''It is against Papa John's policy''…

News 14 Carolina is reporting that a Papa John's pizza delivery person who was attacked and shot by a criminal last week in Charlotte, managed to return fire on his assailant. Yet the victim's actions are the ones being criticized by police, and are almost certain to lead to his being fired from his job at Papa John's.

From the story:

…Police say carrying a gun might not be the best course of action for delivery drivers.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Bobby Martin and his family right now,” said Bobby Meroney, director of operations of Papa John’s in Charlotte. “We wish him speedy recovery.”

Bobby Martin, the 41-year-old driver for a Papa John's restaurant on Sharon Road West, remains in fair condition after taking a bullet in the shoulder. Although he missed, Martin also fired a shot at the suspect with a gun he took on the delivery.

While it is not against North Carolina law for him to carry an unconcealed weapon, it is against Papa John's policy.
“We have rules posted in the stores constantly reminding about the security issues out there,” Meroney said.

Gun shop owner Larry Hyatt says the people that make such rules “are not out there delivering the pizzas, they are sitting in the corporate office.” In fact, he says more and more business people are buying handguns, especially those who travel alone or at night.

“The big corporations are afraid of lawsuits so they don't want their employees to have any kind of weapon for self-defense,” Hyatt said.

Police say the best defense for someone in Martin’s situation is no defense at all. Recently, in a similar case, the pizza delivery man involved sensed something was wrong. He never made the delivery; instead he tracked down the police.

“Our officers posed as that delivery person, went to that location and arrested a couple of subjects,” said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department spokesman Keith Bridges.

No doubt if Martin had sensed he was in danger, he would have left the area as well. The point is, we don't always get warning when we are about to be attacked, nor do we always have time or ability to retreat.

Papa John's has not yet announced what course of action they will take with Martin, but the last time an employee of Papa John's dared defend himself against attack, the insensitive company, fired him, apparently more concerned about perceived liability concerns than they are for employee safety.

Here in Ohio, the Mansfield News Journal is reporting that another defenseless fast food worker was taken hostage and robbed Friday evening. And in Newark, police are asking for citizens' help in finding a man wanted in an aggravated robbery of a "no-guns" Pizza Hut last December (many family restaurants, like this Pizza Hut, are victim zones by state law).

Ohio businesses that voluntarily disarm their employees and customers should be held liable for 100% of the resulting trauma, injuries or loss of life that results.