The Tribune ran an article about Glen Soustek, a Roselle, IL man whose life was saved by his handgun. This excellent article is an especially good read, given the recent lawsuits filed against Chicago, Oak Park, and other Illinois cities that violate the individual right to gun ownership for self defense.
Glen Soustek had just opened for business Nov. 3, 2006, when a 40-year-old man exited his Mercedes and walked inside Westlake Cards, Comics & Coins in Roselle. Geoffrey Webb browsed for 10 to 15 minutes, making small talk with Soustek about coin collecting.
Suddenly, Webb jumped over the counter and pulled a .357 Magnum from his bag. Soustek, then 49, grabbed his own revolver and the two began shooting.
In 2.8 seconds, a dozen rounds were fired. One of Soustek’s bullets hit Webb’s spine and knocked him to the ground.
A bloodied Soustek, who had been hit in the left arm, fled the store and sought help at a nearby restaurant.
Unable to move, Webb, a convicted bank robber who had stolen the Magnum from a security guard days earlier, put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger, authorities say.
Mr. Soustek’s story is one that is repeated every day by countless citizens, who lawfully use guns to defend themselves. Even the most ardently anti-gun politicians recognize the value of guns for self defense, and employ bodyguards while denying citizens the right to own a gun for self defense. I sincerely hope that the federal courts move swiftly to strike down the handgun bans that infringe the right to self defense.