Officials: Man interrupts store robbery, kills attacker

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Officials-Man-interrupts-store-robbery-kills-5514834.php

A man shot and killed a suspected armed robber Thursday during a gun battle in a northeast Harris County shopping center parking lot.

The 28-year-old man, a former Marine, was eating lunch about 12:30 p.m. when he saw two suspicious men outside a Game Stop store along Wallisville near the East Sam Houston Tollway, authorities said.

"He saw them get out of their car and slip bandanas over their faces," said Deputy Thomas Gilliland with the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

The veteran, who has not been identified, saw the men open the trunk of their car then dash inside the store. Minutes later, one ran out carrying several video game systems in his arms.

The other suspected robber remained in the store and was demanding cash from customers, deputies said.

The veteran, who has a concealed handgun license, went to his pickup truck and pulled out a semi-automatic pistol then told a bystander to call 911, deputies said.

He took cover behind his pickup truck as the two men left the store. Deputies said one of the men then pointed a pistol at him.

"At that point, the veteran raised his gun and fired," Gilliland said.

Deputies said about 10 rounds were fired during the gunfight.

The suspected armed robber was struck by gunfire but managed to get inside the car, an older model Toyota Corolla, where he died.

"The second suspect just threw everything down and ran," Gilliland said.

He was soon captured outside a nearby fast-food restaurant, deputies said.

No other injuries were reported.

"There were a lot of shaken-up patrons and store employees, of course," Gilliland said.

Some of the buildings in the shopping center were hit by stray rounds, deputies said.

Officials will present the case to the Harris County grand jury, recommending no charges be filed, authorities said.

[Peikko 1,575]

Gun battles in shopping centers, just what we aspire to. It as extremely fortunate that the stray rounds didn't hit anything vulnerable, like, you know a baby but those who believe that civilians are better at policing society than professionals will be happy.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Gun battles in shopping centers, just what we aspire to. It as extremely fortunate that the stray rounds didn't hit anything vulnerable, like, you know a baby but those who believe that civilians are better at policing society than professionals will be happy.

Exactly. It's utterly irresponsible to open a gun fight in a public place.

[Peikko 1,575]

Exactly. It's utterly irresponsible to open a gun fight in a public place.

Utterly. I can't see that this was a situation that warranted the use of weaponry at all. This isn't the wild west and such decisions should be frowned upon and discouraged not accepted.

[Pooky 3,782]

So, the brave ex-Marine was not directly involved in the robbery incident, being across the road eating at the time, takes it upon himself to get his firearm, probably displays it in such a way as to appear a threat and so provokes a firefight, in which one man dies.

Apart from endangering public safety, for which he should be charged, I suspect a charge of second degree murder might also be justified. He may have felt threatened, if the other man pointed his firearm at him, but he provoked the incident, with witnesses to attest to the fact.

That no charges are being recommended is, in my opinion, placing the public in more danger when the next yahoo tries this and someone innocent and uninvolved gets injured, or killed, in the crossfire.

[Karee 4,190]

Personally I think the point of the story was that someone went into a store, threatened other people's lives with a gun, an ended up dead for doing so. It would be nice to think that would be a deterrent to other people considering doing the same thing. That would probably be naive. However, one thing is for sure. The robber wont be harming anyone again, and that is a good thing.

[Pooky 3,782]

Personally I think the point of the story was that someone went into a store, threatened other people's lives with a gun, an ended up dead for doing so. It would be nice to think that would be a deterrent to other people considering doing the same thing. That would probably be naive. However, one thing is for sure. The robber wont be harming anyone again, and that is a good thing.

I never knew that armed robbery carried the death penalty in the USA.

[Peikko 1,575]

I never knew that armed robbery carried the death penalty in the USA.

Lots of things do, texting in a cinema, playing music too loud, it's all fair game if the shooter feels 'threatened'.

[Pooky 3,782]

Lots of things do, texting in a cinema, playing music too loud, it's all fair game if the shooter feels 'threatened'.

The two cases you cited both ended up in court, after the shooter was charged. In this case, there is not likely to be any repercussions, so the instances are not really comparable.

[lostinblue 1,989]

He took cover behind his pickup truck as the two men left the store. Deputies said one of the men then pointed a pistol at him.

"At that point, the veteran raised his gun and fired," Gilliland said.

This action is enough for a self defense situation. Clearly the liberals on here think different ....but clearly if someone provokes the situation by pointing a loaded gun at you you have the right to protect yourself. We people who own guns treat every gun as loaded as we have been taught. The robber could have laid his gun on the sidewalk and not provoked the situation. It was he(the robber) that chose to endanger everyone on that street..

[Pooky 3,782]

He took cover behind his pickup truck as the two men left the store. Deputies said one of the men then pointed a pistol at him.

"At that point, the veteran raised his gun and fired," Gilliland said.

This action is enough for a self defense situation. Clearly the liberals on here think different ....but clearly if someone provokes the situation by pointing a loaded gun at you you have the right to protect yourself. We people who own guns treat every gun as loaded as we have been taught. The robber could have laid his gun on the sidewalk and not provoked the situation. It was he(the robber) that chose to endanger everyone on that street..

That would be fine, if the initial provocation had not been the ex-Marine openly displaying his weapon and acting in a manner that suggested he was preparing for a firefight.

[Peikko 1,575]

The two cases you cited both ended up in court, after the shooter was charged. In this case, there is not likely to be any repercussions, so the instances are not really comparable.

I know, but it's the entitlement to shoot because you legally own a gun that I was getting at. All these people felt that the possession of a legal gun entitled them to make poor decisions.

[Sousuke 1,214]

I can post links, but generally CCW holders have a better record than police regarding the safety of ppl around the scene.

As to whether this marine did anything wrong, I have to disagree. Being in an active shooting situation, he has the right to arm himself. He doesn't appear to have chased the attackers or shot at them just for trying to escape. The presentation of a firearm, in itself, does not constitute a crime if the person is threatened.

Clearly he will not be charged.

Edited May 31, 2014 by Brown Dwarf

[Peikko 1,575]

You missed the point. Dealing with criminals in a fashion that renders them incarcerated rather than dead is what the police are supposed to be good at, and that SHOULD be the desired outcome of all concerned citizens, not shooting people dead for committing crimes. That's why civilians are not and shouldn't be encouraged to engage in these gung ho shoot outs and why there are no death penalties on the statute book simply for engaging in crime. It's not desirable to encourage this type of behaviour, not desirable at all.

[Karee 4,190]

I never knew that armed robbery carried the death penalty in the USA.

Te death penalty implies that he was tried and convicted in a court of law. I think the D.A. and grand jury will call this justifiable homicide. Which is what it was.