A woman who had been held against her will by a single captor managed to confiscate her assailant’s firearm and shoot him in self-defense, California authorities reported over the weekend.
Local media reports the shooting occurred just after midnight. The captor held the woman in an apartment and prevented her from leaving. During the incident, the suspect reportedly sexually battered the woman and physically abused her. The unnamed woman was able to get ahold of his firearm while he was distracted, according to local law enforcement.
The suspect has been identified as 25-year-old Raphael Bhatti. He was taken to a local hospital after the shooting. His wounds were not life-threatening. The woman who shot him in self-defense was also treated for injuries, and is expected to recover without much difficulty.
Bhatti reportedly held the woman in the apartment for several hours before he as shot. Background investigations revealed Bhatti is a convicted felon with criminal charges in Maryland and Virginia. His two firearms were reported stolen before the incident.
While events are still being investigated, at this point it looks as though we can assume the right side prevailed in this altercation. It is also another case wherein a firearm was used to stop or prevent a crime from escalating, rather than the reverse. Unfortunately, the woman in question was forced to confiscate a firearm rather than use one of her own. So far, there isn’t enough evidence to suggest whether or not the victim had access to her own gun. Seeing as the crime took place in California, one of the most heavily anti-gun states in the country, we can assume this was unlikely.
Criminals like Bhatti are the reason why the Second Amendment is seeing increased support from women in America. Anyone who purports to stand against rape, sexual assault, or violence against women of any kind should adopt the same stance. Firearms are an extremely helpful equalizer for women, who are often physically weaker than their attackers. Obviously, the right firearm and proper training render these physical disparities almost obsolete.
~ Firearm Daily
