Three Women Use Firearms in Self-Defense Against Ex-Partners and Criminals in a Two-Week Span Across the US

At Protect Her Path, we are committed to empowering women with the tools and knowledge to protect themselves in any situation. The recent surge in self-defense incidents involving women using firearms underscores the importance of being prepared and exercising the right to self-defense. Over the span of just two weeks, at least 13 women across the United States successfully defended themselves against attackers using firearms. These cases serve as powerful reminders of the vital role that responsible gun ownership and self-defense training play in ensuring personal safety, particularly for women who may face threats from intimate partners or other dangerous situations.

Between the final days of July and August 12, at least 13 women across the United States used firearms to defend themselves against attackers, as reported by local news sources.

Highlighting these incidents, Amy Swearer, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Can we take a minute to appreciate how many women have protected themselves and others with firearms in the last two or so weeks? It’s basically a highlight [reel] of just how important the right to keep and bear arms is for us, too.”

From Arizona to Pennsylvania, these reports indicate that between July 29 and August 12, there were at least 13 cases where women used firearms to defend themselves, often from their own ex-partners.

For instance, on August 11 in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, a woman shot and wounded her child’s father after he assaulted her. He was shot in the shoulder and had an outstanding warrant for violating a protection-from-abuse order. He admitted to the assault before being shot, as reported by the Pottstown Mercury.

On the same day in Jackson, Mississippi, a woman used her legal firearm when she saw a group of masked suspects attempting to carjack her husband and son outside their home. She fired shots, causing two of the suspects to flee. A 17-year-old suspect was shot and later died.

These 13 cases over a two-week period are likely just a fraction of the instances where women used firearms in self-defense. Self-defense cases often go unreported by major news outlets, especially when people brandish their firearms to deter potential criminals, which may not always be reported to the police.

Among the cases compiled by Swearer, more than half involved women defending themselves from romantic partners or ex-partners. One notable case in Texas involved a woman who grabbed a pistol from her car’s console and shot her ex-boyfriend on August 8 after he allegedly tried to shave her head with electric clippers. Another woman in Texas on July 30 pulled a gun from her purse and shot her romantic partner in the face after he threatened her with a gun.

In Missouri on August 10, a woman defended herself from her husband, who had previously served eight years in prison for domestic violence. During an alcohol-fueled rage, he threatened to kill her and went to get a gun, but she reached her firearm first, resulting in his death.

In another incident, a woman in Indiana grabbed her gun when her daughter’s ex-boyfriend drove onto her front yard and held her husband at gunpoint. She shot the suspect, who later died in the hospital.

Gun sales surged in 2020, with an estimated 23 million firearms sold and over 21 million background checks conducted. This spike was particularly notable at the onset of the pandemic and again in June 2020 during nationwide protests and riots following George Floyd’s death.

Women have increasingly become a significant demographic in gun ownership. Between 2019 and 2021, as gun purchases soared, about half of the new firearm customers were women, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Researchers found that women were the most likely new gun-owner demographic during this period.