A Lyft driver picked up two young men at an apartment complex around 1 a.m., and immediately became suspicious when one of the two insisted on sitting in the front seat next to her, violating company COVID-19 protocol. She then drove the pair to their intended destination, which turned out to be a closed sports plant. At that point the pair then began to violently assault her. While the backseat passenger choked her, the other began punching her in the face and took her phone. The determined and focused driver fought back, drawing her licensed concealed-carry handgun from the center console and firing at the attackers, causing the thugs to flee from the vehicle and leave behind her phone. As of this writing, the attackers remain at large, but are facing attempted kidnapping and aggravated robbery charges once they are apprehended. Lyft fired the driver, citing its zero tolerance policy for drivers carrying firearms—even if they’re legally carried. (13abc.com, Cleveland, Ohio, 01/13/2021)
A Sugar Land, Texas, mother of an 8-year-old child was awakened from sleep by sounds coming from the back door of her home around 4:30 one morning. Arming herself with a handgun, she went to investigate. It was then that she discovered a man crawling through a back window he had just smashed in. In fear for her life and that of her child, the woman shot the intruder, striking him in the chest, causing him to flee the home. When police arrived, they were able to track him from a blood trail, finding him less than a block away. The man was taken to a local hospital and was charged with burglary of a habitation along with unlawfully carrying a weapon. Neither the mother or her child were injured in the incident. (khou.com, Houston, Tex., 01/22/2021)
