Oh, the irony.
The manager of an Atlanta restaurant, Taco Mac, stopped an armed robbery Sunday morning by firing his own gun at the armed robber. What makes this story ironic is that the CEO of the company that owns this particular Taco Mac was one of the people that strenuously fought against the passage of the Georgia law last year that made it legal to carry a firearm in this restaurant. The law also contained a provision overriding Taco Mac's policy of banning firearms from its employee parking lots.
In Georgia in 2008, it was illegal to carry or possess a firearm in a restaurant that serves alcohol. Taco Mac serves alcohol. The Georgia General Assembly changed the law when it passed HB 89, which contained a provision that repealed the gun ban in restaurants that serve alcohol so long as the patron is not consuming alcohol. HB 89 also contained a provision that the NRA aggressively pushed that prevented employers from banning employee guns from cars in the parking lot. Both provisions would come into play on Sunday morning.
Taco Mac's owner vociferously opposed the new law both before its passage and after, by posting "No Guns" signs at the entrance. As GeorgiaCarry.Org member Matthew P. put it in a press release on Sunday:
Tappan Street Restaurant Group, which operates most of the Taco Mac restaurants in the Atlanta area, was quick to ban the legal carry of firearms in their restaurants following the passage of HB89 (the "gun rights" bill) into law in July 2008. WSB reported today (Sunday) that, shortly after 3am, an armed gunman accosted an employee as he or she took out the trash and attempted to rob the Taco Mac in Virginia Highlands. The manager drew a handgun and exchanged fire with the gunman before he (the gunman) fled. No employees or customers were reported injured. Had the manager honored the "gun ban" in TSRG's Taco Mac restaurants, the outcome could have been much worse -- consider the fate of slain bartender John Henderson at the Standard (who complied with his assailant's instructions) in January 2009.
What remains to be seen is whether Bob Campbell, president of TSRG and member of the board of the Georgia Restaurant Association (who vigorously opposed the passage of HB89 and its subsequent signing into law) will revisit the flawed "no guns" policy in his restaurants. To do otherwise, and certainly to fire the brave manager who refused to be a victim, would reveal that his emotions surrounding the "guns" issue exceed both the bounds of common sense and of common decency.
It is probably wishful thinking to believe that Bob Campbell will reconsider his gun ban. Rationality and the experience of empirical observation rarely enter into the thought processes of a gun banner.
Let us consider the history. Taco Mac has not had an armed robbery in 30 years. Taco Mac posted the Georgia Restaurant Association signs banning firearms, which tells criminals that this is an easy target. Then it is robbed. So what is the conclusion to be drawn? That gun free zones encourage armed criminals to prey upon the disarmed people inside?
Bob Campbell is more likely to believe that the real problem is his failure to post a "No Guns" sign at the back door, where the armed robber entered.
The manager of this location possessed a Georgia Firearms License. This brought him within the ambit of the law protecting him from his employer for possessing a firearm in his car in the parking lot. The result of an armed Georgian with a firearms license was one wounded, bleeding criminal and no wounded employees.
A restaurant spokesperson said an employee was taking out the trash around 3:30 when a masked man approached him with a gun, forcing the worker back inside.
That's where the would-be robber learned the manager was armed, too. A spokesperson for the restaurant said the manager and the suspect fired at each other and that the masked man then ran to a waiting car bleeding. None of the four employees was hurt.
Taco Mac disingenuously claims in statement that "The safety and security of our customers and employees is of utmost importance." If Taco Mac really meant it, then they would take down the "No Guns" signs. Any restaurant in Atlanta that bans firearms cares nothing for the safety of its customers or employees and is leaving them at the mercy of any criminal with a gun.
In this day and age, it is not like they are unaware that criminals refuse to abide by "gun free" zones. Such zones simply encourage violent crime.
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Comments
Taco Mac and any restaurant which chooses to forbid law abiding, licensed gun carriers from patronizing their establishments is choosing to join the ranks of other "gun free" zones like colleges & churches. In doing so, they are simply hanging out the "welcome sign" for violent criminals. Banning good people from defending themselves is shouting, "Come and get em...it's safe to terrorize here" to any criminals who seek to do us harm. Taco Mac management and others with the same policy....you're all fearing the WRONG people! Criminals don't read your signs and won't follow your rules!!! Smarten up!
I just hope the manager doesn't lose his job over this. It's all too common that when employees violate a firearms policy, even when doing so saved lives, they get canned.
My local Taco Mac is a crappy restaurant with lousy food and service. I'd never eat at one of those restaurants again, anyway. Is their no guns sign legally binding on permit holders?
What employers like this are really saying is "Die for us and our profit, while protecting us from frivolous lawsuits by your killers or their families".
As far as I know in Georgia a business can post a sign forbidding guns but it doesn't mean squat legally. A business owner or employee can ask you to leave and then if you don't you have a possible trespassing charge, that's it. Pack 'em if you've got 'em!
Whenever I learn about companies with policies like this I simply stop patronizing them.
Many business locations are posted as gun-free zones. Avoid those that you can for the personal safety of you and your family. Successful criminals being very observant and knowing the odds, are more likely to "work" in a safe and non-threatening environment.
I can't believe people truly think "NO GUNS" signs help in any way. If it's directed at GFL holders, why would you want to go against the State's opinion that the citizen rightfully be armed? And my main point: If it's directed at criminals, do you REALLY think they'll see it and think "Oh, no guns allowed. Looks like I'm robbing McD's instead" ???
Great article, Ed. Glad everything turned out ok for the employees. Maybe this will serve as a wake up call? Just need to keep pushing the facts about concealed weapons permit holders -- less likely to use their weapon in the commission of a crime than an off duty cop!
Matt
socratesvotes.com
Keep us posted. I'll be willing to go back to TM again when I can carry with the good will & permission of the owner and staff. Till then - I continue to boycott them as I have since HB89 went into effect and TM decided that I don't deserve to defend myself on their property.
Ed, I wonder if a lawsuit is in the waiting for a business that posts a No Guns Allowed sign and then fails to protect its patrons. Especially if that patron was licensed to carry as disarmed to enter the establishment.
"What makes this story ironic is that the CEO of the company..."
Why is this ironic? It's not like the CEO found himself looking down a muzzle, or ever expects to. That's for the people behind the counter, the ones his corporate insurance covers. And the customers? Certainly no court will ever blame him for them. After all, didn't he put up a NO GUNS sign?
Any updates on this story? Is that manager still employed at Taco Mac? If not, we should set up a support fund.
Also, I think everyone is being too harsh on Bob Campbell. People fear what they do not know or understand. For all we know, nobody has ever invited him to the gun range and taught him about firearms and gun safety. There are people in this world who still think that guns can walk around and shoot themselves, y'know. Maybe we should invite him to the range one day.
BTW, have y'all seen this?
Oh, it won't let me post a link or URL. Google "Atlanta college student gun", one of the first links should be titled, "College Student Shoots, Kills Home Invader - News Story - WSB Atlanta" May 4, 2009 - just another story about a gun saving lives. Hat tip to Stephen Gordon of examiner.com
My wife was reciently fired for frivious reasons, in college to be a R.N., and money is very tight. However. I would be willing to contribute if this brave man is relieved of his position for defending his life and the lives of his employees.
There's no Taco Macs here in Jacksonville, but if there were I would not patronize them.
Gray_Rider
Someone in the Atlanta area needs to post a "No Guns Allowed" sign in CEO Bob Campbell's front yard so that it is plainly visible to all passersby. If he is so willing to risk the lives of his employees' and customers' to protect his company from liability. He should be willing to put his life, personal property, and the lives of his family on the line as well.
typical story......crime thwarted, perpetrator surprised & injured, but not killed
Dad
Is an armed robbery part of "the cost of doing business" or is a shooting part of "the cost of doing business"? If the shooting loses you more money than you would have lost by just giving the armed gunman the cash in the register, who really wins? The business owner or the armed gunman?
Sometimes, after these shootings, businesses end up going out of business because of the bad publicity. Armed robberies are not reported as often as shootings are.
I support the rights of privat
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