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Throughout 2025, many instances of Americans exercising their right to bear arms to protect themselves, their families and their property made headlines across the country.
As of Dec. 23, the U.S. had seen 14,249 gun-related deaths and 25,606 injuries since the start of the year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Of those instances, 1,119 shootings were deemed to be in self-defense, with many cases going unprosecuted due to various laws throughout the country permitting the use of guns in life-threatening situations.
Take a look at some of the most compelling justifiable shootings that occurred throughout 2025, in which Americans used guns to fight back against would-be robbers, attempted mass shooters and suspected home invaders.
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Church security guard stops armed Michigan man before mass shooting can begin
A church security officer gunned down a Michigan man in June, successfully stopping him from opening fire on dozens of worshippers celebrating Sunday services.
Brian Browning, 31, was armed with an AR-15-style rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition when he arrived at CrossPointe Community Church for Sunday morning services in Wayne, Michigan, on June 22, 2025, according to FOX 2.
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Witnesses reported seeing Browning exit his SUV in the church parking lot, before donning a tactical vest and camouflage and opening fire just feet from the building’s doors.
A churchgoer subsequently drove over Browning with a pickup truck in an attempt to stop the shooting, but he continued – hitting a member of the church’s security team in the leg and taking aim at another hiding behind an air conditioning unit.
Amid the chaos, security guard Jay Trombley fatally shot Browning, potentially saving countless lives.
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“There have been a few moments where I’ve actually had to think of him as a person when they talk about his mom and his dad and know he’s their son, and I have a son and I have kids,” Trombley said, according to FOX 2.
Investigators ultimately determined Browning was experiencing a mental health episode, pointing to social media posts indicating his radicalized views on religion.
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Texas donut shop owner fatally shoots armed robber during early-morning holdup
The owner of a Texas donut shop shot and killed a would-be robber in May, with no charges being filed against the man after he acted in self-defense.
The incident unfolded around 6:15 a.m., when an unidentified man walked into Snowflake Donut Shop in Houston wearing a black hoodie and dark clothing while armed with a firearm, according to KHOU 11.
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As the man demanded money from the cash register, the store owner reportedly brandished his own gun and shot the suspect.
When authorities arrived on scene, they found a male with a gunshot wound lying behind the store’s counter alongside the open cash register and a firearm, KHOU 11 reported.
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“This is a busy place, people getting some donuts or kolaches before they head to work or school,” Houston Police Department Homicide Det. Socrates Trujillo said, according to KHOU 11. “It could have ended very differently, where innocent civilians could have been shot and injured.”
Virginia homeowner shot suspected intruder during break-in
A Virginia homeowner will not face charges after shooting and injuring a suspected intruder earlier this year.
Police said that around 2:30 a.m. in a Fairfax neighborhood on Jan. 15, 2025, an unidentified individual attempted to break into a home while the owners were inside, according to FOX 5.
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According to authorities, the suspect tried to break into two nearby homes before attempting to enter the house.
The homeowner was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher when he shot the suspect at the front door, striking him multiple times, FOX 5 reported.
The suspect was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.
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After reviewing security video from nearby homes, police reportedly identified the suspect as the same individual who had tried to break into two homes earlier in the night – however no injuries were reported in those instances.
While the homeowner declined to comment, neighbors told FOX 5 that rising crime in the area has heightened their concerns regarding safety.
“It’s usually a really safe area,” neighbor Haley Wilson told the outlet. “My family lives around here… but you’ve got to be safe. Cameras, nice locks — they help.”
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Another neighbor, who preferred to remain anonymous, echoed the same sentiment.
“We’ve been living here for 25 years, and it’s like little stuff — cars getting fussed with — that’s become more frequent in the last three or four years,” the neighbor reportedly said.
One dead, one arrested after Florida homeowner opens fire on alleged home intruders
One man was killed and another landed behind bars in what authorities determined was a self-defense shooting in an alleged home invasion in a Florida suburb.
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According to FOX 13, two men allegedly attempted to enter a St. Petersburg home just after 2 a.m. on April 16, 2025, when the homeowner opened fire on the intruders.
One suspect, later identified as 20-year-old Marcel James Williams, was struck by gunfire and later died at a nearby hospital, the outlet reported.
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The second suspect subsequently fled from the scene, sparking a weekslong search, FOX 13 reported.
However, three weeks later, 22-year-old Ja’quavius Daniels reportedly turned himself in to authorities after being identified as the second suspect. He was subsequently arrested and charged with felony murder, according to the outlet.
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