The Armed Citizen® January 30, 2026

There is only one way to respond if a mother is home alone at night with her baby—and an intruder breaks in.

by posted on January 30, 2026
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Fearing for her life and that of her baby, an Illinois mother fatally shot a suspected home invader. The shooting occurred in the south suburbs on a Friday night. According to reports, law enforcement officers responded to a report of a home invasion around 10:30 p.m. Police said the woman, armed with a gun, heard someone breaking into her home. She immediately hid in a bedroom closet on the second floor with her baby. Police said that when the suspect entered that bedroom, the woman opened fire, striking the man in the head. The intruder, wearing gloves and bearing a screwdriver at the time, was pronounced dead on the scene. The woman, who did not know the man, and her child were located by police in the adjacent bedroom.  (abc7chicago.com; 8/16/25; Joliet, Ill.)

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