Report: "It's kill or be killed" as southeastern Ohio drug violence escalates

by Chad D. Baus

NBC-affiliate WSAZ, which covers southeastern Ohio, central West Virginia, and eastern Kentucky, is reporting that a man was shot and killed Thursday night after an armed robbery attempt at a Portsmouth carryout.

From the report:

The shooter was a store clerk, the victim -- the intruder

In a city that's now ground zero in a state war on drugs, it's kill or be killed.

Debbie Jewell says this time, for her fellow store clerk brother, there was no choice.

Police say around 10:30 p.m. Thursday, known drug offender Kenny Gibbs came into the 6th Street Carryout with hands in pocket and demanded the clerk get money from the cash register.

That's when police say a second armed employee came up behind Gibbs. His sister tells WSAZ.com's Randy Yohe that he said, "Drop your weapon."

Police say Gibbs instead turned and drew his gun, and the clerk fired multiple times.

Police say a wounded Gibbs went out the door. He fell and died in the parking lot.

"Yes, it was a showdown," Detective Jim Charles said. "Mr. Gibbs had a pellet gun, but it looked like the real thing."

The detective says the clerk fired a legally owned 9-mm semiautomatic handgun.

"My brothers in shock, but it's so dangerous around here," Jewell said.

According to the news report (which annoyingly uses the word "victim" to describe the armed robber), this is at least the third time in a few months in Portsmouth and Scioto County that an armed robbery victim has turned the tables on an armed robbery suspect -- when both had deadly force.

Indeed, as Buckeye Firearms has reported recently, two Scioto county home invasions have end badly...for the criminals. As a result, the number of first-time gun buyers is spiking throughout the area.

Unfortunately, not all victims have had the ability to fight back while bearing arms. The 16 year-old son of a local newspaper publisher was home alone when two armed suspects invaded his home. The boy was shot in the stomach during a struggle.

Again, from WSAZ:

"Everybody's getting gun permits," Jewell said. "It's not safe anymore, and that's really sad."

Police say the carryout was robbed three times in the last two weeks, with a good possibility that the now, late Kenny Gibbs was the robber.

The story concludes by noting that no charges are filed in this case, and that police will give their completed report to the county prosecutor, who will decide whether or not to take it to a grand jury.

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