Dakota Beacon

Defund the police. Cut the force. Criminals prevail. 911 is unreliable. Soros-backed District Attorneys release offenders. We live in an unsafe nation in decline.

The national media routinely covers atrocious murders. Seldom, however, do they report episodes of armed citizens effectively defending themselves. Many local radio and TV stations along with small newspapers do report armed citizen stories. The National Rifle Association (NRA) (of which my wife and I are both life members) publishes “The Armed Citizen” column to highlight a few of the many stories each month. Without the local reporting of these stories, the NRA would have a difficult time gathering the information. It must be noted that the NRA offers firearms training and gun safety courses across the nation. Here are some of their stories.

“On the evening of Nov. 18, 2021, a store employee in Seattle, Wash., called 911 to report an armed robbery and shooting… Officers were told that four or five armed males … held the store employees at gunpoint while they stole money and merchandise… One of the employees was able to retrieve a firearm and shoot at the men, causing them to flee. Two of the suspects … went to the hospital with gunshot wounds… The men were arrested and booked for robbery in the first degree... (komonews.com, Seattle, Wash., 11/19/21 and thenewstribune.com, Tacoma, Wash., 11/20/21)”

“An elderly couple in Abbotstown, Pa., were sitting in their living room Dec. 22, 2021, when a half-naked man entered the home and began punching the male homeowner. The husband yelled for his wife to get their revolver in their bedroom, but the intruder followed her and began assaulting her as well. The husband was able to retrieve his gun during the tussle … and shot the attacker multiple times. The homeowners both … sustained injuries from the attack; the intruder died at the scene ... (eveningsun.com, Hanover, Pa., 12/22/21)”

“On the evening of Jan. 2, an unknown man broke into a home in Salem, Ore. A 62-year-old man was with his daughter and grandchildren in the home. The homeowner was able to retrieve his firearm and defend himself and his family, shooting and killing the intruder. The police were called to the scene and responders pronounced the intruder dead. A defense attorney confirmed to the media that Oregon is a “stand your ground” state with no requirement to retreat when in imminent danger. (statesmanjournal.com, Salem, Ore., 1/3/22)”

“As a York City, Pa., restaurant was closing on the night of Jan. 3, an unknown armed man broke into the business and demanded money from the register. The restaurant owner was in the back of the business when he heard the intruder threatening his wife and son. The armed citizen ran to the front of the restaurant and fatally shot the robber. (yorkdispatch.com, York, Pa., 1/5/22)”

“A man in Blacksburg, S.C., was at home with his mother the night of Feb. 2 when a 29-year-old intruder burst through the home’s front door and began assaulting him with a blunt object. During the struggle, the man was … able to reach his firearm and shoot his attacker once in the chest. The wounded assailant then left in a vehicle that had been waiting nearby and was taken to a hospital, where he later died from his wounds. The homeowner was also taken to the hospital for his injuries and was later released. (wspa.com, Spartanburg, S.C., 2/2/22 and wyff4.com, Greenville, S.C., 2/2/22)”

“A graduation party at an apartment complex in Charleston, W.Va., on May 25, became the scene of a shooting in which luckily only the suspect was injured and killed. The suspect had been warned about speeding with children playing in the area. Upset about the comment, he left the area, returned with an AR-15 … and began firing into the crowd. One of the party attendees, who was legally carrying her own pistol, was able to shoot and kill the gunman before he wounded or killed anyone at the party. Charleston Police Department Chief of Detectives Tony Hazelett credited the armed citizen with bravery for engaging the threat and saving many lives. No charges were to be brought against the armed citizen. (wchstv.com, Charleston, W.Va., 5/25/22)”

During a two-week period in mid-July of this year in Texas alone five armed citizen incidents were reported. Two of these incidents follow.

“On July 16, in Houston, a man was in the process of withdrawing money from an ATM when another man, wielding a handgun, attempted to rob him. Turning the tables, the bank customer pulled his own handgun and shot the would-be robber, who died at the scene. The incident is reportedly still under investigation.”

“On July 22, in Beaumont, Texas, a man wielding a knife attempted to rob a convenience store clerk. When he attacked the clerk with the knife, she pulled out a gun and shot him multiple times. The man was taken to a hospital where he was treated for serious injuries then was later charged with aggravated assault. Thanks to having a firearm and knowing how and when to use it, the clerk was unharmed.”

The so-called “mainstream” media together with gun-ban organizations pretend that lawful Americans seldom defend themselves with firearms. The above episodes along with many, many others across the US prove them wrong every year.

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).