Carjacking: Arizona Woman Defends Against Car Thief
A Tempe, Arizona, woman heard a car alarm going off at around 4 a.m. Taking up a pistol when she went outside to investigate, the woman encountered a man breaking into her car. An altercation ensued, and the woman fired on the man, seriously wounding him. No arrests were made at the time of the incident.
Fox 10 Phoenix
Indiana Man Stops Mall Massacre
A man with a rifle and several extra magazines opened fire in a Greenwood mall food court, killing three persons and wounding two others.
Fortunately, a 22-year-old man with a concealed carry permit was at the mall shopping with his girlfriend and was carrying a concealed pistol. He quickly pushed his girlfriend to the ground and told her to stay down, found a position at a building column from which he could engage the shooter at a distance of about 40 yards, and fired 10 rounds at the assailant — eight of which found their target, killing him and stopping the massacre almost as soon as it began.
A law enforcement review of the mall security tape of the event revealed that the armed citizen heard the first shot and then fired on the attacker within 15 seconds. Police hailed the young man — who was taught to shoot by his grandfather and who had no prior military or police experience — as a good Samaritan and praised him for stopping what could have been a high-casualty incident in Indiana.
Fortunately for all involved, the young defender carried his concealed pistol in the mall despite the mall’s no-guns policy. Mall management joined police and others in praising the man’s actions and thanked him for his heroic efforts.
WashingtonTimes.com, FoxNews.com
West Virginia Woman Stops Mass Shooting
People attending a graduation party and a birthday party asked a man speeding up and down an apartment complex’s parking lot to slow down since children were playing in the area. The man left the area but returned a few minutes later with a rifle and opened fire. A Charleston, West Virginia, woman at one of the parties drew her legally carried pistol and shot the assailant dead, ending the attack. No one at either party was injured. Police officials praised the armed female defender, saying she saved dozens of partygoers.
WRAL.com, West Virginia
California Homeowner Kills Armed Burglar
A Los Angeles man and his wife heard footsteps in their home one evening. Going to investigate with a gun, the husband confronted an armed burglar and opened fire. In the ensuing shootout, the homeowner was uninjured, but the burglar died at the scene from a single bullet wound to the upper torso. A second burglar fled the scene.
Ohio Homeowners Defend Against Home Invader
An intruder broke into a West Chester, Ohio, home at around 4 a.m., assaulting and dragging one of the homeowners outside. The other resident took up a gun and shot the intruder, stopping the attack. Both the attacker and his victim were hospitalized.
Washington State Woman Shoots Armed Assailant
Staff members at a Quality Inn in Tacoma asked a drunk man to leave the property. Rather than comply, the drunk man produced a knife and started chasing two women and a man who worked at the hotel. One of the women then drew a pistol and shot the assailant, stopping him and ending the incident. Tacoma police announced that they will arrest the man on first-degree assault charges after his release from the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening wounds.
KING 5, Seattle, Washington
California Security Guard Defends Against Armed Robbers
When four armed men proceeded to rob a Compton smoke shop, the store’s security guard drew his pistol and fired on the armed intruders, who then returned fire. In the ensuing exchange, the guard suffered gunshot wounds to the head and neck, while one of the robbers was fatally wounded. The other three robbers fled from the scene.
Off-Duty New Mexico State Trooper Shoots Assailant
An off-duty New Mexico State Police trooper noticed an employee escorting a man off of the premises at a Cabela’s in Albuquerque. The man, a shoplifter, had attempted to steal some 9mm ammo and caused an altercation in the store. Seeing the shoplifter was armed, the trooper asked the store manager if the man had pointed his pistol at anyone. On being told yes, the trooper approached the offender in the parking lot, identified himself as a police officer and demanded the man drop the gun and lay down on the ground. Rather than comply, the suspect fired on the officer, missing him. The trooper returned fire, critically injuring the shoplifter-turned-armed-assailant.
ABQ RAW, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Texas Homeowner Shoots Home Invader
A Grand Saline homeowner heard someone breaking into his home at around midnight. Taking up a pistol when he went to investigate, the homeowner encountered a burglar in his living area. The homeowner fired on the invader, fatally wounding him and ending the incident.
Tyler Morning Telegraph, Texas
Illinois Man Stops Armed Robbery
At around 3:15 a.m., two armed men, clad in black, masked and wearing latex gloves, invaded a Frankfort bar and proceeded to rob the business and its patrons. They threatened to kill everyone in the store if any patrons resisted. One patron of the bar had access to a firearm and, at an opportune moment, fired on the robbers, mortally wounding one at the scene and putting the other to flight. Illinois police recovered the weapons the robbers used, which turned out to be replica pistols.
Fox 32 Chicago, Illinois
