A 63-year-old woman suffering from congestive heart failure and arthritis was asleep at home in Bessemer, Ala. when an armed intruder came into her bedroom. The home invader demanded that the woman hand over money and jewelry, and when she didn’t comply, he drew a keyhole saw and cut her on her stomach and arm. Eventually, one of the woman’s seven dogs alerted a guest staying at the home to the commotion. The guest distracted the criminal long enough for the woman to retrieve a .44-caliber revolver and shoot the criminal, who fled the scene. Police captured the home invader a short time later after he sought treatment at a local hospital.
Following the shooting, the woman told local media, “I have a family to protect and that’s what I did. I protected me and mine.” The armed citizen also noted that she has been a gun owner for more than 30 years and that “women are better with guns.” (The Birmingham News, Birmingham, Ala. October 30, 2012)