Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
A pharmacist in West Virginia reacted to an armed robber threatening his staff this morning by pulling his concealed handgun and firing “several” shots at the gun-toting robber, dropping the violent suspect in his tracks.
The robbery occurred about 9:45 a.m. Wednesday at the Good Pharmacy on North Pinch Road, according to a news release from the sheriff’s department. Deputies said a masked male suspect entered the pharmacy and pointed a firearm at the staff. The pharmacist on duty pulled his own firearm that he was carrying concealed and fired the weapon at the suspect. The suspect was struck and fell onto the pharmacy floor. Staff at the pharmacy then began to perform lifesaving measures on the suspect.
The suspect was transported to Charleston Area Medical Center General Hospital where he was taken into surgery. The suspect did succumb to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Deputies said the name of the deceased will be released at a later time pending notification to the family. Currently, based upon witness interviews and video evidence charges will not be filed against the pharmacist, deputies said.
You’ll note something in this story, I hope.
Those who spend their time and money to become proficient at self-defense pistolcraft tend to be hard-working professionals with a strong sense of family and community, who desire nothing more than to keep others safe from human predators that walk among us. They have no desire to hurt others, and only pull their weapons to save the lives of the good people in their homes, places of business, and community.
After shooting this suspect twice, the pharmacist didn’t attempt to finish off the suspect, nor did he or the staff stand around and watch him die. As soon as the robber was no longer a threat the staff called 911 and began attempting emergency medical procedures in an attempt to save the robber’s life.
I would love for people—especially people who are afraid of law-abiding concealed carriers—to really stop and think for a few minutes about the very different kinds of people represented in this story.
On the one hand, we have a violent predator who was attempting to take either cash or drugs (or both) through violent criminal acts. He was threatening to end the lives of innocent people for a small amount of money or a temporary narcotic high.
On the other hand, we had a pharmacist who willingly to take the inherent risk of going for his own weapon, making himself a target, in hopes of saving the lives of the other people in the store.
Once the robber dropped to the floor and ceased being a threat, the people who had just had their lives threatened over nothing shrugged off their shock and fear and resentment in order to attempt to save a human life, because they felt it was the right thing to do.
The right to bear arms for self-defense of ourselves and others is the most basic of all human rights precisely because we know that predators like this armed robber will always exist.
People who care about protecting their families and communities from violent predators will arm themselves against the eventuality of evil intruding into their lives.
You have the option of having options, or of being a victim.
Choose wisely.