Mpls. Man With Permit Pulls Out Gun, Stops Robbery In Progress

[sarisataka]

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Minneapolis man helped stop a robbery by pulling a gun on the bad guys.

Matt Dosser saw two men standing outside the University Market in northeast Minneapolis Tuesday night. One had a gun, and they had just attacked the clerk inside.

“I was really scared for his life,” Dosser said. “They were trying to kill him, in my opinion.”

It was his immediate reaction when he saw two men enter his store around 9:15 p.m. They wore their hoodies tight around their faces, and they began asking questions that didn’t make sense. After a couple uneasy minutes, they attacked.

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2013/12/18/mpls-man-with-permit-pulls-out-gun-stops-robbery-in-progress/

[Auggie]

1. I'd pull out a phone and call 911

Pulling a gun on two robbers is very dangerous

[gejohnston]

3. yes, but it depends on

where I would be at the time. If I'm in the store, pulling out a phone and calling 911 would be very dangerous and a lot can happen in the 5-7 minutes it takes for them to show up. If I'm outside and safe from the robber's, I would call the cops.

The robbers eventually fled and Ahmed locked the door. But a minute later they decided to try and break back in.

“By their behaviors and from what I saw, it appeared they were trying to get back into the store to finish the job,” Dosser said.

Based on that, it is reasonable to assume that Ahmed would be dead, or severely beaten, before the cops showed up had Dosser not intervened.

[DonP]

4. The clerk was severely beaten

17 surgical staples to close the head woulds he got from being beaten by the 2 robbers. Pretty sure they were trying to get back in to make sure there were no witnesses.

But I guess it was none of Dosser's business and he should have just walked away and called 911 when he felt safe.

[doc03]

2. I'll just say he was damn lucky, you go pulling a gun on

someone else with a gun you better be ready to use it or die.

[spin]

5. It is not wise to carry a handgun for self defense if you are unwilling to use it if absolutely ...

necessary.

If you are unwilling to shoot another person who intends to put you in the hospital for an extended stay or six feet under, than perhaps you should consider carrying pepper spray, a stun gun or a taser. Of course first you should check your local laws to find what devices are legal in the area where you live. You might also consider taking a good self defense course or learning a martial art from a good instructor.

In passing being unwilling to shot another person in legitimate self defense is NOT a character flaw.

Using a firearm to stop an attack on another person or an armed robbery is a tricky decision. You might well escalate the situation.

Some concealed carry instructors will advise you that pulling a firearm to stop an attack and merely brandishing it is a poor idea. They will point out that if the threat is not serious enough to require you to shoot, then it doesn't rise to the standard of legitimate self defense. The reality is that frequently a person can stop an attack by displaying a handgun especially if they look willing and competent enough to use it. Unfortunately you will have only a couple of seconds to make a decision that will have a major impact on both your life and the life of the victim you are attempting to help.