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Teenage robbery suspect shot to death in Gaffney,SC

HRS

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Teenage robbery suspect shot to death in Gaffney,SC
Police: Restaurant workers opened fire after 3 a.m. holdup





By Lynne P. Shackleford
lynne.shackleford@shj.com


Published: Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 3:15 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 2:25 a.m.

GAFFNEY — Employees of a cafe opened fire on three teenagers — killing one and injuring another — after police say the teens robbed restaurant personnel at gunpoint.







Gunfire erupted around 3 a.m. at Sonny's Cafe on Cherokee Avenue when 18-year-old Lloyd Ryan Jefferies, Michael Shaquille Davidson, 16, of Fourth Street, and another 16-year-old male, identified by family members as Calvin Smith, robbed the small, 24-hour cafe, according to Cherokee County sheriff's deputies.

As the suspects — armed with three weapons — attempted to leave, two employees who were armed with handguns fired shots, a news release states. All three suspects were shot and ran from the cafe. Sonny's Cafe was formerly Ozzie's.

Davidson ran to a house on Sixth Street and was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center around 4 a.m. where he died as a result of his injuries, according to Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler. Fowler has ordered an autopsy.

Jefferies was transported to Mary Black Memorial Hospital by a private vehicle and was later charged with armed robbery.

He remains at the Cherokee County Detention Center.

Smith ran across the street and was transported to Spartanburg Regional where he underwent surgery.

The news release states that Smith will be charged with armed robbery as an adult when he's released from the hosptial.

Two of the three weapons the armed robbery suspects allegedly used during the crime have been located, and police are continuing to search for the third gun.

Previous incident

Employees of the cafe were robbed just three days earlier.

Enoch Bonner has been charged with armed robbery in connection with that incident, according to a news release.

Investigators with the sheriff's and coroner's offices are continuing to investigate the latest incident. Sonny's remained closed throughout the day on Saturday.
 

Half Live

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Man it's sad when teens do stupid things like this and get killed for it. But sometimes you have to learn from your mistakes and when your friend gets killed for it that's one hell of a lesson. I hope those other 2 teens learned from it.

But besides that, good job on the workers for protecting them selves.
 

45acpForMe

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They opened fire as the teens were "leaving"????

So won't some DA prosecute them since the threat was over or is SC a state that actually allows citizens to defend themselves and their property?

I say once a person commits a crime (armed robbery in this case), they are responsible for all and any outcome. I also say that if the law was such that we were encouraged to stop the criminal by all means necessary including death, there would be much less crime! From a prior thread I posted that we should shoot to stop the criminal not just the threat. Once the criminal surrenders (and awaits police) we would stop shooting, not before.
 

HRS

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Sonny's Shooting: No Charges For Employees


Solicitor: Deadly Force Acceptable When Defending Life


POSTED: 11:21 am EDT May 10, 2010
UPDATED: 2:06 pm EDT May 10, 2010



The Seventh Circuit Solicitor will not pursue charges against Gaffney restaurant employees who opened fire on armed robbers over the weekend.

One of the teen robbery suspects was shot and killed during the shootout that happened early Saturday morning at Sonny's BBQ Cafe, according to deputies. (Full Story)

"You have an unfettered right to defend yourself," Trey Gowdy told News 4. "If you reasonably believe you are in danger of losing your life, you may use force up to and including deadly force," said Gowdy.

When asked if the law applied even if the suspects were fleeing, Gowdy said, "How did the employees know they weren't going outside to get a bigger gun? If you are in fear of your life, you can use deadly force."

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office said that Michael Shaquille Davidson, 16, was one of three teenagers shot after robbing Sonny's Restaurant early Saturday morning. Investigators say the three teens were about to leave when two employees opened fire.

"I just want to see justice for my cousin. He was shot down like a dog," said Alex Davidson.

"From what I'm getting, they was running. They was leaving the store; running out of the store," said the teen's uncle and namesake, Michael Davidson. "So I mean, if they was running out of the store, why would you shoot them in the back?"

In an interview that aired Sunday on WYFF News, several family members said they had heard that Davidson and the other two teens had been shot in the back. (Full Story)

Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler would not comment on whether Davidson was shot in the back or front after an autopsy Sunday, but he did confirm that the teen died of gunshot wounds.

The sheriff's office said Sunday morning that they were still going over evidence and waiting for results of a ballistics test to determine exactly what happened inside the restaurant.

Lloyd Ryan Jefferies, 18, is in the Cherokee County Detention Center charged with armed robbery, Gowdy confirmed.

Calvin Smith Jr., 16, will be charged with the same crime when he's released from the hospital, deputies said.
 

45acpForMe

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HRS wrote:
Sonny's Shooting: No Charges For Employees
...
"I just want to see justice for my cousin. He was shot down like a dog," said Alex Davidson.

"From what I'm getting, they was running. They was leaving the store; running out of the store," said the teen's uncle and namesake, Michael Davidson. "So I mean, if they was running out of the store, why would you shoot them in the back?" ....

Like a rabid dog! I love how family of the criminals don't put any of the responsibility for their actions on the criminals.
 

buster81

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Three parts of these stories always iritate me.

First, the employees "opened fire," like they popped up from behind the counter with belt-fed automatics and hosed the place down like Rambo without any regard for who they were shooting at.

Then, two of the three guns "allegedly" used by the "suspects" were recovered. Like there is some doubt as to whether there was a crime commited, or that the perpetrators had guns.

Third, interview with family members and/or friends always question the actions of the victims of their poor little criminals actions. Just once, I'd love to hear someone's uncle say "ya know,Michael was a bad kid. It was just a matter of time until he robbed someone who refused to be a victim. I'm surprised it took this long."
 

groats

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"He was a good kid, turning his life around, getting his GED"

This is what parents of scumbags are supposed to say.
These folks must have not gotten the memo.
 

Sonora Rebel

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Fleeing armed felons still present an immediate danger to any citizen they may encounter in the commission of the act (escape and evasion). I'm assuming of course that these bandits were still in or on the premises when the employees responded with deadly force. A robbery is not a sporting event. Such felons may be shot from any azimuth/angle that a target (them) may be aquired. That would include a backshot.

Point to remember... if you're in a fair fight, your tactics suck.
 

eye95

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"Innocent until proven guilty" is a legal standard, only required within the criminal justice system. The only concern a newspaper might have would be libel. But, the standard for proving libel by a newspaper is pretty high.

IANAL, but IIRC, they have to publish a story that is false. Someone has to be provably damaged by the story. And, the paper had to have known the story was false or have shown a callous disregard for the truth. I think they'd be OK to talk about the "would-be robbers" and their having guns without fear of legal pitfalls. They'd just have to be careful to be portraying what the witnesses said.

It is a style issue that they use terms like "alleged" and "suspect." not a legal one.
 

buster81

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Whatever you want to call it, it is still annoying. They should say the employees allegedly shot at thefilthyscumbags that were robbing the store.
 

1Grizzly1

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Sounds to me like they reaped what they had sewn. I have nothing but loathing and disgust for someone who would steal something someone else has worked for.
 

Packer fan

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dadpharm wrote:
aUTOPSY REVEALED THEY WERE SHOT IN THE FRONT!(sorry for caps)




Do you have proof of that? Not that I'm trying to be a jerk.

I don't care where or why they were shot; those young boys made the choose and that is the hazard of the life style they choose to pursue.

How sexy would it be to walk into a restaurant where all the waitresses were OC?:cool:
I know I would leave a bigger tip.:shock:
 

TheMrMitch

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"I just want to see justice for my cousin. He was shot down like a dog," said Alex Davidson."

Act like a sick dog....get put down like one. JUSTICE....has been dealt. Your cousin is deceased, never, never to rob again. That IS justice.
 

We-the-People

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TheMrMitch wrote:
"I just want to see justice for my cousin. He was shot down like a dog," said Alex Davidson."

Act like a sick dog....get put down like one. JUSTICE....has been dealt. Your cousin is deceased, never, never to rob again. That IS justice.
+ 1 gazillion (that is about twice the current national deficit)
 
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