A man and his mother were working at an Akron, Ohio, beauty supply store when two alleged armed robbers wearing masks and gloves entered around 7 p.m. on Nov. 15. Both employees were behind the counter of the glass-fronted store. During the alleged robbery, the son pushed his mother back to protect her, drew his handgun and fired a few shots at the masked men, fatally wounding one in the head. The dead robber’s handgun, found on the floor nearby, was loaded. The other suspect crouched down, crawled out of the store and fled. The alleged robbery was recorded on store security cameras. Days earlier, the armed citizen’s father suggested he bring a firearm to work after noticing a suspicious man enter the store. The other suspected robber was still at large. (Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio, 11/20/2019)
A Chicago man, 30, was leaving a business Dec. 1 at 4:45 p.m. when two men approached, at least one of whom was armed. With his handgun drawn, the one suspect allegedly demanded that the man hand over his property. Instead, the armed citizen, who has a valid concealed-carry license, drew his own handgun and fired at the armed man, who fled on foot with his accomplice. No arrests were made, and the suspects were still at large, according to Chicago Police. (Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago, Ill., 12/2/2019)
A 23-year-old masked man allegedly entered a Fort Wayne, Ind., apartment March 31 at 4 p.m. after breaking down the front door. Hearing breaking glass, the resident, in his bedroom with his girlfriend, realized it was the front door. He grabbed his AR-15 platform pistol, took a position on one knee and aimed at the bedroom doorway, according to court documents. The suspect, wearing all black, came into the doorway pointing a semi-automatic handgun. The resident fired at the intruder, who retreated into the living room and then to the kitchen, where they exchanged gunfire. The suspect ran out of the front door bleeding, left a trail of blood through the parking lot and fled in an SUV with a group of men. Local law enforcement arrived shortly afterward and were notified about an SUV matching a bystander’s description that had run red lights. The officers located the suspect at a nearby emergency room, where he was being treated for a gunshot wound to his upper thigh. Police charged him with burglary with a deadly weapon, carrying a handgun without a license, residential break-in and criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon. The suspect was held in a county jail without bail. (The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind., 11/21/2019)
A firefighter (also a reserve deputy constable) was working on his home under construction May 2018 in Zachary, La., at 3:30 a.m. when an armed male, 23, approached him while riding a bicycle. The robber demanded money, but when the firefighter said he had none, he was forced at gunpoint into his vehicle and told to drive to multiple ATMs, where he withdrew cash, according to sheriff’s deputies. Unhappy with the amount of money, the robber told the firefighter to go to his residence and get his wife’s ATM card. The firefighter asked the man to wait outside because he had large dogs inside that would attack. The robber agreed but threatened to kill the man and his family if he didn’t return to the vehicle. Once inside, the firefighter told his wife to call 911 and armed himself. The robber became impatient, entered the house and was promptly shot once by the armed citizen, who disarmed the robber and detained him until police showed up. The robber was briefly treated for injuries from the gunshot and released from the hospital. He was then booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and convicted Oct. 31 of aggravated burglary, armed robbery and aggravated kidnapping, the last of which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison. (The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La., 11/1/2019; wafb.com, Baton Rouge, La., 5/7/2018, 6/27/2018)
On Oct. 22, a Virginia man allegedly forced his way into an apartment after 9 p.m. when a tenant shot him in the leg, according to the Scott County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect, who fled the scene on foot, was apprehended nearby by police less than an hour later. After being treated for minor injuries, the suspect was charged with breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny. The suspect reportedly knew the tenant and had a criminal history. The armed citizen is disabled and acted in self-defense, according to investigators. (wjhl.com, Johnson City, Tenn., 10/22/2019; wcyb.com, Bristol, Va., 10/23/2019)
