Better to not need it and have it than to need it and not have it, right?

Absolutely. Much better to have it and know how to use it (your weapon) in a real-world situation.

While camping in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest this past weekend, a woman successfully ended a physical assault by pulling a handgun.

The woman called the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office around 5 a.m. Sunday from a convenience store in Stevenson to report that her ex-boyfriend assaulted her while the two were camping, according to police.

Deputies met her at the store, where she told them that she, her ex — Micah Herrera, 36, of Medford, Ore. — and her 10-year-old son had been camping in Old Man Pass, about 25 miles north of Carson. Sometime Saturday evening, an argument broke out that led to Herrera physically assaulting the woman, she reported to police.

Further investigation found that the woman displayed a handgun in an attempt to stop the assault, police said. Herrera took the gun away, the sheriff’s office said, and at some point he suffered an injury to his hand.

The sheriff’s office said he then demanded the woman bring him to Stevenson for medical attention. Once there, the woman and her son distanced themselves from Herrera and called 911.

Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Herrera, later booking him on one count of second-degree domestic violence assault (via strangulation). Herrera was also wanted on an outstanding warrant on another charge.

No further details were given by authorities and the investigation is ongoing. I certainly hope this woman takes the time away from her ex to enroll in some firearms training classes. This could have had a much different outcome.