GOOD: Employee Wins Gun Battle - Forest Park, GA

[CT-Mike]

Ledger-Enquirer.com | 12/17/2008 | Employee kill would-be robber in Forest Park

FOREST PARK, Ga. --
A would-be robber was killed after he was shot in a gunbattle with an employee at a cell phone store in Forest Park.

Authorities said it happened Monday night at about 8 p.m.

Police identified the deceased suspect as 18-year-old Tyrie Rolland of Decatur. Rolland was shot in the head and died at Grady Memorial Hospital.

Detectives are working to identify a second suspect who fled in a white pickup truck.

Forest Park police major Chris Matson said it appeared the worker acted in self-defense.

Gee Major Matson, the employee is being shot at and you believe it is self defense? Good on the employee for being armed and ready.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Sticks]

Any bets on employment status?

[msgt/ret]

Lets hope the employee keeps his job and gets a raise for preventing the death or injury of others in the store.

[JOHNSMITH]

Well to be fair, I think the major and other LEOs say things like "appeared" or "it seems" since they are not judges or the DA and as such, don't want to make concrete statements on things that are technically still an open investigation.

[retsupt99]

I'm glad that the cell phone employee knew how to 'reach out and touch someone'...he saved his own life.

I'm sure he'll be cleared...hopefully, with a managerial position, too!

Let's all hear it for the 'cancelled dirtbag'...

[archer51]

Any bets on employment status?

Probably unemployed now. But still alive, better than his status would have been if he had been unarmed.

[buzzgum]

Rolland was shot in the head and died at Grady Memorial Hospital.

Nice shooting!

[stormbringerr]

another one that got it in the head.this man and the dog walker both head shots..

[atl30297]

He was not an employee, he was the owner. Store re-opened after a couple of weeks and hired off duty police officers until the store was sold.

Two robbers with face masks and hooded sweatshirts walked in near closing time and immediately entered the "employees only" area, first male with pistol in hand. Owner was standing in the hallway about 30 feet away and pulled his handgun out and yelled them to stop coming any closer, the robber shot ( 3 shots) one .22 caliber pistol to an employee ducking/hiding under a desk. The bullet hit the side of a computer desktop, then grazed the employee's upper back leaving a cut and came to stop after hitting a metal chair. The others bullets hit showcases near the desk where employee was hiding under. Owner fired 5 or 6 shots, robber who fired his gun was hit in the neck and head area. Units rolled in in about 2 minutes and secured the area. Investigators viewed the recorded surveillance cameras and did not find any fault with store owner. Although this was without a doubt self defense, store owner contacted city's district attorney to see if no charges would be made against him and there was none.

Second robber has not been caught yet.