As reported, the owner of a pharmacy used his handgun in self defense against a mid-day armed robber:
Police say that at about 11:00 AM, a robber who was armed with a handgun entered the National Family Pharmacy in Fort Smith, Arkansas, pointed a gun at an employee, and ordered that employee to fill a bag with pills. The owner of the pharmacy is said to have noticed the robbery, grabbed his gun, and fired at the robber as the robber was near the exit. A suspect, who reportedly matches the description of the robber, was found at a local hospital suffering from a gunshot wound, and no injuries to the owner, employees, or bystanders were reported.
Once again, guns are a valuable self defense tool. Unarmed individuals can suffer a terrible fate when a criminal robs them, even if they fully cooperate with the criminal’s demands. The same is true for those who try to run from the robber.
On the other hand, fighting back against robbers can be quite effective as a means of reducing the risk of injury to the victim, as a few other examples will also show: This armed barber shot an armed criminal who threatened him and his son, saving their lives. This armed pet shop clerk shot an armed robber who threatened a fellow employee’s life, as well as his own life, preventing them both from being stabbed. This armed pizza delivery man defended himself against 3 armed robbers, and walked away unharmed. This armed citizen stopped a bank robber, while this armed Israeli citizen stopped a terrorist.
Those who oppose armed self defense should also note the great many cases like this, where a law abiding citizen uses their gun for self defense in a busy area, and not one bystander is harmed. Remember, statistics show that armed citizens are less likely than the police to shoot the wrong person, not to mention the other benefits that armed citizens convey upon innocent members of society.