On Nov. 28, 2023, in Memphis, Tenn., three men entered a Dollar General store and held it up at gunpoint. A bystander witnessing the alleged assailants threatening the people in the store drew their own gun and fired at the suspects, killing one. Police quickly arrested another suspect, but the third got away. A nearby business owner who was not involved in the incident confirmed the area has suffered from crime, claiming her business had already been broken into twice in the three months it had been open. (fox13memphis.com, Memphis, Tenn., 11/28/23)
The owner of a store named Cash4Gold in Mesquite, Texas, was in the back of his shop on Nov. 2, 2023, when two men entered, both with their hoods up and one wearing a mask. The store owner saw one of the men draw a gun and point it at him, but he quickly drew his own gun and fired at the assailants while moving to concealment. Security video shows them exchanging shots until the two would-be robbers flee the store. The armed citizen told reporters he had faced several attempted robberies before and has always managed to deter the aggressors: “Part luck, part awareness, part prep. It all adds up.” (fox4news.com, Dallas, Texas, 11/7/23)
