Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Maryland has strict anti-gun laws in place and no protection for the Right to Bear Arms in its Constitution, making it a model for gun control and earning it an “A-” grade from the gun-hating Brady Campaign. However, this seems to have only emboldened criminals: In each of these accounts, the suspect(s) attempted to commit a crime while the home or business was occupied. While the bad guys in these stories obviously believed they wouldn’t encounter any armed resistance, the following 11 armed citizens proved them wrong.

A 68-year old clerk was working at Towson Wine & Spirits in Towson, Md., when two men entered and attempted to rob the store. One of the thieves drew a gun and pointed it at the clerk, who responded by retrieving a handgun from a drawer and shooting the criminal. The robbers fled the scene, but the wounded criminal collapsed and died just outside the store. (WBAL, Baltimore, Md., 12/8/2015)

A burglar attempted to break into the Black Essentials beauty supply store in Baltimore, Md., before 4:45 a.m. The owner of the store became aware of the burglary, retrieved a gun and fired at the criminal, striking him in the leg and causing him to flee. Police later captured the burglar and transported him to a local hospital. (The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, Md., 10/28/2010)

Around 9 a.m., a maintenance man for an apartment complex in Forestville, Md., came upon a man attempting to force his way into a woman’s apartment. The maintenance man confronted the criminal in an attempt to help the woman, but the criminal drew a gun and forced the maintenance man into his own apartment. Once inside, an altercation erupted in which the intruder shot at the maintenance man, who retrieved a gun from the apartment and returned fire, fatally wounding the criminal. Police are investigating the shooting. (The Washington Post, Washington, D.C., 6/29/2010)

Sixty-eight-year-old William Bozman was asleep at home in Baltimore, Md., when convicted felon Marvin Cook broke into his house and then entered his bedroom. When Bozman awoke, Cook, armed with a gun, demanded money. Bozman retrieved a gun and fired at Cook, striking him several times and killing him. Cook was previously convicted of attempted murder in 2002, but served only five-and-a-half years of a 10-year sentence. Cpl. Mike Hill of the Baltimore County Police made it clear that Bozman will not be charged, stating, “Defending yourself is not against the law, and that's exactly what this man did.” (WMAR, Baltimore, Md., 3/29/2010, WBAL, Baltimore, Md., 3/29/2010)

When a robber, armed with a knife, walked into St. Paul Cleaners and Tailors in North Baltimore Wednesday afternoon and demanded money, the owner of the store acted quickly. He drew a gun and fired several times, striking the robber in the hip, arm and hand. The robber staggered out of the store and, after a witness called 911, was put under police custody while recovering in the hospital. Authorities said they expect the man to be charged with several offenses when he is released from the hospital, and say he may have been responsible for additional robberies in the area. (The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, Md., 6/12/2008)

A string of neighborhood burglaries in Baltimore, Md., came to an end when the intruder broke into the home of Tom Walker. The 74-year-old retired Army sergeant was not going to allow the burglar get away without a fight. Mr. Walker caught the intruder as he fled the scene and held him with a pellet gun until police arrived. Since the break-in, Walker said he is prepared for any future intruders: He has a real gun now. (WBAL-TV, Baltimore, Md., 4/4/2008)

A woman living in Charles County, Md., initially turned to the judicial system to seek protection from an abusive ex-boyfriend. "I have been afraid to come forth and speak out for fear of him doing bodily harm to me and threatening to burn down my home," she said in her petition requesting a protective order. "The last four years have been a living hell. I am contemplating purchasing a handgun for my protection." After twice violating the court order, the man, described as a violent drug addict, broke into the home and began beating her current boyfriend with a metal pipe. This time she was indeed armed with a handgun, which she used to shoot and kill her attacker. Police said she had not been charged with a crime and that they considered her a victim. (Maryland Independent, Charles County, Md., 4/8/2005)

A would-be robber had the bad fortune of choosing the wrong restaurant to rob when he was shot and killed by an employee at the Oriental Express restaurant in Laurel, Md. Prince George's County police spokeswoman Cpl. Tammy Sparkman reported that a man entered the restaurant about 9:30 p.m., drew a gun, demanded money and grabbed a restaurant worker. Upon seeing a coworker held at gunpoint, another employee, armed with a gun, ran out of the restaurant's kitchen and fatally shot the robber. (The Washington Post, Washington, D.C., 7/14/2003)

A 19-year-old Midtown, Md., man was shot and killed when he opened fire on two motorists stopped at a red light. The man in the second of the two cars drew his own gun and shot back. Andre Lamont Hill approached a car stopped at a red light in Baltimore at 10:20 p.m. and fired multiple times, hitting that car and a car directly behind it. When the second car was sprayed with bullets, the driver, who had a permit to carry a gun, fired back, striking Hill several times in the head. The motive for the attack was unknown, according to Baltimore police. (The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, Md., 10/20/2002)

The manager of a Citgo gas station/mini-mart shot and killed a robbery suspect when the man appeared to be reaching for his gun. The manager had observed a female clerk being robbed at gunpoint on the store's video monitor. When the manager confronted the suspect at the front of the store, he said the robber appeared to be reaching into his waistband, so the manager shot him. According to Angelique Cook-Hayes, a police spokeswoman, the would-be robber was carrying a BB gun that resembled a semi-automatic handgun. (The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, Md., 10/28/2001)

A Baltimore man shot and killed an intruder who entered his home through a second-floor window. Fu Tan owns Sun Hing Chinese Food Carryout and lives with his wife in an apartment above the restaurant. A customer entered the restaurant about 11:45 p.m. and told Tan’s wife that someone was breaking into their upstairs apartment through a window. Tan grabbed a gun and a flashlight and went upstairs to investigate. Tan said he confronted the intruder and told him to freeze. "...[E]verything happened very quickly, I couldn’t see ... who it was and suddenly he lunged at me," Tan said. Tan fired his gun hitting the suspect once in the shoulder. The suspect took off running but then collapsed about 100 feet away, police said. (The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, Md., 6/4/2001)