This sort of situation is why guns are necessary. They are a tool, designed to allow individuals to defend themselves from those who would do them harm. They make practical the exercise of the natural right to protect oneÂ’s life.

Gene and his wife were inside a flea market on North Lewis Saturday when two people walked inside and began asking about prices. Gene turned away for a moment, and then was body-slammed to the ground. "I was on my side and rolled over to my back and this young man was in my face saying give me all the money, I'm going to kill you and on and on and all I could think was IÂ’m about to die and so is my wife."

In that instant, instinct and military training took over and Gene pulled his gun from his waistband and started shooting. Several of his shots missed the robber and landed in the wall, but then, he noticed some blood drops. He thought he'd nicked the robber, it wasn't until later, he learned, the robber died. “It's a horrible thing that this young man lost his life. And, we say young man, but he was 6-feet-2 and was 200 pounds of young man muscle. He made a decision that ultimately cost him dearly. I'm sorry I had to hurt him, but I don't regret it."

I’m sorry, I find nothing horrible here – a rabid animal was put down to protect human life. As far as I’m concerned, Gene has nothing to regret – and should probably bill the robber’s estate for damages to the store and lost revenue for the time the store was closed.

And lest you think that Gene overreacted, consider this.

Gene says he didn't want to end up like the woman who was recently beaten to death after being robbed of her laundry money or the man who was shot and killed because he didn't have as much money as the robber wanted.

The flea market has been robbed before. The owner of the store had been robbed and beaten just a few months earlier. The previous owner had been robbed and pistol-whipped. Not even adding security cameras was a deterrent.

Gene doesn't believe this incident will deter other teenage robbers very long, and he's thankful for a law that allowed him to protect his own life and that of his wife.

If a few more citizens stand up and act like free individuals rather than sheep, I think teenage robbers will be deterred. Word will get around that there is a serious price to be paid for committing armed acts of violence against armed citizens.

Posted by: Greg at 01:50 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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