Would-be robber gunned down by his victim

[gorfle]

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2009/01/15/east_atlanta_shooting.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

"He asked the stranger what he wanted, and noticed the man was reaching for his waistband or pockets, the detective said. Instinctively, the passenger shoved open his door, knocking the suspected robber back a few feet, Willis said. The woman started screaming.

The man got out of the truck and the suspected robber raised a weapon at him, Willis said. “When he saw that, he just started shooting,” the detective said.

The man shot the suspected robber five or six times, in the stomach and chest, Willis said. The robber did not fire any shots.

“He just got the jump on him,” Willis said of the victim. “He told me he fired until the guy was no longer a threat to him.”

Willis said the man’s accuracy was impressive. In an interview later, the man told Willis that his brother used to shoot firearms competitively and taught him to shoot."

Another armed robber that will be taking the eternal dirt nap thanks to an armed citizen.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

1. This is often the consequence of a life of crime.

[villager]

2. "Teen shoots dad, self"

Ah, some other gun headlines we seem to've missed:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28693235/

[geckosfeet]

3. You know, I am all for armed citizens protecting themselves.

But you sound absolutely jubilant. Taking pleasure in an all around tragic event is perverse.

[rangersmith82]

4. Every death is tragic

Of course you have to look at the bright side.

He will not burden the legal system or tax payers.

And the bad guy might have murdered them had they not been armed, or the next time he robbed someone they might have been killed.

Another gun owner saves the day, and there is one less criminal with a heartbeat.

[geckosfeet]

7. And the shooter will live happily ever after.

I don't see as how he saved anything. He simply traded one life for another. Who is to say which life is worth living and which is not.

Your attitude, and the apparent attitude of the op is why people resent responsible gun owners.

[gorfle]

9. You know...

I don't see as how he saved anything. He simply traded one life for another. Who is to say which life is worth living and which is not.

Your attitude, and the apparent attitude of the op is why people resent responsible gun owners.

You know, if you really have to expend a lot of mental effort to be able to say which life is worth saving and which is not, it's easy to see why people resent people unable to clearly see such things.

I mean really. We have a man and his girlfriend peaceably and responsibly leaving a bar and getting in their vehicle to go home, with the wife driving as designated driver, and we have a man pulling a weapon on them to try and rob them. I'll tell you who can say which life is worth saving and which is not: I can, as can anyone with two brain cells to rub together.

Now I suppose it's possible and not all the facts are known and in reality the man will turn out to be a monster who eats babies for breakfast and the robber will turn out to be a nobel laureate, in which case I'll happily admit I was wrong. But I doubt that will turn out to be the case.

[geckosfeet]

11. I understand self defense. I don't understand self rightous know it alls

who feel like they have to gloat when something like this happens.

[gorfle]

14. Turn about is fair play

It's no different then those who gloat here every time there is a firearm accident.

[geckosfeet]

17. Ah. Revenge. Is it as sweet as they say?

[pipoman]

20. Not to speak for gorfle

but if these types of incidents aren't published here, only the stories of accidents and criminal use of firearms would be posted here. That along with the oft repeated meme that there are never defensive use of firearms, only incidents of people attempting to use a firearm to defend themselves, then subsequently being disarmed and murdered with their own gun (which, by the way, I have never read here). Or the silly meme that a law abiding person can never prevail in an altercation with an armed criminal bent on robbery, rape, or murder.

[geckosfeet]

21. I like seeing posts about news - even news such as this from other parts

of the country.

I don't understand the pleasure that some people seem to take from hearing that someone was shot and killed.

Gorfle was explaining.

[spin]

10. The chances of the robber making a significant contritubion...

to society or reforming and living a good life are indeed possible. He might even have went to church on the following Sunday and became a "born again" Christian and spent the rest of his life bothering the hell out of other people with his attempts to convert them to his fundamentalist belief.

There is also the possibility that the Detroit Lions will win the Super Bowl next year.

Chances are far better that he would have continue to pursue of life a crime and robbed or possibly murdered many more people before he was caught by the "long arm" of the law.

For you enlightenment, let me assure you that the shooter will probably not live happily ever after. Killing another individual, even when justifiable, is a life changing experience. There can be, and often is, post-traumatic stress disorder to the shooter. The aftereffects often evolve symptoms like nightmares, flashbacks, anger, concentration problems, emotional detachment and avoidance of people and places. Further more serious symptoms may develop over time. Police who are involved in shootings that result in death are often advised to see a police stress counselor.

The shooter has already shown some signs of trauma:

As one could expect, the shooting left the man and his companion visibly shaken.

“He actually said, ‘I’m surprised I haven’t thrown up yet,’ ” Willis said. “He was that upset.”
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2009/01/15/east_atlanta_shooting.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

It's easy to view shooting someone as similar to the glorification you watch in the movies. Real life comes at you fast and is far different.

The problem with being a hero in a situation like the one described is hat you have to live with what you have done.

[geckosfeet]

12. My point exactly. He lived - but it remains to be seen who will be better off.

[spin]

13. I'm not quite sure how the criminal could be considered better off...

as he is dead.

However, if you believe in reincarnation, the criminal might get another chance to lead a good life. The shooter will have to finish living his out.

[geckosfeet]

16. I think, that there are worse fates than death.

[spin]

18. Yes, death is the final solution to whatever problems bother you.

However, I would prefer to suffer life a little longer.

[geckosfeet]

22. Yes. Isn't that just it. Seems like those of us with nothing to lose are willing

to take the biggest risks. Like the petty criminals who go around pulling armed robberies.

[spin]

24. Which is why any approach to reducing crime...

has to include programs to increase education, provide opportunity for rewarding well paying jobs and counseling for youth who display violent behavior characteristics.

I hope that Obama increases police presence on the streets and in the neighborhoods. I also hope that an individual caught illegally carrying a weapon faces severe punishment. This punishment should be so draconian that it discourages such behavior. Organized gang violence should be treated as terrorism (which it is). The legalization of certain drugs such as marijuana would also help to reduce the profit motive of drug dealing. Taxes on the legal sale of marijuana could be used to finance drug rehab programs.

Petty criminals all too often commit their robberies to finance their drug habit. To a great extent, we have created a society that offers little for the disadvantaged on the bottom levels. With no future to look forward to, it's not unrealistic that some individuals lose all hope and seek escape through drug abuse.

We can do better than this. As a society we need to help those at the bottom.

But while I feel compassion for the plight of the disadvantaged and want to offer opportunity to those who find themselves in a hopeless situation, I also feel compassion for those who are not disadvantaged but find themselves prey. Therefore, I support the right to self defense up to and including lethal force depending upon the situation.

An individual crosses a line when he decides to commit violent acts against innocent people. No rational excuse grants a person the right to target another citizen and threaten him with bodily harm. You have many choices in life, even if you are disadvantaged. You can stand on a street corner with a sign and panhandle (this can be very profitable). You can work the system and get government aid. There are even criminal acts you can commit without endangering people such as making entry to a home or business when no one is present. Of course, you can always decide to change your life and get an education and make a positive difference in society.

I don't glorify the actions of the shooter in the OP. He did what may have been necessary with the result that he lived and the person who chose the violent course died. It could be argued that had he complied with the robbers wishes the situation would have ended with no loss of life. It could also be argued that the robber might have shot him and his companion. And of course, even if this incident would have ended peaceably, the robber might have continued his violent lifestyle and injured or killed someone else.

I feel compassion for the shooter and hope he is able to avoid the psychological consequences of killing another human being. I also believe he acted correctly in the situation. Fortunately for the shooter and perhaps for society, he survived. If the robber would have merely decided to lead a less violent lifestyle none of this would have happened.

When you throw a pebble into water, there is the initial splash followed numerous by ripples.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

19. The law sides with the victim on whose life is worth more.

[tburnsten]

28. Easy

The life that wasn't thrown away in the course of an armed robbery.

"I don't see as how he saved anything. He simply traded one life for another. Who is to say which life is worth living and which is not."



I am honestly more than a little bit shocked that you view this situation as an even trade of one life for another, or a question of value. It has nothing to do with that, the attempted armed robber failed and was killed in the process. Had he not tried to rob anyone that night, he would still be alive. Where do you see the gray area in this incident?

[FLAprogressive]

6. Brady gun grabbers revel at gun accidents because it adds more fuel to their anti Amendment II

crusade

[gorfle]

8. Of course I am.

But you sound absolutely jubilant. Taking pleasure in an all around tragic event is perverse.

Wasted lives are always tragic. If our society had better safety nets to provide more opportunities for people so that they did not need to turn to crime we would be far better off as a society and we would have far more productive people in it.

Nonetheless, it does please me when good triumphs over bad. When an armed citizen takes down an armed robber, good has triumphed over bad.

[iverglas]

15. you want to escape while you can

But you sound absolutely jubilant.
Taking pleasure in an all around tragic event is perverse.

It's the all-purpose bedtime prayer, meditation mantra, grace-before-dinner around here.

Saved the taxpayers some money.
Cleaned the gene pool.
One more scum removed from society.

Being happy that someone *is not* dead (the person who defended him/herself) is one thing.

Being happy that someone (pretty much anyone, although I admit to some horn-honking when Franco and the Shah died) *is* dead is just ugly.

Strong stomach needed to spend much time here.

[gorfle]

25. Indeed.

Strong stomach needed to spend much time here.

Yep. People minding their own business surviving after killing off people engaged in criminally violent behavior, and no end to the people who are outraged at the actions of the survivor.

Fortunately I have a strong stomach. And a spine.

[iverglas]

26. "Fortunately I have a strong stomach. And a spine."

and the well-known, shopworn disregard for truth.

Can't respond to what someone actually said, spout some shit and hope some really stupid person thinks it's relevant.

Not much respect for yer readers, eh?

[gorfle]

27. Everyone gets the respect they deserve.

Hope you enjoy your portion.

[FLAprogressive]

5. "You're taking away the robber's due process!!11!!!one!"

:sarcasm:

[slackmaster]

23. Tragic waste of human life

Mr. Usher made a series of bad decisions, resulting in his death.