[joesnuffy]

"About this time the attendant produced a handgun which he is lawfully licensed to do and ordered the suspect to leave the store, which he did."

The clerk should have either killed him or held him for the police.....an armed robber is loose
and since he got away...will most likely be more carefull in plotting his next violent crime...
and better armed...

imo

[Gun142]

since he got away...will most likely be more carefull in plotting his next violent crime...

He'll either go on wondering just who has a gun and fear the good guy or stick to the stores with a "No Concealed Carry" sign in the window.

[ApplegateRanch]

I have to agree with you. In effect, he ordered the criminal to get away.

I would love to find a (non-firearm related) law to charge him with as a lesson. Aiding & abetting?

Afraid though that "terminal stupidity" is all that actually covers it.

[supercat]

The clerk should have either killed him or held him for the police.....

The clerk had no legal right to kill the robber, nor did he have any legal authority to stop him from getting away. One the robber dropped the knife, he ceased being an apparent threat. Had the clerk tried to hold the robber for police, any of several scenarios could have emerged:

1. Robber could have just turned around and strolled out the door, secure in the knowledge that (especially if there were surveillance cameras) the clerk wasn't going to shoot him in the back.
2. Robber could have turned around and bolted for the door, perhaps aware or perhaps not that the clerk couldn't legally shoot him; robber could have been very mad at clerk and thus decided to seek out revenge.
3. Robber could have waited until he thought the clerk was momentarily distracted, and then decided to try for the clerk's gun.
4. Robber could have been dumb and placid enough to wait for the police, who arrest him without incident.
5. Robber could have waited placidly for police, who then mistake the armed person for a robber and shoot him.

Scenarios 1 and 2 produce the same result as what actually happened; scenario 3 could end up with a dead robber or a dead clerk. Scenario 4 would probably be nice, if it happened, but in some areas scenario 5 would be a real risk.