Now the facts. Guns are used 2.5 million times a year by law-abiding citizens, for self-defense, or about 6,850 times per day. What this means is that in a given year, guns are used 80 times more often to protect the lives of innocent citizens, rather than to take them. States which passed concealed carry laws reduced their rate of murder by 8.5%, rape by 5%, aggravated assault by 7%, and robbery by 3%. Legislations that disarm the law-abiding citizens are responsible for giving criminals a safer working environment.
It doesn't often make the news when a law-abiding citizen keeps themself from being victimized by using a gun in self-defense. Of course the accidental shootings make the news; such as when a child obtains their parents gun, or when a person doesn't use proper gun safety protocols and injures themself. Stories of firearm misuse by criminals will surely entertain the media. But generally speaking, we don't hear the stories about guns protecting innocent lives and keeping people from becoming victimized. Stories of self-defense, using a firearm, happen on a regular basis, yet the anit-gun media doesn't want us to hear about them. These are the stories we should also be hearing.
Jacksie King, an 87-year-old grandmother, lived alone in a small house in Illinois. One December night, an intruder entered her home by severing her phone lines, and prying the security bars off of her window. Jacksie was severely beaten and burglarized and the man was never found. Two months after the invasion, she awoke in the middle of the night to the sounds of an intruder. Again, the burglar cut her phone lines and pried the security bars off in her enclosed porch, and invaded her home. This time, she reached for her .38 caliber Colt revolver that her daughter had given her after the invasion two months prior. She fired the gun and dropped the intruder at her doorstep. 49-year-old, career criminal, Larry Tillman had been shot in the chest, which led to his arrest.
Just a few weeks ago, in Pensacola, Florida, 72-year-old, Jack Crawford heard a knock at his door on a Saturday night. He grabbed his handgun prior to answering the door, as a precaution. When he opened the door, he was instantly struck in the head with an aluminum basball bat. Three teenage boys were attempting to force their way into his house. Too bad for them, Jack had his gun in hand. He shot two of the boys. All three of them ran off. He chuckled as he later said, "I could have shot the third one, but I would have had to shoot him in the back as he ran away." Later that night, the two boys who were shot, were arrested at the hospital when they sought medical attention. The third boy was found later that night as well. All three were charged with attempted burglary and aggravated battery.
Sources:
Gun Owners Foundation. (2004). "Gun Control Fact Sheet 2004."
http://gunowners.org/fs0404.htm
Burnett, D. (2011). "Who is the armed citizen?"
NRA Publications. America's First Freedom.
http://www.nrapublications.org/a1f/ArmedCitizen1.html
Collette, C. (2011). "Homeowner Jack Crawford shoots teens who attempted home invasion."
http://www.wtsp.com/news/state/story.aspx?storyid=171980&catid=19&6
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