From MSNBC

The man had already clubbed Penneau with the butt of the rifle, cursing at him to hurry up. He had held the barrel of the gun against Penneau’s head. So, when the gun didn’t fire and the would-be robber pulled back to reload, Penneau sprang into action.

“When he stepped back — I was watching out of the corner of my eye — I could see him pulling back the bolt to chamber a round,” Penneau said. “That split second where he wasn’t completely focused on me, I figured, ‘That’s it. I gotta fight back, because this guy is going to shoot me, and if I don’t fight back, I don’t have a chance.’”

Maybe a bigger sign would have helped? Maybe tougher penalties against pointing guns at people's heads would have made Mr. Robber think twice? I dunno, help me out here.

Penneau was giving the man what he wanted. He wasn't resisting. The police tell you to never fight back.

Had he not, he would have been dead today.

Violence solves problems, no matter what pre-school nursery tale cliches might say. There is a great difference between "violent but predatory" and "violent but protective". The violence isn't the problem in this case.

Now, being armed may or may not have helped the gentleman. It's impossible to say with only this story as reference. But the main point is that it's not the firearm that protects you, it is having the will to commit violence when needed in defense of yourself or others.

Not fighting back wouldn't have made Penneau a morally just person, it would have just made him dead.