Stubborn Old Broad

Seeing reports like this makes me feel two things:  One, overjoyed that this woman was able to protect herself and save her life.  Two, saddened that my own grandmothers do not have the same right.  What if this would've happened to them?  I hate to even think about it.

An 82-year-old woman takes matters into her own hands after she’s attacked in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Sierra Vista.

Police said the suspect Stephen Prickett beat the woman with her own cane until she grabbed her gun from her purse and started firing.

After a few days in the hospital, she’s out and told News 4 all about it.

She said she was just walking to her car with some groceries when she was approached by the suspect. She said, “In a very mild voice he said, ‘This is your day. You are too old to be alive anyway.’”

Moments later she said he grabbed her cane and started beating her and she’s got the bruises to prove it. She said, “I got boo boos where I didn’t know I had a place to put boo boos.”

She eventually went for the gun in her purse and opened fire. She didn’t hit him but said it still saved her life. She said, “In the long run I think it saved me because if I hadn’t shot the thing no one would have known there was anything wrong and come running.”

Wal-Mart employees came to her rescue and police weren’t far behind.

Police said the victim did absolutely everything right. As for the suspect, they said he made a big mistake. Tracy Grady with the Sierra Vista Police Department said, “He picked the wrong woman. She was the wrong target.”

And the self proclaimed “stubborn, old broad” said you can say that again. She said, “If I go naturally or to a sickness or something, fine. I’m ready to go, but I’m not ready to let some idiot like that take me out.”

The victim said owning a gun isn’t for everyone but added with the proper training it’s a good idea particularly for elderly people like her that are becoming victims more and more often.

The suspect was arrested shortly after the attack. He’s facing multiple charges including attempted murder.

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