Harrison Keegan
Springfield News-Leader
January 5, 2016
Katie Claxton said she was afraid for her life Sunday night when she was approached by a man wielding a large knife.
The Springfield woman said she cringes to think what might have happened if her husband hadn't pointed a gun at the man and scared him off.
"Our Second Amendment right to carry is what saved our lives," Claxton said. "If we didn't have our right to carry, I feel like we wouldn't be here today."
Claxton said she and her family stopped to get gas at the Rapid Roberts on Sunshine Street just west of Highway 65 at about 8 p.m. Sunday when a man approached their car acting strange.
Claxton said she was in the vehicle with her four young children while her husband was pumping the gas.
Claxton said she reached over to try to lock the doors as the man approached, but she accidentally rolled down the window. Claxton said the man opened the door, leaned into the car and brandished a long knife.
Claxton said she yelled for her husband, Matt, to get his gun, and the man then began to leave.
"He said 'You're lucky he has a gun,'" Claxton said. "And then he shut the door and started to back away."
Claxton said her husband pointed his Beretta handgun at the man and called 911 as the man slowly walked away.