If it took "the purge" to get this person interested in the second amendment I'm just going to go ahead and make some assumptions... My broadest suggestions for first handgun for someone that has had NO interest in guns whatsoever until "the purge" came to their neighborhood: Heaviest gun they can find with a mild recoiling cartridge.
Examples: A 4" or longer steel .38 Spl or .357 revolver, a CZ75 or other metal 9mm guns with exceptionally low bore axis, some flavor of 1911.