CHL shoots tire: BG caught, Pop Tarts saved

[Revet]

http://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/loca ... 72619.html

Azle Pop Tart heist goes awry

Citizen shoots rear tire of fleeing shoplifting suspects
Galen Scott, weatherforddemocrat.com

Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts Toaster Pastries: $2.99. A 500-pack of Q-Tips Cotton Swabs: $3.99. Gunfire on the streets of Azle over shoplifting groceries: priceless.

Several shoppers at the Albertsons Grocery store in Azle called 911 shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday claiming a man fired a small-caliber revolver at a car full of fleeing robbery suspects.

The man reportedly fired one shot, puncturing the driver’s side, rear tire of the suspects’ getaway car before sliding behind the wheel of his pickup and engaging in a short pursuit.

Police did not identify the shooter, though he was described as a valid concealed handgun licence (CHL) holder.

According to Azle Police Chief Steve Myers, the incident started inside the grocery store where staff members noticed a customer, later identified as Kyle Scott, 22, who appeared to be attempting to steal merchandise.

When Scott left the store, staff members confronted him, at which point he ran to a car waiting with three other people inside, Myers said.

Another customer at the store, the CHL holder, happened upon the scene and displayed his weapon.

“The information we have at this point is that the suspects, as they fled, gave the indication that they were going to run over our CHL holder,” Myers said.

According to law enforcement, CHL holders are allowed to discharge a weapon if they do so while protecting themselves or another person.

Myers said the CHL holder is not charged with a crime, at this point.

In a residential area a short distance from the grocery store, the punctured tire wore off, according to reports, and the man driving, identified as Michael Reiser, 38, exited the vehicle and fled on foot.

“They ran pretty much all the rubber off of it down to the rim,” Myers said.

The CHL holder was still behind the suspects’ vehicle when police arrived moments later and arrested the three individuals who remained inside, according to Myers.

After a short man hunt, Reiser was apprehended near an Allsup’s convenience store on the west side of Azle.

During the pursuit, police confirmed a number of items were discarded from the suspects’ vehicle, including a package of Pop Tarts Toaster Pastries and Q-tips.

Accompanying Scott and Reiser in the vehicle were Tami Mickey, 32, and Jennifer Jeffrey, 35, according to police. All four suspects remained in custody Wednesday afternoon and will likely be charged with robbery, though charges could be adjusted at a later date, Myers said.

Regarding the conduct of the CHL holder, Myers said the Parker County District Attorney’s Office will make a determination as to what charges, if any, might be appropriate.

[74novaman]

The story is written very poorly. Did he pull out his gun as they were attempting to apprehend the shoplifter? Or after they tried to run him over?

To me, he wasn't justified (or prudent) in engaging until they made an attempt to harm him.

Just running up to a crime in progress, pulling out your carry piece and attempting to solve others problems seems like a horrible idea to me.

[DoubleJ]

After a short man hunt, Reiser was apprehended near an Allsup’s convenience store on the west side of Azle.

sometimes, you just need a tastey Dr Pepper...

the way I read it, they were trying to run him down, he shot out their tire.

now, I don't know if he shoulda pulled his gat when attempting to aprehend the suspected shoplifter, but hey, maybe if our society had more people looking out for each other, we'd all be better off.

[HighVelocity]

Fired one shot at a moving vehicle, under stress and punctured the RR tire. That's a pretty good shot.

[Fangs]

I was under the impression that small arms were a poor choice for puncturing tires. Is there Tire O' Truth episode? ...couldn't find one, oh well, at face value I'm impressed. The fact that the CHLer hasn't been charged with anything supports the theory that he was justified.

[barres]

Fired one shot at a moving vehicle, under stress and punctured the RR tire. That's a pretty good shot.

Unless he was aiming for the driver's face.

[RHenriksen]

Putting a bullet through the sidewall is a lot easier than through the steel-belted tread.

I was under the impression that small arms were a poor choice for puncturing tires. Is there Tire O' Truth episode? ...couldn't find one, oh well, at face value I'm impressed. The fact that the CHLer hasn't been charged with anything supports the theory that he was justified.

[wcb]

"Another customer at the store, the CHL holder, happened upon the scene and displayed his weapon.

“The information we have at this point is that the suspects, as they fled, gave the indication that they were going to run over our CHL holder,” Myers said."
I would like to hear more about this. By the story above, it "sounds" like he drew his gun before they tried to run him over. But then again, "happened upon the scene" could also mean as they fled, the robbers attempted to hit him...
Either way Good guys 1 Bad guys 0

[mymojo]

The angle of fire and the story seem "off' to me.

For him to be in fear for his life the car would have to be pointed at him, right? But for him to hit the rear tire he would have to be to the side or behind the car. Whihc means he waited until the car had passsed him to START firing. I mean, I'm OK with shooting out a tire to stop the bad guys, don't get me wrong. But I dont think I buy the "in fear for his life" part of it.

[Aggie_engr]

I knew I had read about this before somewhere. Anyway, here it is. This version claims he was aiming for the tires but you never know. He may have been aiming for the cab but hit the tire, but unless they were driving by at approximately 5mph then I think it would be quite difficult to hit a tire with a handgun. Some people get lucky though!

Armed citizen takes out tires as shoplifters flee
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Gail Gilmore

Michael Reiser

A citizen with a “concealed-carry” handgun license shot out a tire on a car full of fleeing shoplifters, then followed them in his own vehicle Wednesday morning, helping Azle police apprehend four people who were subsequently charged with robbery.

Police officers from at least three agencies caught up with everyone in a neighborhood behind Allsup’s convenience store off Highway 199 west of Azle.

Four accused shoplifters had been spotted by employees of Albertsons grocery store and were attempting a getaway with less than $50 worth of miscellaneous items when they were spotted by a citizen in the parking lot. The citizen was carrying a properly licensed concealed weapon, Azle police chief Steve Myers said Wednesday afternoon.

The fleeing driver seemed to be headed straight for the citizen, who fired at the vehicle, striking a front tire.

Another citizen called 911 and reported “an undercover officer shooting at someone who tried to run him down,” Myers said.

That “undercover officer”, it was later discovered, was the armed citizen, Myers said. Both the caller and the “shooter” remained unidentified by police in the interest of their safety.

However, the man with the handgun got in a pickup and followed the suspect vehicle, which could no longer be driven by the time it arrived in the neighborhood, Myers said.

“I guess they thought they could turn off the highway and get lost out in the county,” he said.

However, that area is made up of just a few interconnected streets, with no other way out besides the highway, he said.

Arrested were Michael Reiser, 38, of San Angelo; Kyle Scott, 21 of Fort Worth; Jennifer Jeffrey, 35, of San Angelo; and Tami Mickey, 32, of Fort Worth.

Three of the four were apprehended at the vehicle by Azle police in the 400 block of Oakwood Street. Reiser, the driver, was caught by Azle officer Chris Negrete and a DPS trooper about 30 minutes later in the 1600 block of Willowwood Drive.

Both are off of Pearson Lane, north of the highway.

The four reportedly discarded the shoplifted items as they drove from the scene.

They will be charged with robbery, a felony, instead of shoplifting, a misdemeanor, because the car was used as a deadly weapon in their escape, Myers said.

Albertson’s is in Tarrant County, so charges will be filed with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s office even though the suspects were caught in Parker County. Azle police, Parker County Sheriff’s deputies and at least two Department of Public Safety troopers helped in the chase, Myers said.

The chief has mixed feelings about the help officers received from an armed citizen.

“Our concern in a situation like that is the number of people in the immediate vicinity of an individual who don’t have a way to know who or what he is,” Myers said.

“A uniformed officer is easily identifiable. But the public doesn’t know who (a citizen with a handgun) is, or how to help.”

On the other hand, this particular citizen did choose the most restrained use of his weapon, firing only at the tires of the vehicle and ultimately helping catch a car full of suspects.

[Frost]

They will be charged with robbery, a felony, instead of shoplifting, a misdemeanor, because the car was used as a deadly weapon in their escape, Myers said.

It looks like the official take on the incident vindicates the CHL holder.

[Fangs]

It's interesting to note that another citizen thought the CHLer was an undercover officer.

That's how I would like to be perceived, as opposed to "crazy man with a gun".

[A-R]

Interesting story, but I gotta admit that, knowing what little I know of the story, I don't think I would have fired in that situation. Perhaps he did not have an "escape route" to avoid the oncoming car, but to me diving out of the way of the car (at the risk of losing skin from my hands/arms/knees to the asphalt) is a better alternative to standing there and firing at an oncoming vehicle. This just seems a bit too much like a CHL holder trying to play LEO, IMHO.

I'm not saying this guy was wrong in a legal sense. And right or wrong in a "common" sense is certainly a valid question with different answers for different people. This is one of those worthwhile stories we can all read and play a bit of Monday Morning Quarterback as a good mental training exercise for ourselves.

My personal take is that firing at the car in this situation opened up the CHL holder to more potential "bad" outcomes than "good" outcomes - like if one of his shots had missed and/or ricocheted and hit an innocent person. Or if, by standing his ground and firing, he missed a split-second opportunity to avoid the car and was struck by the car.

But I am - admittedly - a bit more cautious and conservative regarding which situations I personally would or would not draw and fire my concealed weapon.

I'm glad the guy is OK and the bad guys were caught. And glad for the mental learning experience of this incident.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

Here's a thought:
Couldn't those San Angelo guys have stolen some Pop Tarts in San Angelo
instead of spending all that gas money to steal them in Azle (Near Fort
Worth in Tarrant County)???

[KD5NRH]

For him to be in fear for his life the car would have to be pointed at him, right? But for him to hit the rear tire he would have to be to the side or behind the car.

Most cars go backwards was well. Especially when leaving parking spaces.