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FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
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Posted on 10/09/2002 8:52:40 AM PDT by WayneM
Newspaper carrier kills gunman at Birmingham store
The Associated Press 10/8/02 1:50 PM
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -- A newspaper carrier filling racks at a convenience store became a hero to the clerk by gunning down a robber who had put a shotgun to the clerk's head.
Sam Harper, 43, was filling racks with Monday's edition of The Birmingham News when he saw a man put on a wig, burst into the store screaming and aim a shotgun only inches away from clerk Tom Burtnett. Harper grabbed his gun, went inside and fired.
"I just reacted," Harper said. "It was total chaos and it was pretty terrifying."
"I think Sam saved my life, no doubt about it," said Burtnett. "I was looking down the barrel of a shotgun and a shotgun don't miss."
The dead man was not immediately identified. Harper gave his statement to police summoned to the Chevron store, a frequent target of would-be robbers.
Burtnett, a 53-year-old former police officer, has shot three others during the past six years, killing one with a shot to the chest.
Harper said it was about 3:20 a.m. when he saw the man with the shotgun and wig.
"The guy was berserk," Harper told the News. "He was screaming his guts out."
Entering the store, Harper fired three times at the gunman, who dropped his shotgun but didn't fall.
"He ran toward me and I shot him twice more," said Harper. "After five he fell down. But then he got up again."
The wounded man, still hollering, crawled to the back of the store and died, witnesses told the News.
Burtnett said that even though four would-be robbers have been shot in recent years, the store at 8730 First Ave. North remains a likely target.
"Crackheads don't care," he said. "Do you think they read the newspaper and watch television? No."
Harper, who has delivered newspapers for 22 years, took a nap after the events subsided, then got up to finish his route after sunrise.
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FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
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Of course, if drugs were legal, only non-druggies would commit crimes ......
Words to live by.
"The guy was berserk," Harper told the News. "He was screaming his guts out."
Entering the store, Harper fired three times at the gunman, who dropped his shotgun but didn't fall.
"He ran toward me and I shot him twice more," said Harper. "After five he fell down. But then he got up again."
The wounded man, still hollering, crawled to the back of the store and died, witnesses told the News.
Five hits to put him down? ... and then he got up again? This guy did a great thing, and was indeed a hero. But I would suggest he get a bigger bore gun. I use a .44 Magnum.
One for the good guys ! Whoooo Hoooo !!
Stay Safe !!!
They should let him deduct, say, 10% of what he saved the state from his property or other state taxes. I mean 4 perps X ($10,000 per trial, $30,000 for incarceration) = $160,000 in savings, at least.
"A person doesn't resort to armed robbery because he wants to wear Nike's, he resorts to armed robbery to buy Nike's that are very expensive as a result of their popularity. Most shoe murders happen in a very few number of the total counties in the United States. A large percentage of these shoe murders have to do with status. The conditions that foster this type of ruthless competition (as well as violent armed robberies by crackheads to get money for crack) were created by the federal government -- they should subsidize Nike sales to the poor. It's either disingenuousness or lack of thought that leads someone to blame the consequence on the cause.
So what do you propose -- free crack?
LOL!! Thank you, Mr. Harper!
Yep, no doubt about it, they spend a lot of time listening to wacked out music at railroad engine decibal levels, and scheming, conniving, lying, stealing, and robbing for their next purchase of crack.
Actually "screaming his head off" would to me indicate that he was high as a kite on something - crack, heroin, meth, who knows? Probably didn't know he'd even been hit until he fell. Certainly must have been feeling no pain.
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