Attempted Apple Store Holdup Goes Bad: Suspect Killed

[Forensic111]

Hold-up ???

The author wrote this was a hold-up, but he did not mention "Who" was held up. All he said was a security guard caught the suspects smashing the windows of the store. This is not a hold-up, it's a burglary. No store employee was involved. Also the author did not say say the suspect/s fired at the security guard. If they did, then the security had the right to defend himself, if it was just a burglary and the suspect/s did not fire on the guard, then he had no right to use deadly force. The author also stated it was a "Head-Shot", apparently the author has never had a gun pointed at him, nor been in a fire fight. The fact that the suspect was shot in the head is a tough shot to make at a moving target. The author just wrote it that way to attract attention to his story. He should find out the facts and use the proper terms and don't elaborate. If the guard was a retired or off duty police office, he would have aimed for the X-10 ring...not the head.

 

[ten-oak-druid]

And that is precisely why people who have concealed weapon permits are trained in the legal ramifications of carrying a firearm in the public arena. We don't carry firearms to "save the day". We carry firearms to save our lives. Legally, I cannot get involved in a shooting that doesn't directly involve me.. I have no idea what is going on and could just as easily be shooting an undercover cop as a miscreant.

I'm not a gun control advocate. I own a gun. But I laugh at the absurd notion of being a hero when threatened. These glorified stories of what would have happened in situation X if someone had had a gun are laughable. It doesn't work like that.

Happens about 2,000,000 times a year. Check the FBI stats if you don't believe me. You don't hear much about that because (A) our media doesn't like to report "good" shootings, and (B) about 97% of the time no shooting is required, as the criminal gets the idea quick and stops threatening innocents in a hurry.

And most of the time when you hear that in situation X, if only someone had a had a gun...

When that right to life guy walked into the church and shot up the congregation, people said if the church goers had carried guns for instance. No way. He opened fire without warning.

Or take the incident in Tucson with the congress woman. No one would have stopped that with a gun either. It doesn't work like that. Yes you may stop a crime but it is usually a criminal who never intends to actually kill. If someone intends to kill or doesn't care about killing, then forget it.

 

[ctdonath]

Very sad. Someone lost their life over something so trivial. And said that the guard has to live with knowing he took a life.

Sad indeed. Sympathies to the guard, who at least is alive to know what happened; if he hadn't done it, odds are too high that he wouldn't be.

 

[toddybody]

Coming from a "Gun Person" (Own a HK .45 USP Tactical w/ GEMTECH Suppressor)

...All this "well they had it coming" BS is totally misplaced, the man who died was a human being. I only hope that the guard did not instigate the shooting.

 

[kirk26]

Wow! When did mall security guards start carrying guns?

 

[markjerard]

Me neither. I wonder if the suspects were armed...or at least how smashing glass doors escalated into gunfire.

Moyank24,
If you go back and read more carefully you will see that there were three burglars against one guard and 40 shots were exchanged.
Three burglars shooting at one guard...I think that justifies the guard's action don't you?
Fortunately the guard was a better shot than the theives this time.

 

[ctdonath]

I laugh at the absurd notion of being a hero when threatened. These glorified stories of what would have happened in situation X if someone had had a gun are laughable. It doesn't work like that.

It did just happen. It did work like that. Are you laughing at the guard?

 

[rhomsy]

How long before we hear "the security guard acted stupidly" ?????

The guards did their job. They encountered thieves...they were fired upon, and they protected themselves and ended the situation.

For those of you that think that the guards should not have returned fire because one of the criminals died, consider that:

1. If policy is to not intervene during a burglary when the perpetrators are armed, then you not only encourage more burglaries, but more will be of the armed and dangerous variety.

2. The poor person that was shot in the head was obviously a waste of oxygen, and doesn't merit pity. The scumbag not only was trying to steal property, but when he was caught, he had no regard for human life and started firing at the guards.

 

[Genner21]

Tough Morning for LA

You guys should read LA times..Looks like an officer got shot in the Face today in the morning as well..

http://crime.latimes.com/

Chula Vista is not a walk in the park. I'm not surprised the security guards being armed, or the night guards at least.
Also, i'm surprised on how many keep commenting without reading the article. Yes I know it wasn't stated before, but it has now been updated. 40 shots were fired for the millionth time. At least skim the article.

 

[LagunaSol]

I know. And heroics by gun toting civilians is mostly a product of fantasy as well. The idea of whipping your gun out to save the day is absurd.

It's only fantasy because not enough law-abiding civilians are toting guns.

Virginia Tech, Trolley Square, Columbine, Ft. Hood, the list goes on and on - someone trained, armed, and on location in any of those tragedies could have been a godsend.

The fact an off-duty policeman was onsite at Trolley Square certainly saved many lives, but an armed, trained civilian could have done the same.

 

[rtkane]

I often wondered what kind of people could find a homeowner who shot an armed intruder guilty of a crime or culpable in civil court. Having read many of the comments in this thread, now I know.

 

[shartypants]

Wow, a mall cop with a gun, glad he wasn't the one shot.

 

[miamijim]

OMG.. I'm with Felt. "Security Guards" shouldn't carry guns, and if they do there should be training and good sense that goes into using it. Shooting the suspects in the head is criminal.

I am sure if he pulled off a head shot he has had all the training he could need... now counseling that is another issue.

But the way I see it is this, they went out to commit crime, they were armed. Therefore if it all went tits up they are not only guilty of the crime but they are also guilty of failing to plan and execute the crime in a reasonable manner.

Fail on all counts, inept criminals and now dead criminals, is this any real loss to society I think not.

Don't get me wrong I am a fairly liberal minded guy, but I do feel that if you go equipped to kill and the outcome is that you die, the law has been served in this case.

Now if only all criminals who went out with the tools to commit murder or even aggravated manslaughter could just as easily be put down with a head shot then the world may just become a better place.

 

[adversus]

Shooting to maim is a myth.

Anybody who's undergone firearms training for self defense (or law enforcement) is trained to remove the threat. Shooting to "maim" doesn't remove the threat. You try to shoot a guy in the leg and it presents two problems:

1. The leg is a narrow target, easy to miss
2. The guy can still shoot back with his now hurting leg

Handgun users (either for private use or professional use) are taught to shoot center mass. The head shot was most likely a stray round and not intentionally. This guy was probably aiming center mass.

 

[notabadname]

Normally, with my luck, this would have been the day I would end up setting aside to go in early and get an iPad 2 . . .

 

[ctdonath]

not only was trying to steal property, but when he was caught, he had no regard for human life and started firing at the guards.

AND he came to the store equipped to do so. He planned to take innocent life and took deliberate steps to do so.

 

[rtkane]

Coming from a "Gun Person" (Own a HK .45 USP Tactical w/ GEMTECH Suppressor)

...the would be robbers better have been armed, to warrant the Rent-a-Cop shooting them in the head. He should be prosecuted for manslaughter if not. All this "well they had it coming" BS is totally misplaced, the man who died was a human being.

Read the article. Why do people comment when they don't even read the article?

 

[LagunaSol]

I'm not a gun control advocate. I own a gun. But I laugh at the absurd notion of being a hero when threatened.

So, um...what are you going to do with your gun when threatened?

These glorified stories of what would have happened in situation X if someone had had a gun are laughable. It doesn't work like that.

How do you know?

 

[k2director]

Very sad. Someone lost their life over something so trivial. And sad that the guard has to live with knowing he took a life.

I've seen this sentiment multiple times in this thread: "Oh it's so sad that the security guard has to live with the knowledge that he took a life."

I don't think that's sad. Personally, I see shooting an armed robber as a thing to celebrate, and boost self-esteem.

Not all life is sacred. If you plan to do violence to innocent people, your's isn't.

 

[MasterTick]

Coming from a "Gun Person" (Own a HK .45 USP Tactical w/ GEMTECH Suppressor)

...All this "well they had it coming" BS is totally misplaced, the man who died was a human being. I only hope that the guard did not instigate the shooting.

If you read the article you would see it was justified.

 

[Tonewheel]

Unless that guard's life was in danger, there was no reason to shoot anyone, especially in the head. The placement of that shot was no accident.

That being said, I'm sure there are a lot of facts we don't know. Innocent until proven guilty, of course.

Your last paragraph is the only one you should have posted.

40 shots were reported to have been exchanged. FORTY. I'd say lives were most definitely in danger, and a trained law enforcement officer is not taught "shoot to hurt." You take down your target and end the ordeal.

 

[PeterKG]

Very sad. Someone lost their life over something so trivial. And sad that the guard has to live with knowing he took a life.

It is amazing just how many times this same stupid comment has been made in this thread. Why do people have to regurgitate the same thing over and over?

Why is is sad a criminal dies while firing at a guard. Why is it sad a person who knows the consequences of carrying a weapon while attempting to rob a store? You play with fire and get burned. Nothing sad about it.

Kudos for the guard for protecting himself. He can sleep at night knowing he is not instead DEAD.

 

[millertime021]

Boom Headshot

Sounds like they got what they deserved.

 

[AdeFowler]

Is this news

Well, in the UK it would be headline news,

 

[awr]

sorry but if i'm a mall security guard and i got 3 thugs poppin off at me - i'm doing headshots all day.

some of you bleeding hearts want to be all noble - try having any mindset other than "survive" when low-lifes with nothing to lose are pointing guns at you.