Why should employees be able to CCW? Question answered...tragically.

Robbery Turns To Murder Of A Single Mom
25-Year-Old Attacked As She Left Work Late Tuesday

On December 1, WTOV9.com (NBC Steubenville) reported on a crime that should force businesses that actively disarm patrons and employees to consider the results of their actions. It should also force citizens who have not yet made the decision to obtain a concealed handgun license to readdress their apathy.

The station reports that 25-year-old Jamie Kelly had only worked at Merrin's Market in Amsterdam for two months or so on the night of her attack.

According to the story, Kelly was leaving work after her shift, late Tuesday evening, walking out the back entrance to the mom-and-pop store into the well-lit parking lot. From there, the report says, what was probably no different from any other evening changed astoundingly.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

From WTOV9...

"Kelly was approached, allegedly by 20-year-old Christopher Hightower of Wintersville. Hightower allegedly tried to rob her, then when she refused, Sheriff Fred Abdalla told WTOV the man kidnapped her and forced her into her fiance's car, to drive out to a coal field, where he shot her ten times and left her to die.

A man named Ralph Sweat found Jamie Kelly lying alongside County Road 75, Wolf's Run Road, near East Springfield. Sweat took her to his home and called 911. She was flown to Allegheny General Hospital, where she died in surgery. Sheriff Abdalla says it's a miracle Kelly survived long enough to give him valuable information: 'She was able to talk with us, give a description of the car, the suspect. To be shot ten times, that young lady had to be in a lot of pain,' said the Sheriff, 'Allegheny General did tell me it was the worst gunshot victim they'd ever seen.'"

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Co-workers at Merrin's Market told WTOV that even though their workplace is well-lit with surveillance cameras inside, it was very difficult to come to work just hours after the murder.

The news story then goes on to offer the standard warnings about how "the holiday season is full of opportunities for women to be caught alone, after dark". The bottom line, authorities are quoted as saying, is to "take the most caution possible. Never walk anywhere at night alone, no matter how well-lit the area, and when it's time to drive away, get in your car and take off. Don't balance the checkbook or do anything else until you've left. And in case you're attacked, never hesitate to scream at the top of your lungs."