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HPD: Cell-phone store clerk kills attempted robber

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  • BJBK

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    Aug 29, 2008
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    The fatal shooting of an attempted robber by a clerk at a southwest Houston cellular phone store will be referred to a Harris County grand jury without charges, police said today.
    The shooting happened shortly before 7 p.m. Monday after the man entered the T-Mobile store in the 7500 block of the Southwest Freeway and pointed a pistol at two employees, police said.
    A third employee, who is licensed to carry a concealed handgun, confronted the man and the two exchanged shots, investigators said.
    The attempted robber died at the scene. The employee was not injured.
    The dead man's name was withheld, pending positive identification by the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office.
    The investigation is continuing, police said.
    Guns International
     

    JKTex

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    Mar 11, 2008
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    And I hope T-Mobile doesn't have a "no gun" policy...that would suck for this highly commendable person.

    Probably doesn't matter if they do or not, they usually have strict policies on what to do in the case of a robbery, and it's to cooperate.

    Kudo's to him, but he's likely out of a job; but it'll be interesting to see what happens. Now he can get a better one with all the attention he's getting. Of course, after recuperating from the ordeal.
     

    byrom1212

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    May 1, 2008
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    Just makes you think whats going through peoples heads when they try to rob a store wouldnt you think some one might be carrying a gun it is texas you know.

    My boss would prefer us to carry.
     
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    Sep 4, 2008
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    why do you think he would lose his job after this (unless defending the store against a robbery is agains company policy). if they did fire him wouldn't he have somekind of wrongful termination suit to win.
     

    Rob1796

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    Sep 17, 2008
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    why do you think he would lose his job after this (unless defending the store against a robbery is agains company policy). if they did fire him wouldn't he have somekind of wrongful termination suit to win.

    Many companies that have retail outlets usually have policies that, if someone tries to rob you, don't be the hero, give them what they want and let it be. I guess they assume that people trying to rob you are perfectly logical beings and as soon as they get what they want, they will be on their merry way with a kind "good day to you sir". I don't agree with it, but I've worked a few places where I had to close pretty late at night, and that was the order. Even if you could overpower the criminal, just give them what they want and hopefully let them be on their way...and you know what they say about wishing in one hand.

    Because of the policy, the store owner could argue that the employee violated company policy (regardless of how stupid it may be), and it is grounds for termination.
     

    JKTex

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    Because of the policy, the store owner could argue that the employee violated company policy (regardless of how stupid it may be), and it is grounds for termination.

    Not argue, it would be a clear violation of a company policy and they'd almost have no choice but to follow through with the corrective action the policy outlines. Otherwise they have an uprising of ever employee that's ever been disciplined under company policy.

    However, the policy is in the best interest of the company. The last thing they want is for an employee to be injured or killed trying to defend a company asset because the company encouraged it or did not discourage it. Liability is a bitch, but it's real.

    It's a catch 22 but as an employee, there's a responsibility to adhere to the companies policies. Obviously putting personal safety first because well, it's more important than a job.
     

    Rob1796

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    Not argue, it would be a clear violation of a company policy and they'd almost have no choice but to follow through with the corrective action the policy outlines. Otherwise they have an uprising of ever employee that's ever been disciplined under company policy.

    Very true.

    However, the policy is in the best interest of the company. The last thing they want is for an employee to be injured or killed trying to defend a company asset because the company encouraged it or did not discourage it. Liability is a bitch, but it's real.

    It's a catch 22 but as an employee, there's a responsibility to adhere to the companies policies. Obviously putting personal safety first because well, it's more important than a job.

    And again, very true. I've had this discussion with my girlfriend many a time. Her store has a "give them what they want" policy, but at some point, you can't just give them what they want when they starting wanting more than just the cash.
     

    Mark F

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    Aug 21, 2008
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    All too often perpetrators are violent by nature, meaning they will kill for no reason. This happened 6 weeks ago in Alvaredo. A youngster walks into a gas station and shoots a female attendent without saying a word to her. He attempeted to open the cash register, and walked away with NOTHING. This little turd was caught about 5 days later.

    Company policy means nothing when your life is at stake.
     

    TexasFats

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    Even if you lose your job, which is easier to get: a new job or a new life? Stupid, give 'em what they want policies don't consider that the crook might want to take your life so that you can't testify or just because the goblin is some sicko who gets a kick out of killing people.
     

    Shorts

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    Mar 28, 2008
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    Glad this employee stepped up. If he loses his job, no worries. He can find another job somewhere else...I know, easy for me to say. But I'd rather do the right thing and suffer "consequences" but I can press on in life. That's much better than alternatives, both physically and morally with how I hold myself accountable.

    I've been hearing of more 'good guy' SD shootings and I'm glad. I'm not happy someone's son/father/daughter/mother gets shot, but crime should not be tolerated. You do the crime, you'll at best be doing time if you don't get yourself killed first.


    BTW, some company should hire up all these poor 'good guys' who get canned and put them on the floor of their business. That would be one tough place to rob if you've got a load of "experienced" employees :D
     

    SteveW

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    Apr 2, 2008
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    So what would have been the situation if this had not turned out so well ? Let's say that the store employee caused the confrontation, got shot (and wounded) then the bad guy, in a blind panic, full of adrenalin (and who knows what else) also shot (and killed) the other people in the store. What was it in the store that was worth that ? Is the store employee now going to get his butt handed to him by the lawyers representing the families of the dead employees ?

    I agree, crime should not be tolerated, but how do you resolve a situation like this ?

    From my point of view, this guy risked the life of all the others in the store. Had I been there, I would not have appreciated that.
     

    JKTex

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    There are limitless hypothetical's that won't do anything good for this thread about an actual event reported in the news. No one that wasn't there can speculate what or why anything happened..

    Hypothetical banter is white noise unless it's in the context of hypothetical discussion. Since this is an actual event, what-if's can be harmful and tread on the line of irresponsible.

    A dude tried to rob the store, an employee stopped him. News at 11.
     

    SteveW

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    Sure. I am 'good to go' with that point of view. My opinion remains this, however :

    > From my point of view, this guy risked the life of all the others in the store.
    > Had I been there, I would not have appreciated that.

    Which is why I finished my post with it.
     

    JKTex

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    Mar 11, 2008
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    Sure. I am 'good to go' with that point of view. My opinion remains this, however :

    > From my point of view, this guy risked the life of all the others in the store.
    > Had I been there, I would not have appreciated that.

    Which is why I finished my post with it.

    Only he knows what risk there was to assess, so it's still speculation and hypothetical. That point of view assumes he did not act responsibly and did the wrong thing. From what has been reported, and supported by HPD which is all we have to go by, he was not irresponsible and did not do the wrong thing.

    "> Had I been there, I would not have appreciated that."

    Maybe you won't have appreciated it, but how do you know if you weren't there to assess risk as he was? That's speculating your own feelings and not giving yourself benefit of doubt. You may have drawn and fired (if you carry) or you may have elected to be a victim. That's speculation too. ;)
     

    SteveW

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    Apr 2, 2008
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    No speculation allowed !

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    TexasFats

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    Sep 17, 2008
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    The bottom line is that, when an armed robber enters a business, nobody knows if the bad guy is going to just take the money and run, without harming anybody, or if the goblin is going to start shooting. One can only assess each situation as it occurs, based on what one sees. About 30 years ago, armed robbers liked to hit Stop and Rob stores and then they would march everybody back into the cooler for execution--no witnesses. You don't know. The one thing that you can be sure about is that somebody who will pull off an armed robbery is capable of killing somebody either intentionally or by accident. Either way, it is a gamble to trust your safety to the mercy of a sociopath.
     

    grumpybutt

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    Oct 31, 2008
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    He did exactly what supposed to be done, screw company policy, they could care less about your welfare, just another scum bag off the street.
     

    DrBart2

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    Mar 10, 2008
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    He did exactly what supposed to be done, screw company policy, they could care less about your welfare, just another scum bag off the street.

    Exactly! Assuming that if you give them what they want will result in them not harming you is a major mistake. Just a few months ago a young fellow went into a gas station in the city of Alvarado, walked up to the female clerk (who was cleaning), put a gun to her head and shot her dead. He didn't ask her for anything or make any requests. he just executed her. He then tried to get the cash register and was unsuccessful, so he left. If she had been armed and if she had waited to see what he wanted after he had presented his pistol, the outcome would have been the same.
    We have to evaluate each situation. Assuming that if you don't resist and give the BG what he wants will keep everyone safe could end fatally.
     
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