Fighting back in Chicago

[frankie_the_yankee]

Check out this story about a store clerk who used a gun in self defense during an armed robbery attempt.

http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local ... 92407.html

(CBS) CHICAGO A store clerk on the West Side fought back against an alleged robber, shooting him in the head. Chicago police say Monday evening the suspect is in stable condition.

As CBS 2's Mike Flannery reports, the hardware store is just one block from another store that police say was robbed at gunpoint last week.

Police believe a hole in the front door of South Side Hardware was created by one of the shots fired as a clerk tried to defend himself from an armed robber.

Investigators and evidence technicians also believe the dark red drops staining the sidewalk nearby came from the offender as he fled with a bullet in his head.

"He produced the weapon, announced the robbery," said Sgt. Rich Dowling of the Chicago Police Department. "The clerk produced the cash register, at which time he also produced a weapon, and he began firing at the offender."

A man who identified himself as belonging to a local street gang, but declined to give his name, said he is a close friend of the man who was shot.

"He our friend. We be together every day," the man said. "Just so happened today we weren't with him.

When asked if he thought his friend was trying to rob the hardware store, the man said, "He might have. He might was. If he feel he was robbin' that store, he did what he did."

A clerk at a currency exchange next door told CBS 2 that she and the hardware store's owner had called police last week after robbers took cash at gunpoint from a now-shuttered office. She feared that street gang members were sizing them up in preparation for attempting a robbery.

"It's time for us to stand up for the victims," Shirley Walls said. "This was a black-owned business. Black-owned."

She warmly praised the hardware store clerk who shot in self defense.

"He just got married. He has a family," Walls said. "He's trying to make an honest living...This guy came in on him."

Police told CBS 2 detectives had gone to Holy Cross Hospital to await permission from doctors to interview the wounded suspect.

Friends of the hardware store clerk said they did not know whether the handgun he fired in self-defense was legally registered. They said they hope he is not charged with any crime.

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And so do I. But unless the gun was registered prior to 1976 (approx.) it's not legal. (Exception: If the guy is an alderman or other on a short list of city officials who are exempt. But the news story makes no mention of this. So we can assume he is not.)

I'm posting this so we can see how self defense is treated in an "oppressive" state as compared to the great state of Texas.

[seamusTX]

They used to prosecute people who defended themselves in Chicago, but there was enough public outrage that they quit doing it in most cases.

Even if the handgun was legally owned (grandfathered), it would not have been legal to keep it loaded and accessible.

BTW, ISTR the current ban went into effect in 1982. But they had strict laws before that.

- Jim

[AEA]

At least the Reporter got it right by referring to the Robber as the "Suspect" instead of the "Victim" as is almost always the case.

[seamusTX]

I don't understand what a black-owned business has anything to do with anything. So what if it was black, white, chinese, or latin-owned. The owner was being robbed, he defended himself, the end.

Chicago has a huge problem with conflict between Asian store owners and black customers. It's ugly, we can wish it was different, but that's the way it is.

By some measures, Chicago is the most segregated city in the U.S. I have never seen as much racial conflict anywhere I lived. It makes Houston look like a garden of peace and harmony.

- Jim

[Penn]

The bad guys must have a field day up there, knowing that most people aren't going to be packing because of those assinine gun control laws.

[boomerang]

I don't understand what a black-owned business has anything to do with anything.

Maybe Shirley Walls is proud to judge a man by the color of his skin, not the content of his character.

[shootthesheet]

Black owned business being robbed by blacks is bad because they consider it some how harder for a black person to have a business. I personally consider that attitude part of the victim mentality. But, I am not in the position so I can't really say. I can not imagine voluntarily living in that sort of rot and have the corrupt government deny them of a way to protect themselves. The reporter is excellent in keeping clear who the victim was. Would it have been so clear if the owner and/or shooter was a non-black? Experience tells me no. But, I am hopeful it will be one day.