Just in case you were wondering why it is important for women to arm themselves, here's another story demonstrating why this is the case. A woman in Philadelphia was refueling her car when she was accosted by an armed carjacker.

Luckily for her, the woman was also armed--and it didn't take long for the assailant to find out that he chose the wrong target:

A 35-year-old woman was shot in an attempted carjacking while getting gas at a North Philadelphia gas station Tuesday night, police say.

Authorities say the woman was filling up her BMW at Global gas station on the corner of North 22nd Street and West Allegheny Avenue around 10:30 p.m. when an armed man walked up behind her, got into a physical altercation with her, and attempted to take her car. That is when she also pulled out a gun and the two shot at each other, police say.

The woman was struck twice in the legs. The 22-year-old suspect was shot in the back and leg.

A police source identified the woman as a corrections officer.

Officers who heard the gunshots rushed to the scene. They found the suspect on the ground. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The woman was located inside the gas station.

The authorities determined that the woman was the victim in this encounter after viewing surveillance footage. The alleged assailant is currently being held in prison. 

In a city like Philadelphia, it is important to have the means by which one can defend themselves -- especially if they are female. In July, a man was shot and killed by a carjacker after trying to come to the aid of the carjacker's female victim.

Philadelphia is one of the most violent cities in the nation:

With a crime rate of 35 per one thousand residents, Philadelphia has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities. One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 29. Within Pennsylvania, more than 96% of the communities have a lower crime rate than Philadelphia.

What is also noteworthy about this story is that defensive gun uses have been on the rise in Philadelphia:

The number of handguns purchased in the city more than doubled to nearly 50,000 in the two-year period ending in 2021. Just 22,000 were bought during the years 2018 and 2019. Permits to carry guns on the streets have grown even faster, soaring to 52,000 last year, up from 7,500 in 2020, according to State police figures.

With more crimes and more people buying guns, there are more situations that lead to gun owners using them in defense. This has fueled the uptick in homicides ruled to be justified, [Larry] Krasner and other law enforcement officials said.

Given the danger posed to law-abiding citizens in these cities, it is easy to understand the importance of the right to keep and bear arms. Unfortunately, there are still far too many who do not exercise this right and end up paying for it.

In this situation, the woman could easily have been severely hurt or even killed, if she had not been carrying a firearm. The fact that gun ownership rates among females have been climbing rapidly is a positive sign. When more women are armed, fewer of them will become victims.