TN - Customer Shoots Suspect In Liquor Store Robbery

[ComSec]

NASHVILLE, Tenn.- There was a deadly gunfight at a liquor store in Inglewood Saturday night. An armed robbery suspect was gunned down, after trying to rob the place. But it wasn't a police officer who took action.

None of the clerks in Sinkers Wine and Spirits had a gun to protect themselves, but they said they're thankful one of their customers did.

Sinkers Wine and Spirits lost some of their merchandise on Saturday night, but Clifford Baxter is hardly upset. He's just happy to have survived the gunfight that took place in his store over the weekend when two armed men tried to rob Sinkers late Saturday.

"I was in the back room, and came out and a man walked in with a pistol in his hand, and I went back to call 911," said Baxter.

Meanwhile, police said the suspects pointed a gun at store clerks and forced two customers to the ground. The would-be robbers probably didn't suspect that one of the customers would be carrying a gun nor that he would end up using it.

Baxter believes the customer and the suspects exchanged about ten gunshots. The would-be robbers tried to flee, but one of the men collapsed at the scene and died shortly after. Police said the citizen had a valid carry permit, and a right to protect himself.

"A citizen just like a police officer has the right to defend themselves or others, if they're in fear of death or serious bodily injury and that right extends to using deadly force," said Capt. David Imhof with Metro Police.

Even though the store was closed Sunday, Clifford Baxter had to come to work to clean up,

and while the workers at Sinkers are armed only with broken glass and a mop they're thankful one of their customer protected them with something more.

Metro police are still out looking for the other robbery suspect. They are also interviewing witnesses in the case to make sure the citizen's actions were justified. As for the workers at Sinkers who were unarmed at the time they said they have plans to protect themselves in the future.

http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?s=8234650

Great Vid on the site

[LEO 229]

"They are also interviewing witnesses in the case to make sure the citizen's actions were justified"

Just as they would do in any police shooting.

Nice job!

[UTOC-45-44]

"Police said the citizen had a valid carry permit, and a right to protect himself."

I don't like this sentence.

Just because he has a Permit doesn'tgive him a greater or more "special" right than a NON-permit holder to protect himself.

TJ

[swillden]

UTOC-45-44 wrote:

"Police said the citizen had a valid carry permit, and a right to protect himself."

I don't like this sentence.

I like it just fine. The "and" means that he had both, but that doesn't imply that the one depends upon the other. If it had said "the citizen had a valid carry permit, so had a right to protect himself", that would be bad.

The police were explaining why the customer had committed no crime, and both his permit (justifying his right to carry concealed) and his right to protect himself (justifying the shoot) are necessary elements. IMO, not explicitly calling out the right of self-defense would have been worse, because it would have implied that he was justified in shooting because he had a permit.

I also like how the officer continued, explaining:

A citizen just like a police officer has the right to defend themselves or others, if they're in fear of death or serious bodily injury and that right extends to using deadly force

[MetalChris]

swillden wrote:

I also like how the officer continued, explaining:

A citizen just like a police officer has the right to defend themselves or others, if they're in fear of death or serious bodily injury and that right extends to using deadly force

Absolutely. It's nice to see a police spokesman recognize that regular citizens have rights too. None of this "OMG, you should like totally wait for the cops to show up" crap.

[bobcat]

Baxter believes the customer and the suspects exchanged about ten gunshots. The would-be robbers tried to flee, but one of the men collapsed at the scene and died shortly after. Police said the citizen had a valid carry permit, and a right to protect himself.

"A citizen just like a police officer has the right to defend themselves or others, if they're in fear of death or serious bodily injury and that right extends to using deadly force," said Capt. David Imhof with Metro Police.

This is GOOD wording. I read a good attitude on the part of Capt. Imhof, as he has recognized we have the inherent right of self defense. Seems to be some underlying RESPECT for a legally armed citizen. Refreshing.

This sure is better than the legally armed citizen getting slammed to the floor and carted off to the cooler as if he/she is a criminal.

Further, the armed citizen certainly has chutzpa for taking the initiative and protecting innocents.

[deepdiver]

Sounds like the way it is all supposed to work.

[UTOC-45-44]

This is why I OC to Liquor Store.

Nobody...NOBODY is taking my Whiskey.. Step away for the bottles...,step away



TJ