Armed Wal-Mart shopper stops a violent armed robber

A Wal-Mart shopper reportedly used his handgun to stop an armed robber who opened fire on him.

Police say that a 28 year old man was loading groceries into his car, in the parking lot of an East Stroudsburg, PA Wal-Mart, when an armed robber approached and pointed a handgun at him, while demanding money.  The man reportedly told the robber that he had no cash to hand over, and that the groceries had been purchased with a debit card.  In response, the robber is said to have become more threatening, at which point the man took out his wallet to give to the robber and tried to shield himself with his vehicle's door.  Unsatisfied, the robber reportedly pointed the gun at the man's face.  The man then ducked down, and the robber fired a shot, which went through the vehicle's window and missed the man, but caused the man to suffer glass cuts to his face, according to news reports.  The man then dropped to the ground, then drew and fired the handgun that he was carrying for self defense, striking the robber in the lower leg and foot, as the robber continued to fire at - and miss - the man, according to police.  The man reportedly then ran back to Wal-Mart to seek help, while the robber fled to some nearby bushes.  Police soon arrived and apprehended a suspect, who was caught trying to bury a handgun in the ground near the bushes, according to news reports.  The suspect, reportedly identified as 17 year old Jean Jacques of East Stroudsburg, was taken to a hospital for treatment, and then to court to face charges of attempted murder, robbery, aggravated assault, and other charges, police say.

I would note the great restraint that this robbery victim showed by not immediately firing at the robber who pointed a gun at him. Those opposed to gun rights like to suggest that armed citizens who fire in self defense are blood thirsty killers just looking for an excuse to take a life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, such armed citizens fire as a last resort, in order to protect themselves and their families from an imminent threat.

As another example, this disabled veteran, who had a concealed carry permit, decided to comply with a robber’s demands for his wallet instead of shooting in self defense. It was only when the robber continued to advance on him while brandishing a metal pipe that the citizen fired in self defense. Similarly, this pizza delivery driver handed over his money and tried to back away, and only fired in self defense after the violent robber followed him and continued to threaten his life.  As a final example, this man gave a machete-wielding attacker multiple chances to cease his attack before firing in self defense, and even provided first aid to the attacker after he was forced to fire.

In the current case, as well as those other examples, armed citizens risked their lives by hesitating, in an attempt to avoid having to shooting a violent attacker. Note that I’m not suggesting that citizens should or must hesitate the way that these citizens did; instead, my only point is that armed citizens are not the violence-prone individuals that anti gun groups suggest them to be.