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Not far from me

nking

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Vernon, Wilbarger county, Texas, USA
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I,m here all the time, and this just goes to show especially with the holiday season approaching us to be ever mindful of whats going on around us.

Police investigate robbery at Radio Shack[/b]

An armed robber got away from a Wichita Falls store with hundreds of dollars worth of electronics, plus some cash, police said.

Police got the call at 5:21 p.m. Sunday, and officers went to the Radio Shack at 3201 Kemp Blvd. to investigate the robbery, said Sgt. Joe Snyder, public information officer for the Wichita Falls Police Department.

Two employees were working when the suspect walked in the door with a handgun, Snyder said.






“He ordered one employee to sit on the floor, and the other employee to open the register,” he said. “After the registered was open, the suspect removed all the bills.”

He also went to another part of the store and grabbed three camcorders, worth $119 apiece, and six MP3 players, each valued at $150, Snyder said.

“He put all that and the cash into a black bag that he brought with him,” he said. The suspect left the store, and got into the passenger side of a silver Chevrolet Impala, which headed north on Kemp, he said.

No arrest had been made in the case as of Monday.
 

Jubbie

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Hammond, Indiana, USA
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Just wondering what you personally would have done in this situation if you were shopping at that time? I've heard from an LEO that home break-ins are happening more often with the market and holidays happening, and I know what to do in that situation since they are threatening me personally. If I were in that Radio Shack, what is the recommended action? Do I have to wait for the BG to point his firearm at me before I can/should react? I'd hate to wait until someone gets hurt before taking action. Every situation is different, but it would be nice to hear from people a general idea on how to handle this type of situation.
 

nking

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You know thats a good question. I would have to say it would depend on where i was located in the store to relation of the PERP, and if i could get a clear chance to draw my wepon before he could fire on me, but i do know this i would have definately been in fear for my life and can tell you i would shoot at my first chance seeing how there is no idea if that guy is gonna blow my brains out or not, so i would say that i would have shot him yes.

Wow that is something that you have to live with the rest of your life and it would be hard for me i know, but i cant stop thinking about my 6 boys and my wife, im sure there would be a tone of thoughts running through my mind.
 

Felid`Maximus

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In most places in addition to defending your own life you can defend the lives of others. Also, in most places you canintervene ina felony in progress.

The extent of what you legally are able to do will depend largely on the state laws.
 

AllAmerican

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Interesting scenario. On that note, I had a dream about a month ago that my buddies RV dealership was being robbed of their cash and I was in the store. Yes, I shot the guy holding the gun on the lady behind the counter. Another guy who was his accomplice merely got shot enough not to run out of the store.

I have been robbed once at gunpoint in my life. Barrel to the temple while I stripped my watch and wallet and even reached in my pants pocket for the 5 dollars that was in it. I'll never let that thing happen again no matter where Im at.

If I was in the Radio Shack and had the facilities to drop the guy, I would for the sake of the person he made sit down and they person opening the drawer.

About the time crooks realize they WILL get shot and killed in the act of a crime, the crimes will stop.
 

Squid13

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He had the opportunity, and capability to cause serious bodily harm or death to myself or others. Intent is harder to establish, but the fact that he was pointing a weapon at someone should be enough to convince a rational person that he intends to do so. In this situation I would be justified in using deadly force.
 

SQLtables

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Feb 8, 2008
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Secretary MOC, Inc. Frankenmuth, , USA
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Jubbie wrote:
Just wondering what you personally would have done in this situation if you were shopping at that time? I've heard from an LEO that home break-ins are happening more often with the market and holidays happening, and I know what to do in that situation since they are threatening me personally. If I were in that Radio Shack, what is the recommended action? Do I have to wait for the BG to point his firearm at me before I can/should react? I'd hate to wait until someone gets hurt before taking action. Every situation is different, but it would be nice to hear from people a general idea on how to handle this type of situation.
I'm not gonna wait for this guy to point a gun at me to do something. Depending on the situation, I would either be hiding/running out of the store, or drawing my own firearm and taking the guy out. As to what is legal, these ideas would be legal in Michigan, but I'm sure the law varies by state.

Again, what I say I WILL do, and what I actually would do are probably much different, but it's never a bad idea to think about it.

ETA: I'm not sure that I answered your underlying question, but others here have. In Michigan, you can legally use lethal force if you would fear for your own life if you were in their situation.

Also worth mentioning. The one thing I would NOT want to do is draw my weapon or whatever, and end up getting somebody else shot because I didn't act appropriately. OTOH, I wouldn't want to do nothing and have somebody get shot because of that either. Bad situation isn't it?
 

XD-GEM

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New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
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It has to be judged by the person in the situation at the time. Notice in the OP's story that the perp got into the PASSENGER side of a waiting vehicle. This meant that he may have had armed backup out there. If you're in a Radio Shack with your back to the glass front, pulling a weapon on the perp could get you shot from behind.

Although, a robbery can quickly turn into a murder, as happened recently near here. Short version: 4 guys rob local neighborhood bar. As they are leaving, owner of bar pulls gun. It's unclear who fired first, but 1 perp was wounded and 4 people in the bar, including the owner died in the ensuing gunfire. Full story: http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/11/two_suspects_in_deadly_marrero.html

It seems that if the owner had let them walk out, no one would have died. There were other people who survived this incident, but their storieshave not been released to the public yet.


(edited to clarify suspect was wounded)
 

SQLtables

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Secretary MOC, Inc. Frankenmuth, , USA
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XD-GEM wrote:
It has to be judged by the person in the situation at the time. Notice in the OP's story that the perp got into the PASSENGER side of a waiting vehicle. This meant that he may have had armed backup out there. If you're in a Radio Shack with your back to the glass front, pulling a weapon on the perp could get you shot from behind.

Although, a robbery can quickly turn into a murder, as happened recently near here. Short version: 4 guys rob local neighborhood bar. As they are leaving, owner of bar pulls gun. It's unclear who fired first, but 1 perp was wounded and 4 people in the bar, including the owner died in the ensuing gunfire. Full story: http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/11/two_suspects_in_deadly_marrero.html

It seems that if the owner had let them walk out, no one would have died. There were other people who survived this incident, but their storieshave not been released to the public yet.


(edited to clarify suspect was wounded)
Yup, and unfortunately if/when it happens you'll have virtually no time to think about it.

You're absolutely right about armed backup outside. It might not be a bad idea to run out the door if you're close to the front of the store. Get to a safe place and call the police.
 

TechnoWeenie

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If I was there, I'd be back in one of the corners where they hide the parts noone goes for (resistors, DB connectors, etc)...heh

Which would give me plenty of time to unholster and prepare myself mentally for what was about to happen. Given the fact that these guys would be focused on the employees and their goal (the register), and their yelling would clue me to their (obvious) presence and current location, it'd be a huge tactical advantage (SURPRISE!).

The 'walls' that they hang product on don't give any protection , they're made from MDF... So I'd probably crouch down, to make myself as small a target as possible, then 'slice the pie' around the edge.

..At that point, saying anything (demanding they drop the guns, or whatever) would mean I would lose my tactical advantage, and as such, my first action would be to neutralize the most threatening person. The second person would probably be in shock, and give me the second I need to train my weapon on him as well...

Meh...

Of course, noone REALLY knows what they'll do until they're in the situation ;)
 

nking

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Vernon, Wilbarger county, Texas, USA
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TechnoWeenie wrote:
If I was there, I'd be back in one of the corners where they hide the parts noone goes for (resistors, DB connectors, etc)...heh

Which would give me plenty of time to unholster and prepare myself mentally for what was about to happen. Given the fact that these guys would be focused on the employees and their goal (the register), and their yelling would clue me to their (obvious) presence and current location, it'd be a huge tactical advantage (SURPRISE!).

The 'walls' that they hang product on don't give any protection , they're made from MDF... So I'd probably crouch down, to make myself as small a target as possible, then 'slice the pie' around the edge.

..At that point, saying anything (demanding they drop the guns, or whatever) would mean I would lose my tactical advantage, and as such, my first action would be to neutralize the most threatening person. The second person would probably be in shock, and give me the second I need to train my weapon on him as well...

Meh...

Of course, noone REALLY knows what they'll do until they're in the situation ;)
Im giggling the whole time lol, and in Texas you are supposed to anounce that you are a CC carrier as you address them, figure that one out so it'll have to be real quickly then fire just to cover legalities.
 
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While at a Radio Shack in Baton Rouge with one of my daughters, during the holiday season, three "suspicious black men" entered the store, immediately split up and headed in three different directions. I immediately sent my daughter OUT the store to copy the license plate number and wait in the truck.
The store manager was alert enough to detect what I was on to, got on the store paging system and paged "code 13." Obviously, this was to alert the clerk in the rear of the store.
As Jubbie pointed out, as an OC'er, just what DO you do and when?
The three males clearly weren't there to buy anything, one of them kept glancing at me, not realizing I was OC'ing behind the display rack between us.
They left, my daughter came back in with their license plate number, which I gave to a VERY thankful clerk.
 
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