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Sig220Man
03-15-2003, 10:18 AM
In the spirit of the post about the British farmer who was prosecuted for shooting and killing an intruder in his own home, here's one that's truly mind boggling (at least as far as I can tell from the details in the article):

<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2849227.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2849227.stm</a>

GUARD QUESTIONED OVER ROBBER'S DEATH: A Tesco security guard is being questioned after a robber was shot dead during a raid at an east London supermarket.

Police arrested the guard after it was alleged the robber was shot in the head with his own gun.

Detectives said three masked men ambushed a Securicor van outside the supermarket in Gainsborough Road, in Leytonstone at 0805 GMT on Thursday.

It was initially thought the robber, who witnesses say was wearing a boiler suit and a balaclava, had been shot by one of his accomplices.

The two other raiders, who are believed to have escaped with thousands of pounds, are being sought by detectives.

The security guard, who intervened along with other Tesco staff, suffered a bullet wound to the leg.

No shots were fired by police officers and no-one else was hurt in the shooting.

Eyewitnesses say five or six shots were fired.

Passers-by attempted to revive the robber at the scene, but he died at about 1330 GMT at Whitechapel Hospital.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Following a scuffle at the scene, one man believed to be one of the suspects in the robbery, was shot in the head."

The Ford Orion in which the two men escaped was found abandoned nearby.

They are thought to have then driven off in another car.

A police spokesman said a file will be sent to the Crown Prosecution Service which will decide if a prosecution will be brought.

So let me get this straight: an apparently UNarmed security guard (considering the UK's attitude towards armed bobbies, I doubt this "rent-a-cop" was carrying), who did what he was paid to do (protect the store and its customers), BRAVELY intervened in an armed robbery of an armored car in the store parking lot, got shot in the process, and is now being prosecuted because some low-life puke got shot with his own gun in the struggle (thus saving the British taxpayer a lot of money in terms of trial, imprisonment, and most importantly, the potential for future violent crime from him)? :confused: :mad:

Am I missing something? Or does this make even less sense than the farmer shooting the intruder story?

Bill R
03-15-2003, 11:16 AM
Unless people in this country wake up, the same will happen to us.

Mike Tx
03-15-2003, 03:09 PM
It's already like that in New York city. Remember Bernard Goetz? Another guy very recently shot a home invader in his childs bedroom in New York, and the DA is prosecuting him for a firearms violation. The DA should be sent to the pen instead, with 90 perscent of the rest of the politicians.

Urban Jedi
03-16-2003, 05:29 AM
Its great, isn't it?

The security guard (who I GUARANTEE would be on about

Mike Tx
03-16-2003, 07:14 AM
Maybe the unarmed victim was trying to arm himself, or maybe the unarmed victim was trying some other way to hurt the guy. That's legal over there I suppose.

IPDBrad
03-16-2003, 11:24 AM
Maybe one of our English counterparts can advise if the guards our armed in The Isles. I would be interested to know who brought the gun to the robbery.

It the guard was already armed, kudos to him. If he took the gun from the robber....knighthood.

God help us all from liberalization.

Oops, sorry.

Whatever your greater power may be or lack of one, help us all from liberalization.

I raise my double mocha latte from Starbucks to toast ye.

Sig220Man
03-16-2003, 11:53 AM
The way the article reads, it sounded like the bad guy accidentally shot HIMSELF in the head during the struggle. That's why I was questioning why the security guard was placed under arrest.

Mike Tx
03-16-2003, 12:26 PM
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Or does this make even less sense than the farmer shooting the intruder story?</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">It makes perfect sense to the English. They don't believe defending lives from criminals attack. Just today on cspan, a caller from england called in and said he disagrees with the Bush administration because, as he put it, "you just can't fight terrorism." He said we should just stop trying to fight them and leave them alone.

SpecOpsWarrior
03-16-2003, 12:46 PM
Since the security guard is being prosecuted I thought it meant that he was able to take the robber's gun and kill him with it.

If thats the case, he deserves a medal!

Another shining example of how gun control will save lives! :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Deputy757
03-16-2003, 04:27 PM
Well, it doesn't say from how far away the robber was shot. I guess you could surmise that after the guard gained control of the firearm, that the robbers were attempting to escape and fired on the guard (he was shot). Perhaps he returned fire and hit the one bad guy that wasn't armed anymore. If that's the case....tough luck for mister bad guy! :D
Or, I guess he could have been struggling with the bad guy when the gun went off. Again...tough luck! :D
The only way I could see charging this guy is if he executed the bad guy. Even then, I would do so reluctantly.

IPDBrad
03-16-2003, 07:55 PM
When I read the article I pictured one or the other having a weapon, for some reason I assumed the robber had one, a struggle ensuing for the weapon in which both were shot?!?

Sgt Lobster
03-17-2003, 10:42 AM
Can't really help not my police area. Having read the report mentioned by Sig220, and other articles it would appear the bandit was shot with his own or an accomplicies weapon.

Tesco is a large national supermarket chain; and I can state without fear of contradiction they do not issue their security guards with firearms or any other weapon for that matter.

One thing I have learnt is not to may too much attention to news reports. Clearly the guard would have to be interviewed by police. A Coronor's Inquest will be held into the bandits death and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will have to decide on any subsequent prosecution.

In my view if you carry out armed robberies and end dead by means of reasonable and lawful force then tough.

Lobster.

Urban Jedi
03-17-2003, 08:35 PM
The security guard shot the robber in the back of the head with the robbers gun, discarded during a struggle. The security guard was, prior to this, shot by one of the robbers.

Now seems fairly reasonable, I have to say.

Mike Tx
03-17-2003, 09:18 PM
I wonder how long the gaurd will be sent to prison for?

Bill R
03-18-2003, 09:40 AM
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Urban Jedi:
<strong>The security guard shot the robber in the back of the head with the robbers gun, discarded during a struggle. The security guard was, prior to this, shot by one of the robbers.

Now seems fairly reasonable, I have to say.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The guard's actions or those of the court?

IPDBrad
03-18-2003, 11:16 AM
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Bill R:
<strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Urban Jedi:
<strong>The security guard shot the robber in the back of the head with the robbers gun, discarded during a struggle. The security guard was, prior to this, shot by one of the robbers.

Now seems fairly reasonable, I have to say.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The guard's actions or those of the court?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Hhmmmm, nice work, give that man a medal! One less dirt bag willing to harm others on the street.

Urban Jedi
03-18-2003, 12:41 PM
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The guard's actions or those of the court? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Hmmmmmm. The guard, of course!

Bill R
03-18-2003, 01:27 PM
Jedi, just checking. :D