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3rd Attacker In A Week Meets Match
By KEITH MORELLI [email protected]
Published: Nov 1, 2003
TAMPA - For the third time this week a would-be victim in Tampa
turned the tables on an attacker.
Late Thursday night, the 63-year-old victim of an attempted carjacking
pulled a .357-caliber Magnum on his assailant and fired, critically
wounding him, officials said.
The victim of the attempted carjacking, Benjamin Lee Tate, is no
stranger to intruders at Engine Rebuild Specialists, 6214 E. Columbus
Drive, his east Tampa business.
Tate's forceful retaliation Thursday was his third in three years, Tampa
police Capt. Bob Guidara said.
Tate shot two burglars - one in 2000 and another in February, Guidara
said. Both suspects survived. No charges have been filed against Tate,
whose business is in a high- crime area in east Tampa, Guidara said.
``He definitely hasn´t had much luck, being targeted as many times as
he has,´´ Guidara said.
``I´m not looking for trouble,´´ Tate said.
``I´m just here doing my job.´´
Police said Tate was changing oil in a car at the shop about 11:30 p.m.
Thursday when a man approached.
With his hand behind him as though he had a gun, the man said he would
shoot Tate if he didn't hand over car keys and cash, police said. Tate
shot him instead.
Michael E. Garner, a 31- year-old roofer who has a prison record for
theft and drug convictions, was taken to Tampa General Hospital, police
said.
He remained in critical condition Friday,
Guidara said, but the wound did not appear to be life threatening.
Garner, of 6229 E. Eugene Ave., had a knife concealed under his belt,
police said. He is expected to be charged with attempted carjacking,
attempted armed robbery and carrying a concealed weapon, police said.
In February 2001, Garner was sentenced to more than a year in prison for
grand theft, criminal mischief and drug possession.
He was released in December 2001, records show.
Tate's incident is the third this week in Tampa in which victims
retaliated or outsmarted attackers.
On Wednesday night, outside his downtown Thai restaurant, Lawrence
Storer, 33, was approached by a gunman who demanded money, police said.
Storer led the robber into the Sumos Thai Cafe where he retrieved cash.
While the gunman, identified as Shantavious Wilson, 24, was in the
restaurant, Storer ran and called 911 from his cell phone, police said.
Wilson pointed the gun at Storer, who eventually got back in his Ford
Explorer and ran Wilson over, killing him, police said. Prosecutors are
reviewing the case.
Late Tuesday night, two Carrollwood women outwitted a man who broke into
their house and threatened them with a sawed-off shotgun, officials
said.
Cathy Ord, 60, and her roommate, Rose Bucher, 63, disarmed the man with
kindness.
They fed him a ham sandwich, complete with pickles, and served up a
bottle of spiced rum.
They even offered him their shower and a disposable razor to shave.
After several hours, Alfred Joseph Sweet, 42, passed out and
Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies were called to remove him from
the home, officials said.
3rd Attacker In A Week Meets Match
By KEITH MORELLI [email protected]
Published: Nov 1, 2003
TAMPA - For the third time this week a would-be victim in Tampa
turned the tables on an attacker.
Late Thursday night, the 63-year-old victim of an attempted carjacking
pulled a .357-caliber Magnum on his assailant and fired, critically
wounding him, officials said.
The victim of the attempted carjacking, Benjamin Lee Tate, is no
stranger to intruders at Engine Rebuild Specialists, 6214 E. Columbus
Drive, his east Tampa business.
Tate's forceful retaliation Thursday was his third in three years, Tampa
police Capt. Bob Guidara said.
Tate shot two burglars - one in 2000 and another in February, Guidara
said. Both suspects survived. No charges have been filed against Tate,
whose business is in a high- crime area in east Tampa, Guidara said.
``He definitely hasn´t had much luck, being targeted as many times as
he has,´´ Guidara said.
``I´m not looking for trouble,´´ Tate said.
``I´m just here doing my job.´´
Police said Tate was changing oil in a car at the shop about 11:30 p.m.
Thursday when a man approached.
With his hand behind him as though he had a gun, the man said he would
shoot Tate if he didn't hand over car keys and cash, police said. Tate
shot him instead.
Michael E. Garner, a 31- year-old roofer who has a prison record for
theft and drug convictions, was taken to Tampa General Hospital, police
said.
He remained in critical condition Friday,
Guidara said, but the wound did not appear to be life threatening.
Garner, of 6229 E. Eugene Ave., had a knife concealed under his belt,
police said. He is expected to be charged with attempted carjacking,
attempted armed robbery and carrying a concealed weapon, police said.
In February 2001, Garner was sentenced to more than a year in prison for
grand theft, criminal mischief and drug possession.
He was released in December 2001, records show.
Tate's incident is the third this week in Tampa in which victims
retaliated or outsmarted attackers.
On Wednesday night, outside his downtown Thai restaurant, Lawrence
Storer, 33, was approached by a gunman who demanded money, police said.
Storer led the robber into the Sumos Thai Cafe where he retrieved cash.
While the gunman, identified as Shantavious Wilson, 24, was in the
restaurant, Storer ran and called 911 from his cell phone, police said.
Wilson pointed the gun at Storer, who eventually got back in his Ford
Explorer and ran Wilson over, killing him, police said. Prosecutors are
reviewing the case.
Late Tuesday night, two Carrollwood women outwitted a man who broke into
their house and threatened them with a sawed-off shotgun, officials
said.
Cathy Ord, 60, and her roommate, Rose Bucher, 63, disarmed the man with
kindness.
They fed him a ham sandwich, complete with pickles, and served up a
bottle of spiced rum.
They even offered him their shower and a disposable razor to shave.
After several hours, Alfred Joseph Sweet, 42, passed out and
Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies were called to remove him from
the home, officials said.
