When two criminals broke into the home of an 80-year-old Chicago man and began beating him, the victim was able to escape with his life thanks to a legally owned firearm.
The Chicago Police Department told WMAQ-TV that the unidentified elderly man, who lives near O’Hare International Airport, was the victim of a home invasion on Monday morning. An unknown man and woman knocked on his door and eventually forced their way inside.
According to police, the three got into a fight, and the elderly man, who happened to be a gun owner, drew his weapon and shot the male suspect in the chest.
The suspects fled the scene and went to nearby Resurrection Hospital, where the male suspect was listed in critical condition, according to WMAQ.
According to the report, the victim was also in critical condition.
Neighbors were especially shaken over the brazen daytime attack.
“I was in shock when I heard it, because it’s like in the middle of the day, in the morning, and something like that happens so close to your home, it’s really scary to hear,” one of the elderly man’s neighbors told WLS-TV.
Boris Stojakovic, who manages a building across the street from where the attack occurred, said he instructed his residents to be cautious.
“We’re actively checking that all our doors stay closed, and notifying our residents to make sure not to let anyone in the building they’re not expecting,” Stojakovic said.
Kevin Wilhite, a neighbor, praised the 80-year-old man’s bravery, telling WMAQ, “I do salute his bravery, especially at his age, to be able to take on two people.”
While the man was “battered” by the two home invaders, he was able to survive the situation thanks to the Second Amendment rights granted to him.
“The victim was battered and sustained several injuries throughout the body and was transported to Resurrection Hospital in critical condition,” Chicago police said, according to Fox News.
To purchase and own firearms and ammunition in Illinois, residents must have a Firearms Owner’s Identification card. According to police, the elderly man had a FOID card.
Cook County has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, which is ironic given that Chicago has become what appears to be a free-for-all for criminals as Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot appears to refuse to take the necessary actions to reduce violent crime in the Windy City.
Given the escalating crime in Chicago, gun ownership is essentially required if residents want to have a chance of surviving encounters like the one that happened to the elderly homeowner.
While the man was severely injured, it’s possible he would have been killed if he didn’t have a firearm to defend himself and his property.
A legally owned gun gave the man a fighting chance to survive, plain and simple.
WFLD-TV in Chicago reported that two suspects were in custody and charges were pending.
Anti-gun Democrats want to chip away at our Second Amendment rights at a time when Americans need to exercise those rights the most, given the rise in violent crime in many major U.S. cities.
But stories like this prove how important it is to have the constitutional right to own a firearm, which often makes the difference between dying as a helpless victim or having a chance at living to see another day.