Posted on 01/06/2009 6:40:41 AM PST by marktwain
PHOENIX -- The 61-year-old owner of a Phoenix jewelry store shot and wounded two would-be robbers who walked into the business and pepper sprayed him in the face, police said.
The men entered the store near 32nd Street and Bell Road Monday afternoon and attempted to sell a watch, said Detective Cindy Scott of the Phoenix Police Department.
The owner said he could not purchase the watch and both men left the store, Scott said.
"About ten minutes later, the suspects returned and pepper sprayed the victim in the face," Scott said.
One of the men then removed a metal baton and began to smash the glass to the jewelry display cabinet, Scott said.
"Fearing for his life, the victim removed a handgun from his pocket and fired several rounds at the suspects, striking them each of them one time," Scott said. The victim then held the suspects at gunpoint until officers arrived.
The men were taken to local hospitals where they were treated for their non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspects are identified as Gregory Mills, 24, and Jason Buckingham, 27.
The victim acted in self-defense and is not currently being charged with a crime, Scott said. However, the case will be reviewed by the county attorney's office.
Both men were rushed to the hospital in serious condition.
The owner was treated for pepper spray exposure and is expected to be OK, police said.
I could have written that better when I was in high school.
“The victim then held the suspects at gunpoint”...
“The men were taken to local hospitals where they were treated for their non-life-threatening injuries”.
...this was written in rare fashion. “The victim” being the store owner. “Non-life threatening injuries”. Bravo.
You got it right. Good for him (the victim), those thugs may think twice before doing that again.
Our 8yo granddaughter could do better.
Congrats to another citizen for being an American and using the rights that our founders established for us.
fired several rounds at the suspects, striking them each of them one timeGood work, but could have been better. I'm not being critical, and I hope I would do as well as this shooter did, but still, facts are facts. All of those rounds should have struck and the suspects should be either dead or dying.
It behooves ALL of us to get out on the target range as much as possible.
Please sir, next time use a bigger gun.
Maybe the pepper spray to the face affected his accuracy?
Give this guy a medal.
In general, I'm disappointed when the criminal survives a self-defense shooting during a robbery. In this one case though, I agree that it is much harder to score after receiving a blast of pepper spray in the eyes. Still, most of us do need more range time, we just can't put this store owner on that list.
Had it been in NY, the store owner would be charged, sued and bankrupted. Then sent to prison. Lucky guy to be in Ariz.
It behooves ALL of us to get out on the target range as much as possible.
Ok, so who's going to range to practice with pepper spray in their eyes?
Kudos to the shop owner for staying in the fight after being assaulted.
After being pepper-sprayed ? The owner was semi-blinded, and STILL managed to hit the targets, albeit not in the 10-ring. . .
Ok. I stand corrected.
Pepper-sprayed in the face and he still managed to hit both of them.
Pardon my shooting-from-the-hip comment!
“The men were taken to local hospitals where they were treated for their “non-life-threatening injuries.”
“Both men were rushed to the hospital in serious condition.”
I guess the reporter wanted to cover all bases.
(or for that matter, any HS newspaper from the sixties)
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