Guns save lives: Robbery victims turn tables on attackers in two separate Cincinnati area incidents

by Chad D. Baus

Three more law-abiding Ohio citizens are alive today thanks to their decision to exercise their Second Amendment and Ohio Constitutional right to bear arms for their defense and security.

First, a concealed handgun license-holder in Lockand, OH (Hamilton Co.) was the victim of an attempted armed robbery at 3:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

From WXIX (Fox Cincinnati):

Police say, according to the attempted robbery victim, he was alone and was getting out of his car in an alley when three males came to him and told him to give them everything at gunpoint. The robbery victim, who was on his way into work, did comply with the demands and gave the robbers his wallet. The would be robbers did not know, however, that the man who they were trying to rob was also carrying a gun with a concealed carry permit.

All three attempted robbers were shot with a .40 caliber glock at the 109 North Wayne in Lockland. One of the juveniles was shot in the face, one in the right shoulder, and the adult was hit in the lower left leg. The suspects then fled the scene on foot in different directions, but were later caught a short distance away by Lockland police.

...The three people who were shot were transported to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries in ambulances. They are being held at the hospital. Police say they are looking into charging them with aggravated robbery and possibly felonious assault.

Police say that there are independent witnesses who are cooperating with them and have given statements.

According to to the article, police stated in a press conference on Sunday that "we believe that this is an instance of a subject who was almost about to be the victim of a robbery, he's a licensed CCW holder, and had a weapon himself."

Less than 12 hours later, two other crime victims fought back when an armed robber opened fire.

From The Cincinnati News:

Two workers at the Sunoco gas station off Hamilton Avenue in Springfield Township fired their guns after a gunman shot at them during a hold-up just before 12:30 a.m. today, police said.

The suspect, a man in his late teens or early 20s, died at the scene. His name has not been released.

"You have the right to protect yourself," said Scott Carpenter, 31 of Springfield Township, who gets his coffee at Sunoco every morning. "I know everybody who works in there. They are all great guys. Everybody knows they have guns. That's why I was surprised someone tried to rob them. It does not make sense. This is not the best neighborhood."

The Sunoco gas station is back open today. Police said the business has not been robbed before.

Earlier this morning, one of the store's owners declined comment but told a reporter everyone inside was OK.

Police said they are still reviewing store security surveillance video to see what went down after the gunman walked into the station, pointed a gun at the two workers and demanded cash.

"It was just your normal robbery, 'give me your money,'" said Sgt. Burt Roberts.

At least until the suspect wound up behind the counter in a confrontation with the men, who pulled out their own guns: a 40-caliber handgun and a shotgun.

They fired "multiple shots" at the suspect during the course of the robbery, Roberts said.

"We've been robbed!" one of the workers frantically yelled to a 911 dispatcher, according to a recording of the call. "I'm holding a gun to his head! We shot him. He pulled a gun on us and started shooting, so we shot him....He came at me with the gun. He said 'go behind the counter and get me the money.'"

The article says whether or not the store clerks have concealed handgun licenses has not yet been made public (it isn't necessary to have a CHL to carry concealed in one's own home or one's own place of business).

Unfortunately, this article contains a disappointing quote from Sgt. Roberts, who said "Typically we don't advise people do this but that's what they chose to do," Roberts said. "Usually we tell people money or candy bars or whatever you sell at your Sunoco aren't worth dying for. They chose to do otherwise."

Sadly, Sgt. Roberts seems not to understand that these workers were fighting for their very lives, not for candy bars. The only chance they might have died over "candy bars or whatever" is if they had followed his advice and come to work unarmed.

A complete list of known incidents involving Ohio CHL-holders defending themselves is available here.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Vice Chairman.