Concealed Carrier Shoots, Kills Armed Robbery Suspect in Convenience Store

A criminal entered a Philadelphia convenience store around 12:30 PM this past Wednesday. He was armed with a handgun and attempted to rob the store to make off with some quick cash. Unbeknownst to him, a customer in the store had a valid Pennsylvania concealed carry permit and a gun on him as well.

The customer drew on the suspect and shot him twice. Paramedics transported the suspect to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

We don’t have a whole lot of details other than that. What I do notice is that the news reports state that he had a valid concealed carry license, and there was no word whether he would be facing charges or not. That just seems like a strange statement. Why would he be facing any charges?

An armed robber comes into the store and holds the place up. A concealed carrier draws and fires on him in self-defense. Pennsylvania’s stand your ground law states that you have no duty to retreat from anywhere you have a legal right to be.

Now we can talk about whether or not you should get involved in something like this. This is usually just a cash grad where the suspect wants to inject fear into the clerk, so they quickly hand over the cash, and the suspect flees. If you are in the back of the store and see this happening, do you stand your ground and let the suspect flee? Do you draw your gun in defense of the clerk who you may or may not know? You have to make these decisions before walking out the door with that gun on your hip (or wherever you carry.) Read the article below to help you come to your own conclusions.

Defending Strangers: Legal and Practical Considerations