While so-called “mainstream” media outlets routinely have wall-to-wall coverage of atrocious murders by troubled young men seeking attention, the national media seldom report the episodes of armed self-defense. The NRA, of course, uses “The Armed Citizen” column to highlight a few of these stories each month.
Meanwhile, many national media outlets have no problem providing extensive coverage of the few horrible tragedies where there wasn’t an armed good person on the scene to stop a sociopath. One reason the mainstream media doesn’t shy away from the horrific attacks on unarmed civilians is these events can be spun into anti-Second Amendment narratives.
Many local media outlets, however, do report on armed citizen stories. Without small newspapers, and television and radio stations reporting on some of these stories, we would have a difficult time gathering them.
For example, even as the mainstream media focused on a tragedy in Texas, they chose to ignore a lot of stories; in fact, during a two-week period in mid-to-late July, at least five armed Texans used their firearms to defend themselves and others. Here are the details.
On July 10, a father used his firearm to fight off a pair of suspected robbers who tried to break into his vehicle while his wife and their two infant children were inside. According to a report, the family had just pulled up at their home when the two suspected robbers tried to get into the car from the back door. The father shot at the suspects multiple times from inside the car, and the wife quickly drove away.
The suspects, both 16 years old, were taken to a nearby hospital where they were listed in fair condition. The investigation is ongoing.
Less than a week later, on July 16, a Crowley, Texas, homeowner was at his home when a man broke in. According to a report, the two exchanged gunfire, both were hit, and the home invasion suspect fled in his car.
Minutes later, the suspected intruder crashed his vehicle into the fence of another residence. The 36-year-old driver was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The homeowner was admitted to the hospital in serious but stable condition.
That same day 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.
According to a report, 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.
Just three days later, a Houston tow truck driver used his personally owned firearm to protect himself from an attacker.
According to a report, the tow truck driver was towing a vehicle from an apartment complex when a man who did not own the vehicle approached him. The man displayed a firearm to the tow truck driver, who was also armed. Shots followed, and the aggressor was shot. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The so-called “mainstream” media and gun-ban organizations like to pretend that lawful Americans seldom defend themselves with firearms. These five episodes, along with more than a million others throughout the country each year, prove them wrong.
