A Los Angeles citizen, who lawfully bears a concealed firearm, recently defended his household from a perilous confrontation on his own doorstep. He now urges the city’s leadership to hold accountable those criminals that create fear amongst the peace-seeking community. ‘All acquaintances of mine have encountered some form of robbery,’ shared Vincent Ricci, a business owner in L.A., with Fox News Digital.
According to Ricci, these instances are far from ordinary. Recalling a recent event, he was heading home in the evening following his customary gym visit. Suddenly, two gun-wielding men breached his fenced-off property, intending to force their entrance into his house.
On that fateful evening, Ricci found himself meandering toward his entrance, engrossed in an engaging audiobook when the alarming sight of the approaching men caught his attention. Surveillance footage captured the scene; Ricci, engrossed in his audiobook and holding a steaming cup of tea, reaches into his pocket for his keys. Then, out of nowhere, a hoodie-clad figure springs at him, gun at the ready.
Ever quick on his feet, Ricci used his still too-hot-to-drink tea as a weapon, smashing it into the assailant’s face while simultaneously drawing his own firearm. The surprised intruder soon found himself faced with a law-abiding concealed carry holder prepared to defend his home.
Ricci attributes his swift response to his background in boxing. Humbly, he stated, ‘I’m no John Wick, but I can certainly hold my own.’ As Ricci recounted the encounter, ‘As I lunged for my weapon, he held onto my sleeve, possibly to prevent me from landing a punch. But I shook him off. Then, while he stepped back and started to turn around, I charged, trying to grab hold of him.’
However, the second perpetrator was pulling out his own firearm, readying himself for a showdown. Ricci described the two intruders as likely young men in their early twenties. While the video footage suggests a large space between his front door and the attackers, in reality, they were not more than a handful of feet apart in an area that’s merely five-and-a-half feet wide.
Another camera angle showed the attempted burglars fleeing Ricci’s retaliatory gunfire – one vaulting over the fence, the other detouring around a car on the driveway. This wasn’t Ricci’s first encounter with crime. Earlier in June, trespassers had broken into his home, and even before that, his vehicle had been burglarized.
Ricci firmly believes that the presence of his firearm saved his family. ‘It undoubtedly protected us,’ he asserted. ‘Yes, I can hold my own in a physical confrontation; however, there’s only so much one can do when faced with a firearm. Had I been unarmed, they might have assaulted me and my wife in the most brutal manner, and invaded my home.’
His conjecture leads him to a chilling scenario where, upon realizing his house doesn’t contain treasure, the invaders might have caused harm to his young family. He particularly expressed disappointment in what he viewed as lackluster work by LAPD when he reported the incident, including their alleged failure to collect the spent casings near his property.
‘Victims of crimes ought to contact detectives with any concerns or queries they have about an ongoing investigation,’ the LAPD responded in an official press release shared with Fox News Digital.
Ricci’s plea to law enforcement and the LA District Attorney, George Gascon, is straight to the point: Arrest and charge the criminals. He criticized the DA’s priorities, asserting the need to focus on those tormenting him and others across LA daily.
Originally from the Bronx, New York, Ricci previously moved to LA in search of a better life. But repeated brushes with crime have him second-guessing that choice. He understands the seriousness of the threat his family faces and is contemplating leaving the city or even the state.
Ricci admits to being torn. ‘I moved to improve my lifestyle, and I don’t want fear to dictate my decisions. However, I refuse to compromise my family’s safety.’ He adds that his wife is particularly shaken up, considering she could easily have lost him in the confrontation.
He laments, ‘This isn’t ordinary, nor is it worth it. I am seriously considering a return to a simple condo life in the Bronx. At least there, occurrences like this would be far less likely.’
