Guns Save Lives

A Chevron gas station manager reported shot a violent armed robber in self defense.

Around 9:20 PM, a robber entered the Chevron gas station in Cocoa, Florida. He pointed a handgun at the manager while demanding money. The manager reportedly grabbed his own gun from below the counter and fired in self defense. He hit the criminal and caused him to flee to the parking lot. He collapsed. Police arrived and found their 'suspect' laying the parking lot. He had gunshot wounds to the abdomen. The suspect was then airlifted to a hospital for emergency surgery, where he was listed in critical but stable condition. The would-be-predator survived to fight another day, and the cost to taxpayers to pay his medical expenses for being shot, his prosecution expenses, his defense expenses, his incarceration expenses and emotional trauma, no doubt. If the attendant had spent a little more time in the firing range, maybe all these expenses could have been avoided?

Neither the gas station manager nor any other innocent people were harmed. Speaking about this self defense shooting, Police Spokesperson Officer Barbara Matthews reported stated, "He absolutely had the right to defend himself.

Unarmed individuals can suffer a terrible fate when a criminal robs them, even if they fully cooperate with the criminal’s demands. The same is true for those who try to run from the robber.

On the other hand, fighting back can be quite effective in reducing the risk of injury to the victim. Here's a story of an armed barber who shot an armed criminal who threatened him and his son, saving both their lives. Here's another story of armed pet shop clerk shot an armed robber who threatened a fellow employee’s life, as well as his own life, preventing them both from being stabbed. I've got another story of an armed pizza delivery man defended himself against 3 armed robbers, and walked away unharmed! This armed citizen stopped a bank robber, while this armed Israeli citizen stopped a terrorist. This motel clerk was also able to stop an armed robber and ensure that neither her, a fellow employee, or a nearby mother and baby were harmed. Even outside the context of armed robbery, self defense has been shown to be the best course of action.

An armed society is a safe society,