Stafford, VA man defends himself in parked car

[titleist]

Police: Knife-wielding man fatally shot in Falmouth | InsideNova

STAFFORD — A 29-year-old man was fatally shot Tuesday night by a driver he attempted to stab, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office.

Christopher Rigby of no fixed address, died following an altercation with the driver, who had refused to give Rigby money, according to Bill Kennedy, public information officer for the sheriff's office.

At about 11 p.m., police received a 911 call from a woman who said she was with a man who just shot another man who attacked him with a knife. The woman said they were located in the parking lot of Earl’s True Value Hardware at 300 Chatham Heights Road in Falmouth, Kennedy said.

When police arrived two minutes later, a man was lying on the ground suffering from a gunshot wound.

A knife was on the ground, police said, and the shooter was standing nearby and surrendered.

Rigby was taken to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg where he was pronounced dead.

According to a police report, the alleged shooter and the woman told detectives they were in a car talking when they saw two men walking across the parking lot.

One of the men, Rigby, asked for money and he was declined.

About 15 minutes later, the couple saw Rigby again when he approached the driver’s side door in what they described as an aggressive manner, attempting to stab the driver.

The driver retrieved a handgun from the glovebox, police said, and fired.

He told police he then told the woman to call 911.

The second man with Rigby, who they said did not participate in the attack, left the area on foot.
The driver was not seriously injured but had fresh wounds consistent with a struggle, police said.

Police later identified Rigby and Wednesday morning, located the second man who fled.

He said that Rigby, a friend of his, became increasingly enraged over being denied money and returned to seek revenge. He said that Rigby was the aggressor, police said.

The man who shot Rigby had a valid concealed weapons permit, police determined.

No charges have been filed. The case is still under investigation, police said.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ksholder]

OK, sounds like a good shoot, but you gotta ask what the heck he was doing sitting in a parked car at 23:00. True it is not illegal, but it is not all that bright either.

[Gene83]

OK, sounds like a good shoot, but you gotta ask what the heck he was doing sitting in a parked car at 23:00. True it is not illegal, but it is not all that bright either.

He was sitting in a parked car with a woman in an empty parking lot and they were "talking" according to the story. In my younger days, I might have shot the panhandler just for interrupting my "conversation".

[ksholder]

He was sitting in a parked car with a woman in an empty parking lot and they were "talking" according to the story. In my younger days, I might have shot the panhandler just for interrupting my "conversation".

I hear you. I was wondering if the woman was a rental...

[Gene83]

I hear you. I was wondering if the woman was a rental...

Probably not. She wouldn't have called the cops and hung around to make a statement.

[RichB70]

Sounds like retreat after the first contact would have been a smarter move. I would do whatever I could to avoid shooting anyone.
Simply start the car and go.


Rich

[Chad Rogers]

My understanding is the deceased lived in the woods behind Earl's, along with a group of other bums. The citizen could have very well thought the moment was over after he said no to the bum, and the bum left. There is no evidence there was any conflict at that first moment.

If you're sitting at a cafe table one evening and a bum asks you for money and you say no, you think it's on you to then leave the cafe and go home??

[Sig 210]

Good riddance. The perp would have failed the test for pilot training anyway.

[Chad Rogers]

A very good friend of mine worked this case. The police worked diligently to investigate/corroborate the shooter's side of the story.

[titleist]

I'm with Rich here. A grungy parking lot where men approach my car to ask for valuables is not a place I'd want to hang out with a lady. He definitely should have left.

[Bubbiesdad]

Hopefully, their hearing is OK. I'm sure it was loud in that small confined space.

[Yoda]

I guess the panhandler felt it was his right to receive handouts from people in the parking lot.

How about rolling up the window.

[oakchas]

I guess the panhandler felt it was his right to receive handouts from people in the parking lot.

Yeah... well.. social programs don't provide enough, ya know?

How about rolling up the window.

Well... it tends to fog up the windows during "heavy, deep conversation," I've heard.

[Chad Rogers]

One doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out the couple was there because they didn't have somewhere else to go.

[Mike1956]

I would probably have given him a couple of bucks in the first place.