Fort Worth police praise man who shot at Albertsons robber

[TheDutchman]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...1.43bc9f3.html


Fort Worth police praise man who shot at Albertsons robber

FW: Suspect in crime at store left at hospital; 2 others sought in case


12:00 AM CDT on Thursday, July 5, 2007
By MARISSA ALANIS / The Dallas Morning News
malanis@dallasnews.com


A Fort Worth man who only wanted to protect his wife stuck in an Albertsons store during a robbery is being hailed for his heroics by police.

The retired man may have shot one of the robbers early Wednesday at the store in the 3500 block of Sycamore School Road.

Three men armed with guns robbed the store shortly after midnight and stole wallets and purses belonging to customers, said Lt. Dean Sullivan, a Fort Worth police spokesman.

The man, whom police didn't identify because he is a witness, saw two of the men walking around nervously before they entered the store. The witness said he called 911 when one of the men pulled out a gun and fired as he walked into the store.

About 20 seconds later, the witness's wife tried to call him from her cellphone inside the store. But he never got to talk to her.

"I just heard her saying, 'There is nothing in my purse,' " he recalled. "And there was a 'pow.' The phone went dead."

The man, who has a concealed handgun license, sprang into action. He walked into the store with his .45-caliber pistol under his shirt.

"I really thought I'd find her in the store shopping and get her out the back door," he said. "That was my intention. ... I had no intention of confronting these armed bandits."

But in the store, one of the robbers pointed the gun at the man. The man then fired twice. The robber ran away, and it's unknown whether he returned fire, Lt. Sullivan said. Outside the store, the retired man fired again.

Lt. Sullivan said Rayshaun Johnson was possibly hit during the robbery. Mr. Johnson, 17, was injured on his backside and foot. He was dropped off in the parking lot of Huguley Memorial Medical Center in Fort Worth.

Lt. Sullivan said Mr. Johnson faces a charge of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon once he's released from the hospital. Police continue to search for the other two robbers. Descriptions were unavailable.

The man said he does not feel like a hero.

"I don't feel good at all that there is an 18-year-old guy who's been injured and is going to go to some terrible place because it was a horrible mistake that somebody talked him into," he said. "I was worried about my wife. I just wanted to get her out of there."

[John_Wayne777]

A Fort Worth man who only wanted to protect his wife stuck in an Albertsons store during a robbery is being hailed for his heroics by police.

Kudos to the Fort Worth police for not using the "Just give them what they want" line.

[Cameron]

Great story!

[arbob]

We definitely need to her more of those stories!

[Joseywales]

Wonder what happened to that guy's wife? Sounds like she is OK.

[Alpha Sierra]

God Bless Texas. An example for the rest of the nation in so many ways.

[nationwide]

If you watch the video, there is no doubt this was a bad shoot.

As a civilian, we must NEVER pursue the bad guy unless he is in our home or on or property.

This guy is lucky this took place in Tarrant county and not Dallas. Because I think a Grand Jury would have handed down charges over there!

For those of you not in north Texas, the difference between Tarrant and Dallas counties is like night and day.

[f.2]

As a civilian, we must NEVER pursue the bad guy unless he is in our home or on or property.

Never say never. I drive my wife to the market sometimes and I see the dregs of society mossying along everywhichway and always take my CCW carry and sit outside in the car. If I had gotten the call that this guy did - well, I would like to think that I wouldn't sit on my ass in the car and hang up on her and dial nine one one.

[Alpha Sierra]

If you watch the video, there is no doubt this was a bad shoot.

As a civilian, we must NEVER pursue the bad guy unless he is in our home or on or property.

This guy is lucky this took place in Tarrant county and not Dallas. Because I think a Grand Jury would have handed down charges over there!

For those of you not in north Texas, the difference between Tarrant and Dallas counties is like night and day.

The guy's wife was inside the store when the shooting started. Closing to contact and engaging was 100% the right thing to do.

What a Grand Jury thinks or doesn't think is irrelevant, as they only get to see the evidence the prosecution wants them to see. Let them indict. See ya at trial.

[nationwide]

Sorry guys, but the known facts clearly show the CHL holder was between his wife and the bad guys, and the bad guys were fleeing at the time of engagement.

Going into the store because of the phone call FROM HIS WIFE was clearly the right thing to do. But remember, a CHL is not a license to use deadly force, only to carry a weapon concealed.

Based on what is publicly known, the threat that caused the CHL to fire would not have occured if he had not pursued the bad guy.

ETA: The ONLY reason us lowly civilians have CHL's is to protect ourselves and others from the immediate threat of death or great bodily injury, or protecting your property from theft after dark (In Texas anyways).

I'd bet a dollar this CHL holder engaged the bad guys not because he perceived a threat, but because he was pissed off that they accosted his wife (not saying that's a bad reason, just insufficient)