A case study in smart gun laws? Detroit pizza delivery man fatally shoots armed robber

[RamboLiberal]

Police say the delivery man, who has a CCW, pulled out his own gun to defend himself. He shot and killed one of the men. The others ran away.

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What do those who oppose private gun ownership say to incidents like this, I wonder? For months now, this blog has spotlighted sobering comments from local pundits who've voiced loud arguments for banishing or severely restricting private gun ownership.

And frankly, I haven't thought pro-gun figures have done anything discredit their opponents with suggestions such as allowing people to pack guns in bars.

But, man, when I read stories like this pizza robbery, I'm also reminded that, as we used to say growing up, s*** is real.

Incidents like this underscore the fact that, despite pronouncements that there's no longer an argument to be had about guns in America, the debate most certainly is not a closed one. Because this shooting shows exactly how smart gun laws work: They enable law-abiding people to protect themselves from criminals who'd just as easily kill them as eat pizza.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2011/02/shooting_death_of_would-be_rob.html

Excellent column IMHO from someone who lives & works in the city of Detroit.

[slackmaster]

1. I've heard a whole gamut of reasons, including "Dead men tell no tales"

We can't be sure the shooting was really justified or that there was an attempted robbery at all, because the one person who could positively confirm it (even though he'd probably deny it) is deceased.

(In case anyone jumps to conclusions, let me say right now that the fact that I am able to articulate someone else's view doesn't mean that I agree with it.)

[RamboLiberal]

5. I'd bet his tale is true

Pizza and other food delivery people are a favorite target of these cretins. We've had a rash of these type of robberies in my area lately. And in a number of these instances drivers get shot.

[AtheistCrusader]

6. Well said.

The deceased in that case will never be convicted of a crime, in relation to this incident..


I of course presume innocence on the part of the shooter, but it could have gone down differently than the official story.

[RamboLiberal]

8. Want to bet

Google pizza driver shot and see the danger these delivery people face. One was just shot in Virginia this month.

On edit: The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, which categorizes pizza delivery drivers and taxicab drivers as "drivers-sales workers," ranked it the fifth most dangerous job category.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_delivery

[AtheistCrusader]

9. Not at all.

But it is a possibility.

A grand jury may decide. We'll see if he's charged with anything at all.

I agree, he probably won't be, but it's not impossible.

[emilyg]

2. kick

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. He will lose his job but he kept his life

A good trade

[RamboLiberal]

4. I doubt he will lose his job

DETROIT (WXYZ) - A Detroit pizza delivery man turned the tables on three would be crooks Sunday night.

The driver for Papa’s Pizza shot and killed one of the men who attempted to ambush and rob him around 10 o’clock. The address provided was a vacant home on the 20000 block of McCormick on Detroit’s east side, one block from the border of Harper Woods.

A neighbor, who did not wish to be identified, said she heard “4, 5, 6 shots.” Once she mustered up the courage to look out her window, she said she saw a man holding a gun and talking on his cell phone. She also noticed what she described as a “lump” on the ground. She learned later that was the body of the one of the suspects and the man with the gun was the pizza delivery man.

The manager at the pizza shop told Action News his employee has a concealed weapons permit along with many of his other drivers. He was not hurt but was shaken up over the incident, according to the manager.

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/detroit/police%3A-pizza-delivery-man-fights-back-after-being-ambushed,-kills-robber

[AtheistCrusader]

7. Good. Most chains won't allow it.

I certainly carried when I worked for Domino's. Instant firing if they knew about it.

Fortunately I never needed to use it.

[Katya Mullethov]

13. Just another unreported DGU

I take it a lot of pizza guys might want to high tail it back home and just forget about the whole thing . It's in their best interest .

[Bold Lib]

11. That's good. Too many people are fired for legally defending themselves. n/t

[Bold Lib]

10. k and r

[guitar man]

12. Frankly

I could give a shit what the anti private ownership crowd says or thinks. In the course of my work with my band on the weekends I often find myself alone on deserted country roads at 3am with a van load of valuable band equipment. It's not like we can secretly load it up after the gig so it makes a fat target for would be hijackers.

I pack a weapon with me to defend myself and for no other reason.