Wounded Smoke Shop Employee Fatally Shoots Armed Robber

Seattle police are investigating a violent crime at a business in Ballard where a suspect shot a victim during a robbery. The victim, in turn, shot the suspect in self-defense.

The incident occurred on a busy street in the early evening, with witnesses reporting hearing multiple gunshots. According to police, the suspect had entered a smoke shop to commit a robbery. However, during the robbery, the suspect shot the employee.

The employee was armed or had a handgun nearby because he returned fire, striking the suspect. The suspect exited the store and then fell to the ground. When the police arrived, they found him dead on the scene.

Witnesses provided medical aid to the wounded employee. It was reported that they used belts to help stop the bleeding. The victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition but has been upgraded to satisfactory.

The quick action from witnesses may have saved the victim’s life. But using a belt as a tourniquet is less than ideal. I ALWAYS try to have a TCCC-Approved tourniquet on my person or close to me. We will cover many ways to carry a tourniquet in a future article. And knowing HOW to apply the tourniquet is essential as well. I always recommend, at the minimum, taking a Stop The Bleed class or getting TCCC certified.

The incident also underscores the importance of the Second Amendment and people’s rights to defend themselves. Without the ability to defend themselves, the victim, in this case, may not have been able to protect themselves from the suspect’s criminal actions.