Riot-torn Philadelphia contributed two nominees to 2020’s Darwin Award list on Tuesday.
Early Tuesday morning, looters decided to raid a South Philly gun store. Amazingly, it turns out if you and your buddies plan to ‘jack a gun store, a person with a gun might be there to stop you.
Such was the case in South Philadelphia at Firing Line, Inc., early Tuesday morning after a night of riots by “grief-stricken” looters, arsonists and vandals.
More photos from #phillyprotest pic.twitter.com/9dWqmLtap8
— Jlynne✨ (@Yoshepretty) May 30, 2020
NBC Philadelphia reports that the gun shop owner, a 67-year-old man, watched on his surveillance cameras as three or four burglars used bolt-cutters to break into his gate.
Looting a Gun Shop Has Its Perils
When they got into his shop, the owner introduced the bad guys to his M-4 Bushmaster rifle.
And this is a military M-4. http://t.co/yuHcNLTP RT @nytjim: This is what a Bushmaster .223 looks like. #CTshootings pic.twitter.com/wR4CTrtD
— Ian Boudreau (@iboudreau) December 14, 2012
The store owner shot one of the bad guys in the head. He died at the store. The others got away, though, at least one of the other bad guys sought help for a wound at a Philadelphia hospital. They left behind a pistol that didn’t belong to the gun store owner.
NBC reports the shooting comes after days of riots and looting, but now the owner might be in trouble.
The South Philly neighborhood where this happened has seen members of the community protecting stores from looting that has spread across the city over the past several days.
Police have been getting thousands of more 911 calls in recent days, many for burglaries, looting, vandalism and large crowds, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said. “We understand why.”The city’s mayor and police commissioner said later Tuesday they supported the rights of individuals to protect themselves and their property. But Mayor Jim Kenney said he was “deeply troubled at the ease with which another life has been taken amidst this chaos.”
Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said officials don’t endorse “vigilante justice or taking the law into one’s own hands” and encouraged people to protect themselves through “safe, nonviolent” methods if possible. But, she said, “there are very clear laws that allow us to protect ourselves and our property from harm.”
Victim of Looters Taken in for Questioning
NBC reports the store owner was taken in for questioning.
Police said the other men would likely be charged with burglary, but it could be looting just because of the climate of the city right now.
No charges were filed as of midday Tuesday.
The mayor weighed in on the shooting. “Looting has consequences.”
Police confirm that 9-1-1 calls for looting and riots have been up by the thousands since the riots began.
No disrespect to the family of the looter, but, and let me be clear, he shouldn’t have been trying to steal guns to hurt other people.
With this case, it means that Philadelphia has contributed two nominees for the Darwin Awards in one day.
The other nominee blew himself up while trying to break into an ATM.
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