An armed robber entered a gas station convenience store Dec. 21, 2023, around 1 a.m. in South Bend, Ind., and demanded money from the clerk at gunpoint. When the man then got into an altercation with the clerk, a customer believed the clerk to be in danger of his life, so he drew his firearm and fatally shot the assailant. The would-be robber managed to flee the store but collapsed nearby. The store’s security footage quickly confirmed the armed citizen’s account of events and the prosecutor was able to tell reporters the same day that the shooting was justified in defense of someone’s life and they would not seek to press charges. (wndu.com, South Bend, Ind., 12/21/23)
On New Year’s Day, a masked man allegedly entered a Taco Bell in Akron, Ohio, pulled out a gun and fired at an employee behind the counter. Another employee, a 21-year-old man, drew his own gun and fired back at the assailant, striking him in the chest. The would-be robber then fled with some of the money, only to show up at the hospital a short time later. Another man, who drove him to the hospital and who was apparently involved in the incident in some way, was arrested. The wounded suspect was in stable condition and was expected to face charges upon release. The police chief said, “To some degree, [he] could’ve saved or prevented someone from being seriously injured or killed—himself or others.” (news5cleveland.com, Cleveland, Ohio, 1/2/24)
