Ex-Dollar General store manager recalls gunfight with robber; 911 audio tapes released (Tn)

Knoxville News Sentinel ^ | May 3, 2013 | Matt Lakin

[deoetdoctrinae]

The gun glinted in the dark as the man turned toward Anthony Smith and fired.

“I saw the gun,” Smith said. “I heard the shot. I didn’t hit the ground. I fired.”

The gunman missed, but Smith hit his mark. Knoxville Police Department officers found the body of Justin Pierre Jackson, 30, in a nearby alley less than half an hour later.

[deoetdoctrinae]

Police also found Jackson’s gun, a .38-caliber revolver, along with around $600 in cash and a bullet hole in the shed behind the Dollar General, 4112 Asheville Highway, where Smith, a former soldier and Gulf War veteran, worked as manager the night of Feb. 27 when Jackson picked the store to rob.

The shootout ended a robbery spree that police say spanned at least six stores and more than a month. It also cost Smith his job. He says Dollar General fired him less than a week later.

[bboop]

HE GOT FIRED??? THE MOTHER IS ACCUSING HIM?

Is there no common sense?

[deoetdoctrinae]

He said he knew the company had a no-guns policy, but that he was carrying anyway, because there had been such a rash of robberies in the area recently.

[bankwalker]

This is causing quite a stir - making the gun control freaks heads explode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F1nPSNnaBo

only 2 minutes - pass it on after viewing. it is going viral ...

[IbJensen]

The store manager should have let this poor misunderstood criminal kill him. Dollar General is a worthless cheapass store whose only patrons are deadbeats that enjoy wallowing in aisles of trash!

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Who dat? Manager or perp?

[fieldmarshaldj]

Perp.

[SeminoleCounty]

Businesses should never be allowed to fire an individual who defends themselves. Your rights as a business end when they violate the life and liberty of an individual.

Only a big government Business Socialist thinks otherwise

The fact that this man was fired for self defense...and the company with a history of armed robbery.....is just disturbing. Dollar General pretty much supports Criminal Rights

[Standing Wolf]

The shootout ended a robbery spree that police say spanned at least six stores and more than a month. It also cost Smith his job. He says Dollar General fired him less than a week later.

I don't ever do business with anti-Second Amendment bigots.

[Polynikes]

The No-guns policy should be changed to a “you may be subject to disciplinary action which MAY include dismissal”
then dock his pay for say $25.00 suspend him for a couple of days then put a letter of reprimand in his file having him promise to try not to do that again. Make it sort of a 6 strikes your out policy because people have no idea how hard it is to get blood stains off the floor:~)

[Rebelbase]

“It also cost Smith his job. He says Dollar General fired him less than a week later. “

This guy thinks like a friend of mine who works for a mega telecom company and has to visit shady areas on occasion.

There’s a strict policy against weapons but he carries anyway.

“Better to be fired from a job and have to look for another one than for my kids to grow up without a father”.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I certainly hope that he gets hired by a better employer soon, as good store managers are hard to find, and people of good character are generally good hires.

[Zhang Fei]

The fact that this man was fired for self defense...and the company with a history of armed robbery.....is just disturbing. Dollar General pretty much supports Criminal Rights

It's insurance related. If they don't fire the guy, the company's premiums skyrocket. The only way to address this issue is via legislation, but Democrats don't want their voter base killed in bigger numbers, and the GOP seldom wants to interfere with insurance companies doing whatever they want. The unfortunate truth is that the GOP talks a good game about being for the little guy, but the little guy they're talking about generally tends to be the small business owner worth millions, rather than joe schmoe trying to stay alive while making an honest living.

[deoetdoctrinae]

It sounds like he would have been moving up their ladder, so maybe another employer will see some potential and give him a look.

[Zhang Fei]

The No-guns policy should be changed to a “you may be subject to disciplinary action which MAY include dismissal” then dock his pay for say $25.00 suspend him for a couple of days then put a letter of reprimand in his file having him promise to try not to do that again. Make it sort of a 6 strikes your out policy because people have no idea how hard it is to get blood stains off the floor:~)

What we need is federal legislation preventing insurance companies from raising premiums in cases of justifiable homicides by their employees at commercial establishments and enjoining tort actions related to those homicides.

[TennesseeGirl]

Just an FYI, that store is in a baaad area. High crime. I’d heard the robber held a gun to the heads of Smith and another employee while robbing the store. Jackson was responsible (”ALLEGEDLY”) of at least 8 other armed robberies and had a history of violence.

[GraceG]

This is causing quite a stir - making the gun control freaks heads explode.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F1nPSNnaBo

only 2 minutes - pass it on after viewing. it is going viral ...

AWESOME VIDEO AND IT DRIVES THE POINT!!!

[OrangeHoof]

Isn’t robbing a dollar store kind of like plagiarizing a comic book?

[deoetdoctrinae]

Well still, at the end of the day they had several hundred dollars, and I’m sure the guy thought he would be in and out quick with a typical dash for cash. Looks like he was wrong.

[SeminoleCounty]

Good points....there still needs to be something done to protect the self defense rights of people