By: Mark Bunner Re: Expanded AC 1 of 3 The American Rifleman, February 1996 THE (expanded)

By: Mark Bunner
Re: Expanded AC 1 of 3

The American Rifleman, February 1996

THE (expanded) ARMED CITIZEN

     Studies indicate that firearms are used over two
million times a year for personal protection, and that the
presence of a firearm, without a shot being fired, prevents
crime in many instances.  Shooting usually can be justified
only where crime constitutes an immediate imminent threat to
life limb or in some cases property.  Anyone is free to quote
or reproduce these accounts.  Send clippings to: "The Armed
Citizen," 11250 Waples Mill Rd., Fairfax, VA 22030


     Portland, Oregon, resident Ernie Robinson was leaving for
work when a neighbor ran from her home screaming that a strange
man was in her house. Robinson retrieved his 9mm from his home
and upon exiting the house, encountered the approaching stranger,
clad only in black jeans. Robinson asked the unwelcome visitor
what he was up to, but the man answered only with silence and
continued toward him, jumping a fence and backing him into his
garage. With nowhere left to go, Robinson fired his gun, mortally
wounding the intruder. (The Oregonian, Portland, OR, 9/6/95)
 
     "In this case, we had someone just as bold as the person who
went in to rob them," said Anderson, Indiana, Police Chief Ron
Rheam of a citizen who put an end to a liquor store robbery by
critically wounding the bandit. Danny Groce was in the store
visiting his wife, clerk Barbara Groce, when the suspect strode
in the store, forced everyone to the floor, and demanded cash
from the register. Concerned for his wife, Danny Groce stood up,
drew his legally concealed handgun and shot the man. (The Herald
Bulletin, Anderson, IN, 10/19/95)
 
     William G. Lowery, 86, was just being helpful when he let a
man into his home who said he needed to use a phone. Once inside,
the man drew a gun on the elderly Denver, Colorado, resident.
Lowery's nephew, John Kenneth Real, seeing what was happening
from another room, drew his own gun and fired, fatally wounding
the intruder. Police believe the deceased criminal, whose record
included a previous burglary conviction, may have broken into
another home earlier that evening. (The Post, Denver, CO,
10/14/95)
 
     "We can't cope with robberies like the big chain convenience
stores. If somebody robs us of $3,000 or $4,000 we've had
it--we're out of business," said Carl O. Wilford in support of
his son, who killed an armed robber during a hold-up at the
family's Murrayville, Georgia, convenience store. The junior
Wilford had been working in the store when a man entered the
business and aimed a pistol at him. In response, the clerk pulled
his own handgun and twice shot the suspect. (The Times,
Murrayville, GA, 9/23/95)
 
     A "grandparent-aged" Princess Anne, Maryland, homeowner
confronted an armed man who had just crashed through the window
of his house and used an unloaded rifle to club the intruder and
subdue him for police. Upon arriving at the house to arrest the
homebreaker, sheriff's deputies discovered the assailant to be
one of two suspects wanted for the shooting death of a Maryland
State Trooper earlier that evening. The arrest led to the
discovery that the other suspect was still nearby. He was
consequently captured the following day. (The Post, Washington,
DC, 10/18/95)
 
     There was a wanted man on the run in Bob Cummins' Pearl,
Mississippi, neighborhood, so he alerted neighbors, checked on
nearby relatives and returned home for a bite to eat with his .40
cal. Browning semi-auto by his side. Surprisingly, a knock on the
door a little while later revealed the man for whom police were
searching requesting to use Cummins' phone. Cummins permitted the
man to enter, whereupon he pulled his gun on the fugitive, saying
"No, sir, you are not the one who is going to make a phone
call--I am." Cummins held him for police, who arrived a quick 911
call later. The suspect had led police on a 20-mile high-speed
chase after they attempted to arrest him on a warrant for
aggravated assault. (The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, MS, 10/22/95)
 
     Thieves left four speakers behind after stealing $20,000
worth of musical equipment from Michael Allen's van. Figuring the
culprits would return the next evening to collect the remainder
of their loot, the Fremont, California, accountant decided to set
a trap by borrowing a friend's pistol, taking a crash course on
how to use it, and lying in wait. Allen's calculations proved
correct when a teen skulked into the back of the van and snatched
a speaker. Allen confronted the sneak while his girlfriend called
police. Within minutes, two accomplices were caught nearby and
confessed to the crime, leading police to the stolen equipment.
(The Mercury News, San Jose, CA, 11/4/95)
------------------------------------

     After a strange car pulled up in front of her rural home for
a second time, the lone Griswold, Connecticut, woman telephoned
her brother to come and investigate. But before he could arrive,
the woman was forced to grab her .22 cal. rifle and confront a
teenager breaking in through a locked window. Her brother, who
had already dialed police, appeared moments later where he
captured three more accomplices waiting outside. (The Bulletin,
Norwich, CT, 10/10/95)
 
     Despite a trespass notice and several arrests, an Orlando,
Florida, man relentlessly stalked his former girlfriend, Judy
Davis, for more than a year, physically attacking her, running
her off the road and breaking into her home on at least two
occasions. Following a brief stint in jail, a judge released
Davis' tormentor after he promised to stay away from her forever.
His promise was only good for six days before he returned to
Davis' home and chased her inside. There the victim grabbed her
.38 cal. revolver and fired, dropping the man to the floor.
Getting back to his feet and fleeing, the wounded stalker was
captured by police hours later. (The Sentinel, Orlando, FL,
11/16/95)
 
     Two alleged bandits had just robbed Deandre Hodge in her
Shreveport, Louisiana, home and were making their getaway, when
one of the men fired several shots at the robbery victim. Hodge
defended herself with her SKS rifle, mortally wounding the
trigger-happy suspect. The driver of the car was taken to the
police station for questioning. No charges were filed in the
case. (The Times, Shreveport, LA, 10/7/95)
 
     Forced to the back of a Houston, Texas, pawn shop by one of
two armed robbers, Thomas Perez drew his own gun, shooting and
killing the man. He then exchanged shots with the other robber,
wounding him. The bandit fled on foot but was later arrested by
police. (The Chronicle, Houston, TX, 11/9/95)


          "They Didn't Plan On Leaving Witnesses" 

     After saying goodbye to his wife, Mary, Brian Rigsby left
their home outside Atlanta, Georgia, to pick up his friend Tom
Styer for an impromptu camping trip on the afternoon of Saturday,
November 24, 1990.

     Getting a late start and making a few wrong turns in the
Oconee National Forest, the two friends didn't arrive at their
campsite until well after dark. They'd chosen a spot convenient
to the public rifle range in Oconee, and eagerly looked forward
to some target practice the next day.

     By the light of a lantern, the friends pitched a tent and
then built a campfire. They were settling in for the night when
they heard the distinctive growl of a diesel engine approaching.
Shortly thereafter, a truck pulled up, right into the middle of
the camp. Rigsby noticed that it was a work truck, with the name
of a business painted on the side.

     Two men got out and introduced themselves, explaining that
they were driving around to meet people and help out. Exceedingly
polite, the visitors insisted on helping Rigsby and Styer cut
more firewood. During their hour-long stay, the courteous duo
depicted themselves as long-time residents of the area, boasting
about their extensive knowledge of the surrounding woods.

     Rigsby remembers feeling uncomfortable with the two men, and
relieved when they finally left. He even considered moving the
camp to another location. But before any firm decision could be
reached, Rigsby and Styer heard the truck's diesel engine once
again driving down the road toward their camp. It was the only
road in.

     The truck stopped before reaching the camp, and its engine
abruptly cut off. In the quiet that followed, Rigsby and Styer
heard the faint crackle of leaves rustling as their former
visitors stole toward the campsite.

     When the two friends realized they were being stalked, each
grabbed his gun and made sure it was loaded. Rigsby took cover
behind his truck, armed with a Ruger Mini-14 with a 30-round
magazine, while Styer knelt in the tent's shadow with his .45
pistol at the ready.

--------------------------------

     Rigsby was shocked and filled with disbelief. "I tried to
listen for the men," he recalls, "but couldn't hear much over the
sound of my breathing and the pounding of my heart."

     It was Styer that saw them first. One of the men slid
suddenly into the light cast by the campfire, pointing his
double-barrelled shotgun in Rigsby's direction. Afraid he would
actually shoot, Rigsby kept his head down, and heard Styer ask
the man why he came back with a gun. In reply, the man swung the
shotgun toward Styer and answered, "I'm going to kill  you."

     Styer instructed the intruder to drop his gun. Instead, the
intruder fired, hitting Styer in the legs.

     Rigsby remembers seeing the front sight of his Mini-14
centered on the assailant's chest. He fired twice. Quickly
swinging the rifle toward the second attacker's position, Rigsby
fired six or seven additional rounds, determining his point of
aim by the flash from the other man 's muzzle against the
blackness of the surrounding forest.

     Partially blinded by the flash from his own muzzle, Rigsby
dropped back down behind his truck. He looked underneath the
frame, across the campsite. Seeing no one, he yelled for help.
There was no answer. He called out to Styer, but heard no
response.

     Rigsby knew that the first attacker was down and no longer a
threat. But the other gunman was out there, somewhere. Rigsby
strained his ears, trying to hear any movement in the nearby
trees. He heard nothing. He looked around the camp and beyond it
into the woods, but still saw no one. Waiting a few minutes, he
called again to Styer, but his friend still did not answer.

     Rigsby then began to move slowly and cautiously backward,
away from the camp. Seeing a light through the trees, he started
toward it. Amazingly, he found a camp filled with hunters about
300 yds. away.

     One of the hunters hurried away to call the police, who
responded and immediately placed Rigsby under arrest. They
returned to the scene of the attack and found Styer, still alive.

     The shotgun-wielding attacker had been hit twice and died at
the scene. His accomplice was also hit twice, but survived. Both
carried 12-ga. scatterguns loaded with 3" magnum buckshot, and
both had fired their weapons at Rigsby and Styer.

     The two friends gave statements to the police, whereupon
Rigsby was released from custody and Styer was taken to the local
hospital. In his statement, the surviving gunman admitted he and
his accomplice had returned to rob the campers, a crime they had
planned while smoking crack cocaine following their initial visit
to the campsite. The surviving gunman was subsequently charged
with aggravated assault, convicted and released on probation.

     Later, an officer told Brian Rigsby and Tom Styer that
police were convinced the pair of attackers would have murdered
both campers; when introducing themselves, the deceptively
courteous men had used their real names and drove a truck owned
by their employer. Apparently, they didn't plan to leave any
witnesses to their crime.
 
     (Ed. Note:  Although Brian Rigsby's Mini-14 was not on the
list of so-called "assault weapons" prohibited by the 1994 gun
ban, with a few cosmetic changes, it would meet the criteria
established therein by the 103rd Congress. All magazines capable
of holding more than 10 rounds were banned.)