Just south of Yellowstone National Park on Oct. 18, 2025, a hunter was hiking through thick timber early one morning when suddenly a male grizzly bear charged at him. The man defended himself by shooting the bear with his hunting rifle, killing it at close range. This is the third time in as many years that hunters have had such deadly encounters with grizzlies in the area, though the prior two years involved archery hunters. Reports noted that the bears are in hyperphagia mode during the hunting season, fattening up before winter, and some bears have been known to stalk the sound of rifle shots for scavenging opportunities. Investigators confirmed that the hunter acted in self-defense and would not be charged. “We see maulings often enough,” a bear-safety expert told reporters. “[Hunting] is one of the high-risk activities in grizzly country.” She encourages hunters to be vigilant and carry bear spray or other defense tools. (cowboystatedaily.com, Cheyenne, Wyo., 10/21/25)
In Chicago, Ill., on the morning of Sept. 20, 2025, a woman and her children were inside their home when a man began trying to kick down her back door while threatening to kill everyone inside. The woman immediately called both police and a female relative who lived nearby. The relative rushed to the home, found that the man had broken through a window and was continuing to threaten the family, and shot the man multiple times. The assailant, who had reportedly been arrested 64 times since 2009 for various charges including criminal trespassing and aggravated battery, was later pronounced dead at the hospital. No charges were pending against the armed defender at the time of reporting. (wgntv.com, Chicago, Ill., 9/20/25)
A man in Chicago, Ill., was allegedly carjacked on the morning of Oct. 12, 2025. The suspected robbers then tried to run the man over with his own vehicle as well, whereupon the man drew his firearm and shot at them. He immediately notified police, who later located one of the suspects at a nearby hospital with a gunshot wound in his lower torso. The suspect was listed in critical condition, and no charges had been filed against the armed citizen at the time of reporting. (cwbchicago.com, Chicago, Ill., 10/12/25)
Around 2 a.m. on Oct. 16, 2025, in Baltimore, Md., a man broke into a jewelry store by throwing a brick through the glass windows. However, the owner of the store also lived above it and was awake watching television. He reportedly told the robber to freeze, and then shot him when he did not comply. (cbsnews.com, Baltimore, Md., 10/17/25)
On Oct. 17, 2025, a 21-year-old fast-food employee in Polk County, Fla., apologetically informed two 3 a.m. drive-through customers that he would not be able to take their orders per managerial direction since they were “overwhelmed with online orders.” The two young men trying to order allegedly responded by threatening the employee, and then they entered the restaurant and threatened him with what they termed a “switch” and a “30-clip.” Security video footage showed the employee drawing his own firearm and then a manager attempting to intervene. One of the suspected assailants reportedly reached for the employee’s gun, at which point he fired and struck one suspect in the neck. “[The armed citizen] has a right to stand his ground and protect himself, and these guys are threatening to do violence after they’ve already threatened on the outside of the store and come inside,” the sheriff told reporters. “They created a well-found fear in him and the store manager.” (wchstv.com, Charleston, W.Va., 10/18/25)
A man followed a woman into a Los Angeles beauty-supply store on the afternoon of Oct. 19, 2025, and then began “groping” her. Employees tried to eject the man from the store, but he became violent and started attacking multiple people, with some witnesses reporting that he had a knife as well. Another woman in the store, witnessing the chaotic assault, drew her firearm and shot the man dead. (ktla.com, Los Angeles, Calif., 10/20/25)
On the morning of Nov. 9, 2025, police received a call reporting a burglary in Phoenix, Ariz. While they were responding to that call, they received another call of a shooting in the same area, which turned out to be a case of a homeowner shooting a man who had allegedly broken into the home (and who was presumably the same burglar). The suspect was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. (abc15.com, Phoenix, Ariz., 11/9/25)
