A bank customer shot a robber after an armed confrontation in a Kansas City parking lot Saturday. The robber was wounded in the head and was in stable condition at a hospital, police said. The shooting happened about 9 a.m. when a man and a woman were in a car using the automated teller machine at the Bank of America at North Oak Trafficway and Barry Road. They were robbed at gunpoint, but as the gunman walked away, the man in the car got out armed with his own gun, said Sgt. Chris Lantz of the department’s robbery unit. The man yelled for the robber to stop. When the robber turned around and pointed his gun, the man fired at him, hitting him in the head, Lantz said […] The robbery victim had a permit to carry a concealed gun, Lantz said. Under the circumstances, Lantz said, that would not matter because he could legally carry the weapon in his car.

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Bank customer shoots gunman after robbery

Sds writes, “Responsible citizens with guns deter crime and contribute to the public safety.”

I think he’s crazy to choose this case as an example of responsibility, deterrance and public safety.  The crime happened.  But the “responsible” gun owner shot the fleeing suspect in the head over whatever he’d withdrawn from the ATM.

In this case, gun-ownership made a relatively simple robbery into a much more serious situation.  If the robber actually turned around and aimed his weapon, the “responsible citizen” has a legitimate self-defense claim.  Otherwise, he’s looking at attempted murder, assuming the robber pulls though.

In other words, the presence of the extra gun led to more violence.  Had the gun not been there, nobody would have been shot in the head.

(via squashed)

I have two takes on this. First of all, actually shooting the ATM robber was probably a little excessive, especially in the head. I’m not familiar with Missouri state law, but I doubt the man is looking at attempted murder. Personally, I believe that by pulling the gun the man had in his car, he did the right thing. What kind of person would he be if he had let the man get away, knowing he could stop him? I think it’s better that he cared enough to take the risk of using violence, than to be apathetic and let the robber get away, even though the shooter stood to benefit little (it wasn’t his money being taken) from letting the robber escape.

On the other hand, I bet everyone will think twice before robbing an ATM again in Kansas City. A couple of thousand dollars probably isn’t worth ending up with a bullet in your head to the thugs of Kansas City.

NIGHTNIGHT by DEDDY