If more people defended themselves, there would be less crime. I know this is simplistic, but facts support it. An involved and armed citizenry, even if non-lethally armed, cuts crime rates.

PORTLAND, Ore. – Police are on the lookout for a man who walked into a local Dotty’s, implied he had a gun in his jacket and tried to rob the place but was thwarted by a clerk who wasn’t about to back down.

The crime happened around 1:30 a.m. on July 10 at the Dotty’s at 2705 N.E. 238th Drive in Troutdale.

According to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, the clerk in the store punched the suspect and pepper sprayed him as he ran to his vehicle. The man fled the scene in a white 1990s Ford Explorer with a rear license plate that was obscured and unreadable.

The suspect is described as a white male with a possible beard or full goatee. He is about 5 feet, 6 inches to 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds.

Below is a comment sent to me by my distributor Jon Sheppard. This was his response to the story I posted about the Wisconsin woman using pepper spray to defend herself then being afraid to report it. Its a good story.

You are absolutely 100% right Michael. I couldn’t agree more or say it better myself.

I actually had a discussion about the legality of pepper spray n stun guns with a shop owner here in NC. While I was informing him that it was legal and while he kept asking for proof, there was a lady outside the store at one of the gas pumps screaming. I turned to look and saw a guy that this woman didn’t seem to know manhandling her at the sleeve.

I thought to myself,”Well, I guess we will find out if these things are legal or not because this lady needs some help!” Of course there was no police in sight. There were other people standing at other gas pumps and they were not inclined to help. So I grabbed one of my keychain pepper sprays and sprung into action.

I think I might’ve actually told the shop owner that we would find out if my products were legal or not because I was “fixing” to use it (people in the country just love that word!). The attacker never saw me coming. By the time he finally snatched her purse from around her shoulder and turned to run, I was standing right there and sprayed a nice dose of pepper spray directly in his face.

What happened next I’ll never forget. The attacker froze and glared at me with a look I cannot describe as anything but total shock himself and I thought to myself, “Oh boy, you did it now, Jon! You’re gonna have to knock this guy out with something stronger than this pepper spray!!!” But as soon as I thought this and took my stance to defend myself, the attacker held his hands to his face and screamed like a little girl, “Why did you do that??!!! It hurts!!!”

The attacker fell to the ground in the fetal position. When the cops arrived, they looked at my pepper spray, read its contents, and informed the shop owner that not only was it legal…but it was the same spray that had been issued to their department and was found to be the most effective way to stop a fight before a fight actually occurred.

The shop owner didn’t hesitate. He purchased all the pepper spray I had with me!!! But it proved to me that sometimes it doesn’t matter what the law says. You have the god given right to protect yourself or someone in trouble anytime and anywhere no matter what!!! Nobody can tell me different because I know what’s right.

Pepper spray is legal in Wisconsin as long as its not more than 10% concentration. Many people like the woman below believe pepper spray to be illegal in Wisconsin.

A 20-year-old Madison woman who was grabbed and being dragged to an alley Tuesday afternoon got out of the suspect’s grasp by spraying him in the face with pepper spray, Madison police reported.

The woman didn’t report the attack until the next day, fearing she’d get in trouble for having pepper spray.

Not so.

“In Madison, it is legal to possess pepper spray and use it in self-defense,” said Madison Police spokesman Joel DeSpain.

The incident happened around 1:30 p.m. Monday on State Street near Lake Street.

“A disheveled man grabbed her by the wrist and tried to pull her into an alley,” DeSpain said. “After she sprayed him in the face, he let go of her arm, put his hands to his face and bellowed out a swear word.”

“The investigating officer told her this was a serious incident that needed to be reported immediately so police might have a better chance of arresting a suspect,” DeSpain said.

What would you do if someone came up to your car and opened the driver side door, prepared to pull you out and steal your car? Would you be prepared to defend yourself against such a person? Stun guns are wonderful because they help people defend themselves when there is no other option.  (more…)