Grandmother with a Gun Scares Off Would-Be Robber

On December 14, 2012 in Milwaukee, WS, Ernestine Aldana was behind the counter of a small grocery store she owned with her husband when an unidentified suspect entered the store, pulled out a knife, and demanded money from her. As she reached down, seemingly to retrieve the money, she instead reached under the counter and pulled out a revolver that her son had bought for her for protection. As soon as the gun came out, the suspect ran away. No shots were fired.

Contrary to the belief that gun owners are not trained or are reckless, Aldana says that her son had taken her to the range to practice and that she would have pulled the trigger, but as soon as the man had his back to her and was retreating, she knew she couldn't.

This event happened on December 14 but was not picked up in the newspapers until January 10. The reason is that at the time, it was a non-event. No shots were fired, no one was hurt, no money was stolen, but a gun did just what the headline says: equalize unequals. There is no way this lady could have defended herself against the suspect, estimated between 25-30 years old, with or without a knife. But the gun changed that. For every one of these incidents that is actually reported and picked up by a local newspaper, there are many more that never make it outside the police blotter.