Gun Owner Fires at Walmart Shoplifter to 'Mark' Him for Police

[Stoffel]

Generalize often?

I am not a gun owner, but there are millions of law abiding citizens worldwide who do own guns. Upwards of 80 million just in the USA, actually.

Of course it's a generalization, but here on Neowin we always get to hear that it's the criminals we have to watch out for, not our Law abiding citizens.

All the latest reports just show that lots of people can't handle their guns properly. That doesn't mean you need a ban on weapons but maybe it's time to make it mandatory people follow some kind of class before they are allowed to apply for a gun.

[techbeck]

That guy should get his gun taken away and bared from owing another one. 5 shots for a shop lifter? Really? Take down his damn license plate number and give that to police.

The fact that he wanted to mark the car with a bullet proves this guy is a ****ing moron and shouldnt be owning a firearm.

This is why I don't trust gun owners. Interfering busybodies that think owning a gun gives them the right to poke their noses into matters that don't concern them. Let's just be thankful that this moron didn't kill anyone.

Not all gun owners are like that. Apparently, according to the OP, others had weapons on them and didnt fire or draw their weapon. This moron just had an itchy trigger finger and wanted to shoot something.

[Hum]

He's lucky a cop didn't pull up when he was shooting -- he would have probably been shot to death.

[BillyJack]

When I read about similar situations that had turned out better I always say the person with the gun should get in trouble for this very reason. You can't have vigilantes everywhere with guns because soon or later they are going to kill someone. Cops are trained and and know when to fire their gun where as this guy has no clue.

[Hum]

^ Yeah -- we all know that Cops never mistakenly kill someone.

[SupportGeek]

It is the job of the police to catch the criminal, not vigilantes. It's one thing to tackle a fleeing criminal and restrain them - something allowed under the law - but it's another entirely to start shooting at them. He should be charged with attempted murder.

Depends on the circumstance, the average citizen absolutely has the power and authority to make an arrest in the US and hold them until Law enforcement arrives. This person wasn't trying to detain anyone though, he was trying to kill them in a non life threatening situation, very wrong, I'm guessing he was out to lunch when his permit course discussed the consequences of drawing your firearm in public.

He is a moron, and absolutely should be charged.

There is already a unique feature on vehicles that cops can use to identify it, its called a LICENSE PLATE, If he had used his eyeballs and memory to give that info to the cops, there would have only been one criminal in this story. Its Florida though, I think they have more crazies per-capita than anywhere else in the US, so Im not surprised anymore.

This is why I don't trust gun owners. Interfering busybodies that think owning a gun gives them the right to poke their noses into matters that don't concern them. Let's just be thankful that this moron didn't kill anyone.

You must not know too many gun owners, or the culture is different in the UK?

I know plenty, some even concealed carry permitted, and all of them practice a stance of "Mind Your Own Business" Unless it directly involves them, or someones life or well being is at risk they observe and report only.

Cops are trained and and know when to fire their gun

^^

LOL!

[BillyJack]

^ Yeah -- we all know that Cops never mistakenly kill someone.

lol, I knew someone would have something to say about that and I was going to make a statement about that too but I skipped. I guess I should have added what else I was going to say.

I was going to say not all cops are perfect. They do stupid stuff too, but at least they are trained.

[Growled Member]

I think this cowboy should have left his gun at home and left the police work to the real cops.

[Arachno 1D]

The Police on the other hand unlike the man in question, do have the correct type of training on when and when not to fire in urban situations.