← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Happy Hacker
Thread ID: 15580 | Posts: 1 | Started: 2004-11-08
2004-11-08 07:41 | User Profile
I've just been watching World's Wildest Police Chases. They showed security camera footage of a black transvestite shoplifting. The store owner shows up with a small pistol and to tries to hold the robber until police arrive. The robber than assaults the store owner. I'm thinking the store owner has just missed his chance to shoot, but he's on camera so he can't shoot until he's actually attacked and put into a position that he may not be able to recover from. I've seen enough of videos of store employees being on the losing end of criminal assaults. But, in this case, the store owner is able to pump a few rounds into the robber!
I cheered out loud and clapped! I wish TV shows would show more of average citizens taking down criminals.
But, not all was well with this. The commentator commented that once you pick up a gun that you're psychological committed to using it. Almost to suggest that the shooting was the fault of the store owner. Sure, if there was no gun, the criminal would have gotten away, probably with no one being hurt. But, there are also many innocent people killed because they are unarmed and it was the robber who turned a simple robbery into an assault.
The commentator commented that manslaughter charges were dropped. Given the video showing that the man shot in self-defense, it's wrong that he was charged with any crime in the first place.
I think criminals need to be reminded that they have more than just police to fear.