Robbery Victim Used Truck To Run Down, Kill Gunman

[Mark Tyson]

Robbery Victim Used Truck To Run Down, Kill Gunman

10/30/2003

The Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- A restaurant owner who was held up at gunpoint jumped in his truck, pursued the robber and ran the man down, killing him, police said.

Police said they didn't know yet if Lawrence Storer, 33, would be charged in the Wednesday night incident downtown. He was not taken into custody.

Storer said he was sitting in his Ford Explorer outside the Thai restaurant he owns at about 11:30 p.m., taking a break from some renovation work, police spokesman Joe Durkin said. A man, later identified as Shantavious Wilson, 24, approached on foot, stuck a chrome handgun in his face and demanded money.

Wilson walked Storer inside the restaurant to get some money. When the robber was distracted, Storer ran from the building and called 911 on his cell phone, Durkin said.

When Wilson saw Storer on the phone, he ran from the business. Storer got in his Explorer and caught up with the robber about two blocks away, striking him with the front of the truck, Durkin said. He was dead at the scene.

Durkin said police weren't sure how fast Storer was driving or whether the robber was walking or running when he was hit.

A chrome-plated pellet gun, which Durkin said was indistinguishable from a real weapon, was found near the body.

 

[Ukraine Train]

The store owner will probably get charged, unfortunately.

 

[SnWnMe]

(Cue in Alice's "Under My Wheels")

 

[Standing Wolf]

A chrome-plated pellet gun, which Durkin said was indistinguishable from a real weapon, was found near the body.

A Smith & Wesson 500 wouldn't have done him any good against a truck.

I think the district attorney should charge the restaurateur with littering, and the judge ought to give him a $5 fine.

 

[Abenaki]

I agree. It aint right leaving trash lying around.

Abenaki

 

[4v50 Gary]

Abenaki: I agree. It aint right leave trash lying around.

 

[Cal4D4]

This is just logical extrapolation of the old slow and heavy vs. small and fast caliber argument. The deciding factor was once again placement.

 

[Moparmike]

Yep. All about placement.

7.7gr pellet moving @ 500 fps has 4 fpe.
31143000gr (4449 lb explorer) moving @ 36.675fps (25mph) has 93,037 fpe.

I guess that ends the caliber debate once and for all. Unless you want to bring Excursions, Macks, and Kenworths into the fray. Or freight trains. There is a stopper.

 

[Matt G]

Yeah, but then you get into the issue of small, fast, light projectiles (Porches, Stingrays), versus larger, pre-expanded, slower, heavier projectiles (F150's, Suburbans, Vans).

And are frangible projectiles(Yugos, Fiestas) better, or are explosive projectiles (Pintos) better?

How about reliability? Do we all need to go with sure-function (Checker Marathons), or can we get by with fine-tuning less-reliable but classier projectiles (Triumphs) to keep them going ?

Man, the same arguments seem to come into play, don't they?

 

[Steve in PA]

Yup, he'll be charged.

Rules of deadly force did not apply.

Same as if he ran the guy down and shot him.

People need to learn and understand what they can and can not do.

Edited for spelling...doh!

 

[einnor1040]

Yep, Lawrence is toast. He screwed up.

 

[Matthew Courtney]

Could be a clean use of force. We don't have enough info. If the driver was following the guy in order to let the police know where he went and the guy threatened him with the gun.....

 

[Aleko]

He will be charged, and most likely convicted... It's a shame, because while he did abuse deadly force, it could've been a good lesson to others thinking about sticking guns in people's face...

 

[semf]

Could be a clean use of force. We don't have enough info. If the driver was following the guy in order to let the police know where he went and the guy threatened him with the gun

Yep that would be my story

 

[Waitone]

In NC he'd be a goner.

Good example of why I like the idea of required training before issuing CCH licenses. It has nothing to do with bulldozing constitutional rights. It has everything to do with making sure CCH'ers clearly understand the laws of lethal force.

In NC he'd been educated on how clearly the line is drawn on the use of lethal force ( uncharacteristic of NC gun law). He would have known pursuit of a perp does not constitute danger to the victim justifying lethal force.

Sad situation.

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

Unfortunately....

He would be screwed in Kentucky too. KENTUCKY!!! It's difficult to accept.
I think he might have a chance had the incident happened in Texas though. Texans~isn't that right?

KR

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

Great now the democrates will want to ban trucks!

 

[TallPine]

Good example of why I like the idea of required training before issuing CCH licenses.

Great now the democrates will want to ban trucks!

Of course, we must get rid of these assault vehicles that are flooding the streets. Otherwise we will have more and more cases of like this of people taking the law into their own hands.

At the very least, the drivers license manual and the test needs to cover when you can or cannot legally run over someone ...

As far as prosecuting the robbery victim, I'm sure they should be able to find that the truck had a bald tire or something that led to this "unfortunate accident"

 

[gburner]

Never bring a pellet gun to a demolition derby.

 

[catharsis]

Quote from KENTUCKY RIFLE ----"I think he might have a chance had the incident happened in Texas though. Texans~isn't that right?"




TEXAS use of Deadly Force





§ 9.42. Deadly Force to Protect Property

A person is justified in using deadly force against another to protect land or tangible, movable property:

(1) if he would be justified in using force against the other under Section 9.41; and

(2) when and to the degree he reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary:

(A) to prevent the other's imminent commission of arson, burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, theft during the nighttime, or criminal mischief during the nighttime; or

*****(B) TO PREVENT THE OTHER WHO IS FLEEING IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMMITTING BURGLARY, ROBBERY, AGGRAVATED ROBBERY, OR THEFT DURING THE NIGHTTIME FROM ESCAPING WITH PROPERTY; AND

(3) he reasonably believes that:

(A) the land or property cannot be protected or recovered by any other means; or

(B) the use of force other than deadly force to protect or recover the land or property would expose the actor or another to a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.*****

 

[WAGCEVP]

do we need to ban SUV/Pick up trucks?

 

[S_O_Laban]

I'd say since they haven't charged him, nor taken him into custody, there still is hope for the driver.
Tallpine may be onto something with the bald tire angle. An angle, were I the local prosecutor, I would look at closely Lets hope he gets a case of "Texas Justice"