Good - armed citizen bystander shoots robber

[MattInFla]

A Good Samaritan shot and killed an armed man this morning who was beating a woman with a bottle at an Ocoee gasoline station, police said.

Records show that sometime before 10:50 p.m., the witness -- whose name has not been released -- was parked in his SUV outside the Kangaroo Gas Station at 400 Franklin Street. At some point, he heard a woman screaming in the gas station's convenience store.

"All I heard was the woman screaming, 'Help! Help! Help!' "the witness said.

The witness ran out of his car and into the store. He saw the suspect beating a female clerk with a bottle. The witness ran back into his car, grabbed his handgun and returned to the store. He fired at least two shots, killing the suspect.

He called 911 and explained what had happened at the gas station.

Rescue crews transported the store clerk to Health Central Hospital with head injuries.

Investigators did not release the names of the victim or suspect. It is unclear if the witness had a permit to carry his handgun.

Police: Man shot, killed robber who was beating woman -- OrlandoSentinel.com

Of course, the armed citizen doesn't need a permit to carry the gun in his vehicle, but we don't expect the Sentinel to get complex things like that correct.

Sounds like the clerk was lucky that this guy happened along when he did.

Matt

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[CT-Mike]

Things worked out for the best, but I don't feel it was very smart of the samaritan to go running towards the scene of 'who knows what is happening', and then has to go back to his car to get his weapon. He is lucky that when he entered the store, the scumbag wasn't pistol-whipping the clerk and then decided to shoot the samaritan.

Like I said, things worked out for the best, and good on the samaritan for coming to the clerk's aid.

[Sticks]

The fallout from this one should be interesting. I hope the C-store video cameras were working.

[MattInFla]

IMHO, he's on pretty solid legal footing. Florida law allows the use of deadly force to defend one's self or another from the commission of a forceable felony.

Matt

[MattInFla]

Another report on the incident: Man Shoots, Kills Suspected Robber Inside Store - News Story - WFTV Orlando

I'm not sure he's doing himself any favors talking to the media at this point, though.....

Matt

[CT-Mike]

I agree that the shooter should be fine legally. I believe most states allow the use of deadly force for protection of a third party from great bodily harm. I know the lib-tard state of CT where I live does.

[EDIT] Here is the CT statute on defense of a third party, I would imagine most states are similarly worded:

Sec. 53a-19. Use of physical force in defense of person. (a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, a person is justified in using reasonable physical force upon another person to defend himself or a third person from what he reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of physical force, and he may use such degree of force which he reasonably believes to be necessary for such purpose; except that deadly physical force may not be used unless the actor reasonably believes that such other person is (1) using or about to use deadly physical force, or (2) inflicting or about to inflict great bodily harm.

[ArmyCop]

Good one to share, thanks...

[cvhoss]

Good for him. I hope everything turns out O.K. and he's not charged with anything.

I don't think it was very smart giving an interview at the scene. I guess what I find most strange is that while he doesn't want his last name used, he apparently has no problem with them plastering his face all over the TV screen.

Hoss

[ELCruisr]

This is not far from my shop, what a world!

[dukalmighty]

A classic case of when TV cameras start rolling you get your 15 seconds of fame and diarrhea mouth

[archer51]

Sounds like a good shoot to me. Hopefully his opening his mouth to reporters doesn't wend up biting himself in the butt.

[tom1965]

I hope the family doesn't try and get even with him.

[PaulJ]

He probably doesn't want to have his last name used so it is harder for strangers to find him. He should be on solid legal ground and if he is still a free man, then it was rules justified and he will have know issues with civil liability either.

[JOHNSMITH]

Good for him, and good that he made the right call (as third party defenses are something we debate ad nauseum here on the boards, with good reason).

I think he'll be okay, and the jab about the permit was probably just due to the Slantinel, I mean, Sentinel. They're sort of like the NYT of Orlando, and also have basically a newspaper monopoly here.

[rolyat63]

I hope the family doesn't try and get even with him.

Florida does not allow a civil suit if it was a clean shoot.