Armed bank customer captures Titusville robbery suspect

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AWorthyOpponent

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TITUSVILLE, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - For the second time in as many days, an armed bank customer foiled a robbery in Brevard County.

Just after 4 p.m. on Friday, a man with a knife approached a teller at the Riverside Bank , 201 Cheney Hwy, with a note demanding money. After the teller complied, the man left the bank on foot and headed down a trail in a heavily wooded area behind the bank.

A bank customer, who had witnessed the robbery and was armed with a concealed handgun, chased the suspect onto the trail in the woods and confronted him. A brief struggle ensued and the bank customer was able to keep the suspect on the ground until Titusville Police officers arrived.

The undisclosed amount of cash taken in the robbery and a knife was recovered from the suspect, who was taken to a local hospital for observation.

The bank customer, who was properly licensed in the State of Florida to carry a concealed firearm, was interviewed and released at the scene. No bank employees were hurt.

A day earlier an armed man who happened to be at the right place, at the right time, ended up stopping a bank robbery at Space Coast Credit Union in Melbourne
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Read the full article here...
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/new...-customer-captures-titusville-robbery-suspect

This man was commended by the Titusville Chief of police. If you watch the whole video of what was shown on TV, I think that they did a very good job of making the public more aware that firearms can be used for good aswell...
 
I agree, he did seem a little "gung ho" to catch the guy. I personally would have drawn and ordered him to get on the floor. If he ran away, but everyone was okay, I wouldn't have chased after him. I thought it was good to see that the news was actually applauding the fact that he carried and then basically telling the viewers that they should have a CCW and a firearm.
 
Only good because it turned out great.


If the guy had gone after the bad guy and ended up dead or wounded you would see 6 pages of posts where 95% of posters talked about how stupid he was.
Half would be going even further than that and talking about how they would not only not stop a crime just about cash, but not even defend someone from harm or possible death other than family because of the various physical and financial risks.

Yet if someone complying is killed during a robbery, people are quick to point out "if someone with a Concealed Carry weapon had been there it all could have been prevented". Well not too likely if the good guy never acts. Maybe there was one present, he just chose to stay uninvolved, or retreat when that was an option and leave the victim to fend for themselves.

We have threads where people were in more imminent danger during robberies and a good guy pulls a gun and gets shot with the result of most posters condemning the actions of the good guy.

Hindsight is always 20/20 as they say. So it is easy to congratulate a good outcome and condemn a bad outcome even when the exact same actions were taken in both.

Running after the guy is a bit risky, especially after most of the danger to people during the crime has passed.
But then again that is also hindsight. For all we know he would have gone on to carjack or murder someone while escaping. Or actually kill someone in his next or a future robbery that didn't turn out as he wanted.
 
Uh, I just read one thread involving guns and crime where the administrator said this is not a newspaper and axed it
 
Evil triumphs when good men stand and do nothing (or something like that). That did not happen in the case above. I don't think bravery should be denigrated by saying it was only "good" because the ending was a happy one. Had the armed citizen DIED after confronting the robber, he should have been respected and honored as being the better part of society that stood against evil.
 
A bank customer, who had witnessed the robbery and was armed with a concealed handgun, chased the suspect onto the trail in the woods and confronted him. A brief struggle ensued and the bank customer was able to keep the suspect on the ground until Titusville Police officers arrived.
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:scrutiny:

Based upon that particular bit of writing, I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around how having a concealed handgun was even relevant.

The citizen had a handgun and "after a brief struggle" he was "able to keep the suspect on the ground".....???

***?

You have a gun and you get into a physical altercation with a guy with a freaking knife?

Got a death wish or something?

Strikes me as weird. Oh well, I wasn't there.

Still have to wonder why they even mentioned the citizen had a concealed firearm given the stated circumstances.

:cool:
 
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meef you took the words right outa my mouth/fingers LOL .

If I'm going to chase a guy with a knife the only "Struggle" I might have would be if the snap on my holster got stuck that or the guns safety did .
 
Kudos to the guy, but i hope "struggle" doesn't mean what we think it does.


I think this guy did the right thing though. Money isn't worth risking your life over, but most bank robbers either don't get caught or don't get caught until after multiple robberies. What if that guy had decided to rob a bank a few months down the road, and the guy's wife or kid's were there alone and unarmed? What if someone decided to play the hero without the right tools and the guy freaked out and started stabbing people?


Just because the guy isn't a cop doesn't mean he can't risk his own safety to help secure the safety of the general public.
 
zoogster you said a mouthful, and in this day in age you are right about the reactions most people would have had things gone in different directions. but perhaps we need to think about what would happen if more citizens were properly armed, had some training, and stood up to the criminal element in this country. one reason crimes rates keep going up is that good people wait for the police to do something rather than take a proactive approach. just something to think about.
 
I will not intervene in a robbery unless it is clear that I or others are about to be killed. If the robber(s) exhibit wanton violence, try to prone us out on the floor to be searched or herd us into a back room, clear a path because I am going to war. (Running like hell is an option too. ;)) If the robber(s) have already scored the cash and are making or have made their getaway, I will try to be the best witness possible.
 
I will not intervene in a robbery unless it is clear that I or others are about to be killed. If the robber(s) exhibit wanton violence, try to prone us out on the floor to be searched or herd us into a back room, clear a path because I am going to war. (Running like hell is an option too. ) If the robber(s) have already scored the cash and are making or have made their getaway, I will try to be the best witness possible.
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Just keep in mind that by the time it is clear that violence will happen, you may no longer have a chance to use your gun.
 
Just keep in mind that by the time it is clear that violence will happen, you may no longer have a chance to use your gun.
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+1 on that.

By the time a robber is proning people out on the ground or herding them into a back room they have already developed the situation. That means they are no longer in the initial phase where they are likely as disoriented and nerve-racked as everybody else... which just so happens to be the perfect time for you to act.

I understand and teach the idea of using tactical restraint when it is not yet appropriate to act. That is for gaining a tactical advantage only and not based on a desire to not act. I will continue to oppose waiting until the last possible moment to take action. If you wait until the situation is that far developed, your fate is in the hands of your attacker.

I will not intervene in a robbery unless it is clear that I or others are about to be killed.
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If that be the case, I hope for your sake that you are of Sevigny speed. If not, that is a fight you are sure to lose.

The presence of an armed aggressor is justification for action. Do not wait until you are being lined up for execution.
 
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As the actor has left the scene, there was zero reason for following him. The fact that he/she could have possibly been put in the middle of a LE apprehension.

They could have been disarmed as you have no idea who you are dealing with and his state of mind. You are out in the middle of nowhere with no one to assist and most probably no way to contact anyone without putting yourself at risk. Nor do you have any way of securing him. Any attempt to do so would probably result in a bad result.

You have no idea if he has someone assisting him with transportation which is the norm.

Being a decent witness would have been a much better move.
 
This guy's my hero. Well done.

David said he exchanged punches with the suspect, then clocked Peterson in the head with his Smith & Wesson. Police officers soon arrived and arrested Peterson on a charge of armed robbery.
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Ahhh... That would explain the bandage... Good job, dude... Probably not the best tactical decision ever made, but good job!!!
 
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