Gas station attacks - Need to stay aware in Houston

[bigcarl64]

I work in this area, although I haven't filled up here before:

Robbers shoot store customer in back

11:54 AM CDT on Sunday, June 10, 2007

11 News staff report

A gas station customer was robbed, forced to lie on the ground and then shot in the back during an armed robbery Saturday night. The unidentified victim was in Ben Taub hospital Sunday morning in serious condition.

The shooting occurred about 9 p.m. at a Shell gas station and convenience store at Beltway 8 and FM 249. Police said two masked men entered the store demanding money from the clerk and the customer.

After taking the customer’s wallet, the gunmen ordered him to the ground before emptying the store’s cash register. As the robbers exited the store one of the gunman, shot the face down customer once in the back.

The pair took off in a SUV that was parked behind the store. Authorities did not reveal how much money had been taken.

[longtooth]

This is the reason to never comply. FIGHT BACK SOME HOW.

[seamusTX]

BTW, this is not a "bad neighborhood." It's on the south edge of Houston. I drove by the place Friday.

- Jim

[John]

This is the reason to never comply. FIGHT BACK SOME HOW.

[frankie_the_yankee]

FWIW, when I'm waiting in line or even shopping in a small store I make it a point to glance out the windows every so often. I started doing this after a donut shop that I frequently stop at was robbed by two armed guys one morning when I could have been there but wasn't.

[hi-power]

FWIW, when I'm waiting in line or even shopping in a small store I make it a point to glance out the windows every so often. I started doing this after a donut shop that I frequently stop at was robbed by two armed guys one morning when I could have been there but wasn't.

Amen to that! You have to keep your head on a swivel nowadays so there are no surprises.

[Venus Pax]

Gas stations, AKA "stop & robs", are notorious for criminal activity.
I try to go during the day & keep my head on the swivel.

I've found paying at the pump and not going inside to buy something a wiser choice. Most of what the convenience store has can be purchased for less money at a grocery store or Wal-Mart anyway. When you do go to one to pump, it never hurts to say a little prayer for the employees.

[BadCo45ACP]

The news article isn't exactly correct w/ regards to location. There is no F.M. 249 in the Houston area. F.M. 149 was upgraded & re-designated TX 249 a few years back. The shell station is at the intersection of TX 249 & beltway 8 which is on the extreme nnw edge of the city limits just south of willowbrook mall and east of the horse track. Altough not the worst area of Houston, its still not a place I'd want to be unarmed at night.

[T3hK1w1]

BadCo45ACP is correct about the location, I work less than 5min away from there and got gas there less than a week ago. The northwest side is the safest part of Houston, bad to see this. I hope they catch that crook.

[BamBam]

The northwest side is the safest part of Houston, bad to see this. I hope they catch that crook.

I would not go that far. Dont forget about the Sugarland and Clear Lake parts of town.

[HKUSP45C]

I LIVE about 2 miles from that intersection. That area of town is nicer than most IMHO. It's certainly "economically diverse" but not someplace I'd feel uneasy about boppin' around. Well, any moreso than anywhere else anyway, and a lot less than some other areas.

I hate it that this happened but it certainly does reinforce some ideas I've always held as valid.
1. Be aware of your surroundings, look and listen for trouble. Trouble avoided is my favorite kind.
2. Don't pen yourself in. If I MUST buy something that I need now but didn't need when I left the house I try to limit my purchases to places that are inconvenient for robbers. Like the grocery.
3. Compliance is not generally a healthy or optimal option. I'd be hard pressed to trust my life to the benevolence of a guy whose idea of a "fair shake" is stealing money from strangers at gun point.
4. Handguns, in general, are not, I reapeat: NOT! "man killers." Sure you can kill someone with them, but a persons odds of survival when shot once with a modern handgun are pretty darn good if you ask me. They do go down dramatically with each successive center mass hit though. Guns are not a magic wand, just a tool in the box.

Well, there are bad 'hoods in this town, I STILL don't think this one falls into that category. Hell, I had a broken watch that was exactly right twice a day.

[frankie_the_yankee]

2. Don't pen yourself in. If I MUST buy something that I need now but didn't need when I left the house I try to limit my purchases to places that are inconvenient for robbers. Like the grocery.

Only one problem. In some places, like where I live, the grocery will have a long line while the stop 'n rob will have a short or no line. That's why they call them "convenience stores". Time is money as the saying goes.

Besides, I don't want to simply hand over that "turf" to the BG's.

Now there's plenty of places I will avoid out of simple prudence and a desire to avoid problems. But if a place looks "normal", I will use it if I want/need to. Maintaining a high level of alertness puts me ahead of the game, IMO. The last thing the BG's want to see when they enter the store is someone who has "made" them and is "ready".

Ruin their whole day.

[HKUSP45C]

Fair 'nuff ... I can agree to disagree on that point with you.

[Venus Pax]

Frankie,
I don't believe you're handing over "turf" to them by avoiding these places. Many people still frequent these places; most are law-abiding tax payers that aren't there to knock off the person at the cash register.

I just don't think it's wise to go there at 9:00 at night for a slurpy. (I don't even care for these places during the day.)

I still think the best gun fight is the one you don't have to get into. There's no making comments to police, no wasted bullets, no legal fees (no offense, Chas), and no giving my dad another heart attack. The gun fight you avoid does not bless you with accusations by the attacker's mother that you shot someone in cold blood. If you were really lucky and your attacker was black, you skip the portion of your name being trampled all over the news by Quanel X. The gunfight you miss also means that you aren't dealing with accusatory glances when you return to your job.

If your life is in danger, defend it no matter what. But if you can avoid it, do so. You'll save yourself some trouble.

[KRM45]

I still think the best gun fight is the one you don't have to get into. There's no making comments to police, no wasted bullets, no legal fees (no offense, Chas), and no giving my dad another heart attack. The gun fight you avoid does not bless you with accusations by the attacker's mother that you shot someone in cold blood. If you were really lucky and your attacker was black, you skip the portion of your name being trampled all over the news by Quanel X. The gunfight you miss also means that you aren't dealing with accusatory glances when you return to your job.

If your life is in danger, defend it no matter what. But if you can avoid it, do so. You'll save yourself some trouble.

Well put