later questioned at a local hospital. Falletti suffers from
cancer and later said he acted to protect his seven-month-old son
who had been asleep in his upstairs bedroom. "I did it because of the
kid," said Falletti.
The Recorder, Greenfield, MA, 6/30/97
After having a black bear leave claw marks on his doors and walls
and even enter his secluded Charlemont, Massachusetts, home,
Edward Root kept his 16-ga. shotgun handy just in case it returned.
Root had spoken to the Massachusetts Environmental Police about
the bear--which had been ransacking Root's home and yard for about
three weeks--and the agency advised him to "protect himself." His
concern was well founded as the bear returned and made for the
house--and Root--as he was standing at his front door. Root said,
"He was not scared of me at all. He had absolutely no fear." The bear
was approaching the front door when the homeowner shot twice,
killing it.
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The Herald, Boston, MA, 9/14/95
With police already on the lookout, Scott Fitzgerald decided to join in
the search for a would-be housebreaker who had attempted to break
into his East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, home where his wife and
seven-week- old daughter had been. Fitzgerald spotted the thug in a
church yard, gathering his loot from a previous burglary, and
confronted him with his 9 mm semi-auto. Despite being told to
"Freeze," the criminal dashed into some nearby woods. Fitzgerald
alerted the police, who arrested the crook after he was sniffed out by
a police dog.
The Telegram & Gazette, Worcester, MA, 1/24/94
"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 Globe, Boston, MA, 11/19/93
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.
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The Sun, Lowell, MA, 7/25/93
"I'm just tired of people getting away with crime," was Jeffrey
Rosenberg's assessment of why he kept a vigil over his new Ford
Mustang. Getting two pistols, Rosenberg, of Quincy, Massachusetts,
kept a six-hour watch over the car. When he confronted two men
checking out the car, one took a swipe at him with a screwdriver, and
Rosenberg drew his handgun and held them at gunpoint for police.
The Standard-Times, New Bedford, MA, 4/20/93
"This is all I have," was Ronald Arruda's reply when a man jumped
into his truck at an intersection, flashed a knife and demanded
money. Instead of coming up with his wallet, Arruda, of Fairhaven,
Massachusetts, pulled a licensed pistol and fired once, convincing the
unwounded thug to abandon his plans and flee.
The Globe, Boston, MA, 8/18/92
When a criminal quartet drew weapons and announced a robbery,
Dorchester, Mass., storekeeper Paul Doung pulled two licensed
semi-autos and, in a furious exchange, wounded one thug and drove
all four from the store. After reviewing surveillance videotape, police
ruled Doung legally defended himself and would face no charges.
The Enterprise, Brockton, MA, 9/18/92
"I'm not the guy to shoot someone, but when a guy comes after you
with an 18" pizza knife, you have to do something," said Brockton,
Mass., restauranteur George Mouraditis. The pizza maker grabbed
his licensed pistol and went to investigate when he heard breaking
glass, and opened fire when the burglar brandished the knife. Police
said the incident was a clear case of self defense and mounted a
search for the wounded criminal.
65
The Gazette, Haverhill, MA, 5/22/91
Dan Costello had just gone to bed when he heard voices outside his
Haverhill, Mass., home. Looking out, he saw two youths near his
truck. When one broke through the window and attempted to steal it,
Costello pulled an unloaded rifle from under his bed and ran out to
stop the theft. The youths ran, but one fell and Costello held him for
police.
The Daily Evening Item, Lynn, MA, 4/8/91
Waiting for his lunch at a deli counter, a Lynn, Mass., businessman
instead foiled an armed robbery attempt. Robert Macomber was in
the restaurant when two strangers walked in, one armed with a knife,
and told a clerk to empty the cash register. Macomber pulled his
licensed pistol and ordered the pair from the store. Police
apprehended them a short distance away.
The Herald, Boston, MA, 3/12/90
Raymond Ramirez of Jamaica Plain, Mass., was leaving a party at a
housing project when he was surrounded by a knife-wielding gang.
Ramirez identified himself as a Boston police officer, warned the
youths to back away and fired two warning shots after they refused.
When one gang member with a knife kept coming, Ramirez shot him
in the leg. Said a Boston police deputy superintendent, "Thank God
he was an officer. A civilian might be dead."
The Globe, Boston, MA, 3/31/89
Automotive store employee Vance Jutars found himself confronted by
two armed men in his Boston, Mass., workplace. One would-be
robber opened fire on Jutars, who was able to grab a shotgun and
shoot back. Both men fled the store, jumping through a plate glass
window to escape. Police arrested one suspect when he sought
medical treatment.
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The Evening News, Salem, MA, 2/25/88
James and Mary Little were watching television in their Salem, Mass.,
apartment when an intoxicated man armed with a 12" butcher knife
broke in. When the man said he was going to "get them," James Little
pulled a shotgun out from under the bed, pointed it at the stranger
and ordered him out. The man fled but was later arrested by police.
The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA, 10/27/87
Stephen McDermott, a Quincy, Mass., college student, was studying
alone in his parents' house when he heard voices downstairs.
Grabbing a rifle, McDermott went to the stairs and, confronting a
stranger, fired down the stairs. Two burglars, one with a minor wound
caused by a bullet richochet, fled the house. The local district
attorney announced that legal action was not anticipated against
McDermott in the incident.
The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA, 8/18/87
Thomas Joyce of Randolph, Mass., became suspicious when he
heard noises and observed a man walking up and down the back
stairs to his house. Taking up his licensed firearm, Joyce confronted
the stranger, who had forced open Joyce's car, and held him at
gunpoint for police. The suspect was placed under arrest for felonious
breaking and entering of a motor vehicle.
The Herald, Boston, MA, 7/9/87
Posing as a customer, a man who entered Kenneth Tong's Boston,
Mass., coin shop suddenly drew a pistol and tried to make off with
three gold coins estimated to be worth $10,000. As the armed robber
fired twice at the storekeeper, Tong returned fire with his own
licensed revolver, wounding his assailant in the exchange of gunfire.
The coins were recovered from the suspect's pockets.
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The Journal-Bulletin, Providence, MA, 6/30/87
Awakened by his daughter late at night, Manuel Sardinha watched as
two intruders crept into the backyard of his Swansea, Mass., home
and began to force open a ground-level window. Sardinha, who had
been burgled previously, got his hunting rifle and held the burglars at
gunpoint until police arrived.
The Morning Union, Springfield, MA, 10/1/86
During a robbery of his Palmer, Mass., jewelry store, Richard
Theriault's wife and a clerk were assaulted by a man wielding an
electronic stun gun. Hearing the commotion, the owner armed himself
and confronted the armed intruder on a staircase. Theriault raised his
pistol and shot the man, killing him.
The Tab, Newton, MA
A Newton, Mass., man heard noises on his fire escape about 1 a.m.
and investigated with pistol in hand. As he looked out the window, he
saw a prowler with a chisel raised, apparently poised to attack. The
gunowner fired warning shots, then detained the would-be burglar for
the police.
The Standard Times, New Bedford, MA, 4/4/85
Roused from sleep by a late-night disturbance, a Freetown, Mass.,
homeowner picked up a gun as he went to investigate. When he
turned on a light, an intruder lunged at him. The housebreaker
stopped short, however, when he saw the gun, and fled, crashing
through a window. A pair of suspects was arrested shortly thereafter.
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The Herald News, Fall River, MA 6/1/85
Manuel Ferreira, 87, answered a knock at the door of his Fall River,
Mass., home to two men who asked to use the phone. Once inside,
they grabbed him and demanded money at knifepoint. Ferreira went
to the bedroom for his wallet, but returned instead with a pistol in
hand. The would-be robbers fled.
The Herald, Boston, MA, 11/22/84
After robbing several customers in a Medford, Mass., supermarket, a
thief armed with a shotgun was disarmed and captured by an
unidentified man carrying a licensed handgun. Commenting on the
incident, a local policeman said, "the guy saved the day. If that
shotgun went off, [the thief] could have gotten 20 people."
The Globe, Boston, MA, 6/30/84
Awakened by his wife who heard a disturbance inside their Bangor,
Maine, home, Alden Lancaster picked up his pistol and trapped an
intruder. The man followed Lancaster's order to get on the floor, but
then got up and attacked the homeowner. Lancaster fired and
wounded the man, who was arrested shortly afterward.
The Sentinel and Enterprise, Fitchburg-Leominster, MA
Jonathan Hall, 29, of Fitchburg, Mass., answered an urgent knock at
his door and found a neighbor and her two children pleading for
protection. The woman's husband, ranting that he was going to kill
the family, had chased them from their home with a rifle. Hall quickly
put the family in a back room, then sat by the door with a .357 Mag.
revolver until police arrived and arrested the husband.
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The Herald, Boston, MA, 12/17/83
One of the owners of a Boston auto body shop was working in the
back office when a commotion out front drew his attention. He
investigated and was fired upon by an armed robber who had been
threatening other employees. Before the criminal could get off a
second shot, the owner pulled his licensed .357 Mag. and fired twice,
killing him. "It was justifiable," said one policeman. "This time, the bad
guy got it."
The Sun Chronicle, Attleboro-N. Attleboro, MA
A masked, gun-wielding bandit entered a Taunton, Mass., pharmacy,
shoved a female clerk to the floor and demanded money and drugs.
Pharmacist Thomas Hall reacted by drawing a .38 revolver from
under the counter, firing and wounding the gunman, who was soon
hospitalized in police custody.
The Eagle-Tribune, Lawrence, MA
Posted on July 1, 1983
Something seemed suspicious when Joseph Girgenti arrived to find
an unfamiliar van parked outside his Methuen, Mass., home. Then he
spotted a man exiting the house through a bathroom window. He
ordered the burglar to stop, informing him that he was armed.
Girgenti displayed his gun and used it to hold the man for authorities.
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The Morning Union, Springfield, MA
Posted on April 1, 1983
Discovering his Ludlow, Mass., home ransacked, Leon Allore was
confronted by a pair of robbers. One thief grappled with the
homeowner, then fled. The second man then jumped into a waiting
car and began backing out the driveway, pinning Allore between the
open car door and a stone wall. Allore retaliated, firing a pistol round
that wounded the driver. A suspect was soon arrested at an area
hospital.
The Cape Cod Times, Hyannis, MA, 8/30/82
Posted on November 1, 1982
Paula Nardone, manager of a Yarmouth, Mass., motel, entered the
office to find one man rifling the cash drawer and another standing
nearby. When she confronted the pair with a gun, they immediately
fled empty-handed to a waiting car. Following information supplied by
Nardone, police soon made arrests.
The Patriot-Ledger, Quincy, MA, 4/16/82
Posted on August 1, 1982
Roy Nelson is 62 and just 5-ft. tall, but the Houghs Neck, Mass., big
game hunter was more than a match for a burglar he found in his
cleaning shop at 2:30 a.m. Nelson gestured at the row of big game
trophies hanging on the wall as proof of his marksmanship ability and
ordered the criminal to the floor. The would-be sneak thief was so
frightened that he was afraid to get up, even after police arrived. It
was the second burglar Nelson had caught in the act in three years.
71
The Cape Cod Times, Hyannis, MA, 1/14/82
A would-be robber pulled a cap pistol on Hyannis, Mass., pharmacist
John Deacy and demanded drugs. Deacy walked to the back of the
store and pulled out a 9 mm pistol instead. He ordered the criminal to
his knees and ignored his pleas to be let go. Police took the man and
his cap gun into custody.
The Herald-American, Boston, MA
Posted on March 1, 1982
Kahlil Gibran was seeing two guests out the front door of his Boston
home when he decided to watch them walk down his block. As the
pair strolled down the street, Gibran, a sculptor and godson of the
famous mystic poet of the same name, saw a young man start
walking after them. Gibran retrieved his licensed pistol and gave
chase, catching up just as the criminal began poking one of his
friends with a 7" knife. Gibran held him for police.
The Patriot-Ledger, Quincy, MA, 5/5/81
Robert Manusco was getting into his car in Boston when a mugger
demanded his keys. When Manusco tossed the keys away, the man
kicked him several times before retrieving them. When the criminal
returned, Manusco pulled a pistol and ordered him to stop. The
mugger responded by kicking him again, and Manusco fired once,
killing his assailant. Police filed murder charges, but dropped them
the next day, saying the procedure was only a formality. "As far as we
were concerned, there was no problem at all with the incident," a
police spokesman said.
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The Herald-American, Boston, MA
Posted on May 1, 1981
City Councilor Albert L. "Dapper" O'Neil was leaving a Boston, Mass.,
restaurant when he encountered an old friend, William Vaughn, a
probation officer from Dorchester, Mass. Vaughn had been attacked
by a mugger with a knife, and had shot the thug, who fled. O'Neil and
Vaughn took off in pursuit, chasing the criminal for a few blocks and
holding him for police with their licensed revolvers.
The Herald American, Boston, MA, 6/4/80
Freelance news photographer Donald Young, who had carried a gun
since being beaten by thugs on an assignment 10 years ago, recently
came upon a getaway car wrecked in a Medford, Mass., armed bank
robbery. One robber, holding a gun and money bag, fled on foot, but
halted and surrendered after Young fired a round over his head.
Young handed over his prisoner to state troopers, one of whom said,
"that photographer was the best officer on the scene."
The Eagle-Tribune, Lawrence, MA
Two men accused in the kidnap-rape of a 20-year-old woman in the
Boston area were apprehended by police after an Andover, Mass.,
resident, Henry Lebensbaum, pumped six rounds into their escaping
auto. The woman, kidnapped from in front of a Boston night spot and
then sexually assaulted, escaped screaming from the car in Andover.
Lebensbaum, who came running to her aid, put one of his bullets
through a tire. The pair was arrested after
The Globe, Boston, MA, 3/7/80
Benjamin Tillman was working behind the counter of a Dorchester,
Mass., variety store when a man armed with a shotgun burst through
the door and announced a robbery. As the robber leaped over the
counter, Tillman drew a .357 Mag. revolver and fired, critically
wounding his assailant.
73
The Daily News, Springfield, MA
Shortly before 1 a.m., James Phillips, who lives above his optometrist
father's Westfield, Mass., shop, heard someone smash the office
door, grabbed his .22 cal. rifle and searched the premises. He found
a man who claimed he had broken into the office to have his glasses
repaired. Phillips marched the intruder at gunpoint to the nearest
police station.
The Herald American, Boston, MA
Retired policeman Paul Hagerty was surprised to see a man and
woman in the hallway of his Roxbury, Mass., apartment and got his
revolver. Hagerty confronted the pair and was jumped by the young
man. Hagerty managed to fire twice during the struggle and wounded
his attacker, who leaped through a window and later was found dead
by police. The female intruder, who had previously been covicted of
armed robbery and assault, surrendered meekly.
The Herald American, Boston, MA, 8/23/79
When Jeffrey Gopen responded to the doorbell at his Roxbury,
Mass., apartment, he found a young woman struggling with an
assailant. After freeing the woman, Gopen ran inside, armed himself,
and confronted the hoodlum, who started toward him. When his
warnings to halt went unheeded, Gopen fired and wounded the
attacker, who fled but was later apprehended by police.
The Herald American, Boston, MA
James Houhoulis was alone behind the prescription counter of his
pharmacy in Dedham, Mass., when a man came in and asked for
some vitamins that Houhoulis didn't have. Another man entered and
shouted, "Get him." With that, the two would-be robbers drew guns
just as Houhoulis grabbed his own licensed .38 revolver. The
pharmacist returned their fire, killing both of them.
74
The Lawrence Eagle-Tribune, Lawrence, MA
Brandishing a pair of scissors, a young holdup man demanded
money from Bennie Ruggiero, proprietor of a Lawrence, Mass.,
variety store. When the thug pushed Ruggiero up against a wall, the
store owner drew a pistol and fired twice, slaying his assailant.
The Malden Evening News, Malden, MA
During the evening meeting at the Mystic Valley Gun Club in Malden,
Mass., two men began rifling cars in the club's parking lot. Spotting
the culprits, club members Frederick Leuchter and William
Rosmarinofski gave chase and detained one suspect at gun point.
The Herald American, Boston, MA
Two holdup men confronted Dr. Arthur Gorney and his wife in a
Brookline, Mass., restaurant parking lot. One held a knife to Mrs.
Gorney's throat while the other took Dr. Gorney's wallet. As they fled,
Dr. Gorney drew and fired his licensed handgun. One fell mortallly
wounded. Police arrested another man as a suspect.
The Boson Herald, Boston, MA
Neal Johnson, a motel night manager who shot and killed a shotgunwielding bandit at a South Boston, Mass., Howard Johnson's Motor
Lodge several months ago, foiled another holdup attempt recently.
Armed with a pistol, Johnson captured one stickup man in the motel
parking lot as an accomplice fled in a getaway car. Johnson, who
intends to become a police officer, decided to arm himself after he
was pistol whipped in the first of four recent robberies.
The Boston Herald American, Boston, MA
Two men, one wielding a hunting knife, walked into John Capone's
Roslindale, Mass., pharmacy and demanded drugs. The pair followed
Capone to the rear of the store. There the druggist pulled a revolver
from a hiding place, began firing and wounded both would-be thieves.
It was the third attempted holdup Capone has thwarted in recent yers.
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The Daily Evening Item, Lynn, MA
Seeing two youths jump from the front window of a Lynn, Mass.,
store, attorney Daniel Horgan followed in his car, captured the
burglars and held them at gunpoint. Horgan also captured three other
youths who allegedly were waiting for the others in a parked car.
The Boston Evening Globe, Boston, MA
When two intruders advanced menacingly toward Dr. Harold E.
Marks in his office one night, the 72-year-old Somerville, Mass.,
physician pulled a cal. .38 pistol from his jacket and fired two warning
shots. When they kept coming, he shot one in the leg. Police later
arrested two suspects. It was the third time that Dr. Marks had
repelled would-be robbers with his handgun.
The South Middlesex News, Framingham, MA
While Dan Cassin was stacking shelves in his Atlanta, Ga., store, two
robbers rushed in, fired at least one shot, and then started thrashing
the store cleanup man. Cassin immediately pulled out his cal. .38
pistol and shot one intruder to death. "They came in like storm
troopers, shooting and beating people," Cassin said. "I just couldn't
stand and watch."
The Worcester Telegram, Worcester, MA
Seeing a man forcing his way through the storm door screening of
her Worcester, Mass., cottage, Mary Wheeler took aim with her
handgun and ordered the intruder to stop. When he approached her
instead, Miss Wheeler, a U.S. Law Enforcement Assistance
Administration senior planner, shot and seriously wounded the thug.
The Daily Evening Item, Lynn, MA
A youth entered Moses Hecht's variety store in Lynn, Mass., pulled a
knife and announced, "This is a stickup." Hecht responded by pulling
a pistol from his pocket and aiming at the would-be robber, who
turned and fled.
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The Boston Globe, Boston, MA
Three armed men invaded the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Howard,
Boston, Mass. One beat Mrs. Howard. All three then concentrated on
subduing and tying up Howard. Mrs. Howard meanwhile got a .38
revolver from a closet and shot one of the intruders twice. All three
fled, but the wounded man fell outside the house and died.
Boston Herald American, Boston, MA
Two men, one armed with a sawed-off shotgun, entered Mario
DiCenzo's Jamaica Plain, Mass., market and demanded money.
DiCenzo ordered his dog lying nearby to attack, drew a pistol, fired,
and wounded the man with the shotgun. The robbers fled and
escaped in a car driven by an accomplice. The trio, suspects in a
series of holdups in the area, soon were apprehended by police.
Boston Evening Globe, Boston, MA
A man walked into the Chestnut Hill Pharmacy in Everett, Mass.,
brandished a magnum pistol, and demanded money and drugs from
a clerk. Steven Helman, manager of the store, seized a revolver, ran
around to the front of the counter, and, when the robber aimed his
pistol at him, fired one shot that killed the holdup man.
Springfield Union, Springfield, MA
Hearing his wife's screams, Albert Backofen grabbed a 12-ga.
shotgun from the rear of his Springfield, Mass., grocery and ran to the
front. A masked gunman took one look at the shotgun, pocketed his
handgun, and begged "Don't shoot," then ran off before police
arrived.
The Evening Gazette, Worcester, MA
When Mrs. Thomas Gigliotti of Shrewsbury, Mass., responded to her
door bell one night, three men forced their way into the home. One
held Mrs. Gigliotti while the others went into the basement where her
husband and two children were sitting. Gigliotti heard the intruders
coming, got a gun and fired five shots, scaring the trio out of the
house.
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The Record American, Boston, MA
James E. Clark, 63, a paraplegic in a Boston nursing home, pulled a
.38 revolver from his night table after three hoodlums armed with
straight razors invaded the home to rob patients. One of the robbers
snatched a cane from Clark's 85-year-old mother, a co-owner of the
home, and struck her across the forehead, breaking her glasses.
Clark fired three warning shots, hoping the intruders would flee.
Instead, two of them rushed Clark. When one of the atackers was
only 2 1/2 ft. away and about to hack Clark with a razor, the
paraplegic fired. His bullet hit the man in the chest, wounding him
fatally. The other robbers fled.
Metropolitan News, Worcester, MA
Edward Esper was about to close his Worcester, Mass., grocery store
when two holdup men entered and one produced a gun. Pretending
to get money from the cash register, Esper drew a .22 pistol and
exchanged shots with the bandits, who fled empty handed.
Eagle-Tribune, Lawrence, MA
When a man broke in the rear door of the Salem, N.H., home of
Karlis Dums, he found Dums waiting for him, revolver in hand. The
burglar turned and fled empty-handed, and was picked up shortly
thereafter by police.
Evening Gazette, Worcestr, MA
A youth walked into a roast beef diner in Worcester, Mass., with one
hand in his pocket, and told store manager Norman Gaouette "Give
me your money. I have a gun." Gaouette pulled a pistol from under
the counter and said, "I have a gun also." The youth fled.
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Quote: Massachusetts State Police by Capt. Stanley W.
Wisnioski.
Returning to his Holden, Mass., home for lunch, Leslie Spofford
surprised two men forcing open his rear door. The pair fled. Spofford
pursued and caught them, covering them with a pistol until police
arrived. Police said both men were wanted nearby for housebreaking
and in Washington State for armed assault.
Sun, Lowell, MA
Noticing two suspicious youths entering his Roxbury, Mass., grocery,
Abraham Whittenberg went behind the counter to be near his gun.
One of the pair shot Whittenberg in the leg. Whittenberg mortally
wounded one youth. The other escaped.
Record-American, Boston, MA
After a young hoodlum shot up his soda funtain in a holdup 5 years
ago, suburban Boston druggist John Capone bought a handgun. It lay
in a drawer until recently, when a bandit with a large Bowie knife,
flanked by 2 others with pistols, demanded and got Capone's money
and then insisted on "the hard stuff"--narcotics. In the ensuing fray,
Capone, 62, shot and killed the knife wielder. The 2 gunmen, firing
wildly, fled.
Globe, Boston, MA
As Fred Boulter approached a Malden, Mass., A&P store, he noticed
a police cruiser pulled up and two policemen entering the store.
Boulter drew abreast of the store window and saw one policeman
lying on the floor and another staggering out of the front door. When
three gunmen rushed out of the front door and fired shot after shot at
the staggering policeman, Boulter pulled out a cal. .32 automatic and
fired at the three men who were trying to get in a car parked across
the street. One of the thugs took a bullet in the leg from Boulter's gun
and fled with another bandit as Boulter crossed the street and kept a
bead on the remaining man until police arrived.
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Herald-Traveler, Boston, MA
Faced with a pair of burly strangers who demanded to see her
husband's prized gun collection, Mrs. Audrey Quirk, a 100-lb.
housewife of Peabody, Mass., demurred. When the pair tried to force
their way in, Mrs. Quirk picked up a loaded .45, pointed it at the men
and threatened to shoot. The pair promptly left. Mrs. Quirk's husband,
Frank, is a Navy Chief Petty Officer, instructor on a local Naval
Reserve Pistol team, and a prominent gun collector.
American, Boston, MA
Ed Affhauser, 57, had never fired a gun in his life until a bandit
entered his Longmeadow, Mass., liquor store and demanded the
money. The merchant snatched a revolver from under the counter
and fired, scoring twice. Police held the badly wounded gunman
under hospital guard.
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Minnesota
Detroit Lakes Online, Becker County, Minn. 06/21/09
Posted on June 22, 2009
An intoxicated man illegally entered Vernon Allen’s apartment in
Moorehead, Minn. Allen warned the intruder that if he didn’t leave he
would get his shotgun. The intruder, undeterred, raised his fist to
strike Allen, who retreated to his bedroom and grabbed his 12-gauge
shotgun. As Allen confronted the intruder with his shotgun, the
criminal grabbed hold of the barrel in an attempt to take the gun from
Allen. Allen, who later noted “I wasn’t gonna let him have it… it was
either him or me,” fired at the intruder, striking him and causing him to
flee to a nearby apartment where he remained until medical
personnel arrived. After being transported to a local hospital the
intruder died. An investigation revealed that the intruder had illegally
entered two other apartments in the building before entering Allen’s.
Allen not only exercises his right to protect himself and his property,
but also protects that right as a member of the National Rifle
Association.
The Star-Tribune, St. Paul Minn. 02/26/09
Posted on March 2, 2009
Susana Khalil, eight months pregnant and with her toddler in tow,
went to visit her husband for dinner at his convenience store in St.
Paul, Minn. After she arrived, her husband asked her to tend to the
counter while he ran a quick errand. While he was gone, a woman
entered the store and charged at Khalil with a remote control
wrapped in a plastic bag to imitate a gun. Khalil was able to fend off
the attack long enough to grab her husband’s gun and fire it at the
woman, striking her in the shoulder. The assailant later pleaded guilty
to attempted aggravated robbery. The incident took place in 2007, but
this week St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington heard of Khalil’s
heroics in early 2009, he awarded her with the Chief’s Award for
Valor.
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Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, 05/02/08
Posted on August 1, 2008
When the burglar alarm woke Jon Sokol's wife, she figured her
husband had yet again tripped it while fetching the newspaper. But
Sokol was sleeping at her side. "I think there's somebody in the
house," Sokol remembers his wife whispering. Despite his reluctance
to believe his house had been invaded, Sokol walked to the stairs to
investigate. Then he saw someone move. Quickly he went for his
gun. "As I stepped around the corner, he hit me ... right between the
eyes. And I fired the gun. Down on the ground he went, and I
insisted, in a not very nice way, that he not move. I held him at
gunpoint until the police arrived." Police say the intruder, who was
armed with a knife, has a lengthy criminal record.
The Star Tribune, St. Paul, MN, 5/05/08
Posted on May 5, 2008
Jon Sokol and his wife were awakened in the middle of the night
when a burglar breaking into the front door of their St. Paul, Min.,
home set off the alarm system. With revolver in hand, Mr. Sokol went
to investigate the disturbance when the burglar hit him in the
forehead with an undetermined object, leading Mr. Sokol to fire his
gun. Due to his revolver, Sokol soon gained the upper hand and held
the burglar at gunpoint until police arrived to make the arrest. The
suspect had a long criminal record, including a recent burglary
conviction.
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The Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, 4/25/08
Posted on April 25, 2008
A Wright County, Minn., homeowner woke early Tuesday morning to
find two burglars prowling in his home. The homeowner chased the
burglars out of his house, firing at one of the intruders, then
witnessed them drive away in a Chevy Tahoe that had been reported
stolen. Police used the homeowner’s account of the getaway car--and
the bullet hole in its door--to track down the burglars, who are also
suspected of two bank robberies in Cokato, Minn. They are now in
police custody.
Echo Press, Alexandria, MN, 04/19/06
Posted on July 1, 2006
According to police, four young men intended to burglarize the home
of an elderly couple. Two men wearing masks entered the home and
woke up the couple. After a verbal exchange, the woman yelled to
her husband to get his gun. The man was on his way when the
suspects ran from the house, got in their car and fled the scene. The
homeowners called 9-1-1, and the suspected burglars were
apprehended shortly afterward.
Isanti County News, Cambridge, MN, 4/21/04
Posted on July 1, 2004
A Cambridge, Minn., man awoke to the sound of breaking glass. He
retrieved a shotgun and began checking rooms when he encountered
three men who had entered his home. Two of the intruders fled, but
the homeowner held the third man, later identified as Robert Hanson,
at gunpoint while he awaited the arrival of police. The other two
suspects were apprehended and the three were charged with aiding
and abetting felony first-degree burglary.
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Star-Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, 08/22/02
Posted on November 1, 2002
A 79-year-old Minneapolis, Minn., man shot a home invader who had
broken into the elderly man's residence late one night. Harvey Keefe,
a World War II Marine Corps veteran, heard someone smash in his
back door late one night. Keefe remained in his locked bedroom and
picked up his .38-cal. revolver as he heard someone making his way
through his house. When the intruder jiggled the doorknob to Keefe's
bedroom, the veteran feared for his life and fired his gun. When the
intruder appeared to back off and he heard sounds of someone
leaving, Keefe called 9-1-1 and waited for authorities to arrive. A
suspect suffering from a gunshot wound was found six blocks from
the scene and a trail of blood led back to the house. Keefe said he
didn't regret firing the shot. "I know I've done the right thing," he said.
Grand Forks Herald, Grand Forks, MN, 1/22/01
Posted on April 1, 2001
When a woman alone in her Inkster, Minn., home went to investigate
a pounding at her front door late one night, she resolved not to open
it. Three men had gotten their car stuck in a snow-filled ditch nearby,
and the woman promised to call for help. But when one of the
intruders broke open the door, the terrified resident ran upstairs,
barricaded herself in a bedroom and shouted that she had a gun.
According to the Grand Forks Sheriff's Department, the apparently
drunken intruder acknowledged he did not want to be shot and
retreated.
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Star Tribune, Minneapolis, Minn., 12/9/99
Posted on September 1, 2000
In a near-deadly encounter that police concluded may have been a
case of mistaken identity, two men with guns knocked on the door of
a Minneapolis, Minn., house shortly before midnight and pushed
aside the female resident who answered. Commanding her to "stay
away," the men made their way inside, but not before the woman
shouted a warning to her male companion. He grabbed a rifle and
fired on the pair, striking one man in the leg. Both men fled, but were
later arrested by police.
Mesabi Daily News, Virginia, Minn., 2/23/00
Posted on May 1, 2000
Raymond Rask was jarred awake in his Britt, Minn., home early one
Saturday when an intruder wearing a nylon sock over his head and
armed with a rifle barged in, fired two shots and demanded that Rask
hand over the money in his safe. Rask answered the order by
grabbing his lever-action Savage rifle and inserting a round. That sent
the man fleeing. Two men were later caught and charged in the
incident.
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Burnsville/Lake- ville Sun-Current, Bloomington, MN, 12/9/98
Posted on April 1, 1999
Residents of a Burnsville, Minnesota, house were rocked awake
shortly after 1 a.m. by a man who repeatedly rang the front door bell
and then kicked in the door and came inside. After a male resident
armed himself and closed the bedroom door, the man pushed it open
and punched the resident in the nose. As the two wrestled, the
intruder proclaimed, "I don't care if I die." Soon he was going after the
female resident of the house. The attacker began choking her and
then pushed her head through a closed window, breaking out the
glass. When her tormentor came at the woman again, the male
resident fired a shot, hitting the intruder in the leg. The wounded
home-invader left to seek help at a hospital where he was arrested
and charged with first-degree burglary.
Star- Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, 7/12/96
Posted on January 1, 1997
Three would-be burglars hot-wired Al Novak's conversion van and
then used it as a vehicular battering ram to crash through the front of
his Minneapolis, Minnesota, gun shop. Novak, who has lived in a
small apartment in the shop for the past 16 years, was awakened by
the commotion and confronted the unwelcome guests with his 9 mm.
"They took one look at me and went back out the same way they
came in," said Novak. It was the fourth time his shop had been
burglarized since 1980.
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The Independent, Marshall, MN, 8/20/96
Posted on November 1, 1996
Pat Stimpert saw the shadowy figures going from car to car and
house to house, checking for unlocked doors in his rural Marshall,
Minnesota, neighborhood. Stimpert's wife usuallly left their door
unlocked, so the homeowner, whose wife and daughter were already
staying in a new house the family had purchased, figured the
characters would come strolling in any minute. He was right. But by
the time the two intruders made their entrance, Stimpert had armed
himself with his 12-ga. and dialed 911. The sight of the armed
homeowner was enough to send both suspects scurrying for the
cover of a nearby cornfield.
Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, 11/28/95
Posted on March 1, 1996
When the bandit grabbed Khaled Al-Yasin's 17-year-old son and put
a gun to his head, Al-Yasin pulled his own firearm and ducked behind
an aisle in the back of his Minneapolis, Minnesota, mini-market.
Demanding that Al-Yasin drop his gun and give him cash or he would
kill the boy, the criminal met only steely resistance as the shopkeeper
refused, fearing that the moment he dropped his own gun, the crook
would turn killer, slaying both him and his son. Foiled, the crook
released his hostage and left the store. It was the fourth time in three
months that the store had been robbed.
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The Times, Forest Lake, MN, 9/21/95
Posted on January 1, 1996
It was only 15 minutes after police visited his Wyoming, Minnesota,
home to warn his family of two robbery suspects believed to be at
large in the area, when Mike Stich discovered a man and woman
hiding beneath a blanket in the bed of his pickup truck. With the
police warning in mind, Stich had toted his wife's .25 cal. handgun
with him when he went outside to move his truck. Noticing movement
under a blanket in the truck's bed, Stich parked the truck, circled to its
rear, and ordered the fugitive couple out of his truck at gunpoint. Stich
commanded the suspects to stand against a tree while his son ran
inside and had Stich's wife call police.
The Pioneer Press, St. Paul, MN, 3/1/92
Posted on May 1, 1992
His shadow proved to be the undoing for a St. Paul, Minn.,
housebreaker. Asleep on the sofa, Bob McQuiston awakened to what
he thought was one of his children upstairs. "I usually spot their little
shadows when I'm downstairs...but this shadow just kept getting
bigger and bigger and bigger," he said. McQuiston called police,
grabbed his double-barrel shotgun and held the intruder for police.
The Star, Minneapolis, MN, 3/17/88
Posted on July 1, 1988
Awakened by an intruder who threatened them, tied him up and who
then tried to rape his wife, St. Paul, Minn., resident James Nase
managed to escape his bonds and grabbed a 12-ga. shotgun to go to
his wife's rescue. Firing once, the homeowner killed the would-be
rapist-burglar. The slain intruder had just been released from prison,
and had been jailed previously on burglary, assault and drug
convictions. No indictments were returned against the resident.
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The Star-Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, 6/16/87
Posted on October 1, 1987
Joe Lincoln, a storekeeper in Minneapolis, Minn., stopped a shooting
spree that had already left three people injured, one seriously, by
grabbing his licensed semi-automatic and opening fire. Lincoln's
shots wounded the robber, who had gone on a rampage in Lincoln's
grocery, and allowed police to track down the suspect. The deputy
chief of police commented, "It strikes me that his action was not only
perfectly legal, but proper."
The Star and Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, 1/14/85
Posted on April 1, 1985
Joseph Sharp, 63, of Minneapolis, his wife and a neighbor were
babysitting the Sharps' 4-year-old granddaughter when a knifewielding intruder barged through the front door, terrorized the family
for a half-an-hour and slashed the neighbor in the hand when she
tried to escape. Sharp retrieved his .357 Mag., and, when the
assailant attempted to stab him, fired a single fatal shot.
The Sun Newspapers, Minneapolis, MN, 9/28/83
Posted on December 1, 1983
Alerted by suspicious noises late at night, Lyle Eaves caught a man
breaking into his Minneapolis, Minn., home through a bedroom
window. Eaves warned the man to stop, but he continued to climb
through the window. Eaves then fired a shot that killed the intruder. A
grand jury ruled "no indictment" in the shooting.
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The Midweek Eagle, W. Fargo, ND, 4/10/82
Posted on July 1, 1982
Clint Bergen, 72, had lived most of his life in little Georgetown, Minn.,
and knew that the four suspicious characters he saw across the
street from his place didn't belong there at 4 a.m. He grabbed a 12ga. shotgun, went to investigate, and when he saw the men carrying
cases out of a liquor store, shot out the tires of their car and put them
to flight. The suspects later were captured by police, who said the
arrests cleared up a string of local burglaries. Grateful local
businessmen honored Bergen with a dinner and a cash award.
The Dispatch, St. Paul, MN, 8/21/81
Posted on November 1, 1981
When he heard the sounds of forcible entry at his family's St. Paul,
Minn., home, 11-year-old Craig Tschida grabbed a 20-ga. shotgun
and went to investigate. A masked burglar took one look at the armed
youngster and beat a quick retreat out the nearest window.
The News-Tribune, Duluth, MN, 11/14/80
Posted on March 1, 1981
A Superior, Minn., woman awoke during the night when she felt a
hand on her body. Seeing a strange man, she woke her husband,
who retrieved a gun from a closet. The 20-year-old intruder
surrendered and was turned over to police.
The Tribune, Minneapolis, MN
Posted on September 1, 1979
Ming Shiu's Minneapolis, Minn., electronic repair shop had been
burglarized twice before, so when three men broke into the store,
Shiu was ready. Caught in the shop as Shiu made an early morning
check of his premises, the three tried to grapple with the
businessman. Shiu eluded their grasp, drew a gun and fired, hitting
one of the thugs and forcing all three to flee.
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The Daily News, Winona, MN, 3/25/79
Posted on August 1, 1979
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Burmeister were asleep in their Winona, Minn.,
home when Mrs. Burmeister was awakened by noises downstairs.
She alerted her husband, then called police while he armed himself
with a shotgun and investigated. Once downstairs, Burmeister found
a man who had broken in through a window, and held him at gunpoint
until police arrived to make the arrest.
The Tribune Chronicle, Warren, OH
Posted on November 1, 1978
About the time Myron Sage, vacationing in Crane Lake, Minn., saw
the 350-lb. bear above him in the cabin's loft where his daughter had
been sleeping, his daughter let out a piercing scream. Sage grabbed
his .38 cal. pistol and shot the bear through the throat, causing the
animal to fall to the main floor where Sage pumped it full of bullets.
Only the bear was harmed.
The St. Paul Pioneer-Press, St. Paul, MN
Posted on October 1, 1976
When St. Paul, Minn., jeweler Carl Zeglin, 72, was wounded in a
robbery two years ago, he vowed he'd never be robbed again. He
backed up his words with action recently. When a robber entered his
store with a cal. .38 revolver and demanded that the jeweler empty
the cash register, Zeglin grabbed his own .38. In an exchange of
gunfire, he killed the thug although wounded himself.
91
The Minneapolis Tribune, Minneapolis, MN
Posted on July 1, 1976
Paul Kearney, a Minneapolis, Minn., dairy store owner who estimates
he has been robbed 19 times in the past five years, succeeded in
foiling the latest attempt. Two armed robbers emptied his cash
register and tried to escape through a locked rear door. That gave
Kearney time to get a gun, fire and wound one man. The pair fled but
were taken into police custody.
The Minneapolis Tribune, Minneapolis, MN
Posted on April 1, 1975
An armed bandit entered a Minneapolis, Minn., jewelry store,
demanded money from jeweler Gordon Benson and then ordered
Benson to get a bag to carry some jewels from a safe. While reaching
for the bag, Benson pulled out a gun, shot the robber in the shoulder
and then kicked the gun out of his hand.
The Minneapolis Tribune, Minneapolis, MN
Posted on October 1, 1974
An armed holdup man and an accomplice forced several employees
and customers in a Minneapolis, Minn., drug store to lie on the floor
while the holdup men gathered up cash receipts. As they were
leaving with their loot, pharmacist Charles Beecroft shot and fatally
wounded one of them. Two men were arrested later and charged in
connection with the robbery.
The Brainerd Daily Dispatch, Brainerd, MN
Posted on March 1, 1974
Early one morning Marcella Ligneel awoke in her Brainerd, Minn.,
home and discovered two men trying to steal her four-wheel-drive
Scout. Mrs. Ligneel, whose husband was out of town, got a gun and
fired twice over the startled thieves' head. The thwarted bandits left.
92
Richfield Sun, Richfield, MN
Posted on October 1, 1971
Cliff Hoffman left his service station in Richfield, Minn., late one night
with the day's cash receipts. As he neared his home, two men
shouted for him to stop; then they aimed pistols at him and
demanded money. Pulling his own gun, Hoffman fired once to scare
them, but they fired back. After an exchange of gunfire, one robber
lay wounded with a bullet in the hip and Hoffman had slight wounds in
both legs. The other gunman and an accomplice were arrested.
The St. Paul Dispatch, St. Paul, MN
Posted on March 1, 1971
Arthur Miller was asleep in his St. Paul, Minn., bar, when he was
awakened by the sound of breaking glass. Taking his gun to
investigate, he discovered a man crawling through one of the tavern's
windows. Miller held the man at gunpoint until police arrived.
Star, Minneapolis, MN
Posted on July 1, 1970
Three young men entered Leonard Kaplan's grocery store in
Brainerd, Minn., pulled a knife and a pistol and forced Kaplan to give
them money from the till. A customer entering the store distracted the
youths and gave Kaplan an opportunity to draw his pistol, disarm
them, and hold them for police.
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Courier, Pine County, MN
Posted on October 1, 1969
Returning from a trip, Ed Martinco of Sandstone, Minn., discovered
the door of his home smashed in and his TV and outboard motor
lying outside on the ground. He saw two men running away and got
his .38 revolver from the house. One man stopped when Martinco
fired a warning shot; the other kept running and was wounded by a
second shot. Police later arrested a third man driving a getaway car.
Star, Minneapolis, MN
Posted on May 1, 1968
Three gunmen held up grocer Roger Ziemer in his Columbia Heights,
Minn., store and fled with more than $1,000. Ziemer picked up a
pistol, ran to the back door and fired several shots after the robbers'
car. Patrolmen later found the car and one dead bandit matching the
description given by Ziemer.
Tribune, Minneapolis, MN
Posted on February 1, 1968
Gerald Kamp, St. Paul, Minn., grocer, thwarted a holdup when an
armed robber walked into his store and demanded money. The man
fired at Kamp pointblank and missed. Kamp drew his own .25 caliber
revolver and wounded the thug.
Post-Bulletin, Rochester, MN
Posted on November 1, 1967
Gerald Boyum, a farmer of Farmington Twp., Minn., returned from a
weekend fishing trip to find two rifles, a shotgun and car accessories
missing from his home. While he was calling the sheriff, a strange car
with two youths drove up. Boyum held the two at shotgun point.
Deputies arrived, searched their car, and found the missing firearms
in the trunk.
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Tribune, Minneapolis, MN
Posted on December 1, 1965
Gordon Gertz in the rear of his Minneapolis, Minn., grocery store was
alerted by the clinking sound of coins being dropped into a bag.
Looking toward the front of the store, Gertz saw a holdup in progress.
The grocer drew a pistol and crept up close to the armed bandit.
"Drop it", Gertz ordered. The bandit whirled and pointed his gun at
the grocer--Gertz fired one shot, killing the thug.
Star, Minneapolis, MN
Posted on October 1, 1964
Clerk Gerald Pampuch was waiting on a customer in Kenneth D.
Dugdale's Minneapolis, Minn., grocery store when a bandit entered
the store and demanded money. Dugdale, who was in a back room,
observed the bandit taking the money. He picked up his 12-ga.
shotgun and followed the thug to the front door. As the bandit headed
for a getaway car, Dugdale fired twice, seriusly wounding the wouldbe robber. The driver of the getaway car was picked up 15 minutes
later. Both admitted the robbery to police.
Pioneer Press, St. Paul, MN
Posted on June 1, 1963
Pedestrian Jean Gorman, walking two blocks from her Minneapplis,
Minn., home, was accosted by a man who attempted to snatch her
purse. She pulled a pistol from the purse and shot the footpad in the
left side. The assailant fled the scene and turned up a short time later
at a hospital, where he was placed on the critical list.
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Dispatch, St. Paul, MN
Posted on July 1, 1962
After being aroused by a homemade burglar alarm in his grocery
store next door, Clifford Carlson of Minneapolis, Minn., armed himself
and surprised two men in the act of looting the store's cash register.
Carlson downed one with a chest shot. While hunting for the second
burglar, he found a car with motor running near the store. Shortly
thereafter he had the second man trapped and held him for police.
The incident brought Carlson's bag of burglars to six since 1959.
Daily Journal, New Ulm, MN
Posted on November 1, 1959
After the fourth robbery of their Judson, Minn., implement company,
Harvey Rengsdorf and Edwin Fischer went on the alert. From his
nearby home Rengsdorf noted prowlers, got his shotgun, phoned the
sheriff, and ran to the store with partner Fischer. Two youths inside
were preparing to rob the safe while a third sat in a nearby getaway
car. When one left the store to get burglar tools and failed to heed a
warning to stop, Rengsdorf fired his shotgun. Wounded by the pellets,
the felon made it to the getaway car and escaped. The abandoned
accomplice, though armed with a pistol, yielded to Rengsdorf's
threatening shotgun and informed on his confederates. Police picked
them up at their homes.
The Star, Minneapolis, MN
Posted on October 1, 1959
John Paul, who lives in a basement apartment below his St. Paul,
Minn., furniture store, heard intruders' footsteps and got his cal. .38
revolver. In the dim glow of a street light, Paul saw two burglars and
fired several shots at them. One dropped at the scene, critically
wounded; the other smashed thrugh the window but was later
captured at his home.
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The Omaha World Herald, Omaha, Neb. 04/20/11
Posted on April 20, 2011
Around 2:30 a.m., Wesley Hall went to check on an often burglarized
home he owns in Omaha, Neb. and noticed signs of a break in. After
retrieving a pistol, Hall entered the house and called out, “I'm the
homeowner, I have a gun, I'm just looking, just come out, I don't want
to scare you.” When he received no answer, Hall entered the house
to investigate and came upon a burglar who had been stealing
copper. Hall ordered the criminal not to move, but the thief instead
lunged for Hall, at which point Hall opened fire, striking the intruder in
the leg and ending the attempted burglary. The thief, who has prior
convictions for drugs and forgery, was taken to a local hospital where
he is expected to survive. Unfortunately, due to Omaha’s onerous
local handgun registration law, Hall now faces the charge of
possessing an unregistered handgun; this, despite having complied
with the burdensome handgun registration scheme in California,
where he purchased the gun several years ago.
Omaha World-Herald, Omaha, NE, 01/17/09
Posted on April 1, 2009
The owner of Midwest Grillz and Jewelry, Andre McKesson, let two
men into his store while a third man waited outside. The men
expressed interest in purchasing a decorative mouthpiece known as
a grill, but an argument ensued. The man outside recalls hearing,
"Why you playing games with us, man? Where's our teeth? Can you
give a refund? Then give me my teeth!" Police say one of the men
pulled a gun and fired two shots into the wall where McKesson had
been standing. McKesson grabbed a semi-automatic rifle from behind
the counter and killed both assailants.
97
World-Herald, Omaha, NE, 10/23/02
Posted on January 1, 2003
A couple was sleeping in an Omaha, Neb., apartment when three
people broke in about 4:30 in the morning. The intruders began
beating the male resident and he and the woman staying with him
each grabbed a handgun and fired on the trio, shooting two of the
suspects.
Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln, NE, 5/16/02
Posted on August 1, 2002
A man who broke into a North Platte, Neb., woman's home fled when
she picked up a pistol and fired a shot at him, but was later
apprehended by police when he returned to conduct a panty raid. The
woman told police she woke up about 4:30 a.m. when she heard
someone climbing through her window. She grabbed her pistol and
fired at the intruder when he advanced on her. The suspect ran out of
the house, and the woman ran to a neighbor's house to call 9-1-1.
When police arrived they discovered the suspect just leaving the
home a second time, he had apparently returned to stuff his pockets
with the woman's underwear.
Columbus Telegram, Columbus, Neb., 10/29/99
Posted on May 1, 2000
When a man who had done some work for a Columbus, Neb., woman
showed up at her home one Saturday, she turned him away saying
she was too busy to talk. He soon returned to ask the woman for
water to cool his overheated van. After sending him around the side
of the house to draw it, she went back to her business. The next thing
she knew, the man had followed her back into the house with a rifle
and began aiming it at her and pulling the trigger. The terrified
resident had the presence of mind to go for her handgun, killing the
intruder
98
Omaha World-Herald, Omaha, NE, 1/28/99
Posted on April 1, 1999
South Omaha resident Gregory W. Webster was in his basement late
one evening when three men wearing ski masks and brandishing
guns broke in. "A short scuffle ensued," said police Sgt. Joe
Mackevicius. "The people breaking in drew guns and possibly fired
shots." Webster, who was wounded in the left shoulder, fought back,
firing shots from his own gun. Not confident that his efforts were
effective, he reportedly told police that his shots had struck only one
assailant. Minutes later, however, police apprehended one wounded
man in a vehicle fitting witness descriptions, and another wounded
man turned himself in at a local hospital emergency room.
The Journal, Lincoln, NE, 3/29/96
Posted on August 1, 1996
Awakened by his wife who said there was an intruder in their home, a
Lincoln, Nebraska, man grabbed his .380 and went to investigate,
finding not one, but three intruders in their house. One was
unplugging a computer, one disconnected a stereo and the third had
just entered the house from the garage with the family's car keys in
hand, when the armed homeowner yelled at them. Frightened, the
three men dropped everything and fled, escaping in a nearby vehicle.
The World-Herald, Omaha, NE, 12/9/93
Posted on May 1, 1993
A slow afternoon suddenly turned exciting for Omaha, Nebr., bar
owner Maurice Howard when a masked man entered and announced
a robbery. Howard initially complied with the man's demands for
money, but when the crook's attention was diverted, Howard went for
his gun. Neither was hit in the ensuing exchange of shots, but the
robber fled empty handed.
99
The Star, Lincoln, NE, 11/22/89
Posted on February 1, 1990
Two men stopped at Steve and Babe Martin's Mullen, Nebr., ranch
and asked for food. Then one of them pulled a gun and demanded a
vehicle. The rancher wrested the gun from the man, but the
stranger's accomplice began stabbing Martin. The attack ended when
Mrs. Martin came out of the house with a rifle. Martin was able to hold
his assailant for authorities; the other man fled but was later captured
on a train by police.
The World-Herald, Omaha, NE, 2/13/89
Posted on May 1, 1989
Sheila Wagner was in her Omaho, Nebr., home when a man broke in
through a bedroom window. The intruder lunged at her and yelled,
"She's in here," to another man climbing through the window. The 41year-old social worker picked up her registered handgun when the
first man grabbed her by the neck and began firing. Wounded, the
attacker was helped back out of the house by his accomplice; both
were later arrested by police.
The Journal, Lincoln, NE, 9/18/86
Posted on December 1, 1986
A Lincoln, Nebr., woman awoke to find a man standing at the foot of
her bed. As she tried to get up, he pushed her back, saying he
wanted her money. While the intruder gagged the woman, her 15year-old daughter entered and the man chased the girl. The mother
freed herself, grabbed a .22 rifle, forcing the would-be robber to flee
the house.
100
The World-Herald, Omaha, NE, 12/28/85
Posted on March 1, 1986
Thomas Winston had his Omaha, Nebr., home's door bolted and
barred because of earlier burglaries, but that didn't stop the most
recent pair of unfortunate intruders. They smashed through the front
door with a concrete block, only to draw a blast from Winston's 12-ga.
shotgun. One was wounded; both were arrested.
The World Herald, Omaha, NE, 7/16/85
Posted on October 1, 1985
Hearing screams from his neighbor's Omaha, Nebr., front yard, Ken
Pierson grabbed a pistol and rushed to the scene. He found his
neighbor on the ground being kicked and beaten by two men. When
Pierson ordered them to stop, one of the assailants grabbed for
Pierson's pistol and was fatally wounded in a struggle.
The World-Herald, Omaha, NE
Posted on June 1, 1985
Margarita Washington was working in her Omaha, Nebr., store when
a masked man entered, pulled a gun and demanded money.
Washington retrieved a pistol, and the man ordered her to drop it.
Instead, she fired a shot that sent him fleeing. "If I had let him get
away with it, I might as well close up," she said later.
101
The World-Herald, Omaha, NE
Posted on April 1, 1983
An intruder bashed through the door of David Gerken's home near
Elwood, Nebr., struck Gerken with a sawed-off shotgun, then bound
him and his wife. The gunman threatened to kill the couple if they
moved while he left the house, but Gerken, 74, slipped his bonds,
readied a shotgun and warned the man against re-entry. When
answered by a shotgun blast, Gerken returned fire, and the intruder
fell back through the door. The gunman managed to drive away, but
collapsed shortly thereafter in a nearby restaurant.
The Journal, Lincoln, NE, 6/2/81
Posted on August 1, 1981
Awakened by noises coming over the intercom burglary system he
rigged up between his house and his Murray, Nebr., service station,
Jim Gruber picked up a shotgun and ran to investigate. Two burglars
fleeing from the store were brought to bay by warning shots from
Gruber's 12-ga.
The World-Herald, Omaha, NE
Posted on September 1, 1978
When Susan Watson of Omaha, Nebr., discovered a burglar in the
living room, the man dropped his loot and dashed for the door as she
ran and woke her husband. David Watson grabbed his gun in time to
fire one shot at the door of the car backing out his driveway, causing
the burglar to lose control and crash into a fence. Watson then
apprehended the thief and held him for the police.
102
The Omaha World-Herald, Omaha, NE
Posted on June 1, 1975
NRA Life Member Robert Marcotte, awakened by his daughter's
screams in their Omaha, Nebr., home, grabbed an automatic pistol
and ran from his bedroom to find a man at the top of the stairs. When
the intruder ran, Marcotte gave chase and caught and held him at
gunpoint. The man escaped when Marcotte's attention was diverted
but was arrested moments later.
World-Herald, Omaha, NE
Posted on June 1, 1970
A man walked into Donald Hoberman's jewelry store in Omaha,
Nebr., and asked to see some rings. When Hoberman opened a
display case, the man grabbed a rack containing several rings and
ran out the door. Hoberman got into his car and chased the man,
stopping and holding him at gunpoint until officers arrived.
World-Herald, Omaha, NE
Posted on March 1, 1969
When Mrs. Paul Jaksich heard glass breaking at 4:45 A.M. at the
service station next to her Omaha, Neb., home she roused her
husband and 18-year-old son. The men armed themselves and held
at gunpoint two thieves they caught coming out of the station. One of
the intruders was armed with a starter pistol.
103
World-Herald, Omaha, NE
Posted on July 1, 1961
A lone bandit victimized Omaha service station attendant Les W.
Carper on 2 occasions. The first time he pistol-whipped Carper and
took $225. Two weeks later he returned and badly damaged the
attendant's eye when he kicked him as he fled the station. For the
third time in 6 weeks the thug came again and Carper met him with a
cal. .22 pistol. In the ensuing gunfire Carper suffered 2 flesh wounds;
the bandit fell with shots in the shoulder and chest but scrambled to
his feet and fled out the door. Carper pursued, firing his pistol at his
tormentor. The bandit ran some distance, collapsed in a vacant lot,
and was taken by police.
World-Herald, Omaha, NE
Posted on July 1, 1961
A lone bandit victimized Omaha service station attendant Les W.
Carper on 2 occasions. The first time he pistol-whipped Carper and
took $225. Two weeks later he returned and badly damaged the
attendant's eye when he kicked him as he fled the station. For the
third time in 6 weeks the thug came again and Carper met him with a
cal. .22 pistol. In the ensuing gunfire Carper suffered 2 flesh wounds;
the bandit fell with shots in the shoulder and chest but scrambled to
his feet and fled out the door. Carper pursued, firing his pistol at his
tormentor. The bandit ran some distance, collapsed in a vacant lot,
and was taken by police.
104
Sword-wielding robber thwarted at restaurant,
The Las Vegas Review Journal, Las Vegas, Nev. 08/21/12
Posted on August 23, 2012
A masked man armed with a samurai sword entered a Dairy Queen
in Las Vegas, Nev. and attempted to rob the store. 20-year-old
Michael Wehbe was working the cash register when the armed
robber began hacking at it with the sword and demanding money.
The clerk’s brother, 23-year-old Christian Wehbe, was in the back of
the store, but when he saw the criminal on a surveillance camera he
retrieved a 9mm pistol and rushed to help his brother. Once in the
front of the store, Christian shot the robber, who later died at a local
hospital. (The Las Vegas Review Journal, Las Vegas, Nev. 08/21/12)
The Reno Gazette-Journal Reno, Nev. 08/22/11
Posted on August 23, 2011
A 72-year-old homeowner in Reno, Nev. was awakened at 3 a.m. by
three criminals breaking into his home. The homeowner retrieved a
gun, confronted the criminals and fired at them, striking one and
causing two to flee. One burglar remained at the house and retrieved
a knife, starting an eight hour standoff with the homeowner. Not
having a telephone, the homeowner was eventually able to force the
criminal outside and was able to have a neighbor call the authorities.
When police arrived, they captured the burglar involved in the
standoff and a short while later located his wounded accomplice at a
local hospital. Police noted that the homeowner had armed himself as
a result of a recent burglary.
105
KLAS, Las Vegas, Nev. 1/19/11
Posted on January 20, 2011
A man was walking through a Wal-Mart parking lot in North Las
Vegas, Nev., when a robber attacked him and demanded he turn
over any items of value. Rather than comply, the man, a Right-to–
Carry permit holder, drew a gun and fired at the criminal, causing him
to flee. After arriving on scene, North Las Vegas police notified local
hospitals to be on the lookout for someone with a gunshot wound
fitting the robber’s description. There are no plans to charge the
armed citizen, with Officer Chrissie Coons stating, “If a citizen is
physically attacked and is in fear of his life, he has the right to defend
himself."
Fox5Vegas, Las Vegas, Nev. 02/16/09, KTNV, Las Vegas, Nev.
02/16/09, KVBC-TV, Las Vegas, Nev. 02/19/09
Posted on February 23, 2009
A homeowner in Las Vegas, Nev., arrived home around 4:15 p.m.
and found his house being burglarized. As the homeowner went
inside, he was confronted by career burglar Mark Clinton Vains, who
pulled out a gun and pointed it at the homeowner. The homeowner, a
Right-To-Carry permit holder, drew his gun and fired at Vains, killing
him. Police later discovered that Vains, who had a history of burglary
dating back to 1992, had used a pellet gun during the incident. Las
Vegas police did not charge the homeowner in the case and
Homicide Lt. Lew Roberts, “You either shoot him, or he shoots you.”
Local gun shop owner and frequent expert firearm witness, Bob Irwin
also agreed with the homeowner’s actions in the case and stated,
“Bringing a fake gun to a gunfight is not a healthy thing to do."
106
Reno Gazette-Journal, Reno, NV, 05/26/08
Posted on August 1, 2008
A long-running feud between two Nevada families came to a head
when a participant in the feud entered a bar and grill and began
shooting into a crowd of 300 patrons. Police say the gunman killed
two brothers and wounded two other people. When he stopped to
reload, a patron with a concealed carry permit saw a chance to
intervene. The patron drew his pistol and fired, killing the gunman and
preventing further bloodshed.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas, Nev., 8/15/07
Posted on November 1, 2007
According to authorities, a home-owner in a gated community was
awakened by noises and, to his horror, found an intruder choking his
wife. The homeowner quickly ran for his gun and returned to discover
two additional intruders. The men, at least one of them armed with a
gun, held the homeowner's wife hostage and demanded cash and
jewelry. Fearing his wife would be killed, the homeowner opened fire
and at least one of the intruders shot back. The suspects fled. Two
were sought by police; one died in the backyard.
Gazette-Journal, Reno, NV, 01/18/06
Posted on April 1, 2006
While sitting on her couch working on her computer in the early
morning hours, a woman heard a noise at her front door. According to
police, she saw two men through the peephole, so she grabbed her
shotgun and chambered a shell. The would-be burglars kicked the
door open only to find themselves staring down a gun barrel. "Get the
[expletive] out of here!" the woman shouted, according to a police
report. The men fled the scene.
107
Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas, NV, 10/05/05
Posted on January 1, 2006
According to police, 82-year-old L.G. Von Zehner was washing his
car when a gun-wielding thug approached him and demanded cash.
Zehner complied by handing over an empty wallet and informing the
robber that his money was at home. The man got inside Zehner's car
and demanded that they drive to Zehner's home. But rather than
grant the suspect his wish, Zehner grabbed his own firearm and shot
him. The robber returned fire, but died inside the car. Zehner was
shot in the chest and was recovering at a hospital where he was
listed in serious condition. Police later captured an accomplice whom
they said removed the robber's gun from his body and threw it onto a
nearby roof. He was charged with robbery, kidnapping and attempted
murder.
Pahrump Valley Times, Pahrump Valley, NV, 10/20/04
Posted on February 1, 2005
Nevada resident Dan Simmons was awakened early one morning by
his houseguest who warned him that someone was trying to break
into the house. The police were called, but no one was found. Shortly
after the police left, a man approached the front door telling Simmons
to come outside; he instead retrieved his gun. A moment later the
glass in his front door shattered and the intruder made his way inside.
Simmons fired, hitting the intruder, who in turn fled. Simmons said he
believed the man may have at one time worked construction at his
home. "I don't feel safe. I am taking precautions," Simmons later said
of the incident, adding, "I advise everyone else in town to do the
same."
108
Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas, NV, 12/24/04
Posted on January 1, 2005
A restraining order did not prevent a woman's ex-boyfriend from
kicking down the front door of her Sparks, Nev., apartment at 2:40
a.m. The man proceeded to attack a co-worker of the woman with a
metal lamp, injuring him. The assailant then turned his attention to the
woman, but the co-worker retrieved a handgun and fatally wounded
the intruder.
Pahrump Valley Times, Nye County, Nev., 10/20/04
Posted on October 1, 2004
When a guest told him that someone was trying to break into his Nye
County, Nev., home, Pahrump Valley Times outdoors columnist Dan
Simmons retrieved his .357 Mag. revolver as a neighbor called law
enforcement. After the police investigated and left, the intruder
returned, smashing the glass in the front door with a rock. Simmons,
who had retrieved his revolver for the second time that morning, fired
a shot, wounding the intruder.
Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas, Nev., 8/20/04
Posted on September 1, 2004
When a loud crash at 1:30 a.m. awoke a Las Vegas, Nev.,
homeowner, the first things he did were to retrieve his handgun, and
tell his wife to dial 911. When he went into the hall, he was violently
attacked, and a struggle ensued. The homeowner fired his handgun,
killing the intruder.
109
Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas, NV, 09/18/03
Posted on December 1, 2003
A Las Vegas, Nev., woman shot and killed her next-door neighbor,
whom she had previously caught burglarizing her home. Felipe
Starks was trying to evade police officers, who wanted him in
connection with a string of burglaries and a parole violation, by using
a crawl space above the two apartments. The woman had just
stepped out of her shower when Starks crashed through her ceiling.
Fearing for her life, she picked up a gun she had purchased after the
burglary in April, and fired several shots at Starks, who ran back into
his apartment. Police took him into custody, but he later died of his
wounds. Las Vegas homicide Lt. Tom Monahan said it appeared the
woman had cause to fear for her life. "If a man fell through the ceiling
right after you're getting out of the shower -- I'm told she had just
finished drying off -- I think it's reasonable that you would be terrified,"
he said.
The Record-Courier, Gardnerville, NV, 08/06/03
Posted on October 1, 2003
A Gardnerville, Nev., home-owner shot and killed a man who broke
into his home. According to police reports, Walter Francis Hetrick of
Antioch, Calif., broke a window next to a door at 11:24 p.m. and then
entered through the door. Charles Cryderman heard someone
breaking in and called police. The homeowner, armed with a .357-cal.
revolver, then shot the intruder when he entered his home. Douglas
County Sheriff's investigator Mike Biaggini said that a man protecting
'his castle' against someone committing a felony such as home
invasion and burglary is allowed to defend himself. "He was in fear of
his life," Biaggini explained. "His whole family was there."
110
Reno Gazette-Journal, Reno, NV, 05/21/03
Posted on September 1, 2003
A Reno, Nev., woman had just dropped off her children at a local
clinic and was returning to her minivan when she saw a man
vandalizing the vehicle. The woman yelled at the vandal, who then
approached her in a threatening manner. That's when the 39-year-old
mother of four drew a .32-cal. pistol from her purse and told the man
to stop. When he continued to advance toward her, she shot him
once in the chest. Her attacker, Karan-Vir Singh, was expected to be
charged with destruction of property.
Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas, NV, 10/08/02
Posted on January 1, 2003
A man was shot in the buttocks by an armed Las Vegas homeowner
when several men broke into a home in an attempted burglary. The
shot sent the would-be burglars running; one suspect jumped from a
second-story window. Police arrested four men, including the
wounded man, and charged them with burglary with use of a deadly
weapon and home invasion. North Las Vegas Police Lt. Victor Dunn
said the suspects were going through the neighborhood knocking on
doors, looking for an empty house.
111
Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas, NV, 12/12/01
Posted on April 1, 2002
A Las Vegas, Nevada, man was assaulted by a man and woman who
came to his home under the pretense of buying jewelry he'd
advertised in the paper. When the homeowner brought out the
jewelry, the man began to assault him with a blunt object and the
woman grabbed the jewelry and fled. The homeowner's adult
daughter heard her father's cry for help and grabbed a handgun.
When the assailant tried to attack the daughter, she shot him several
times in the head, according to Las Vegas Police Sgt. Al Cervantes.
Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas, Nev., 7/19/00
Posted on January 1, 2001
Barking dogs alerted a 60-year-old Las Vegas resident to trouble one
night, but before going to investigate, the man armed himself with a
handgun. Opening the door to his den, he encountered an armed
intruder standing only a few feet away. A fierce gun battle ensued in
which the armed citizen came out on top. When police arrived, they
chased and quickly captured a fleeing accomplice. Inside the house,
they found a gun still in the dead man's hand. The home invader
reportedly had a criminal record for burglary and battery
112
Elko Daily Free Press, Elko, NV, 4/10/98
Posted on August 1, 1998
According to Elko County, Nevada, Sheriff Neil Harris, a man who
had befriended and later stalked Tracy Templeton deliberately waited
until Templeton's husband was away one morning before entering the
couple's house. The man beat Templeton in the face with the heel of
his hand in an attempt to deliver a tactical blow designed to kill. But
Templeton's 15-year-old son, who was in the house along with her 3year-old son, came to his mother's rescue. He first attempted to pull
the man away, then ran into a bedroom, where he grabbed a semiautomatic .22-cal. handgun. When he returned, he fired three shots,
killing the attacker. Templeton suffered a deep cut over her right eye,
a broken cheek bone, a broken nose, and bruises. The assailant had
been released from jail the previous night after serving time for the
stalking.
The Gazette, Reno, NV, 8/9/96
Posted on January 1, 1997
An 18-year-old woman was retrieving cash from a Reno, Nevada,
automatic teller machine when two robbers pushed her against the
machine and demanded she withdraw all of her money. Suddenly,
the sound of a round being chambered in a semi-automatic pistol was
heard from behind as a voice yelled, "Leave her alone." The two
assailants bolted. The mystery rescuer then asked the woman if she
was okay and advised her to go home before disappearing himself.
113
The Sun, Las Vegas, NV, 8/19/86
Posted on November 1, 1996
Awakened by the sound of a window breaking, a Las Vegas, Nev.,
apartment dweller ran to his kitchen and saw an arm reaching in to
open the latch. The resident rushed to his bedroom, retrieving his .38
and returned to grapple with the burglar. When the intruder was
halfway through the window, the man fired and fatally wounded the
would-be robber, an ex-con who was being sought for parole
violation. No charges were filed against the homeowner.
The Daily Free Press, Elko, NV, 2/6/96
Posted on June 1, 1996
Dave Montgomery grabbed his .22-cal. semi-automatic rifle from the
gun cabinet and went to investigate the ruckus outside on his Battle
Mountain, Nevada, farm. Rounding the side of the barn, Montgomery
came face to face with a wolf trying to get to his pigs and chickens.
The canine charged the farmer at "full bore," but was finally halted by
a volley of shots. Montgomery fired more than seven times before the
animal ceased his attack.
The Gazette-Journal, Reno, NV, 9/20/95
Posted on December 1, 1995
At the sound of screams, 15-year-old Derek Lohman looked out the
window of his Washoe Valley, Nevada, home and saw his elderly
neighbor being viciously mauled by the man's own dog. Lohman
instantly grabbed the pellet gun he had received as a birthday
present and charged to the rescue, shooting the dog more than 10
times before the wounded animal gave up its relentless attack.
Lohman then lifted his seriously wounded neighbor over a fence and
carried him to safety.
114
Review-Journal, Las Vegas, NV, 2/11/95
Posted on May 1, 1995
Iron gates didn't stop a gang of armed home invaders, but a .357
Mag. proved more effective. At least five burglars, some armed,
rampaged through a Las Vegas, Nevada, woman's upscale home.
When one kicked down the locked door of the bedroom where she
was hiding, she opened fire, wounding him and putting the bandits to
flight. The wounded criminal and his four accomplices were later
arrested.
The Review-Journal, Las Vegas, NV, 11/11/92
Posted on April 1, 1993
Retired Las Vegas deputy police chief Larry Bolden initially tried to
defend himself with a steering-wheel bar lock when a criminal
attacked him in his car. But when the intruder wrestled it from him,
Bolden pulled his pistol and fired several times, wounding his attacker
and stopping the incident. "He was just a citizen defending hmself," a
police official said.
The Review-Journal, Las Vegas, NV, 8/18/92
Posted on November 1, 1992
A pair of Las Vegas, Nev., carjackers learned that it's hard to practice
your profession when the chosen victims are also armed. The pair
approached a car parked outside a pizza shop, drew guns and
announced the robbery, but the car's two occupants drew their own
guns and opened fire. The two would-be robbers fled, but a wounded
suspect and an accomplice were apprehended shortly after the
incident.
115
The Gazette-Journal, Reno, NV, 11/15/91
Posted on February 1, 1992
Holding a burglar for police was a group effort for a Sparks, Nev.,
family. Steve Kern, 14, a karate student, was asleep in bed when the
man came into his bedroom. When the man approached, Steve
kicked him in the stomach. Alerted by her son's yells, Judy Craven
grabbed the stunned man's shirt and pulled him into the hall, where
her husband Gary was waiting with a revolver. Police soon arrived
and took the man into custody.
The Gazette-Journal, Reno, NV, 2/4/91
Posted on May 1, 1991
Heading home from a shooting trip, James Militello of Sun Valley,
Nev., saw two men beating a third at an intersection. Militello picked
up his unloaded .22 and went to the rescue. He confronted the
assailants, forced them to leave and took the injured man to the
hospital.
The Gazette-Journal, Reno, NV, 11/24/90
Posted on March 1, 1991
Fed up with his losses, Reno, Nev., businessman Al Chandler staked
out his office for a week after burglars hit it. When a criminal pair
broke through a fence and into a storage shed, Chandler and one of
his employees, armed with a shotgun and a rifle, confronted them.
One escaped, but Chandler held the other for police.
116
The Review-Journal, Las Vegas, NV, 4/6/89
Posted on July 1, 1989
A 65-year-old Las Vegas, Nev., resident awoke to find an intruder in
his home. The two struggled in the living room as the stranger
demanded money. When the man grabbed a knife from a kitchen
drawer and threatened the elderly homeowner, the resident took a
pistol from the living room and shot dead his attacker.
The Gazette-Journal, Reno, NV, 11/2/88
Posted on February 1, 1989
The owner of a Las Vegas, Nev., lounge was sitting in a booth with
some friends when a man came up from behind and grabbed him
around the throat. Gianni Russo pushed the man to the floor, but the
assailant then grabbed a woman and cut her with a broken beer
bottle. When the owner tried to intervene, the man slashed him.
Russo then drew a handgun and fatally shot the attacker.
The Review-Journal, Las Vegas, NV, 6/14/87
Posted on September 1, 1987
Patsy Holdcroft, was disturbed by the sound of someone beating on
the front door of her Las Vegas, Nev., home. The 25-year-old woman
armed herself and went to the door, where she warned the intruder
that she was armed. Persisting, the man finally beat the door down
and advanced toward Holdcroft, who fired, fatally wounding the
housebreaker.
117
The Gazette-Journal, Reno, NV, 3/6/86
Posted on June 1, 1986
Laura and Scott Williams, two Sparks, Nev., teenagers, returned
home from school to find a stranger ransacking their house. When
the intruder reached for his back pocket, Scott grabbed a pistol he
kept in his room and held the burglar until police arrived.
The Appeal, Carson City, NV, 1/15/86
Posted on March 1, 1986
Arriving at his Las Vegas auto repair shop, Sandor Racz found a
disgruntled customer holding a pistol to the head of an employee.
When the man fired at Racz, the shopowner pulled a handgun and
returned fire, killing the assailant.
The Sun, Las Vegas, NV, 12/2/85
Posted on February 1, 1986
Awakened as a burglar attempted to muffle her in her bed, a 76-yearold Las Vegas woman tricked her attacker by calling for help from a
man who wasn't there. As her assailant looked around, Elizabeth
Coleman grabbed her .38 and fired two rounds that sent the intruder
diving head-first out a window.
The Bee, Sacramento, CA, 11/5/85
Posted on January 1, 1986
Stopped at an Elko, Nev., gas station Betty Gibson watched in
disbelief as a truck driver twice rammed the family van, then pointed
a shotgun at her husband and pulled the trigger. The gun apparently
misfired, giving Gibson time to grab a revolver and fire at the
stranger, who drove off. A suspect was arrested later.
118
The Sun, Las Vegas, NV, 6/16/84
Posted on September 1, 1984
Asleep in his Las Vegas apartment, Phillip Brown was jarred awake
by loud knocks at his door. Opening the door a crack, he failed to
recognize the visitor, who then kicked his way in. Ignoring warnings to
halt, the intruder rushed Brown and was stopped only by a blast from
the apartment dweller's 12-ga. shotgun. No charges were filed in the
fatal shooting.
The Gazette-Journal, Reno, NV, 3/13/84
Posted on July 1, 1984
Reno, Nev., jeweler Bob Reel was about to assist two customers
when one of them drew a sawed-off shotgun from under his coat.
Reel immediately pulled his own gun and fired, forcing the pair to flee
from the store.
The Review Journal, Las Vegas, NV, 12/17/83
Posted on March 1, 1984
When a Las Vegas woman answered an early-morning knock at the
door, a man pushed his way inside, forced the woman at gunpoint
into a bedroom, and ordered her and a second woman to lie on the
floor. A man sleeping in the home awoke when he heard the
disturbance, armed himself with a handgun, and shot the intruder,
who was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
119
The Daily Free Press, Elko, NV
Posted on September 1, 1982
Joseph Dean of Winchester, Calif., and Wendell Knighton of McGill,
Nev., were stopped at a rest area near Jackpot, Nev., when they saw
a man shoot a sheriff's deputy. As the criminal advanced on his car,
Dean grabbed a pistol, rolled under the vehicle and exchanged shots
with him. Knighton, sitting in his own car, opened up, too. In the
fusillade, the criminal was killed with no injury to bystanders.
Meanwhile, Knighton's wife and sister-in-law gave first aid to the
fallen deputy, probably saving his life.
The Evening Gazette, Reno, NV, 7/4/80
Posted on September 1, 1980
Michelle Thrower was asleep in her Lake Tahoe, Nev., home when
an armed man walked into the bedroom, bound her with electric cord,
and taped her mouth. As the intruder ransacked the house, Thrower
freed herself, found her pistol, and shot the would-be robber to death.
The Humboldt Sun, Winnemucca, NV
Posted on December 1, 1978
When he heard a woman scream, Jim Hudson of Paradise Valley,
Nev., went to the scene carrying a rifle. There he rescued a partially
clothed 18-year-old victim and then apprehended her assailant,
delivering him to the police.
The Sun, Las Vegas, NV
Posted on December 1, 1977
A would-be rapist attacked Mrs. Milne Ongley in her Las Vegas, Nev.,
apartment. Hearing her screams, her husband rushed into the room,
struggled with the intruder and then shot him fatally with a cal. .357
revolver.
120
The Review-Journal, Las Vegas, NV
Posted on October 1, 1977
A 300-lb former mental patient had stabbed two men to death and
was attempting to break through a door to reach two women next to
Steve Lennon's Las Vegas, Nev., home when Lennon, hearing the
noise, came out to investigate. He challenged the killer, who charged
him, brandishing the bloody weapon. Lennon opened fire, killing the
slasher instantly.
The Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas, NV
Posted on February 1, 1976
Wielding an athletic sock filled with rocks, a ski-masked bandit
demanded money from Las Vegas, Nev., hotel manager William
Reynolds. Pretending to get the cash out of a desk drawer, Reynolds
grabbed a revolver, ordered the man to drop the rock-filled sock and
tripped an alarm.
The Reno Evening Gazette, Reno, NV
Posted on July 1, 1974
Attorney Michael Specchio and wife returned home in Reno, Nev.,
one evening and surprised three burglars inside. Specchio, who is
with the Washoe County public defender's office, ordered the thieves
out and fired several warning shots from his .22 revolver. One
suspect was quickly arrested by police.
The Nevada State Journal, Reno, NV
Posted on November 1, 1973
Alerted to a burglary taking place on a lower level of his Reno, Nev.,
apartment house, Douglas Stewart got a gun and confronted a thief
removing stereo equipment. Stewart commanded the burglar to stop
and turned him over to police.
121
The Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas, NV
Posted on February 1, 1973
While watching TV in her Las Vegas, Nev., home, 80-year-old Gladys
Cunningham heard the glass in her back door shatter. Two men, one
masked, were trying to force entry. Getting a gun, she fired a single
shot that started the men running.
Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas, NV
Posted on October 1, 1972
Hearing a disturbance in his Las Vegas, Nev., living room, Mel
Meyers grabbed a revolver off his bedroom nightstand and dashed
into the room where he confronted three armed men. When one man
struck him, Meyers fired and his assailant fell mortally wounded. The
wounded man's companions fled, leaving behind a shotgun.
The Reno Evening Gazette, Reno, NV
Posted on September 1, 1971
A man entered a Reno, Nev., sports store with a rifle slung over his
shoulder and attempted to rob owner Veldon Taylor. When Taylor
tried to disarm the man, the rifle fired into the ceiling, alerting other
store personnel who subdued the holdup man.
Sun, Las Vegas, NV
Posted on October 1, 1969
Two men entered a Las Vegas, Nev., grocery store and ordered
Frank Nyers, the night clerk, to empty the safe. After doing so, Nyers
grabbed his pistol and fired at the bandits as they were leaving,
wounding one of them. Police later found them several blocks away
and recovered the stolen money.
122
Sun, Las Vegas, NV
Posted on December 1, 1968
Preparing to retire for the night, Mrs. J.W. Applegate, Las Vegas,
Nev., opened a closet and found a man hiding there. She screamed.
He scrammed. Her husband later found the intruder crouching behind
their dining room table. Applegate held the man at gun point until
police arrived.
Review Journal, Las Vegas, NV
Posted on August 1, 1966
In his Las Vegas, Nev., apartment, John J. Miller was preparing to go
to work. Alerted by the growling of his dog, Miller obtained a revolver
from his bedside table, and went into the living room to investigate.
He confronted an armed intruder. Miller fired and the would-be bandit
fell mortally wounded.
Sun, Las Vegas, NV
Posted on October 1, 1960
After terrorizing two women who barricaded themselves in their
apartment to ward off his advances, a berserk man attacked a Las
Vegas mother in her front yard, her screams bringing John Lang and
his pistol from his nearby service station to interrupt the mauling at
gunpoint. The would-be rapist broke for the interior of his victim's
house and Lang shot him dead.
123
Daily Free Press, Elko, NV
Posted on June 1, 1960
As the intercom burglar alarm sounded, Wes Johnson jumped from
bed, grabbed a ready cal. .45 pistol and 12-ga. shotgun, and hurried
to his nearby Deeth, Nev., tavern. There Johnson found two women
seated in a getaway car while their male companions pillaged the
saloon. Johnson herded the women from the car and fired his pistol
through the window at the thieves. The two burglars fled through the
front door together, and Johnson finally brought both men down with
buckshot from his shotgun.
Review-Journal, Las Vegas, NV
Posted on August 1, 1959
When Ray Bandle drove by his Las Vegas garage, he spied a light in
the closed office. Slipping quietly into the building, Bandle trapped a
burglar and held him at gunpoint until police arrived.
124
The Union Leader, Manchester, N.H. 02/22/12, 02/23/12
Posted on February 24, 2012
61-year-old Dennis Fleming was at his home in Farmington, N.H.
when he noticed that some of his drawers and belongings had been
rifled through. After retrieving a .38-caliber handgun, Fleming went to
investigate and spotted a suspicious man with a backpack walking up
the street. A short time later, Fleming heard a loud noise coming from
his neighbor’s home and saw the same suspicious man crawling out
of his neighbor’s window. Fleming confronted the criminal and fired a
warning shot into the ground to get him to halt. The tactic worked and
Fleming was able to detain the burglar until police could arrive. The
criminal has since been charged with burglary and possession of
Vicodin and has admitted to burglarizing several other homes in town.
Unfortunately, instead of being hailed as a hero, the Strafford County
Attorney’s Office recommended that Fleming be charged with felony
reckless conduct for the warning shot, carrying a possible sentence of
3 ½ to 7 years. In the days following the incident Fleming received
nationwide support and after further review of the case the County
Attorney’s Office dropped the charges, with County Attorney Tom
Velardi noting that “a charge under these circumstances would be
unjust.” (The Union Leader, Manchester, N.H. 02/22/12, 02/23/12)
Portsmouth Herald, Portsmouth, NH, 4/17/09
Posted on July 1, 2009
Just as she was about to take a shower, a Seabrook homeowner
heard "loud crashing" noises. She grabbed her pistol and came faceto-face with an intruder who had kicked in her back door. Gun in
hand, the homeowner told the burglar to stay put while she called the
police, but he took off running. Police later arrested the suspect at a
nearby hotel.
125
The Nashua Telegraph, Nashua, N.H. December 13, 2011
Posted on December 15, 2011
A woman was at home in bed in her apartment in Merrimack, N.H.,
when she was awakened by the sound of an intruder kicking her door
in. The resident retrieved a firearm and met the criminal at the door to
her bedroom. Upon seeing the gun, the home invader fled the scene.
Other witnesses in the apartment building noted that the criminal had
knocked on several doors in the building. Police believe he was trying
to determine which apartments were and were not occupied, in order
to more efficiently burglarize them.
The Telegraph, Nashua, NH, 01/19/05
Posted on April 1, 2005
A Hollis, N.H., man was awakened one night to the sounds of
screaming in his back yard. The homeowner, Donald Narkis, grabbed
his gun and headed downstairs when he heard glass breaking in the
kitchen. Narkis fired in the direction of the intruder, who, undeterred,
continued to advance as he screamed and smashed furniture.
Together with his armed daughter, Narkis ordered the intruder onto
the floor, but the man wouldn't stay down. Narkis fired again, but the
shot hit next to the intruder's leg. When police arrived on the scene,
the intruder, identified as Peter Camplin, complained, "that psycho
tried to shoot me." Camplin, who had moved into the neighborhood
only months previously, was found to have a significant amount of
cocaine and alcohol in his system.
Portsmouth News Herald, Portsmouth, N.H., 11/5/04
Posted on November 1, 2004
A man showed up at David Oeser's Eliot, Maine, home at 1:30 in the
morning, began pounding on the door, then forced his way inside.
Oeser retrieved a handgun and fired, wounding the home invader,
who, it turned out, had a criminal history of four assault convictions.
126
The Union Leader, Manchester, NH, 8/03/01
Posted on October 1, 2001
When a masked man entered Baroody's Market one night, pointed a
gun at two women behind the counter and demanded money, he got
more than he bargained for. Store owner Robert Baroody had been
sitting just out of sight, but sprung into action when the robber drew
on the owner's wife and sister. "Don't point a gun at my family,"
Baroody said later. "That's when you've crossed the line." Baroody
aimed his .38-cal. pistol and fired. The shot missed the suspect, who
ran out the front door. Deputy Police Chief James Stewart said, "As
far as we can see [Baroody] had every right in the world to defend his
family."
The Citizen, Laconia, NH, 5/25/96
Posted on October 1, 1996
A Manchester, New Hampshire, landlord, tired of break-ins at an
apartment building she owned, single-handedly confronted three
trespassers who had illegally entered an empty apartment, chasing
them away from the property at gunpoint. The woman didn't have to
fire a shot, since the men took off at the sight of her firearm. One of
the trespassers was arrested by police after leading the landlord and
a tenant on a brief foot chase.
The Monitor, Concord, NH, 3/27/95
Posted on August 1, 1995
Concord, New Hampshire, resident Stephen Lockawich and his 100lb. chocolate lab, Mousse, were scouring woods for shed deer antlers
when suddenly charged by a rabid skunk. The crazed critter lashed
out at the much larger dog, sinking his teeth into Mousse's leg before
being knocked loose. The dog and his owner attempted to escape
through the woods only to discover the skunk right behind them.
Lockawich then drew his .38 and fired four shots, killing the diseased
pest.
127
The Citizen, Laconia, NH, 7/15/93
Posted on November 1, 1993
Awakened by noises in his Manchester, New Hampshire, home, John
Kazakis reached for his phone to call police. The phone was dead,
however, so Kazakis picked up a rifle and went downstairs to
investigate. When he saw a man take something from his mailbox
and approach the house, Kazakis challenged him, and when that had
no effect, fired a warning shot into the ground, prompting the man to
flee. Responding police found that phone lines had been pulled out,
apparently in an attempt to disable the home's burglar alarm.
The Cabinet, Milford, NH, 3/28/90
Posted on July 1, 1990
Warren Horst of Amherst, N.H., was in his home when he heard
someone enter during the middle of the day. Horst hid in a closet, and
when a teenage burglar attempted to take money from his home, the
resident held the housebreaker for police at gunpoint. Both the young
burglar and his adult accomplice were arrested by authorities.
The Monitor, Concord, NH, 10/16/89
Posted on January 1, 1990
Bruce Paquette and a friend were hunting in the vicinity of Merrimack,
N.H., when they came across a group of vandals ransacking a car.
The hunters ordered the foursome to stop and held them at gunpoint
until police arrived to take them into custody.
128
The Union-Leader, Manchester, NH, 3/9/88
Posted on July 1, 1988
When three men brandishing knives broke into William Sylvester's
Nashua, N.H., home and tried to rob him and his wife, the resident
drew his handgun and fired several shots, sending the would-be
thieves fleeing.
The Monitor, Concord, NH, 10/22/87
Posted on February 1, 1988
Bill Sanborn, an Andover, N.H., auto repair shop owner, got tired of
thieves stealing stereos from his customer's cars. So the
businessman decided to keep watch nights, armed with a pistol and
pots of coffee. When his vigil was disturbed by two carloads of
intruders, Sanborn called police. But when the group moved towards
the customers' cars, the owner went out and held six trepassers at
gunpoint. Charges of criminal trespassing were filed against the
suspects.
The News-Letter, Exeter, NH
Posted on October 1, 1983
A Stratham, N.H., resident who had sustained five previous burglaries
readied a shotgun and concealed himself after noticing a car
repeatedly driving by his home. When a youthful, knife-wielding
housebreaker climbed through a window, the homeowner confronted
him and held him until police arrived. Two suspected accomplices
were arrested in the incident.
129
The Union Leader, Manchester, NH, 6/1/83
Posted on August 1, 1983
Leroy McCormick was summoned by his pup's late-night barking to
check out a disturbance in a grocery across the road from his
Moultonboro, N.H., home. While his son phoned the police,
McCormick, 71, armed himself with a shotgun and intercepted a
suspected burglar preparing to leave the scene in a car. At the sight
of McCormick's gun, he surrendered immediately. An accomplice
escaped, but turned himself in to authorities shortly thereafter.
The Carroll County Independent, Center Ossipee, NH
Posted on April 1, 1983
Members of the Albert Cross family awoke to discover a pickup
parked by an open barn door on their farm near Conway, N.H. When
Larry Cross flipped on an outside light, the truck sped away. A slain
heifer was left behind. About 15 minutes later, the farmer's son saw
three men run up the road and into the barn. Cross grabbed a rifle
and followed, cornering the would-be rustlers, two of whom carried
axes. They surrendered immediately.
The Daily News, Bangor, ME
Posted on September 1, 1982
Lottie Eldridge, 60, had hunted for years near her Ossippee, N.H.,
home, so gun-handling was nothing new to her. But she took on
bigger game than deer or bear when she spotted a pair of burglars at
work on a nearby home. She called police, then retrieved her .38 cal.
revolver. She apprehended one burglar and held him for police, who
said her action helped crack a two-state antique burglary ring.
130
The Monitor, Concord, NH, 10/6/81
Posted on February 1, 1982
Frank Hutchinson, 69, hid in the back room of his Unity, N.H., house
as a young burglar, who police later said was hallucinating on drugs,
broke through the front door. But when the housebreaker neared his
hiding place, Hutchinson fired his .38 pistol, wounding the intruder in
the abdomen.
The Enterprise, Bristol, NH
Posted on December 1, 1979
Seventeen-year-old Marsha Gilpatric, hearing a disturbance in the
yard of her East Bridgewater, N.H., home, went to investigate, and
was viciously attacked by two Staffordshire terriers. Fortunately,
Eugene Morgan witnessed the attack and rushed to the defenseless
girl's aid. Morgan killed one of the dogs with his .22 pistol, scared
away the other. Gilpatric was rushed to a hospital for treatment of
wounds to her nose, legs, and arms.
Manchester Union Leader, Manchester, NH
Posted on June 1, 1973
Russell Merrill, alerted that someone was in his Hampton Falls, N.H.,
store after closing hours, picked up his hunting rifle, and headed to
the store. Directed by his brother-in-law who lives across the street
from the store, Merrill was able to apprehend two men and deliver
them to police for arrest.
131
The Manchester Union Leader, Manchester, NH
Posted on January 1, 1972
Office machines piled up near the door of a house trailer prompted
City Councilman Albert L. O'Neil of Manchester, N.H., to stop his car
and investigate. He pulled a revolver and held a suspect for police.
Nashua Telegraph, Nashua, NH
Posted on April 1, 1971
Taking inventory inside his garage early one morning, Nicholas Salis,
of Nashua, N.H., heard someone try the doors leading to the service
area. Salis reached for a .45 pistol, then hid while two men broke a
window and entered. He yelled, "Freeze," then held the two suspects
for police.
Pharmacist scares off pill thief, CBS News, 09/14/12
Posted on September 14, 2012
Pharmacist Dr. John Agyemang was working his shift at Jolin’s
Pharmacy in Winslow, N.J. when an armed robber entered the store
and demanded Oxycontin pills. Agyemang responded by retrieving a
gun and firing at the criminal, who fled to a bike and into a nearby
wooded area.
An investigation revealed that Agyemang had a firearm owner’s
identification card as required by New Jersey law. When asked about
his actions Agyemang was humble, stating, “I'm no hero, but I
thought, either him or I.” (CBS News, 09/14/12)
132
The New Jersey Star-Ledger, New Jersey 05/12/09
Posted on May 13, 2009
A homeowner in Berkley Heights, N.J. was harassed by 35-year-old
John Pauer around 9:00 p.m. After the homeowner retreated inside
his home, Pauer forced his way inside through the front door. Fearing
for his life, the homeowner retrieved his .380 caliber pistol and shot
Pauer twice, ending the intrusion. Pauer was taken to a local hospital
where he is expected to survive and face charges. No charges have
been filed against the homeowner.
NJ.com, New Jersey, 03/13/09
Posted on March 20, 2009
Around 8:30 p.m. a man armed with a knife entered the Windsor
Pharmacy in Bristol Township, N.J. The knife-wielding robber
demanded oxycontin pills from the clerk behind the counter. Another
store clerk, who has a permit to carry a handgun, came upon the
scene, drew his handgun and fired, striking the robber and ending the
incident. The robber is being treated at a local hospital and is
expected to survive.
Courier-Post, Camden, N.J., 10/22/04
Posted on November 1, 2004
Spotting two men trying to steal an ATV, Franklin, N.J., resident
Robert J. Clark, Jr. retrieved his 9 mm Taurus handgun and
confronted them. When one of the thieves appeared to go for a gun,
Clark fired, killing him. The other suspect fled and was later arrested.
A grand jury declined to file charges against Clark.
133
The Trentonian, Trenton, N.J., 9/25/04
Posted on October 1, 2004
When an argument outside aTrenton, N.J., lounge escalated with one
man pulling a retired police officer Earl Hill drew his 9 mm Glock he
had a permit to carry, and ordered the man to drop his gun. When he
refused, Hill fired, wounding the assailant and forcing him to flee. The
suspect was later arrested and charged with aggravated assault.
The Trentonian, Trenton, NJ, 5/19/02
Posted on August 1, 2002
A Lawrence, N.J., business owner shot and killed a man during an
attempted robbery. Three men pulled up in front of Five Points Check
Cashing shortly before 9 a.m. Two of the men entered the store while
the driver waited in the car. According to police reports, one of the
suspects attempted to enter the owner's office while the other
brandished a gun. The store owner picked up his own gun, which he
keeps in his office, and exchanged shots with the armed robber. One
of the suspects was killed, and the other fled the scene in the
getaway car with the driver.
Trenton Times, Trenton, NJ, 05/05/01
Posted on July 1, 2001
When Karl Provost returned to his home after a pleasant walk in a
local garden, he was shaken to find one of his windows had been
broken. As he entered his home, Provost picked up his rifle for
protection. "At that point, I didn't really know what I was dealing with,
and I felt more comfortable with a gun in my hand," he said. When
Provost entered his bedroom, he discovered a man rooting through
his things. When he confronted the suspect with his rifle, the man
surrendered peacefully and Provost called the police.
134
Newsday, Melville, N.Y., 8/5/00
Posted on November 1, 2000
Eighty-four-year-old William Harris was in his Southampton, N.J.,
home one morning when a man intent on burglary ripped out a back
porch door screen and broke a chain on the kitchen door, according
to police. When Harris, recovering in bed from cataract surgery,
heard roommate Benjamin Davis yell out a warning, he grabbed his
16-ga. shotgun from a closet. When he met the intruder in the
darkened kitchen, the man thought the better of his plan and fled.
Davis later said of Harris, "He's not a pushover. He'll stand up as long
as he can to whatever he has to."
The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ, 9/2/97
Posted on January 1, 1998
A Newark, New Jersey, liquor store owner lived above his business to
keep watch on the place when closed. One morning, the shopkeeper
heard the alarm go off and went downstairs to investigate, armed with
his 12-ga. shotgun. He found a man ransacking the store who
threatened the owner with a large rock. The owner told the intruder
not to move and the would-be thief lunged at him. A struggle ensued
and the burglar was shot in the neck. The attacker escaped, but was
found by police and arrested a short time later. The store's back
window was broken and a hammer and crowbar were found nearby.
The intruder was charged with burglary and assault. The owner was
not charged.
135
The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ, 9/14/96
Posted on February 1, 1997
The two masked men stood over a sleeping Wayne Arbus after
breaking into his Scotch Plains, New Jersey, home and shot him in
the head when he awoke. Leaving him for dead, the two then
rummaged through his house stealing a VCR, his wallet, credit cards,
money, a BB gun and the keys to his car, which they decided to take
as well. The severely wounded Arbus was conscious all the while
however, playing possum until he heard his attackers leave. He then
retrieved his .357 Mag. and ran outside, shooting at the men as they
escaped, hitting his own car in the process. The two were soon
arrested in another stolen car after Arbus alerted police.
The Press, Atlantic City, NJ, 8/25/96
Posted on January 1, 1997
A teenage crook got quite a surprise after he entered 68-year-old
Ruth Haskin's home through a kitchen window and stole into her
bedroom. The Upper Deerfield Township, New Jersey, woman kept a
.22 cal. handgun within arm's reach whenever she slept. Upon
awaking to find the youth in her bedroom, she reached for the gun
and shot him in the chest as he came at her, wounding him.
The Times, Trenton, NJ, 3/22/96
Posted on August 1, 1996
Four knife-wielding men stole into Kuang Cheng's Lumberton, New
Jersey, home, forcing his two young sons and their grandmother into
the family room. As two of the intruders attempted to tape the elderly
woman's mouth shut, the other two confronted Cheng and his wife in
their bedroom. The homeowner, however, had heard his children
screaming and had retrieved a .40 cal. pistol, the sight of which
inspired one of the assailants to dive out of the second-floor window
and the other to flee downstairs. Firing three times at the criminals,
suspects in at least six similar incidents, Cheng single-handedly
chased all of the men from his house.
136
The Record, Hackensack, NJ, 10/8/95
Posted on January 1, 1996
As Hackensack, New Jersey, grocer George Jesus' wife looked on in
horror, a trio of thugs never gave her husband the chance to respond
to their demands for cash before one of them fired a bullet into his left
eye. Despite the blinding injury, Jesus grabbed his .38 Smith &
Wesson from a shelf above the register and began shooting back,
killing one of the bandits and forcing the others to flee. The surviving
suspects were later arrested.
The Star-Ledger, Elizabeth, NJ, 7/6/95
Posted on December 1, 1995
When Maria Fernandez hesitated in opening the cash register for the
armed robber before her, he reached across the counter to open it
himself. The momentary diversion gave Fernandez's husband,
Santiago, 76, the chance he needed to stride from the rear of the
small Elizabeth, New Jersey, grocery store and shoot the man with
his .38. Injured, the crook dropped his gun and ran from the store. He
was later arrested at a hospital.
The Courier-Post, Cherry Hill, NJ, 2/6/94
Posted on May 1, 1994
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.
137
The Trentonian, Trenton, NJ, 5/14/93
Posted on September 1, 1993
Fired after only five days on the job, a former employee with a long
criminal record returned to Roy Briehler's Ewing, New Jersey, plant
market armed with Mace and a knife and intent on robbery. Briehler
and the man struggled, but when the man attempted to use the Mace,
Briehler pulled a .38 and fatally shot him. The local prosecutor said
no charges were planned.
The Trentonian, Trenton, NJ, 5/14/93
Posted on September 1, 1993
Fired after only five days on the job, a former employee with a long
criminal record returned to Roy Briehler's Ewing, New Jersey, plant
market armed with Mace and a knife and intent on robbery. Briehler
and the man struggled, but when the man attempted to use the Mace,
Briehler pulled a .38 and fatally shot him. The local prosecutor said
no charges were planned.
The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ, 6/5/92
Posted on October 1, 1992
The owner of a lunch truck gave the burglar a chance to leave, but
when the thief wouldn't comply, the Elizabeth, N.J., truck owner
retrieved a shotgun, only to be confronted by the intruder carrying a
machete. After a warning shot had no effect, the truck owner fired a
blast that put the man to flight. Police arrested a wounded suspect
two blocks away.
138
The News Tribune, Woodbridge, NJ, 9/10/91
Posted on December 1, 1991
Hearing screams near his Sayreville, N.J., apartment, Paul Vigil
investigated and found a man stabbing a woman. Vigil rushed back to
his apartment, grabbed an unloaded revolver and returned to the
assault scene along with several neighbors. Confronted by the armed
resident, the assailant fled.
The Burlington County Times, Willingboro, NJ, 7/19/91
Posted on November 1, 1991
Alerted to the presence of a prowler by cigarette smoke, Delanco,
N.J., farmhand Michael Popp began searching the house on the farm
where he works. Finding a man in the upstairs hallway, Popp
retreated downstairs to get a shotgun, but couldn't find any shells.
"He didn't know; he thought it was loaded," said Popp, who held the
man for police.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 2/22/91
Posted on May 1, 1991
After a former boyfriend raped her and repeatedly harassed her and
her family, Amy Gardiner thought her ordeal was over when he was
jailed. After a judge set him free on reduced bail, however, she armed
herself with a shotgun. She needed it when her tormentor, armed with
a pistol and several homemade pipe bombs, kicked in the door to her
Monroe Township, N.J., home. When he entered the bedroom where
she was hiding, she killed him with a single blast.
139
The Star Ledger, Newark, NJ, 12/9/90
Posted on March 1, 1991
When a strongarm robber began to beat and sexually assault his 84year-old wife, Paul Hansen, 83, was able to lure the intruder into
another room of their Orange, N.J., home with promises of money.
Hansen distracted the criminal long enough to get a war trophy 7.65
mm pistol and shoot him, halting the attack. Although the
housebreaker was hit in the head, police found him "conscious and
screaming."
The Times, Trenton, NJ, 8/21/89
Posted on November 1, 1989
A Trenton, N.J., homeowner heard someone entering his home and,
dressed only with his shotgun, went downstairs to investigate. He
saw a man crouched in front of his television set, intent on stealing
the VCR, and the resident told the intruder to stop what he was doing.
When the burglar turned toward the homeowner, he fired. The man
fled, dropping the VCR on the porch, but collapsed a short distance
away. The wounded intruder was arrested on burglary, theft and
weapons possession charges.
The Times, New York, NY 2/4/89
Posted on April 1, 1989
Camden, N.J., Mayor Melvin Primas had just acquired a pistol and
attended a firearms course when he heard police searching rooftops
for an escaped suspect. He loaded his semi-auto pistol, set his
burglar alarm, and waited. Soon he heard a crash on his roof and
investigated, finding the burglar had broken in. The mayor confronted
the man, and with the help of his police force, subdued him. "I aimed
at him and told him not to move," Primas said. "He froze.
140
The Courier-News, Bridgewater, NJ, 1/21/89
Posted on April 1, 1989
When the same man who'd robbed Frank Consalvo's Bridgewater,
N.J., gas station two times previously showed up again, the owner
called police and locked himself behind a door. But when the robber
broke through the door, Consalvo opened fire with his revolver,
wounding the man. "No charges are being brought against this heroic
man," the county prosecutor said. "Mr. Consalvo fired to protect
himself."
The Courier-News, Bridgewater, NJ, 7/15/88
Posted on November 1, 1988
When Michael Parello heard glass breaking in his Green Brook, N.J.,
home, he got his shotgun and went to investigate. Finding a man in
his home, Parello forced him to lie face down on the floor until police
arrived. The suspect was charged with burglary.
The Courier-Post, Camden, NJ, 11/11/87
Posted on February 1, 1988
When a burglar began climbing into Sherman Thomas' bedroom
window early in the morning the Camden, N.J. resident forced the
man back outside. When the intruder again tried to push through the
window, Thomas took up his pistol and fired. A wounded suspect was
soon arrested and charged with burglary.
The Trentonian, Trenton, NJ, 6/24/87
Posted on October 1, 1987
A homeowner in Mount Lucas, N.J., discovered a burglar breaking
into his home and responded by firing a warning shot from his
firearm, causing the intruder to flee. Later captured by police nearby,
the suspect was charged with burglary. No charges were filed against
the homeowner.
141
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 6/11/87
Posted on September 1, 1987
Hearing a noise in his Camden, N.J., home, Clinton Tabb decided to
investigate. Arming himself, the homeowner confronted an intruder,
who came towards the 42-year-old resident with a sledgehammer.
Firing several shots at his approaching assailant, Tabb mortally
wounded the man. A Camden County grand jury cleared the
homeowner in the incident.
The Jersey Journal, Jersey City, NJ, 2/13/87
Posted on May 1, 1987
Shu Kun Lee was alone in his Jersey City, N.J., stationery store when
a man walked in, pulled a revolver and demanded money. As the
proprietor began walking to the back of the store, the gunman struck
Lee with the gun. The intruder began to take the money, and Lee
grabbed his licensed .38, warning the man to stop. When the criminal
replied he was going to take the money and then shoot Lee, and then
turned his gun toward him, the owner fired, wounding the man. With
the aid of a customer, Lee held the wounded suspect for police.
The Record, Hackensack, NJ
Posted on December 1, 1985
Grover Vincenzo Martino and a policeman were staking out Martino's
Hackensack, N.J., store following a rash of thefts, when a intruder
appeared with a meat cleaver. With the weapon raised the man
charged the store owner, who stopped him with a gunshot to the
shoulder.
142
The Press, Atlantic City, NJ
Posted on September 1, 1985
Dino Starn awoke to find a man climbing through the bedroom
window of his New Jersey home. "He picked the wrong window," said
Starn, who, for the second time in two years, used a handgun for
protection. He shot once at the intruder, who was apparently hit in the
arm and ran. Starn had previously used the gun to capture two
burglars in his home.
The Record, Hackensack, NJ, 1/14/85
Posted on April 1, 1985
Grabbing his pistol from a dresser drawer, a Fair Lawn, N.J., man got
out of bed to investigate sounds of breaking glass that awakened
him. He soon confronted a burglar who took one look at the pistol
then dove out the window.
The Trentonian, Trenton, NJ, 11/7/84
Posted on January 1, 1985
Investigating a late-night disturbance outside his home, off-duty
policeman Martin Hofmann of Hamilton Township, N.J., discovered
an armed man who had a woman pinned to the ground. Hofmann
identified himself as an officer and ordered the criminal to get up.
When the suspect pointed his gun at the officer and threatened to kill
him, Hofmann fired his .38-cal. service revolver, fatally wounding him.
The Leader, Pt. Pleasant, NJ, 3/17/83
Posted on November 1, 1983
A masked man entered a Pt. Pleasant, N.J., jewelry store, displayed
a pistol and ordered manager Joseph Guinta to turn over his cash.
Instead, when Guinta noticed the holdup-man having trouble with his
gun, he tripped an alarm to police headquarters, then pulled out a
shotgun. At the sight of the firearm, the would-be robber fled.
143
The Herald News, Passaic, NJ, 8/83
Posted on November 1, 1983
Grocer Richard Martinez used a broken bottle to fend off a knifewielding stickup man and his accomplice until his son Richard, Jr.,
saw the confrontation and drew a registered handgun from under the
counter. When young Martinez shot one of the robbers, both fled the
Paterson, N.J., store. A suspect was arrested at a nearby hospital.
The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ, 8/7/82
Posted on November 1, 1982
Three men, one brandishing a pipe, entered the Newark, N.J., home
of Anthony Carroll and demanded money. Carroll, 68, responded with
a blast from his .38 cal. revolver which wounded the pipe-carrier and
put the other would-be robbers to flight.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 3/1/82
Posted on May 1, 1982
An armed robber pulled a revolver on Everett Powell and demanded
cash from the register of Powell's Bridgeton, N.J., liquor store. But
when the robber looked away for a moment, Powell grabbed his own
.38 cal. revolver and opened up, hitting the criminal three times and
putting him to flight. Police found him collapsed about two blocks
away, seriously wounded.
The Gloucester County Times, Woodbury, NJ, 1/25/82
Posted on April 1, 1982
Mark Fera was convinced the two gunmen robbing his Washington
Twp., N.J., coin shop planned to kill him. So he lunged for his .357
Mag. revolver and shot one four times. The partner fled, but returned,
only to be driven off by two shots from a rifle fired by Fera.
The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ
144
Posted on March 1, 1982
A pair of thugs started beating Woodrow Wilson Glanton of Newark,
N.J.; they took his wallet, his money and his car keys. But the 69year-old Glanton drew a .25 automatic and opened fire, hitting one of
the criminals in the chest, killing him. The other robber was wounded
by an irate relative of the dead man when he reported the crime and
killing.
The Record, Bogota, NJ, 4/30/81
Posted on July 1, 1981
A 90-year-old Bogota, N.J., man heard a pair of burglars ransacking
his home at 1:30 a.m. He confronted the two, who laughed at his
demands to leave until he produced a revolver and opened fire,
hitting one of them in the shoulder. Both men then fled.
The Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on July 1, 1980
A man and woman entered a Blackwood, N.J., jewelry store and
asked to see some gold rings. When owner Anthony Travia set a ring
tray on the counter, the man pulled a handgun and demanded all the
jewelry. Travia whipped out his own revolver and in an exchange of
gunfire killed the gunman. The accomplice was held at bay until
police arrived.
145
Today's Sunbeam, Salem, NJ, 3/3/80
Posted on May 1, 1980
Soon after Harland Smith opened his Quinton, N.J., gun shop, two
men, one carrying a shotgun, walked inside and approached the
counter. When the 75-year-old Smith asked if he could help them, the
gunman shot him. Wounded in the arm and chest, Smith drew his .38
cal. pistol and fired, killing the gunman and wounding the accomplice,
who fled but later surrendered to police. Smith also found a female
accomplice waiting outside and held her at gunpoint until police
arrived.
The Star Ledger, Newark, NJ
Posted on December 1, 1979
When three masked men, two of them armed, burst into an Irvington,
N.J., bank, security guard Johnnie C. Mason reached for his revolver
and ducked out of sight. After two of the robbers ran behind the
counter, Mason ordered the third, who was standing guard by the
door, to surrender. The robber whirled to fire, but Mason shot first and
killed him. Mason then turned toward the counter and fired again,
mortally wounding the other gunman. The unarmed robber thereupon
surrendered.
The Herald, Irvington, NJ
Posted on June 1, 1979
Fifty-seven-year-old Louis Armstrong was climbing from his car in
Irvington, N.J., when two men approached him, one of them carrying
a gun. As Armstrong reached into his pocket, the armed man fired a
shot into Armstrong's chest. Armstrong returned the fire, killing the
assailant with a shot to the stomach. While Armstrong had a permit to
purchase his handgun, a Browning .25 cal. auto, he failed to have a
legal permit to carry it. Nevertheless, it appears that charges will not
be pressed against him
146
The Star Ledger, Newark, NJ
Posted on December 1, 1979
When three masked men, two of them armed, burst into an Irvington,
N.J., bank, security guard Johnnie C. Mason reached for his revolver
and ducked out of sight. After two of the robbers ran behind the
counter, Mason ordered the third, who was standing guard by the
door, to surrender. The robber whirled to fire, but Mason shot first and
killed him. Mason then turned toward the counter and fired again,
mortally wounding the other gunman. The unarmed robber thereupon
surrendered.
The Home News, New Brunswick, NJ
Posted on December 1, 1978
Two thugs entered Stanley Jacobs' New Brunswick, N.J., market, one
of them with his hand in a paper bag as though holding a gun. When
they ordered the shopkeeper to open his cash register, Jacobs
responded by pulling a .38 cal. pistol from his pocket and firing a shot
which sent the pair fleeing
The Daily Advocate, Dover, NJ
Posted on August 1, 1978
Hearing screams, Perfect Oliver, a retired Army officer, grabbed his
pistol, and ran out behind his diner in Hamilton Township, N.J., and
came upon a man raping a woman on the sidewalk. Seeing Oliver,
the attacker left the woman where she was lying and advanced
toward him, whereupon Oliver raised his gun and fired one fatal shot.
147
The Sunday Trentonian, Trenton, NJ
Posted on September 1, 1977
When two thugs robbed his Ewing Township, N.J., store, shot him,
and then were released without prosecution, William Thompson
vowed he'd never be robbed successfully again. So when a stickup
artist entered his business recently, Thompson reached for his cal.
.38 revolver instead of the cash register. He chased the crook for
three blocks and held him for police.
The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ
Posted on December 1, 1973
In the course of a liquor store stickup, a thief aimed a cal. .32 revolver
at Newark, N.J. store owner Michael Lambusta's head and pulled the
trigger. The gun misfired, and before the robber could fire again,
Lambusta quickly seized his own pistol from a shelf and fired once,
fatally wounding his assailant.
The Press, Atlantic City, NJ
Posted on April 1, 1973
Edgar Sims apprehended four youths breaking into a building next
door to his Atlantic City, N.J., motel, and held them at gunpoint for the
police. As a result, Sims was indicted by a grand jury and now faces
prosecution for carrying an unlicensed gun. The youths, two of whom
had been in reform school, were judged as juvenile delinquents,
given suspended sentences, and placed on probation by a New
Jersey judge.
Asbury Park Sunday Press, Asbury Park, NJ
Posted on February 1, 1973
Confronted by two armed men at the front door of his Keansburg,
N.J. house, coin dealer Joseph Romeo drew a .38 automatic. When
the robbers entered the house, he fired and wounded both of them.
Police arrived and arrested the pair.
148
Daily Record, Parsippany, NJ
Posted on September 1, 1972
When confronted by an armed man in the Hibernia, N.J., post office,
postmaster Francis Yuresko produced a gun of his own. "The man
changed his mind, turned and walked out," Yuresko said.
Times-Advertiser, Trenton, NJ
Posted on September 1, 1972
Just having suffered one robbery, Joshua Bennett hid in the den of
his Buckingham, N.J., home and waited for the robbers to pay a
return visit. Two men entered the home and began removing stereo
equipment. Bennett surprised them with a shotgun and called the
police.
The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ
Posted on August 1, 1972
Surprised by four armed men in the backyard of his Montclair, N.J.,
home, Dr. William L. Cassio pulled his own gun and fired three times.
The men, one believed to have been wounded, fled the scene of the
thwarted hold-up.
The Courier-Post, Camden, NJ
Posted on April 1, 1972
Stanley Zawoyski, 53, was inside a phone booth when three armed
robbers held up his Camden, N.J., cafe. Zawoyski pulled a pistol,
came out of the booth, and fired a warning shot into the ceiling. One
of the robbers fired both barrels simultaneously from a sawed-off
shotgun, shattering the phone booth and narrowly missing Zawoyski.
When the cafe owner fired several more shots, the robbers fled.
149
The Evening News, Newark, NJ
Posted on April 1, 1972
In climbing a tree to trim its branches, Robert Bork of Newark, N.J.,
caught himself on a 7,600-volt high-tension line amid the branches.
Hearing his screams, a neighbor, Police Sgt. Howard Struck,
snatched up a 12-ga. riot gun and shot out an insulator. The hightension line dropped several feet, freeing Bork. He was hospitalized
for burns.
The Jersey Journal, Jersey City, NJ
Posted on March 1, 1972
Lewis Maciocia, a gas station attendant in Jersey City, N.J., was
working alone early one morning when three youths entered, drew
knives, and robbed him. As one of the holdup men was tying
Maciocia, a police car pulled up outside. While the robbers were
distracted, Maciocia, not yet securely tied, drew a 7.63 mm Mauser
pistol and wounded two of the bandits.
The Morning News, Paterson, NJ
Posted on December 1, 1971
Sidney Feir, owner of a pharmacy in Clifton, N.J., pulled a gun after
two armed men attempted to rob him of cash and narcotics. Firing
twice, Feir killed one hold-up man. The other fled.
The South Amboy Evening News, South Amboy, NJ
Posted on July 1, 1971
Andrew Piscatelli, 56, a crippled motel manager in South Amboy,
N.J., was in a back room when he heard a robbery in progress at the
front desk. Grabbing a gun, Piscatelli, who has two artificial legs,
wheeled his wheelchair into the room and ordered the armed bandit
to drop his gun. The two struggled briefly, then Piscatelli shot the
robber in the leg. Piscatelli got the robber's auto tag number as he
fled, and police later apprehended him.
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The Asbury Park Evening News, Asbury Park, NJ
Posted on June 1, 1971
The sound of breaking glass in his home one night woke James
Siciliano, 80, of Neptune, N.J. Going to the kitchen to investigate,
Siciliano discovered two men attempting to force open his back door.
When Siciliano got a shotgun and the two burglars saw it, they fled.
Times, Trenton, NJ
Posted on September 1, 1970
Returning to her apartment from shopping, Ann Pinkerton of Trenton,
N.J., found a man helping himself to her food. Her screams were
heard by Mario D'Antonio and his son John, who rushed to her
rescue and cornered the intruder with shotguns. The man was
accused of breaking into two other homes in the neighborhood.
Courier-Post, Camden, NJ
Posted on May 1, 1970
Awakened by a loud crash just after midnight, Mrs. Leona B.
Ciechanowski, alone with her three children in her Camden, N.J.,
home, saw a man entering downstairs. She called police, then
waited. When the man came upstairs, Mrs. Ciechanowski held him at
bay with a pistol until police arrived.
Daily Home News, New Brunswick, NJ
Posted on January 1, 1970
When cab driver Timothy Kane of Franklin, N.J., picked up two young
men, one immediately pulled a gun and the other a knife. Kane
whirled around and fired his .25 automatic through the front seat,
hitting one youth in the arm and leg and the other in the stomach.
Home News, New Brunswick, NJ
151
Posted on December 1, 1969
When a man entered Elmer Luckac's restaurant in Franklin, N.J., and
drew a snubnosed revolver, Luckacs didn't respond as expected.
Instead of reaching for his money, he reached for a shotgun and
frightened the would-be thief away.
Courier-Post, Camden, NJ
Posted on September 1, 1969
Two men trying to open an empty poor box in St. Mary's Church,
Medford, N.J., were foiled by Rev. William J. Campbell, several
parishioners, and an alert, shotgun-armed neighbor. Rev. Campbell
clung to one intruder until the man broke loose and fled by car. The
second was found in a nearby backyard by the neighbor and held at
gun point until police arrived. It was the church's fourth burglary
attempt in a year.
The Daily Home News, Brunswick, NJ
Posted on March 1, 1969
Six convicts in the Camden, N.J., County Prison Annex overcame two
guards, handcuffed them, and fled from the medium security prison
on foot. Hunters, aware of the break, found three of the convicts
hiding in a sanitary landfill area two miles from the prison. They held
them until police arrived.
Evening News, Newark, NJ
Posted on November 1, 1968
Two men entered Burton Sussman's Trenton, N.J., taproom just as
Sussman was preparing to close. He turned to find himself staring
down the barrel of a gun. The gunman's pal held a knife. When
Sussman pulled his .38 from his pocket and shot the knife-wielder,
the other man dropped his gun and fled. Police took the wounded
thug into custody.
The Sunday News, New York, NY
152
Posted on October 1, 1968
Using a cal. .32 pistol he bought last year after being stabbed in the
head by a holdup man, Leon Beach, 53, a Newark, N.J., grocer,
routed three gunmen who tried to rob him and his partner, Joseph
Opatowski. Beach drew his holstered pistol and fired a shot which
sent two of the gunmen running. The third, holding a pistol to
Opatowski's head, stood his ground. Beach dropped him with a bullet
that wounded him critically.
Evening Times, Trenton, NJ
Posted on February 1, 1968
An armed robber hit Graham's Restaurant, Newark, N.J., twice in 24
hours, got away with $61 on the first trip and was shot dead by owner
William Graham on his second try. Police identified the dead man as
the gunman who had help up a local cleaners 2 weeks earlier.
News, Newark, NJ
Posted on October 1, 1967
After three burglaries of his Newark, N.J., home this year, Robert
Brennan heard prowlers on the second floor. Investigating, he found
two intruders. Brennan wounded one with his .22 revolver. The other
fled through a window.
Evening News, Bridgeton, NJ
Posted on August 1, 1966
Absecon, N.J., motel keeper, Harold Becker, was approached by
three men who asked for a room. Becker assigned them a room and
then quickly closed the main lobby door and ran for the second floor.
The three men broke down the lobby door and started after Becker,
who meanwhile had obtained a rifle. When the would-be bandits
closed in, Becker fired at them and one of the thugs fell wounded.
One of the remaining men fled and the other was held until police
arrived.
153
Daily News, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on April 1, 1966
Answering a knock on the door of his Millville, N.J., home in the early
evening, Russel Burcham was confronted by two thugs, one with a
pistol, the other with a piece of lead pipe. They demanded money.
Burcham wrestled with one of the men to a closet door and managed
to get a rifle. He fired once, wounding one bandit, who fled. The other
thug was held at gun point until police arrived.
Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ
Posted on January 1, 1966
In his Newark, N.J., home, Edward W. Williams, who was watching
television, was alerted, first by his growling dog, and then by a
woman's screams. He heard: "Don't let the man kill me..." Grabbing a
rifle Williams ran outside the house and saw a man hitting a woman
and dragging her towards some tall weeds. Williams shouted for his
wife to call the police and then trained his rifle on the man. He held
the would-be attacker until police arrived. Newark Chief of Police
Charles M. Zizza recommended Williams for an outstanding public
service award.
Sunday News, New York, NY
Posted on August 1, 1965
William Brown was approached in his Newark, N.J., shop by a man
and woman. The man, with his hand jammed in his pocket as if he
were carrying a gun, demanded the contents of the safe. Brown, who
is 80, opened the safe, withdrew a cal. .38 revolver, and fired two
shots wounding the man. The bandit fled and was picked up later by
police.
154
Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on February 1, 1964
Bridgeton, N.J., storekeeper James R. Corona was closing his
delicatessen for the night. Two youngsters entered his store. One
announced a holdup and scooped money from the cash drawer. As
the pair turned to leave, Corona grabbed a .38 revolver from under
the counter and fired one shot. One bandit fell dead with a bullet in
the chest; the other fled.
Evening News, Newark, NJ
Posted on December 1, 1962
Asleep in the rear of his Newark, N.J., luncheonette, Jacob Fenney
was awakened by the sounds made forcing a lock. Fenney armed
himself, and confronted the burglar in the kitchen. The man advanced
on him waving a wrench and demanding money, and Fenney shot
him to death.
Sunday News, Newark, NJ
Posted on November 1, 1962
James Childs pretended to be getting money, as he had been
ordered to do, while a robber was looting his appliance store in
Neward, N.J. Instead, he got a shotgun from under a counter. The
thief, who had been holding his hand in his pocket as if to conceal a
gun, surrendered and waited at gunpoint for arresting officers.
Evening News, Newark, NJ
Posted on December 1, 1962
Asleep in the rear of his Newark, N.J., luncheonette, Jacob Fenney
was awakened by the sounds made forcing a lock. Fenney armed
himself, and confronted the burglar in the kitchen. The man advanced
on him waving a wrench and demanding money, and Fenney shot
him to death
155
Courier-Post, Camden, NJ
Posted on May 1, 1962
Seemingly complying with the demand of 2 holdup men to empty his
cash register, Saul Lippman, operator of a notions store in Camden,
N.J., came up with a .22 pistol instead. He fired one shot over the
heads of the pair as they fled emptyhanded
Mirror, New York, NY
Posted on January 1, 1962
Before dawn, a holdup man in a stolen car pulled into the Linden,
N.J., gas station where Robert Haut is employed, came up to Haut
and announced a stickup, stabbed Haut in the cheek, and snatched a
wallet. Haut pulled out his gun and shot his attacker twice in the
abdomen, wounding him critically.
Daily Journal, Elizabeth, NJ
Posted on August 1, 1961
In Maplewood, N.J., gas station operator John Gardner, Sr., was
knifed on the arm by one of two bandits who then ordered him to
clean out the till. Gardner whipped out a pistol and shot his assailant
in the chest. Both men took flight and escaped. When the critically
wounded bandit sought aid in a Newark hospital, police took him in
custody for the Gardner felony and held him as a suspect in two
earlier robberies.
156
Evening News, Newark, NJ
Posted on May 1, 1959
An 83-year-old man recently received the civilian valor award citation
"for exceptional police service" from the New Jersey State
Patrolmen's Benevolent Association for killing a bandit in a holdup
attempt. Frank A. Gifol was helping out in his son's Irvington, N.J.,
liquor store when a thug brandished a gun and demanded money.
Gifol, who had thwarted 4 previous robbery attempts, reached for a
cal. .32 automatic under the counter and shot the robber.
Times, Camden, NJ
Posted on April 1, 1959
Camden, N.J., auto dealer William G. Rohrer returned to his office in
the late evening to pick up a package and saw an intruder dart from
the room. Grabbing a pistol from the desk, Rohrer ran to the
showroom floor and captured the burglar before he could make his
escape.
157
Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on April 1, 1959
A convicted felon tried to hold up Chester Newton's gas station on the
White Horse pike near Camden, N.J. Newton, holder of an NRA pistol
classification, picked up his revolver from under papers on the
counter near the cash register. The jittery bandit fired and fled the
station. Newton, only slightly wounded through his heavy winter
clothing, stood in the doorway and fired at the retreating gunman.
Police found the bandit dead in the gutter, still clutching a cal. .32
revolve
158
The Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, N.M. 03/06/12, KOAT,
Albuquerque, N.M. 03/07/12
Posted on March 9, 2012
An armed robber entered the Up In Smoke shop in Albuquerque,
N.M., drew a gun and demanded cash and items from the people
inside. A struggle over the gun ensued between the robber and the
store’s clerk, which resulted in the gun firing and the criminal falling to
the ground. As the robber was on the ground, the clerk retrieved a
shotgun from behind the counter and ordered the criminal to drop his
gun. The robber refused, at which point the clerk shot at him, causing
the criminal to flee.
An investigation of the scene revealed that the criminal lost the tip of
his finger in the altercation. Police hope the recovered digit will be
useful in tracking the suspect. (The Albuquerque Journal,
Albuquerque, N.M. 03/06/12, KOAT, Albuquerque, N.M. 03/07/12)
KRQE, Roswell, N.M. 05/16/11
Posted on May 18, 2011
For the second time in less than a month, a burglar waited until
Maryanne Stark left for work, and then attempted to break into her
Roswell, N.M. home. This time a neighbor witnessed the break-in,
called police and retrieved a gun. The neighbor fired at the criminal,
who fled the scene in a vehicle and in his haste lost a bumper after
hitting a curb. Stark was appreciative of her neighbor’s actions and
vowed to arm herself, stating, “I’m going to get me a gun… I’m going
to shoot if I have to, and I will shoot.” Police have made it clear that
the neighbor will not face charges
The Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, N.M. 01/25/11
Posted on January 28, 2011
Former Marine Joe McNeil was at home in Espanola, N.M. when a
burglar broke into the home through a window. Hearing the intrusion,
McNeil retrieved a shotgun and confronted the criminal, ordering him
to “get on the ground.” The intruder refused and instead tried to wrest
159
the shotgun away from McNeil. McNeil retained possession of the
shotgun and the intruder attempted to flee, but was unable to get
through a locked door. The intruder was again ordered onto the
ground and refused, at which point McNeil fired, striking the criminal
twice in the legs, ending the incident. Espanola Police Lt. Christian
Lopez does not expect McNeil will faces charges.
KOAT, Albuquerque, N.M. 02/12/10, KRQE, Albuquerque, N.M.
02/15/10
Posted on February 17, 2010
A woman homeowner in Albuquerque, N.M. called 9-1-1 to report two
men attempting to break into her home. As she was still on the
phone, the two men, 19-year-old Frank Castillo and 20-year-old
Manuel Leo, made it inside the house. Before the pair could attack
her or take anything, the homeowner fired a gun at the criminals,
striking Castillo in the head and causing Leo to flee. Police
discovered Castillo on the homeowner’s front lawn; he was then
taken to a local hospital. Through the course of the investigation,
police learned that Castillo had previously been convicted of robbery
and aggravated battery; police also noted that Leo is a person of
interest in two other burglaries.
The Las Cruces Sun-News, Las Cruces, N.M. 12/27/09, The
Associated Press, Las Cruces, N.M. 12/28/09
Posted on December 31, 2009
Around 8 a.m., a resident of Las Cruces, N.M. awoke to the sound of
two criminals breaking into his apartment. The resident armed himself
with a handgun and as the criminals entered his bedroom, he fired at
the intruders, killing one and causing the other to flee. The police
have not filed any charges against the resident, but they did capture
and charge the surviving burglar and an accomplice.
160
Clovis News Journal, Clovis, NM, 02/06/09
Posted on June 1, 2009
Sarah Nahmens and her mother often discuss personal safety and
keep a .32-caliber revolver in their home. "We've always talked about
defending yourself and how important that is," Nahmens said. Police
say her planning paid off when two men began forcing her door open.
Nahmens quickly retrieved her gun and pointed it at the door as it
flew open. "It kind of kicked in and I thought, 'OK, I've got to make
sure that I'm safe' ... It was either going to be me or them and it
couldn't be me," she explained. Nahmens fired two shots and the
uninjured suspects fled. "I commend her for protecting herself," said
police Capt. Patrick Whitney. Nahmens said the incident has raised
awareness in her normally quiet neighborhood. Several women have
expressed interest in a "girls day" at the shooting range to practice
and learn more about firearms.
The Associated Press (NM), 8/10/07
Posted on November 1, 2007
Having had his home burglarized three times in a week, 85-year-old
Alton Tillman was tired of being victimized. So, the next morning he
left home at his normal time, but quietly returned. Once inside, he
found signs of a burglary in progress. Even more disturbing,
according to police, two feet were sticking out from below his bed.
Tillman ordered the intruder to come out and called 9-1-1. He kept a
handgun trained on the burglar until police arrived. Several of
Tillman's missing items were found at the suspect's home a block
away.
161
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 08/27/05
Posted on November 1, 2005
A Wal-Mart customer with a concealed-carry permit came to a female
employee's rescue when violence erupted in a crowded store early
one evening. Police say an employee was working in the deli when
her ex-husband leapt across the counter and began stabbing her
multiple times. That's when 72-year-old Due Moore intervened,
shooting and killing the ex-husband. The woman was taken to the
hospital where she was expected to recover from her wounds.
The Daily Times, Rio Rancho, NM 10/13/04
Posted on January 1, 2005
When you are a judge, angry defendants come with the territory, but
Judge Calvin Shields never expected he could lose his life over it.
Shields was letting his dogs out late one evening when he saw a man
looking into his house. He grabbed his gun and went outside to
trigger the motion detector light. At that moment, Michael Tinervia
opened fire on Shields who returned fire, fatally wounding Tinervia.
Shields was only grazed in the knee. It was later discovered that
Tinervia had been found guilty of reckless driving and interfering with
a police officer in Shields' court and was awaiting sentencing by
Shields. According to Shields' wife, Tinervia had called the house at
6:30 p.m. that night and asked for Calvin. When the judge answered,
there was no one on the line. "It was to check if Calvin was home,"
she said, adding, "I had a bad feeling about it."
Santa Fe New Mexican, Santa Fe, N.M., 10/11/04
Posted on October 1, 2004
When a Rio Rancho, N.M., homeowner spotted a prowler outside his
home, he got a gun and went to investigate. He followed the intruder
to the back yard, where the man fired a gun at him. The homeowner
returned fire, killing the assailant.
162
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 08/22/03
Posted on December 1, 2003
Justin Doyle was roused at 11 p.m. one night by loud banging on his
back door. In order to protect his pregnant wife and 19-month-old
child who were at home, Doyle retrieved his rifle while his wife dialed
9-1-1. Suddenly a glass door was smashed in with a cinder block and
a man with a knife burst into their home. Doyle shot the home invader
once in the torso, killing him. Police later identified the suspect as
Manuel Villa. "The law allows citizens to use deadly force to protect
their homes, lives and property," said police spokesman Jeff
Arbogast. "Out of fear for his life, and the lives of his family, Mr. Doyle
armed himself with a rifle and shot the intruder. It's a tragic event to
have to go through."
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 4/19/02
Posted on July 1, 2002
When Santa Fe, N.M., resident Lisa Pelland heard noises outside her
bedroom window one night, she armed herself with a gun and went
outside to investigate. There she discovered Jay Medina stacking
bricks under her bedroom window. She called out to him three times
to stay away, but Medina advanced on her and uttered a threatening
statement that made her fearful. Pelland said she then shot the
intruder.
The Santa Fe New Mexican, Santa Fe, N.M., 5/9/00
Posted on October 1, 2000
A woman who thought she was alone in her Jacona, N.M., home had
just emerged from the shower when she heard the sounds of
someone ransacking the residence. The quick-thinking resident
retreated to the bedroom, but was soon confronted by a stocky male
intruder who had violently kicked down the locked door. That's when
the intended victim pointed a handgun at the man sending him
fleeing. Authorities later said there may have been more than one
man in the house.
163
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, N.M., 9/19/99
Posted on June 1, 2000
Screams from an Albuquerque, N.M., woman who returned home one
afternoon to find a burglar inside called an entire neighborhood to
action. After the fleeing suspect hopped into a getaway car with an
accomplice, the pair sped off. Unfortunately for the nefarious
knuckleheads, their escape route turned out to be a dead-end street.
When the car pulled into a driveway, one suspect escaped and the
other was quickly surrounded by a pistol-wielding neighbor and other
residents. "It's a good response by the neighbors," said Sgt. B. Carr
of the Albuquerque Police Department.
Valencia County News-Bulletin, Belen, NM, 8/18/99
Posted on November 1, 1999
Mike Aldrich was unaware of the danger he was about to face when
he confronted a man attempting to steal items from his pickup truck
one evening in Belen, New Mexico. The startled ne'er-do-well
allegedly robbed Aldrich of his wallet and took the keys to the vehicle
before pulling a gun on him. Aldrich fought back by retrieving a rifle
from his other vehicle and shooting the man twice. When police
arrived, they found the man being held at riflepoin
Monitor, Los Alamos, NM, 11/16/97
Posted on May 1, 1998
"Any reasonable person would have acted the same way," noted
District Judge Jim Hall in ruling that Rhonda Jones of Los Alamos,
New Mexico, was legitimately defending herself after her boyfriend,
Kalani Haughney, put a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her.
Jones, who learned to shoot at age 11, fired two fatal shots at
Haughney, who had abused her numerous times before and had also
previously threatened two other acquaintances.
164
Sun News, Las Cruces, NM, 10/12/97
Posted on April 1, 1998
Las Cruces, New Mexico, street cleaners Ramon Zamora and Jesus
Zavala had been robbed before. They decided to do something about
it and got carry permits for their 9 mm pistols. When accosted by
three youths who brandished pistols and threatened to rob them, the
pair drew their own pistols and shot the three attackers, killing one
and wounding the two others. Zamora and Zaval were not charged.
The Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 7/24/97
Posted on February 1, 1998
Two men, one armed with a knife, attempted to rob a grocery store in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. The store manager, Diana Surdukan,
struggled with the knife-wielding thug and was stabbed three times in
the back. She produced a handgun, then fired on her assailant, hitting
him in the chest. The second suspect was held for police. "We don't
anticipate any charges against Diana. This is obviously self-defense.
She was fighting for her life," Albuquerque police said.
The Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 7/24/97
Posted on February 1, 1998
Two men, one armed with a knife, attempted to rob a grocery store in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. The store manager, Diana Surdukan,
struggled with the knife-wielding thug and was stabbed three times in
the back. She produced a handgun, then fired on her assailant, hitting
him in the chest. The second suspect was held for police. "We don't
anticipate any charges against Diana. This is obviously self-defense.
She was fighting for her life," Albuquerque police said.
165
The Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 5/22/97
Posted on September 1, 1997
A late-night commotion in an Albuquerque, New Mexico, doughnut
shop caused an employee to investigate with his pistol at the ready.
He found a female clerk being held on the counter by a man who had
a knife pressed to her neck. The male employee, a cook, ordered the
man to drop the knife, and when the attacker failed to comply, the
cook fired his pistol. The robber ran, but was found near the scene,
dead of a gunshot wound.
The Avalance-Journal, Lubbock, TX, 1/31/97
Posted on June 1, 1997
The burglar evidently believed the first break-in of 57-year-old Floyd
Williams' Lovington, New Mexico, home had been such an easy job
that he returned just a week and a half later. During the first incident,
the suspect beat Williams with a pipe, laying a three-inch gash across
his head. But in the second burglary, Williams was ready, armed with
a .25-cal. pistol. When the intruder broke through the front door, the
homeowner fired, striking him in the leg. The wounded house-breaker
ran to a car, and he and his accomplice fled the scene. Two months
later, police discovered the body of the fatally wounded suspect in a
ditch, where it was allegedly dumped by his accomplice after the man
died from Williams' shot during their getaway. The accomplice was
found and arrested.
166
The Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 12/3/96
Posted on April 1, 1997
One robber stood in the background, a blue handkerchief over his
face. The other crowded the counter, pointing his pistol in El Bandito
Taco Shell owner Leo Nunez's face. The Albuquerque, New Mexico,
restaurant owner knew it was him or the crook. "It was real fast. It
was my life or his," Nunez said. He took his chances. Pulling a .380
from the register, he shot his assailant twice. The suspect returned
two errant shots then ran from the business. Terrified, the other
would-be bandit froze at Nunez's command and waited for police to
arrest him. The injured suspect was later apprehended at his house
after a lengthy standoff with the city SWAT team.
The Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 9/6/96
Posted on February 1, 1997
District Attorney Robert Schwarz refused to charge an Albuquerque,
New Mexico, Dunkin' Donuts employee with any wrongdoing after the
armed store clerk killed one of two would-be robbers. The two
suspects had entered the store posing as customers. When the clerk
turned to get their donuts they drew guns and demanded cash. The
clerk refused. One bandit fired a single shot at the clerk, barely
missing his head, and the other bandit jumped over the counter and
attempted to shoot the employee, but his gun jammed. By then, the
clerk had retrieved his own handgun and returned fire, fatally injuring
the suspect who had jumped the counter. The dead crook's
accomplice fled the building.
167
The Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 7/23/96
Posted on January 1, 1997
A judge's restraining order--signed after Donna Montoya was
attacked and threatened with murder twice in seven weeks by her exboy-friend--did little to keep her violent former partner from coming
around her parents' Albuquerque, New Mexico, house in search of
her. Though she wasn't at the residence at the time, the one-time
boyfriend repeatedly circled the house, kicking at a door, throwing a
large rock through a window, and shouting, "It doesn't matter. I'm
coming in, anyway." When he tried, Montoya's father, Juan, met the
man with a rifle, mortally wounding him with a single shot. Police
believe the man was also carrying a large knife at the time of the
incident.
The Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 3/23/96
Posted on July 1, 1996
The bandit held Albuquerque, New Mexico, ice rink owner Bob Martin
and his employee at gun point demanding money from the business'
safe. Once handed the cash, the thief laid his gun between his feet to
stuff the loot into his fanny pack and pockets. Martin used the
moment to grab the .38 he was carrying and loose a fatal round. The
District Attorney declared Martin justified in killing the robber, who
had a "long criminal 'rap sheet.'"
The Tribune, Albuquerque, NM, 5/23/95
Posted on October 1, 1995
A man posing as a customer strolled into an Albuquerque, New
Mexico, business and, believing nobody would notice, grabbed a
cash box and sprinted from the store. His run was cut short, however,
by store employee Alfredo Urban, who gave chase with a firearm and
quickly caught and held the suspect for police.
168
The Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 7/6/94
Posted on September 1, 1994
A 300-lb bear broke into Colfax County, New Mexico, rancher Jim
Marchetti's home, helping himself to a free meal. Several days later,
the bear was back. This time Marchetti was ready for him. Awakened
by his barking dog at 3 a.m., Marchetti grabbed a flashlight and his
.44 Mag. and went to investigate. He found the bruin in the kitchen.
"...he looked right at me and started to rise up. I wasn't sure what that
look meant, whether he was going to come at me or go the other
way. I helped him make up his mind." The wounded bear escaped;
Marchetti tracked it and finished it off the next morning.
The Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 3/11/94
Posted on June 1, 1994
A father and son teamed up to make a burglar's chosen profession a
bit more difficult. Daniel Bracken and his father, Walter Bracken,
noticed a strange truck backed up to a family member's home near
Albuquerque, so they went to investigate. Daniel was armed with a
.30-30. When two intruders tried to run over the elder Bracken with
the truck, the younger fired several shots from his rifle, wounding the
driver. The other man fled. Police said Daniel Bracken appeared to
have acted in self-defense.
The Journal, Albbuquerque, NM, 5/12/93
Posted on August 1, 1993
Alone in her Albuquerque home one morning, Catherine Mobley
armed herself with a handgun when a man intent on burglary broke
through a sliding glass door. Mobley ordered the man to leave, but
when he refused, she shot and killed him. "If it appears to be what it
appears to be, this is not an open and shut case," said the DA. "It's a
shut and shut case."
169
The Defensor Chieftain, Socorro, NM, 11/14/92
Posted on March 1, 1993
Finding firearms piled on the couch and the television pulled away
from the wall of her future mother-in-law's home in Datil, N. Mex.,
Shawna Haynes called police and family members and then got a
rifle and loaded it. Noticing a man approaching the door to the house,
Haynes warned him away. When he ignored her and tried to open the
door, she fired several shots, putting him to flight.
The Daily Record, Roswell, NM, 12/30/90
Posted on March 1, 1991
Two teen hoodlums simply walked away from the Portales [N. Mex.]
Reintegration Center and hitchiked 150 miles before stealing a pickup
truck from one young criminal's own uncle. After they evaded the
uncle in 100-m.p.h. chase and terrorized a Pichaco, N. Mex.,
homeowner, they were apprehended at the nearby home of Lucas
Carillo, who had held them for police at pistol point.
The Times, El Paso, TX, 11/10/90
Posted on February 1, 1991
When two men appeared at Andrew Cavillo's home in Las Cruces, N.
Mex., and demanded to see his sons, and threatened him, he asked
them to leave. When the men tried to break through the door, Cavillo
pulled his pistol and fired, hitting both and putting them to flight. The
district attorney said charges would not be pressed because Cavillo
believed he was in danger.
170
The Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 9/28/90
Posted on January 1, 1991
A pistol-wielding gunman attempting to rob an Albuquerque, N. Mex.,
savings and loan was confronted by NRA member Charles Still. Still,
a 71-year-old World War II veteran, drew the gun he was carrying
and fatally shot the robber. Police said the robber had a previous
police record that included assault on a police officer. The district
attorney said no charges would be filed against Still.
The Tribune, Albuquerque, NM, 9/28/90
Posted on December 1, 1990
When James Borland, a former New Mexico state senator and U.S.
attorney, awoke to noises in his Albuquerque home one night, he
investigated, Smith & Wesson in hand. When a burglar came out of
another bedroom, Borland fired a single shot that sent him fleeing.
Police later apprehended a wounded 17-year-old at a local hospital.
He proved to be a multiple offender, out on probation from the New
Mexico Boys School.
The Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 4/18/90
Posted on July 1, 1990
An Edgewood, N. Mex., woman managed to escape from two men
who forced their way into her home and repeatedly raped her.
Retrieving a handgun from a bedroom, she managed to wound one
assailant and halt the assault. The pair of men, one suffering a
gunshot wound, were apprehended later in Albuquerque.
171
The Journal, Albuquerque, NM, 5/31/89
Posted on August 1, 1989
Lisa Ways pulled into an Albuquerque, N.Mex., grocery store when
an armed couple stuck a gun in her face and attempted to abduct her.
The University of New Mexico student handed over her wallet, then
forced her way out of the van and struggled with the man. She then
drew her handgun from a daypack and shot and wounded him. The
couple fled in Way's van but was later arrested. "It was confirmation
to me that I've made the right decision about firearms for my own
personal use," the student said.
The Times, Farmington, NM, 12/13/87
Posted on May 1, 1988
When a stranger began knocking on the windows and circling her
Farmington, N. Mex., home, a female resident went next door to Mike
Carreon for help. Carreon armed himself with a shotgun and decided
not to wait for police because the woman's children were still in the
house. Sending the woman back to turn on the house lights, Carreon
captured the intruder by coming in through the rear.
The Tribune, Albuquerque, NM, 9/16/86
Posted on December 1, 1986
L.B. Scott and his wife were asleep in their Albuquerque, N.Mex.,
home when they were awakened by a stranger shining a flashlight
across a bedroom dresser. When the intruder threatened their lives,
the 74-year-old homeowner grabbed a .38 from the bedside table and
shot the man. A wounded suspect was arrested the next morning.
172
The Tribune, Albuquerque, NM, 4/17/86
Posted on July 1, 1986
The burglar thought he had it made. The phone lines were cut, he'd
broken into the mobile home undetected and he had the 67-year-old
woman trapped alone in her bedroom. What he hadn't planned for
was the pistol Romelia Martinez of Albuquerque, N.Mex., used to
shoot him in the chest.
The Tribune, Albuquerque, NM, 10/29/85
Posted on February 1, 1986
Barging into an Albuquerque, N. Mex., apartment with a baseball bat,
a man threw the female occupant on a bed. The woman managed to
stab her attacker with a pair of scissors, and while he tended to his
wound, got a handgun. As he attempted to batter down the bedroom
door the woman had locked in his absence, she fired and killed him.
The Sun-News, Las Cruces, NM, 00/00/85
Posted on January 1, 1986
When a man walked into the Hatch, N.Mex., gift shop and turned the
open/closed sign around, owner Jeanie Taylor knew something was
amiss and grabbed a gun. The man leaped over the counter and
began beating the 73-year-old woman, but she stopped the attack
with a shot to her assailant's chest
The Sun-News, Las Cruces, NM
Posted on May 1, 1981
John and Deby Matthews were asleep early one morning in their Las
Cruces, N. Mex., home when they heard the sounds of cabinet doors
opening and closing. John leaped from bed and tackled the intruder,
while Deby grabbed a 12-ga. shotgun and followed behind. They held
a youthful housebreaker until police arrived.
173
The News-Sun, Hobbs, NM, 9/17/80
Posted on March 1, 1981
Karla Jenson, 19, was driving down an isolated New Mexico highway
when a man forced her off the road and jumped into her car. She shot
him in the leg and fled on foot, while her attacker sped off in the car.
Police caught the man when he tried to get medical treatment.
The Tribune, Albuquerque, NM, 3/6/80
Posted on June 1, 1980
When a man armed with a pistol entered an Albuquerque, N. Mex.,
motel office and asked for cash, owner Dennis Bandy opened the
cash register and put the money on the counter. The robber then
demanded cash from the safe, and as Bandy walked into a small
office to get it, he opened a file cabinet, pulled out a .44 cal. revolver,
and shot the gunman to death.
The Lincoln County News, Carrizozo, NM
Posted on April 1, 1980
When Ernest Wright was awakened by the sound of a tractor-trailer
coming to a halt outside his Corona, N. Mex., ranch house, he armed
himself with a shotgun and investigated. When the driver kicked in
the kitchen door and walked inside, Wright asked him to leave, then
retreated to the hall. The intruder threw a crowbar at Wright, who fired
one shot, hitting his attacker in the chest. State police found the
wounded man inside the truck.
The Tribune, Albuquerque, NM, 7/10/79
Posted on October 1, 1979
When two men entered an Albuquerque, N. Mex., convenience store
demanding money, night clerk Reno Petrucci thought they were
joking. One of the thugs, however, punched Petrucci and two
companions. At that, Petrucci pulled a .38 and held the assailant until
police arrived; the second man fled the scene.
174
The Journal, Albuquerque, NM
Posted on September 1, 1979
The man who held up an Albuquerque, N.M., food store, got a rude
surprise. As he approached the fourth checkstand, he found himself
face to face with a lady shopper holding a .25 cal. automatic. To
enforce her demand that he put down his gun and surrender, the
woman told him that she was an undercover policewoman. With that,
the thief gave in, dropped his revolver and waited patiently at
gunpoint until the real police arrived to make the arrest. Albuquerque
police have since offered the housewife a position on the city force.
The Tribune, Albuquerque, NM
Posted on March 1, 1978
Albuquerque, N. Mex., pharmacist Ron Bunt was in his drugstore
when two armed robbers entered and demanded narcotics. Bunt filled
a small bag with the drugs and handed it to one of the pair, then
pulled a cal. .25 pistol and shot one of the thugs to death. The other
fled and is being sought by police
The News-Journal, Clovis, NM
Posted on November 1, 1977
Mrs. Cleo Ainsworth saw two young thugs attack her husband outside
their farmhouse near rural Dora, N.M. After calling for help, she got
her husband's pistol and fired a warning shot. The men fled.
The Tribune, Albuquerque, NM
Posted on October 1, 1977
When a young robber entered his Albuquerque, N. Mex., pharmacy
and demanded narcotics, Delbert Swindle drew a pistol instead and
held the man for police.
175
The Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, NM
Posted on July 1, 1976
Two men, one armed with a knife, entered Sidney McQueen's
Albuquerque, N.M., gun shop, grabbed up some firearms and then
bolted for the front door. But one of the thugs turned and pointed a
gun at McQueen. The shop owner fired first, killing one robber and
wounding the second.
The Alamogordo Daily News, Alamogordo, NM
Posted on September 1, 1974
Awakened by the sounds of a prowler in her Alamogordo, N. Mex.,
home, Mrs. Teresa Middlestead got her husband's shotgun from the
bedroom closet and shouted down the hallway, "I've got a gun."
Although Mrs. Middlestead didn't see the intruder, she heard him
dash through the kitchen and out the front door. Nothing was stolen.
The Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, NM
Posted on September 1, 1974
Three youths, one armed with a knife, walked into Mike Seargent's
Albuquerque, N. Mex., store intent on robbery. Seargent noticed that
the knife was apparently their only weapon, so he took his gun from
beside the cash register and held the thieves at bay until police
arrived.
Hobbs Daily News-Sun, Hobbs, NM
Posted on June 1, 1973
A man began pounding on the front door of Evelyn Burkey's Hobbs,
N. Mex., home and refused to identify himself or say what he wanted.
When he started pounding on the back door, Mrs. Burkey got a small
revolver and threatened to "blow his head off." At this the prowler
dove over a back fence and disappeared.
176
The Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, NM
Posted on February 1, 1973
Spotting two suspicious men wandering around his Albuquerque, N.
Mex., drugstore, owner Carl De Alderete kept a close watch on the
pair. When one man reached for a gun, De Alderete drew his own
first. One suspect escaped, but the storeowner held the second for
police who took the would-be robber's gun in evidence.
Aztec Independent Review, Aztec, NM
Posted on January 1, 1973
Brian Blacklock, an Aztec, N. Mex., pharmacist, was working late in
his store when a rock smashed through the skylight above him.
Blacklock ran outside, got a rifle from his car, and ordered the man on
the roof to come down. Police arrived and arrested the rock thrower,
along with his less-than-successful lookout man.
Tribune, Albuquerque, NM
Posted on July 1, 1967
When 3 men pounded on his back door, laundry owner James Self,
Albuquerque, N. Mex., answered and found himself confronted by a
robber holding a .410-bore shotgun. Dropping to the floor, he fired a
shot from his .22 revolver. The trio fled. Police later got a hospital
call--"man with a gunshot wound"--and arrested the wounded man
and 2 accomplices on charges of attempted robbery.
Journal, Albuquerque, NM
Posted on December 1, 1959
Thomas H. Myrick was in the back room of his Albuquerque, N. Mex.,
liquor store when he heard his wife pleading with a holdup man rifling
the register. Myrick rushed out with shotgun in hand. As the bandit
fled, Myrick fired 4 blasts over his head. When police arrived, they
found Myrick standing over the bandit who cowered on the ground,
his pistol and robbery loot beside him.
177
The New Mexican, Santa Fe, NM
Posted on July 1, 1959
In Tierra Amarilla, N. Mex., shopkeeper Albert Wheeler called on
neighbor Jack Taylor to cover the front when the intercom alarm rang
in the store owner's bedroom. Wheeler went to the rear office where
he surprised an armed burglar who attempted to escape. Neighbor
Taylor's 12-ga. shotgun dropped him near the door.
178
The Post-Standard, Syracuse, N.Y. 04/04/12
Posted on April 4, 2012
Owner Keidi Hindi was in a back room of the Court Street Express
convenience store in Syracuse, N.Y., when an armed robber entered
and demanded money from the clerk, Hindi’s son, Younis. After
hearing a shout, Hindi retrieved a pistol and went to the front to the
front of the store. Upon seeing the criminal, Hindi told him, “Get out
and put the gun down. If you shoot my son I shoot you.” The criminal
complied, fleeing the scene.
Although Hindi has only owned the convenience store since March 1,
this isn’t the first time he’s been forced to defend himself. Hindi
previously owned a convenience store in Newark, N.J. where he and
a clerk captured a would-be robber who is still serving time. (The
Post-Standard, Syracuse, N.Y. 04/04/12)
New York Daily News, New York, N.Y. 03/13/12
Posted on March 14, 2012
Maintenance man Angelis Candido was working the graveyard shift
at Met Foodmarket in Queens, N.Y. when an intruder attempted to
break into the store by cutting a hole in the ceiling above the register.
Upon discovering the burglar, Candido retrieved a shotgun and shot
the criminal in the chest, killing him.
Police have confirmed that the shotgun Candido used was registered
to the business, as required by New York City law. An employee of a
24-hour deli across the street from the food market is familiar with the
dangers of operating in that part of Queens, telling local media that
he has been robbed twice in the past year. (New York Daily News,
New York, N.Y. 03/13/12)
179
The Buffalo News, Buffalo, N.Y. 09/30/11, WKBW, Buffalo, N.Y.
09/29/11
Posted on September 30, 2011
A pair of armed criminals attempted to rob 71-year-old Donald Miller
outside his house in Buffalo, N.Y. After one of the robbers threatened
him with a gun, Miller, who is an ex-police officer and carry permit
holder, drew a firearm and shot one of the criminals, causing both to
flee. The wounded robber did not get far, collapsing a short distance
from the home. Miller’s neighbors are supportive of his actions, with
one remarking, “It’s about time it got turned around,” and another
stating, “Don is an asset to the neighborhood. He gives us a sense of
security living here.” When addressing the local media, Miller’s
attorney noted that, "[The police] believe it is a legitimate use of
deadly force, in the face of a robbery, and that no charges are
pending from buffalo PD."
WCBS, New York, N.Y. 04/13/11
Posted on April 13, 2011
Three men, at least one of whom was armed with a gun, broke into a
home in East Islip, N.Y. around 2 a.m. and shot a pet dog. The
homeowner became aware of the intruders, retrieved a gun and fired
at the criminals, killing one, wounding another and causing a third to
flee. The criminal who fled the scene was caught by police a short
time later. Neighbors were supportive of the homeowner, with one
stating, “If you have to protect yourself, you have to protect yourself.
[If] someone breaks into my house, I would probably do the same
thing.” The dog survived the attack.
180
The New York Times, New York City, N.Y. 02/17/11
Posted on February 18, 2011
A pair of armed robbers entered Spinelli & Son jewelry store in the
Bronx in New York City and put a gun to owner Anthony Spinelli’s
head, while a third criminal stood guard outside the store. As one
criminal stuffed a bag full of merchandise, the other ordered Spinelli
to the store safe. When Spinelli opened the safe, where he keeps a
gun, he retrieved the gun, chased the two criminals outside the store
and shot the lookout in the leg, ending the robbery. Spinelli’s
neighbors have been overwhelmingly supportive, with several
shouting, “Anthony, we love you,” as he entered his store the next
day. Others elaborated further, one stating, “They picked the wrong
guy, and they got what they deserved.” Police have chosen not to
criminally charge Spinelli in the shooting. Unfortunately, due to New
York City’s draconian gun laws, Spinelli faces an administrative code
violation as his gun was registered in Westchester County rather than
New York City.
The Wall Street Journal, New York, N.Y. 09/16/10
Posted on September 17, 2010
Around 2 a.m., retired teacher Larry Goldstein was awakened by a
suspicious noise in his Brooklyn, N.Y. home. Goldstein retrieved his
registered .38 caliber revolver, went downstairs and discovered two
burglars carrying what looked like guns. Goldstein fired at the
criminals, striking one and causing the other to flee. The wounded
criminal was taken to a local hospital. During the investigation the
wounded criminal was found to have previous convictions for drug
and burglary charges. Police have noted that Goldstein will not face
charges.
181
The Ithaca Journal, Ithaca, N.Y. 08/21/10
Posted on August 24, 2010
80-year-old Stephen Boyechko and his wife Pauline were napping
just before 8 p.m. in their Pulteney, N.Y. home, when they were
awakened by a criminal breaking in through a window. Boyechko
retrieved his registered pistol and went to investigate. When
Boyechko located the intruder, the criminal moved towards him, at
which point Boyechko responded by shooting the intruder twice in the
abdomen. When police arrived, the intruder was taken by helicopter
to a local hospital; he will face charges once he recovers. Investigator
Jeffrey Albright of the New York State Police noted that police are
investigating whether the attempted burglary is related to a recent
string of burglaries in the area.
The Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, N.Y. 04/22/10, WHAM,
Rochester, N.Y. 04/22/10
Posted on April 27, 2010
A 61-year-old concealed carry permit holder was walking home from
a store in Rochester, N.Y., when two men, one armed with a knife,
attempted to rob him. The permit holder drew his gun and fired, which
scared off the criminals. The criminals and the permit holder were not
injured during the incident.
The Mid-Hudson News, Hudson Valley, N.Y. 04/05/10
Posted on April 8, 2010
A homeowner in Parksville, N.Y. was at home with her four children,
when a black bear attempted to enter the house through a bedroom
window and tried to attack the pet dog. The homeowner called the
State Police and her nearby father for assistance. The father arrived
on the scene armed with a gun and fired a warning shot at the bear.
When the bear did not leave the area, he shot and killed it.
182
Newsday, New York, N.Y. 03/10/10
Posted on March 11, 2010
Lisa Guzzardi-Arndt was visiting the home of Kenneth Messemer in
West Babylon, N.Y. when her ex-husband arrived on the property and
forced his way into the house. George Arndt then began threatening
to kill Messemer, and “was attempting to attack Mr. Messemer,”
according to Det. Lt. Gerard Pelkofsky. During the attack, Messemer
retrieved a gun and shot Arndt, killing him.
The New York Times, New York City, New York 08/14/09
Posted on August 17, 2009
In broad daylight, four men, one armed with a 9-millimeter pistol,
entered the Kaplan Brothers Blue Flame Corporation kitchen supply
store in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Once inside the
criminals attempted to handcuff two store employees, and the owner
of the store, 72-year-old Charles Augusto Jr. As one of the men was
handcuffing an employee, the employee resisted, resulting in the
criminal pistol-whipping the employee in the head. After witnessing
the criminal’s brutality, Augusto retrieved his 12- gauge shotgun and
fired at the robbers. The first round struck and killed the robber armed
with the pistol. A second and third shot wounded the other three
criminals, one of whom made his way across the street before
collapsing and dying before he could reach the hospital. The two
other wounded robbers were picked up by police and taken to a local
hospital where they are in stable condition. This was not the first time
that Augusto’s store has been the target of robbers, a robbery thirty
years ago is what prompted him to arm himself. Local residents were
supportive of Augusto’s actions, with one stating, “You have to
protect your workers and your family. Case closed.” Unfortunately,
Augusto may be punished for protecting himself and his employees.
New York City’s draconian gun laws require a permit to possess a
shotgun, and police are mulling the possibility of charging Augusto
with a misdemeanor for failing to obtain one.
183
The New York Post, New York, N.Y. 11/18/08
Posted on November 21, 2008
Two armed robbers entered Yusef Drame’s convenience store in
Brooklyn, N.Y. After initiating the robbery, the two criminals
exchanged gunfire with Drame. The criminals shot Drame in his side
and in both legs. Despite his wounds, Drame was able to shoot both
robbers, killing one instantly and critically wounding the other, who
would later die at the hospital. According to police, at least one of the
armed robbers had an extensive criminal history.
Albany Times Union, Albany, NY, 01/20/07
Posted on April 1, 2007
When two armed men approached a residence and flashed a
handgun, the fearful person inside let them in. The resident's
compliance only emboldened the intruders. Police say a shot rang
out, and a relative in an upstairs apartment hurrieddown with a rifle.
He shot both suspects, killing one and causing the other to flee. The
wounded suspect was apprehended at the hospital. Authorities in
Schenectady, N.Y., say it was the fourth case in two months in which
a would-be victim shot an intruder.
184
New York Post, New York, NY, 09/09/06
Posted on December 1, 2006
When a Harlem thug saw Margaret Johnson, a grandmother who has
been confined to a wheelchair since a 2001 injury, he thought he had
an easy target. The friendly Johnson said hello to the man, but
according to police, he responded by grabbing her around the neck in
an attempt to steal her necklace. But he had underestimated
Johnson, an NRA member and accomplished target shooter who was
on her way to the gun range. She reached for her registered pistol
and shot her assailant, sending him running. "There's not much to it.
Somebody tried to mug me and I shot him," said Johnson. "It was
very scary." Police caught up with Johnson's assailant half a block
away.
thejournainews.com, White Plains, NY, 02/15/05
Posted on May 1, 2005
"This is something you read about happening to someone else. You
never think it will happen to you," said Linda Fixler of Bardonia, N.Y.
Her husband was working alone in their jewelry store early one
morning when two men came in asking to look at some engagement
rings. After a few minutes both pulled out guns, aimed them at Fixler
and threatened to kill him. During the course of the robbery, however,
Fixler was able to retrieve his own handgun and shoot one of the
robbers who fell to the floor seriously injured while the other fled on
foot. The fleeing robber was later apprehended along with a third man
who was in the "get-away" vehicle, but had driven off when he heard
the gunshots. "It's a terrible feeling," said Fixler. "All you want to do is
stay alive."
185
The Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY, 09/26/04
Posted on January 1, 2005
A 64-year-old Buffalo, N.Y., man was having his regular night out at a
seniors social club when two armed, masked men approached a card
table and demanded money. After a round was fired from an
assailant's shotgun, the intended victim, thinking his friend who had
fallen to the floor had been killed, pulled out his handgun and shot
and killed one of the robbers. As the robber was hit with the bullet, his
shotgun went off and hit his accomplice in the arm. The accomplice
fled the scene but was later apprehended at a local medical center
and charged with first-degree burglary.
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, N.Y., 12/6/04
Posted on December 1, 2004
Returning to his Webster, N.Y., home, Donald Krahling was attacked
by a neighbor. The 5-foot-7 Krahling, who walks with a limp due to an
injury suffered during military service, drew his registered .25-caliber
handgun and fired a shot, fatally wounding his 220-lb. assailant who
was punching him in the head and face. Police said the shooting was
apparently justified.
186
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Rochester, NY, 08/02/04
Posted on November 1, 2004
Two men, posing as prospective gem buyers, held up a couple trying
to sell their diamond through a local newspaper advertisement. The
Webster, New York, couple had advertised the "loose diamond," and
subsequently had several phone calls from two gentlemen who said
they were interested in purchasing the stone. When the "buyers"
showed up for a 4 p.m. appointment, they held the couple at
gunpoint, bound them with duct tape, and stole the diamond and
other jewelry from the home. The two suspects attempted to escape
in their Geo Tracker, but were soon pursued by the local police, -who had received a distress call from the victims. An officer followed
the vehicle to a cul-desac, where the suspects fled on foot. A woman
in the neighborhood, seeing one of the suspects heading straight for
her house, warned her husband. He, in turn, armed himself with a
.45-caliber handgun and prevented the man from entering. This
allowed the police to corner the suspect, Robert L. McKnight, who
was arrested and charged with robbery. Brian K. Moton was arrested
later and the jewelry was recovered.
Star Gazette, Elmira, N.Y., 11/11/04
Posted on November 1, 2004
When a Windham Township, Penn., homeowner woke up and
discovered a burglar in his home, he acted quickly. The homeowner
grabbed a gun, and, when confronted by the intruder, shot him. The
wounded man fled, but was later found by police at a local hospital.
187
Syracuse Post-Herald, Syracuse, N.Y., 11/11/04
Posted on November 1, 2004
Steve Brown, the owner of a Syracuse, N.Y., gas station, had been
robbed before. So, when a man entered at 4 a.m. and began acting
suspiciously, Brown paid close attention. When the man charged him,
Brown retrieved his shotgun and shot his assailant, then ran to call
the police. No charges were brought against Brown. "He had every
right to protect himself and his property," said Police Sergeant Tom
Connellian.
Buffalo News, Buffalo, N.Y., 9/26/04
Posted on October 1, 2004
When two armed robbers entered the Buffalo, N.Y., social club where
he played cards with other senior citizens, a 64-year-old man
remained calm. When a shot was fired by one of the suspects, the
man drew his licensed pistol and returned fire, killing the robber who
had fired. The accomplice fled, and was later arrested by police.
Newsday, Long Island, N.Y., 8/16/04
Posted on August 1, 2004
When a robber entered a Smithtown, N.Y., video store carrying a
length of pipe and demanding money, 67-year-old Arthur McMurray
complied. After being tied up, McMurray proceeded to free himself
and retrieve his licensed revolver. The robber swung the pipe at
McMurray who then fired, wounding his assailant. The man was later
captured by police when he sought treatment for his injury.
188
Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY, 05/26/04
Posted on August 1, 2004
A Bergen, New York, homeowner returned to his house around 10
a.m. to discover two men and a woman in the process of burglarizing
his home. The resident drew a handgun on the trio. When the men
attempted to escape in a van, the homeowner punched out one of its
windows. One of the men then threw gasoline at him from a can and
the men took off. The homeowner continued to hold the woman at
gunpoint until police arrived. Police later arrested the two men, and all
three suspects were charged with burglary.
Newsday, New York, New York, 11/22/03
Posted on February 1, 2004
A Freeport, New York, woman has her boyfriend and his brother to
thank for rescuing her from a rapist. First Squad Det. Lt. Andrew Fal
of Nassau, New York, reported that the suspect was believed to have
been hiding in the basement of the home for some time. When the
woman's boyfriend left for work, the intruder hid his face with a
surgical mask and went upstairs. He attacked the woman in her
bedroom, punching her repeatedly in the face, and then tried to rape
her. The boyfriend's brother, who also lives in the home, heard the
commotion and thought his brother was having a fight with his
girlfriend. He called the brother on his cell phone to see what was
going on, and when his brother told him he was driving to work, the
two realized the woman was in real trouble. The brother called the
police and retrieved a 9mm pistol. The woman's boyfriend returned to
the house where he and his brother confronted her attacker, holding
him at gunpoint until authorities arrived and placed her attacker under
arrest.
189
The Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY, 11/01/03
Posted on January 1, 2004
Two would-be robbers found their presence was most unwelcome at
a Syracuse, N.Y., restaurant. The owner of the Welcome Inn was in
the restaurant's kitchen when a masked man entered the
establishment and aimed a gun at him, demanding money. Ready to
defend himself, the innkeeper drew his own .45-cal. pistol and aimed
it at the gunman, who fled the restaurant with another man.
New York Daily News, New York, NY, 12/15/02
Posted on March 1, 2003
Ronald Dixon and his wife, Tricia, were awakened by a noise late in
the night. Dixon could see the reflection of a man entering his 18month-old son's bedroom in a mirror. Dixon called out to the intruder,
"What are you doing?" as his wife called 9-1-1. Not receiving a
response, Dixon pulled a 9 mm handgun out of his closet and
confronted the stranger in the child's room. When the interloper
advanced on him, Dixon fired his gun, hitting the man twice. The
intruder, later identified by police as Ivan Thompson, then fell down
the stairs and ran out of the house, but collapsed outside. According
to police, Thompson has a record of 19 arrests, most for burglary. He
was critically wounded in the chest and groin.
190
Finger Lakes Times, Geneva, NY, 11/26/02
Posted on February 1, 2003
A Naples, N.Y., man shot and killed an intruder who broke into his
house in the middle of the night and threatened him. Michael
Wojtowich was awakened by his 11-year-old son, who told him
someone was in their house. Wojtowich loaded his 12-ga. shotgun
and started down the steps to find out what was going on. He was
confronted by Brian Dibble, who had previously dated Wojtowich's
girlfriend. Chief Deputy Don DeSmith of the Ontario County Sheriff's
department reported, "We're not sure exactly what was said, but
apparently Mr. Dibble threatened Mr. Wojtowich with bodily harm."
After being threatened, Wojtowich shot Dibble once in the chest. The
intruder was pronounced dead at the scene. Prior to the incident,
Dibble was said to have broken into his old girlfriend's home next
door.
Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY, 09/18/02
Posted on December 1, 2002
An 89-year-old Rochester, N.Y., man shot and killed an intruder who
broke into his home in an apparent burglary attempt. Alfred
Thompson said he was watching television early one morning when
he heard someone break in through a side door. He saw the man's
silhouette in the darkened kitchen and fired a .22-cal. gun twice,
hitting the man in the chest. Thompson said the two exchanged no
words, but the intruder seemed wild, as if he were on drugs.
Thompson added that he was fearful for his safety.
191
The Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY, 1/11/02
Posted on April 1, 2002
A Niagara Falls, New York, shopkeeper defended himself against a
knife-wielding robber by grabbing a shotgun from behind the counter.
Teddy Patronski was working in his Memory Lane Gift Shop one
afternoon when a man entered holding a 6-inch knife. The suspect
lunged over the counter and demanded money from Patronski,
cutting the shopkeeper on the nose, according to Officer Lisa
Marrone. Patronski then grabbed a shotgun from behind the counter,
and the suspect fled the store.
New York Post, New York, NY, 7/26/01
Posted on October 1, 2001
A man in Queens, N.Y., rescued his teen-age son from a "mangy
looking" black pit bull with the help of his 9 mm handgun. Robert
Regent and some friends had been riding bikes when a pit bull began
barking and chasing them. "I was really scared," he said. "You could
see he was sick and a big, nasty dog." When Regent realized he
could not outrun the dog on his bike, he pulled out a cell phone and,
with the dog grabbing his leg, called his father, Ernest. "I was really
disturbed, hearing him screaming and panicking," said the elder
Regent who dialed 911, then grabbed his 9 mm handgun out of his
safe and raced off to save his son. When he arrived, the pit bull,
startled by the sound of his car, let go. Robert then climbed on top of
the car to get away. Regent retrieved his gun from his trunk. "The dog
looked at me, then charged," he said. "I stepped back, pulled the gun
and fired."
192
The Post-Journal, Jamestown, N.Y., 11/10/00
Posted on March 1, 2001
When a youth allegedly pulled a knife on two women one of whom
was pregnant in Jamestown, N.Y., and threatened to cut them,
neighbor Jeffery Moore became alarmed and decided to act. After
going outside his house to investigate the ruckus, Moore returned to
his house, instructed his wife to call police and retrieved his licensed
handgun. Moore reported that when he went back outside he heard
the youth say, "I am going to cut you like a pig. I'm going to slice you
up." He replied, "Step away ... I have a gun. Get down on your knees
and keep your hands where I can see them." Police arrived within a
minute to find the neutralized attacker. "If I had not intervened, I don't
know if they would have come out of this unscathed," said Moore
regarding the women.
New York Post, New York, N.Y., 10/10/00
Posted on February 1, 2001
The owner of a Brooklyn, N.Y., card shop was 'greeted' by two men
who entered his store, pulled out guns and announced a holdup.
Fortunately, he had already suspected the duo was up to no good
and was ready with his licensed, 9 mm handgun. Several shots found
their targets. The first gunman was hit four times and collapsed with
critical wounds on the sidewalk in front of the store. The other man
was hit once and fled, but soon afterward appeared at a local hospital
where police arrested him.
193
The Buffalo News, Buffalo, N.Y., 10/7/00
Posted on January 1, 2001
Buffalo, N.Y., merchant Gary Flading was in his Skyway Cleaners
and Check Cashing business one Friday morning when a couple
entered and feigned interest in cashing a check. Their true intentions
became painfully apparent seconds later when the proprietor cautious
not to be 'taken to the cleaners' figuratively, as well asked for their
signatures. Rather than producing a pen, the man pulled an electric
stun gun and zapped Flading's right hand. The ruffian suffered an
even greater shock, however, when Flading pulled his own 'stun gun':
a licensed revolver. The couple fled, but was caught by police a short
time later.
Newsday, Melville, N.Y., 5/25/00
Posted on September 1, 2000
Five-foot-five-inch Lilly Fu was working in her family's Queens, N.Y.,
cellular telephone store when, according to police, three men
entered, announced a robbery and forced her into a back room. As
they attempted to duct-tape Fu's hands and feet, the feisty merchant
fought back, stabbing at the men with a pen. When they stole Fu's
purse and attempted to flee, they were thwarted as Fu, now armed
with a licensed gun, fired on them. A short time later, police found the
getaway vehicle a few blocks away. One of Fu's assailants was
slumped over the steering wheel with a fatal gunshot wound to the
neck.
The Times Herald Record, Middletown, NY, 8/26/99
Posted on November 1, 1999
Richard Stein, a Monticello, New York, veterinarian, was at home one
night when a knock came at the front door. When Stein found no one
there, he reached for his .22-cal. rifle. His instincts turned out to be
dead on. Moments later, a man appeared in the rear of Stein's house
and began attacking him with a vacuum cleaner handle. Stein
attempted to warn his attacker off, but to no avail. Police arrived to
find the intruder dead with a single gunshot wound to the chest.
194
The New York Times, New York, NY, 5/19/98
Posted on August 1, 1998
Manhattan jewelry store owner Gary Austen, 43, was bound with a
necktie during a morning heist in which armed bandits menaced a
customer and emptied the safe. Once free, Austen ran out of the
store shouting "Call the cops!" Then, chasing one suspect, he came
face to face with the man at a blocked subway entrance. Austen drew
his licensed .25-cal. handgun and fired twice. The bleeding man fled
and was later caught hiding in the basement of a pharmacy. He was
hospitalized in serious condition and charged with first-degree
robbery and weapons possession. A female accomplice escaped.
Austen was not charged in the incident.
The Times Union, New York, NY, 10/30/97
Posted on March 1, 1998
After being held up several times, a Bronx, New York, music store
owner got a 9 mm Beretta pistol to thwart further attempts. Late one
morning he buzzed a supposed customer into his store, but once
inside, the man produced a pistol and demanded money. A struggle
ensued, and the owner drew his own firearm, whereupon he fatally
shot the bandit.
The Times Herald Record, Middletown, NY, 1/25/97
Posted on April 1, 1997
A New Paltz, New York, delivery driver entered an apartment building
to deliver a pizza when he was grabbed by the two masked thugs
who had placed the order. A scuffle broke out, and the driver was
able to get a hold of the gun he was carrying. He fired several shots
at his ski-mask- clad assailants as they hastened off into the night. It
was unknown whether either man was hit.
195
The Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY, 8/29/96
Posted on February 1, 1997
The bandit brazenly barged into the Rochester, New York, market,
shoving a gun into the face of the owner's wife, who was working
behind the counter, and demanding cash. The owner witnessed the
confrontation and quickly pulled his own handgun out, shooting the
armed robber. Hit in the arm, the suspect ran outside to a waiting car
and went to a nearby hospital where he was arrested. Neighbors said
the store had been held up several times in the past two years.
The Times Union, Albany, NY, 8/24/96
Posted on January 1, 1997
In what was deemed a "rare" attack by a rabid Eastern coyote, an
Albany, New York, woman required stitches to her head, back and
legs after being repeatedly bitten by the creature while working in her
garden. Hearing her screams, neighbor Giles Bullock shouted at the
animal, hoping to scare it away. When that failed, he retrieved his 12ga. shotgun and killed the animal with a single blast. "It was a good
thing [Bullock] was here to help her," the thankful woman's husband
said.
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 3/1/96
Posted on July 1, 1996
A pair of Long Island, New York, thieves, who police believe used
various scams to gain entry into the homes of elderly and disabled
residents, were finally apprehended thanks to the quick thinking of an
armed citizen. After Luise Starke, who is legally blind, led one of the
suspects to the basement when he said he was there to service the
oil burner, her husband, Alan, heard another man enter the home.
Suspecting trouble, he dialed 911 and grabbed his side-by-side
shotgun, which he used to detain both suspects for law enforcement
officials.
196
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 10/20/95
Posted on March 1, 1996
Salvatore DeLorenzo, 72, was gardening in his Ridge, New York,
backyard when two pit bulls from a neighboring home jumped upon
the man, dragging him to the ground and biting him. Seeing his father
felled by the canines, DeLorenzo's son grabbed a 20-ga. shotgun and
fired a single blast, hitting one of the dogs in the leg. Before he could
fire again, both beasts ran from the yard.
The Times, New York, NY, 9/7/95
Posted on December 1, 1995
Ninety-two-year-old Conrad Schwarzkopf had been sleeping in his
Long Island, New York, home when a punk four times his junior
barged into his bedroom and began beating him up. Schwarzkopf
tried to fight back, but was just no match for the younger man, and
wound up being tossed into a closet. There, as the man ransacked
the house searching for money, Schwarzkopf found the semiautomatic pistol he kept in the closet and emerged from its darkness
firing, striking his assailant in the hand and chest. The injured criminal
immediately ran to a nearby pay phone where he called police and
confessed to robbing a house and being shot by the homeowner
The Sunday Gazette, Schenectady, NY, 5/21/95
Posted on August 1, 1995
A Canajoharie, New York, car thief's efforts were put in park after a
potential victim pressed a shotgun to the criminal's throat. Daniel J.
Stetin foiled the crime after awaking for work and discovering his car
already running outside. He grabbed a shotgun and went to
investigate, while his wife grabbed the telephone and dialed 911.
Confronted by an armed and angry Stetin, the crook rested quietly on
the ground and waited for police to arrive.
197
The Journal, Poughkeepsie, NY, 3/18/95
Posted on July 1, 1995
It was like a case of deja vu when two Poughkeepsie, New York,
senior citizens found themselves being attacked in their home by the
same strongarm robber who had mauled them in 1987. Struck in the
head and bleeding, John Brennan managed to reach his handgun,
the sight of which caused the parolee, armed with a stick, to flee the
home. The criminal was later arrested and returned to prison as part
of a plea agreement that would keep him there for 10 to 20 years. He
had only served 6 1/2 years for the earlier attack before being
released.
The Times, New York, NY, 2/14/95
Posted on May 1, 1995
Dentist Steven Reich proved that marksmanship pays when an
armed robber invaded his Brooklyn, New York, office. The criminal
fired three shots at Reich at point-blank range but missed. Unfazed,
Reich drilled the bandit with five of five shots. The unlucky assailant
staggered into the street and was beaten by passengers of a vehicle
he hoped to carjack.
Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY, 10/9/94
Posted on January 1, 1995
On his final run of the night, Rochester, New York, pizza deliveryman
Michael Vaccaro was set upon by a group of five to seven men. One
of them shoved a gun in Vaccaro's face, while another took him in a
chokehold. Vaccaro was able to free himself from the stanglehold,
pull his gun and shoot the man holding a gun on him. At the sound of
shots, the gang fled, stealing Vaccaro's car. The wounded suspect
was apprehended and faces multiple charges
198
The New York Times, New York, NY, 9/10/94
Posted on November 1, 1994
Oscar Palmer was behind a two-way mirror in his Brooklyn, New
York, restaurant when four armed men entered and began to go
through the cash register. Then one of them turned and pointed a gun
at the mirror. That's when Palmer, with his licensed .38 revolver,
responded with four shots, hitting the robber several times and killing
him. The three accomplices fled. No charges were filed against
Palmer.
Newsday, New York, NY, 9/18/94
Posted on November 1, 1994
Roosevelt Smith, 78, leads a genial life repairing watches in a New
York beauty salon. But he is always prepared for trouble. Trouble
found him one day when two armed teenagers burst into the store.
One of them grabbed a hairstylist and shoved a gun into her side.
Just then a customer screamed and ran from the store, knocking
down one of the robbers. That distraction gave Smith the chance to
grab his .357 Mag. from beneath his workbench and shoot the
gunman, killing him. Police say no charges will be filed against Smith.
The Daily Times, Watertown, NY, 7/6/94
Posted on October 1, 1994
Paintball guns are used in recreational war games to simulate a "hit."
If combatants wear proper protective gear, the paintballs can't really
hurt anyone. But, as two Canton, New York, teenagers discovered,
they can be handy for stopping a crime. The two youths were waiting
to ambush some fellow paintball enthusiasts when they witnessed a
female jogger being attacked on a nearby jogging path. The boys
fired several warning rounds, and as the attacker fled they fired
again, hitting him as many as 30 times. The supect, covered with
brightly colored paint splotches, was picked up by police later.
199
The News, Buffalo, NY, 4/30/94
Posted on August 1, 1994
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.
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 2/11/94
Posted on May 1, 1994
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.
The Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY, 12/28/93
Posted on March 1, 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.
200
The Post, New York, NY, 7/26/93
Posted on October 1, 1993
Eugene DeMayo was behind the counter of his South Bronx, New
York, sporting goods store when several youths, one armed with a
sawed-off shotgun, burst into the store. Instead of handing over his
wares, DeMayo pulled his licensed .38 and fired, mortally wounding
the shotgun toter. Two other thugs fled, and no charges were planned
against DeMayo.
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 4/1/93
Posted on September 1, 1993
"I threw a lot of lead at him," was how Oyster Bay, New York, jeweler
Ralph Caggiano described his encounter with an armed robber.
When the armed man entered the shop and announced a robbery,
Caggiano scooped a .38 revolver out of his desk drawer and fired
through a glass partition. The would-be bandit was slightly wounded
and fled, but was quickly caught. "He had a right to use deadly
physical force," said the local police commander.
Newsday, New York, NY, 3/26/93
Posted on August 1, 1993
Standing in the kitchen of his New Cassel, New York, home, facing a
robber armed with a shotgun, Archell Freeman surrendered his cash
and gold jewelry. When the crook demanded more loot, Freeman led
him into the living room and grabbed a revolver off a shelf. Firing
several times, Freeman mortally wounded the gunman.
201
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 2/26/93
Posted on July 1, 1993
A brazen mid-afternoon robbery ended in death for a robber when the
owner of a Bay Shore, New York, fur shop fought back. Voltidis
Anastasios was in his store when a man and woman walked in and
assaulted him. Anastasios was able to reach his shotgun and fire
several blasts, killing the woman. The man fled to a waiting car, with
Anastasios in pursuit and firing several more blasts. Police later
apprehended several wounded suspects
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 1/28/93
Posted on June 1, 1993
Pistol-whipped in a robbery 10 years ago, Georgi Gots, a New York
City jeweler and Russian immigrant, repeatedly tried to get--and was
denied--a pistol permit. Gots puchased a handgun anyway, a
decision that may have saved him when an armed robber burst into
his store, demanding loot. Gots pulled his own gun and killed the
holdup man. Gots was taken into custody, but an investigator said
police would probably not recommend charges, saying "The poor guy
was just trying to protect himself."
The News, Buffalo, NY, 1/25/93
Posted on May 1, 1993
The fact that he was recovering from a stab wound suffered in an
assault the day before didn't keep Roderick McGill from preventing a
rape outside his Buffalo, N.Y., home. Hearing the gagged woman's
cries, McGill had his girlfriend call police and grabbed his shotgun.
Outside, he confronted the would-be rapist as he attempted to strip
his victim and held him for police.
202
The Daily News, New York, NY, 1/18/93
Posted on April 1, 1993
Disarmed and pistol whipped after struggling with a pair of shotguntoting thugs, Brooklyn, N.Y., pharmacist Soel Melero continued
fighting and managed to retrieve a second--also licensed--hidden
pistol. Firing three times, the druggist killed one of his assailants. The
other fled empty-handed.
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 1/5/93
Posted on April 1, 1993
A pair of teenaged robbers armed with a sawed-off shotgun and
handguns took the day's receipts from Brooklyn bodega owner
Hector Martinez. As they made their getaway, Martinez grabbed his
registered 12-ga. shotgun and gave chase. When one fired, Martinez
returned three blasts, slightly wounding his assailants. They fled but
were apprehended when they sought medical attention.
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 10/22/92
Posted on March 1, 1993
After a man gained entry to a Jericho, N.Y., hotel by opening his coat
to prove to the manager that he was unarmed, the manager
remarked that the inn had been robbed several times in the past
month. Pulling a gun, the would-be guest replied "I know, I'm the
robber." The manager pulled a .357 and killed the robber--who had
several juvenile felony convictions and was a suspect in a string of
armed robberies--with two shots.
203
The Standard-Star, New Rochelle, NY, 8/27/92
Posted on January 1, 1993
Two men were discussing gold bracelets in a New Rochelle, N.Y.,
jewelry store when they announced a robbery and drew pistols. They
found themselves the targets of a withering hail of fire laid down by
store owner Joseph Soares, who used three firearms, all registered,
to halt the robbery and kill one of the pistol-wielding thugs. A local
district attorney said it appeared that Soares acted justifiably in selfdefense.
The News, Buffalo, NY, 10/6/92
Posted on January 1, 1993
The target of a recent burglary, Willeen Lansberry was suspicious
when she got several hang-up phone calls in one day. Hiding in her
Niagara Falls, N.Y., apartment with her .38, her stakeout was
rewarded when two teenagers forced open the door. Emerging from
her hiding place, Lansberry held the pair for police.
The Herald Statesman, Yonkers, NY, 8/6/92
Posted on December 1, 1992
A Yonkers, N.Y., woman demurred when a strongarm robber
demanded her purse as she was making a call at a public phone. She
instead reached in the purse and came up with her licensed .38. The
criminal fled empty-handed.
Newsday, New York, NY, 9/13/92
Posted on December 1, 1992
World War II veteran William Marisak's best war story comes from the
war against crime. While he was tending bar at his Brooklyn tavern,
four armed robbers burst in and shot him twice. Marisak responded
with his licensed .380, wounding one of the gunmen and putting the
others to flight. "If I didn't have a gun, all of us would have been
dead," he said.
204
Newsday, New York, NY, 7/15/92
Posted on October 1, 1992
Asleep in the apartment above his Brooklyn, N.Y., auto shop, Ezekial
Witherspoon grabbed his licensed 9 mm pistol when he awoke to the
sounds of forced entry. In the ensuing confrontation, Witherspoon
shot and mortally wounded an intruder who had gained entry to the
shop by smashing a window. Police did not charge Witherspoon,
stating that the shooting appeared to be justified.
The Herald American, Syracuse, NY, 4/19/92
Posted on August 1, 1992
Delivering pizzas in Syracuse, N.Y., early one morning, John
MacDonald was accosted by two men who tried to steal the pies.
MacDonald tried to keep hold of the pizza bag, but when one of the
pair attacked him with a broomhandle, MacDonald let go of the bag
and drew his pistol. One man fled with the pizzas, but MacDonald
gave the other a ride to the police station in his delivery car. He is
licensed to carry, police said.
Newday, Long Island, NY, 4/10/92
Posted on July 1, 1992
David Shanley was content to let the two men who had taken money
from the register of his liquor store flee until one pulled a gun and
threatened to kill him. When that happened, Shanley, a former New
York City police officer, drew his own gun and opened fire, wounding
both robbers. Both fled but were apprehended by police while
seeking medical treatment for their wounds.
205
The News, Buffalo, NY, 4/3/92
Posted on June 1, 1992
Increased crime prompted Angelo Accurso to get a permit to keep a
gun in his Buffalo, N.Y., market. He put it to good use when a man
walked in one morning and began to beat him with a piece of pipe.
Although seriously injured, Accurso managed to pull his pistol and
loosed several shots. Severely wounded, Accurso's attacker
staggered from the store and collapsed on the street.
The Daily News, New York, NY, 3/11/92
Posted on May 1, 1992
BB's are no match for bullets, a young hoodlum found out when he
attempted to rob a Brooklyn grocery store with a BB gun. When the
youth entered the store brandishing the gun, the owner fired several
shots with his licensed 9 mm, killing the thug. The storeowner was
not charged.
The Times, New York, NY, 1/7/92
Posted on April 1, 1992
Herman Moser's World War II Navy marksmanship training came in
handy when a man tried to rob his jewelry store in the Chinatown
section of New York City. Moser, 71, was at the shop with his
grandson and another man when the armed robber entered. When
the robber ordered them into the shop's bathroom, Moser, fearing for
their lives, pulled his licensed handgun, fired and killed the man. "It
still came to me, the steady, where to aim," Moser said.
206
The Daily News, New York, NY, 9/21/91
Posted on January 1, 1992
An armed robber was preparing to handcuff Astoria, N.Y.,
shopkeeper Robert Knight when Knight seized the opportunity to act.
Stooping down, he pulled a pistol from an ankle holster. Both men
fired at the same time, but Knight, who has a license for the gun, hit
his target, seriously wounding him.
The Chronicle-News, Hampton, NY, 8/22/91
Posted on November 1, 1991
Sleeping in his car dealership to guard against looters after Hurricane
Bob knocked out the power, Thomas D'Angelo of East Hampton,
N.Y., was awakened by the sound of someone in the building. Picking
up his pistol and investigating, D'Angelo was confronted by a burglar
in the service area. A struggle for the gun ensued, but D'Angelo
maintained control and fatally shot his attacker.
The Post, New York, NY, 7/13/91
Posted on October 1, 1991
Trapped in a building foyer by a mugger, New York author Michelle
Green was saved when a local storeowner--armed with a licensed
pistol--burst in. "Give the lady back her watch," the samaritan
growled, and held the mugger for police.
The Post, New York, NY, 5/25/91
Posted on September 1, 1991
Several days after they had first visited Murrey Kahn's jewelry store in
New York City, two men returned. When they walked in, they pulled
guns, however, and announced a robbery. As one held a gun to
Kahn's head, his son Earl, who was in the back of the store, grabbed
his licensed pistol. When the two robbers fired at him, Earl Kahn shot
back, mortally wounding one. The other crook fled.
207
The Post, New York, NY, 5/7/91
Posted on August 1, 1991
Pasquale Rossi was standing behind the counter of his Queens, N.Y.,
store when a man walked in, broke a bottle over the store owner's
head and began beating him. Rossi responded by pulling his licensed
pistol and firing three shots, wounding his assailant and stopping the
attack. "We are in the middle of a jungle here. We protect ourselves
by praying, that's all we can do," said a worker at another store.
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 3/26/91
Posted on July 1, 1991
A would-be robber discovered the hard way that crime doesn't pay,
especially if the intended victim is armed. When a man wielding a toy
gun walked into John Plumitallo's store in Deer Park, N.Y., and
announced a stickup, Plumitallo responded by pulling his own, real,
licensed pistol and shot the thug once, killing him.
The Daily News, New York, NY, 12/25/90
Posted on April 1, 1991
A customer marked his time when two armed robbers burst into a
Brooklyn, N.Y., furniture store. When the time was right, the customer
pulled his 9 mm and, in an exchange of shots, killed one thug and
critically wounded another.
The Evening News, Newburgh, NY, 8/27/90
Posted on February 1, 1991
William Christie, a New Windsor, N.Y., 17-year-old, was watching a
TV movie when he heard someone breaking into his home. While his
mother phoned police, Christie grabbed his shotgun, cornered a man
and woman in his bedroom and took them outside. While he held the
woman the man ran, but police dogs later found him hiding in bushes
across the street. The pair are suspects in a series of area robberies,
police said.
208
The Daily News, New York, NY, 1/14/90
Posted on March 1, 1990
A retired New York City policeman was accosted by three men
outside the check-cashing store where he worked. They tried to force
him into a car, but the retiree pulled his licensed gun and killed one of
the men. Two other store employees rushed from the store with their
licensed firearms and captured the slain man's brother. The third
would-be robber escaped in a vehicle.
The Post, New York, NY, 9/28/89
Posted on January 1, 1990
New York, N.Y., businessman Richard Rand was walking from his car
to his house when a man ran up behind him and tried to grab his
money bag. The robber hit Rand over the head and threw ammonia
in his face, but Rand managed to draw his licensed revolver and
fatally shoot his attacker.
The Star-Gazette, Elmira, NY, 8/24/89
Posted on November 1, 1989
Hearing noises in his Elmira, N.Y., home in the early morning hours,
Adam Cavanaugh crept downstairs armed with a rifle. There he found
a man burglarizing the house and told him to freeze. The intruder did,
confronted not only by the rifle-toting Cavanaugh but his wife as well,
who held a shotgun on the man. Police arrived to take the man into
custody.
209
The Post, New York, NY, 4/26/89
Posted on August 1, 1989
A pack of 50 teenagers wielding bats and smashing windows in New
York City's Manhattan borough thought better of it after they threw
rocks through the window of Simon Do's jewelry store. Before the
"wilding" mob could break through the interior door of the shop, one
of the youths spotted Do, who was wearing a holstered revolver on
his hip. Do did not draw his gun; the pack backed off.
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 3/18/89
Posted on August 1, 1989
Emile Schrumph was sitting in his Woodbury, N.Y., home when he
heard a loud noise coming from his basement. Armed with his
licensed handgun, the 65-year-old homeowner went to investigate
and confronted two men who had broken in. He fired on them, hitting
one, and both men fled. A wounded suspect was arrested by police
when he sought medical treatment.
The Daily Messenger, Canadaigua, NY, 4/14/89
Posted on July 1, 1989
Two men showed up at Floyd Jones' Moira, N.Y., gas station in the
early morning hours, claiming they had run out of gas. Jones left his
adjoining apartment and went to unlock the station to get a gas can,
but the men forced their way in and attacked the 76-year-old owner.
Jones pulled a handgun and fired, wounding one man. Both were
later arrested by police and charged with first-degree attempted
robbery.
210
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 3/24
Posted on July 1, 1989
A thug in Brooklyn, N.Y., entered Robert Arnold's potato chip delivery
van, pulled a gun, and attempted to rob him. Arnold drew his licensed
semi-automatic pistol and shot to death the would-be robber. Police
said the man had been a suspect in a string of similar stick-ups.
The Post, New York, NY, 12/30/88
Posted on June 1, 1989
Three armed men entered a Manhattan jewelry store and announced
a hold-up. They told the owner to get valuables from the safe. The
proprietor gave them what they wanted, and when he saw they
weren't paying attention he pulled his licensed revolver and fired. One
robber was hit and the others fled, leaving a trail of jewelry behind
The Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY, 1/17/89
Posted on April 1, 1989
Ninety-three-year-old Frank Gulland answered a knock at the door of
his Syracuse, N.Y., home to find a stranger on the porch. The man
attacked him and, as he was pushed to the floor and choked, Gulland
managed to reach his registered revolver. Fearing for the safety of his
invalid wife who was sleeping nearby, the homeowner shot his
assailant. The critically wounded suspect was arrested, and police
determined the man had a half-hour previously beaten and robbed
another elderly citizen.
The Times, New York, NY, 11/10/88
Posted on February 1, 1989
Thomas McCann was at his New York City variety store when two
men entered and attempted to rob him at gunpoint. The store owner
pulled his licensed revolver and fired on the pair, killing one. The
other fled. McCann was not charged.
211
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 6/28/88
Posted on September 1, 1988
Two men, armed with an axe and a handgun, burst into a Jericho,
N.Y., residence and disrupted a four-man gin rummy game. After
extorting valuables from the cardplayers, one robber ordered his
accomplice to tie the men up and threatened to burn down the house.
At that point one player, Allan Fishman, a retired New York City
police officer, drew his licensed handgun and opened fire, wounding
one bandit and sending the other to flight. No charges were brought
against Fishman.
The Ashbury Park Press, Neptune, NJ, 5/31/88
Posted on August 1, 1988
Shot in the leg by a robber at his Bronx, N.Y., shop, the owner
retaliated by pulling out his licensed 12-ga. shotgun and firing once,
killing his attacker. Police reported the store owner was taken to a
hospital, but confirmed he was not seriously injured.
The Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY, 1/9/88
Posted on August 1, 1988
After a burglar wielding a knife invaded the kitchen of their Syracuse,
N.Y., home, Harry Covard picked up his .22 rifle from its hiding place
next to his wheelchair and oxygen tank and fired as the man made a
threatening gesture toward Covard's 82-year-old wife. The wounded
burglar was arrested at an area hospital and charged by police.
Police said no charges would be filed against Covard.
212
The Post, New York, NY, 4/27/88
Posted on July 1, 1988
New York Post photographer Joe De Maria responded to a distraught
Italian woman tourist's cries and gave chase to a mugger in New
York's Chinatown. When the cornered bandit tried to bluff De Maria
with a bunched-up jacket, the photographer drew his licensed
revolver and yelled, "Don't even think about it." The robber dropped
the pretense with his coat while De Maria used a portable radio to
contact police, who charged the man with robbery.
The Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY, 1/22/88
Posted on April 1, 1988
Syracuse, N.Y., pizza shop owner Vito Tauro was confronted by a
man toting a sawed-off, double-barrelled shotgun who demanded
cash. Opening his cash register, Tauro pulled out his licensed pistol
instead of money and fired; the robber fled. Police said no charges
would be filed against the shop owner in the incident
The Post-Star, Glen Falls, NY, 11/19/87
Posted on March 1, 1988
Fort Ann, N.Y., resident Arthur Stiles had been burgled in 1984 and
$33,000 was stolen. Three years later, one of the same burglars, who
had been given a one-year prison sentence, returned to "mastermind"
a second burglary attempt. This time, however, Stiles was armed and
ready when two burglars entered his kitchen, wounding one of the
intruders. For his efforts in the second burglary, the "mastermind" got
a five-to-10-year sentence in state prison.
213
The Herald-Journal, Syracuse, NY, 9/10/87
Posted on February 1, 1988
Syracuse, N.Y., cab driver Gregory Blesch had just dropped off two
fares and was giving change to one of his passengers when the man
started to choke him and tried to grab his wallet. Pulling away from
his attacker, Blesch grabbed his licensed handgun and subdued the
man. He then forced the pair to sit on the gound to await the arrival of
the police.
The Daily News, New York, NY, 9/26/87
Posted on January 1, 1988
Retired transit officer John Taylor of East Flatbush, N.Y., was walking
home when an armed robber demanded cash at gunpoint. After
refusing to accept Taylor's pocket change, the mugger demanded his
wallet, but the 45-year-old transit veteran instead drew his licensed
revolver and fired, mortally wounding the hold-up man. According to
the Brooklyn district attorney's office, the shooting was justified and
no charges will be filed against Taylor.
Herald Journal Suburban, Syracuse, NY, 7/21/87
Posted on December 1, 1987
Kevin Flavin, who lives above his bar in Manlius, N.Y., came
downstairs early one morning to find two intruders rifling the cash
register and breaking open vending machines. Flavin, having armed
himself with a shotgun, warned them to stop. When the two men
failed to do so, the owner opened fire, wounding both burglars. A
county grand jury indicted both men but brought no charges against
Flavin.
214
The Sunday Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY, 9/13/87
Posted on December 1, 1987
When a knife-wielding robber attempted to grab Eliud Franco's
holstered revolver at his Rochester, N.Y., grocery store, Franco drew
the gun and fired, wounding the assailant. The would-be thief was
arrested by police and held pending charges of first-degree attempted
robbery.
The Post, New York, NY, 7/21/87
Posted on October 1, 1987
While opening the door as he returned to his Bronx, N.Y., apartment,
Samuel Hundert felt the door jam on something just inside the
entrance. Looking through the opening, the 71-year-old saw a knifewielding burglar inside. Drawing his licensed handgun, Hundert fired
through the opened door, critically wounding the intruder.
The Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY, 3/19/87
Posted on July 1, 1987
Fifteen minutes after losing his nerve in one armed robbery attempt, a
man tried to rob Jose Rivera's Rochester, N.Y. grocery store.
Distracted by police outside, who were searching the area after the
first robbery attempt, the armed man turned his head. When he
turned back to look at Rivers, the store owner was holding a licensed
.38. Police arrested the man on two counts of armed robbery.
The News, Buffalo, NY, 9/16/86
Posted on January 1, 1987
A man attempting to rob a Buffalo, N.Y., liquor store held a 12"
screwdriver to the chest of the 68-year-old owner. The owner, fearing
for his life, drew his .38 revolver from under the counter and shot the
robber. Later a wounded suspect was charged with attempted
robbery.
215
The Record, Troy, NY, 7/11/86
Posted on October 1, 1986
Retired Troy, N.Y., police officer William Gilley and his wife were
relaxing on a boat dock when a man approached, saying he had a
gun and wanted their money. The 68-year-old Gilley said he had to
get his wallet from his van, but pulled a handgun from under the seat
instead and held the would-be robber for police.
The Times, New York, NY, 6/28/86
Posted on September 1, 1986
Walking to his Greenwich Village, N.Y., apartment shortly after
midnight, private detective David Barrett was accosted by a "wall of
robbers," as many as seven. The gang attacked from both sides and,
as he fell to the ground, Barrett drew his licensed revolver and shot
two of the assailants. The remainder fled, but police later arrested
three suspects.
The Times, New York, NY, 7/8/86
Posted on September 1, 1986
A man who ran amok with a sword aboard a Staten Island, N.Y., ferry
killed two passengers and injured nine others before a retired New
York City police officer, Edward del Pino, drew his licensed .38
revolver and disarmed him. Del Pino, who had never fired a shot in
the line of duty in 23 years as a New York policeman, was returning
home from his job as a Manhattan security officer.
The Journal, Poughkeepsie, NY, 4/12/86
Posted on August 1, 1986
Poughkeepsie, N.Y., restaurant owner David Auffarth was getting out
of his car when a man holding a metalllic object jumped out of hiding.
Auffarth pulled out a revolver and fired into the air, causing the man
to flee. Police later arrested a suspect identified by Auffarth and
charged him with attempted robbery.
216
The Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on July 1, 1986
It took several armed robberies to finally persuade Brooklyn store
owner Mikail Kats to buy a handgun for protection. It came in handy
when three robbers, one armed with a gun, walked into the store and
demanded cash. Kats gave one bandit $100, then a .25-cal. slug in
the chest. The wounded robber later died, and his alleged partners
were arrested.
The News, Buffalo, NY, 2/19/86
Posted on May 1, 1986
Stopped in his car at a Buffalo, N.Y., intersection, Thomas Ortolano
was approached by a gunman demanding money. The motorist
reached into his pocket and pulled out a handgun, sending the robber
fleeing. Ortolano has a handgun permit, police said.
The Post, New York, NY, 12/2/85
Posted on February 1, 1986
Two robbers, threatening to shoot, forced the Brooklyn delicatessen
employees on the floor and ordered owner Yahia Salim to empty the
cash register. Salim instead emptied his .357 Mag., killing one man
and sending the other fleeing.
The Times-Union, Rochester, NY, 9/23/85
Posted on December 1, 1985
Two masked and knife-wielding robbers held their ground when
Irondequoit, N.Y., store clerk Rosemary Tamb produced a pistol and
ordered them out. But when the resolute woman fired a warning shot,
they fled
The News, Buffalo, NY
217
Posted on December 1, 1985
The stranger had threatened the woman with rape and allegedly was
trying to make good the threat as he broke into her Buffalo, N.Y.,
home. As he struggled with the woman's husband, trying to stab him,
she opened fire with a rifle, wounding the intruder.
The Post, New York, NY, 8/13/85
Posted on October 1, 1985
Gary Lore was at his elderly mother's Staten Island, N.Y., home,
recuperating from surgery, when a knife-wielding robber crashed in,
attacking them both. Despite his condition Lore was able to grab his
handgun and critically wound the intruder.
The Times, New York, NY, 5/16/85
Posted on August 1, 1985
Two armed men entered a Brooklyn clothing store, announced a
holdup, and began forcing a customer into the back. Store owners
Richard and Robert Gaver, both with licensed .38 cal. revolvers,
confronted the robbers, and shots were exchanged. The Gavers were
both slightly injured, but managed to fatally wound one robber. The
other was soon arrested and charged with attempted murder and
robbery.
The News, Buffalo, NY, 4/22/85
Posted on August 1, 1985
Responding to screams across the street from his Buffalo, N.Y., bar,
Eugene Albert encountered an injured woman and a mugger who
was making off with her purse. Pulling a pistol, for which he has a
permit, Albert held the would-be thief until police came to take him
into custody.
218
The Star-Gazette, Elmira, NY, 3/18/85
Posted on July 1, 1985
An Ithaca, N.Y., college student was cutting through an alley on his
way home late at night when two men jumped him. The student
pulled a licensed gun and shot and wounded one assailant. The
would-be robbers were arrested, and the student was not charged.
The Journal, Poughkeepsie, NY, 3/14/85
Posted on June 1, 1985
A Poughkeepsie, N.Y., homeowner armed himself with a pistol when
the sound of a window being forced open awakened him. He
confronted a burglar in his kitchen and held him until police arrived.
The Daily News, Batavia, NY
Posted on June 1, 1985
A neighbor alerted Charles Keppler that a person had entered his
Shelby Center, N.Y., barn on his farm property. Armed with a pistol,
Keppler investigated and held a knife-toting intruder for the police.
The intruder was charged with burglary.
The Post, New York, NY, 1/25/85
Posted on April 1, 1985
A knife-wielding bandit walked into Edward Davies' Long Island, N.Y.
delicatessen, looted the cash register and threatened customers.
When the thief walked out, Davies got a pistol, followed and told him
to stop. The man whirled around, grabbed for the gun, and Davies
shot him. When the man tried to slash him, Davies fired again and
fatally wounded him. No charges were filed against Davies.
219
The Post, New York, NY, 7/17/84
Posted on October 1, 1984
When two holdup men, one armed with a sawed-off shotgun, burst
into his Queens, N.Y., supermarket, Daniel Diaz drew his licensed
pistol and fired several shots, putting both to flight. As the pair dashed
out into the street, three local policemen ordered them to halt. The
man with the shotgun turned on them, but the police fired first, killing
the man instantly.
The Daily News, New York, NY, 7/5/84
Posted on September 1, 1984
Resting in his Queens, N.Y., home, Dr. Irving Frohman, 81, heard
violent pounding on his door and retieved his war-souvenir .45. When
a man split the door open and then ignored pleas to halt, Frohman
stopped him with one shot from his licensed pistol. He then tended
the man's wound until police arrived. The assailant had been freed
from jail only hours earlier.
The Newsday, Long Island, NY
Posted on August 1, 1984
Phillip Borelli, co-owner of a Hempstead, N.Y., auto dealership,
noticed two men asking his brother Anthony, the other proprietor,
about the price of a truck. Suddenly, one pulled an unidentified
weapon and struck Anthony on the head, knocking him to the ground.
Phillip pulled his licensed revolver and fired, sending the two
attackers fleeing.
220
The News, Buffalo, NY, 4/25/84
Posted on July 1, 1984
Private security officer Ada Townsel of Buffalo, N.Y., was getting
ready for work when she heard someone breaking in through her
back door. She got her .357 Mag. and cornered a man in the dining
room. When he ignored her order to freeze, Townsel fired a warning
shot which sent him sprinting for the back door and a second intruder
diving through a picture window.
The Herald-Journal, Syracuse, NY, 4/9/84
Posted on July 1, 1984
Off-duty policeman John Maher of Staten Island, N.Y., was in a local
tavern when he brushed against a patron who had been drinking
heavily. The man hit Maher in the face, pulled a revolver, and opened
fire. Maher, though wounded in the shoulder, managed to pull his
service revolver and return fire, fatally wounding the assailant.
The New York Daily News, New York, NY, 2/20/84
Posted on June 1, 1984
New Yorker Sam Rosenberg, a 69-year-old beer distributor, was
accosted, shortly after a business transaction, by three muggers who
surrounded him on a Brooklyn street and took all his cash. When one
of the robbers saw that Rosenberg carried a revolver, he made a
grab for it. But Rosenberg managed to pull it first, shot the attacker,
and sent the others running. The wounded man died, and two other
suspects were arrested shortly thereafter. No charges were filed
against Rosenberg.
221
The New York Post, New York, NY
Posted on May 1, 1984
A 70-year-old New York City resident was on his way home when an
assailant grabbed him from behind and threw him down a subway
stairwell. The elderly man, though dazed, drew a licensed .38-cal.
revolver as the mugger was lifting his wallet and fired twice, hitting
the thug both times. Police later arrested a suspect as he sought
treatment for gunshot wounds at a local hospital.
The Town & Village, New York, NY, 1/12/84
Posted on April 1, 1984
Gene McCrohan, a retired New York City policeman, was about to
enter his apartment when two knife-wielding thugs accosted him,
threatening to stab him if he didn't hand over his money. McCrohan
put down the two shopping bags he's been carrying, reached into his
back pocket, and drew his service revolver. He fired all six rounds at
his assailants, killing one and wounding the other.
The Times, New York, NY, 12/18/83
Posted on March 1, 1984
Ramon Alvarez was behind the counter when two armed robbers
entered his Bronx grocery store. One held a rifle aimed at Alvarez.
The other rifled the cash register, took Alvarez' watch, and reached
for his wallet. Suddenly, Alvarez drew his licensed .357 Mag. and
fired, killing the criminal. His partner fled immediately.
The Journal, Poughkeepsie, NY, 10/27/83
Posted on January 1, 1984
Poughkeepsie, N.Y., restauranteur David Auffarth had locked up for
the night when a man armed with a sawed-off shotgun approached
and demanded money. With the shotgun resting against his temple,
Auffarth pretended to fumble with his keys, then drew a licensed
pistol, fired and wounded his assailant.
222
The Post, New York, NY 11/7/83
Posted on January 1, 1984
Standing across the street, Yahia Salim witnessed two armed men
holding up his Brooklyn store. His licensed 9 mm handgun drawn,
Salim raced to the scene, overpowered one of the men, who was
carrying a shotgun, and ordered the other gunman to drop his
weapon. Instead, the robber snapped a shot at Salim, but the
hammer dropped on an empty chamber. Salim then shot the man in
the arm and held them both until police arrived
The Newsday, Long Island, NY, 10/21/83
Posted on January 1, 1984
Drugstore clerk Tom Jones was busy behind the counter one evening
when a gun-wielding assailant entered the Levitttown, N.Y., store. He
forced Jones and pharmacist Marvin Berkowitz into a storeroom and
demanded money and drugs. The two employees began emptying
their pockets of cash, when Jones suddenly pulled a licensed pistol
and shot the gunman. The wounded robber fled, but Jones and
Berkowitz chased him down, and, with the help of two passing
motorists, held the suspect until police arrived.
The Daily Star, Oneonta, NY, 9/28/83
Posted on December 1, 1983
Gunshop owner John Batewell and his wife Anita were alone in their
Milford, N.Y., store when a man armed with a sawed-off shotgun
walked in and said, "This is a stickup." Batewell immediately drew a
.38 and fired five shots, forcing the gunman to flee to a car in which
another man was waiting. Two hours later, two suspects were
arrested by state troopers.
223
The Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY, 10/10/83
Posted on December 1, 1983
When Daniel Gudowski, manager of a Convenient Food Mart in
Buffalo, N.Y., saw an armed man threatening a cashier, he sneaked
down the aisles to cut off the man's escape. Just as the robber
finished filling his coat pockets with cash from the register, Gudowski
jumped and wrestled him to the floor. He then pulled his own gun and
held the thief until police arrived. The man was charged with robbery
and criminal use of a weapon.
The Advance, Staten Island, NY, 8/83
Posted on November 1, 1983
As Philip Loswick waited on two customers at his father's Port
Richmond, N.Y., jewelry store, he was struck on the back of the head
with a gun. Hearing his son's scream, the elder Loswick grabbed a
licensed 12-ga. shotgun and fired at the robbers. One thug was
wounded but managed to escape while father and son held his
partner until police arrived.
The Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on October 1, 1983
Visiting New York City to settle her late brother's estate, Roberta
Leonard was set upon by eight muggers. The 67-year-old Alabama
native, who walks with a cane, had been mugged on her prior visit to
New York and this time drew a revolver from her purse. The gang
fled. Charges filed against Leonard for violating the city's permit law
were eventually dropped when the grand jury failed to return an
indictment.
224
The Daily News, New York, NY, 5/29/83
Posted on September 1, 1983
Retired New York City policeman John Moscato was walking from his
apartment early one morning when two thugs, one of whom carried a
handgun, forced him into the lobby of a Manhattan building. When
they attempted to rob him, Moscato drew his service revolver and
dropped one man with fatal shots. The other mugger fled.
Gannett Newspapers, Westchester, NY, 5/9/83
Posted on August 1, 1983
A motorcycle gang member returned with a confederate to a Bronx,
N.Y., grocery he had robbed only 15 minutes earlier and seized
owner Martin Rienso's niece at knifepoint. His accomplice, who was
carrying a gun, approached Rienso but was grabbed by an employee
and a struggle ensued. When the thug broke free, Rienso drew a
licensed .45 cal. automatic and shot and killed him. The girl's captor
released her and fled but was arrested later at the scene.
The Post, New York, NY, 3/23/83
Posted on August 1, 1983
Barbara Jones was jolted from sleep by a prowler who demanded
entrance through the locked bedroom door of her Hempstead, N.Y.,
home. Jones informed him she was armed and would shoot if he
entered, then tried to call police, but the phone lines had been cut.
When the intruder succeeded in kicking-in the door, Jones fired a pair
of .22 rifle rounds that struck him in the face and sent him running. A
suspect was apprehended at a nearby hospital.
225
The Daily Press, Utica, NY
Posted on December 1, 1982
John Hofmaster answered an early morning knock at his
Westmoreland, N.Y., door to be shoved aside by a man who scuffled
with him until he managed to get the keys to the family car.
Hofmaster broke free, retrieved a .45 semi-automatic and fired a
single shot through the car's window as the thief tried to run him
down. The bullet hit the man in the left arm, preventing his escape.
The Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY
Posted on December 1, 1982
Confined to a wheelchair, Sergy Bublikow of Rochester, N.Y., was
unable to summon authorities after he'd shot and killed one of a trio
of housebreakers that invaded his home. Bublikow retaliated with
shotgun blasts after one instruder threw a five-pound horseshoe that
stuck his wheelchair. The telephone wires had been torn down and
the invalid was isolated with the body until a neighbor returned home
six hours later.
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 9/4/82
Posted on November 1, 1982
An intruder kicked in the door to Jean Harris' Freeport, Long Island,
home and yelled "throw down your money, I have your husband."
Harris, a widow, confronted the man with a .38 cal. revolver and shot
him in the leg. The would-be robber, who was out on bail for an
earlier robbery, was later sentenced for both crimes.
226
The Daily News, New York, NY, 8/30/82
Posted on November 1, 1982
Demanding money at gunpoint on a Brooklyn, N.Y., street and
threatening, "Don't move or this is going to be a homicide," a mugger
received only wounds from the service revolver of his intended victim,
off-duty police officer Juan Rivera. The youth was arrested and
charged with attempted murder and criminal possession of a
dangerous weapon.
The Daily News, New York, NY, 8/9/82
Posted on November 1, 1982
Leonard Gargano had gone to the back of his Williamsburg, N.Y.,
butcher shop and returned to find a robber rifling the store's cash
register. He grabbed his licensed .38 and opened up, killing the
criminal as he brandished a butcher knife.
The Register-Star, Hudson, NY
Posted on September 1, 1982
Fred Belile, 13, was at home with his two sisters when a masked
intruder tried to force his way into the Nicholville, N.Y., home. The
youngster fired a warning shot, but when the housebreaker kept
coming, he loosed a 20-ga. shotgun blast that killed the criminal.
The Daily News, New York, NY, 2/16/82
Posted on August 1, 1982
A pair of robbers attacked New York restauranteur Salvatore Cirella
in the driveway of his Long Island home, stabbing him in the stomach.
But Cirella drew his licensed .38 cal. revolver and opened up, killing
one of the two. The dead criminal's confederate drove the body to a
shopping mall and abandoned car and corpse.
227
The News, Buffalo, NY, 3/20/82
Posted on July 1, 1982
A quartet of young thugs had knocked a 74-year-old woman to the
pavement and were laughingly rifling her purse when Eugene Guerra
of Buffalo, N.Y., and his family drove by. Guerra used his licensed
pistol to drive the criminal youths away while his son flagged down a
police car. Guerra then helped officers pursue and capture the
attackers
The Knickerbocker News, Albany, NY, 3/5/82
Posted on May 1, 1982
Frank Riggi and his wife were awakened by an intruder who broke
into their Schenectady, N.Y., apartment in the middle of the night.
Riggi reached for a licensed .32 cal. pistol and fired, wounding the
criminal and putting him to rout.
The Daily News, New York, NY, 2/5/82
Posted on April 1, 1982
Morris Scheiner, 60, was alone in his Flatbush, N.Y., liquor store
when a trio of armed robbers burst in and announced a stickup. After
one of the three fired a shot at him, Scheiner opened up with his
licensed .32 cal. revolver, hitting the criminal in the face and chest.
The dead man's confederates fled.
The Daily News, New York, NY, 10/7/91
Posted on February 1, 1982
When one of the two men robbing his Ridgewood, N.Y., jewelry store
was briefly distracted, William Zelnick grabbed a licensed .38 revolver
and ordered the criminal to drop his weapon. When the crook
answered with a shot, Zelnick returned fire, driving the pair from the
store.
228
The Courier-Express, Buffalo, NY, 11/27/81
Posted on February 1, 1982
A Buffalo, N.Y., armed robber was overjoyed to see police after he
attempted to rob a donut shop. Joseph J. Conkling, a retired auxiliary
police officer, drew his gun and ordered the bandit to freeze. When
he fled, Conkling and two other customers chased him down and held
him for police. The robber begged the impromptu citizens' posse not
to kill him.
The Daily News, New York, NY, 11/27/81
Posted on February 1, 1982
Israel Matos tried to remain calm as a trio of armed robbers
ransacked his E. Harlem, N.Y., grocery. But when one knocked his
wife to the floor, an enraged Matos grabbed his licensed .38 revolver
and started firing, hitting two of the crooks and sending their
confederate fleeing.
The Post, New York, NY, 10/8/81
Posted on January 1, 1982
Victor Kaufman never used his service revolver during a 24-year
career as a New York City policeman. But at 65, he found the
licensed revolver handy when he was attacked by a pair of muggers.
He drew the gun and opened fire, putting the criminal duo to flight.
The Daily News, New York, NY, 10/3/81
Posted on January 1, 1982
A trio of stocking-masked burglars broke into the Queens, N.Y., home
of Stephen Rappel, and bound Rappel and two roommates. As the
criminals rifled the house, Rappel freed himself and grabbed a
shotgun. One of the robbers heard the noise and burst into Rappel's
room, shouting "I'm going to kill you." Rappel's response was several
blasts from the scattergun, which killed the man and put his
confederates to flight.
229
The Times-Herald Record, Newburgh, NY, 8/28/81
Posted on November 1, 1981
Newburgh, N.Y., homeowner Dale Southwell heard the sounds of
forced entry into his home and investigated, armed with a .22 rifle. He
found a pair of youthful housebreakers stealing his wife's purse. He
demanded they freeze, and when they didn't, managed to get off a
single shot before the rifle jammed. Police apprehended the 15-yearold suspect as he sought medical attention for a bullet wound in his
legs. The youth was on probation for an earlier crime--pistol-whipping
and robbing an elderly woman.
The Post, New York, NY, 8/11/81
Posted on November 1, 1981
Ben Grisar was leaving his Brooklyn, N.Y., ice cream store when he
was set upon by five muggers. Although severely beaten, he
managed to pull his licensed .38 cal. revolver and open fire,
wounding one and sending the rest fleeing.
The Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY, 2/14/81
Posted on September 1, 1981
John Ryan was getting into a car parked outside his Rochester, N.Y.,
home when a masked mugger jumped him and began beating him
over the head with a baseball bat. Ryan managed to grab his
assailant, and as the two rolled on the ground, he drew a revolver
and shot the mugger in the abdomen.
230
The Evening News, Buffalo, NY, 4/8/81
Posted on August 1, 1981
Buffalo, N.Y., welfare worker Mary Guidice was working at her desk
in the Rath County Office Building when a recipient, enraged by the
news that he would have to fill out some forms to receive benefits,
began beating a welfare examiner. Guidice pulled her licensed pistol
and subdued the attacker.
The Evening News, Buffalo, NY
Posted on May 1, 1981
Two holdup men, one brandishing a knife, tried to extract money from
Al Hewitt at his Buffalo, N.Y., liquor store but had a quick change of
heart when Hewitt reached under the counter and produced a gun.
They fled empty-handed.
The Gazette, Niagara Falls, NY, 12/23/80
Posted on April 1, 1981
A pair of thugs had been terrorizing senior citizens in her Niagara
Falls, N.Y., neighborhood, so 72-year-old Mary Brown was ready for
quick action when two men burst into her home and began thrashing
her husband. She grabbed a .22 cal. rifle and opened fire, forcing the
two to dive through a window and flee.
The Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on February 1, 1981
Three 16-year-olds entered the tiny Towers Book and Card shop
operated by 68-year-old Murray Elpern and his wife in the Bronx. One
came behind the counter and pressed a 9 mm pistol to Elpern's head.
When Mrs. Elpern pressed an alarm, another vaulted a counter and
grabbed her. With the gun-wielder distracted, Elpern drew his
licensed .38 revolver and shot him. A second robber lunged at Elpern
and was shot, while the other one surrendered and was held for
police.
231
The Post, New York, NY, 10/14/80
Posted on December 1, 1980
Because her Bronx, N.Y., home had been repeatedly broken into,
Luise Landmesser began sleeping with a licensed pistol under her
pillow. Recently she was awakened by strange sounds in her living
room, investigated, and found a man waving a crowbar. She fired one
shot and killed the intruder. The local district attorney said no charges
would be brought against the 4 ft. 7" woman, terming the incident,
"obviously a case of justifiable homicide."
The Post, New York, NY, 9/12/80
Posted on November 1, 1980
An intruder forced his way into the Bronx, N.Y., home of Mr. and Mrs.
John Chesselli, grabbing her by the hair and putting a knife to her
throat. When the assailant threatened to kill her and demanded
money, the 73-year-old Chesselli, who had found his shotgun, killed
the man with a single shot. The assailant had 21 previous arrests,
police said.
Newsday, Long Island, NY
Posted on October 1, 1980
Home with her children while her police officer husband was on duty,
Lorelei Mehler heard a prowler outside her Bay Shore, N.Y., home.
After calling police, she discovered a kitchen window had been
opened. She fetched an M1 rifle from a bedroom in time to smack the
burglar as he came through the window and then pursued him
outside, showering him with blows. Two arriving policemen arrested
the culprit.
232
The Daily News, New York, NY, 5/14/80
Posted on August 1, 1980
A man walked into a Bronx, N.Y., bank, pulled a gun on a teller, and
demanded money. When retired policeman Louis Testa, the only
customer in the bank, drew his own revolver, the robber fired. Testa
returned fire, seriously wounding the gunman. As Testa crouched
over the wounded man, an accomplice outside the bank fired a shot
which hit Testa in the leg. The gunman then escaped.
The Daily News, New York, NY, 2/14/80
Posted on May 1, 1980
Two men armed with pistols walked into a New York, N.Y., jewelry
store and announced a hold-up. When one robber shot a young clerk
in the stomach, store owner Charles Sulli drew his revolver and in an
exchange of gunfire killed the man. The other gunman fled, crashing
his way through a glass door. The clerk was rushed to a hospital for
emergency surgery.
The Courier Express, Buffalo, NY, 2/8/80
Posted on May 1, 1980
Two masked gunmen walked into an Amherst, N.Y., jewelry store,
threatened co-owner Donald Pallas, and broke into a display case.
When a female employee, apparently unnoticed, began whispering
into the telephone, the robbers turned toward her. In that instant,
Pallas whipped out his .38 cal. revolver and opened fire, mortally
wounding both gunmen.
233
The Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY
Posted on April 1, 1980
Two men, one carrying a crowbar, entered a Norwich, N.Y.,
motorcycle shop, approached the owner's son, and asked to see an
item from a wall display. When owner Loren Frink walked into the
room and saw his son being beaten with the crowbar, he drew his
pistol and fired. The would-be robbers fled unharmed but soon were
arrested
Newsday, Long Island, NY, 10/24/79
Posted on February 1, 1980
Three armed men burst into a Bellmore, N.Y., gold and silver
exchange and announced a holdup. One robber ushered the only
customer into a back room. As the other gunmen approached him,
shop owner Henry Ubinas drew his revolver and started shooting.
One robber was killed, the other badly wounded. The third gunman
shot Ubinas in the leg and then fled.
The Evening News, Buffalo, NY
Posted on January 1, 1980
Cecil Perkins was sleeping in the back room of his Niagara Falls,
N.Y., restaurant when he was awakened by the sound of shattering
glass. After arming himself with a 16-ga. shotgun, Perkins discovered
three would-be burglars and fired a warning shot. Two thieves fled
but the third surrendered and was held at gunpoint until police
arrived.
The Journal Register, Medina, NY
Posted on December 1, 1979
When Ted Fiorito pulled into the driveway of his Albion, N.Y., home,
he noticed a window had been smashed. Upon further investigation,
Fiority sighted a man inside the house and then secured a shotgun,
with which he held the intruder at bay until police arrived.
234
The Courier-Express, Buffalo, NY
Posted on September 1, 1979
Ronald Bartnik had just closed his Buffalo, N.Y., tavern and was
walking to his car when a young man approached him. "I am going to
kill you," said the man, brandishing a knife. Bartnik did not flinch. He
drew his licensed .38 cal. revolver and shot his attacker dead. Police,
who recovered a knife at the scene, said that the shooting appeared
to be justifiable, and turned the case over to the district attorney for
routine presentation to the grand jury.
The Post-Star, Glen Falls, NY
Posted on September 1, 1979
Clifton Williams, a Buffalo, N.Y. armed security guard, returned to his
home one evening to find a burglary in progress. Entering the
premises, Williams confronted a man who was carrying off his TV set.
Instead of surrendering, the thief dropped the set and lunged at
Williams, who shot his attacker once, fatally.
Newsday, Long Island, NY
Posted on September 1, 1979
The youth who attempted to rob Elmhurst, L.I., podiatrist, Dr. Marvin
Lurie, could probably have chosen a better victim. Dr. Lurie, a
decorated veteran of WWII combat and an NRA member, is licensed
to carry a concealed handgun--and he carries one. When the knifewielding thug slashed Lurie's arm and demanded drugs, Lurie drew
his S&W revolver and shot his attacker. The wounded criminal fled.
235
The Times, New York, NY
Posted on June 1, 1979
Mrs. Dianne Ryan was on her way to the bank with receipts from the
V&E Store in Queens, N.Y., when she was approached by a gunman
who ordered her to hand over the money. When she refused, the
gunman shot her, grabbed the bag containing $3500, and ran. Frank
Martinez, an armed passerby with a permit to carry a pistol, heard the
crack of the shot and began to chase the suspect. Joined by other
outraged citizens, the mob surrounded the alleged asssailant and
held him captive until police arrived.
The Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on April 1, 1979
It was 3:20 p.m. when five men wearing ski masks and armed with a
shotgun and a revolver burst into the New York City law offices of
Werbel and Werbel. Forcing the eight office workers onto the floor,
the bandits robbed them of $9,900 in cash and jewels. As the robbers
were leaving Morton Werbel drew his licensed pistol and shot the
shotgun-toting bandit in the back. The bandit's shotgun then went off
accidentally critically injuring an accomplice. The other robbers
escaped with the loot.
The Daily Times, Larchmont, NY
Posted on April 1, 1979
John Kolidabek, 66, was standing behind the counter of his Yonkers,
N.Y., grocery when two masked men charged through the front door.
While one stood by with a sawed-off shotgun, the other approached
Kolidabek and struck him on the head with a pipe. Knocked to his
knees, Kolidabek came up firing a .38 pistol, killing the assailant and
forcing the other to flee.
236
The Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on April 1, 1979
It was 3:20 p.m. when five men wearing ski masks and armed with a
shotgun and a revolver burst into the New York City law offices of
Werbel and Werbel. Forcing the eight office workers onto the floor,
the bandits robbed them of $9,900 in cash and jewels. As the robbers
were leaving Morton Werbel drew his licensed pistol and shot the
shotgun-toting bandit in the back. The bandit's shotgun then went off
accidentally critically injuring an accomplice. The other robbers
escaped with the loot.
The Times Union, Rochester, NY
Posted on January 1, 1979
William Urtis was watching television in his Rochester, N.Y. liquor
store when a man came in, annnounced a holdup, and took out a
revolver. As Urtis was handing over the money, a customer entered,
distracting the robber and giving the shopkeeper time to grab his own
gun. Urtis shot twice, and the wounded bandit fled from the store but
was arrested a short time later by the police
The Press-Republican, Plattsburgh, NY
Posted on July 1, 1978
Hearing an ominous crash of glass while in his service station's office
in Westport, N.Y., Raymond Fields phoned his son for help. Picking
up his .22 rifle, young Richard Fields came on the scene in time to
see three burglars scramble through a window and climb into a car.
Fields tapped on the car window with his gun and ordered them to
shut off the motor just as his father arrived with his shotgun. Father
and son held the would-be robbers for the state troopers.
237
The Democrat & Chronicle, Rochester, NY
Posted on July 1, 1978
After saying they had a gun, one of two thugs struck bar owner
Anthony Pezzulo of Rochester, N.Y., while his accomplice collected
money from the counter-top. When the robber hit him again, Pezzulo
pulled his own gun and shot him. The accomplice started to flee but
stopped in his tracks when he was ordered not to move. Pezzulo held
them both until the police arrived.
The Times Herald, Dallas, TX
Posted on May 1, 1978
Department store security chief and former Texas law officer, Richard
Norton, was in New York City on business. As he was opening the
door to his hotel suite, he heard running in the hall behind him. He
was shoved into his room by two men; one was flashing a knife.
Norton carried the fight into the bedroom and managed to get a
revolver from his briefcase. Norton fired, mortally wounding one
assailant. The other fled. Norton's Texas gun permit was not valid in
New York, but a grand jury cleared him of any wrongdoing.
The Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on April 1, 1978
When armed hoodlums broke into Everick Martin's, Jamaica, N.Y.,
record shop for the third time in 10 days, it was once too often. Martin
seized a double-barrel shotgun and confronted them. When Martin
ordered the trio to leave, they refused, menacing him instead. The
storeowner fired both barrels of the shotgun, killing one of the crooks
and wounding the other two.
238
The Courier Express, Buffalo, NY
Posted on April 1, 1978
Paul Tornabene, of Buffalo, N.Y., was driving home when he saw a
woman being mugged at knifepoint. Tornabene responded to the
woman's cry for help, stopped his car, and held a gun on her
assailant until police arrived. The man was arrested on a first degree
robbery charge. Of Tornabene, one officer said, "I think the guy
should get a merit badge. People are so reluctant to get involved
these days, and this guy really went out of his way to help the woman
and police..."
The Advance, Staten Island, NY
Posted on February 1, 1978
New York restauranteur Alfred Zerega has an intercom hooked up
between his home and his nearby place of business. Hearing noises
in the closed restaurant one night, Zerega took his hunting rifle with
him and went to investigate. As he entered the building, he
confronted three burglars who rushed him. However, they fled when
he fired two shots in the air.
The Courier-Express, Buffalo, NY
Posted on September 1, 1977
Mrs. Donald A. Edwards of Amherst, N.Y., was roused by the sound
of her front doorbell ringing, then heard the sound of someone
breaking through a side door. She armed herself with a cal. .22 rifle
and apprehended a would-be burglar, whom she held for police.
239
The Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on September 1, 1977
When a mugger pressed a cal. .45 automatic to the head of Polish
immigrant Zygmunt Soroka in New York City's garment district and
ordered him to reach for his wallet, Soroka feigned compliance. But
instead of withdrawing cash, he drew his licensed cal. .38 revolver
and fired, criticallly wounding his assailant.
The Evening Press, Binghampton, NY
Posted on May 1, 1977
An armed bandit thought 86-year-old Michael Maisano's delicatessen
would provide easy pickings. But he didn't count on the alertness of
the wily Buffalo, N.Y., octagenarian. When the felon ordered him to
hand over the store's cash, Maisano shouted "Hey George." When
the robber looked around, Maisano whipped out a cal. .22 rifle and
fired, wounding the man fatally in the neck
The Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY
Posted on March 1, 1977
George Barber, 75, of Rochester, N.Y., saw three young thugs stab
an 80-year-old neighbor when the man's wallet proved to be empty.
Barber grabbed a rifle and fired several shots, driving the youths
away before they could further harm his neighbor.
The Evening News, Buffalo, NY
Posted on January 1, 1977
When the first customer of the day at Willie Arrington's Buffalo, N.Y.,
delicatessen brandished a revolver and demanded money, Arrington
dived behind the counter and grabbed a cal. .38 revolver. In the
shootout that followed, the robber was killed.
240
The Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on December 1, 1976
A pair of switchblade-armed robbers entered Benjamin Shareff's
Brooklyn, N.Y., furniture store and demanded money. When the
merchant stalled, they attacked him with the knives. But Shareff's
brother-in-law, Herman Salles, was on hand with a cal. .38 revolver,
and fired five times, killing one thug, wounding another and a female
accomplice.
The Daily Times, Mamaroneck, NY
Posted on August 1, 1976
New York State Court of Claims Judge Howard Jones was leaving his
New Rochelle home on his way to court when he noticed two men
apparently "casing" a neighbor's house. Judge Jones got a pistol and
surprised the pair as they tried to enter the house. He made them lie
spread-eagled on the ground until police arrived.
The Buffalo Courier-Express, Buffalo, NY
Posted on May 1, 1976
Hearing a loud crash of glass while in the apartment over his Buffalo,
N.Y., jewelry store, Salvatore Gullo grabbed his licensed pistol, ran
downstairs and confronted a burglar. He ordered the crook to lie on
the floor, but the man turned and ran. Gullo fired two warning shots,
then shot the thief in the leg.
The Buffalo Evening News, Buffalo, NY
Posted on April 1, 1976
Buffalo, N.Y., tavern owner James Ruffin became suspicious when
one of two customers asking for change kept his hand in his coat
pocket. Ruffin drew his licensed handgun and ordered the man to
empty his pocket out on the bar. Out came a sawed-off .22 rifle.
Ruffin held the pair at gunpoint until police arrived.
241
The New York Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on March 1, 1976
When the alarm in his New York City apartment signaled a break-in
at his nearby liquor store, Wilbert Gilliard got his .38 revolver and
went to investigate. At the store he found a thief carting off a box of
liquor bottles and held the man at gunpoint until police arrived. How
the thief had reached the bottles through an iron grill that covered the
storefront was revealed when a small monkey popped from his coat.
The monkey had slipped through the grating and passed the liquor
out to his human accomplice.
The Watertown Daily Times, Watertown, NY
Posted on February 1, 1976
Two youths wearing silk stockings over their faces and carrying large
knives confronted Dan Frank in his Carthage, N.Y., dry cleaning
store, and one ordered him to "hit the floor." Instead, Frank told them
he had a gun in a nearby drawer. When he reached to open the
drawer, the pair ran from the store
The Times-Union, Rochester, NY
Posted on January 1, 1976
Walter Nicholas was at home when his daughter ran into the house
saying there was a robbery at a nearby market where Mrs. Nicholas
clerked. Nicholas ran to the store, and, finding his wife was unhurt,
pursued the robbers into a nearby cemetery. A youth arose from
behind a bush, and pointed a .22 rifle at him. As the youth was
distractd by approaching police cars, Nicholas disarmed him, but not
before a second youth struck Nicholas with a tree branch. Nicholas
grabbed and held the second youth. The first fled but was shortly
captured by police.
242
The Daily Press, Utica, NY
Posted on December 1, 1975
Douglas Farley maintained a nightly vigil in his parents' Kirkland,
N.Y., restaurant after it was burglarized three times in three weeks. It
paid off when he caught a burglar who had emptied the cash register,
and broken open the jukebox and a soft drink machine. Farley
covered the man with a shotgun until police arrived.
The Times-Herald Record, Middletown, NY
Posted on December 1, 1975
Ethel Ritzer noticed two suspicious-looking men pull into a neighbor's
driveway, ring the doorbell and cross the street toward her Warwick,
N.Y., home. When they drove their car into her garage then rang her
doorbell, she phoned police, got a shotgun and confronted the
intruders with the unloaded firearm. They fled, but Mrs. Ritzer ran
outside and broke a window in their car with a rock. That led to its
identification and their arrest less than an hour later.
The Rochester Times-Union, Rochester, NY
Posted on October 1, 1975
A trio of young muggers descended on Ruth Robinson as she was
leaving her Rochester, N.Y., beauty parlor. She refused to give up
her purse and struggled with one youth. Finally she managed to draw
a revolver from a dress pocket. One shot sent her attackers fleeing.
The Tribune, Tampa, FL
Posted on May 1, 1975
When someone pounded on Donald Curry's kitchen door in
Napanoch, N.Y., after midnight, Curry unlocked the door with his Colt
revolver in his hand. A gunman rushed in with such force that the
door knocked Curry flat. His revolver skidded away. The gunman
demanded that Curry and his wife and son accompany him in Curry's
car as hostages. Then he paused to get a beer out of the refrigerator.
243
Curry retrieved his revolver and shot the gunman six times, killing
him. Police said the gunman was a suspect in a previous shooting
who had escaped in a commandeered car.
The Courier-Express, Buffalo, NY
Posted on April 1, 1975
Mrs. Sandra Jays, 25, telephoning in her Buffalo, N.Y., home, heard
glass breaking. She told her caller to call police, and picked up a cal.
.22 rifle. When she heard footsteps coming up the basement stairs,
she fired a shot through the basement door. The shaken intruder
tumbled down the stairs. Mrs. Jays ran to the cellar and ordered him
to lie on the floor. The police arrived moments later.
Newsday, Long Island, NY
Posted on March 1, 1975
Thrice held up and plundered by gunmen, Peter Wallace, Central
Islip, N.Y., store owner, was prepared the fourth time. When an
armed bandit demanded his receipts, he ducked behind the counter
and came up shooting. The bandit exchanged shots harmlessly and
fled. Wallace, who was pistol-whipped in a 1973 holdup, said, "After
they rob you, they shoot you or beat you up so you can't identify
them. I'm just sorry I missed."
The Sunday News, New York, NY
Posted on February 1, 1975
Hearing screams from a store near his office, real estate broker
Charles W. Parker, an NRA Member of Jackson Heights, N.Y.,
grabbed his cal. .38 snub-nosed revolver, dashed next door and
captured a would-be robber. The local police department awarded
him a Legion of Honor plaque for "exceptional bravery." An NRA
certified pistol, rifle and shotgun instructor, Parker has won over 40
trophies for marksmanship. The Greater New York Pistol League
recognized his action with an "outstanding citizen award" inscribed
"Someone Who Cared to Get Involved."
244
The New York Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on January 1, 1975
An armed holdup man and his accomplice scooped up cash register
receipts from the till of Bronx, N.Y., grocer Julius Sambolin, seized a
hostage and began backing toward the door. When the thieves
turned at the exit and released their prisoner, Sambolin grabbed his
.38 revolver and fired, wounding one thug fatally. "I got the gun and a
license for it recently because of all the other robberies," Sambolin
said later. His store had been held up seven times in the last three
years.
The Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on December 1, 1974
Two gunmen who robbed the midtown Manhattan offices of orchestra
leader Guy Lombardo fled in a hail of lead laid down by 62-year-old
press agent Richard Falk. The pair were tying up a secretary and a
publicist and had sneered, "You're next, grampa," at Falk when the
latter swung into action. "Grampa" grabbed the gun one hood had put
down and began firing. The gunmen ran for their lives.
The New York Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on November 1, 1974
One of the four men who entered the Bronx grocery of George
Ramirez shortly after midnight levelled a shotgun in a holdup attempt.
Ramirez pulled his own revolver. In a panic, the gunman fired and
wounded Ramirez in the right arm, then ran. Ramirez held the other
three men at gunpoint, despite his wound, until police arrived.
245
The Democrat & Chronicle, Rochester, NY
Posted on November 1, 1974
When a group of some 50 howling men armed with tire irons, jacks
and baseball bats erupted into the street at 1 a.m., smashed the car
windshield of Michael Colaianni, 22, Rochester, N.Y., and, Colaianni
said, dragged him and his friends from the car, he fired three shots
into the air from a shotgun. The assailants fled. Rochester police,
making no other arrests, charged Colaianni with discharging a firearm
in the city limits.
Newsday, Long Island, NY
Posted on March 1, 1974
Rather than call police on a possible false burglar alarm, which
sounded from his nearby marina to his Lindenhurst, N.Y., home,
Howard Rutherig, Jr. got his licensed cal. .38 pistol and rushed to
investigate. Finding the marina's back door open, Rutherig entered
and began firing when two men jumped him. One assailant fell,
wounded in the stomach, and the second intruder, shot twice in the
chest, escaped but was found dead near the boatyard a few hours
later.
The Long Island Press, Long Island, NY
Posted on February 1, 1974
William Odendahl and his wife made no resistance when two holdup
men entered their Long Island, N.Y., grocery store, flashed knives
and demanded money. But when one of the robbers threatened Mrs.
Odendahl, her husband drew his cal. .38 pistol and wounded the
panicked attacker in the back. The other robber vomited in panic,
then hid behind a refrigerator. Odendahl held both men until police
arrived.
246
The Rochester Times-Union, Rochester, NY
Posted on January 1, 1974
Store clerk Thomas O'Keefe sensed trouble when a "weird-looking
man" with a ski cap pulled over his eyes entered a Rochester, N.Y.
market. When the man whipped out a knife, O'Keefe "decided I
wasn't going to the morgue" and pulled a gun. While O'Keefe
telephoned police, the thwarted invader futilely hurled his knife at the
clerk, then dashed out the door. O'Keefe did not fire his gun
The Buffalo Courier-Express, Buffalo, NY
Posted on November 1, 1973
Hearing a cry for help, Ernest Martin spotted a bandit fleeing on foot
from a Buffalo, N.Y., bank. Martin got in his car and followed the
robber. "When I was about 25 feet ahead of him, I jumped out, drew
my gun and said, 'stand where you are.'" The robber did so and was
subsequently turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The New York Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on November 1, 1973
After Arturo Rodriguez was robbed and shot in his New York City,
N.Y., grocery store six years ago, he obtained a handgun and had no
further trouble--until two men robbed his grocery of $500 recently.
Rodriguez fired several shots at them with his licensed gun as they
fled. Apparently to "teach him a lesson," the two gunmen returned,
followed Rodriguez home and killed him with an automatic rifle from
about 100 yds. as he got out of his car. The killers escaped but were
identified by Rodriguez's sons and brother as the same men who
robbed the store.
247
The New York Post, New York City, NY
Posted on October 1, 1973
Two men entered a Staten Island, N.Y., store and demanded money
from owner Leonard Rose. Rose gave them $70 but as the gunmen
fled, Rose grabbed a revolver hidden nearby and fired several times,
hitting both men. One of the men collapsed after entering a car
parked in front of the store and died of head wounds. The other man
was treated for gunshot wounds in the left side and left leg.
Star-Gazette, Elmira, NY
Posted on July 1, 1973
Shattering glass woke Angelo Notarfonzo who, because of repeated
break-ins was sleeping in the rear of his Watkins Glen, N.Y., bar.
Armed with a shotgun, he confronted a youth and ordered him to stay
put. The youth ran and Notarfonzo fired at his legs. When the burglar
sought medical attention he was arrested along with three
accomplices.
Buffalo Courier-Express, Buffalo, NY
Posted on June 1, 1973
A man entered William McKno's Buffalo, N.Y., delicatessen, asked for
some cigarettes, and yanked out a gun. McKno's son, William Jr.,
grabbed a revolver and wounded the would-be robber.
Bennington Banner, Bennington, VT
Posted on May 1, 1973
Two armed men broke into Charlotte Meusenberger's Wynantskill,
N.Y., home and held her sister-in-law at gunpoint. Mrs.
Meusenberger ran to her bedroom, got a gun, and fired a shot that
sent the intruders running for their car.
248
The New York Post, New York, NY
Posted on May 1, 1973
Three men, one wielding a shotgun, entered Howard Kowalsky's New
York City bakery and demanded money. When the shotgun was
pointed at his wife, Kowalski dashed to a back room and got a pistol.
He returned and fired one shot at the robber, who fell without firing
the shotgun. The two accomplices fled.
Buffalo Evening News, Buffalo, NY
Posted on April 1, 1973
A young man walked into Thomas Salemi's Buffalo, N.Y., store,
handed him a note demanding money, and pulled a long-bladed
knife. Salemi drew a revolver from his waist holster and told the thief:
"Don't move or I'll blow your head off." The man turned and fled
empty-handed
Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on March 1, 1973
As Carl Petrusa walked through a New York City parking lot, two
youths, one waving a pistol, jumped out from behind a car and
demanded his wallet. Petrusa, a court officer, pretended to reach for
his wallet, but instead came up with a gun and wrested the youth's
pistol from his hand. Both would-be robbers surrendered without a
struggle.
New York Times, New York, NY
Posted on December 1, 1972
A gunman forced Louis Steinberg and two others into a washroom of
Steinberg's New York, N.Y., truck-leasing concern and then began
rifling desk drawers. Steinberg emerged with a gun he had had in his
pocket and fatally wounded the would-be robber when the latter's
revolver misfired.
249
Buffalo Evening News, Buffalo, NY
Posted on December 1, 1972
Lindsay L. Green was leaving his Buffalo, N.Y., home before dawn to
go deer hunting when he saw three men robbing a liquor store. He
called the police, then used his shotgun to hold the suspects until the
officers arrived.
Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on November 1, 1972
Off-duty New York City policeman David Durk was carrying home a
pizza when two muggers, one armed with a knife, attacked him. Durk
threw his dinner at the men and drew his pistol. He wounded one
assailant and subdued the other.
The New York Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on November 1, 1972
New York City jeweler Arnold Gessner gaped as a familiar nightmare
unfolded for the 18th time. A "customer" drew a pistol and demanded
money. When the thief turned to flee, Gessner pulled out his own gun
and ordered the man to stop. Instead, the robber reached for his gun
and Gessner fired, killing him. It was the second robber he has killed
in three years.
Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on October 1, 1972
In four years of running a New York, N.Y., grocery, Persio Espinal
has been held up six times. Recently three men entered the store and
two drew guns. Espinal pulled a revolver from its hiding place, killed
one of the robbers, and forced the others to flee. Police arrived, took
Espinal to be booked for having an unregistered gun, and then began
a belated search for the two fugitive robbers.
250
The Spotlight, Delmar, NY
Posted on September 1, 1972
The Bethlehem, N.Y., Citizens Valor Award is given annually by the
Bethlehem Police Benevolent Ass'n to the resident who contributed
the most to the safety of his fellow townsmen. This year's award went
to armed citizen Robert Burns, whose citizen's arrest of an alleged
burglar ended a 10-hour manhunt. Burns held a shotgun on the man
until police arrived.
Newsday, Garden City, NY
Posted on July 1, 1972
Robert Valinti, alone in his Levittown, N.Y., home, heard noises,
grabbed a .22 rifle, and went to investigate. When a man came at
him, Valinti fired once, killing the intruder. Police found a loaded
revolver and jewelry from two burglaries on the body.
The New York Times, New York, NY
Posted on June 1, 1972
Luis Ponce, a New York City grocer, pulled a .38 revolver when four
bandits attempted to rob him. Firing five shots, Ponce killed one of
the robbers and scared the rest out of his store. Police later charged
the storeowner with possession of a dangerous weapon.
The Times Herald Record, Middleton, NY
Posted on April 1, 1972
Westley F. Gill, a reporter for the Newburgh [N.Y.] Evening News,
was covering a riot in that city when suddenly a band of enraged
youths turned on him. Chasing him into a nearby home, the crowd
broke down the door and was about to enter, until the home owner
dissuaded them with a shotgun.
251
The New York Times, New York, NY
Posted on June 1, 1972
Luis Ponce, a New York City grocer, pulled a .38 revolver when four
bandits attempted to rob him. Firing five shots, Ponce killed one of
the robbers and scared the rest out of his store. Police later charged
the storeowner with possession of a dangerous weapon.
The New York Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on November 1, 1972
New York City jeweler Arnold Gessner gaped as a familiar nightmare
unfolded for the 18th time. A "customer" drew a pistol and demanded
money. When the thief turned to flee, Gessner pulled out his own gun
and ordered the man to stop. Instead, the robber reached for his gun
and Gessner fired, killing him. It was the second robber he has killed
in three years.
Long Island Press, New York, NY
Posted on March 1, 1972
Jerome Abbott of Brooklyn, N.Y., a product distributor, was making
deliveries when a knife-wielding bandit grabbed him and demanded
money. Abbott pulled a licensed .25 pistol from his pocket, put it to
the robber's chest, and fired. The wounded robber fled.
The Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY
Posted on January 1, 1972
Anthony Perry, 68, of Rochester, N.Y., heard a burglar alarm at his
bowling alley early one morning. Rushing outside with a gun, he saw
two men attempting to flee. Perry caught one man and held him at
gunpoint.
252
Oneonta Star, Oneanta, NY
Posted on January 1, 1972
Mike Usalatz grabbed a gun when the burglar alarm in his laundromat
in Worcester, N.Y., sounded one night. Rushing to the front door, he
apprehended two prowlers as they were about to flee.
The New York Times, New York, NY
Posted on December 1, 1971
Three young hoodlums cornered John Britz of Yonkers, N.Y., alone
on the rear car of a New York City subway. One held a carving knife
to his throat and demanded money. Britz handed over $118--then
drew a licensed cal. .38 revolver from his pocket and fired four shots,
wounding two of the hoodlums.
The Wall Street Journal, New York, NY
Posted on December 1, 1971
In a New York City neighborhood where "shooter" usually means
someone who shoots dope into his arm, they call Felix Toro "the
shooter" with a different meaning and a vast respect. After never
shooting anyone during five years in law enforcement work, Toro, a
35-year-old Puerto Rican, opened a small delicatessen store. In the
next 11 months, he was held up eight times. A total of 15 bandits
invaded his store. Eight of them fled penniless. The other seven were
carried out: three dead, four wounded. Toro got every one with his
licensed .38 revolver. His ceiling and fixtures have some bullet holes
in them, but Toro has gone unscratched and unrobbed. "Incredible,"
said a New York City police spokesman who could not recall any
comparable police performance. Toro says he has received over
1,500 letters about his shooting. All of them praise him.
253
The Washington Daily News, Washington, DC
Posted on October 1, 1971
The Reverend Frank Knight, 35, of New York City was awakened one
night by a noise, and saw his tape recorder, TV set, and other
personal property on the sidewalk below. When a man climbing down
a ladder outside his rectory refused to halt, Knight got a .22 rifle and
shot him once, wounding him.
Daily Argus, Mount Vernon, NY
Posted on September 1, 1971
John Fortugno of Mount Vernon, N.Y., was forced off the road by a
driver in another car. When the driver began threatening Fortugno
with a baseball bat, Fortugno pulled a .38 and held him until a
policeman came. The man was charged later with illegal possession
of a starter's pistol, driving a stolen car, and using a forged license.
New York Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on August 1, 1971
When a robber grabbed his wife and held a knife to her throat in an
elevator in New York City, off-duty New York detective Stephen
Hladek, 26, shoved his wife out of the way, drew his revolver, and
shot the man in the heart.
The New York Times, New York, NY
Posted on December 1, 1971
Three young hoodlums cornered John Britz of Yonkers, N.Y., alone
on the rear car of a New York City subway. One held a carving knife
to his throat and demanded money. Britz handed over $118--then
drew a licensed cal. .38 revolver from his pocket and fired four shots,
wounding two of the hoodlums.
254
The Long Island Press, Long Island, NY
Posted on May 1, 1971
Felix Toro, who had lived through four hold-up attempts since
opening a delicatessen in Jamaica, N.Y., five weeks earlier, was
hardly surprised when three men pulled guns in a fifth attempt.
Unable to reach his own gun, Toro grabbed a pistol from one of the
robbers and shot him. Then, he snatched another gun from a second
bandit and shot him, too, after the man pulled a straight razor. Toro
then fired at the third gunman as he fled.
Buffalo Evening News, Buffalo, NY
Posted on February 1, 1971
Mrs. Margaret White, a Wilson, N.Y. housewife, was at home alone
late one evening, when a man came to her front door and demanded
money. She let him in, then grabbed a loaded shotgun, and scared
him off her property.
The Daily Times, Mamaroneck, NY
Posted on December 1, 1970
Joseph Ragone of Mamaroneck, N.Y., routed a man who produced a
revolver in Ragone's liquor store and demanded money. The store
owner grabbed a gun and fired two shots over the man's head, before
the robber fled down the street.
Gazette, Niagara Falls, NY
Posted on December 1, 1970
Two men entered Joseph Albion's Niagara Falls, N.Y. jewelry store
and asked to see the "big, expensive stuff." After Albion showed them
a ring, one of the men drew a pistol, and ordered the store owner to
wrap up some of the jewelry. Pretending he did not hear, Albion
grabbed a pistol and aimed it at the two. The gun wielder fired once,
barely missing Albion, before both would-be bandits fled to a car.
255
Standard-Star, New Rochelle, NY
Posted on November 1, 1970
When White Plains, N.Y, service station attendant Wallace Rouse,
60, found a man taking money from the station's cash register, he
grabbed a gun and fired at the thief. The latter dropped the money
and ran.
Sunday Telegram, Elmira, NY
Posted on October 1, 1970
Michael Korecki, owner of an Elmira, N.Y., liquor store, didn't scare
easily when three men attempted to rob his store. He picked up a
pistol kept nearby and told them, "Get out or I'll blast you." The three
fled.
Evening News, Newburgh, NY
Posted on October 1, 1970
Matthew Meyers, proprietor of Matty's Hide-away in Cornwall, N.Y.
heard someone breaking into his establishment late at night and
armed himself. He apprehended the intruder, holding him at gunpoint
until police arrived.
Long Island Press, Long Island, NY
Posted on October 1, 1970
Hearing the owner of a clothing store next door yell for help, Charles
W. Prker, a Jackson Heights, N.Y., realtor, grabbed his .38 revolver
and responded. He found the store owner struggling with a robber,
whom he ordered to "put your hands on top of your head and stand
back against the wall," keeping him there until police arrived.
256
Times-Union, Rochester, NY
Posted on September 1, 1970
When Mrs. June Chastain of Hamlin, N.Y., entered her home, a
stranger grabbed her from behind and forced her up the stairs. As
she neared the top of the stairs, she kicked back, knocking him down
the stairs. She then rushed to the bedroom, grabbed a hunting rifle,
and chased the man from the house.
Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY
Posted on July 1, 1970
Seeing two men ripping up his backyard fence, Leonard A. Rushin of
Syracuse, N.Y., turned on his porch lights and the men left. They
returned an hour later, but Rushin was prepared for them and fired a
pistol shot into the air. The pair fled.
Daily Press, Long Island, NY
Posted on January 1, 1970
When two men armed with a gun and a knife entered and robbed his
Flushing, N.Y., jewelry store, Arnold Gessner did not draw his own
.38 for fear of endangering his 16-year-old daughter who was in the
store. But when the gunman snarled "I think I'll kill your daughter,"
Gessner shoved her into a back room and fired, wounding the
gunman in the stomach. The other bandit fled.
257
Police Department press release, New York, NY
Posted on November 1, 1969
Among twenty-two New Yorkers who received Civilian
Commendations from Mayor John V. Lindsay Sept. 9 for fighting
crime were Vincent J. Mauro, Jr., and Bennett Cohen, both pistol
permit holders. Mauro, owner of a dry cleanery, joined police in
arresting a gunman, his second assist of the kind. Cohen, a
Manhattan realtor, saw three men punching an elderly man in a
hallway on East 92nd Street. He drew his revolver, ordered them to
stop, and fired a warning shot into the air when they fled. Two
surrendered. It was the third crime halted by Cohen in three years.
Courier-Express, Buffalo, NY
Posted on September 1, 1969
Knowing his neighbor was in the hospital, Hector, N.Y., resident John
Gordonier was suspicious when a truck stopped in the driveway of his
neighbor's empty house. The truck departed when Gordonier and his
wife approached, but Gordonier saw two men flee the house by a
rear window. Gordonier's wife ran for a shotgun and with it he
captured the fleeing pair. The truck returned and Gordonier added the
driver to his catch, covering all three until police arrived.
Post, New York, NY
Posted on September 1, 1969
When 3 young muggers attacked bearded musician Robert
Summers, 27, near his Central Park West apartment in New York
City, with one holding a knife against his midrift, police said Summers
pulled a cal. .25 imported pistol and fired a shot that hit one mugger
in the chest. All 3 fled. The wounded one fell dead a few blocks away.
258
Times Union, Rochester, NY
Posted on August 1, 1969
A pounding noise at 2:45 A.M. awakened apartment owner Philip T.
Gambacurta, of Rochester, N.Y. Getting his cal. .38 revolver, he
investigated and found a man prying the hinges from an inside
stairwell door. Gambacurta ordered the man to halt, and shouted to
his wife to call police. At that, the man ran. Gambacurta fired one shot
after him. Police later arrested as a suspect a man with a gunshot
wound in the arm who claimed he accidentally shot himself while
cleaning a pistol.
Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on June 1, 1969
After being robbed four times in three months, Sam Liebowitz, a
Brooklyn, N.Y., tavern owner, bought a cal. .22 rifle. Awakened in his
upstairs apartment at 4 A.M. by noises in his tavern, he went down
gun in hand--and, he said, was jumped by a prowler. In the tussle, the
prowler was fatally shot through the head. New York City police
charged Liebowitz with illegal possession of a firearm.
Times Advertiser, Trenton, NJ
Posted on April 1, 1969
Though seriously wounded by a youth who tried to rob him, New York
City store owner Thaddeus S. Buszko shot and killed the knifebearing assailant. That ended the fourth holdup of Buszko's East
Village store.
259
The Knickerbocker News, Albany, NY
Posted on March 1, 1969
When Buskirk, N.Y., Postmaster Paul Dreher surprised two men
trying to open the post office safe, he called State Police, then got a
revolver from his home nearby and confronted the pair. They started
to flee by car but stopped when Dreher fired a warning shot into the
air. He held them at gunpoint until police arrived.
Bulletin, Islip, NY
Posted on November 1, 1968
Returning to their Brightwaters, N.Y., home after a morning cup of
coffee, Howard and Augusta Newins heard male voices upstairs.
Newins grabbed a .22 rifle, yelled up to the uninvited guests that he
had a gun. The latter departed from the Newins home by an upstairs
window. Newins fired several shots after them as they escaped with
part of his coin collection.
The Times, New York, NY
Posted on March 1, 1968
When the "patient" stepped into Dr. Ramon Bandillo's office, the
Bronx, N.Y., physician remembered him in a flash and jerked a .38
revolver from his desk. "You're not getting anything this time!" he
yelled, "Hands up!" Two years earlier, the same "patient" had robbed
the doctor at knife point of $126. When police arrested him, they
found a steak knife in his pocket.
260
Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on March 1, 1968
When an intruder whom police later identified as a criminal with
sixteen arrests, including for burglary and rape, confronted
stockbroker Robert E. Scharf and his wife one Saturday evening in
the Scharfs' fifth-floor New York City apartment, Scharf demanded,
"What are you doing here?" The intruder lunged at him, Scharf said,
with a 5-inch-blade knife. Scharf fired twice with a .38 pistol. The
second bullet wounded the intruder severely. Police arrested Scharf
and took him to the station house on a charge of illegal possession of
a pistol.
Long Island Press, Long Island, NY
Posted on February 1, 1968
Twice robbed, Stan Rosenthal, a graying ex-Army medic, stood his
ground and shot a pistol-brandishing hoodlum during a third attempt
to loot his Rockville Centre, N.Y., drugstore. The wounded robber and
an accomplice fled. A third robber surrendered on the spot. The
wounded man later gave himself up at a hospital, too late for his life
to be saved.
Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on March 1, 1968
When an intruder whom police later identified as a criminal with
sixteen arrests, including for burglary and rape, confronted
stockbroker Robert E. Scharf and his wife one Saturday evening in
the Scharfs' fifth-floor New York City apartment, Scharf demanded,
"What are you doing here?" The intruder lunged at him, Scharf said,
with a 5-inch-blade knife. Scharf fired twice with a .38 pistol. The
second bullet wounded the intruder severely. Police arrested Scharf
and took him to the station house on a charge of illegal possession of
a pistol.
261
Democrat & Chronicle, Rochester, NY
Posted on January 1, 1968
A stocking-masked robber bent on robbing Cohen Beverage Stores,
Inc., in Rochester, N.Y., thought better of it when clerk Earl Vogt, 70,
reached under the counter and drew a pistol. Though armed with a
revolver, the crook backed out of the liquor store when he found
himself looking into somebody else's gun.
Sunday Home News, New Brunswick, NJ
Posted on August 1, 1967
The day after Harvey Schreibman, 34, partner in a New York City
printing firm, got his pistol permit, two gunmen held him up for the
$1,100 payroll he was carrying. One hit him on the head from behind.
The other kicked him and snatched the payroll satchel. Schreibman
drew his cal. .38 revolver and fired five shots. One holdup man fell
dead. Police captured the other a block away.
American Rifleman
Posted on July 1, 1967
Hearing a woman scream on W. 40th St. near 8th Ave., New York,
Edward A. O'Donnell jumped from a barbershop chair and ran out
just as a purse snatcher broke a 53-year-old woman's left arm and
fled. Pursuing, O'Donnell, a bar owner and realtor who has a pistol
permit, fired 3 revolver shots in the air. "The fellow seemed to get the
message," he said. "He stopped." Police booked the fugitive, who
identified himself as Almumit Ali, 20, on assault and robbery charges.
Editor's note: The above case occurred in broad daylight, according
to a report sent in by NRA Vice-President Woodson Scott, of New
York City.
262
Journal, Poughkeepsie, NY
Posted on June 1, 1967
A gang of five cornered Louis Rivezo, a Brooklyn, N.Y., undertaker,
as he left his home. Slamming him against a fence, they robbed him
of $150 and mauled him. Rivezo fired three shots from a revolver, for
which he had a permit. One fell dead and the gang scattered.
Daily News, Batavia, NY
Posted on June 1, 1967
Walter Pahuta became suspicious when three men walked into his
Elba, N.Y., grocery store at closing time. He secured his .25 caliber
pistol. When one of the intruders pulled a gun, Pahuta ducked behind
the counter and fired one shot. The trio fled. All were rounded up
later, one with a bullet wound in the shoulder.
Evening News, Buffalo, NY
Posted on December 1, 1966
When an armed bandit walked into Casimer Olson's office in Buffalo,
N.Y., he laid a pistol on the counter and kept pointing at the money
drawer. Olson, noting that the pistol was a toy, pulled his own gun
and held the man at bay until police arrived.
Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on July 1, 1966
In New York City, 2 armed thugs ordered liquor store owner Samuel
Kasson to lie down on the floor. The intruders took money and started
to flee. Kassan grabbed a rifle, which he kept on the floor beneath the
counter, and fired at the fleeing gunmen. One of the thugs collapsed,
severely wounded, a few doors away. The other gunman was
arrested by a policeman who had heard the shots. He was returned
to the store and identified by Kasson.
263
Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on November 1, 1965
As Charles Di Maggio was closing his New York City, N.Y., grocery
store three thugs entered and forced Di Maggio into a washroom in
the rear of the store. One of the bandits pointed a pistol at Di Maggio
and warned: "I would rather shoot you than look at you. We always
wanted to get you, Di Maggio, and we're taking no chances this time."
The stick-up men took $300, a wallet, keys, and wrist watch from the
grocer and then returned, single file, to the front of the store, pausing
at the cash register. This gave Di Maggio time to get out his rifle
which was hidden in the washroom; he inserted one cartridge and
fired. The single bullet went through the upper chest of the last bandit
and into the body of the second. The last thug staggered out the door
and fell dead into the gutter. The second bandit made it to about a
block away and collapsed at the feet of a policeman. He was taken to
the hospital in critical condition. The third bandit escaped with the
money. During the past ten years, Di Maggio has had 26 attempted
robberies, 11 of which were successful. He has captured 15 thugs,
and killed three.
Herald Tribune, New York, NY
Posted on July 1, 1965
Jaime Montalvo was in the back room of his Brooklyn, N.Y., grocery
store when he heard someone tell his clerk, "This is a stick up."
Montalvo grabbed a cal. .38 revolver, for which he had obtained a
permit only the day before, and rushed into the store. He fired once at
the armed thug. The wounded bandit fired three shots which missed
Montalvo, and ran from the store. He collapsed and died on the
pavement 100 ft. away.
264
The Times, New York, NY
Posted on February 1, 1965
After handing over money to three robbers and as they ran from his
store, Charles Wasserman, a New York City grocer, pulled out a cal.
.38 revolver, for which he has a permit, and fired one shot. This bullet
passed through the stomach of one man and hit a second.
Wasserman held those two until police arrived. The third robber
escaped.
Long Island Press, NY
Posted on November 1, 1964
When Queens, N.Y., grocer Frank Felicetti was awakened in his store
by the sound of breaking glass, he went to investigate. Finding
himself confronted by armed thugs who had previusly robbed and
beaten him, Felicetti begged them not to beat him again, and to go
ahead and take the money. The robbers took the cash and 55
cartons of cigarettes and headed toward the door. Felicetti reached
under the counter and grabbed a pistol and commenced firing. One
bandit fell critically wounded while the second thug ran out the front
door with Felicetti behind him. The grocer chased the man and fired
three shots. The bandit fell dead. Felicetti was later arrested for
violating the Sullivan Law.
Democrat & Chronicle, Rochester, NY
Posted on September 1, 1964
Two armed thugs walked into Charles DiMaggio's New York
delicatessen and demanded money. As one bandit emptied the cash
register, the other herded the grocer into a back room. DiMaggio got
a cal. .22 rifle which he kept there. Sighting through a hole in the
door, DiMaggio fired a shot. The gunmen returned the fire and fled. A
short while later a man walked into a nearby hospital with a gunshot
wound in the chest. Police summoned DiMaggio who identified the
man as one of the robbers. The man had a record of nine previous
arrests.
265
Herald Stateman, Yonkers, NY
Posted on January 1, 1964
In Yonkers, N.Y., Leopold R. Hass saw a man shatter the front door
glass of a service station with a shovel. Hass, owner of a nearby
diner, obtained a pistol from his place of business and approached
the intruder. The man started to flee, but Hass fired a warning shot
and the would-be bandit returned to be arrested.
Courier-Express, Buffalo, NY
Posted on August 1, 1963
When Wheatfield, N.Y., gas station operator George Houck, who
lives above the station, was awakened by a noise, he got his gun and
went downstairs to apprehend a robber leaving by the front door.
Calling the man to halt, Houck held the robber at gun point until the
police arrived.
Evening News, Malone, NY
Posted on April 1, 1963
A knife-toting bandit was no match for Malone, N.Y., storekeeper
Miles Mallette. When the would-be bandit entered, nodded towards
the cash drawer, and said, "Hand me what's in there," Mallette
obliged by reaching under the counter and whipping out a pistol
instead. He held the thug at bay until the police arrived.
266
Eagle, Brooklyn, NY
Posted on March 1, 1963
When a newly installed burglar alarm went off in David Thune's
Brooklyn, N.Y., apartment, he grabbed a .32 pistol and rushed to his
service station next door. Surprising two men burglarizing the
premises, Thune ordered them to come out with their hands up.
Instead, both men rushed at him. Thune called on the men to stop.
When they kept coming he fired once, felling one bandit with a fatal
wound in the chest. The second thief tried to knock Thune down but
was dropped, seriously wounded, by a second shot from Thune's
gun.
Newsday, Long Island, NY
Posted on January 1, 1963
Noises in the tavern adjoining his living quarters in Islip Terrace, N.Y.,
awakened owner Alfred Cronauer who armed himself with a rifle and
investigated. He surprised a prowler, called the police, and held the
man at bay until law officers arrived.
Democrat & Chronical, Rochester, NY
Posted on January 1, 1963
Suspecting the return of a burglar who had stolen $36 from their
apartment in Rochester, N.Y., two college students--William R.
Lamoureaux and Michael M. Lombardo--waited with loaded rifles.
The intruder appeared, grabbed a wallet from a table and ran,
ignoring commands to halt. Lamoureaux and Lombardo both fired,
fatally wounding the burglar.
267
Union Star, Schenectady, NY
Posted on December 1, 1962
Following a number of burglaries and car thefts from his
Schenectady, N.Y., service station, Joseph Albanese began spending
nights in the office. Hearing a window break in the rear, he took a
pistol and captured the would-be thief in the shop, who was on bail
following a previous burglary.
Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY
Posted on December 1, 1962
Seeing 2 youths in his Rochester, N.Y., laundry, Joseph Gallina got a
rifle and ordered them to remain. One fled, but was later picked up at
his home. The pair admitted 13 recent breakins.
Daily Press, Long Island, NY
Posted on October 1, 1962
From the backyard at his home in Elmont, N.Y., Sidney Perlstein
heard the sound of breaking glass at the home of a neighbor. He then
saw a man crawl into a basement window. Remembering that the
owner was away for the day, Perlstein got the revolver he uses as a
member of a local gun club, went to the neighbor's house, and rang
the door bell. When no one answered he ran around to the back just
in time to see the burglar run away. Six warning shots and a half
block later, Perlstein collared the man and held him for the police.
268
Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on September 1, 1962
Hearing a scream for help from a woman who had just left his
stationery store in New York City, Albert E. Canton grabbed his .38
revolver and ran to the woman. She told him her purse had been
snatched and pointed to a fleeing man. Canton took off after the
yegg, trapped him in a building 2 blocks away, and marched him to
the nearest police station.
Advance, Staten Island, NY
Posted on August 1, 1962
Arriving at his home in West Brighton, N.Y., butcher Joseph Mauro
was accosted by thugs who demanded his money. Mauro drew a
gun, sending the bandits fleeing.
Times-Union, Albany, NY
Posted on June 1, 1962
Hearing noises at the side door of their service station near Albany,
N.Y., Bryan and Harrison Bresett realized that two men were
attempting to break in. One of the brothers grabbed a revolver and
ordered the intruders to stop, but the pair ran away. Shooting over the
heads of the fleeing hoodlums, the Bresetts managed to catch one
who had slipped and fallen. Further investigation by police led to the
arrest of seven other members of a gang allegedly responsible for 36
burglaries in the Albany area.
269
Reporter Dispatch, Yonkers, NY
Posted on June 1, 1962
Three youths, two of them armed, had just gotten $100 from the cash
register in a liquor store in Yonkers, N.Y., and were attempting a
getaway when one of the trio was hit in the shoulder by a shot fired
by Sam Jacobs, son of the store owner. Seeking tratment from a local
doctor, the youths said the wound was accidental, but the doctor
refused to believe the tale and called police. Under questioning, the
bandits admitted the robbery and four others in that area during the
preceding six weeks.
World-Telegram, New York, NY
Posted on November 1, 1961
Two youths knocked on the door of 73-year-old George Z. Michaels'
New York City basement workshop and, as he opened the door,
demanded money saying they had a gun. Michaels fired one shot,
felling one with a bullet in the abdomen. Police later picked up the
wounded one's companion and booked both for attempted robbery.
Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on September 1, 1962
Hearing a scream for help from a woman who had just left his
stationery store in New York City, Albert E. Canton grabbed his .38
revolver and ran to the woman. She told him her purse had been
snatched and pointed to a fleeing man. Canton took off after the
yegg, trapped him in a building 2 blocks away, and marched him to
the nearest police station.
270
Evening News, Buffalo, NY
Posted on November 1, 1961
A paratroop combat veteran of WW II, James Pandolfi was awakened
by the sound of breaking glass as a thief hurled a piece of flagstone
through the front door of his Buffalo, N.Y., appliance store. Pandolfi
took a cal. .32 automatic from a nearby table, rushed to a bay
window, and fired one shot at the thief who was fleeing with a stolen
TV set, felling him mortally wounded.
Journal-American, New York, NY
Posted on May 1, 1961
In Jamaica, N.Y., Mrs. Elizabeth Solano, who learned how to handle
guns as a hunter in her youth, got a pistol permit and began wearing
a holstered gun under her apron after the drug store she and her
husband operate had been held up seven times in four years. When
two bandits recently walked in and pointed a gun at her husband,
Grandmother Solano whipped out her cal. .38 revolver, downed one
bandit with a lung shot. The confederate fled out the door.
Herald Tribune, New York, NY
Posted on February 1, 1961
A Sing Sing parolee with a prison record dating from 1940 invaded
the Brooklyn pharmacy of Joseph Longo, herded the proprietor to the
rear, then rifled the cash register. As the gunman turned to leave the
store, Longo emerged from the rear with his licensed cal. .32 revolver
and fired at the bandit. After an exchange of shots, the gunman fled
and Longo pursued him to the street, firing twice more. Police
scouting the neighborhood found the fugitive downed in a vacant lot,
critically wounded with head and chest wounds.
271
Journal-American, New York, NY
Posted on November 1, 1960
In October 1958 THE RIFLEMAN reported Charles Di Maggio's
wounding of a robber after a taxicab chase in New York City. Again,
for his 12th success in the last 15 years, Mr. Di Maggio caught a thief.
The East Side delicatessen owner foiled the latest bandit when he let
the armed man rob the till and flee out the front door. Then, following
the pattern of the past, Di Maggio grabbed his rifle, ran to the street,
and fired two warning rounds over the fugitive's head. Alerted by the
shots, a patrolman arrived and the frightened felon fell into his arms.
World-Telegram, New York, NY
Posted on July 1, 1960
After a browsing visitor left his Harlem pawnshop, 70-year-old
Charles Goodman told son Allen, "That guy looks like a stickup man.
I'll bet he comes back." The elder Goodman then got his two licensed
cal. .32 pistols from the desk, gave one to his son and pocketed the
other. In a short time the suspicious stranger returned, asked to
inspect a diamond ring, then, clutching the ring, backed to the door
with one menacing hand in his pocket simulating a gun. Both
Goodmans drew their pistols and fired, three of the father's finding
their mark. The bullet-riddled thief ran two blocks and collapsed in the
street.
Daily Press, Long Island, NY
Posted on July 1, 1960
When two bandits invaded his Huntington, N.Y., jewelry store, Barney
Freedman grabbed his gun from a nearby cabinet and fired at the
armed pair. Both men fled and Freedman gave chase. When police
arrived they found the 50-year-old merchant holding one of the
bandits at bay with his cal. .32 revolver. The other was taken by
police in a stakeout when the captured one pointed out the getaway
car.
272
Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on June 1, 1960
Frank Guido was in the back of his Bronx liquor store when two
bandits brandishing guns herded his clerk to the rear. Guido picked
up his cal. .38 revolver from a shelf, tucked it in the belt under his
sweater, and awaited the gunmen. "These bums told the clerk and
me to lie on the floor," said Guido. "Then one of them said, 'Get up
and open the register!'" Guido got up, pulled his gun, and started
firing. He hit both thieves in the head.
Courier-Express, Buffalo, NY
Posted on May 1, 1960
In St. Catharines, Ont., Mrs. J.C.R. Fitzgerald, a widow in her 80's,
refused when a burglar broke into her bedroom and demanded her
jewelry. Instead, Mrs. Fitzgerald reached for her cal. .38 revolver in
the shoebag hanging on the door near her bed. The burglar tried to
wrest the gun away, the widow fired, and the would-be jewel thief fled
the house. "The last time I remember firing it was many, many, years
ago," said Mrs. Fitzgerald, "but my gardener has kept it cleaned and
loaded for me."
Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on November 1, 1959
Two youths who confessed to six jewelry store burglaries were
captured at gunpoint by bartender James O'Brien when they switched
targets by breaking into a Coram, N.Y. saloon. O'Brien slept in a
room off the bar and grabbed a rifle when the burglars entered. The
bartender held one at bay and the fleeing accomplice was captured
by police near the getaway car.
273
Newsday, Long Island, NY
Posted on May 1, 1959
When 2 armed men told New York City package-store owner Sam
Kole to empty the register, Kole drew his pistol and began firing. One
bandit fled, crashing through the store's plate glass door; the other
fainted dead away, dropping to the floor. Police arrested the escaped
bleeding bandit.
World-Telegram, New York, NY
Posted on January 1, 1959
A fusillade from proprietor Albert Canton's licensed pistol greeted two
gunmen when they attempted to rob his New York candy store. Blood
spatter indicated hits on the fleeing thugs by the owner's six shots.
Evening News, Buffalo, NY
Posted on January 1, 1959
Grocer Bernard Frey of Buffalo, N.Y., thwarted his third holdup in five
years by jerking out his own revolver when a bandit pointed a pistol
and demanded money. The robber pleaded, "Don't shoot," dropped
his gun, and fled the store.
Daily News, New York, NY
Posted on December 1, 1958
When Abraham Gordon, vice president of a Brooklyn check-cashing
firm, arrived at 8:45 A.M. to open for business, a bandit jammed a
gun in his back and demanded that the cashier's cage be opened.
Gordon stalled with, "I can't open it until 9 o'clock when the boss
comes." When boss Edward Kargman arrived at 8:55 A.M., he
scanned the scene, dashed behind a partition, and whipped out his
gun. The apprentice bandit, startled by this move, was then covered
with a gun held by Gordon, whom he had not searched.
274
News, New York, NY
Posted on October 1, 1958
After freeing himself from a washroom in which he had been locked
by two robbers, grocer Charles DiMaggio, 54, grabbed a rifle and
fired one shot at the fleeing pair. They split up, one of the robbers
getting into a taxi. DiMaggio followed in another taxi and, when the
robber's vehicle slowed down, the grocer leaped out of the taxi he
was in, took aim, fired, and seriously wounded the robber. DiMaggio's
grocery store on New York City's Lexington Avenue, was the scene
of the holdup.
275
The Grand Forks Herald, Grand Forks, N.D. 10/01/11
Posted on October 5, 2011
An 82-year-old couple was asleep in their home in Jamestown, N.D.,
when the wife heard a noise and went to investigate. Having not
found anything suspicious, the wife went into the bathroom. While
she was inside the bathroom, someone attempted to open the door.
At first she thought it was her husband, but when she went back to
the bedroom and saw that he was fast asleep, she awoke him and
told him there was an intruder. The husband retrieved a handgun and
captured the intruder, holding him until police arrived. The home
invader has been charged with criminal trespass and criminal
mischief.
WDAY, Fargo, N.D. 08/18/09
Posted on August 20, 2009
Around 1:30 a.m. in West Fargo, N.D. a married couple awoke to the
sound of someone breaking into their home. Fearful for the safety of
his wife and two-year-old child, the husband told his wife to call the
police, while he retrieved a handgun. The husband then confronted
the intruder and fired at him, causing him to flee. The West Fargo
police were supportive of the husband’s actions, with Detective Joe
Birrenkott stating, “This is your castle and somebody’s stepped inside
that moat. And they’re attacking your castle; you don’t know what
they’re attacking it with.”
Bismarck Tribune, Bismarck, N.D., 7/27/04
Posted on August 1, 2004
Iraq veteran Chris Seil reacted immediately when he heard shattering
glass followed by a woman's scream outside his Bismarck, N.D.,
home. Retrieving a handgun, he went outside and confronted a 19year old, who then fled. Seil chased him down and held him at
gunpoint until police arrived. The suspect was later charged with
several offenses, including burglary and terrorizing.
276
The Forum, Fargo, ND, 10/30/03
Posted on January 1, 2004
Kim Fedje shot and killed two dogs that had viciously attacked a herd
of 13 llamas in her care before turning and charging her. Fedje was
out on her morning rounds feeding the animals. As she approached
the llamas, she noticed they were huddled together in a defensive
stance. That’s when she saw two dogs circling the herd. When she
called out to the llamas, the dogs turned in her direction. "I could hear
them growling from 40 yards away," Fedje recalled. "They were
making a beeline for me. I thought I was dead." Fedje reacted by
firing her rifle at the attacking dogs. The first dog fell after two or three
shots, the second dog continued toward her until she had emptied
her gun. Fedje called her fiancé who went back out with her to
examine the animals. All 13 llamas had suffered dog bites. The dogs,
a labrador/rottweiler mix, belonged to a neighbor who had taken them
out for a walk the night before. Both animals had run off into a
cornfield and did not return.
Herald, Grand Forks, ND, 10/15/97
Posted on May 1, 1998
After his son alerted him to a gunfight in progress near their home,
Michael McIntee of Towner, North Dakota, grabbed a .22-250 rifle
and went to investigate. He found a county sheriff wounded and a
man threatening to kill a woman and two children. Believing the
sheriff dead, McIntee fired once, hitting the man. The woman began
to flee, and the man shot at her. McIntee fired once more, stopping
the attack. The man, who turned out to be the woman's ex-husband,
then turned his own gun on himself. He had a history of spousal
abuse and violence. McIntee said, "My goal was to prevent him from
killing her and the kids."
277
The Forum, Fargo, ND, 8/10/91
Posted on December 1, 1991
Roger Untersehr credits his dog with alerting him to a break-in at his
Fargo, N.D,, home. "The dog has a funny bark when there's a
prowler," he said. Waking up when the dog barked, Untersehr saw a
man in his bedroom. He picked up a pistol kept near his bed, ordered
the man to the floor and held him for police.
The Tribune, Bismarck, ND, 6/17/88
Posted on September 1, 1988
With his wife screaming at an intruder hiding in their Bismarck, N.
Dak., home, Hal Peterson grabbed an unloaded revolver from a gun
cabinet and ordered the man out. When the stranger lunged at him,
Peterson slapped his hand away with the gun barrel, then stepped
back and cocked his pistol. The man fled. Police captured a suspect
a short distance away, recovering a $5,000 ring belonging to
Peterson's wife and charging the individual, who had been released
from jail the day before, with two felony counts of burglary.
The Tribune, Bismarck, ND, 3/26/86
Posted on June 1, 1986
Asleep in his isolated rural home near Fort Yates, N. Dak., Dick
Barrett was awakened when both front and back doors crashed in
and four men appeared, threatening his family with clubs and axes.
But Barrett grabbed his revolver, and when the fight was over one
intruder was dead, two of them were wounded, and the Barretts were
unharmed.
278
KATU, Portland, Ore. 11/16/11, KPTV, Portland, Ore. 11/16/11
Posted on November 18, 2011
A masked robber armed with a rifle entered Mt. Scott Pub in Portland,
Ore., demanded money from the bartender and threatened
customers. As the bartender retreated to a back room, the criminal
initially followed, but then made his way to the register. As the robber
was searching the cash register, bar employee Ormand “Stub”
Fentress retrieved a gun and shot the criminal in the leg. Fentress
then held the robber at gunpoint until police could arrive. Witness and
frequent customer Nate Vineyard was supportive of Fentress’ actions,
telling local media, “When somebody comes in and you know
threatens people that work here and patrons, we take care of our
own. I think that I’m lucky to have the person that was here that
defended us.”
The Oregonian, Portland, Ore. 11/25/10, KMTR, Eugene, Ore.
12/1/10
Posted on December 2, 2010
Two men, at least one of whom was armed with a gun, attempted to
rob a Dutch Bros. Coffee kiosk in Eugene, Ore. The barista working
the kiosk responded by retrieving a gun and firing at the criminals,
killing one. An investigation revealed that the deceased robber had a
prior criminal record. The barista will not face any charges. Unlike
other companies that have fired workers after exercising their right to
self-defense, the Dutch Bros. employee has been put on paid leave
and according to a company spokesperson is “welcome back when
he is ready to return to work.”
279
The Columbian, Clark County, Wash. 09/03/10, The Oregonian,
Portland, Ore. 09/04/10
Posted on September 8, 2010
A woman and her 5-year-old son were leaving Izzy’s Pizza in
Vancouver, Wash., when a man approached them and asked for
money. When the woman refused, the man asked again in a
threatening manner. Fearing for her safety, the woman, a Right-toCarry permit holder, retrieved a 9mm handgun from her car and put it
in her waistband. The man then approached the woman again at
which point the woman drew her gun, which caused the man to flee.
Police arrived a few minutes later and captured Wilbur Haisley, whom
the woman identified as her assailant.
KPTV Portland, Ore. 11/27/09
Posted on December 2, 2009
Just after 9 p.m., Nathan Brown heard three loud bangs on the door
to the apartment where he, his girlfriend and daughter were staying.
Brown retrieved a handgun and went to the door to find two men
outside yelling at him in Spanish. After Brown told them to leave, the
criminals kicked down the door and entered the apartment. Brown
fired a warning shot in an attempt to make the intruders leave, but
when they didn’t, he fired again, striking one in the leg. Police found
the wounded criminal a short time later.
The Associated Press Redmond, Ore. 11/05/09
Posted on November 9, 2009
Around 11 p.m. a woman at home with her children in Redmond, Ore.
saw a man she knew outside her home. The woman called the police
when the man refused to leave, but before they could arrive, the man
broke into the home through a kitchen window. The woman hurriedly
moved her children into a bathroom and retrieved a handgun. The
intruder picked up what police are calling an “improvised weapon”
and attempted to attack the woman, who responded by shooting and
killing the man.
280
KPTV, Portland, Ore. 10/28/09, KELAAM 10/29/09 Lewis County,
Wash.
Posted on November 2, 2009
A 62-year-old homeowner in Toledo, Wash. awoke to the noise of a
burglar breaking in. The homeowner retrieved a gun and confronted
the intruder. The homeowner ordered the intruder to “freeze” but the
criminal still came towards him. The homeowner once again gave the
criminal the order to “freeze” and when it was not obeyed he fired,
striking and killing the intruder. After a preliminary investigation, the
Lewis County Sherriff’s office noted that the deceased had a lengthy
criminal record and that the homeowner acted in self-defense.
The Associated Press, Grants Pass, Ore. 07/29/09
Posted on August 3, 2009
Nicole Skinner awoke around 11:30 p.m. to a strange noise in her
family’s home in Grants Pass, Ore. As she went to investigate, Nicole
saw that a bear had broken into the home through a screened
window. Nicole quickly made her way to her parent’s room where her
father, Everett Skinner was sleeping. After retrieving his shotgun,
Everett went to confront the bear. Upon seeing Everett, the bear
headed towards him. Everett fired at the bear, but the first shot
according to Everett, “didn’t even faze him.” Everett fired four more
times, felling the bear. Everett noted to the local media that he always
keeps his shotgun handy, and it’s a good thing. After the bear died,
Everett called the Josephine County sheriff’s office, but no one was
working that night.
281
Statesman Journal, Salem, OR, 9/20/07
Posted on December 1, 2007
Yev Gerasimenko was taking his turn caring for his 4-day-old
daughter while his wife rested. He was interrupted by loud knocks at
the door and answered it to find two large men. One asked for
someone Gerasimenko didn't know."I said, 'There's no-body here by
that name, and I shut the door as soon as I could," he explained.
That's when police say the biggest man took a running start and
slammed into the door. Gerasimenko called for his wife to take their
baby, lock herself in the bathroom and phone police. He loaded his 9
mm handgun and yelled for the man to leave, but he continued trying
to breach the door."I'm shouting, 'I have a gun! Why are you trying to
break into my house? I'll shoot you if you don't go away,'
Gerasimenko recalled. But the suspect didn't heed the warning.
Gerasimenko fired two shots, wounding the suspect and holding him
for police." ... A gun in a good responsible citizen's hand is a
blessing," Gerasimenko said.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 6/30/07
Posted on September 1, 2007
Leroy Hudson was asleep upstairs while his wife, Janice, slept downstairs. Both awoke with alarm to loud, suspicious noises coming from
their enclosed back porch. Leroy got a firearm while Janice called 91-1 to report an intruder. Leroy, 71, opened the door and encountered
a man in his mid-20s. He demanded to know what the intruder was
doing in hopes of getting him to leave. But the man refused to speak,
instead moving toward Hudson, who fired a single shot,
incapacitating him.
282
The Sunday Oregonian, Portland, Ore., 4/8/07
Posted on July 1, 2007
ARMED WITH A handgun, Michael Vogler confronted a teenage
male who'd broken into his home in the early morning hours.
According to authorities, the intruder began assaulting Vogler, who
fired a shot, causing the intruder to dive headfirst through a window
and flee the area. The teen was apprehended at the hospital where
he sought treatment for a gunshot wound and other injuries.
Statesman Journal, Salem, OR, 9/20/07
Posted on December 1, 2007
Yev Gerasimenko was taking his turn caring for his 4-day-old
daughter while his wife rested. He was interrupted by loud knocks at
the door and answered it to find two large men. One asked for
someone Gerasimenko didn't know."I said, 'There's no-body here by
that name, and I shut the door as soon as I could," he explained.
That's when police say the biggest man took a running start and
slammed into the door. Gerasimenko called for his wife to take their
baby, lock herself in the bathroom and phone police. He loaded his 9
mm handgun and yelled for the man to leave, but he continued trying
to breach the door."I'm shouting, 'I have a gun! Why are you trying to
break into my house? I'll shoot you if you don't go away,'
Gerasimenko recalled. But the suspect didn't heed the warning.
Gerasimenko fired two shots, wounding the suspect and holding him
for police." ... A gun in a good responsible citizen's hand is a
blessing," Gerasimenko said.
283
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 6/30/07
Posted on September 1, 2007
Leroy Hudson was asleep upstairs while his wife, Janice, slept downstairs. Both awoke with alarm to loud, suspicious noises coming from
their enclosed back porch. Leroy got a firearm while Janice called 91-1 to report an intruder. Leroy, 71, opened the door and encountered
a man in his mid-20s. He demanded to know what the intruder was
doing in hopes of getting him to leave. But the man refused to speak,
instead moving toward Hudson, who fired a single shot,
incapacitating him.
The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., 02/11/06
Posted on May 1, 2006
The motivation behind a brutal assault in Oregon has yet to be
determined. According to police, a man answered a knock at his front
door and quickly found himself under attack by a stranger wielding a
collapsible metal baton. The intruder beat the victim on his head and
back, while yelling that he was going to kill the man as they fought
throughout the first floor of the two-story dwelling. The victim
managed to break free and run to his upstairs bedroom. It was there
that he grabbed a 12-gauge shotgun and turned the tables. He shot
the intruder at least twice, killing him.
Oregonian, Portland, Ore., 12/10/04
Posted on December 1, 2004
Noises in a storage room at 3:35 a.m. woke up a Beaverton, Ore.,
homeowner. When he looked outside and saw an intruder carrying
away property, the retired sheriff's deputy grabbed a handgun and
confronted the robber, who appeared to reach for a weapon. The
homeowner fired a warning shot, and the thief fled the scene.
284
The Register-Guard, Eugene, OR, 06/25/04
Posted on August 1, 2004
Three people in a black Cadillac pulled into the Fuel-N-Go in Coburg,
Oregon, about 11:35 p.m. One man got out of the vehicle and
entered the convenience store. Motioning as though he had a gun in
his sweatshirt, he demanded money from the store clerk, who gave
him about $200 in cash. Apparently dissatisfied, the robber
threatened to kill her. The clerk then drew her own gun, and the man
ran out to the parking lot where he fought with a male attendant.
Meanwhile, the clerk followed the thug outside and, when he
motioned again to indicate he was armed, she fired a shot that blew
out the Cadillac's back window. The robber then jumped into the car,
and the threesome took off as remnants of their ill-gotten gains
floated through the air. Two men and a woman surrendered to a
police canine unit soon after. Knives were seized during their arrest,
and the three faced first-degree robbery charges.
The News-Review, Roseburg, OR, 4/19/02
Posted on July 1, 2002
Gerald Heggstrom was sound asleep early one morning when his
wife, Audrey, was startled awake by a loud noise outside. She went
to the living room window, looked out and saw a strange man
standing at the front door. Because of the hour, she went to get her
husband. Heggstrom picked up a .45-cal. pistol and handed it to his
wife. "I came to the door and asked what he wanted," Heggstrom
recalled. The man asked to see "Katy" and when he was told there
was no one there by that name, he walked away. Heggstrom went
back to bed, but his wife was too nervous to sleep. "I was watching
TV, and the security light on the front porch came on 15 minutes
later," she said. "I was in the kitchen and looked out the window, and
just then I saw him go into the garage." After being roused by his wife
a second time, Heggstrom went out, gun in hand, to confront the
trespasser. "It got his attention," he said, adding, "He said he heard
voices ... and was going to check them out." Heggstrom held the
suspect at gunpoint while his wife called the sheriff's office, whose
deputies arrived 20 minutes later to take the man into custody.
285
Statesman-Journal, Salem, OR, 12/22/01
Posted on March 1, 2002
A MAN AT A COASTAL OREGON RESORT attacked two residents
with an axe before another resident who witnessed the attack shot
him. The motive was not clear, but the suspect had been seen
arguing with both victims before the attack, according to neighbors.
Byron Sanchez shouted at the attacker to stop before firing his gun,
said neighbor Ed McMillan. The attacker then shut the apartment
door. According to McMillan, Sanchez opened the door, and the
attacker "was still going at it," so Sanchez fired. "That didn't faze him,
so he shot him a second time, and the guy went down."
The Register-Guard, Eugene, OR, 5/17/01
Posted on August 1, 2001
An employee at a doctor's office in Eugene, Ore., shot an intruder
who broke into the locked office and threatened workers, Eugene
police said. The incident began about 4:45 p.m. when an irate man
made threatening phone calls to the Oregon Podiatry Clinic. The
caller s ex-wife used to work there and the man was upset with
employees. After the calls, employees locked the doors and called
police. The man arrived before police and broke in through a glass
door behind the office. One employee armed with a .45-cal. handgun
aimed it at the intruder and warned him police were on the way. The
suspect advanced on the employee who fired a round at him. The
man then fled through the broken door, but returned and was
arrested.
286
The News-Review, Roseburg, Ore., 6/2/00
Posted on September 1, 2000
A wheelchair-bound Vietnam War veteran was in his apartment early
one morning when another man apparently drunk and jealous about a
mutual female friend charged toward the apartment screaming
obscenities and ultimately forcing his way inside. Meanwhile, the
resident armed himself with a 9 mm handgun. He was forced to use it
only seconds later to defend his life as the home invader advanced
toward him. The homeowner mortally wounded his attacker. A
neighbor who witnessed the incident said of the invader, "This isn't
the first time he's kicked the door in. I think he intended to really hurt
[the resident] this time."
The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., 11/18/99
Posted on April 1, 2000
Gun-wielding murder suspect Marc Mealey Holcomb, Jr., had already
been shot by one armed citizen when he thrust his fist through a
small window in the door of Sandra Rabine's Albany, Ore., home.
Holcomb, who allegedly confronted several other residents seeking a
getaway car, pleaded with Rabine for assistance. The terrified
homeowner armed herself with a 9 mm handgun and replied, "I'll get
you some help, but you just have to back away from the door. If you
don't, I will shoot you!" At that point, Rabine beat the gun from
Holcomb's hand, sending the fugitive fleeing.
The Bulletin, Bend, OR, 9/2/98
Posted on January 1, 1999
After one of three men apparently thought that Steven J. Serrao of
Bend, Oregon, was staring at him at a popular market, the group
followed Serrao to his car nearby and began to punch him in the face
through the open windows. Serrao produced a .380-cal. handgun, for
which he has a permit, and fired at his attackers, wounding one. All
three men ran, but were later apprehended by police.
287
The Herald, Everett, WA, 10/4/98
Posted on January 1, 1999
Jim Gentry's 7-year-old grandson had been playing in the yard at his
grandparents' Athena, Oregon, home--located in an isolated canyon
setting --only an hour before the trouble began. A cougar had waited
until dusk, then attacked the family's dog. "He got pretty chewed up,"
said Gentry of the pet, which lived thanks to his owner's quick action
and one shot from a .410-bore shotgun.
Statesman-Journal, Salem, OR, 7/4/98
Posted on October 1, 1998
A Lebanon, Oregon, resident swung into action at around 11 o'clock
one evening shortly after four uninvited "visitors" arrived at her home.
The baseball bat-wielding thugs forced their way through the front
door, then went to work on the door of the woman's bedroom,
demanding to be let in. She trained her 9 mm pistol on the door from
the other side, fired three shots and sent the home invaders fleeing.
Keizer Times, Keizer, OR, 6/25/98
Posted on October 1, 1998
After Timothy Abbott noticed an unknown man in the back yard of a
neighbor's residence, he confronted the intruder, who responded by
attempting to run away. Abbott then told the man--who had been
trying to break into the house--that he had a gun and ordered him to
stop. Abbott's wife called police, who later arrived to find Abbott
holding the man at gunpoint.
288
The Register-Guard, Eugene, OR, 3/11/98
Posted on July 1, 1998
As nurse Jim Shaver, 49, walked to his job early one morning in
Eugene, Oregon, two men, ages 19 and 20, knocked him to the
ground and began beating him in an apparent robbery attempt.
Shaver, who was legally licensed to carry his .22-cal. revolver, twice
warned the thugs that he was armed. Undissuaded, they continued
the assault. That's when Shaver fired several shots, wounding the
younger assailant and sending both men running. "I was in a position
where I had to defend myself," Shaver said.
The Bulletin, Bend, OR, 3/27/96
Posted on July 1, 1996
Patrick Tansy walked into the kitchen of his Klamath County, Oregon,
home to investigate some noises when somebody clubbed him with a
large flashlight. Finding himself in a fierce struggle with two burglars,
Tansy, his scalp gashed and bleeding, managed to break free and
make it to a .50 cal. muzzleloader he kept loaded in another room. He
fired, shattering the arm of one of the intruders, both of whom fled the
property. The two men were quickly apprehended after Tansy, on the
way to the hospital, saw the suspects and called police from his
cellular phone.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 9/6/95
Posted on February 1, 1996
Portland, Oregon, resident Ernie Robinson was leaving for work when
a neighbor ran from her home screaming that a strange man was in
her house. Robinson retrieved his 9 mm from his home and upon
exiting the house, encountered the approaching stanger, clad ony in
black jeans. Robinson asked the unwelcome visitor what he was up
to, but the man answered only with silence and continued toward him,
jumping a fence and backing him into his garage. With nowhere left to
go, Robinson fired his gun, mortally wounding the intruder.
289
The Argus, Hillsboro, OR, 6/13/95
Posted on November 1, 1995
Upon encountering the intruder in his Hillsboro, Oregon, home, 61year-old retiree Donald Scarratt ordered the criminal to drop his knife
and lie down while he called police. At first the burglar complied. But
as police approached the home, the crook--a convicted killer already
wanted for violating parole--grew panicked and lunged at the
homeowner. Two quick shots put the felon back on the floor where he
remained until being taken away in an ambulance.
The Register-Guard, Eugene, OR, 10/10/94
Posted on January 1, 1995
When Springfield, Oregon, resident John Shannon heard noises at
four in the morning, he figured it was the family cat asking to go out.
Shannon didn't find the cat, but he did find an intruder on his hands
and knees next to his wife's side of the bed. Quickly, Shannon
retrieved his .45 from his closet, trained it on the intruder and cut on
the lights. After his wife called 911, NRA member Shannon detained
the burglar until police could arrive.
Gazette-Times, Corvallis, OR, 9/17/94
Posted on November 1, 1994
Sometimes being a good samaritan can be dangerous. Portland,
Oregon, resident Michael Savage was driving near Yukwah
Campground, about 25 miles east of Sweet Home, when he was
flagged down by some motorists who appeared to be having car
trouble. When Savage approached the vehicle, one of the motorists
drew a gun and tried to rob him. Savage pulled his own legally carried
weapon and in the ensuing firefight shot the gun-wielding would-be
robber twice, mortally wounding him.
290
Argus Observer, Ontario, OR, 4/25/94
Posted on August 1, 1994
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.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 2/6/94
Posted on April 1, 1994
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 back
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 Democrat-Herald, Albany, OR, 1/7/94
Posted on April 1, 1994
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.
291
The Bulletin, Bend, OR, 3/30/93
Posted on June 1, 1993
Awakened when a burglar broke through the back door of his home in
LaPine, Oreg., James Edgil, 71, was attacked when he confronted
the intruder. Although beaten with a fire extinguisher, Edgil was able
to retrieve his handgun and, firing two shots, drove his assailant from
the home. Edgil was hospitalized with head injuries and a broken
arm.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 1/7/93
Posted on April 1, 1993
Anne Marie Sullivan was showering in her Portland, Oreg., home one
morning when she heard the front door crash in. She jumped out of
the shower in time to see a man entering the home. Running to the
bedroom, Sullivan retrieved her boyfriend's pistol and fired two shots,
mortally wounding the intruder. The dead man had a lengthy police
and prison record.
The Statesman Journal, Salem, OR, 11/17/92
Posted on February 1, 1993
Billy Sisson and two fellow elk hunters had stopped for gas at a
Grande Ronde, Oreg., market, when a man witnesses described as
possibly drunk or on drugs approached and started an argument.
After a terse exchange with the hunters, he began threatening the trio
with a revolver. Sisson retrieved his .30-'06 and fired a single shot,
mortally wounding the man; police said he had a lengthy arrest
record.
292
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 8/14/92
Posted on December 1, 1992
Steve Cartier thought he'd subdued a deranged intruder with his 9
mm pistol, but when his wife phoned Battle Ground, Oreg., police, the
housebreaker lunged at her. After scuffling with the man, who ignored
two warning shots, Cartier shot and killed him. The county prosecutor
said he expected no charges to be filed against the homeowner.
The Curry Coastal Pilot, Brookings, OR, 2/12/92
Posted on June 1, 1992
Apparently intent on burglary, two hoods cut the phone lines to Floris
Gold's Cape Ferrelo, Oreg., home. They were busy forcing their way
into the basement when comfronted by the 72-year-old-homeowner,
but fled when they noticed she was carrying a shotgun. One fired a
shot as he was running--missing Gold--which earned him a charge of
attempted murder when police caught up with him and his accomplice
a short time later.
The register-Gurad, Eugene, OR, 1/14/92
Posted on May 1, 1992
Ernie Smith was watching television in his Eugene, Oreg., home
when he heard loud noises coming from his store next door. Looking
through a peephole, Smith saw a man drop through a hole in the
ceiling. Smith grabbed his shotgun, ran into the store and held the
burglar for police. "Hey, I got to defend my wife and the house," Smith
said. "And a loaded 12-ga. talks."
293
The Gazette-Times, Corvallis, OR, 5/16/91
Posted on October 1, 1991
John Clark and his wife had just pulled into the driveway of their
Willamina, Oreg., home when they noticed the phone line had been
cut. At that moment a former acquaintance who had harassed the
couple appeared and threatened them with a shotgun. Clark got a
pistol from his truck and shot their tormentor, killing him. Police
arrested an accomplice and affirmed Clark fired in self-defense
The West Lane News, Veneta, OR, 3/21/91
Posted on June 1, 1991
After their closed store had been broken into twice, Jimmy List of
Walton, Oreg., reactivated a homemade burglar alarm. When it went
off one night, List and his friend Larry Jacobs, both armed, raced to
the store, where they caught two men stealing groceries. After a brief
confrontation, Lish and Jacobs held the culprits for police, who
charged the pair with burglary and other offenses.
The Register-Guard, Eugene, OR, 1/24/91
Posted on April 1, 1991
When three hoodlums invaded his mother's apartment, attacked his
wife and cut phone lines to police, Shannon Gray of Eugene, Oreg.,
grabbed his .30-30, loaded it and confronted the criminals. When one
produced a sawed-off shotgun, he opened up, quelling the
disturbance.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 4/30/90
Posted on August 1, 1990
Glorianna Kaser awoke to find a man standing over her in her Boring,
Oreg., home. When she screamed, waking her husband, the intruder
struck him in the head with a hatchet and critically wounded him. Mrs.
Kaser managed to grab her handgun and fire, wounding the attacker
and halting the attack. Police later arrested the assailant.
294
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 1/1/90
Posted on May 1, 1990
While off-duty Portland, Oreg., policewoman Gloria Lewis used a
restroom in a highway rest area early in the morning, a man entered,
snatched her purse, started to leave, and then approached her. Lewis
warned that she had a gun, and the man fled to the parking lot, where
he and a second man tried to run down the pursuing officer. Lewis
fired one shot, and later that morning a wounded suspect turned up at
an area hospital. He was held on earlier warrants and suspicion in
other crimes.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 1/8/90
Posted on March 1, 1990
Hearing the sound of breaking glass coming from the monitor in their
13-month-old baby's room, a Parkrose, Oreg., couple rushed to
investigate. The mother got there first, finding a naked and bleeding
man in the room. She grabbed the child and ran from the room, just
as Howard Prink arrived with his handgun. When the intruder lunged
at the resident, despite repeated warnings, Prink fired a single shot-killing the man
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 6/10/89
Posted on August 1, 1989
Kurt Jensen, a high school senior in Portland, Oreg., was studying at
home alone when he heard someone trying to break in. Jensen got
his father's revolver and went to a side door where an intruder was
attempting to gain entrance. The 18-year-old told the man to stop, but
when he continued to break in, the student shot to death the intruder.
The man was wanted on three felony warants and a parole violation.
Jensen was not charged.
295
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 4/28/89
Posted on July 1, 1989
Four men entered Louis and Betty Leonard's Portland, Oreg., pipe
shop and began beating Louis. Betty, who was on the phone,
observed the attack, grabbed a handgun and began firing. The men,
alleged to be members of the Crips gang, scattered, except for a
wounded one who crouched in a corner and pleaded with Betty not to
shoot him. Louis Leonard was admitted to the hospital in serious
condition; the wounded suspect was charged with first-degree
robbery.
The Statesman Journal, Salem, OR, 3/12/89
Posted on June 1, 1989
Hearing the door of his Salem, Oreg., home rattle, the Rev. Rocky
Jordan looked and saw a flashlight shining into the house. Jordan
grabbed a shotgun and chased one would-be burglar from the
residence. Meanwhile, his wife got a baseball bat from their sons'
room and came upon another intruder--she held the bat over him until
police arrived to take the suspect into custody.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 2/16/89
Posted on May 1, 1989
A man sought by authorities on at least two warrants broke into the
home of Michael and Irene Wilson of Pendleton, Oreg. When the man
threatened the couple with a knife and scissors, Wilson fatally shot
the man with a rifle. The slain man had been wanted on theft and
drug possession charges.
296
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 12/3/88
Posted on February 1, 1989
Following two burglaries at his Portland, Oreg., mobile home, Kevin
Mason requested a police stake out. A shortage of manpower
prevented authorities from doing that, so Mason took up his own
watch from a nearby empty house--armed with a hunting rifle. He
soon heard prowlers rummaging through the trailer, the homeowner
pointed his rifle at the door and ordered them out. Three would-be
burglars filed out, and Mason had them lie on the ground until police
arrived.
The Register-Guard, Eugene, OR, 6/18/87
Posted on September 1, 1987
A man armed with a toy gun and a can of Mace entered Mike
Stratton's Eugene, Oreg., pharmacy and demanded narcotic pain
killers. Telling the robber he had just been hired and pretending not to
be familiar with the drugs, Stratton bided his time until he could get to
his revolver, then ordered the intruder to lie on the floor while a clerk
telephoned police. Police said Stratton handled the situation well.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 2/10/87
Posted on May 1, 1987
Dennis Donovan was talking to a customer in a Portland, Oreg.,
convenience store when an armed man wearing a ski mask burst
through the door. "This is for real, hit the floor," the man shouted, and
he began firing. Donovan reached for a .357 Mag. under the counter
and shot back, forcing the robber out the door. It was not known if the
intruder was hit.
297
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 12/7/96
Posted on February 1, 1987
An Estacada, Oreg., store owner took a .38 revolver with him when
he went to investigate noises in his shop. Beryl Hartsock saw two
burglars loading cigarettes into a box and told them to freeze. One of
the men fled, but the proprietor detained the other intruder until police
arrived.
The Register-Guard, Eugene, OR, 10/21/86
Posted on December 1, 1986
When 74-year-old Helen Whipple let her dog out for a run outside her
Santa Clara, Oreg., home, she noticed three intruders trying to gain
entrance to her house. She went back inside, got a .22 pistol, and
when the trio broke in, she fired. At the shot, they fled.
The Press Herald, Portland, OR, 7/16/86
Posted on October 1, 1986
A man asking to use the telephone at a Bayside, Oreg., woman's
apartment walked in and pushed her down on a couch and began
ripping her clothes off. Breaking free, the 21-year-old woman grabbed
her .22 revolver and pointed it at the assailant, saying she knew how
to use it. The would-be rapist fled.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 6/10/86
Posted on September 1, 1986
When Andrea Rucker saw a man breaking into a neighbor's Portland,
Oreg., duplex, she called the police. She then grabbed a shotgun and
ran to the duplex, where she confronted the burglar coming out the
door. Rucker pointed the shotgun at the intruder, who dropped video
equipment he was stealing and fled.
298
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 1/28,86
Posted on April 1, 1986
The brash gunman was only after one thing in the Portland, Oreg.,
pharmacy, and ordered owner Meredith Fisher away while he
cleaned out the till. He didn't notice when the pharmacist picked up a
gun and set off an alarm as he sidled out the back door. Pharmacist
Fisher returned, aimed his revolver carefully and twice wounded the
robber as he tried to empty a cash register.
The News-Review, Roseburg, OR, 12/22/85
Posted on March 1, 1986
Sleeping in his Roseburg, Oreg., mobile home, Leonard Smith awoke
to find a knife-wielding intruder threatening to tie-up and rob him.
Smith managed to reach a .357 Mag. revolver near his bed, however,
and killed the burglar.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 12/5/85
Posted on February 1, 1986
Sounds "like somebody [driving] a bulldozer" through his door
awakened Portland, Oreg., apartment dweller Minuard Cook, who
grabbed a handgun and met the intruder in his dining room. When the
intruder kept coming toward him, Cook shot. The burglar, a convicted
robber on temporary release, was killed.
The Register-Guard, Eugene, OR, 9/8/85
Posted on November 1, 1985
Suspecting something was amiss in his Portland, Oreg., home, 68year-old Robert Simmons fetched his pistol and began to search. The
homeowner found his quarry--a burglar hiding beneath a bed--and led
him at gunpoint to a phone, where he forced the intruder to call police
and ask to be arrested.
299
The Herald And News, Klamath Falls, OR, 1/29/84
Posted on April 1, 1984
Bernard Crohn was at work in the back office of a Portland, Oreg.,
jewelry store when he was startled to hear a man out front announce
a holdup. Crohn quietly drew a pistol from a desk drawer, stepped
out, and yelled "Freeze!" The armed robber immediately fired at
Crohn but missed. Crohn returned fire, mortally wounding the robber.
The Bulletin, Bend, OR, 6/5/83
Posted on September 1, 1983
A proposed fishing trip to their rural Deschutes County, Oreg.,
vacation property netted Ken Trinklein and Art Daley an unexpected
catch. Upon arrival they were faced with a pickup making off with a
load of personal belongings. They blocked the getaway with their own
vehicle, and while Daley went to summon the sheriff, Trinklein stood
guard over a pair of youthful criminals, a .357 Mag. revolver stuck in
his belt.
The Bulletin, Bend, OR, 6/5/83
Posted on September 1, 1983
A proposed fishing trip to their rural Deschutes County, Oreg.,
vacation property netted Ken Trinklein and Art Daley an unexpected
catch. Upon arrival they were faced with a pickup making off with a
load of personal belongings. They blocked the getaway with their own
vehicle, and while Daley went to summon the sheriff, Trinklein stood
guard over a pair of youthful criminals, a .357 Mag. revolver stuck in
his belt.
300
The Register-Guard, Eugene, OR, 1/31/83
Posted on June 1, 1983
From the porch, a prowler spied a woman sleeping in the living room
of her Eugene, Oreg., home. He gained entry and after robbing the
woman, raped her. During the struggle, she escaped to an adjacent
room, took up a pistol and returned, demanding he leave
immediately. When the rapist refused, she shot him. A suspect was
taken into custody after he sought aid at a nearby residence.
The Statesman Journal, Salem, OR, 1/11/83
Posted on May 1, 1983
A sheriff's deputy pursued an armed robbery suspect to a Salem,
Oreg., supermarket and fired on the man after nearly being run down
in the parking lot. From his adjacent residence, James Hicks was
alerted to the disturbance and armed himself. When the fleeing
suspect forced his way into the home, Hicks ordered him to drop his
gun. Instead, he pointed it at the homeowner, but was shot and killed
when Hicks fired first.
The Register-Guard, Eugene, OR, 8/1/81
Posted on October 1, 1981
A pair of hoodlums invaded William Baney's Salem, Oreg., home and
demanded loot. As one criminal held a straight razor to the throat of
Baney's wife, his partner menaced the homeowner with a knife. The
64-year-old Baney ran to his bedroom, grabbed a gun and opened
fire, killing one of the pair and putting the other to flight.
301
The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 4/16/81
Posted on August 1, 1981
A man entered Irv Huppin's Portland, Oreg., pharmacy, displayed a
handgun, and threw a bag on the counter, yelling "hurry up and get
the stuff." Huppin, who had been robbed three times in the preceding
six months, drew a handgun from his back pocket and began firing.
The wounded thief beat a hasty retreat.
The Times, Tigard, OR, 4/30/81
Posted on July 1, 1981
Irv Huppin was preparing to close his Garden Home, Oreg.,
pharmacy when a robber approached the counter and demanded
drugs. He showed a revolver in his waistband and awaited his booty
with a smile on his face. The smile faded when Huppin pulled his own
gun and fired, sending the crook fleeing.
The Hermiston Herald, Hermiston, OR
Posted on February 1, 1981
Alone at home while her husband was elk hunting, Doris Walls shot a
33-year-old who she said broke into her Hermiston, Ore., residence
and attempted to rape her. The suspect, wounded in the shoulder by
a .30-30 round, was charged with burglary and attempted rape.
302
The Register-Guard, Eugene, OR, 12/5/79
Posted on March 1, 1980
After burglars raided the liquor cabinet in his Eugene, Oreg., home,
Patrick McCann had a hunch they might return; so, armed with a rifle,
he stayed home from work the next day and waited. When McCann
heard someone breaking into an upstairs window, he investigated
and surprised two youths, whom he held at gunpoint until police
arrived.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR
Posted on September 1, 1979
Charles Hiett was at his home in Portland, Ore., when he was alerted
by suspicious noises coming from his garage. Arming himself with a
pistol, Hiett investigated. He found a man leaving his garage, with a
laundry basket full of food that had been in Hiett's freezer. Caught
with the goods, the intruder surrendered and waited quietly for police
to arrive and arrest him on a charge of second degree burglary.
The Journal, Portland, OR, 6/11/79
Posted on August 1, 1979
When Richard Tapp was awakened by noises coming from the
driveway of his Portland, Ore., home, he picked up his .44 Mag.
revolver and investigated. Tapp found three men rumaging through
his boat, and, when he called on them to stop, one of the trio took a
shot at him. The assailant missed. Tapp did not--his single shot
struck the gunman in the abdomen. Police found the wounded thug
near the scene, and recovred his .32 cal. revolver as well.
303
The Statesman-Journal, Salem, OR
Posted on December 1, 1978
Returning to her Corbett Landing, Oreg., waterfront shop, Theresa
Smith saw two suspicious men embarking in a runabout and
discovered that her money was gone. When Smith got her revolver
and ran to the dock demanding the return of her cash, the men put
the boat in reverse, handed over the booty and then escaped emptyhanded.
The News-Review, Roseburg, OR
Posted on July 1, 1978
From a window at her home in Elkton, Oreg., Dedee Harbaugh saw a
man burglarizing her father's van. Within minutes Harbaugh alerted
three other families over a CB radio. Armed, the neighbors converged
on the would-be thief and held him for the authorities.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR
Posted on October 1, 1977
An armed robber thought he had frightened William Wienter away
from his Portland, Oreg., gas station when he drew a pistol and
Wienter fled. But the station owner was only going for his gun; his
shots drove the crook away empty-handed.
The Bulletin, Bend, OR
Posted on June 1, 1974
Startled in his Bend, Oreg., home one morning by the sound of
breaking glass in a spare room, 81-year-old Corrie Harvey grabbed
his .22 automatic pistol and confronted an intruder climbing through a
window. Harvey "poured it right down on him with the flat of the gun."
After slugging the culprit twice--"once for waking me and once for
breaking the window"--Harvey held the suspect at gunpoint until
police arrived.
304
The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA
Posted on May 1, 1974
Thirteen-year-old David Limbrick was washing windows one Saturday
in a Portland, Oreg., dry cleaners when a gunman robbed the till and
fled. David followed the hood's muddy footprints to a garage where
he managed to disarm the smallish thug. At gunpoint, the teenager
forced his captive back to the dry-cleaners. The eighth grader told
police he captured the man because "the money was somebody
else's property and he shouldn't have it."
Clackamas County News, Estacada, OR
Posted on August 1, 1973
Two men waited until all customers had left John Lamb's Currinsville,
Oreg., market, then told Lamb to hand over his cash or be shot. Lamb
diverted their attention by saying, "Don't you see people coming into
the store?" One man went to the door, and the other turned long
enough for Lamb to knock him down and run for a gun at the back of
the store. Both would-be robbers fled.
The Argus, Hillsboro, OR
Posted on May 1, 1972
Herbert and Robert Huson of Cornelius, Oreg., got shotguns after two
suspicious men had been seen prowling near a relative's home.
Finding that a screen door had been cut, the Husons waited outside.
When the burglars came out carrying furniture, the Husons held the
men at gunpoint for police.
The Statesman, Salem, OR
Posted on October 1, 1971
Wilma Becraft, owner of a market in Eugene, Oreg., pulled a gun
after a bandit handed her a note saying, "Hand over your cash." She
held the man for police.
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The Oregonian, Portland, OR
Posted on August 1, 1971
Gregory Putman, a Portland, Oreg., cab driver, became suspicious of
two men he picked up late one night. Stopping his cab, Putman
pulled a gun and ordered them out. As one moved to get out, a pistol
fell from his pocket. The two were charged later with attempted
armed robbery and receiving stolen property.
The News-Review, Roseburg, OR
Posted on June 1, 1971
On learning that two suspicious men were prowling around a
neighbor's home, Elgin Lester of Roseburg, Oreg., grabbed a pistol
and went to investigate. He knew the neighbor was out of town at the
time, yet there was a light burning in one window. Hiding outside,
Lester waited until one of the prowlers came out. When Lester yelled,
"Halt," the man fled. Both suspects were soon apprehended by
police.
Oregon Journal, Portland, OR
Posted on December 1, 1970
A 250-lb. lioness that escaped near Boring, Oreg, killed a horse,
wounded one dog, and was about to mutilate another, when
children's screams alerted Dan D. Tanory. He grabbed his big-game
rifle and shot the lioness in time to save the dog.
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The Register Guard, Eugene, OR
Posted on February 1, 1970
James Freeman of Florence, Oreg., awoke from a nap one afternoon
to hear banging on his house. He rushed to the door, pistol in hand,
just as an intruder came through the door. He held him at gunpoint
until an officer arrived. The officer had already picked up the robber's
confederate on his way to answer the call. More than $1,500 in goods
stolen earlier was recovered.
Statesman, Portland, OR
Posted on September 1, 1969
Confronted by 2 holdup men, Patrick E. Hopcroft, 32, a Portland,
Oreg., college student who works nights as a filling station attendant,
obeyed their command to open the cash register--then pulled out a
large caliber pistol from it and fired a shot over their heads. Both
surrendered, bringing to 6 the total of holdup men foiled by Hopcroft.
He shot 3 gunmen and overcame another in previous holdups.
Statesman, Salem, OR
Posted on June 1, 1969
Raleigh Parker, 17, heard noises at the family service station behind
the Parker home in Gervais, Oreg., and investigated gun in hand. He
apprehended two youths attempting to burglarize the station and held
them until police arrived.
Oregon Journal, OR
Posted on November 1, 1967
Donald Wayne Roach, investigating a noise in his suburban Portland
[Oreg.] backyard, fired one shot over a fleeing intruder's head. While
a neighbor phoned police, Roach seached and disarmed the man.
Police said he was wanted as a suspect in a $12,000 bank robbery.
They arrested two other suspects nearby.
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Capital Journal, Salem, OR
Posted on June 1, 1967
Mrs. Donald Coughlin observed two men breaking into the coin box of
an outside telephone near her home in Portland, Oreg. Alerting her
husband to call police, she went outside with a shotgun and held the
pair at bay until the police arrived.
The World, Coos Bay, OR
Posted on December 1, 1966
North Bend, Oreg., cab driver James A. Hartwick picked up a fare at
a night club and started to deliver him to his destination. After they
had traveled a short distance, the passenger leaned over the front
seat and placed a knife at the cab driver's throat. The "fare" then
ordered Hartwick to take him to a secluded spot where he took the
driver's money and his wrist watch. He then ordered the cab driver to
take him back to town. At the intersection of a busy highway,
Hartwick suddenly jammed on his brakes, throwing the robber off
balance. The cabbie managed to pull a gun from his belt and shoot
the thug. The man was taken into custody by police who were sitting
in a parked cruiser at the scene of the shooting.
Oregonian, Portland, OR
Posted on August 1, 1966
In Portland, Oreg., Lee E. Stewart, was returning to a closed service
station to pick up his car. On approaching the building he noticed
someone inside. When he went to investigate, the intruder
brandished a gun. Stewart retreated to his car and obtained his own
pistol. He returned and ordered the would-be bandit out at gun point.
Stewart held the man at gun point while he called police on his
citizen's band two-way radio
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Appeal Tribune, Silverton, OR
Posted on March 1, 1965
J.L. Campbell, operator of Silver Falls Lodge near Silverton, Oreg.,
was awakened by his wife who had heard noises in the main part of
the lodge. Campbell, armed with a .22 pistol, surprised two burglars.
He held them at gun point and had his wife call Harry Luckett, Supt.
of Silver Falls Park. At this time Campbell was aware that
confederates of the two he had captured were outside somewhere.
Shortly after Luckett arrived, one of the two burglars jumped him in an
attempted escape. Campbell wounded one and recaptured both.
Police took the burglars into custody and later picked up three
persons who had waited outside the lodge during the events inside.
Register Guard, Eugene, OR
Posted on March 1, 1964
Allison R. Ward was finishing chores at his Chesire, Oreg., farm,
when he was accosted by two thugs armed with knives. They ordered
him into the house, demanded the keys to his truck, and trussed him
up. Ward's wife arrived and was herded into the room with her
husband. As the men left the house and started toward the truck,
Ward slipped his bonds, grabbed a hidden cal. .30-30 rifle, and went
to the door. He fired one shot which kicked up dirt between the
fleeing intruders, who dropped their knives and were held for arrival
of police.
Reporter, Portland, OR
Posted on December 1, 1963
When Portland, Oreg., gas station manager Ralph Eadus was
confronted by a man who presumably had a gun in his pocket, and
was ordered to empty his cash register, he whipped out a .45 auto
and ordered the thug to halt. Eadus held the would-be burglar at gun
point until the police arrived and took him into custody
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Oregon Journal, OR
Posted on November 1, 1963
Edward Visnaw, Portland, Oreg., bakery owner, was tallying the day's
receipts when he heard a knock on the door. He was confronted by a
man who flashed what seemed to be a badge. The man said he was
a detective and had a tip that the bakery was to be robbed. The man
said he would return to the police car and radio for another car.
Visnaw became suspicious because of the man's youth and slipped a
revolver into his pocket. When the "detective" returned, he told
Visnaw to lock the door. As Visnaw did so the man hit him several
times over the head with a blackjack. Warding off the blows, the
baker pulled out his revolver and shot his assailant dead.
Oregonian, Portland, OR
Posted on September 1, 1962
While his father struggled with 2 thugs who were trying to hold up the
family's food store in Wilsonville, Oreg., 18-year-old Terry W. Lowrie
waited for an opening and, when he got it, shot one of the bandits in
the head, injuring him fatally. The other hoodlum fled in a waiting car,
but young Lowrie pumped 5 shots into the vehicle, possibly causing it
to go out of control and crash into a power pole. The 2 men inside got
away on foot.
Oregonian, Portland, OR
Posted on September 1, 1962
While his father struggled with 2 thugs who were trying to hold up the
family's food store in Wilsonville, Oreg., 18-year-old Terry W. Lowrie
waited for an opening and, when he got it, shot one of the bandits in
the head, injuring him fatally. The other hoodlum fled in a waiting car,
but young Lowrie pumped 5 shots into the vehicle, possibly causing it
to go out of control and crash into a power pole. The 2 men inside got
away on foot.
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Journal, Portland, OR
Posted on May 1, 1961
Hearing sounds of a scuffle in the front of their Wilsonville, Oreg.,
food store, Terry Lowrie grabbed a cal. .22 revolver and ran from the
back to aid his father who was grappling with two bandits. Eighteenyear-old Terry shot one dead and, when the confederate fled to a
companion in the getaway car, fired at the windshield of the fleeing
pair who crashed the car and fled afoot.
Oregon Journal, OR
Posted on November 1, 1960
Distaff citizens recently have armed themselves and figured in arrests
of felons. In Portland, Oreg., Mrs. Frankie D. Williams trained her gun
on a burglar in her tavern and held him for police,
The Oregonian, OR
Posted on October 1, 1959
An ex-convict with a fresh bullet wound from a previous robbery
attempt was killed by the owner of a Portland, Oreg., drive-in as he
chopped his way into the restaurant with a hatchet. Proprietor Phil
Anderson, awakened in his nearby home, sped to the restaurant with
gun in hand. When Anderson entered, the burglar struck him on the
arm with the hatchet and fled. Anderson shot him dead just he
reached the highway.
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Oregon Journal, Portland, OR
Posted on January 1, 1959
Joe Blonder, a Portland, Oreg., grocer, snatched his pistol from
beside the cash register when a bandit menaced him with hand in
pocket, demanding all the money. Police charged the would-be
robber with assault and robbery by fear.
Immigrant uses revolver to defend home, The Herald, Sharon, Pa.
11/08/12
Posted on November 13, 2012
Italian immigrant Pete Delli Bovi was at home on his couch in Sharon,
Pa. when an intruder attempted to break down his door with a brick at
3 in the afternoon. Delli Bovi, who told reporters he always keeps his
.38-caliber revolver nearby, retrieved the gun and shot the criminal
twice. The home invader fled the scene but was captured by police
after seeking treatment at a local hospital.
Sharon Police Chief Mike Menster made clear that no charges would
be filed against Delli Bovi and remarked, “This is an occupational
hazard of being a burglar – eventually, you’re going to go into the
wrong house and you’re going to get hurt.” (The Herald, Sharon, Pa.
11/08/12)
Elderly vet scares off intruder, WPXI, Pittsburgh, Pa. 05/08/12
Posted on May 10, 2012
84-year-old Korean War veteran Fred Ricciutti and his wife were at
home in Elizabeth Township, Pa., when at around 4:30 a.m. a man
armed with a screwdriver and stun gun broke in through a kitchen
window. Upon hearing the intrusion, Ricciutti retrieved a Luger pistol
he carried during the war and went to investigate. When he found the
home invader, Ricciutti ordered the criminal to halt, but when the
intruder turned, Ricciutti fired, grazing the man in the back of the neck
and causing him to flee. A short time later police captured the burglar
a few blocks from Ricciutti’s house.
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When asked by local media if the home invader had picked the wrong
target, Ricciutti replied, “I think he probably might have.” (WPXI,
Pittsburgh, Pa. 05/08/12)
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pa. 06/27/11
Posted on June 28, 2011
Feigning an interest in purchasing a motorcycle listed for sale on
Craigslist, three criminals arranged a meeting with the owner in the
Powelton Village section of Philadelphia, Pa. One of the criminals
made off with the bike as another drew a gun and threatened the
seller. The seller’s uncle, a Right-to-Carry permit holder who
accompanied the seller to the scene, produced a gun and fired at the
robber, striking him in the head and ending the robbery. The
wounded criminal was taken to a local hospital and listed in critical
condition. Local media has reported that it is unlikely the uncle will
face charges.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh, Pa. 01/03/11
Posted on January 4, 2011
Around 2 a.m., double amputee Rocco Bombara, his two sons and a
few friends were watching TV in their apartment in Baldwin, Pa. An
intruder armed with a rifle approached a window to the apartment,
tore off the screen, and attempted to climb through. While climbing
through the window, the criminal fired the rifle twice into the home,
prompting Bombara to draw a handgun and return fire, killing the
intruder. Bombara’s son later noted his father’s independent nature,
stating, “He’s not someone to mess with… He’s pretty tough. He does
everything on his own.” After a preliminary investigation Baldwin
Borough Police Chief Michael Scott informed the media, “indications
are that Mr. Bombara will not be charged.”
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WXPI, Pittsburgh, Pa. 09/28/10
Posted on September 29, 2010
73-year-old Stanley Tabaj was entering his business, Toby’s
Recycling, in Fayette County, Pa., when two men armed with
baseball bats and a stun gun followed him inside. The robbers struck
Tabaj several times, breaking one of Tabaj’s hands. Tabaj was able
to retrieve a shotgun, and fired at the attackers, striking one in the
head and causing both to flee. Police captured both criminals a short
time later.
WPMT, Harrisburg, Penn. 08/19/10
Posted on August 25, 2010
A Chinese food deliveryman in Harrisburg, Penn. was returning to his
car after delivering an order, when two robbers attacked him. The pair
of criminals beat the man with their fists and a glass bottle and
demanded money. During the melee, the deliveryman retrieved a gun
and fired at the attackers, striking one and causing both to flee. One
of the fleeing robbers dropped his cell phone at the scene and that
along with the treatment the wounded attacker received at a local
hospital helped police track the criminals down.
WGAL, Lancaster, Pa. 12/28/09
Posted on January 4, 2010
A 24-year-old resident of Lancaster, Pa. was walking home around
8:30 p.m. when two criminals began to follow him. The intruders
followed the young man all the way into his apartment, with one of the
criminals drawing a gun once inside. The resident retrieved his own
handgun and fired at the criminals, who fled the scene.
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WPVI, Philadelphia, Pa. 10/11/09
Posted on October 13, 2009
A criminal confronted a man in Philadelphia, Pa., hoping to make the
man his third robbery victim of the night. The man, a Right-to-Carry
permit holder, refused to go along with the robber’s plan; instead he
drew his gun and fired at the criminal, striking and killing him. After a
preliminary investigation, police do not have plans to charge the
permit holder.
Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia, Pa. 08/10/09
Posted on August 11, 2009
An armed gunman entered the Tony’s Place pizzeria in Philadelphia,
Pa. and demanded money. The owner of the pizzeria and his friend
began to struggle with the armed robber over his gun. During the
struggle the robber fired the gun twice, striking no one. After the shots
were fired the pizzeria owner, who is also a Right-to-Carry permit
holder, drew his gun and fired at the criminal, striking him twice and
ending the robbery. The armed robber was taken to a local hospital;
police note that he will be charged when he is released. Police do not
expect to press charges against the pizzeria owner.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pa. 11/22/08
Posted on November 26, 2008
A resident of South Philadelphia, Pa., returned home to find an
intruder in his bedroom. The resident, a right to carry permit holder,
drew his gun and told the intruder to leave. The intruder then grabbed
for the resident’s gun, resulting in a struggle in which the resident
shot the intruder in the chest, ceasing the attack. The intruder later
died at a local hospital.
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The Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, PA, 03/20/09
Posted on June 1, 2009
Coincidentally, another act by armed citizenry took place in a WalMart parking lot in March. In that incident, police say 28-year-old
Joshua Eastman was loading groceries into his vehicle when a
teenage thug pointed a gun at him and demanded cash. The quickthinking Eastman opened the door to his vehicle to form a barrier
between himself and the suspect. The clever act may have saved his
life. The suspect fired a shot through the door's window, which
narrowly missed Eastman but propelled glass shards into his face.
Eastman, a concealed-carry permit holder, drew his .32-caliber
handgun, dropped below the door and shot his assailant three times.
The suspect fled, but police located him nearby.
PennLive.com Cumberland County, Pa. 04/22/09
Posted on April 24, 2009
In the middle of the night, criminals Akeem Mallory and Todd
Davenport kicked in the door of 76-year-old Eugene Johnson in
Carlisle, Pa. Once inside the criminals announced to the inhabitants
that they had a firearm. Johnson, a retired Army sergeant and Korean
War veteran, retrieved his pistol and announced to the criminals that
he too was armed and aiming right at them. The burglars fled. The
police eventually tracked down both Mallory and Davenport and they
were taken into custody. At the burglars’ sentencing, Cumberland
County Judge Kevin A. Hess congratulated Johnson on his actions
stating. “My hat is off to you.” Even the attorney for one of the
defendants noted that the criminals are “lucky they weren’t killed.”
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Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, Pa., 11/14/08
Posted on February 1, 2009
DEAN WOODLING WAS stopping by his father's property when,
according to police, he saw a robber loading a truck with stolen items.
Woodling, who is a hunter, had a shotgun in the vehicle. "I jumped
out with the shotgun as he was coming out of the barn. ”Woodling
explained. "To say he was scared was an understatement."
Woodling, who has a concealed-carry permit and likes to keep a
firearm handy, held the suspect at gunpoint until police arrived. "The
way the world is, it's like American Express; said Woodling. "I never
leave home without it. Police cannot be everywhere all the time."
WPVI, Philadelphia, Pa. 11/13/08
Posted on November 17, 2008
Lloyd Cross, who owns Cross Cuts barber shop, in Philadelphia, Pa.,
was forced to defend himself against an armed robber. While Cross’s
9-year-old son played in a back room of the shop, an armed robber
entered the front and demanded money. Cross in an attempt to
appease the man, handed him some money. The robber, unsatisfied
with the amount, demanded more money from Cross. A struggle
ensued, in which Cross pulled out his gun and fired, striking the
robber and ceasing the attack. After the attack, Cross called 911. The
robber was taken to the hospital, were he was listed in critical
condition.
The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, PA, 05/31/08
Posted on August 1, 2008
Eugene Johnson was away when burglars first struck his home,
trashing it and stealing money. But he was home less than two weeks
later, when his wife heard someone kick in the back door. Johnson,
who spent nearly three years in a North Korean P.O.W. camp, quickly
got his pistol and intervened. The burglar said, "Don't move, I have a
gun," Johnson recalls. "I said, Buddy, I've got a gun, too, and it's
[aimed] right on you. Things got quiet then." Police say the suspect
had fled. "The home owner acted appropriately," said District Attorney
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David Freed." Criminals who break into occupied homes assume the
risk of being shot by the home owners."
The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, PA, 6/02/08
Posted on June 2, 2008
Eugene Johnson, a 20-year Army veteran who spent nearly three
years as a prisoner of war in North Korea, reacted quickly when his
wife heard someone kick in the back door of their Carlisle, Penn.,
home early Friday morning. Johnson grabbed his pistol and was
ready when a man appeared in the doorway of their bedroom. "He
said, 'Don't move, I have a gun,'" Johnson recalled. "I said, 'Buddy,
I've got a gun, too, and it's [aimed] right on you.” Knowing he faced
the armed homeowner, the burglar left the house in a hurry. "The
homeowner acted appropriately," Cumberland County District
Attorney David Freed said. "Criminals who break into occupied
homes assume the risk of being shot by the homeowners."
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh, PA, 4/15/08
Posted on April 15, 2008
When Darrell Benton, a retired Pittsburgh, PA, motorcycle officer,
was alerted to an intruder in his daughter’s house, he arrived to find
the rear door kicked off and the home itself ransacked. Benton shot
one of the burglars, then called police before shooting a second,
whom police now have in custody. Police spokeswoman Diane
Richard said of Benton, “It was an intrusion in the home. It was a
burglary in the home, and (Benton) was defending their home.”
The Morning Call, Allentown, PA, 12/06/07
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Posted on March 1, 2008
Rob Pierce, Jr. was walking to dinner when two men, one a selfproclaimed Crips gang member and the other wielding a handgun,
accosted him. With a gun to his back, Pierce was dragged across the
street to a dimly lit area and told he was about to be killed. "It was like
hell," he explained. Pierce, a concealed-carry permit holder, drew a
.357 revolver and shot one of the suspects, causing both suspects to
flee. They were later apprehended. Northampton County, Pa., District
Attorney John Morganelli said he hoped the incident would teach
"these young thugs" that the good guys might be armed. "We don't
expect our citizens to wait and get shot. As long as I'm district
attorney here, I'm probably going to err on the side of the citizen,"
Morganelli said, adding he supports concealed-carry laws.
The Record Herald, Waynesboro, Pa., 7/02/07
Posted on October 1, 2007
RESPONDING TO A knock at the door, 22-year-old Carri Humphrey
thought she saw another resident of the apartment building through
the peephole. Police say that when she opened the door, however,
two strangers forced their way in, one of them toting a .22-caliber
rifle. Humphrey's roommate, 24-year-old Michelle Reeder, heard
Humphrey's screams and ran to the bedroom where she retrieved a
handgun. Reeder returned to the front room, where she found
Humphrey being held at gunpoint. The intruder then trained the rifle
on Reeder and threatened to kill her. In response, she fired several
shots, striking her assailant once. The other suspect fled, but the
injured intruder continued to struggle, forcing Reeder to stab him. He
succumbed to his wounds at the scene as the young women fled to
safety.
The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa., 4/2/07
Posted on July 1, 2007
Two MASKED MEN apparently thought they could prey on an elderly
couple, but Alif "Betty" Feaster-Weeder's quick thinking prevented
their offensive. The 75-year-old woman was lying on a couch reading
when the men entered the home. One man asked, "Where's your
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money?" twice before she understood the seriousness of the
situation. The woman yelled for her husband, asleep in an adjoining
room, to get his gun. The mere suggestion of the firearm sent the
intruders running before the husband could respond.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Pittsburgh, Penn., 1/27/07
Posted on May 1, 2007
POLICE SAY A burglar kicked in Joseph Patrick's basement door
and began sifting through his belongings. Patrick, a much-liked
neighbor and World War n veteran, was well over twice the intruder's
age, but he had the great equalizer on his side: a firearm. Armed with
a .32-caliber handgun, Patrick ordered the man to lie on the floor and
spread his arms while he called police. When the intruder stood and
made a move, Patrick fired a shot, hitting the man and causing him to
flee. Patrick thought the suspect fled the home, but when police
arrived the suspect bolted from a closet and into the arms of a
responding officer. "I don't feel good about shooting that guy, but he
broke into my home," explains Patrick.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh, Pa., 10/26/2006
Posted on February 1, 2007
Two HOURS AFTER closing the convenience store where she works,
Sophia Lynn Stewart went to sleep in a back room. Then she heard a
crash. "It was real loud, like a bomb," she explained. Police say a
prowler used a rock to break a window and gain entry to the store.
Stewart grabbed her .357 revolver and went to investigate. She saw a
man in a dark hooded sweatshirt behind the counter. He threw an
object at her, and Stewart fired three shots, causing her assailant to
run from the scene. "I belong to the NRA. They teach me how to
shoot safely," said Stewart, adding she thought the suspect was too
frightened for a return visit.
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Tribune Review, Pittsburgh, PA, 09/26/06
Posted on January 1, 2007
Dan Brown believed a pair of burglars had been casing his auto
repair garage. "Someone had to have been watching us because
they came right after I left," he said. Police say two thieves confronted
Brown's wife, who was alone, and demanded money. Instead, she
grabbed a pole used to prop up car hoods and used it to strike the
biggest intruder, who then hit her on the head as she ran toward the
shop's office. "She got there and pulled out the gun we keep in the
drawer for protection," Brown said. The suspects promptly fled. Mrs.
Brown has since applied for a concealed-carry permit.
Times-Leader, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 04/28/06
Posted on August 1, 2006
An ex-con with an already extensive criminal rap sheet allegedly
broke into a residence with a crowbar. Once inside, he grabbed an
additional weapon, a Samurai sword, off the wall and accosted two
men and a woman inside the house. The two men proceeded to flee
the residence. When the alleged burglar tried to rob the woman, a
concealed-carry permit holder, she drew a firearm and shot her
assailant, then ran from the house. The man was booked on charges
of aggravated assault, terroristic threats, robbery and other charges.
Bucks County Courier Times, Levittown, PA, 08/26/05
Posted on December 1, 2005
At first, nothing seemed unusual about the man inquiring about a
DVD player at a Bucks County, Pa., pawnshop and check-cashing
business. But 10 minutes minutes after he left, he returned with two
accomplices, one of whom pointed a gun at the store owner. When a
female employee sought refuge behind a steel door, the gun-toting
man fired several shots at her. Outnumbered, the store owner drew
his gun and fired, striking two of the intruders, including the man who
was armed. One suspect lay injured on the floor until paramedics
arrived, while his accomplices fled only to be apprehended by police.
The store owner suffered a gunshot wound to his hand. "Certainly
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this should send a message to anyone who wants to carry out a
crime in Bucks County that you can't go around terrorizing people.
You may find yourself on the other end ...," said District Attorney
Diane Gibbons.
Tribune-Review, Greensburg, PA, 04/10/05
Posted on July 1, 2005
A resident of Hempfield Township, Pa., tried, at first, to halt a 3 a.m.
break-in at his house by firing two shots. The intruder allegedly used
a fireplace poker and his fists to break out a pane of glass, but
refused to heed the warning and then charged the homeowner. The
next time the homeowner fired his handgun he struck the bandit in
the legs and drove him out of the house. Police arrested the suspect
and later said he would be charged with multiple offenses. None of
the family members -- husband, wife or two young daughters -- were
hurt in the home invasion, a Pennsylvania state trooper reported.
Altoona Mirror, Altoona, PA, 02/25/05
Posted on July 1, 2005
Even after ramming a police cruiser with his own vehicle, a reckless
driver in Blair County, Penn., apparently thought he could run from
the authorities. But in the end he couldn't hide from an armed citizen.
The pursuit began shortly after midnight when police unsuccessfully
tried to pull over a car that had run a stop sign. After an extended
high-speed chase, the officer on the scene broke off pursuit, but
police soon found the suspect's vehicle overturned and unoccupied.
Shortly thereafter, the county's 9-1-1 center received a call about a
man attempting to gain entry to a nearby home, but responding
officers were not able to locate him. A few minutes later, a second
call from the residence said that the man had been found hiding in
the basement. Upon arrival police found a cornered suspect being
held at gunpoint by a female resident. He was positively identified as
the driver and taken into custody.
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Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh, PA 09/26/04
Posted on January 1, 2005
Leon and Eleanor Cash were spending a quiet evening in their
Natrona Heights, Pa., home when they heard suspicious sounds
coming from the kitchen. When they went to the kitchen to
investigate, a man dressed entirely in black forced his way into the
house by pistol whipping Mr. Cash. When the intruder pinned Cash
against a kitchen appliance, holding him down by his throat, Cash
called to his wife for help. She responded by grabbing their shotgun
and shooting the intruder. Ras-Saleem Hudson died at the scene and
no charges were expected to be filed against Mrs. Cash.
Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 12/31/04
Posted on January 1, 2005
A robber who entered an East Camden, N.J., store armed with a knife
found out that the store was not as soft a target as it appeared. When
he grabbed the owner of a store and threatened her with a knife, the
owner's husband retrieved his registered handgun. When the robber
refused to release the woman, her fired a shot that killed the
assailant.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh, PA, 12/19/04
Posted on December 1, 2004
An argument at his Fayette County, Pa., home had led Jerome Zuzak
to call police. The person who had started the argument left, but
returned, kicked in the front door, and began beating Zuzak. That was
when a 17-year-old retrieved a handgun and shot the attacker, fatally
wounding him.
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Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, 05/06/04
Posted on August 1, 2004
As her ex-boyfriend proceeded to kick in her back door, a Manor
Township, Pennsylvania, woman called police and then ran upstairs.
Fearing help would not arrive in time, the woman locked herself in a
bedroom and grabbed a rifle from under the bed. The man entered
the home and raced upstairs where he began pounding on the locked
door. When the woman's warnings to stop went unheeded, she fired
a shot, injuring him. Police arrived as the man was leaving and
placed him under arrest. Said one investigator, "He wasn't there to
deliver flowers. She was defending herself."
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 12/18/03
Posted on March 1, 2004
Alex Patlakh, owner of Rush Jewelers in North Philadelphia, shot one
of a pair of thugs during an attempted robbery and was wounded in
the struggle when a bullet grazed his head and another hit him in the
shoulder. It was not the first business robbery the Patlakh family had
experienced. In 1999, Patlakh's son, Brogdan, was killed when his
jewelry store was robbed. This latest attempt occurred just before
9:45 a.m. Two men stood at the door of the shop and motioned that
they wished to enter. Patlakh pressed a buzzer to open the door and
the men came inside, asking to look at some jewelry. One man
suddenly drew a gun, and a struggle ensued. Shots were exchanged,
leaving Patlakh and one of the robbers wounded. The second robber
escaped.
Daily Local News, Westchester, Pennsylvania, 11/07/03
Posted on February 1, 2004
Two armed men burst into a Coatesville, Pennsylvania, home and
demanded money from the two occupants in the living room. One of
the armed invaders went up to the master bedroom and threatened to
shoot or beat the couple in bed if they didn't hand over some money.
The man in bed, identified as Omar Reid, grabbed a pistol from the
nightstand drawer and shot the robber just as he shot at Reid. With
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one intruder down, Reid then raced down the stairs where he
encountered the second man and they exchanged fire. The second
home invader fled the scene. Reid was not injured during the gunfire.
The wounded invader was taken to the hospital.
New Castle News, New Castle, PA, 01/23/03
Posted on April 1, 2003
A Volant, Pa., man was having a bothersome morning because
someone kept calling and hanging up. Then the man received a call
from a neighbor telling him he'd seen six people get out of a car with
hoods, scarves and latex gloves and were now sneaking around his
house. The homeowner surprised the group of bandits when they
broke in, and he held one of the intruders at gunpoint for police. The
others fled the scene in a green Buick. Police made five arrests, and
the homeowner recognized one of the suspects as a boy who
attended his church and had spent time with his family in his house. "I
felt terrible," he said when he recognized the suspect. "I treated the
kid like a son. Everyone was right. They told me not to bring him
home."
Press Enterprise, Bloomsburg, PA, 10/26/02
Posted on January 1, 2003
A Berwick, Penn., convenience store owner's stepfather shot a man
when he attacked the owner with a claw hammer. Owner Barry
Masick was waiting on a "customer" who wanted to buy a soda and
chips, but didn't have enough money. The man left the store and
went over to a truck and then returned with a claw hammer and
struck Masick on the side of his head. Masick shouted for Albert
Evans, his stepfather and partner who lives with him in a house next
to the store. Evans came running in with a handgun loaded with
birdshot. When the assailant saw the gun, he raised the hammer
toward Evans, who shot him. The suspect fled the store, holding his
neck. The suspect later turned himself in to receive medical treatment
and was charged with felony robbery, theft and simple assault.
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The Express-Times, Easton, PA, 4/26/02
Posted on July 1, 2002
In a near-deadly ruse, a man entered a Forks Township, Pa.,
convenience store and nonchalantly went to the soda cooler, selected
a drink and brought it to the check-out counter. He then placed
money on the counter and the clerk rang up the sale. But when the
cash register drawer opened, the man dodged behind the counter,
grabbed the clerk with one hand and took money out of the register
with the other, said Police Chief Leon Fisher. The clerk and robber
struggled for a minute before she was able to break free, pull a gun
and fire, causing the robber to flee.
Patriot-News, Harrisburg, PA, 12/06/01
Posted on March 1, 2002
A BUSINESSWOMAN THWARTED A ROBBERY in her store when
she responded to a man's demand for cash by pulling her 9mm
handgun. Erin Moul, owner of a Carlisle, Pennsylvania, bookstore,
said she felt the man was up to something soon after he entered the
store. "He came in about 10 minutes before 6 and says, "Do you sell
any comic books,'" Moul recalled. When she told him no, the man
"meandered" around the store then came behind her counter. As
Moul backed away toward her purse, the man said he needed her to
open the cash register. When he repeated the demand, Moul
responded, "No, and I have a really good reason not to open my
register. You want to see why?" She then pulled out her handgun and
said, "Why don't you try robbing somebody who doesn't have a gun?"
At that, the man apologized and quickly fled. Moul called police, and
a suspect was in custody within an hour.
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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, Pa,, 10/ 17/01
Posted on January 1, 2002
An Allentown, Pa., man shot two men after they broke into his home.
The resident, Joshua Johnston, was upstairs when he heard noises.
Johnston went downstairs with a shotgun, and the intruders-wearing
ski masks-approached him. He thought one intruder was reaching for
a gun so he shot them. The pair apparently were acquaintances of
Johnston; it was reported that one of the men had threatened to
break into Johnston's home to collect a debt. "He didn't realize he
knew the two men until he shot them" said South Side police Sgt.
Dan Bonenburger.
Butler Eagle, Butler, Pa., 4/20/00
Posted on January 1, 2001
When Joe Clark noticed several youths attempting to steal his Ford
Bronco early one morning, he knew time was of the essence.
Grabbing his .45-cal. handgun, a naked Clark ran to his vehicle. "I
thought that grabbing my pants isn't going to save my life my gun is,"
he commented later. Given Clark's Fu Manchu-style mustache,
myriad piercings and tattoo-imprinted body, the Forward Township,
Pa., resident and proprietor of Tattoos by Booney Joe must have
appeared quite the terror to the gang. "The cops said they never saw
kids so scared in their life," said Clark of the suspects who were
quickly apprehended.
The Valley Log, Mount Union, Pa., 6/28/00
Posted on October 1, 2000
Betty Berkstresser had set out for a walk near her Pennsylvania
home one Sunday morning before church when she encountered a
strange gray fox. "Its lips were curled up and I saw its teeth. Right
away, I thought rabies," she said. Berkstresser kicked the animal as it
attacked, which gave her time to reach her .38-cal. Taurus revolver.
She got off three shots before the fox ran back into the weeds. "The
good Lord was really with me," said Berkstresser. Although she had
to undergo a series of inoculations to guard against the infection, she
admitted, "It could have been a lot worse."
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Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pa., 3/13/00
Posted on August 1, 2000
Juan Perez entered a Philadelphia grocery store to buy a jar of
pickles, but was lucky to emerge a short time later with his life. Perez
watched in horror as gunmen stormed in, put a gun to his head,
robbed him of $20 and forced him to lie on the floor. That's when the
ruffians went after the store's owner whose wife and children were on
the premises. As Perez lay fear-stricken on the floor, he heard one of
the would-be robbers tell the merchant, "Either give me the money or
I will shoot your child." At that, the merchant brought his own gun to
bear and opened fire on his two assailants. In the ensuing battle,
Perez was wounded in the shoulder by one of the armed robbers and
one gunman was killed. Perez later commented of the merchant's
actions flatly, "He was protecting his family." Another neighbor said, "I
think he did the right thing. He had to protect his wife and children."
The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, Pa., 2/2/00
Posted on April 1, 2000
Accountant Merlann Bechtel's heart sank as she watched a robbery
unfold on video surveillance in the back of the jewelry store where
she worked. Three men one wearing a ski mask and armed with a
gun entered the business in Lower Paxton Township, Pa., announced
a robbery and began strong-arming employees and smashing display
cases. Bechtel's valiant attempt to help her co-workers drew a hail of
fire from the gunman, said police, but she ultimately got the drop on
the crook after meeting him face to face. Firing twice from her own
gun, she shot the man in the abdomen, ending the horrific ordeal.
Fleeing suspects dropped off their partner at an area hospital and
were later arrested along an Interstate. "We are allowed to defend
ourselves against others when deadly force is used or threatened,"
said Harrisburg attorney Alan Michael Ross.
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Sharon Herald, Sharon, Pa., 10/5/99
Posted on January 1, 2000
A female Sharon, Pa., resident became frightened when a man
repeatedly knocked on her door before going to her garage and
picking up a chain saw. According to police, the woman grabbed a
.22-cal. handgun and went outside to confront the man. When she
pointed the gun at the man's head and ordered him to drop the saw,
he realized he had been trumped and repeatedly apologized before
fleeing the property.
The Times News Pocono Post, Gilbert, PA, 8/13/99
Posted on November 1, 1999
World War II veteran Clair Wallingford was in his Appenzell,
Pennsylvania, general store one afternoon when a man came in,
bought a soda and inquired about the distance to nearby Neola. He
apparently didn't like Wallingford's answer of 'five miles' because he
summarily reached inside his baggy clothing, declared he had a .45cal. handgun and demanded, "Give me your change box!"
Wallingford's response doubtless took the ne'er-do-well aback. He
produced a pistol of his own and said: "I got a .45, too. Who's going
to shoot first?" With that, the man fled. Wallingford, who trailed after
the man, quickly called the state police. "These people don't scare
me one bit," he later declared.
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, PA ; 7/4/99
Posted on October 1, 1999
Bartender Shannon Allen had no way of knowing that cutting off a
patron at her workplace, E-Jay's Tavern in Johnstown, Pennsylvania,
would lead to a deadly confrontation. After bouncers ejected Scott
Kniss from the bar, he returned minutes later bent on revenge and
armed with a handgun and a rifle. Firing 35 shots some of which
seriously injured Allen into the roomful of patrons, Kniss was finally
halted when bar owner Mike Jaber shot him twice with a .45-cal.
handgun. "I was forced to act in self-defense to protect myself, my
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employees and my patrons," said Jaber following the traumatic
incident.
Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 2/8/99
Posted on June 1, 1999
When two armed bandits set out to carjack a man in Philadelphis
early one morning, one was permanently relieved of his ability to
cause such mayhem in the future. The intended victim, who had a
permit to carry a gun, was behind the wheel of his minivan when the
assailants jumped out of their own vehicle and tried to take control.
The man exchanged gunfire with the rogues, sending one fleeing and
the other to a nearby hospital with fatal wounds.
Bucks County Courier Times, PA 2/14/99
Posted on May 1, 1999
Bucks County, Pennsylvania, resident Robert Ipri came to the rescue
of a bleeding 12-year-old boy one Friday afternoon soon after a
neighbor's cockapoo had attempted to save the same young lad. A
blood-thirsty, free- roaming pit bull terrier had begun savaging the
youth shortly before the smaller dog ran outside, making itself a
target. The out-of-control canine was preparing to go for the
youngster's throat when it was distracted by the smaller dog. Just
then, Ipri, who had taken notice of the melee, grabbed his .357 Mag.
handgun. He cautiously approached the pit bull and fired, striking the
enraged animal. The dog was later euthanized, according to police.
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New Era, Lancaster, PA, 2/1/99
Posted on May 1, 1999
A masked, knife-wielding would-be robber found himself befuddled by
his intended victims' lack of cooperation one Sunday night. Having
entered a Lancaster, Pennsylvania, grocery store, the robber
demanded, "Give me the money!" in Spanish. The store owner's son
feigned compliance by going behind the counter as if to access the
cash drawer. Instead, he picked up a .357 Mag. handgun and pointed
it squarely at the intruder. "Hey, you can't shoot me!" exclaimed the
frustrated thug, after which he shed his mask, discarded his knife and
ran from the store.
The Tribune, Scranton, PA, 11/2/98
Posted on February 1, 1999
When Scranton, Pennsylvania, cab driver Thomas Ristics was
dispatched to pick up a second fare, the man already on board put a
pistol to his head and said, "You're not stopping anywhere." Fearing
for his life, Ristics pulled the .357 Mag. revolver he is licensed to
carry and fired three times, wounding the man. Ristics then risked
driving the wrong way on a one-way street to seek help for his
assailant at a nearby medical center.
Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh, PA, 7/27/98
Posted on November 1, 1998
A 27-year-old Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pizza delivery man was
taking an order to what turned out to be a vacant house when he was
accosted by a teen who demanded, "Give me the food, give me the
money, give me your car, then I am going to shoot you in the head."
The delivery man's response was to pull a semi-automatic handgun-which he is licensed to carry--from his car and shoot his attacker. The
wounded would-be robber fled, but police later found him hiding in
nearby bushes. Police said the delivery man would not be charged in
the incident.
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Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 4/21/98
Posted on September 1, 1998
When two men attempted to rob 43-year-old auto mechanic Thomas
Ellerbee as he walked to his Philadelphia home one night, Ellerbee
feigned reaching for his wallet and instead pulled a .380-cal. Sig
Sauer pistol. He fired three shots, killing one assailant and injuring
the other one, whose relatives later took him to a hospital. According
to police, Ellerbee had a permit to carry a concealed firearm.
The Mercury, Pottstown, PA, 2/1/98
Posted on September 1, 1998
Two would-be robbers entered Ossie's Jewelers in Allentown,
Pennsylvania, one morning shouting "police emergency" and wildly
firing more than 20 rounds of ammunition from their guns. But store
owner Vernon Oswald, whose wife was also on the premises,
discouraged further mayhem by answering back with six rounds from
his .357 Mag. revolver. That was enough to send the thugs fleeing.
"The fact that Mr. Oswald shot back probably saved his life and that
of his wife," said Lehigh County District Attorney James Martin.
Reading Eagle/Reading Times, Reading, PA, 5/13/98
Posted on August 1, 1998
In yet another botched pizza shop robbery, two masked men walked
into Cara Mia Pizza in Reading, Pennsylvania, pointed a rifle at the
shop's owner and, when they could not open the cash drawer,
attempted to make off with the entire cash register. Recognizing the
dire nature of the situation, employee Anthony Ferrante, 39, ran to
the back of the store, retrieved his licensed 9 mm handgun, and
started firing at the bandits. The two men quickly fled the scene.
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The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 10/15/97
Posted on April 1, 1998
Rafael Fernandez's Philadelphia check-cashing agency had been
robbed one too many times. He obtained a right-to-carry permit,
determined that he would not be a victim again. While entering the
rear of his store one morning, he was approached by an armed man
who tried to force his way in. Fernandez drew his .45 cal. pistol and
shot the man, who died a short time later. An accomplice drove off at
the sound of the shots and was being sought by police.
The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 10/30/97
Posted on April 1, 1998
While he relaxed on the front porch of his Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
home, 71-year-old Leonard Carter was suddenly attacked by a drugcrazed thug. The two struggled and Carter managed to break free
and make it inside his home, followed by his much younger attacker.
Carter ran upstairs and retrieved a .38 cal. pistol while his tormentor
was in the kitchen arming himself with a knife. Carter confronted the
man and, when the intruder threatened to kill the homeowner, the
elderly gentleman fired two fatal shots.
The Times, Gettysburg, PA, 8/30/97
Posted on January 1, 1998
After her Carroll Valley, Pennsylvania, home was burglarized, Linda
Steinle bought a .40 cal. pistol and took courses to learn how to
safely use it. She heard a screen being knocked out of a back
window one morning and, pistol in hand, went to investigate. She
found three teenagers discussing breaking into her home and getting
ready to hot-wire the ATV parked under her back deck. Steinle told
them to freeze. She said, "Don't do anything stupid ... I know how to
use this." She led the three into her home where she dialed 911 and
held them for police. The three face charges of criminal conspiracy
and attempted burglary.
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The Morning Call, Hilltown, PA, 6/29/97
Posted on November 1, 1997
Jeffery Brobst, of Hilltown, Pennsylvania, knows the value of having a
firearm for protection. When he awoke early one morning to hear
someone in his home, he alerted his sister, had her call 911, got his
.22 cal. rifle and went to the top of the stairway in their two-story
home. There he saw an unknown intruder and said, "Don't come up
the stairs." The knife-wielding invader ignored the warning and
headed towards Brobst, who shot him in the upper chest. Brobst
ordered him to put the knife down and then held the crook at bay until
police arrived.
The Herald Mail, Hagerstown, MD, 3/15/97
Posted on October 1, 1997
A history of alleged physical abuse by her ex-boyfriend, William
Barbour, convinced Christine Pittman of Guilford Township,
Pennsylvania, to buy a .25-cal. pistol. When he broke through a
dead-bolted door into her home early one morning, she dialed 911
and then gave her pistol over to her boyfriend, Patrick Atkinson.
When Barbour rushed Atkinson, the new boyfriend loosed five shots
into his attacker. The shooting was ruled a justifiable homicide by the
District Attorney as Atkinson "reasonably feared for his own safety
and that of Christine Pittman." Barbour had a history of abuse and a
criminal record.
The Times Herald, Norristown, PA, 5/24/97
Posted on September 1, 1997
A Norristown, Pennsylvania, woman was walking home when she
was viciously attacked by two pit bulls. Hearing the woman's
screams, Ernest C. Webb came to the rescue with his .380 cal. pistol
after first calling 911. When one of the dogs turned on him, he shot it,
hitting it in the leg. Both dogs ran off. The dogs are thought to belong
to drug dealers who use them for protection and enforcement in the
high-crime neighborhood.
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The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 1/23/97
Posted on April 1, 1997
The robber yelled for everyone to "hit the floor" in the Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, tavern and began firing. A few shots hit the ceiling, and
one struck bartender Natalie Biggs in the hip. When his gun jammed,
a wounded Biggs grabbed a .38. Several of her shots found her
attacker who staggered from the building. He was found dead nearby
slumped behind the wheel of his car. Police said the dead man had a
history of arrests involving offenses that included rape and
aggravated assault.
The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 12/16/96
Posted on March 1, 1997
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, city councilman Richard Mariano was
winding up his midnight town watch shift when he noticed a strange
man walking in his neighborhood. When next he spied the man sitting
behind the steering wheel of a neighbor's van, he confronted the
would-be car thief. Mariano used a few Tae Kwon Do moves to
subdue the angered suspect and then held him with his .380 Smith &
Wesson as a fellow town watch neighbor called police. The
newspaper article said Mariano is "one of three city councilmen who
are licenced to carry arms. You know, the sort of fellas you don't want
to mess with, especially on a dark street in the middle of the night."
The Republican & Evening Herald, Pottsville, PA, 8/26/96
Posted on February 1, 1997
Harold Whitley sat watching television with his daughter and
granddaughter in his Forestville, Pennsylvania, apartment when a
man barged in holding a pistol and demanding money. As the man
searched the apartment for cash, Whitley was able to retrieve his .22
cal. Remington rifle. A confrontation ensued and Whitley mortally
wounded the suspect with several shots. The suspect had a criminal
record dating back to 1979 and had cases pending against him for
burglary and criminal trespass when he died.
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The Daily Record, York, PA, 4/25/96
Posted on September 1, 1996
Pulling up to his bank's ATM, Allan Carlson thought he was safely
away from the traffic dispute in which he had been engaged just
moments earlier. Suddenly, the three men pulled up, blocking
Carlson's vehicle in its parking spot and jumping from their car. The
Etters, Pennsylvania, resident warned the men to leave him alone
and that he was armed, but still they approached. Even two warning
shots into the ground failed to slow the advance of his would-be
attackers, forcing Carlson to finally shoot one of them. Police refused
to charge the armed citizen with any wrongdoing after reviewing
video tape from a bank surveillance camera that revealed Carlson
had done everything possible to avoid the confrontation.
The Sun Gazette, Williamsport, PA, 3/21/96
Posted on September 1, 1996
"I think he was as scared of me as I was of him," said 84-year-old
Williamsport, Pennsylvania, resident Harold Toler after confronting a
burglar in his home. Toler and his wife were awakened by a
commotion on their first floor. Toler grabbed his gun and went to
investigate as his wife called police. Upon seeing the armed
homeowner, the housebreaker begged him not to shoot, then quickly
ran from the house. Police arrested the suspect within the hour.
The Times, Reading, PA, 10/13/95
Posted on March 1, 1996
Ottis Spigelmyer, manager of a Reading, Pennsylvania, bus terminal,
was working at his desk when the barrel of a sawed-off shotgun was
stuck in his face by one of three armed robbers. Spigelmyer pleaded
with the man not to hurt anyone and agreed to give him money, but
instead retrieved his own revolver and fired, mortally wounding the
shotgun-wielding crook. Spigelmyer, who has a concealed carry
permit, also fired at the other two robbers, who ran for their lives.
Authorities said the shooting was justified.
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The Valley News Dispatch, New Kensington, PA, 8/3/95
Posted on November 1, 1995
A Parks, Pennsylvania, man, suspected of at least 43 break-ins at
elderly residents' homes, was finally arrested after one of his
intended victims, a 59 year-old woman who had chased the man from
her home with a 20-ga. shotgun, picked him out of a police line-up.
The woman had purchased her shotgun following a previous break-in
last year. When this intruder came calling, she confronted the crook
in her kitchen. The man ran from the woman's home when he saw
her armed with the big-bore gun. The face-to-face confrontation
offered her a clear view of the suspect.
Courier Times, Bucks County, PA, 7/12/95
Posted on November 1, 1995
The young thug became angry after discovering the wallet he had just
stolen from a handicapped Bensalem, Pennsylvania, man was empty.
Cursing his victim, the robber charged the crutches-bound man and
grabbed him. The victim then drew a .25 and fired a shot that
"whizzed through the attacker's buttocks." The suspect fled and was
later arrested after seeking treatment at a hospital.
The New Era, Lancaster, PA, 4/6/95
Posted on September 1, 1995
The sound of a hunting rifle being loaded was all it took to send a
hungry intruder scurrying from a Brownstone, Pennsylvania, home.
Despite a well-lit house, somebody jimmied locks, slipped through the
garage, and made his way into Benny Pruden's kitchen, while the
homeowner worked on a computer upstairs. Pruden heard the
refrigerator open, but never had the chance to actually see his
unwelcome guest as the criminal or criminals instantly fled at the
sound of him loading his .308. A purse and briefcase taken from the
home were found in a neighboring yard.
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The Herald, Sharon, PA, 4/3/95
Posted on August 1, 1995
A crazed teenager screaming "Satan will get you," chased a
Hermitage, Pennsylvania, woman into her home, then tore a sliding
glass door from its track. The woman then pulled a .22 cal. gun on
the intruder, who fled at the sight of the firearm. The teen, who had
been recently prosecuted in another community, was arrested 15
minutes later by police who had to use pepper spray to subdue the
suspect.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 2/18/94
Posted on May 1, 1995
He would have preferred another way, but Philadelphia minister
David A. Venable, 73, had to send a violent intruder to meet his
Maker. The robber burst into Venable's kitchen, attacked him with a
knife and burned him with hot grease from a frying pan. Pretending to
retrieve money, Venable reached for and emptied his five-shot .38,
killing the criminal, a repeat offender. "God was definitely with him,"
said a family friend of the Baptist preacher.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 8/31/94
Posted on November 1, 1994
A burglar making the rounds through a Philadelphia apartment
building made a big mistake when he broke into Jack Arnold's place.
The off-duty firefighter was awakened by a banging on his front door.
After calling 911, he retrieved his gun and hid in the bathroom. When
the burglar broke down the front door, Arnold confronted him. That's
when the bandit raised a crowbar and attempted to strike him. But
before he could land a blow, Arnold fired two shots from his .32,
critically injuring his assailant. No charges were filed against Arnold.
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The Courier Times, Levittown, PA, 8/2/94
Posted on October 1, 1994
"If homeowners shot a few more burglars, it might act as a deterrent
to the next guy thinking about breaking in somewhere," said Bucks
County, Pennsylvania, District Attorney Alan Rubenstein. He made
these remarks after announcing that no charges would be filed
against Frank Luciano, who shot and killed a man breaking into
Luciano's tool shed. Luciano and the culprit, a career criminal just
released from prison, engaged in a struggle that ended with a blast
from Luciano's 12-ga. shotgun.
American Rifleman: October 1994
Posted on October 1, 1994
A PRICE IS PAID I read the story of Michael Malloy who shot and
protected himself against a would-be robber in your August issue
"Armed Citizen." For his brave deed, he was fired by the Philadelphia
Inquirer for carrying a gun even though he had a permit and probably
saved his own life. * Richard J. Ricchetti, Pennsylvania * "Readers
Write," p. 10
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pa, 4/30/94
Posted on August 1, 1994
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 promises 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."
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The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 5/23/94
Posted on August 1, 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 New Era, Lancaster, PA, 3/22/94
Posted on June 1, 1994
Attempting to help a customer who had entered his Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, store, Jose Medina bent over to get cooking oil off a
shelf. As he did so, the "customer" whipped out a baseball bat and
smashed Medina over the head several times. Although injured and
bleeding from a large cut, Medina managed to grab a pistol from
behind the counter, prompting the assailant to flee.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 12/30/93
Posted on April 1, 1994
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.
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The Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, 12/2/93
Posted on February 1, 1994
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 Daily Local News, West Chester, PA, 5/1/93
Posted on September 1, 1993
His suspicions aroused by a customer's unseasonably heavy dress, a
Westtown, Pennsylvania, gas station attendant was ready when the
man drew a pistol and demanded money. Instead of complying, the
former Marine pulled his own licensed gun and fired at the gunman.
Apparently wounded, the thug fled.
The Daily Record, Coatesville, PA, 3/9/93
Posted on July 1, 1993
Minutes after an alarm sounded down the street, Blaine Huey's dog
started to bark. Huey, working in the back yard of his Embreeville,
Pennsylvania, home, walked in and found a man in the living room.
After the man tossed a coal bucket at him, Huey shot him twice with a
10 mm pistol. The wounded burglar ran, but collapsed in the
basement. Police said Huey was justified in shooting the intruder.
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The Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, 2/16/93
Posted on June 1, 1993
A 99-year prison sentence meant only a few years in the pen for a
convicted murderer and bank robber before he was free to embark on
a new crime spree. His criminal career ended, however, when
Manchester, Pa., bar owner Richard Schmitt traded shots with and
killed the hoodlum as he struggled with and wounded several patrons
during a robbery attempt.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 2/25/93
Posted on May 1, 1993
Two would-be robbers didn't get what they expected when they
pulled a knife on a man in the parking lot of an Exton, Pa., grocery
store and demanded his money. "I don't think so," replied the man,
who then pulled a licensed handgun, prompting the pair to beat a
hasty retreat.
The Times-Leader, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 12/9/92
Posted on April 1, 1993
Dozing one evening at his Exeter, Pa., office, Jim Pisano was
awakened by the barking of his dog. Sitting in stunned amazement,
he watched as two men smashed out his office window, reached in
and grabbed one of his hunting rifles. Reaching a pistol on his desk,
Pisano fired several shots, apparently wounding one of the burglars,
and putting them to flight.
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The Bucks County Courier Times, Levittown, PA, 11/6/92
Posted on March 1, 1993
Charlie Mikos of Bensalem, Pa., had just gone to bed when he was
roused by his daughter's screams and the sounds of a struggle.
Running downstair, he found a man holding what later turned out to
be a stun gun to her head. Grabbing his pistol, Mikos trained it on the
man, convinced him to cease his assault and held him for police.
The Daily Times, ERie, PA, 10/22/92
Posted on February 1, 1993
Police scored an easy collar after an Erie, Pa., homeowner heard a
break-in, called police and then grabbed his rifle. Confronting the
intruder, the homeowner forced him to retreat outside, right into the
handcuffs of arriving officers.
The Evening News, Harrisburg, PA, 10/27/92
Posted on January 1, 1993
Answering a knock on the door of his Harrisburg, Pa., apartment,
Tony Thompson was greeted by a man brandishing a gun. During the
ensuing struggle between the homeowner and the masked gunman,
Thompson was shot in the arm but managed to get his own gun and
fire, killing his attacker.
The Daily Local News, West Chester, PA, 9/1/92
Posted on November 1, 1992
Hearing suspicious noises outside his home early one morning, a
West Goshen, PA., homeowner--already on alert after his car had
been stolen two months earlier--picked up his 9 mm pistol and
investigated. Outside he found two men loading his gas grill into their
car. He ordered them to stop and held them at gunpoint for police.
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The Daily Record, York, PA, 8/10/92
Posted on November 1, 1992
Talking with several friends outside a York, Pa., restaurant, Barb
Wallace was shocked to see one of her party randomly attacked. The
two men sparred, but Wallace's friend was knocked to the ground
and kicked, his cheekbone crushed. When the attacker turned his
attention to Wallace--who works as a prison guard--she pulled her
revolver. The man fled.
The Times, Trenton, NJ, 7/28/92
Posted on October 1, 1992
Shoved aside by a strongarm thief who vaulted the counter and
began looting the till, the clerk of a Bristol, Pa., convenience store
simply pulled his licensed revolver and fired a single shot. The blast
had the desired effect, driving the man from the store.
The Beaver County Times, Beaver, PA, 7/13/92
Posted on October 1, 1992
Two self-described "feisty" senior citizens were more than a match for
an armed intruder who entered their Ambridge, Pa., home, apparently
intent on burglary. As the crook pointed a pistol at her, Jean
Hankinson screamed for her husband Melvin to get the shotgun. As
Melvin grabbed for his scattergun, the thief ran downstairs and dove
through a window. Police said he apparently took a set of car keys
and the next night tried to take the Hankinson's car, but was again
driven off.
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The Trentonian, Trenton, NJ, 4/25/92
Posted on August 1, 1992
Araina Thompson, beaten repeatedly by her former boyfriend, knew a
court order would not keep her safe when he was released from jail,
so she took the precaution of buying a pistol. When he showed up at
her Bensalem, Pa., apartment, violating the court order for the third
time, and began to beat her, Thompson got her pistol and shot and
killed him.
The Tribune, Scranton, PA, 3/10/92
Posted on May 1, 1992
Hugh Davitt of Scranton, Pa., stopped his car to talk to a group of
teenagers after they snowballed his car. Instead of talking, the youths
began to beat Davitt. After one of them sprayed him with Mace, Davitt
pulled his registered pistol and fired a single shot, wounding one of
his assailants and stopping the attack. Authorities said Davitt acted in
self-defense and would not be charged.
The Times Herald, Norristown, PA, 12/16/91
Posted on March 1, 1992
Sweeping the walk in front of his Norristown, Pa., restaurant, Long
Som heard his 10-year-old daughter screaming. Som pulled a pistol,
for which he has a permit, and ran to where she had been loading
boxes in the car, to find a man trying to carry her away. Deciding Som
was serious after the businessman fired several shots in the air, the
attacker dropped the girl and ran away.
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The Times, Reading, PA, 10/31/91
Posted on February 1, 1992
After telling the fare in the back how much he owed, Reading, Pa.,
cabbie Jeff Scheidt found hmself looking into the muzzle of a pistol
instead of making change. After turning over his cash, Scheidt pulled
a pistol when the gunman started to get out of the cab and shot and
held the thug for police.
The New Era, Lancaster, PA, 10/12/91
Posted on February 1, 1992
Burton Sheaffer was working in his Lancaster, Pa., grocery store
when a man entered and tried to rob him at knife point. Instead of
complying with the robber's demands, Sheaffer pulled a handgun and
shot and mortally wounded him.
The Sun Gazette, Williamsport, PA, 8/2/91
Posted on December 1, 1991
Napping in his Muncy, Pa., area home, 84-year-old Harold Fry
snapped awake to find two teenage intruders holding a gun on him.
As Fry got up from the sofa, he informed the youths he was getting a
gun of his own. As he went for a rifle in a corner, the two fled.
The Patriot News, Harrisburg, PA, 8/26/91
Posted on November 1, 1991
Hiking with his young son on the Appalachian Trail, Dauphin, Pa.,
resident Theodore Smith--a federal prosecutor--met another man at a
trail shelter. When the man began acting oddly and then threatened
them with a bayonet, Smith pulled his pistol. Startled, the man fled,
but was later apprehended by police. The incident took place near the
site of a double murder on the trail the year before.
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The Republican, Pottsville, PA, 5/8/91
Posted on July 1, 1991
Wayne Rockman of Tremont, Pa., was pulling up to his home when
he noticed two men attempting to steal his motorcycle. When
Rockman tried to intervene, the thieves made threats and started for
him. Rockman fired a warning shot which momentarily halted the two,
but when they continued their approach, he shot and wounded one
and held the other until police arrived. Police said the shooting was
justified.
The Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, PA, 3/12/91
Posted on July 1, 1991
Austin Snyder reached for his lunch when a thief tried to rob the
Portland, Pa., store where he works, but he didn't offer him a
sandwich. When the masked robber, armed with a pistol, entered the
store, demanded money and threatened to kill him, Snyder started
taking the money out of the cash drawer, then reached into his lunch
bag, pulled the .357 revolver there and fired twice, hitting the criminal
both times. The robber staggered from the store and onto a nearby
bridge, where police apprehended him.
Bucks County Courier Times, Levittown, PA, 2/12/91
Posted on June 1, 1991
Alerted by his wife, former police officer Ernest Nuskey knew what to
do when a man tried to steal his car from outside his Bensalem, Pa.,
home. He picked up his handgun, ran outside in his underwear, and
held the thief at bay until police arrived.
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The Sentinel, Carlisle, PA, 2/20/91
Posted on June 1, 1991
An unloaded rifle equipped with a bayonet was enough to scare an
intruder away from a Mechanicsburg, Pa., woman's home. The
woman got the rifle from the bedroom when she heard a noise and
saw the back door start to open. When she saw a boot coming
through the door, she charged, and the intruder fled.
The Times, Reading, PA, 12/26/90
Posted on March 1, 1991
Hearing breaking glass early Christmas morning, James C. Ruoff of
Reading, Pa., grabbed a .357 Mag. and went to investigate. He found
a ski-masked burglar breaking through a door leading to his home
and business, and ordered him to stop. When his warning went
unheeded, Ruoff killed the criminal, who had a long record, with a
single shot to the neck.
The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 8/27/90
Posted on February 1, 1991
Alan Coggan was sitting with his wife and son in their Northeast
Philadelphia home when a group of men began pelting the house
with stones and bottles. When the men kicked in the door and
entered the home, Coggan grabbed his revolver and forced them
back outside. When three of them rushed him, he responded by
shooting two. Police said the group was looking for another man but
by mistake went to Coggan's home.
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The Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, PA, 5/25/90
Posted on November 1, 1990
Hiker Edward Driggers was staying in a church-run hostel on the
Appalachian Trail when he and fellow hikers were confronted by a
belligerent drunk. After threatening them with a knife, the man
assaulted Driggers with a shovel. Driggers drew a revolver from his
pack and shot his attacker. Police charged the assailant with
aggravated assault, simple assault and terroristic threats.
The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 4/11/90
Posted on June 1, 1990
John Nieves was tending bar in Philadelphia when six robbers came
in shooting. The intruders shot a customer in the face and then held a
shotgun to Nieve's face. Knocking away the gun, Nieves came up
firing with a handgun he had purchased that morning, killing one
robber and wounding another. The remainder fled, with a third
apprehended later by lawmen.
The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 1/4/90
Posted on April 1, 1990Municipal Judge Charles Margiotti, Jr., heard
glass breaking in his East Falls, Pa., home, and he got his revolver
and went downstairs to investigate. He saw a man with a shiny object
in his hand climbing through the window; the judge shot and wounded
the intruder. Police found a screwdriver in the man's hand, and the
judge found a gun lying outside that had apparently been dropped by
the would-be burglar.
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The Press, Pittsburgh, PA, 9/22/89
Posted on January 1, 1990
Wilson Brown, 84, and his wife were watching television in their
Pittsburgh, Pa., home when a man climbed through their apartment
window. The intruder wanted money, and Brown gave him $2--all he
had. But the robber wasn't satisfied, and he put a knife to the wife's
throat and demanded more. Brown went to the bedroom, returned
with a revolver and fired on his wife's assailant. He let go of her and
jumped out the window.
The Daily News, McKeesport, PA, 5/24/89
Posted on August 1, 1989
It wasn't the first time that a man had shown up at Fred Gravely's
McKeesport, Pa., home demanding money from the 79-year-old
homeonwer. When next the man entered the home, the elderly
resident refused to hand over his money and the intruder began
beating him. Gravely went to a bedroom, grabbed a revolver, and
when his assailant attempted to strike him again, Gravely fired. The
seriously wounded man has a long criminal record.
The Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster, PA, 1/28/89
Posted on May 1, 1989
A knife-wielding man who'd just robbed a Lancaster, Pa., store
started for his car, but the clerk's cries alerted Fred Ringbloom. The
citizen began chasing the robber; a delivery van driver who heard the
commotion blocked in the man's car, forcing the thief to try to escape
on foot. Ringbloom, meanwhile, had been joined by another man and
they chased the robber down the street. Apparently winded, the man
stopped and brandished a knife at his pursuers. Ringbloom, though,
drew his registered semi-automatic handgun and held the man for
police.
The News-Herald, Franklin, PA, 11/28/88
Posted on March 1, 1989
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Ignoring a court order that prohibited him from seeing his former
common-law wife, a man forced his way into Laverne Folk's Center
Township, Pa., home and began beating her. Folk had called the
state police as the man broke in, but she was forced to shoot and kill
her assailant before help could arrive.
The New Era, Lancaster, PA, 11/14/88
Posted on March 1, 1989
Two men forced their way into DeJesus Mendez's Lancaster, Pa.,
home, put a knife to his ribs and demanded money. The homeowner
tried to grab the knife, and during the struggle he called to his wife.
She showed up with a handgun and fired on her husband's
assailants, causing them to flee.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 10/10/88
Posted on December 1, 1988
Jackson Watkins was watching television when he heard someone
remove a third-floor window at his North Philadelphia, Pa., home.
Watkins, armed with a handgun, went upstairs where he was charged
by an intruder. The 72-year-old homeowner fired a single shot, killing
his attacker. No charges were filed against Watkins.
The New Era, Lancaster, PA, 7/28/88
Posted on October 1, 1988
Ronks, Pa., blacksmith David Fisher and his son watched a car with
its headlights off drive up and down the road in front of their shop.
They shortly heard someone breaking in, and the father and son
armed themselves with a shotgun. Approaching the shop from
different directions, they caught two intruders. Meanwhile, two men
who'd left the scene in the car returned, and the Fishers captured
them also, holding all four for police.
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The Telegraph, Brownsville, PA, 5/6/88
Posted on July 1, 1988
John Ben Smitley was preparing to open his Brownsville, Pa., grocery
store when a ski-masked robber crashed through the front door and,
while pointing what proved to be a BB gun, issued demands for a
"money bag." Reaching into the back of his pants, Smitley instead
drew his own handgun and opened fire, killing the bandit.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 1/31/88
Posted on June 1, 1988
Previous break-ins at his Germantown, Pa., home prepared Mark
Robin for an early morning burglary attempt. Firing his revolver, 49year-old Robin sent the intruder to flight. Police arrested a wounded
suspect who was later charged with burglary, criminal trespass and
attempted theft.
North Hills News Record, Pittsburgh, PA, 1/19/88
Posted on May 1, 1988
Jon Old of Hampton, Pa., has a history of foiling gas station robbery
attempts with a firearm, having previously stopped three hold-ups.
When a robber posing as a customer shot the attendant in the
shoulder, Old grabbed his own gun and fired, then took the wounded
suspect's gun and flagged down a passing police cruiser. No charges
were placed against Old.
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The Wayne Independent, Honesdale, PA, 11/10/87
Posted on March 1, 1988
After surprising a thief trying to run off with the cashbox from his
Dingmans Ferry, Pa., restaurant, Robert Edwards retrieved a
handgun from his office and held the intruder at gunpoint while he
phoned police. But when the thwarted thief began smashing furniture
and threatened Edwards with a broken chair, the restaurant owner
fired twice, wounding the man. Charges of aggravated assault and
theft against the suspect were dropped as a result of plea bargaining,
but the man pled guilty to making terroristic threats.
The Daily Local News, West Chester, PA, 4/30/87
Posted on July 1, 1987
Two men forced their way into James Biddison's East Whiteland, Pa.,
home claiming to be electric company employees. When the 79-yearold resident asked for identification, the men refused and proceeded
upstairs. Biddison got a shotgun from the living room and forced the
men from his home.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 11/20/86
Posted on February 1, 1987
Kee Kim's wife was behind the counter of their Philadelphia, Pa.,
grocery store when a man armed with a knife attempted to rob the
store. After the intruder grabbed her, Kim, who was in an aisle, drew
his registered .38 and shot the man. Following a struggle, the grocer
killed the would-be burglar. Police said the shooting was self-defense.
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The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 10/6/86
Posted on January 1, 1987
A neighbor entered Allen Johnson's Philadelphia, Pa., home,
brandished a knife and demanded money. Johnson got a pistol from
a dining room cabinet and shot the armed intruder, killing him. Police
said the slain man had a lengthy criminal history.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 9/30/86
Posted on December 1, 1986
The owner of a Bucks County, Pa., general store burglarized twice in
a month was prepared when a man broke into the store. Otto Spor
armed himself and confronted an intruder and following a struggle,
fatally shot the man. No charges were filed against Spor.
The Review Chronicle, Philadelphia, PA, 9/18/86
Posted on November 1, 1986
Two men broke into James Knipe's Philadelphia, Pa., home and
lunged at him with swords, "defying him to do something about it."
Knipe drew a gun and shot both intruders. Two wounded suspects
were arrested by police not far from the home and were charged with
burglary and other offenses.
The Dispatch, York, PA, 6/9/86
Posted on August 1, 1986
Observing two suspicious-looking men with knapsacks walking
between homes in his York, Pa., neighborhood, a resident armed
himself with a revolver. He confronted the pair coming out of a home,
and they fled, leaving behind their knapsacks containing $175 in
rolled coins.
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The News, Havertown, PA, 2/19/86
Posted on June 1, 1986
Holding a knife to the chest of an 85-year-old Upper Darby, Pa., man,
the robber demanded money. The would-be victim reached into his
pocket and, pulling out not money, but a licensed gun, sent the
robber high-tailing it down the street.
The News-Herald, Perkasie, PA, 2/5/86
Posted on May 1, 1986
When police in Perkasie, Pa., responded to a report of a burglary in
progress, they found music store-owner Harry McGonigal holding the
burglar at gunpoint spread-eagled facedown on the floor. Police
lodged four charges against the hapless burglar.
The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 1/20/86
Posted on April 1, 1986
After loitering in the Philadelphia bookstore for an hour, a "customer"
pulled a gun and began gathering the store's money. But, as a
customer walked in, distracting the gunman, clerk Bobbie Lee Nesbit
pulled his own gun from a shelf and wounded the robber four times.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 12/2/85
Posted on March 1, 1986
Two robbers, one with a switchblade knife, threatened Feasterville,
Pa., pharmacist Ray Brown. But, instead of producing cash, Brown
pulled a pistol and fatally wounded one robber with two shots.
The Daily Times, Clifford Heights, PA, 10/12/85
Posted on January 1, 1986
After robbing a Philadelphia grocery, the armed robber began leading
clerk Helen Rispo away at gunpoint. As they passed a counter, Rispo
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reached down, grabbed a handgun, and shot the thief in the chest,
fatally wounding him.
The Patriot, Harrisburg, PA
Posted on December 1, 1985
Returning home just before midnight, a Harrisburg, Penn., woman
found a burglar removing a stereo from her living room. Drawing a
pistol she held the man while she called the police. The intruder was
charged with burglary.
Tribune Review, Greensburg, PA, 8/13/85
Posted on November 1, 1985
Craig Dongilli was working alone in his Clairton, Pa., tavern when an
intruder suddenly sprang out, swinging a crowbar at him. Dongilli
managed to elude the attack, grab his pistol, and fatally wound the
attacker with two shots.
The Sentinel, Lewistown, PA, 8/14/85
Posted on November 1, 1985
Milheim, Pa., mother Patricia Wolfe was home with her son when she
heard a stranger enter her house. She called police, armed herself
with a pistol, and warned him to leave. When the intruder came at
her, she shot him twice, and held him for police.
The Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, PA, 8/9/85
Posted on October 1, 1985
Two masked robbers wielding knives were threatening Tannersville,
Pa., store owner Elsie May Wallingord, demanding money. They
changed their minds when her husband entered the store and
levelled a shotgun on them. They fled.
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The Morning Call, Allentown, PA, 5/25/85
Posted on August 1, 1985
Nathan Weisman, a 73-year-old West Allentown, Pa., man, was
awakened by a burglar in his home. He picked up a .38 cal. revolver
and investigated. Weisman fired one shot upon confronting the
intruder, who left the scene in a hurry. Police said they found what
appeared to be human excreta on the Weisman lawn, indicating the
burglar fled in fear.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 3/31/85
Posted on July 1, 1985
A 70-year-old Franklintown, Pa., businessman was making a deposit
at a banking machine when three men approached him. One man
pulled a handgun and demanded money. The businessman
answered with a shot from his own licensed pistol and wounded the
would-be robber. Police arrested three suspects at the scene and
indicated no charges would be brought against the businessman.
The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, PA, 3/22/85
Posted on July 1, 1985
NRA Life Member Michael Kane, his wife and two pre-school children
were asleep in their Marietta, Pa., home when he heard someone
breaking in the kitchen door. Kane grabbed a shotgun, went
downstairs and held the intruder until police arrived.
The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 2/9/85
Posted on May 1, 1985
Ron Marsh was working in the back room of his family's Philadelphia
grocery store when he heard a shot. He picked up a pistol,
investigated and found three men had punched, kicked and shot his
father. They were also looting the cash register. Marsh fatally shot
one of the men and critically wounded the others. No charges were
filed against Marsh, whose father was in stable condition in the
hospital.
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The News, New Castle, PA, 12/14/84
Posted on May 1, 1985
Awakened by her barking dog in the middle of the night, Carol Tonn
of New Castle, Pa., picked up a gun and investigated. She found a
would-be burglar hiding behind a couch in her living room and held
him until police arrived. The man was charged with burglary.
The Times, Reading, PA, 11/23/84
Posted on March 1, 1985
Gynell Smyre, 65, of North Philadelphia, Pa., used a .38 cal. pistol to
defend herself against a man who broke into her home, threatened
and finally shot her. Police found the intruder dead inside the
residence. Smyre was hospitalized in intensive care. The shooting
was ruled justifiable homicide.
The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 10/24/84
Posted on January 1, 1985
George Brown, 69, and his assistant, Jeanette Billups, did not like the
looks of two customers who entered their Philadelphia, Pa., grocery.
As the pair approached the cash register to pay for a sandwich, one
suddenly pulled a gun and fired four shots, two of which struck
Brown. Billups returned fire from the rear of the store. She hit neither
man but succeeded in driving them off. One suspect was captured;
the other escaped.
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The Pacific Stars and Stripes, San Francisco, CA
Posted on November 1, 1984
After hearing radio bulletins that two fugitives responsible for
wounding four persons were loose in the area, Lewis Run, Pa.,
resident William Huber armed himself as a precaution and kept an
eye out the window. His vigilance paid off when he spotted a man
trying to steal his three-wheeled recreational vehicle. Huber fired a
shot over the man's head, and the fugitive, accused of a long list of
violent crimes in the area, surrendered. "I'm a pacifist," said Huber,
"but I have my kids to protect. We're all avid hunters and the entire
family knows how to handle firearms."
The Daily News, McKeesport, PA, 5/11/84
Posted on October 1, 1984
Driving up to his Bernville, Pa., home, Earl Fitzgerald noticed an
unfamiliar car parked at the rear of the house. Shotgun in hand, he
quietly approached the back door and stopped an armed burglar on
his way out of the residence. Shots were exchanged, and the burglar
was hit in the face and hand before escaping through a woodlot. He
surrendered to police the same afternoon.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 6/26/84
Posted on September 1, 1984
Dante Porrazza, owner of a Philadelphia, Pa., check-cashing agency,
was attacked from behind by a part-time employee, who struck him
several times on the head wtih a blackjack and demanded money.
Grabbing a licensed revolver, Porrazza fired three shots, fatally
wounding the man. Police filed no charges against Porrazza.
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The Free Press, Quakertown, PA, 3/22/84
Posted on June 1, 1984
After three burglaries in which her lingerie was stolen, Milford
Township, Pa., homeowner Lorraine Slaughter began sleeping with a
gun next to her bed. She used the handgun recently when a man
broke in and entered her bedroom; she fired shots that killed him.
District Attorney Michael Kane said of the shooting: "the responsible,
law-abiding citizens of this county clearly have the absolute right
under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to protect
themselves, their families and their residences from the entry of
burglars."
The Burlington County Times, Burlington Co., NJ
Posted on May 1, 1984
William Kesler, 29, of Bristol Twp., Pa., obligingly admitted two
acquaintances into his apartment but then had to fight them off when
they attempted to rob him. One man wielded a knife, while the other
punched Kesler and sprayed him with teargas. Kesler, who was on
crutches because of knee surgery, got to a handgun and fatally shot
one attacker. The other was arrested later. Police said Kesler would
not be charged.
The Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on February 1, 1984
Philadelphia store manager Rubin Martinez, 45, defied a would-be
armed robber, saying: "If you want the money, you'll have to get it
yourself." When the criminal attempted to open the cash register,
Martinez drew a revolver, precipitating a "Mexican standoff" for a
moment before the gunman dropped his gun and raised his hands.
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The Morning Herald, Hagerstown, MD, 10/27/83
Posted on January 1, 1984
Police officer Chris Haldeman entered a Chambersburg, Pa., gold
and silver exchange to arrest a suspect in a stolen property case, but
the man resisted and a struggle ensued. The 220-lb. suspect had
Haldeman pinned to the ground and was choking him when
storekeeper Ken Cummings pulled his pistol and shot the officer's
attacker in the leg. The man, a known felon, managed to escape, and
Det. Haldeman was treated at a local hospital and released.
The Herald, Sharon, PA, 4/83
Posted on November 1, 1983
When a man burst into a Sharon, Pa., drug store and pointed a gun
at Ron Hietsch's head, the pharmacist's only instinct was to pull his
own .38 and fire. Hietsch dropped the gunman before he was able to
get off a shot and police arrested the wounded man on the scene.
The Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, 6/6/83
Posted on August 1, 1983
A Hopwood, Pa., pizza parlor was empty of customers when two
masked youths flashing knives entered and announced a holdup.
One young hoodlum moved into the kitchen and grappled with
proprietor Jim Thomas, knocking him to the floor. Thomas' wife
Rebecca retrieved a pistol kept in the shop and used it to halt the
attack, firing shots that hospitalized both assailants.
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The Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, 2/9/83
Posted on June 1, 1983
Edmond McMillar phoned authorities while two men he'd declined to
admit to his Pittsburgh apartment attempted to kick their way in.
McMillar looked for a place to hide, but was discovered when the
hoodlums burst through his door. The 66-year-old resident backed
away until he was against the wall, then produced a pistol and shot
the advancing criminals. The wounded men were soon arrested.
The Eagle, Reading, PA, 2/17/83
Posted on May 1, 1983
A masked man bearing a knife pushed his way into the Harry Ottey
residence in rural Berks County, Pa. The thug forced Mrs. Ottey into
the living room where he confronted her husband. The homeowner
responded by tossing a chair at the man, then grabbed a shotgun. At
the sight of the gun, the would-be intruder ran and departed by
leaping through a kitchen window.
The Eagle, Reading, PA
Posted on December 1, 1982
Under the bed was no place to hide for a burglar in Reading, Pa.
Returning home from an evening out, Mrs. Basilino Cruz heard a
noise in the bedroom. She called to her husband to get his gun.
"Don't shoot!" the intruder cried out and surrendered. Police came
and took him away.
362
The Tribune, Chicago, IL
Posted on December 1, 1982
Linda Curtis was walking home from work when a man over-powered
and dragged her into a construction site off an Evanston, Ill., street.
As he began to assault her, Curtis, a police officer, pulled her service
revolver from her purse, shot and killed him.
The Tribune-Review, Greensburg, PA, 5/30/82
Posted on August 1, 1982
Rev. Charles White was offering counseling at his Philadelphia
church, but a man who entered wanted cash instead. He drew a gun
and tried to rob the minister, who drew his own .25 automatic and
opened fire, killing the would-be robber.
The Eagle, Reading, PA, 3/21/82
Posted on July 1, 1982
An armed robber disguised in the bizarre combination of a woman's
wig, makeup and overcoat was driven out of a Valley View, Pa., drug
store when an unidentified patron produced a pistol and shouted for
him to leave. The bandit beat a hasty retreat, diving into the trunk of a
waiting getaway car.
The Press, Pittsburgh, PA, 1/27/82
Posted on May 1, 1982
A stickup man threatened John Old with a knife and demanded cash
from the register of Old's Pittsburgh, Pa., gas station. But Old drew a
pistol instead and blasted the criminal in the thigh and hand. It was
the second time in less than four years that Old had had recourse to
his gun. "It's a hairy business out there at night," he said, "if I got
scared, I wouldn't be working at night."
The Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA, 11/15/81
363
Posted on February 1, 1982
"Oh no, not again," Robert Tomar thought as an armed robber who'd
robbed his Philadelphia pharmacy a week before came through the
front door. But this time Tomar was ready and opened up with a .38,
wounding the criminal and putting him to flight.
The Express, Lock Haven, PA, 9/10/81
Posted on December 1, 1981
A would-be burglar found himself kneeling and kissing the pavement
after he broke into the Williamsport, Pa., home of Cyril Conway. The
Conway family was awakened at 4:30 a.m. by the crash of glass in a
front room. Conway grabbed a .38 cal. revolver and went to
investigate. He encountered the burglar and fired a warning shot,
then commanded the criminal to kneel while awaiting police.
The Press, Pittsburgh, PA, 8/20/81
Posted on December 1, 1981
"We're going to have you and your money, too," a would-be rapist
told an unidentified Washington, Pa., woman as he molested her in a
shopping center parking lot. But the woman pulled a licensed .25
automatic instead and put the criminal and an accomplice to flight.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 5/18/81
Posted on September 1, 1981
John Mitchell and his wife, Hazel, were getting out of their car in front
of their Philadelphia home when a gunman jumped from the bushes
and knocked Mrs. Mitchell down. Pulling a revolver from her coat, she
fired at the attacker, as did her husband who had drawn his own
handgun. The slain gunman was being sought by police on a murder
warrant.
364
The Scrantonian, Scranton, PA, 2/8/81
Posted on June 1, 1981
Berthamae Fasching awoke in the wee hours to find a hoodlum
vandalizing her Clark's Summit, Pa., home. Fearing for the safety of
her three children, she fired a warning shotgun blast which put the
man to flight. Police found him cowering in the bushes outside the
Fasching home.
The Eagle, Reading, PA
Posted on May 1, 1981
Two farm equipment thieves made the mistake of picking the Oley
Township, Pa., property of Daniel Levengood on which to ply their
trade. As the pair loaded equipment onto a truck, Levengood and his
son arrived with a shotgun and held them for police.
The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, 1/16/81
Posted on April 1, 1981
An armed robber's greed gave Rubin Martinez the chance to foil a
holdup at his Philadelphia, Pa., grocery. When the stickup artist
demanded cash, Martinez told him to empty the cash register himself.
As the robber reached to scoop up bills, Martinez pulled his own gun
and held the man for police.
The Daily News, Lebanon, Pa., 9/25/80
Posted on January 1, 1981
A man entered the lobby of a Lebanon, Pa., hotel, approached the
front desk, and shoved a shotgun under the chin of night clerk
Eugene Bucher. Bucher deflected the weapon with his arm, drew a
revolver from beneath the counter, fired, and hit the would-be robber
three times. The wounded gunman then ran from the building.
365
The Herald, Titusville, PA, 10/8/80
Posted on December 1, 1980
Two men entered Mary Archer's Plumer, Pa., general store, and one
pointed a pistol at the 73-year-old proprietress and shouted "give us
all the money or else." Reaching under the counter, Archer produced
her own handgun, pointed it at the pair, and replied, "or else what?"
The men immediately fled.
The Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA, 9/21/80
Posted on November 1, 1980
When a man broke into her home at 2 a.m. and held a knife at her
throat, a Darby, Pa., woman surrendered $80. When he demanded
more, threatening to kill her, she snatched a .25 automatic from
beneath a couch cushion and fired one shot. Police followed a blood
trail to the suspect's nearby home and arrested him. Eight weeks
later, police said, the woman wounded a second burglar as he
crawled through her window about 1 a.m. He, too, was apprehended.
The Bucks Co. Courier Times, Levittown, PA, 5/9/80
Posted on August 1, 1980
When 16-year-old Christian Tomlinson heard someone inside his
Bensalem, Pa., home, he found a shotgun and began loading it. The
noise of the gun being loaded apparently convinced the intruder to
escape while he was still able. Police later found a suspect hiding in a
nearby vacant lot.
The Evening News, Harrisburg, PA
Posted on April 1, 1980
Timothy Lamprey, a police officer, was awakened by the doorbell at
his Fairview Township, Pa., home. As he reached for a bathrobe,
Lamprey heard someone break a window and come inside. When the
intruder, a 17-year-old boy, eased into the bedroom, Lamprey
grabbed his service revolver and apprehended him.
366
The Press, Pittsburgh, PA, 12/19/79
Posted on March 1, 1980
After his Elliott, Pa., cleaning shop was burglarized twice in three
weeks, Joseph Ware began sleeping behind the counter. When a
man smashed the front window and walked inside, Ware, armed with
a .38 revolver, turned on the lights and ordered the brick-toting
intruder to halt. His warnings ignored, Ware fired a shot into the floor.
When the man continued toward him, Ware shot him in the leg and
phoned police.
The Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, 12/10/79
Posted on March 1, 1980
A man walked into a Penn Hills, Pa., pharmacy and asked for cash
and drugs from owner Gene Swanson. To reinforce his demands, the
robber drew a pistol and shoved it into Swanson's neck. In the split
second the gunman turned to watch Swanson's wife enter the room,
Swanson pulled his revolver from his pocket and fired. Although
seriously wounded, the robber ran to a car and sped away, but was
apprehended minutes later by police.
The Patriot, Harisburg, PA, 12/14/79
Posted on March 1, 1980
A man with a pistol tucked under his belt entered a Harrisburg, Pa.,
clothing store, showed the gun to manager Herman Sigmon, and
demanded money. When the gunman grabbed Sigmon and ordered
him to open the register, Sigmon pulled a pistol from his own back
pocket. The surprised robber fled.
367
The Times, Gettysburg, PA, 11/21/79
Posted on February 1, 1980
When a man stole several tools from a Gettysburg, Pa., store and
fled on foot, store co-owner Edna Sterner and a female neighbor
gave chase. A 16-year-old boy preparing for a hunting trip noticed the
pursuit, pulled out his shotgun and detained the thief while the
women called police.
The Beaver County Times, Beaver, PA
Posted on January 1, 1980
Steve Menich, a disabled veteran, was sleeping alone at his
Ohioville, Pa., home when the burglar alarm sounded. Armed with a
pistol, Menich slowly searched the house. When he opened the cellar
door, he was attacked by several intruders. Struck on the head and
knocked to the floor, Menich still managed to fire several rounds at
the intruders, who quickly fled.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on December 1, 1979
Dr. Herbert B. Frank was working late at his Philadelphia, Pa., office
when two men, one armed with a pistol, waited until the office was
empty and then announced a holdup. Frank, who wears a .38 cal.
revolver under his smock, drew his gun and fired twice, killing one
man and seriously wounding the other.
368
The Mirror, Altoona, PA
Posted on December 1, 1979
After two break-ins at his Fallentimber, Pa., general store, Robert
McKee began sleeping in back. His vigil ended when, armed with a
.357 Mag. revolver, he surprised a trio of would-be burglars. When
McKee ordered them to lie on the floor, two obeyed but the third
charged him, wielding a large screwdriver. McKee fired and hit his
attacker in both legs with a load of birdshot. The three were held at
gunpoint until police arrived.
The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, PA
Posted on December 1, 1979
Security guard Samuel DeAngelo, Jr., was driving home when he
noticed a man armed with a sawed-off shotgun entering a Kernville,
Pa., grocery. Stopping in front of the store, DeAngelo drew his
revolver and waited. When the robber slowly backed out of the door,
DeAngelo ordered him to surrender; the startled robber complied and
was held at gunpont until police arrived.
The Forest Press, Tianesta, PA, 6/13/79
Posted on October 1, 1979
Responding to an alarm, the Tidioute, Penn., Fire Dept. found that a
truck had become entangled in live electrical lines. Rescuing the
driver was impossible until fire chief John McManigle took a high
power rifle and shot out the power transformers. The current thus
disconnected, the driver was removed from the vehicle and the fire
extinguished.
369
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 4/28/79
Posted on August 1, 1979
Mt. Airy, Pa., grocer Manuel Goodwin was eating lunch in the back
room of his store, when he heard someone say, "...give me the
twenties, or I'll blow your heads off." Goodwin armed himself with a
shotgun and went out front to find his wife and an employee being
held up by a masked, shotgun-armed bandit. Goodwin fired
immediately, and the would-be robber fled.
The Press, Pittsburgh, PA, 3/17/79
Posted on July 1, 1979
Seventy-six-year-old Dom Vivelo was minding his New Castle, Pa.,
service station when he heard someone say that the bank next door
was being robbed. Vivelo reached for his pistol and dashed into the
street just as the robber was fleeing the bank with a bundle of loot
under his arm. The feisty oldtimer gave chase, firing several shots
along the way, until the robber, who had terrorized the bank
customers, dropped the bag of money.
The Daily News, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on September 1, 1978
An armed robber grabbed William Miller's step-mother and
threatened to kill her if Miller didn't give him the money from his
Hatboro, Pa., grocery till. Miller looked toward the cash register and
said: "There it is, help yourself." When the burglar reached for the
money, the grocer reached for his own gun and fired, hitting the thief
in the shoulder. He fled, with Miller in pursuit. A passing truck driver
soon aided in the chase, and the robber was apprehended and held
for the police.
370
The Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on February 1, 1978
Two armed thugs who forced their way into the rectory of a
Philadelphia, Pa., Catholic Church got an unexpected reception. After
first terrorizing one of the priests in residence, the gun-waving pair
tried to break into the apartment of Msgr. Frederick Moors. Instead of
yielding, Msgr. Moors slammed the door in their faces and called,
"Jack, get your gun," to his assistant, Fr. John Farry. At the threat of
armed resistance, the two crooks beat a hasty retreat.
The Press, Pittsburg, PA
Posted on September 1, 1977
Three youthful hoodlums entered the East Liberty, Pa., gas station of
Jim Myers and demanded cash. When Myers refused, one began to
pistolwhip him. Myers drew his own cal. .38 revolver and opened fire,
wounding one thief and sending the others fleeing.
The Press, Pittsburgh, PA
Posted on August 1, 1977
William Hyde, 60, was alone in his Pittsburgh, Pa., furniture store
when a gang burst in and began beating him with a shotgun. He
blasted the group with a fire extinguisher, then opened fire with an
automatic pistol, killing one thug and wounding two others.
371
The New Era, Lancaster, PA
Posted on July 1, 1977
Eugene Gring's Lancaster, Pa., gas station had been the target of
robbers 30 times since 1960. On 27 of those occasions, Gring has
captured the crooks. The 30th occasion was much like the others.
Gring was awakened by a silent alarm at his home; he alerted his 20year-old son, and the pair headed for the station. There, they caught
the burglars and held them for police.
The Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on June 1, 1977
As an intruder bashed away at the front door of his North
Philadelphia, Pa., home, Yancy Sowell gave him several warnings.
Finally, as the door broke loose, Sowell fired with a shotgun, killing
the crook instantly.
The Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on January 1, 1977
A would-be robber was the one who was shocked when he fired an
electronic stun gun at Sidney Kerensky of Philadelphia. Only one of
the two darts fired from the device connected, and an enraged
Kerensky pulled his conventional pistol and fired three times in the
air, sending the man fleeing. The stun gun delivers a shock of 50,000
volts, but only if both darts strike the intended victim.
The Herald, Sharon, PA
Posted on August 1, 1976
When two late-night prowlers threw a rock against Floyd Jones'
Greenville, Pa., house, Jones sent the pair fleeing by firing two
shotgun blasts in the air. They reappeared moments later, and this
time Jones got the drop on them and marched them into the house at
gunpoint. He held them for police who found a loaded revolver on one
of the men.
372
The Allied News, Grove City, PA
Posted on March 1, 1976
Three young employees of a Barkeyville, Pa., truck stop had planned
to go deer hunting after work but hadn't planned on being held up by
a masked gunman. After emptying the truck stop's cash register, the
robber fled into nearby woods, but was soon captured by his trio of
victims who by then were all armed with deer rifles.
The Times Herald, Norristown, PA
Posted on February 1, 1976
Frederick Geasland returned to his Whitemarsh, Pa., home to find a
strange car parked in his driveway. He entered the house, found a
screen window ripped out, and got his gun. Returning outside he
encountered an intruder trying to escape in the car. Geasland halted
the man at gunpoint and held him for the police.
Daily Local News, West Chester-Paoli, PA
Posted on January 1, 1976
Rosario Messina narrowly escaped death in an ordeal which left him
beaten and stabbed in his West Chester, Pa., tavern. Two men broke
into the tavern about 5:30 a.m. intending to burglarize it, but found
Messina there. They stabbed and repeatedly beat him, but during the
struggle, Messina reached his .32 automatic and killed one of his
assailants. "There's no doubt in my mind they'd have killed me," he
said.
373
The Morning Call, Allentown, PA
Posted on December 1, 1975
Judy Golden will never forget her first day on the job at an Allentown,
Pa., men's clothing shop. At 5:07 p.m. a gunman wearing a ski mask
grabbed her arm and demanded money. She reached for the Colt
Detective Special .38 under the counter and fired, missing the man,
but driving him from the store.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA
Posted on November 1, 1975
James Thompson, a Homewood, Pa., tailor, recognized three men
who came into his shop as the trio which robbed him two weeks
earlier. This time the thugs, one armed with a razor, forced
Thompson into a back room. There he grabbed a revolver and
managed to wound two of his assailants. The third escaped.
The Daily Press, St. Marys, PA
Posted on August 1, 1975
Jeffrey Wallis, who lives above a Johnsonburg, Pa., hardware store,
was awakened one night by thumping sounds from below. Creeping
downstairs he spied two men apparently scraping ammunition into a
bucket. Wallis returned upstairs, grabbed his .22 rifle, told his wife to
call the police and then captured the crooks as they attempted to
leave the store. They were apprehended with two buckets of ammo
and 16 handguns.
374
Chester County Press, Oxford, PA
Posted on April 1, 1975
NRA Members Errol Galloway and Ralph Tolbert, both of West
Grove, Pa., returning to their car after fox hunting, found another car
parked nearby and heard the sound of glass breaking. When they got
closer, they saw a broken window and several items piled up outside
the second car and two youths inside. They held the suspects at
gunpoint until police arrived. The youths later were charged with theft
and three other counts.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on January 1, 1975
Forced to hand over a paper bag filled with money to an armed bandit
in a Philadelphia, Pa., grocery store, clerk John Hunter tripped a
silent alarm. Market owner Allen Ho heard the alert in a rear room
and rushed out front carrying a .38 revolver. After a brief flurry of
gunfire, the bandit was slain.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on December 1, 1974
A youth entered Ivery Johnson's South Philadelphia variety store,
asked for a soda, then announced, "This is a hold-up; put all your
money in a paper bag." Johnson, 64, told police: "I had a little .22 in
my pocket beneath my apron. I saw death and said to myself, if he's
going to shoot me, I'll get him first." He did. The youth dropped his
"gun"--a toy--and ran, wounded in the shoulder. Police picked him up
a few blocks away.
The Intelligencer-Journal, Lancaster, PA
375
Posted on September 1, 1974
Members of the "Sons of Satan" motorcycle club demanded that Ray
Frye, Mount Joy, Pa., bar and grill owner, serve them free drinks.
When he refused, they grew threatening. Frye drew his gun. "You
don't have the guts to shoot," the ringleader sneered and threw an
ashtray at him. Frye then shot the man in the shoulder. A jury
acquitted Frye of an aggravated assault charge. Judge Anthony
Appel, in congratulating the jury, termed Frye's acquittal "quite
proper" and upheld a man's right to defend himself and his business.
The Pittsburgh Press, Pitsburgh, PA
Posted on August 1, 1974
Facing a young hold-up man brandishing a knife, 82-year-old coin
shop owner Addison Smith drew his cal. .38 Special from a drawer.
During a brief scuffle between the two, Smith fired one shot. The
bandit then dashed out of the Pittsburgh, Pa., shop and was last seen
running furiously. Smith said that none of the thieves in six prior
robbery attempts at his establishment had ever managed to steal
anything.
The Sunday Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on May 1, 1974
Insurance collector Epaminodas Muniz was making his rounds in
South Philadelphia when he was accosted by two robbers. One
pulled a cal. .38 snub-nosed revolver and began firing at Muniz, who
retaliated with three shots from his own cal. .32 French automatic,
fatally wounding the gunman. Muniz was unharmed. Police captured
the other suspect.
376
The Anchorage Daily Times, Anchorage, AK
Posted on April 1, 1974
When a holdup man entered the Ellis Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pa., and
demanded money from the proprietor's wife, owner Frank Ellis
warned him at pistol point to stand still. Instead, the robber moved
and Ellis shot him in the leg. The suspect was charged with armed
robbery. Ellis was slapped with an aggravated assault charge.
The Indiana Evening Gazette, Indiana, PA
Posted on April 1, 1974
Out rabbit hunting and aware of an alert for three escaped prisoners,
retired policeman George Koban, 46, of Ebensburg, Pa., spotted
three suspects and ordered them to halt. They did, and proved to be
the escapees. "They saw the shotgun and finally stopped when I
asked them to," Koban said. "I never threatened to shoot."
The Reading Times, Reading, PA
Posted on December 1, 1973
Sebastian Ninfo, 73, didn't panic when an armed youth entered his
Reading, Pa., luncheonette and demanded money. After inviting the
18-year-old bandit behind the counter to get to the cash register,
Ninfo walked to the rear of his business and returned with a cal. .32
revolver. The elderly man fired twice at the robber, wounding him in
the neck. The youth escaped but was found by police at his
apartment.
377
The Daily Intelligencer, Doylestown, PA
Posted on September 1, 1973
Convinced that no one was home, two burglars broke down the back
door of Heil DeHaven's Buckingham, Pa., home. The 79-year-old
DeHaven leveled his 12-ga. shotgun at the smashed door and fired.
The bandits fled and were arrested when they sought medical aid.
Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA
Posted on September 1, 1973
Two men approached Luther Smith as he sat in his grocery truck on a
Pittsburgh, Pa., street, and one, brandishing a gun, yelled, "Give it up
Smitty." Smith yanked out a pistol and fired. The holdup men jumped
into a car and sped away.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA
Posted on June 1, 1973
Mary Hilton, a 70-year-old widow, heard glass shatter in her East
Liberty, Pa., home, went to a window, and saw three men trying to
break in. She shouted at them and then fired two shots from a
revolver she keeps in her bedroom. Two of the men fled, but the third
broke in, armed with a 12" knife. When she saw the knife, Mrs. Hilton
fired, mortally wounding the intruder.
Berwick Enterprise, Berwick, PA
Posted on March 1, 1973
Mike Zenzel awoke in his Berwick, Pa., home after hearing loud
noises coming from his store next door. Grabbing a 12-ga. shotgun,
Zenzel sneaked up to the store front where he saw cartons of
cigarettes being thrown out a broken window. When a man crawled
through the window, Zenzel stuck the shotgun in his back, ordering
him to "Stay right where you are." Police arrived and arrested the
man.
378
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on December 1, 1972
The doorbell rang at Edwin Finley's Philadelphia, Pa., home but the
railway brakeman was too tired to answer it. Then, hearing the glass
door breaking, he got a gun and waited at the top of the staircase.
When the intruder climbed the stairs, Finley shot him in the leg. Finley
later told police "the man even thanked me for not killing him."
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on August 1, 1972
When one of two armed bandits grabbed Harry Dillion's wife and
pressed a gun to her temple, the Philadelphia shoe store owner
pulled a .38 pistol, killed one robber and wounded the other.
The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA
Posted on August 1, 1972
Roy's Speed Shop in Shamokin Dam, Pa., had been the object of
multiple break-ins, so owner Roy Cressinger decided to spend the
night on the premises. When three youths broke in, Cressinger was
ready. He held a 12-ga. shotgun on them and called the police.
Pottsville Republican, Pottsville, PA
Posted on July 1, 1972
Mrs. Linda Klinger heard a noise at the cellar door of her Pottsville,
Pa., home, investigated and found it broken open. She took a 12-ga.
shotgun and shoved it into the doorway, ordering the intruder to
leave. He did
379
The Lebanon Daily News, Lebanon, PA
Posted on May 1, 1972
When an armed youth wearing a ski mask attempted to rob Anthony
Knable's grocery store in Lebanon, Pa., the store owner pulled out a
revolver and held the youth for police. A female accomplice was
arrested later.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on August 1, 1972
When one of two armed bandits grabbed Harry Dillion's wife and
pressed a gun to her temple, the Philadelphia shoe store owner
pulled a .38 pistol, killed one robber and wounded the other.
The Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on March 1, 1972
Awakened by a strange noise in his home, Ralph Wichel of Chestnut
Hill, Pa., saw a shadow in his living room. He called, "Who's there?"
But he got no reply. When Wichel got a .38 revolver and fired one
shot, the "shadow" ran.
The Daily Idahonian, Moscow, ID
Posted on December 1, 1971
When three armed bandits attempted to rob Caroline Papp's grocery
store in Philadelphia, Pa., the 66-year-old woman opened fire with a
.25 semi-automatic pistol and killed one bandit. His two accomplices
fled.
380
Daily Local News, Westchester, PA
Posted on December 1, 1971
An intruder entered the home of Redmond Baird in Bedford
Township, Pa., and tried to strangle Baird's sleeping daughter. When
she struggled and screamed, Baird rushed in with a gun and held the
man for police.
The Sunday Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on October 1, 1971
OUTCOME: Gas station attendants in Philadelphia, Pa., who armed
themselves recently against holdup men reported comparatively few
robberies after they began carrying guns. At one station, where 14
attendants work around the clock, one man on each shift is armed
with a pistol. "We haven't had a holdup since the guns have been
carried in full view," reported Dominick Caputo, an attendant. Prior to
this Caputo said his station had been held up three times a month.
The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA
Posted on July 1, 1971
William T. Bower, 44, of Pittsburgh, Pa., was delivering milk one
morning when a man held a knife to his throat and seized cash and
food stamps. As the thug ran, Bower pulled a gun and fired into the
air, alerting nearby police who chased the man into a house and
captured him hiding under a bed.
381
Reading Eagle, Reading, PA
Posted on April 1, 1971
Donald H. Miller, 34, a Reading, Pa., service station operator was
working alone one afternoon when two youths with a small pistol held
him up. Miller pulled a .38 revolver as the two went outside with his
cash. Seeing the gun, they shouted, "Don't shoot; forget it." They
handed Miller his money before running off
The Daily Local News, West Chester-Paoli, PA
Posted on January 1, 1971
Ivory D. Prewett of Avondale, Penn., surprised two men who were
attempting to burglarize his garage. Arming himself with a shotgun,
he ordered the intruders to stop. Instead the two ran for the back
door. Prewett fired twice, but the two escaped.
Gazette & Daily, York, PA
Posted on July 1, 1970
As Mrs. Mildred Miner of York, Pa., was stopped in her car at an
intersection four youths emerged from a nearby store and shook the
car, attempting to tip it over. Mrs. Miner pointed a tear gas gun at
them and they fled.
The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA
Posted on June 1, 1970
Dale Oakes of Watsontown, Pa., arrived at his coin-operated car
wash near Milton, Pa., just in time to see two young men pry open a
coin box and take money from it. The pair attempted to flee, but
stopped when Owens fired two warning shots from his .30-06 rifle. He
then held them at gunpoint until police arrived.
382
Germantown Courier, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on February 1, 1970
Things didn't work out as planned when two would-be robbers, armed
with a pistol and rifle, strolled into a Philadelphia, Pa., check cashing
agency and told cashier Sadie Goldman, "This is a stick up." Miss
Goldman wasn't easily intimidated--she pulled out a pistol and fired at
the men, who fled empty-handed.
Evening Standard, Uniontown, PA
Posted on February 1, 1970
A teenage boy tried to hold up Monta Lee Savage of Uniontown, Pa.,
and threatened her with a four-foot section of rubber hose. She
promptly drew her .25 automatic, disarmed the youth, and held him
for police, who arrived to find her with pistol in one hand and permit
for it in the other.
Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on December 1, 1969
When two men entered Samuel Hornstein's North Philadelphia, Pa.,
grocery store, and demanded money at gun point, Hornstein's son
Allen began a scuffle with one of the men. Hornstein drew a .38
revolver and fired at the man wrestling with his son, hitting him in the
chest. The wounded man fled. He was found by police and later died.
The other robber surrendered.
383
The Press, Pittsburgh, PA
Posted on July 1, 1969
Wilkinsburg, Pa., pharmacist Edward Hudak shot and killed 2 holdup
men who forced their way into his drugstore after closing time by
using Hudak's 17-year-old son as a shield. Young Hudak managed to
jump aside, giving his father a clear shot at one of the robbers. The
boy then grappled with the second armed man. The elder Hudak shot
the robber during the sruggle. The slain men, armed with a .38
revolver and a hunting knife, had long criminal records.
Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster, PA
Posted on March 1, 1969
When a pair of prowlers attempted to loot the Pennsylvania Rifle,
Indian and Dutch Museum, a private institution at Intercourse, Pa., at
3 A.M., owner Clearence Haushover, an NRA Member, awakened
and routed them with a 16-ga. shotgun. Haushover fired three blasts
to halt the pair, two well over their heads. Pellets from the third shot
wounded one. Shotgun empty, Haushover bluffed the other into
surrendering.
Sun-Gazette, Williamsport, PA
Posted on November 1, 1968
Armed with an empty shotgun, a Pennsylvania housewife drove five
escapees from the Northumberland County Prison into the hands of
police. The five had turned up at the Eugene Troxell home in rural
Sunbury, Pa., and asked for water. When Troxell complied, two of
them threatened him with knives and demanded his car keys.
Ostensibly going for the keys, Mrs. Troxell came back with a shotgun
and bluffed the men into releasing her husband. The fugitives were
picked up later near the Troxell home.
384
The Bee, Danville, VA
Posted on January 1, 1968
Mrs. Frances Albrecht was grinding meat in her Pittsburgh, Pa.,
grocery store when two young bandits marched in and demanded
money from her son who was minding the cash register. When one
drew a gun, Mrs. Albrecht pulled a pistol from a cigar box and
warned, "You'd better get out or I'll shoot!" The bandit fired once. Mrs.
Albrecht fired back, killing him with a single shot. The second bandit
fled, empty handed. The dead bandit's gun was a starter pistol which
fired only blanks. No charges were filed.
Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on January 1, 1968
When three armed bandits robbed his Philadelphia sandwich shop,
owner Albert Proetto grabbed a gun from under the counter and gave
chase. He wounded one man. A suspect was promptly arrested by
police when he was brought by his parents to a hospital for treatment.
Daily News, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on October 1, 1967
Rudy Valentino, a suburban Philadelphia, Pa., auto dealer, happened
to pass his closed showroom late at night and noticed a light in the
office. Throwing open the office door, he knocked down one of two
young prowlers. Then he grabbed his loaded .45 automatic from his
desk and held both until police arrived.
385
Standard-Speaker, Hazleton, PA
Posted on March 1, 1967
Frank E. Pahler and friends were in a parked car across the street
from a Mountaintop, Pa., service station. Pahler suddenly noticed
someone walking around inside the closed station. Going to his home
and obtaining his shotgun, Pahler returned to the service station and
apprehended an intruder whom he held at gunpoint until police
arrived
Evening Bulletin, PA
Posted on February 1, 1967
Rudy Share looked out of the bedroom window of his Philadelphia,
Pa., home at 4:30 a.m. and saw someone breaking into a neighbor's
car. Getting his hunting rifle, Share drew a bead on the man and
ordered him to stand where he was. He then pounded on the wall and
awakened the man next door. He called police who took the would-be
car thief into custody.
Daily News, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on September 1, 1965
In Philadelphia, Pa., August Ausmanis was approached in his grocery
store by a man who asked for some ham. As Ausmanis went to fill the
order the man asked the grocer's wife for a quart of milk. As she
turned to get it, the thug pulled a loaded pistol from his pocket and
vaulted the counter. Ausmanis dashed from the meat counter, pulled
his own gun and fired 4 shots at the robber, 2 of which felled the
gunman. He was dead when police arrived. It was later learned that
the would-be robber was on parole for armed robbery.
386
Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on June 1, 1965
Awakened by a noise in her Coatesville, Pa., home, Mrs. Rose
McCullough took a pistol and went to investigate. When she opened
her bedroom door, she was grabbed by an assailant. Mrs.
McCullough fired several shots and then ran to a neighbor's house for
help. Police found the intruder wounded on the kitchen floor. Later it
was learned he had recently been released from prison.
Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on May 1, 1965
After handing over money to a bandit armed with a hunting knife and
as the man moved toward the door, Philadelphia, Pa., drug store
owner Phillip Lutheran grabbed a .32 revolver and fired a warning
shot. When the bandit threatened to throw the knife, Lutheran fired
another shot, seriously wounding the man.
Times News, Erie, PA
Posted on December 1, 1964
In the early morning hours in Stewartstown, Pa., Harry H. Grimm
heard the lock being forced on his apartment door. Grabbing a 12-ga.
shotgun, Grimm shouted, "If you come in, I'll shoot." When the door
burst open Grimm dropped the intruder with one fatal shot. It was
later learned that the would-be burglar had broken into the same
apartment three times previously and had served 18 months for one
of the break-ins.
387
Daily Courier, Bristol, PA
Posted on May 1, 1964
An armed bandit thrust a pistol through the cashier's window of
Maurice Loeb's Philadelphia, Pa., check-cashing establishment and
demanded money. Loeb drew his own pistol and seriously wounded
the bandit.
Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on October 1, 1963
Four men walked into Herbert Cohen's West Philadelphia, Pa.,
grocery store and announced a holdup. In the rear of the store Cohen
pulled a cal. .32 pistol and fired two shots at the men. All but one of
the robbers fled. Cohen held the remaining thug at gun point until
police arrived.
Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on May 1, 1962
Holding his hand in his jacket pocket to indicate he could be armed, a
man demanded money from Daniel Pitcher in the latter's Philadelphia
pharmacy. Pitcher quickly produced a .32 revolver and the gunman
disappeared.
The Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on November 1, 1961
Noticing one man in the phone booth and another loitering inside the
door of his Philadelphia, Pa., drugstore, Timothy Resnick became
suspicious and picked up a cal. .38 pistol and held it out of sight
under a counter. The man by the door held up an entering customer
and the man in the phone booth, a paroled bank-robber, came out
gun in hand and firing at Resnick. The druggist shot four times, killing
the gunman with bullets in the mouth and side.
388
Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on July 1, 1961
Five years ago, when Martin Block was robbed in his Philadelphia
haberdashery, he vowed, "I will not be held up again without a fight."
Recently 2 bandits entered Block's shop, one shoving a Luger pistol
in his face and demanding all the money. Block drew his cal. .25
automatic. The bandit squeezed the Luger's trigger and a hollow click
sounded. Block fired and shot the gunman in the head at short range.
The confederate fled the store.
Evening News, Harrisburg, PA
Posted on December 1, 1960
Twelve more burglaries were solved by the capture of a youthful pair
of bandits by Norman H. Carl and his son Norman, Jr. Alert after
capturing three burglars some weeks previously, the Carls armed
themselves with shotguns when they heard noises from their Paxton
Township, Pa., auto body shop. They surprised the two youthful
thieves and held them for police, who discovered loot from previous
raids and revolvers in their car. Total to date for the Carls: five
captured, fifteen thefts solved.
Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA
389
Posted on November 1, 1960
Dr. Samuel M. Rosenbaum sat in his Philadelphia office when an
armed man burst in and demanded money. When the doctor tried to
talk him out of the holdup, the robber pistol-whipped him to the floor.
Dr. Rosenbaum, who carries a revolver for protection, pulled his cal.
.38 and fired. The bandit fled with a bullet in his leg and the doctor
called police. An alerted patrolman picked up the wounded felon
when he panicked after seeking aid from another doctor. When the
holdup man was brought to trial and sentenced to a 3-10-year prison
term, Judge Theodore L. Reimel said, "I want to compliment you,
doctor. If we had more men like you, there would be fewer crimes
committed in our streets."
Grit, Williamsport, PA
Posted on October 1, 1960
In Lock Haven, Pa., 70-year-old William Keller smashed a hold-up
gang when he caught two burglars in his service station and held
them at gunpoint until police took over. When a third gang member
was later arrested, the trio confessed to a series of hijackings that
plagued Clearfield County.
News, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on May 1, 1960
Sixty-year-old George Saddic managed to reach his cal. .38 revolver
and fire two shots at his assailants just before collapsing in his
Philadelphia candy store from an assault by three bandits. When
police responded to a report of gunfire, they found a suspect lying on
the sidewalk near the candy store, a paralyzing bullet wound in his
back.
Times-Leader, Wilkes-Barre, PA
390
Posted on October 1, 1959
Leonard Conwell and son Robert had just closed their Bear Creek,
Pa., restaurant when a car pulled up. Victimized by vandalism and six
burglaries in recent months, the Conwells quietly watched four youths
get out and go to the rear. When the burglars smashed the glass in
the door, the father opened fire with a cal. .22 rifle. The trio fled to
their companion in the getaway car. The Conwells gave chase in their
car and captured two who required treatment for bullet wounds. The
two who escaped were rounded up by police when they were
identified by the wounded confederates.
Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA
Posted on July 1, 1959
Albert Faller, a former Marine member of rifle and pistol teams,
awoke when a burglar tampered with the bedroom door of his
Pittsburgh home. Faller jumped out of bed with his cal. .32 pistol in
hand and the intruder fled down the steps and out the front door.
When the burglar failed to heed a call to halt, Faller leaned out the
window and fired twice. Hit by both shots, the prowler staggered to
the street and fell unconscious two blocks away. Police identified him
as the "Cat Burglar" who, in 1949, pleaded guilty to 42 burglaries and
was recently paroled after serving 10 years of a 20- to 49-year
sentence.
Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA
Posted on December 1, 1958
Morris Pastor, a 79-year-old North Philadelphia tailor, grabbed a
pistol from under the counter when a bandit menaced him with hand
in pocket and demanded all his money. The would-be thug fled
391
RI
Providence Journal, Providence, RI, 6/18/99
The tranquility of poet Carlton Eddy Breitenstein's Providence, Rhode
Island, home was shattered one evening when an intruder suddenly
appeared on the second floor. The 83-year-old Breitenstein defended
himself with a gun, sending the man fleeing. Police later caught the
suspect who sustained a gunshot wound to the chest that required
hospitalization. Breitenstein had been assaulted in his house the
previous afternoon and had been the victim of a break-in little more
than a week earlier.
The Journal-Bulletin, Providence, RI, 7/4/97
Following a ride in a cab, a 17-year-old Newport, Rhode Island, youth
tried to rob the driver. The youth first threw a large rock at the driver,
hitting him in the head, and then he pulled out a long screw- driver
and threatened to kill him. The quick-thinking cabbie stepped on the
gas--throwing the youth against the seat--then stopped and pulled a 9
mm pistol, which he was licensed to carry. He radioed his dispatchers
to call police and held the youth until they arrived. The young crook
had a history of criminal activity and had been reported missing from
a state program for juvenile offenders.
The Journal Bulletin, Providence, RI, 4/1/95
NRA member Bob Rocchio was behind the counter of his Providence,
Rhode Island, liquor store when a man entered and pointed a gun at
him. Walking around the counter as if to surrender cash, Rocchio
instead unleased a shot at the bandit, who returned fire and fled the
store. Neither man was hit.
392
The Journal-Bulletin, Providence, RI, 9/10/92
A coordinated armed robbery attempt at a Barrington, R.I., jewelry
store backfired when the robber met an armed citizen. Owner George
Gray was on the phone when the armed man entered. When Gray
yelled into the phone for help, the crook fired at him but missed. Gray
then returned fire, killing his attacker. Police said the dead man had a
long police record, adding that Gray acted in self-defense.
The Journal-Bulletin, Providence, RI, 9/29/92
Panagiotis "Pete" Ioannidis thought he had left violence behind him
when he moved from his native Greece--where he battled Nazis and
Communists--to Providence, R.I. He was forced to take up arms
again, however, when a man walked into his convenience store,
pressed a knife to his wife's throat and demanded money. Ioannidis
emerged from a back room, pulled his pistol and fired three shots,
mortally wounding the robber.
The Herald, Cranston, RI, 11/29/84
Harry and Mary Bedrossian were in bed when they heard glass
breaking in their Warwick, R.I., home. Bedrossian took a pistol and
proceeded to the living room, where he saw a hand reaching through
a broken window. He went onto the porch and held the would-be
burglar until police arrived.
The Journal, Providence, RI, 5/26/82
Three drunken young hoodlums were standing in the front yard of
Carlo Pisaturo's Warwick, R.I., home, throwing bottles at the
homeowner and threatening to rape his wife and daughters. When
one began beating him with a baseball bat, Pisaturo opened fire with
a .38 cal. revolver. The attacker was wounded and his companions
put to flight.
393
The Journal-Bulletin, Providence, RI
Bob Bennett was behind the counter in his East Greenwich, R.I., coin
and stamp shop when a robber wearing a halloween mask demanded
money. Bennett grabbed his .32 cal. pistol, and in an exchange of fire
was wounded in the forearm. The would-be robber fled, but police
soon arrested a man seeking treatment for two bullet wounds.
The Journal-Bulletin, Providenc, RI, 11/29/79
When Norman Kishfy, proprietor of a Pawtucket, R.I., liquor store,
refused to barter with a customr, the dejected man left the store. He
soon returned, however, and wielding an ax, threatened "to chop
[Kishfy] to pieces." Not intimidated, Kishfy drew his .38 revolver and
convinced the man to drop the ax.
The Free Press, Burlington, VT
When George Maciel emerged from the back room of his Providence,
R.I., liquor store, he saw two masked men coming at him, one
carrying a can of mace, the other a gun. Immediately Maciel reached
for his pistol and fired several shots which sent the robbers fleeing.
The Providence Evening Bulletin, Providence, RI
Following a request to use his telephone, 66-year-old James Cory, a
slaughterhouse operator, let a man enter his Tiverton, R.I., home. But
when three other men, masked and armed with rifles or shotguns,
barged in, Cory picked up a gun near the phone and said, "I'll blow
your brains out." The interlopers fled to their car and drove off. Police
arrested a suspect the next morning.
394
The Newport Daily News, Newport, RI
Hearing noises over the intercom that connects the hallways of his
Middletown, R.I., motel, Fred Armbrust got his pistol and investigated.
Armbrust found a prowler in a darkened room and fired once. The
man ran from the motel. Police picked him up when he sought aid for
a gunshot wound in his shoulder.
Yankee Magazine, Dublin, NH
Rev. John D.B. Williams had gotten up at 3 a.m. to tend his baby
when he heard strange noises coming from his Riverton, R.I., church
next door. Two men on the church roof were sawing off the brass
weathervane. Rev. Williams called the police, then held the men at
gunpoint.
The Attleboro Sun, RI
Mrs. Alice Pires, 23, had her 14-month-old baby along while she
worked one night as a clerk in a Providence, R.I., liquor store. When
two men entered and pointed a gun at her, she thought it was a joke
at first and pushed the gun away. But when one of the men said he
would shoot her baby, she picked up a gun and exchanged shots with
the robbers until they fled.
395
Evening Bulletin, Providence, RI
Roland L. Braxton surprised a burglar in the kitchen of his Cranston,
R.I., home when he came in at 2 A.M. The intruder flailed at Braxton
with a bread knife, inflicting a scalp wound, and the pair clutched
each other and struggled from the room to a hallway where Braxton
had secreted a cal. .38 revolver on a rafter. Braxton reached the gun
and fired at the knife-wielding burglar who fled with 2 bullet wounds.
Police found him lying in the front yard, meekly awaiting their arrival.
396
Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, SD 01/09/08
Posted on April 1, 2008
Eighty-year-old Martha Smith says there was no time for fear when
her border collie confronted a mountain lion near her home. "I could
see the tail twitching, and he was snarling and spitting," she recalls.
Smith shot at the cat with her .22-caliber rifle, but missed, and ran
inside to dial 9-1-1. Informed help was a long way off, Smith decided
shed have to deal with the agitated cat herself. "I shot him in the light
spot under his leg where I knew his heart would be" she explained.
"You do what you have to do - you don't have time to be afraid" Smith
has been versed in riflecraft since adolescence, when she herded
sheep on the family ranch. "My sister and I were put on horseback
with the lunch, the water canteen and a gun" she recalls.
Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, SD, 03/10/08
Posted on March 10, 2008
The owner of Larry’s I-29 Truck Plaza in South Dakota was busy
working in the Plaza’s office early one morning when he heard
strange noises in the building. He went to investigate with his
handgun and confronted a masked, pry bar-wielding intruder. The
owner quickly fired off one round at the fleeing intruder, hitting him in
the buttocks. Police caught up with the injured intruder less than a
mile from the Truck Plaza.
397
Rapid City Journal, Rapid City, SD, 06/28/02
Posted on September 1, 2002
Sena Lauritsen and a few friends staying with her at her South
Dakota home were preparing to go out for a swim when Lauritsen's
neighbors alerted her that fugitives being chased by police were
heading her way. Lauritsen and her friends moved to an upstairs
bedroom so she could have a better view of the area. Some time
later, after it appeared the chase may have veered off in another
direction, Lauritsen and her guests started to leave her house again.
That's when she spotted two teens, escapees from a school for
troubled youth, approaching her house. When one teen rattled her
patio door, she dialed 9-1-1 and picked up her 20-ga. shotgun. "It's
my rabbit gun," she said. Lauritsen asked authorities on the phone if
she could hold the gun on the fugitives, "and they said, yes, if I wasn't
afraid to. I wasn't afraid." So she pointed it at the teens through the
door and ordered them to keep their hands in the air. She held them
for about 20 minutes until Jones County Sheriff Chris Jung took them
into custody. Lauritsen said she'd rather not have to shoot them, but
she was ready to protect herself and her home. She laughed when
she heard of a highway patrol report incorrectly identifying her as a
"scrappy 90-year-old." "I'm not 90, but I am scrappy," she replied.
Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, S.D., 11/24/99
Posted on October 1, 2000
A 13-year-old Sioux Falls, S.D., boy was sick at home one morning
when an intruder apparently intent on committing a robbery invaded
the residence through an unlocked sliding door. The masked man,
who likely did not consider the boy a serious challenge, now stood
before him brandishing a hammer. The intruder himself likely fell sick,
however, when the boy grabbed a shotgun and called 911. In his
apparent frustration, the home invader struck blows into several walls
with the hammer before fleeing the residence.
398
Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, SD (5/5/99)
Posted on August 1, 1999
Jerry Pommer of Canton, South Dakota, was shocked to find that his
herd of medical research sheep had been attacked by a neighbor's
Dobermans. "There was blood, death and injuries. The dogs kept on
killing while I stood there," he said. Running to his house, Pommer
was able to retrieve a 12-ga. shotgun and halt the vicious attack by
delivering a deadly shot to one dog and injuring another before it
escaped. The second dog was later taken by its owner to a
veterinarian and put to sleep. The dogs had killed 10 sheep and
injured 28 more. "I can bury sheep, but if I had to bury a child, that
would be hard to deal with," Pommer said.
The Tribune, Mobridge, SD, 5/22/85
Posted on August 1, 1985
A man broke into Burrell Brown's Mobridge, S. Dak., home and found
the gunsmith's loaded .44 Mag. revolver. He was soon confronted by
Brown, who had armed himself with a .45 pistol. "I could see he had
the hammer cocked, so I knew if I shot to kill, his reflex action would
pull the trigger and I could be dead," Brown said later, so the 73-yearold NRA Life Member neatly shot the gun out of the robber's hand
and held him for police.
The Journal, Rapid City, SD, 6/13/84
Posted on September 1, 1984
Hearing a scream from the room where his daughter was sleeping,
Aaron Johnson of Rapid City, S. Dak., grabbed a shotgun and ran to
investigate. He found a man, who said he "was looking for a party,"
and held him at gunpoint until police arrived. The intruder was
charged with first-degree burglary.
399
The Rapid City Journal, Rapid City, SD
Posted on September 1, 1975
Discovering a prowler in her Rapid City, S. Dak., home, Mrs. Larry
Reishus called her husband who confronted the culprit. The man
pulled out a knife and began slashing and stabbing Reishus, who
despite the attack was able to grab a revolver from a nearby drawer,
fire and slay his assailant.
Daily Journal, Rapid City, SD
Posted on March 1, 1965
As Donald Carter of Rapid City, S. Dak., passed a service station in
the early morning hours, he noticed a man entering the station
through a window. Carter hurried to his home, told his wife to call
police, and then returned to the station with his rifle. Carter held the
burglar at gun point until police arrived.
400
WCAX-TV Burlington, Vt., 11/25/08
Posted on March 1, 2009
A CAREER CRIMINAL'S night of mayhem was foiled by an armed
citizen, according to police. The suspect had already burglarized one
home that evening before moving on to a second residence. There,
he went inside and confronted the homeowner, who fired two rounds
from his handgun at the intruder. The uninjured suspect was
apparently so frightened that he stole a truck in order to flee the
scene more quickly. The suspect, however, committed a comedy of
errors, one of which was most glaring -- he left behind his personal
vehicle! "Which was good for us;' joked Sgt. Kirk Cooper of the
Vermont State Police. "That was a good clue.” The suspect was
arrested the next day sitting outside his mother-in-law's apartment.
Valley News, West Lebanon, N.H., 6/8/00
Posted on September 1, 2000
Penny Smith started after her dogs when she heard them chasing
what she assumed was a rabbit near her Shrewsbury, Vt., home.
When the animal turned out to be a rabies-crazed coyote, though,
Smith bolted for her truck and sounded the horn for her husband.
Unfortunately, Greg Smith's single shot missed its mark. The next
day, a second attack sent Penny Smith running once again this time
into the house. When Greg Smith came to her rescue this time, he
was passed at the front door first by his wife and then by the coyote.
"[The animal] was right on her heels," he said. "I never even saw it
until it was going by me." Penny Smith escaped out the back of the
house, but the coyote turned on Greg Smith, who put down the 30-lb.
animal with six shots from his handgun. "It was so sinister. The thing
was cool as a cucumber. It had no fear," said Smith.
401
Rutland Herald, Rutland, Vt., 5/18/00
Posted on August 1, 2000
Edward Tuliper didn't typically receive visitors least of all wild animals
in the wee hours of the night, but that's exactly what happened to the
Florence, Vt., resident one Sunday." I thought, "Oh, jeez, the dog's
getting into a porcupine,"" said Tuliper of the commotion that erupted
shortly after 3 a.m. in his front yard. It turned out that the family pet
had cornered a rabid, 40-lb. female bobcat by an entranceway. When
Tuliper's wife, Linda, opened a door to check on the family pet,
named Max, she was nearly overrun by the crazed cat. Both she and
the couple's 13-year-old daughter fought the animal for control of the
door. Meanwhile, Edward Tuliper attempted to dispatch the big cat
with a machete. Finally, with help from his daughter, Tuliper latched
onto a pistol and fired several shots killing the cat. Authorities later
determined the animal was rabid. Fortunately, no member of the
family including Max the dog was badly hurt.
The Messenger, St. Albans, VT, 10/11/91
Posted on January 1, 1992
Lulah Lavery was home with her daughter at their Richford, Vt., home
when they heard the sounds of a forced entry. As her daughter
phoned police, Lavery loaded a shotgun and went to investigate.
Finding a man reaching through a broken backdoor window, Lavry
fired a single blast. The man fled, but a wounded suspect was quickly
apprehended.
402
The Free Press, Burlington, VT, 8/29/87
Posted on December 1, 1987
After someone began pounding loudly on her door, a 23-year-old
Franklin, Vt., woman grabbed her revolver and called a neighbor for
help. Going downstairs, the woman confronted a trespasser in her
living room and ordered the man outside, where a neighbor assisted
in holding the intruder for police. The suspect taken into custody by
police was arraigned on a felony charge of unlawful trespass.
The News & Advertiser, Bradford, VT, 5/13/87
Posted on October 1, 1987
A Bradford, Vt., woman stranded by snowstorm received an offer of a
ride home from an obliging passerby. But when the man drove past
her residence and tried to assault her, the woman pulled a handgun
and fired. The woman made good her escape, and authorities
arrested and charged a suspect with three counts of aggravated
assault.
The Herald, Rutland, VT
Posted on April 1, 1986
A knife-wielding man and his gun-toting accomplice demanded all the
receipts from Patrick Brennan's Colchester, Vt., store. All the
shopkeeper presented them, though, was the muzzle of a revolver.
The panicked robbers dove to the floor, crawled out the door, and
fled.
403
The Free Press, Burlington, VT
Posted on September 1, 1978
William Keller and his wife were closing their store in Burlington, Vt.,
when a man wearing a gray ski mask forced his way into the building
and ordered them to put their money into a bag. Instead, Keller put
his hand on a pistol and fired one shot at the intruder, causing him to
flee.
The Free Press, Burlington, VT
Posted on September 1, 1977
When Stephen Garrow of Brandon, Vt., saw a stranger emerging
from his barn, he sent his wife to call police and grabbed a cal. .22
rifle. He held the man for police, who identified him as a convicted
rapist who had escaped from a nearby prison.
The Burlington Free Press, Burlington, VT
Posted on November 1, 1976
Paul Handy, owner of a Shelburne, Vt., market, had locked up and
was walking to his car with the day's receipts when two men on the
store's roof ordered him to throw down the money. Instead, he ran
into the store and got his gun. Handy fired two shots, and the wouldbe robbers jumped from the roof and fled into nearby woods.
404
Manchester Union Leader, Manchester, NH
Posted on December 1, 1972
A motorcycle gang called "The Mind Benders" decided to block a
West Hartford, Vt., bridge and extort "toll" from passing motorists.
They succeeded until James Woods drove up and pulled a gun. The
gang fled. Woods, however, has been charged with disorderly
conduct. The local police chief stated that several members of the
cycle gang also will be arrested.
Brattleboro Reformer, Brattleboro, VT
Posted on June 1, 1972
Three days and two nights Christopher Barry hid in his Greenriver,
Vt., antique shop trying to catch whoever was responsible for a series
of break-ins. Ready to give up the stakeout, he heard someone enter
the store. Barry produced a gun and held the suspect until a State
trooper arrived and arrested the man.
Daily Reformer, Brattleboro, VT
Posted on December 1, 1970
An electronic alarm sounding at Neill Doane's home one night alerted
him that his Londonderry, Vt., sporting goods store had been illegally
entered. After notifying the police, he called several friends, then went
armed to the shop. They captured three burglars emerging from the
store laden with guns and ammunition, and held them at gun point
until police arrived.
405
Free Press, Burlington, VT
Posted on October 1, 1968
Reaching for his handgun instead of his stethoscope, Dr. Wally White
of Burlington, Vt., frightened off a carload of hoods who approached
him as he made a night deposit at his bank. At the bank, several men
got out of a car and headed for White, apparently bent on robbing
him. When White reached into his jacket for his gun, one of the men
shouted, "He's armed. Let's get out of here." The men cursed and
fled.
406
Wisconsin
Vietnam vet detains home invader, WITI Milwaukee, Wis.,
10/16/12
After going to bed early, a homeowner in Kenosha County, Wis. was
awakened around 8:30 p.m. by a suspicious noise. The homeowner
retrieved a .22-caliber pistol, went to investigate and found a burglar
in his basement. The homeowner shouted to the home invader, “I got
a weapon. It’s loaded. I’m prepared to shoot, come out,” at which
point the criminal gave himself up and was then held at gunpoint until
police could arrive. In an interview with local media, the homeowner
credited his service in Vietnam as preparing him for such an incident.
The home invader’s father offered an apology to the homeowner,
telling local media, “If you’re coming into my home like that, I can’t
really honestly say you’re gonna walk out like you came in. I offer any
kind of sympathy and sorrow toward that family." (WITI Milwaukee,
Wis., 10/16/12)
The Kenosha News, Kenosha, Wis. 09/10/09
Two armed robbers entered the Jewelry Exchange pawn shop in
Kenosha, Wis. As one of the robbers pointed a handgun at the store
owner, the owner drew his own gun from a nearby desk and fired at
the criminals. Both robbers fled the scene, but one was found only a
block away with a gunshot wound to his chest and a .44 Magnum
lying next to him. The wounded robber turned out to be a parolee who
was in prison for charges including theft and auto theft; he is
expected to survive.
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The Green Bay Press-Gazette, Green Bay, Wis. 05/29/09, CBS58,
Milwaukee, Wis. 06/01/09
Just after 1 :00 a.m., a 68 year-old homeowner in Ripon, Wis. noticed
suspicious lights moving around his house. The homeowner retrieved
his handgun and headed for his driveway, where he waited until an
armed burglar came outside. As the burglar exited the house, the
homeowner ordered him to drop to the ground. After the criminal was
on the ground the homeowner notified the police, and held the burglar
at gunpoint until the police arrived. The criminal, who was attempting
to steal cash and firearms, is also a suspect in a burglary of the same
home that occurred only a week earlier. The burglar’s girlfriend was
arrested was also arrested for participating as the getaway driver.
La Crosse Tribune, La Crosse, WI, 06/08/05
In the span of one month, Brian Sidie lost more than $500 worth of
property in three thefts from his truck, so when he glanced outside his
kitchen window late one night and saw a young man walking down
the street, he was suspicious. Before heading back to bed, Sidie took
another look and noticed the man in his truck. Sidie grabbed his rifle
and headed outside. "I came around the front of my truck and
slapped my hand on the hood," Sidie said. "I told him, 'You aren't
going anywhere.'" Sidie's wife called the police, who arrived to find
the suspect still sitting in the truck.
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI, 04/07/05
A 64-year-old traveler from Arkansas stopped to ask directions at a
Milwaukee gas station and soon found himself confronted by a gang
of young men. A fight started, during which one attacker choked the
motorist while a second beat the man with his own cane. Acting in
self-defense, according to the police report, V.O. Goins then pulled a
handgun from under the seat and shot and killed the 20-year-old thug
who had been choking him. Officers responding to the scene found
Goins' car keys on a juvenile accomplice. A Milwaukee assistant
district attorney said Goins would not be charged.
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Phillips Bee, Phillips, Wis., 8/18/04
After a series of break-ins at his Phillips, Wis., home, Gary
Gabrielsen waited up one night. After first knocking on the door, a
would-be burglar then checked various entry points until he picked
the lock on the back door. Gabrielson then held a shotgun on the
crook until police arrived. The capture of the suspect broke up a ring
suspected in a lengthy spree of break-ins, police said.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI, 03/29/03
David Franklin's crime spree through a Milwaukee, Wisc.,
neighborhood was cut short when one of his intended victims
produced a gun and shot him. Milwaukee police said Franklin was
suspected in six break-ins within blocks of his home. He apparently
chose to break into homes where women lived; and if he caught a
woman alone, he raped her. If the woman was not home, he would
burglarize the house. Women in three of those cases were raped at
gunpoint. The tables were turned on Franklin when he broke into a
house and the woman resident shot him in the arm. He was arrested
at a local hospital after police interrogated him as to how he had been
shot.
Kenosha News, Kenosha, WI, 4/30/02
When a Kenosha, Wis., husband realized a man had broken into his
home and was molesting his wife as she lay in bed next to him, he
jumped up and pushed the intruder into a corner. His wife then
grabbed a shotgun and handed it to her husband, who held the man
at gunpoint until police arrived. "I think he was just going from house
to house," said the husband. "We want our neighbors to know they
should be locking their doors."
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The Janesville Gazette, Janesville, WI, 3/24/99
A 14-year-old Plymouth Township, Wisconsin, girl was getting ready
for school early one morning when she noticed a man peering inside
through a bedroom window. The frightened girl, whose parents had
already left for work, responded by retrieving a double-barrelled
shotgun. That image was apparently enough to send the man fleeing.
The girl's father had set out both the shotgun and a pistol for exactly
such a contingency after she reported seeing the same man the
previous day.
The Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI, 8/13/97
Two robbery attempts by the same ill-fated crook in one hour at
homes just blocks from each other were thwarted by homeowners
with guns. The intruder entered the first home wearing a mask and
armed with a large knife. He threatened the homeowner in his
bedroom; the man drew a pistol and ordered the interloper to stop.
The invader fled and moved on to the second home. After breaking
and entering--thus alerting the armed homeowner therein--the man
began moving through the house. The second homeowner
encountered the thug and ordered him to drop the knife. The knifewielding intruder advanced on the armed citizen and was shot in the
neck. Police were called to the scene of both homes and the suspect
was arrested at the second one. Neither homeowner was charged.
The Star, West Allis, WI, 5/23/96
Wheelchair-bound jeweler Scott Moline was alone in his West Allis,
Wisconsin, store when two customers-turned-bandits charged behind
the counter. As one of the attackers drew a gun, Moline instinctively
pulled his own .38 and loosed three shots. Though he missed the
suspects, the pair were so frightened by Moline's defense that they
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fled the store, leaving behind their own gun and their stolen get-away
car parked out front. Police arrested the two shortly after the incident.
Journal Times, Madison, WI, 2/19/95
Working alone, Madison, Wisconsin, shopkeeper J. Guadalupe
Rodriguez, 73, noticed the two strangers dressed in black casing his
grocery store. He was prepared when they entered. When one of the
men drew a revolver from his jacket, Rodriguez pulled his own pistol
from a nearby hiding place and pointed it at the bandits. Frightened,
the intruders bolted --one out the front door and the other into a back
room where he was cornered by Rodriguez and held for police.
The Herald, Sparta, WI, 9/19/94
Portland, Wisconsin, gun shop owner William Ripley was suspicious
about the two youths in his store asking "silly questions." When one
announced a holdup and pulled a gun, Ripley drew his own .22 pistol
and fired. "We both fired at the same time," says Ripley. "I dodged,
and he missed by about 6". I have powder burns on my face."
Ripley's shot went through the robber's cheek and lodged in his neck.
Police nabbed the wounded robber and a second suspect and later
found the stolen car they were driving.
The Journal, Milwaukee, WI, 4/2/94
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 Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, WI, 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.
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The Tribune, La Crosse, WI, 3/12/93
Knowing the "protection" afforded her by a court restraining order was
minimal at best, Viroqua, Wisconsin, resident Lynn McMillen decided
to back it up with a .357 Mag. When McMillen's ex-husband,
accompanied by two companions, broke into the home where she
was staying and threatened to kill her, she shot and wounded him
and an accomplice. Saying McMillen's actions were in self-defense,
the local district attorney added "In this case, the ones who were shot
are not the victims."
The News, Kenosha, WI, 11/7/92
Up and about early one morning, a Salem, Wis., woman became
suspicious when her dog began growling at something outside.
Getting her revolver, she told her daughter to call police and then
went out to look around. She found two men trying to take her
Corvette from the garage and fired several shots to scare the men off.
As they were running to their van, one thug returned fire, but missed.
The Journal Times, Racine, WI, 1/15/92
John Parker was alone in his Racine, Wis., tavern one evening when
a pair of youthful gang members armed with sawed-off shotguns
burst through the door. Parker grabbed a .357 Mag. from under the
counter and, as one of the thugs fired a blast at him, unleashed four
shots. Parker received a slight hand wound, but killed both of his
assailants. Police said both youths had long police records, and the
district attorney ruled that Parker acted in self-defense.
The Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI, 11/27/90
Two armed robbers wish they hadn't chosen the Milwaukee, Wis.,
jewelry store of NRA members George and Roy Becker. When one
hit 64-year-old Roy over the head with a tire iron, George, 70, blasted
him with a shotgun. The pair fled, but were apprehended by police.
The attack almost duplicated a 1968 incident that had a similar
outcome. "We always protect ourselves," Roy Becker said. "The law
says you can protect yourself and your property. That's what we
fought for in World War II."
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The Journal, Milwaukee, WI, 11/28/90
Five months after a clerk was wounded in a robbery, an armed man
entered the Milwaukee, Wis., convenience store late one night and
demanded money. The woman behind the counter complied, but as
the robber prepared to leave, she tripped an alarm, grabbed a
handgun from under the counter and fired a single shot. The wouldbe robber and an accomplice fled, but police later arrested a suspect
with a gunshot wound to the chest.
The Journal, Milwaukee, WI, 1/7/89
Monona, Wis., resident Thomas Stoker was talking on the phone late
at night when the line went dead. Hearing someone breaking in, he
armed himself with his hunting rifle to investigate. Stoker confronted
two armed intruders and, when one raised his gun, he fatally shot the
man. The county prosecutor ruled the shooting justifiable.
The Journal, Milwaukee, WI, 8/21/88
William Hamilton of Milwaukee, Wis., heard noises coming from his
wife's bedroom in the early morning hours. Armed with a handgun,
the 75-year-old homeowner entered the room to find a man crouching
beside his wife's bed; when the intruder, who had cut through the
window screen to enter, reached behind him, Hamilton fired, killing
the man. Police expected no charges would be filed against the
homeowner.
The State Journal, Madison, WI, 3/17/88
When his wife was critically wounded and maimed in their Clyde,
Wis., house by three escapees from a detention home armed with a
shotgun, Harold Morris, 62, drove them off with shots from his
revolver. Morris, who recently underwent triple bypass surgery and
has an artificial leg, managed to get his wife to a neighbor for
assistance after realizing the attackers had cut the phone lines. All
three fugitives were arrested after a search effort that involved
officers from four county sheriff's departments.
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The Freeman, Waukesha, WI, 12/14/87
Richard Frederick, Jr., noticed something was wrong when he
opened up his Pewaukee, Wis., office. Finding several articles out of
place and hearing noises, Frederick got a shotgun, then announced
that fact to the unseen intruder. The man surrendered and Frederick
held him at gunpoint until the police arrived.
The Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI, 6/24/87
A crime spree ended when a man who had tried to rob two other
grocery stores in Milwaukee, Wis., entered Jamal Masoed's grocery
and began beating the owner with a piece of concrete. Masoed fell to
the floor and grabbed a handgun from under the counter. Firing twice,
the owner critically wounded his attacker.
The Journal, Milwaukee, WI, 1/25/87
A Milwaukee, Wis., bartender was alone with a customer who came
behind the bar and beat her with a bottle and a pool cue. The man
began rifling the cash register and threatened the woman bartender,
who reached for a gun and wounded her assailant. He then fled.
The Times Journal, Racine, WI, 9/14/86
William Schroeder thwarted a robbery attempt at his Caledonia, Wis.,
bar when a man entered shortly after closing time and demanded
money, pulling a pistol from his pocket. Schroeder responded: "I have
a shotgun and will blow your head off." The armed man fled the bar.
The Journal, Milwaukee, WI, 10/19/86
Miriam Ben-Shalom didn't expect trouble when she arrived at her
Milwaukee, Wis., home at 10 a.m. But when she heard footsteps in
the house and saw the door open, she armed herself with a rifle,
figuring someone had followed her into the house. She pointed the
rifle up the stairs where she heard noises, and when an intruder
walked down, she cocked the rifle and held him until police arrived.
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The Journal, Milwaukee, WI, 10/24/86
A Milwaukee, Wis., woman heard noises outside her home and went
outside to discover a man and a youth removing carpeting from her
neighbor's unoccupied house. She went back into her house,
grabbed a 12-ga. shotgun, and confronted the pair. She told them to
put the carpet back, and they did. The youth escaped, but the woman
held the man captive until police arrived.
The Journal, Milwaukee, WI, 11/9/86
Hearing a noise in an unoccupied lower flat of his Milwaukee, Wis.,
apartment building, a homeowner armed himself with a shotgun and
investigated. He discovered a man carrying out items stored there.
When the resident asked him to stop, the intruder advanced toward
him. The homeowner fired, wounding the burglar, who was charged
with burglary.
The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, WI, 3/10/86
"I want a gun--I know you have a gun here," the intruder shouted after
breaking into the William Newman home in Eau Claire, Wis. While his
wife fetched a pistol, the homeowner fought off the intruder. Newman
ultimately was forced to shoot and wound his asssailant, who was
taken into police custody.
The State Journal, Madison, WI, 10/3/84
When Sharon Atwell admitted a visitor to her Beloit, Wis., home, the
man suddenly knocked her down and began beating her. Her
husband ran for his gun and shot and wounded the assailant in the
chest. A local assistant district attorney termed Atwell's action "a
proper exercise of his privilege of self-defense."
The Northwestern, Oshkosh, WI, 4/5/84
An intruder intent on entering an Oshkosh, Wis., home reconsidered
when the unidentified female resident shoved her pistol into his ribs.
With an "Oh, my God," he fled.
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The Journal, Milwaukee, WI, 7/30/82
Virgil Clayton returned to his Milwaukee, Wis., home to find a burglary
in progress. He grabbed a 12-ga. shotgun and went to investigate.
When a trio of thieves exited his house and ran toward him, Clayton
ordered them to stop. When one made a suspicious move, Clayton
fired, killing him. Police ruled the killing justifiable.
The Journal-Times, Racine, WI
Frank Rock heard someone breaking into his Racine, Wis., home. He
grabbed a .22 rifle and went to investigate. He found a youthful
burglar just inside a bedroom window. Despite the homeowner's
order to freeze, the intruder tried to dive out the window. Rock fired
once, hitting him in the buttocks. Police caught up with the would-be
burglar at a nearby hospital.
The Freeman, Waukesha, WI
John C. Fletcher was working in his Pewaukee, Wis., gun store when
he heard a hamering on one of the building's walls. He grabbed a
.357 Mag. revolver and went to investigate. He found a would-be
burglar trying to pound his way into the store.
The Journal Times, Racine, WI, 5/20/81
Brian Berg arrived at his Racine, Wis., home to hear glass breaking in
a rear hallway. Seeing an arm appear through the broken glass, Berg
grabbed his handgun and then chased a startled would-be burglar
from the house. When the man refused to stop, Berg fired warning
shots that brought him to a halt. Berg then escorted the culprit to a
neighbor's house where police were called.
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The Journal, Milwaukee, WI, 3/6/80
Two armed and masked youths walked into a Milwaukee, Wis., bar
and ordered bartender Bradley Piek to open the cash register. Piek
complied, but the gunmen demanded more cash and herded the
bartender and his customers into the men's room. As he walked from
behind the bar, Piek slid his .38 cal. revolver into his pants. Once
inside the rest room, Piek cracked the door and opened fire, killing
one gunman. Police later arrested the second robber and an
accomplice.
The Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, WI, 11/21/79
A 12-year-old boy, babysitting in an Oregon, Wis., home, heard a
prowler inside the house, found a 12-ga. shotgun, and called police.
Before officers could respond, the intruder confronted the youth and
seeing the shotgun beat a hasty retreat.
The News, West Bend, WI
Cheryl Thom, who lives above her West Bend, Wis., music store,
heard suspicious noises shortly after midnight. Armed with a shotgun,
she investigated and surprised an intruder, whom she ordered to
leave. He did just that.
The News, Kenosha, WI
When Ernie Wurster of Bristol, Wis., returned home, he surprised two
burglars who, in their frenzy to escape, ran their getaway car into a
ditch and then tried to steal Wurster's car while he was on the phone
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calling the sheriff. Hanging up the phone, Wurster grabbed his gun,
apprehended the two men, and held them for the authorities.
The Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI
An armed robber made the mistake of holding up Jack Moga's
Milwaukee, Wis., tavern twice in a week. Though the crook got away
with his loot the first time, Moga was prepared when the greedy
criminal came back for more and shot him in the head. A local judge
complimented Moga's marksmanship, saying, "I think you are going
to be free of armed robberies in the future."
The Milwaukee Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI
A would-be robber sneaked a pistol in a paper bag into George Fuss'
Milwaukee, Wis., coin shop and announced a holdup before drawing
the gun. Fuss whipped his own pistol from its holster before the crook
could draw. The man fled.
The Milwaukee Journal, Milwaukee, WI
A stranger loitering near Martha Harrington's Milwaukee, Wis., market
raised the suspicions of several neighbors. When the man entered
the store, emptied the cash register and fled, he was chased by a
neighborhood youth and Paul Paikowski who was armed with a
shotgun. The youth tackled the robber, who then pulled a knife. He
quickly dropped it after Paikowski fired a warning shot into the
ground.
The Milwaukee Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI
After being shot in the hand by one of four youths bent on robbing his
Milwaukee, Wis., grocery, Jose Herrera returned fire with a cal. .25
automatic he kept under a counter, mortally wounding his attacker.
The other youths panicked and fled.
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The Fond du Lac Reporter, WI
Three would-be Wisconsin bank robbers compounded their problems
when they chose a bank located next to the Fond du Lac Gun Club.
The trio, armed with a revolver and an automatic pistol, were
captured by two policemen as they exited from a rear door. Any
thoughts they had about escaping dissolved when they saw the three
shotguns pointed their way by trapshooters Thomas Slater, Tom
Towne and Edwin Steffes.
The Journal Times, Racine, WI
In response to his courteous "Can I help you, sir?" Racine, Wis.,
grocery clerk Tom Miottel got a bandit's handgun jammed in his face.
Miottel brushed the firearm aside, thinking it a toy, but the "toy" put a
bullet through the clerk's hand. When the robber turned to Miottel's
mother, who owns the store, and demanded cash, the clerk seized a
20-ga. shotgun and shot him. Authorities followed the fugitive's
bloody trail to a nearby apartment and nabbed him. Records showed
that the robber's gun was stolen from Battle Creek, Mich.
The Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, Oshkosh, WI
Hearing a noise in his Tustin, Wis., food store during the early
morning, grocer Kiel Oesterrich investigated and found two men--one
standing at the cash register, the other holding the entrance door
open. He called to them to stop. When they did not, he fired two shots
into the air. The burglars fled, leaving the store undamaged and the
register's contents intact.
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The Milwaukee Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI
Peering through a window while at home alone, Mrs. Naomi Northern,
of Milwaukee, Wis., saw a prowler slash her front door screen and
start to pick the lock of the inner door. The 40-year-old housewife
drove him off with a shot from her cal. .22 "protection" pistol. "He
looked like a madman," she said. "If I hadn't fired, he could have
broken in and cut my throat."
Milwaukee Journal, Milwaukee, WI
Gale Highsmith watched as two men pried open the front door of his
Milwaukee, Wis., home. When the pair entered, Highsmith pointed a
revolver at them and ordered them to raise their hands. Instead, one
intruder armed with a screwdriver attacked. Highsmith fired twice,
killing his assailant. The second man escaped.
Milwaukee Journal, Milwaukee, WI
Gale Highsmith watched as two men pried open the front door of his
Milwaukee, Wis., home. When the pair entered, Highsmith pointed a
revolver at them and ordered them to raise their hands. Instead, one
intruder armed with a screwdriver attacked. Highsmith fired twice,
killing his assailant. The second man escaped.
The Milwaukee Journal, Milwaukee, WI
Teenager Betty Jo Purifoy was awakened in her Milwaukee, Wis.,
apartment by the sound of someone removing the bedroom window
screen. Realizing that the man was attempting to steal her air
conditioner, she got a revolver and fired a shot that sent him fleeing.
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Kenosha News, Kenosha, WI
Seeing two shadowy figures cutting the kitchen window screen of his
Kenosha, Wis., home, Ray Goss shouted that he had a gun. The
would-be robbers ran, leaving behind a jacket and a pair of tennis
shoes.
Milwaukee Journal, Milwaukee, WI
Clayton Kasten operated a business in North Milwaukee, Wis., for 24
years until vandals forced him to move to a better neighborhood. His
old property remained a favorite target for hoodlums, however, who
broke in almost daily. When Kasten caught several boys inside and
held them at gunpoint for police, he was charged with disorderly
conduct. The boys' parents complained that Kasten had pointed a
gun at their sons. The Milwaukee police detective bureau also
recommended the charge "in light of recent shootings on the north
side." Later, a judge threw out the charge against Kasten.
The Waukesha Freeman, Waukesha, WI
Robert Stilley of Delafield, Wis., began spending the night in his
service station after the soda machine had been plundered several
times. Early one morning, Stilley watched as two men approached
the station; then, when one attempted to break into the soft-drink
machine, Stilley grabbed his shotgun and captured the man.
Journal, Milwaukee, WI
After his Milwaukee, Wis., home had been burglarized, Henry
Renner, who works nights, purchased revolvers for his wife and 16year-old daughter. Some time later, Mrs. Renner was awakened by a
suspicious early-morning noise downstairs. She and her daughter
armed themselves, and confronted a hooded intruder. The daughter
fired three times and chased the man out of the house into an alley
where he disappeared.
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Journal, Milwaukee, WI
Investigating noises in the basement of his home in Milwaukee, Wis.,
Robert G. Schumaker encountered a prowler with a deer rifle and
shotgun taken from Schumaker's locker. Neither gun was loaded, but
Schumaker's revolver was, and he held the intruder at bay for police.
Journal, Milwaukee, WI
Investigating noises in the basement of his home in Milwaukee, Wis.,
Robert G. Schumaker encountered a prowler with a deer rifle and
shotgun taken from Schumaker's locker. Neither gun was loaded, but
Schumaker's revolver was, and he held the intruder at bay for police.
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