Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Fearing for life, pharmacist kills gunman (Texas)
mysanantonio.com ^ | 27 May, 2009 | Eva Ruth Moravec

Posted on 05/29/2009 5:10:15 AM PDT by marktwain

Just before walking into Babcock Square Pharmacy, the gunman lurked suspiciously around the parking lot Wednesday morning — even moving his car several times before making his move.

Carole Ann Aguirre, manager of the neighboring Martha's Mexican Restaurant, said the white Honda lingered enough that her grandson, Christopher, mistook it as that of a relative's and walked up to it.

“He opened the car door and thought it was his uncle,” Aguirre said. “But he saw the man had a bandana around his face and was wearing rubber gloves, so he came back in and told us what happened.”

Aguirre's son-in-law, Charlie Rojas, called police shortly before 10 a.m. to report the suspicious person. But before Rojas could hang up, the gunman had moved his car once more, this time parking it near the pharmacy at Babcock and Huebner roads.

Esmeralda Rodriguez, who was walking to her job next door at Natural Health Improvement Center, remembers seeing the light-blue surgical gloves the stranger wore. But, she didn't think more of it as she walked into the health center.

About 10 minutes later, Rodriguez heard two loud noises coming from the pharmacy. Moments later, the pharmacy owner's wife, 60-year-old Patricia Wynn, ran into the health center in hysterics.

“She was so stunned; she just kept saying, ‘We almost got robbed,'” Rodriguez said.

The stranger who had been loitering in the parking lot had walked into the pharmacy carrying a black revolver and a note demanding the narcotic drug OxyContin and some money, according to authorities.

Once inside, the gunman handed the note to a clerk behind the counter, Police Chief William McManus said. The clerk was one of three people inside the pharmacy at the time of the robbery attempt. The others were the pharmacy owner, 62-year-old Bill Wynn, and his wife.

The details about what happened next are unclear, but McManus said the clerk was able to inform the pharmacy owner of the attempted robbery. Wynn, who had been robbed before, somehow managed to arm himself with a gun.

That's when McManus said the robber uttered his last words: “Let's get it on.”

Police said Wynn reacted quickly, shooting the gunman in the chest.

“I was scared to death,” Wynn later said, declining to comment further.

Police arrived to find the gunman, whose identity wasn't released Wednesday, lying on his back in a pool of blood. In his right hand was a cocked revolver.

McManus said Wynn wouldn't face any charges in connection with the shooting.

“He was in fear (for) his life,” the chief said. “He has a right and state law allows him to defend himself.”

The dead man wasn't immediately identified, so his relatives couldn't be reached for information.

Wednesday's pharmacy shooting became the third justifiable homicide of the year for San Antonio, not including a shooting death May 17 that's still being investigated as possible self-defense. The number, however, is half of what it was at this time in 2008, a year the city's justified homicide rate jumped significantly from previous years.

Wynn's wife said it's not uncommon for pharmacists to keep guns.

“A lot of pharmacies do, but we carry one because we have been robbed before,” she said without elaborating.

One of their employees, Maria Martinez, said it's been years since the pharmacy last was robbed.

Lindsay Simpkins, a cashier at Martha's Mexican Restaurant, said no one suspected the pharmacy owner — a man with a strong sense of humor — to fatally shoot anyone.

The pharmacy was closed the remainder of the day.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: banglist; defense; robbery; tx
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041 next last
I notice that the jusifiable homicides jumped, then dropped. I am not sure if it is statisticly significant, or if robbers are learning that it is a very dangerous business.
1 posted on 05/29/2009 5:10:16 AM PDT by marktwain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: marktwain
“I was scared to death,” Wynn later said, declining to comment further.

A reply every gun owner must memorize.

2 posted on 05/29/2009 5:15:07 AM PDT by 1010RD (First Do No Harm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

Love happy endings,nice way to start the day.


3 posted on 05/29/2009 5:15:10 AM PDT by bikerman (Free men do not ask permission to bear arms.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

Score one for our side...


4 posted on 05/29/2009 5:17:02 AM PDT by OldBlondBabe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 1010RD

“I was scared to death” is good. The reported last words of “Let’s get it on” add color.


5 posted on 05/29/2009 5:17:39 AM PDT by Pearls Before Swine (Is /sarc really necessary?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: marktwain
Police arrived to find the gunman, whose identity wasn't released Wednesday, lying on his back in a pool of blood

Sounds like the reporter is an aspiring drama queen.
6 posted on 05/29/2009 5:18:53 AM PDT by Red in Blue PA (http://ccwsaveslives.blogspot.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

This story made my day.


7 posted on 05/29/2009 5:19:51 AM PDT by Carpe Cerevisi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 1010RD
"A reply every gun owner must memorize."

The best advice anyone could ever give!

8 posted on 05/29/2009 5:20:36 AM PDT by Old Badger (After this sorry election, boy do opportunities abound!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

The best part is that this scumbag piece of excrement will never victimize another law abiding human being again.


9 posted on 05/29/2009 5:20:49 AM PDT by fwdude
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pearls Before Swine
The reported last words of “Let’s get it on” add color.

"Get THIS on, moron!"

10 posted on 05/29/2009 5:20:53 AM PDT by Albion Wilde ("Shouldn't there be equal time for our Bill of Responsibilities?" -- Justice Clarence Thomas)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: marktwain
Wynn, who had been robbed before, somehow managed to arm himself with a gun.

Good for the owner. Now about the reporters amazement on how he managed to arm himself....pockets, droors, holsters, closets.....

The sentence seems to suggest that the idea of the owner being able to arm himself was a lucky or amazing occurrence. Maybe I'm just nitpicking.

11 posted on 05/29/2009 5:20:59 AM PDT by Tenacious 1 (We may officially be too stupid to govern ourselves.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pearls Before Swine

My post was attempting to quote the pharmacist. The “moron” part was not directed at you. I didn’t post a “/sarc” — LOL!!


12 posted on 05/29/2009 5:22:22 AM PDT by Albion Wilde ("Shouldn't there be equal time for our Bill of Responsibilities?" -- Justice Clarence Thomas)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

Comment #13 Removed by Moderator

To: marktwain

One less dumb druggie. Don’t Mess With Texans.


14 posted on 05/29/2009 5:24:06 AM PDT by Sudetenland (Liz Cheney for President!.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA
No kidding. How about this nugget of journalistic artistry?

Lindsay Simpkins, a cashier at Martha's Mexican Restaurant, said no one suspected the pharmacy owner — a man with a strong sense of humor — to fatally shoot anyone.

15 posted on 05/29/2009 5:24:39 AM PDT by Niteranger68 (If you haven't purged you company of 0bama supporters, you are part of the problem.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: marktwain
Photobucket

Thanks for making my day, punk.
16 posted on 05/29/2009 5:24:51 AM PDT by ZX12R
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

It’s been one looong week,....

I guess I was hoping for a video link when I clicked into this thread?


17 posted on 05/29/2009 5:24:54 AM PDT by incredulous joe ("No road is too long with good company" - Turkish Proverb)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

the robber uttered his last words: “Let’s get it on.”

...nice of hime to serenade his would be victim with some Marvin Gaye!


18 posted on 05/29/2009 5:24:56 AM PDT by albie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: incredulous joe

Video here: http://www.ksat.com/newsarchive/19579098/detail.html#video


19 posted on 05/29/2009 5:38:32 AM PDT by BIGWALLY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

When’s the protest outside the business planned for? Isn’t that par for the course whenever a pharmacist shoots a “promising young man with so much potential”?


20 posted on 05/29/2009 5:40:49 AM PDT by liberty75
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson