Armed citizen stops robbery cold...

[Illiy]

Shopper pulls gun, stops robbery cold
Held suspect at grocery store until police officers arrived

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Posted: January 2, 2008
5:00 a.m. Eastern



© 2008 WorldNetDaily.com


A grocery store customer in Indianapolis is being credited with halting an armed robbery by pulling his own weapon and pointing it at the assailant until police arrived.

According to a report in the Indianapolis Star, Charlie Merrell, 51, was in a checkout line at a grocery store called Bucks IGA on the city's south side when a "masked man jumped a nearby counter and held a gun on a store employee."

The police report cited by the newspaper said the incident happened at 5:17 in the afternoon Monday as Merrell was doing some year-end shopping.

"While the suspect was demanding cash from the workers," according to the police report, "Merrell pulled his own handgun, pointed it at the robber and ordered him to put down his weapon."

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The newspaper noted that Officer Jason Bockting, in his documentation of the incident, said when the suspect seemed to hesitate, "Merrell racked the slide on his gun to load a round in the chamber."

At that point, the report said, "the suspect placed his gun and a bag of cash on the counter, dropping some of the money … the suspect removed his mask and lay on the floor."

Merrill, meanwhile, held the suspect at gunpoint until officers arrived and took him away in handcuffs.

Police reported Merrell had a valid permit to carry the handgun, and they recovered an unloaded .380-caliber handgun and $779 cash from the suspect.

Police records show Dwain Smith, 19, was being held in the Marion County Jail on a bond of $30,000 on initial charges of robbery, criminal confinement, pointing a firearm, battery and carrying a handgun without a license.

[Frankenstein]

The newspaper noted that Officer Jason Bockting, in his documentation of the incident, said when the suspect seemed to hesitate, "Merrell racked the slide on his gun to load a round in the chamber."

The customer is lucky that the robber wasn't more prepared to shoot to get what he wanted. I still fail to understand why people are willing to carry a gun but won't carry it in a condition ready to fire.

[Cidp24]

You have to admire the guy for stepping in but I'm with Frankenstein on him not carrying the gun ready to go. I also think he is real lucky that nobody got hurt because he took action while the robber was still in the store with bystanders.

[Donut Aficionado]

I agree with the ready to fire issue, but I would have loved to see the look on the face of the dirtbag when he heard that slide rack. Next sound was probably his bowels releasing....

[gopherpuckfan]

I would have loved to see the look on the face of the dirtbag when he heard that slide rack.

Did a felony stop of a stolen vehicle last year. I was one of the cover officers and had the shotgun.

Vehicle was being driven by the kids of the owners (who failed to call and report the vehicle was returned a month prior). Was giving the kids a lift to the impound lot to get the vehicle and one of them said, "Man, I heard that shotgun rack and I *knew* you guys meant business".

Told him, "Yep, that was me. It's a good thing you guys listened to everything we told you to do".

[Five-0]

The public sees that racking of the slide stuff in movies. That means it is the "right" way to do things, right?

[Morris]

Stupid tactic on the part of the citizen (Israeli method BTW) but thank the Goddess we live in a country where we can do that! Kudos to the citizen for even carrying which a sizeable percentage of off duty cops won't do.

[AlDeputy]

Just a point in interest on the ready to fire issue. During my time in the Army Military Police in non combat situations, we were not allowe to cary our sidearm with a round in the chamber, if you got caught you were subject to disciplinary action and in some places they only issued us 5 rounds for our .45.

[MacLean]

We carried locked and loaded in the Air Force - it's different all over.

Good thing the guy was in the right place at the right time, I won't be criticizing how he chose to carry.

[oldtrooper]

I would not carry an unloaded weapon, but I certainly commend him for taking on the responsibility to defend himself and others and the nerve to carry through.

[dadyswat]

+1

[Frankenstein]

I certainly commend him for taking on the responsibility to defend himself and others and the nerve to carry through.

Don't get me wrong, I think the citizen did a heck of a job stopping the robbery and preventing anyone from getting hurt. I just don't agree with carrying without a round in the chamber.

[TXCharlie]

I've carried my 9mm ready to go for 4 or 5 years... Ever since the day that I kinda sprained my wrist in draw-and-rack drills.

I used to carry it unracked for "safety" reasons, but when I sprained my wrist, I decided that there was way too much motion involved in drawing from concealment, then having to rack the slide.

Racking the slide is simple enough to do if I take my time, but it's not easy to rack the slide and get an accurate shot off in a couple of seconds without doing my wrists some damage. It's just much safer not to go through that extra motion - Heaven help anyone who pulled their gun and dropped it when they twisted their wrist.