Skip to comments.
Cops: City liquor store owner outwits armed robber who threatens to kill him (Armed Citizen PING!)
Woonsocket Call ^
| 1 July 2009
| RUSS OLIVO
Posted on 07/02/2009 9:15:19 PM PDT by greatdefender
WOONSOCKET The quick-thinking owner of a Social District package store turned the tables on a man who had a knife to his throat and threatened to kill him for money Tuesday, police said.
After a violent struggle with the robber, the owner of U-Save Liquors at 399 Clinton St. convinced him that he was too tired to fight anymore and he was giving up. In an attempt to put the robber at ease, John Quinn then offered him the keys to the store and invited him to lock the front doors before he looted the store. As 20-year-old Kevin Mortimer was busy fumbling with the keys, however, Quinn, 56, slipped into his office and emerged with a Walther PPK 9mm handgun, the police said. With the firearm trained on Mortimer, Quinn reached for a phone with his free hand to call the police, at which point Mortimer ran from the store. Moments later, Patrolmen Michael Flood and Sean Carpenter captured Mortimer on a footpath that hugs the Blackstone River, just behind the store. Mortimer was arrested after a wrestling match with his arresting officers that ended only after he was in handcuffs and leg irons, said Detective Lt. Eugene Jalette. They put shackles on him, and thats not something that normally happens unless a person is really kicking, said Jalette. He was quite combative. Mortimer, of 59 Salisbury St., was charged with first-degree robbery, two counts of assaulting the police and resisting arrest. Mortimer was also booked for obstructing because he allegedly refused to identify himself after he was taken into custody. This may be Mortimers first arrest in Rhode Island, but Jalette said he has a lengthy criminal record in Massachusetts, where he used to live. The run-in at U-Save began at 10:28 p.m., when Mortimer entered the store and asked Quinn where he kept the vodka, said Jalette. Quinn was showing him the brands he had in stock when Mortimer suddenly came up behind him, wrapped one arm around his waist and held a knife to his throat with the other. The owner struggled with Mortimer, causing the armed man to cut himself on the forearm with his own knife. At that point, Quinn broke away from Mortimer, letting the robber think he had gotten the better of him, said Jalette. Mortimer allegedly told him, I dont want to kill you but I need the money for my rent, said Jalette. After the owner gave Mortimer the keys to the store, the would-be robber began attempting to lock the front door. The owner used the distraction to step into the office to get his Walther PPK, the same pocket-size handgun that British spy novelist Ian Fleming made the signature weapon of his famous fictional character, James Bond. Flemings influence is said to have been a major factor in the popularity of the distinctive-looking weapon, which has been around since the 1930s. Mortimer did not require medical treatment for what was described as a small cut on his arm. After being held overnight at police headquarters, Mortimer was arraigned in District Court Wednesday and ordered held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions pending a review hearing on July 15, according to court records. Quinn told The Call later that hes been in business 13 years and hes never been the target of a holdup before. He said Mortimer repeatedly threatened to kill him during the course of the attempted robbery because he was desperate for money, and Quinn took the threats seriously. What would you think if somebody has a knife to your throat and says hes sorry, but he needs the money? Quinn said. I figured it was going to be me or him, and it wasnt going to be me. But Quinn said he used more brains than brawn to overpower the younger man. When he broke off the struggle, Quinn convinced Mortimer that he couldnt fight any longer because he had heart trouble and needed to a drink. Mortimer was so desperate to be in control of the situation that he actually fetched him a cup of coffee from the brew-station in the store, Quinn said. Its not always the more powerful or the armed one who wins, said Quinn. Its the smart one.
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; US: Rhode Island
KEYWORDS: armedcitizen; store
To: greatdefender
Save taxpayers the few hundred thousand.
2
posted on
07/02/2009 9:22:53 PM PDT
by
wastedyears
(The Tree is thirsty and the hogs are hungry.)
To: greatdefender
WOONSOCKET The quick-thinking owner of a Social District package store turned the tables on a man who had a knife to his throat and threatened to kill him for money Tuesday, police said.
After a violent struggle with the robber, the owner of U-Save Liquors at 399 Clinton St. convinced him that he was too tired to fight anymore and he was giving up. In an attempt to put the robber at ease, John Quinn then offered him the keys to the store and invited him to lock the front doors before he looted the store.
As 20-year-old Kevin Mortimer was busy fumbling with the keys, however, Quinn, 56, slipped into his office and emerged with a Walther PPK 9mm handgun, the police said. With the firearm trained on Mortimer, Quinn reached for a phone with his free hand to call the police, at which point Mortimer ran from the store.
Moments later, Patrolmen Michael Flood and Sean Carpenter captured Mortimer on a footpath that hugs the Blackstone River, just behind the store. Mortimer was arrested after a wrestling match with his arresting officers that ended only after he was in handcuffs and leg irons, said Detective Lt. Eugene Jalette.
They put shackles on him, and thats not something that normally happens unless a person is really kicking, said Jalette. He was quite combative.
Mortimer, of 59 Salisbury St., was charged with first-degree robbery, two counts of assaulting the police and resisting arrest. Mortimer was also booked for obstructing because he allegedly refused to identify himself after he was taken into custody. This may be Mortimers first arrest in Rhode Island, but Jalette said he has a lengthy criminal record in Massachusetts, where he used to live.
The run-in at U-Save began at 10:28 p.m., when Mortimer entered the store and asked Quinn where he kept the vodka, said Jalette. Quinn was showing him the brands he had in stock when Mortimer suddenly came up behind him, wrapped one arm around his waist and held a knife to his throat with the other. The owner struggled with Mortimer, causing the armed man to cut himself on the forearm with his own knife.
At that point, Quinn broke away from Mortimer, letting the robber think he had gotten the better of him, said Jalette. Mortimer allegedly told him, I dont want to kill you but I need the money for my rent, said Jalette.
After the owner gave Mortimer the keys to the store, the would-be robber began attempting to lock the front door. The owner used the distraction to step into the office to get his Walther PPK, the same pocket-size handgun that British spy novelist Ian Fleming made the signature weapon of his famous fictional character, James Bond. Flemings influence is said to have been a major factor in the popularity of the distinctive-looking weapon, which has been around since the 1930s.
Mortimer did not require medical treatment for what was described as a small cut on his arm. After being held overnight at police headquarters, Mortimer was arraigned in District Court Wednesday and ordered held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions pending a review hearing on July 15, according to court records.
Quinn told The Call later that hes been in business 13 years and hes never been the target of a holdup before. He said Mortimer repeatedly threatened to kill him during the course of the attempted robbery because he was desperate for money, and Quinn took the threats seriously. What would you think if somebody has a knife to your throat and says hes sorry, but he needs the money? Quinn said. I figured it was going to be me or him, and it wasnt going to be me.
But Quinn said he used more brains than brawn to overpower the younger man. When he broke off the struggle, Quinn convinced Mortimer that he couldnt fight any longer because he had heart trouble and needed to a drink. Mortimer was so desperate to be in control of the situation that he actually fetched him a cup of coffee from the brew-station in the store, Quinn said. Its not always the more powerful or the armed one who wins, said Quinn. Its the smart one.
3
posted on
07/02/2009 9:25:15 PM PDT
by
TLI
( ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA)
To: greatdefender
Social District???
Sounds like trouble right there.
4
posted on
07/02/2009 9:30:24 PM PDT
by
Texas Eagle
(If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all. -- Texas Eagle)
To: greatdefender
Armed only with his brain! I love it!
To: greatdefender
9 mm Walther PPK? I think it only comes in .380. Nice job by the store owner. Sound slike the robber was broke thanks to hope & change. Sadly RI votes Dem by reflex.
6
posted on
07/02/2009 10:05:15 PM PDT
by
Frantzie
(Remember when Bush was President and Americans had jobs (and ammo)?)
To: Frantzie
it also comes in .32 (7.65 Browning)
7
posted on
07/02/2009 10:17:17 PM PDT
by
greatdefender
(If You Want Peace.....Prepare For War)
To: Frantzie
The official name of the .380 is 9mm kurz. So it is a 9mm.
Ed
8
posted on
07/02/2009 10:46:00 PM PDT
by
Sir_Ed
To: Frantzie
.380 is still a 9, its just a short, cute 9.
To: Frantzie
.380 is a 9MM, it is called the 9MM short in EU. When we in the states here 9MM though we usually tend to think 9MM Parabellum.
10
posted on
07/03/2009 12:00:07 AM PDT
by
calex59
To: Frantzie
9 mm Walther PPK? I think it only comes in .380. Props to the store owner for finding some ammo. :-)
11
posted on
07/03/2009 12:29:08 AM PDT
by
VeniVidiVici
(ABC-AP-MSNBC-All Obama, All the time.)
To: greatdefender
To bad the guy didn’t get to tell the cops, “Officer, he came at me with the knife so I had to shoot him!”
To: VeniVidiVici
If it is good enough for Sean Dillon, it is good enough for me. .380 is as light as I would want to go as a defence weapon. Remember one hit with a .380 is worth more than an infinity of misses wth a .44 mag.
barbra ann
13
posted on
07/03/2009 1:34:08 AM PDT
by
barb-tex
(I bet Teddy wishes Palin would disappear.)
To: calex59
You are correct - my mistake. Yeah I always have to remember that when I buy 9 mm para.
14
posted on
07/03/2009 9:07:58 AM PDT
by
Frantzie
(Remember when Bush was President and Americans had jobs (and ammo)?)
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.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson