(NC) Pizza man, robber exchange gunfire

[Drizzt]

Pizza man, robber exchange gunfire

Updated: 4/14/2005 5:38 PM
By: Adam Shub, News 14 Carolina

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A pizza delivery driver is recovering after being robbed and shot Wednesday night at the Winter Woods apartment complex in south Charlotte. Police say a suspect approached the driver, demanded money and shot him in the shoulder.

The Papa John's employee was also armed and fired a shot at the robber in self-defense, but police say carrying a gun might not be the best course of action for delivery drivers.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Bobby Martin and his family right now,†said Bobby Meroney, director of operations of Papa John’s in Charlotte. “We wish him speedy recovery.â€

Bobby Martin, the 41-year-old driver for a Papa John's restaurant on Sharon Road West, remains in fair condition after taking a bullet in the shoulder. Although he missed, Martin also fired a shot at the suspect with a gun he took on the delivery.

While it is not against North Carolina law for him to carry an unconcealed weapon, it is against Papa John's policy.

“We have rules posted in the stores constantly reminding about the security issues out there,†Meroney said.

Gun shop owner Larry Hyatt says the people that make such rules “are not out there delivering the pizzas, they are sitting in the corporate office.†In fact, he says more and more business people are buying handguns, especially those who travel alone or at night.

“The big corporations are afraid of lawsuits so they don't want their employees to have any kind of weapon for self-defense,†Hyatt said.

Police say the best defense for someone in Martin’s situation is no defense at all. Recently, in a similar case, the pizza delivery man involved sensed something was wrong. He never made the delivery; instead he tracked down the police.

“Our officers posed as that delivery person, went to that location and arrested a couple of subjects,†said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department spokesman Keith Bridges.

While Martin recovers, Papa John's says it is working with police and is also in the midst of an internal investigation.

“We're going to look out for the team member, but anytime an accident happens on the job, it's a shame,†Meroney said.

Papa John's will not say whether Martin will be fired for violating company policy for carrying a weapon on the job.

Police are still looking for the suspect involved in this shooting.

http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/local_news/?AC=&ArID=91363&SecID=2

 

[Dorian]

All of a sudden I'm not so proud to be from NC.

I open carried while I was a cab driver in NC.

There was one night after I had been carrying for a while that I thought "Bah, I don't need to cerry this anymore, I'm just paranoid."

That was the night I had the pleasure of delivering a druggie to the worst trailer park outside of town, where he proceeded to argue with the guy who STOPPED MY CAB BY WALKING IN FRONT OF IT and came to talk to the dude through my window, eventually escilating(sp) to "motherf***er this" and "motherf***er that" and me saying "Dude you need to get out of the car, I have to get back to work" about 10-15 times.

Police say the best defense for someone in Martin’s situation is no defense at all.

Any PUBLIC SAFTEY officer who said that shouldn't be a cop, period.

 

[El Tejon]

Thank you, Mr. Hyatt, for saying what needed to be said.

 

[Andrew Rothman]

“We're going to look out for the team member, but anytime an accident happens on the job, it's a shame,†Meroney said.

It wasn't an accident, brainiac. It was an armed robbery. Stop telling your employees, with big "I carry cash" signs on their foreheads, that they have to be disarmed.

Recently, in a similar case, the pizza delivery man involved sensed something was wrong. He never made the delivery; instead he tracked down the police.

See? All it takes is clairvoyance and superior woodsman's skills, and you, too, can be safe.

 

[Bear Gulch]

“We're going to look out for the team member, but anytime an accident happens on the job, it's a shame,†Meroney said.



Matt, you stole my thunder on it being a crime.

4:1 odds they quietly let this driver go for packing on the job.

 

[zahc]

“We have rules posted in the stores constantly reminding about the security issues out there,†Meroney said.

Can someone expain what this is supposed to actually mean?

I work at Papa John's, in fact I have to leave in 4 hours. However I'm under 21 so I would have to be breaking the law as well as company policy. Pepper spray, 2 spydercos and a 3c maglight is still not a good match for a gun.

My manager and at least one other driver has their CC and carry.

 

[Bear Gulch]

They can't can him right off cause he's under worker's comp. After that I am sure they bring himin for a little chat.

 

[dasmi]

Police say the best defense for someone in Martin’s situation is no defense at all

You know what, hand over your gun, mr. police man. When you are willing to drive around late at night unarmed, then you can make statements like this. Jackass.

 

[Chupacabra]

:banghead:

Even though the delivery guy got shot, his return fire probably saved his life.

The police officer and corporate yes man should be ashamed. I'd like to see them walk a night in the delivery man's shoes. Idiots!

 

[psyopspec]

Papa John's will not say whether Martin will be fired for violating company policy for carrying a weapon on the job.

Recently, in a similar case, the pizza delivery man involved sensed something was wrong.

My senses tell me this guy's job is in the crapper once he recovers.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Police say the best defense for someone in Martin’s situation is no defense at all.

If I were the mayor of that town, I'd call in the chief of police and tell him it's time to apologize publicly for such a stupid statement or turn in his badge and gun. Cops are supposed to help protect citizens, not try to turn them into serfs.

 

[larryf1952]

“We have rules posted in the stores constantly reminding about the security issues out there,†Meroney said...Can someone explain what this is supposed to actually mean?

I agree, so what? I don't work at Papa Johns, but I can imagine what these signs must say..."Be careful, don't get in arguments, make sure you know who's around you, park where you can be seen," etc., etc...words on a piece of cardboard that should be common sense to anybody who has to go where these guys have to go. But, they are of little solace when someone is shoving a pistol in your face, and they really don't care how careful you were because they were lying in ambush for you, and they care even less about whether they kill you or not for your $20 in change.

The "best defense is no defense" argument is universal. I'd bet that every PD in the country makes that statement, for the record. I'm puzzled by it, though...isn't that exactly what the thieves and rapists and muggers want? How could their "jobs" be made any safer than by knowing that every single one of their victims will just habitually throw their hands up and let them do whatever they want? Hell, I might even become a thief if I could be assured that that would be the case every time I rolled somebody. It's the guy with the compact 9 in his pocket who doesn't see things that way, and who knows how to use it who'll spoil my day...

 

[q102josh]

the reason papa john and the PD are upset and saying he shouldnt have a gun is because he didnt get killed. if the mugger killed him, they'd both be thrilled. hell i bet thats the reason papa john has a no weapons policy.... if one of their employees is robbed or something, they want them to be killed so that the employee cant sue them... i mean afterall, you cant get sued by a corpse... but this on the other hand, he survived, and if i was him id file a bigass lawsuit against papa john's for gettin mugged on the job. papa john's doesnt want their employees to survive violent crime on the job, so they can come back and sue them. if their employees must be victimized, they want them to die. as for the police, its just in their nature to protect violent criminals and promote the slaughter of innocent people.

 

[english kanigit]

I will be paying very close attention to this one since I am also a delivery boy. I work as a delivery driver for Jason's Deli. I usually don't have any problems, but there are times that I get uneasy, say like carrying over $300 in cash...
There was a new car-carry law passed in Kansas yesterday, but I do not know the details about it. I regularly have a .22 with me to hit the range when I'm done with my shift. My managers know this and don't have a problem with it, though they might from upon a car-carry (if they knew). I guess I need to check up on the company's policies regarding such things. Jason's Deli was founded in Texas so I may be pleasantly suprised.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

There was a new car-carry law passed in Kansas yesterday, but I do not know the details about it. I regularly have a .22 with me to hit the range when I'm done with my shift. My managers know this and don't have a problem with it, though they might from upon a car-carry (if they knew). I guess I need to check up on the company's policies regarding such things.

You might also want to read up on your state laws regarding vehicle transport of a firearm by an unlicensed individual. I'll bet that if you are allowed to transport (not "carry") at all, it's only if the gun is unloaded and not in a location accessible to the driver. That isn't much help for self-defense.

 

[english kanigit]

As far as I know it just has to be unloaded though I will be clarifying this next week...

Until then I've got the same D-cell maglite I've used making night deliveries for the last year. One dog with a nasty dispensation can vouch for its "persuasive abilities"...

 

[thorn726]

i have delviered pizzas around here. some of my co workers have been robbed,
last summer a guy in a town nearby, same chain, shot dead. a fake delivery, some mix up let it slip thru. horribly sad, guy wasnt even a driver, Mgr, covering on a busy night.

most of te time, its probably best to let idiots take the pizza, but it sure wouldnt hurt to have a back up plan.

 

[Bear Gulch]

I guess that I'd rather be fired for living than worry about losing a minimum wage job.