VICTIM ZONE: Butler coroner beaten, robbed leaving church

The Cincinnati Enquirer is reporting that while voters were casting ballots that made him Butler County's top vote getter, Coroner Richard P. Burkhardt was being attacked Tuesday.

According to the report, the 65-year-old coroner had just attended services at St. Joseph Church on Washington Street around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday when a man approached him in the church parking lot and asked for a ride.

Burkhardt agreed, police said, but then the young man told Burkhardt he had a knife and demanded money.

Burkhardt told the robber that he's familiar with knives and not threatened by them, Police Chief Neil Ferdelman told the paper. Police reports say the man, who never showed a knife, punched Burkhardt in the mouth, stole his wallet and fled.

According to the Enquirer, police are following leads on possible suspects.

This type of crime is unusual in the daytime, Ferdelman told the newspaper, and the area around the church has had no significant problem with similar incidents.

"'Dr. B' wanted to be helpful," Ferdelman was quoted as saying. "But it's an important lesson that we all want to be on guard against crime."

Commentary:
"On guard": Despite repeated warnings, and without any demonstration whatsoever that there was a need, legislators who passed HB12 included places of worship among the list of buildings where concealed carry license-holders may not protect themselves.

No one had any facts or research to indicate that law-abiding, licensed gun owners pose any threat or danger in a place of worship, nor has any history of problems in other states been identified.

On every trip to and from worship, Ohio CHL-holders are rendered defenseless by state law (unless they have received special permission from church/synagogue/mosque officials). This simply should not be.

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