Anti-gun politicians are quick to exploit mass shooting situations, especially when the details match their preferred narratives. They immediately call for stricter gun control, which only benefits the gun-wielding bad guys.

They also fail to point out the countless stories of heroism and lives saved due to law-abiding citizens owning and deploying firearms at the right time.

That increasingly common theme was again recently evidenced at a gas station in Avondale, Arizona, where a gun-owning clerk thwarted what was reportedly a potentially deadly robbery attempt.

The frightening incident took place in the early morning hours.

The robbery, which, according to KPNX-TV, occurred at a Chevron station in the Phoenix suburb, took a nasty turn for the alleged robber, who immediately lost his leverage when he became distracted by another customer in the store.

The armed Chevron employee behind the counter didn't hesitate to use that momentary distraction to make his hero move, drawing his legally-owned firearm and shooting the suspect, according to the news report.

The attendant, a man identified only as Ryan, described how the situation unfolded.

"He pointed his gun at me, said it was a robbery, then he pointed his gun at the other customer I had in the store," Ryan said. "I had the opening to pull my gun and shoot."

Ryan added, "I'm not happy I had to shoot him, but I'm not stressing. The moment he pulled the gun on me, he set the situation and I just followed it. He made the situation what it was."

And thank goodness Ryan made that move. Imagine what would have happened if Ryan had not fought back that day. The armed suspect could have easily killed him and multiple gas station patrons if it weren't for Ryan's quick, courageous actions in the face of extreme danger.

The armed store clerk isn't facing charges for his actions, according to KTVK-TV.

The injured suspect was hospitalized in critical condition, the news outlet reported. No one else was hurt.

It's fortunate that the incident unfolded in Arizona, where gun laws favor law-abiding residents of the state. The state goes by the constitutionally appropriate permitless carry law, which allows anyone in the state over 21 who's legally allowed to purchase and carry a concealed firearm.

In nearby liberal states like California, where owning a firearm -- even for self-defense -- is frowned upon by the elites, gas station clerks generally do not have the option to defend themselves or their customers.

When Democrats push for extended and stricter gun control measures, people like the man who allegedly tried to rob the Avondale Chevron will still commit acts of violence, often with stolen or otherwise nefariously acquired firearms, without regard for background checks and other so-called gun control laws.

Anti-gun politicians love to promote what they call "common sense" gun control legislative proposals, which often amount to nothing more than the chipping away of our Second Amendment rights, leaving dangerous criminals to roam freer than ever in America's soft-on-crime atmosphere.

Thank goodness that people like this store clerk are out there and ready to defend the lives of complete strangers in addition to their own.

I can only pray that if I ever find myself and my family in danger out in public, and I cannot make a similar move, another Ryan, like the one in Avondale, will be there, ready to fight back.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.