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Posted on 07/26/2006 8:11:07 PM PDT by DaveLoneRanger
Another dangerous encounter for the owners of a Hardeeville package store resulted in a gunshot Friday.
It’s the second time in just over a month they had to fire. On June 19th, Greene’s Package Shop worker Herb Tolar was robbed at gunpoint and then fired at the man as he ran away. Back then, Tolar told WSAV, “I thought he was going to kill me. So I was going to kill him. I pursued him outside and I shot to kill. If I see him again, I will blow him away.”
And now, the same store, which is on Highway 17 in Hardeeville was the site of another shooting. This time, it was the wife who fired.
“They knew I meant business,” Florence Tolar said, as she remembered the Friday morning encounter.
Her size and sweet demeanor don’t keep her from standing her ground.
“I kept my position just in case those boys came out. I had every opportunity to shoot them,” she said.
She chose to fire her gun at the floor as she was confronted by four young men who were fleeing from police Friday. It’s a choice she says could have easily turned fatal.
"I had to make the decision,” she said. “And I'll tell you- if those boys would have been a little bit taller, a little bit bigger, I would have shot them. And I would have killed them."
“My wife really surprised me, “ Herb Tolar said. “I’m really proud of her that she did what she did.”
Just last month, Herb Tolar aimed and fired at an armed robber who ran off with a stack of cash from the shop. And this time, he’s glad it wasn’t his finger behind the trigger.
"With my experience a few weeks ago, I don't know if I would not have shot,” he said.
“Because I missed the rascal the other day and I'm glad she saw them before I did- because I believe I would have shot."
The Tolars take pride in their friendly business, but they admit they’ve added a few more guns to the collection recently. To them, it’s the best way to keep safe.
“Things have changed since I was around this sleepy ole town,” Herb Tolar said.
“It's not a sleepy ole town any more. It's scary."
No arrests have been made on the June 19th robbery at the store. However, Friday’s incident resulted in six young men being charged with possession of a stolen vehicle.
ping.
I love women who will defend what's theirs. :o)
I'm rather fond of them myself! In a disinterested and dispassionate sort of way, of course. One of these days, there will be on in particular. Until then, she's the Unknown Bride.
heh heh! Good for you!
Darwin candidates ~ Bump!
Herb Tolar was robbed at gunpoint and then fired at the man as he ran away... I pursued him outside and I shot to kill.
Not an appropriate self-defense situatino in most states
If I see him again, I will blow him away.”
If he does, that's called pre-meditiated murder in most states.
She chose to fire her gun at the floor as she was confronted by four young men who were fleeing from police Friday.
Makes little sense. If you're going to pull the trigger, make sure it is appropriate, and make sure you find center-mass. Otherwise, your finger should be outside the trigger guard.
Maybe the cops are as tired of the bs as the couple, so they declined to do anything. Both of them need to study up on some S/D tactics, and lawyering up might not be a bad idea, either.
His comment about shooting the guy if he sees him again might be legitimate - fear of a revenge attack.
Um... generally if you're shooting at someone as they are running away, it's kind of not what we call self-defense... y'know? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of shooting bad guys. But you have to do it while they're actually facing you or, you know, it looks kind of bad.
Legally, yes, but is that set in stone? Maybe that needs to be revisited. I say that because when a store is robbed, most likely that is not the first time the perps have pulled a gun on someone. As they run away, it probably won't be the last. In that sense, by letting armed robbers get away we can expect more of the same. Just thinking outloud here.
The Tolars made a major mistake. If the scum know you won't stop them, they'll be back.
you got it. each point right on target.
If he does, that's called pre-meditiated murder in most states.
The context implies "if I seem him again as an armed robber bent on robbing us."
Premeditated murder charges if she ever has to do it - maybe even if it is a good shooting. Then there will be the civil suit to deal with.
And I'll tell you- if those boys would have been a little bit taller, a little bit bigger, I would have shot them.
So her criteria is not defending life or even property, but the looks of the bad guys.
And I would have killed them.
Not knowing when to shut up, she now makes a statement that can easily be interpreted to mean she will shoot not to stop an attacker, but to kill him/them, greatly increasing the chance of charges, convictions and civil suits if she ever has to use deadly force against a person in the future.
Sorry, in my book she is an idiot - wasn't prepared for either where to shoot or what to say when she did, and dug a big hole for herself to fall into in the future.
Say what you will if you like, but words do not kill.
Anyway, I don't think these perp's or the first ones, or any other that read this story will return to do harm.
Post #11.
I agree. Don't you remember all the old western movies when the bank robbers were fleeing town and all the people of the town was shooting at them? Could the whole town be wrong?
"So her criteria is not defending life or even property, but the looks of the bad guys."
This statement might be reasonable. I'm not sure the S/D laws in South Carolina, but in Florida you have to fear death or serious bodily harm before you can use lethal force against an attacker. The size of the attacker is a factor - if you are attacked by four six year olds, you are not justified in using lethal force. If you are attacked by four unarmed linebackers, you are justified in using lethal force.
For you and I, surely, but this couple doesn't seem to have the rules memorized quite yet.
I hope that, if it does happen again, they are justified, and their aim is true.
Well, I can't really sympathize with an armed robber who gets shot in the back as he's running away. I just don't think it's self-defense. It's more like... karma! LOL!
I agree that there are some questionable circumstances. Firing at the floor seemed to indicate a warning shot to me. Firing at them as they ran away might be permissible in some states, but I'm not sure. It won't fit most self-defense scenarios. ("You shot him in the back in self-defense?" "Well...")
Her "blow away" comment is also out of line, but it's just a comment from a shaken store owner.
I agree with most of what you wrote. She didn't execute her armed citizen actions very well, but the deterrent effect was still in place, starting with the floor shot.
They can't all be brilliant John Wayne scenes. :-)
so you would rather get killed than stand up for your property?
If you are that insane, be my guest.
Dial 911 and die
Another person who likes to chop up the story to fit their agenda.
A lurker maybe.
It is legal for her to stand her ground and defend her possesions just like she would do at her house. so in your case, you want to whine about how she said she will defend herself. I applaud her for her actions. If she killed them, you would say she should have done something different. But since she did not, you complain that she said she will shoot to kill the next time. Another gun grabber who say guns kill but forget to remind themselves that crooks have them and they get them illegally. They do not care about the law because they are obviuosly breaking the law. That is why it states in the 2nd amendment that we have the right to bear arms and that right shall not be infringed. You go ahead and sit their and cower and let criminals take your belongings and not arm yourself. Criminals prey on the weak. If you show them that you are not weak, you will not be their next victim. Get a grip
Neither am I. Here in GA we recently passed a "castle doctrine" law that makes it legal to use deadly force if you are threatened with death or bodily harm by an attacker while you are in a place you have a right to be. You don't have to make any attempt to flee or avoid the attacker before you use force, and neither the dead or injured attacker nor his survivors can sue you in civil court.
The store clerk could make a case that she was being threatened with death while in her place of business, but if the robbers were fleeing at the time she shot them she could be in trouble. I doubt that a SC jury would convict her of anything, but the lawyer fees would probably take everything she has and a lot more.
A couple of years ago a Gwinnett county (GA) convenience store owner shot a robber who was driving away in a car. The local prosecutor brought charges, I believe it was either manslaughter or 2nd degree murder, against him. The jury found him not guilty, but IIRC he was bankrupted by legal expenses.
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