This story comes out of Detroit, Michigan. And while it doesn’t involve a concealed carrier, there are some things we can learn from it.
The surveillance footage picks up with the shoplifter already in the store with an accomplice. Both men and the clerk are in an argument. I feel like this may have happened before, and the clerk has finally had enough.
He decides to grab his revolver and come from behind the cashier area. The pointed gun doesn’t phase the shoplifter, and he continues to yell back at the clerk. So the clerk decides to take a shot.
He completely missed the shoplifter and hits the guy he was with in the chest. Then they both ran off. Reports state that both the clerk and the shoplifter are now in custody. The man that was shot is in the hospital in critical condition.
We’re taking a look at this story because there are a few things we can learn from it.
1. Let go of your ego
Don’t let your emotions get the best of you. I’ll preface this with the fact that I am not a lawyer. But by the looks of it, this is not a justified shooting in the first place. The last time I checked, shoplifting wasn’t a felony. So this clerk should have checked his emotions, stayed in his cashier area, and let the men leave the store. He should have called the police, which probably would have arrived after they were long gone. But at least he wouldn’t be in jail.
Read more: Don’t Let Concealed Carry Go to Your Head
2. Get training and practice
If you are going to use a gun for self-defense, go out and get proper training and practice as often as you can. You can search our Firearm Instructor Directory to find an instructor near you. I know getting to the range often can be hard, but dry firing is free. The clerk shoots one-handed, completely misses his intended target and winds up hitting someone else in the chest. This could have been an innocent bystander or a child.
3. Don’t shoot a fleeing criminal!
I’ll say it again. Don’t shoot a fleeing criminal! While there may be some circumstances that warrant shooting someone that is fleeing (if they are going to commit another felony), in general, let me flee. If the clerk actually hit his intended target, he could have shot him in the back. That would be a hard act to justify in court.
So while I hate to report on things like this, where the good guys wind up in jail, they are good so that the rest of us can learn from it. Now, get out there, get some training, and get some practice in.
