Store owner fights back with robber's own gun

[Michelle]

A violent attempted robbery at a convenience store Sunday left one dead and another critically wounded after the store owner shot both men, police said.
Police identified the dead man as Sheldon S. Hope, 21, of Hickory Lane in Hermitage.

The incident occurred Sunday evening at Smoke Depot of Nashville, 563 Stewarts Ferry Pike, when two men entered the store asking for cigarettes, kept behind the counter.
Metro police gave this account of the incident:

When the store owner turned around after retrieving the cigarettes, one of the men drew a gun and demanded money. The second man, who also was armed, came behind the counter next to the owner.
As the owner began to open the cash drawer, the man across the counter grabbed the owner and began to pistol-whip him on the head but dropped his gun.
As the owner fell to the floor, the man behind the counter began to kick him. The owner grabbed the handgun and fired into the air, causing the man behind the counter to move.

The men tried to flee as the owner got up and fired several shots, hitting both as they left the store. The man later identified as Hope was killed, while the other man, 28, was sent to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he is listed in critical condition with several life-threatening injuries.

Both men were carrying identification cards from the Caribbean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, said Metro police spokesman Don Aaron. The surviving man was carrying a card identifying him as a security guard from Brooklyn, N.Y.
Police did not release the second man's name, pending family notification.

The owner, 40, was treated for head lacerations at Summit Medical Center. Police did not release his name. The owner is not expected to face charges.

"This was a man fighting for his life," Aaron said of the owner. "This was not a citizen taking matters into his own hands — this was a citizen defending himself."


Link: http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...0354/1017/NEWS

[Pedro56]

Score one for the civilian!!! Rob me? Dirt Nap. I love it.

[jcsdscott]

This guy was lucky. At least he was able to keep his wits about him when most people would have been losing it.

[nitestokker]

I honestly do not know why this is news. The exact same thing happened to me just the other day. I was minding my own business in my own kitchen when I was suddenly approached by an extremely suspicious looking pair of two-year-old girls who suddenly produced a Lego and a Dora doll and demanded candy. When I refused, they attacked.........beating me savagely about the ankles with the weapons. As my life flashed before my eyes, I instinctively protected myself by distracting them with a marshmallow and then attacked them from behind with a SpongeBob cd case and a kitty cat squeaky toy, popping them on top of the head and fighting my way to the door........where I made my getaway to the safe zone (my bedroom). I live in a DANGEROUS area!!!

[jcsdscott]

Tell me about I had a seven month old girl that crawls around, peeks around the corner and attacks your ankles

[Ducky]

I'm seriously impressed that he had such good aim after taking hits to the head.

[CountyFourteen]

I was sitting here thinking about last nights shift.........and finally realized that even though dealing with shot guns pointed at you and the other fights we were involved in.......that none of it compared to what nitestokker lived through......

[CountyFourteen]

oh.........and good job to the owner of the store