Tourism is the major driver of Nevada’s economy, and for more than a century, that tourism has been tied to the so-called vice economy. While the overwhelming majority of Las Vegas and Reno residents are perfectly law-abiding, the state has long been home to a small population of ne’er-do-wells who prey on tourists carrying large sums of money to and from bars and casinos late at night. Fortunately, Nevada is also home to a variety of pro-Second Amendment laws, which even the odds between criminals and the good people of the Silver State.
A locksmith called the property manager for a home in Las Vegas, Nev., to alert them that there was a person in the house. The property manager went to the home and checked the front and backyard of the property. While in the backyard, the property manager encountered a burglar and responded to the threat by drawing a gun. An altercation ensued, during which the burglar was shot and killed. Police discovered tools inside a backpack, which they believe the burglar used to break into the house. (KLAS-TV, Las Vegas, Nev., 02/26/16)
A man wielding a 12-inch knife attempted to break into several home in Las Vegas, Nev. After unsuccessfully attempting to kick in the doors of several homes, the would-be intruder tried to get into another house through a doggie door. The homeowner warned the home invader that he was armed with a .45-caliber pistol, but when the criminal continued to try to get inside, the homeowner fired at the man, striking him in the head and shoulder. Following the incident, neighbor Nicole Slokken, who owns one of the homes the intruder attempted to break into, said of her armed neighbor to local media, “The detective told me the neighbor very well could have saved our lives.” (KSNV, Las Vegas, Nev., 02/15/16)
A 14-year-old was at home with his younger siblings when a pair of home invaders entered the house. The 14-year-old responded by rounding up his siblings and moving to a closet, where he armed himself with his father’s rifle. When one of the criminals discovered the armed teen, he fled along with his accomplice. Discussing the incident with a local media outlet, the protective brother noted that his father had taught him what to do in just such a scenario, stating, “He taught me what to do. I had a rifle I had a cell phone, called 911. I was just prepared for it.” (KSNV, Las Vegas, Nev., 08/21/15)
An armed man wearing a bandana entered the Donut Hut in Las Vegas, Nev., and attempted to rob the store and the customers inside. The store’s owner, Sothy Seang, got into an altercation with the criminal, during which he directed his girlfriend to retrieve a gun. The girlfriend complied, and as the robber tried to wrest control of the gun, a shot was fired, striking the thief and causing him to flee. The thief was later captured by police when he sought treatment for his wound. Seang purchased a firearm for his business following an earlier robbery. The criminal’s choice of target was a poor one; in the 1970s Seang fought the Viet Cong while serving with the Cambodian army. (The Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas, Nev., 05/15/14, KVVU, Las Vegas, Nev. 05/16/14)
A masked man armed with a samurai sword entered a Dairy Queen in Las Vegas, Nev., and attempted to rob the store. 20-year-old Michael Wehbe was working the cash register when the armed robber began hacking at it with the sword and demanding money. The clerk’s brother, 23-year-old Christian Wehbe, was in the back of the store, but when he saw the criminal on a surveillance camera he retrieved a 9 mm pistol and rushed to help his brother. Once in the front of the store, Christian shot the robber, who later died at a local hospital. (The Las Vegas Review Journal, Las Vegas, Nev., 08/21/12)
