The human right to self defense predates modern culture by hundreds or thousands of years, but some modern commentators believe the right to individual self protection a) doesn’t really exist; and b) is unnecessary in these safe and modern days.
However, Members of Texas & U.S. Law Shield know that the need for self-defense and the defense of loved ones is ongoing and is certainly necessary, so we plan for, train, and hope to never have to present our firearms at all, and we certainly want to avoid having to shoot someone who’s endangering us. But we will if we have to.
It’s easy to find folks in similar situations if you simply look for the events, and toward that end, the news agency Breitbart compiled 20 events from the preceding year in which law-abiding citizens used guns to defend their own lives and the lives of others during 2016. We recap 10 such events below that occurred in Texas or U.S. Law Shield coverage states. Click here to see the full list on Breitbart.com.
- On February 22, a 71-year-old homeowner fired three rounds at an alleged home intruder, striking the suspect twice in the chest. The homeowner, Tony Pitts, is a disabled gentleman who lives in Hickory, North Carolina. WSOC TVreported that Pitts was lying in bed when he heard knocks at the front door. He did not answer because it was so late, but he was soon drawn out of bed by the sound of shattering glass. Pitts said, “I’m disabled and somebody kicks the door in, I got to do something.” He allegedly saw the suspect coming through the door and he fired three rounds, striking the would-be intruder twice and ending the incident. The suspect survived and was arrested.
- On March 8, a 65-year-old homeowner on a dialysis machine pulled a gun to prevent a would-be home invader from entering his apartment. Fox 35quoted deputies who said the suspect allegedly “cut open a screen door and entered the [would-be] victim’s place through a patio.” At that point, the resident picked up his dialysis machine and his gun, walked over to the window, and tapped on the glass with gun. The resident said, “Just wanted to let him know, I’ve got a gun.” The would-be intruder got the message and fled the scene.
- On March 17, a man eating a sandwich in a Whataburger parking lot opened fire on two suspects who allegedly tried to rob him. The San Antonio Express reported that one of the suspects was killed and police confirmed that the deceased suspect “did have a pistol.”
- On March 31, an elderly man on oxygen opened fire on two suspects who allegedly invaded his home to steal narcotics. According to the Daily Journal, two men came to the elderly man’s home in Washington County, Missouri. One of the two was known to the elderly man, the second of the two was wearing a mask. The two men allegedly accosted the elderly man and threw him across the couch, and he landed very near the place where he keeps his gun. He was able to grab it and open fire, critically wounding one of the two suspects. Both suspects fled the scene after shots were fired.
- On July 12, a Flagler County, Florida, homeowner shot and killed one of two alleged armed men who had “unlawfully” entered his home. The Daytona Beach News-Journalquoted the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) report that said, “Five adults and a 2-year-old were inside the home when the incident unfolded.” One of the residents, 21-year-old Darien Corbett, said that “he and his roommates were vacuuming a new rug” when he heard someone trying to kick in the front door. Corbett retrieved his handgun and opened the door, only to find himself staring down the barrel of a gun. Corbett “closed [his] eyes and shot twice,” striking one of the suspects. The wounded suspect died at the scene.
- On July 12, a robbery suspect with an AK-47 entered a DeSoto, Texas, Waffle House and was shot and critically wounded by a concealed carry permit holder. The Dallas Morning Newsreported that the permit holder “called out” to distract the robber and prevent him from targeting the permit holder’s wife. The robber then turned toward the permit holder, pointing the AK-47 at him, and the permit holder “shot the robber several times.” The alleged robber — 26-year-old Antione Devon Cooper — was taken to a hospital and placed on life support. No charges were filed against the concealed permit holder.
- On September 15, a woman in Gwinnett County, Georgia, opened fire on three home invasion suspects who allegedly kicked in her door around 4 a.m. WSBTVreported that the woman and a man were in bed when they heard the sound of people kicking their way into the home. The woman grabbed her gun, confronted the invasion suspects, and gunfire was exchanged. Police said 28-year-old Antonia Leeks was shot and killed in the gun battle. The other two suspects fled the scene.
- On November 14, a customer in Porfirio’s II Pizza used a Glock handgun to shoot and kill one robbery suspect while leaving a second suspect in “serious condition.” Levittown Nowquoted police, saying, “Two employees were inside Porfirio’s II Pizza and the customer was standing inside when the two robbers, both of whom were armed with handguns, entered the shop around 10 p.m.” The suspects ordered everyone to the ground and allegedly “began pistol-whipping the customer.” The customer then pulled his Glock and opened fire, striking both suspects. The armed citizen was not seriously injured.
- On November 14, an armed passerby intervened and saved a sheriff’s deputy who was under attack on the side of the road. According to WZVN, a Lee County sheriff’s deputy tried to pull a suspect over shortly after 9:30 a.m. in Estero, Florida. The suspect accelerated — “reaching speeds of up to 100 miles per hour” — and the deputy gave chase. At an off-ramp near Corkscrew Road the suspect got out of his car, walked back to the deputy’s car, and began to beat him. An armed passerby intervened and ordered the suspect to stop, but he refused. The deputy could be heard yelling, “Shoot him, shoot him, shoot him.” The passerby fired three shots, and the suspect collapsed on top of the deputy. The deputy was treated at a hospital and released.
- On December 26, a Mableton, Georgia, gun store owner shot and killed one of two suspects who allegedly tried to rob his business. According to Action News 5, store owner Jimmy Groover said that “two men wearing masks came in with guns drawn, demanding that he get on the floor, while shouting they were going to kill him.” But Groover was wearing a handgun on his hip and, according to Fox 13 Memphis, “Police said [Groover] pulled out his gun and fired, hitting one of the gunmen.” Police arrived to find shattered glass and the body of one of the suspects on the floor. The second suspect escaped.
There are many other examples, but this concise list serves as a reminder that owning a gun for self-defense is part of American heritage and culture, and it allows the vulnerable to quickly level the playing field when under attack. — Texas & U.S. Law Shield Staff
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