As reported, police say that 61 year old Carlton L. Burgess of Lumberton, NJ had some sort of unknown dispute with Marcel Alston of Halifax, NC back in 1988. It is said that the two men had not seen each other in several years, until Burgess came to Alston’s home at 7AM and knocked on the door, waking him up. When Alston opened the door, Burgess promptly began beating the man, leaving a gash on his head, according to police. Alston is then said to have turned and ran up the stairs of his home, only to have Burgess shoot him in the buttocks and continue to follow him. Alston was able to run upstairs, get his self defense gun, and fatally shoot Burgess in self defense after Burgess followed him into his bedroom. Alston survived, and was treated at a nearby hospital for the gunshot wound and gash on his head.
Those opposed to gun ownership for self defense often argue that a crime victim who is caught unawares will be unable to get their gun and defend themselves. As this case shows, such theoretical arguments don’t necessarily reflect reality. In this case, we have a man who awoke to a knock on the door, and answered it, only to be ambushed by an attacker who traveled across several states to carry out a murder plot. The victim was in about the worst state of readiness possible, not expecting to be attacked over 20 years after having a dispute with a man who lived in another state, and with his own gun sitting upstairs. The attacker, on the other hand, was in just about the highest state of readiness possible, having planned out the whole attack in advance, and already holding a loaded gun in his hand. Yet the victim managed to run and get his own gun, despite being shot, and then use that gun to save his own life from the attacker who followed him into his own bedroom.
Nor is this an isolated case of self defense success. Many crime victims are able to defend themselves against criminals who seemingly have the upper hand, as some recent examples show: This man managed to shoot 2 armed robbers in self defense, despite being choked by the robbers and held at gunpoint in his own home. This homeowner managed to get his gun from a drawer, despite the fact that a criminal held a knife to him. This elderly man managed to grab a self defense gun, despite being shocked with a stun gun and beaten by a 24 year old man. This man managed to draw his concealed carry handgun and shoot an armed robber in self defense, despite the fact that that robber was standing behind him and pointing a shotgun at his back. This jewelry store owner managed to grab his gun from under a desk, despite the fact that two robbers were in his store, one of whom had a gun pointed at him. This pawnshop manager managed to shoot an armed in self defense, saving himself and his teenage employee, despite the fact that a gun was being held to that employee’s throat. I could go on with many more examples, but the point should be clear – armed self defense works.