Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Despite The Lies, Armed Citizens Save Lives

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

This feature appears in the March ‘17 issue of NRA America’s 1st Freedom, one of the official journals of the National Rifle Association.  

Gun-ban advocates like to talk about how armed citizens aren’t a deterrent to crime. They boast that “a good guy with a gun stopping a bad guy with a gun” is just some kind of figment of gun owners’ imaginations.

In fact, Demanding Moms head Shannon Watts has gone so far as to say, “This has never happened. Data shows it doesn’t happen.” More recently, on Jan. 12, The New York Times editorial board, pontificating against laws that would better enable law-abiding Americans to defend themselves with firearms, wrote: “The grim truth is that concealed-carry permit holders are rarely involved in stopping crime.”

Ironically, on the very same day an Arizona armed citizen used his gun to save a state trooper’s life—once again proving that Watts, the Times and other gun-banners who say good guys with guns don’t stop bad guys with guns are intentionally lying for political reasons.

Here’s the story.

According to a report from KTAR News, the trooper was investigating an early morning rollover accident when someone shot him in the shoulder. The attacker then jumped on the trooper and began ruthlessly beating him.

An armed citizen was passing by with his family when he noticed the attack underway. Stopping his car, he ran toward the scene and asked the officer if he needed assistance. The officer answered, “Yes.”

The armed citizen ran back to his car, grabbed his gun, approached the scene and ordered the attacker to stop. When the bad guy continued to beat the trooper, the armed citizen shot the assailant several times, killing him.

Watts and other gun haters will likely just ignore this incident. They’ll claim that it never happened, or that the officer wasn’t in danger. Or they’ll say the armed citizen didn’t play an important role in the episode.

If they won’t take my word for it, though, perhaps they’ll listen to the director of Arizona’s Department of Public Safety. Col. Frank Milstead pulled no punches in stating, “I don’t know that my trooper would be alive without [the armed citizen’s] assistance.” He added, “I would just say thank you.”

It’s a good thing that this armed citizen, who chose to remain anonymous, didn’t listen to the lies from anti-gunners. If he had—and if he had believed what they continually repeat—he might have decided to leave his gun at home that day.

The result would have been yet another law enforcement officer never getting to return home to his waiting family.

IN THIS ARTICLE
Arizona Armed Citizen

BY Mark Chesnut

Editor, America's First Freedom

TRENDING NOW
En Banc Third Circuit Strikes Down New Jersey’s “Assault Firearm” and “Large Capacity Magazine” Bans in NRA Case

Friday, July 17, 2026

En Banc Third Circuit Strikes Down New Jersey’s “Assault Firearm” and “Large Capacity Magazine” Bans in NRA Case

In a landmark victory for the Second Amendment and the National Rifle Association, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit today held that New Jersey’s bans on commonly owned semiautomatic rifles and magazines ...

Massachusetts: Committee of Conference Meeting Now on Hunting Reform Bill

Friday, July 17, 2026

Massachusetts: Committee of Conference Meeting Now on Hunting Reform Bill

House and Senate leadership have appointed members to the Committee of Conference for Senate Bill 3064, which includes, among other things, a lifting of the ban on Sunday hunting and expansions for archery hunting.

Judge Rules Preliminary Injunction Against Virginia “Assault Firearm” and Magazine Bans Secured by NRA Applies Statewide

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Judge Rules Preliminary Injunction Against Virginia “Assault Firearm” and Magazine Bans Secured by NRA Applies Statewide

In the NRA’s challenge to Virginia’s “assault firearm” and magazine bans, Santolla v. Katz, Judge Jeffrey L. Campbell of the Washington County Circuit Court issued a letter opinion yesterday making clear that the preliminary injunction ...

U.S. House Passes Legislation to Block Credit Card Gun Registry

News  

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

U.S. House Passes Legislation to Block Credit Card Gun Registry

On July 14, 2026, the U.S. House passed H.R. 1181, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act. This important legislation, sponsored by Representative Riley Moore (R-WV-02), would prohibit credit card companies from tracking the purchases of ...

Trump Reinforces Support for the Second Amendment During National AM250 Address

News  

Monday, July 13, 2026

Trump Reinforces Support for the Second Amendment During National AM250 Address

It may not need to be said, but we’ll keep saying it: Donald Trump is the most pro-Second Amendment president in the NRA’s history of protecting the right to keep and bear arms.  While the nation ...

Legislation Introduced to Protect Second Amendment Rights on Federal Lands

News  

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Legislation Introduced to Protect Second Amendment Rights on Federal Lands

On July 16, 2026, Representatives Rudy Yakym (R-IN-02) and Pat Fallon (R-TX-04) introduced H.R. 9719, the Federal Lands Lawful Carry Act. This legislation would clarify that law-abiding Americans can carry firearms on federal land and ...

SCOTUS Agrees to Hear Challenges to “Assault Weapon” Bans

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

SCOTUS Agrees to Hear Challenges to “Assault Weapon” Bans

Today, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari in two cases challenging bans on “assault weapons.”

NRA Files Comments in Response to ATF’s Regulatory Reforms, Urges Participation!

News  

Monday, July 13, 2026

NRA Files Comments in Response to ATF’s Regulatory Reforms, Urges Participation!

Last week, NRA filed its first round of comments in response to ATF’s comprehensive regulatory overhaul. NRA’s latest input shows the Association’s efforts coming full circle.

Virginia Anti-gun Lawmakers Delay “Assault Firearm” Carry and Transportation Restriction

News  

Monday, July 6, 2026

Virginia Anti-gun Lawmakers Delay “Assault Firearm” Carry and Transportation Restriction

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (D) and the General Assembly’s ruling anti-gun majority have delayed the enactment of one of their most controversial pieces of legislation, a severe restriction on Virginians’ ability to move about the ...

NRA Files Amicus Brief Urging Sixth Circuit to Strike Down NFA Restrictions on Short-Barreled Rifles

Monday, July 13, 2026

NRA Files Amicus Brief Urging Sixth Circuit to Strike Down NFA Restrictions on Short-Barreled Rifles

Today, the National Rifle Association, joined by the Firearms Policy Coalition, Second Amendment Foundation, and American Suppressor Association, filed an amicus brief in United States v. Machamer, urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.