Dallas: Purse-snatching -> capital murder

[seamusTX]

In Dallas last week a real tough guy driving a pickup snatched the purse of a 76-year-old woman, dragged her 40 yards, and ran over her. She died Saturday. He is in custody and expected to be charged with capital murder.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/03/13 ... ected.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/03/13 ... derly.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/117779889.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/communit ... tioned.ece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is not the first purse-snatching that turned into murder, nor is it the last crime to occur in a Walmart parking lot.

- Jim

[MoJo]

I certainly hope the murder charges stick and a jury finds him guilty as charged.

[seamusTX]

This guy is so burnt he probably will take any plea bargain they offer.

- Jim

[chasfm11]

This is not the first purse-snatching that turned into murder, nor is it the last crime to occur in a Walmart parking lot.

- Jim

I've made sure that my wife saw this. After she got done reading "A Gift of Fear" and "Strong on Defense", she is better about following the prevention advice than before. She is finally starting to make noises about getting her CHL but I'm not sure that the poor woman in the OP would have had a chance if she had been armed (including on body). The only way out would have been to detect the BG early and move out of his reach.

Some people seem to make fun of Wally Walks but there is a lot more validity to being prepared in that parking lot than the average person in the general public believes.

[seamusTX]

It's worth noting that the victim apparently was lured into a vulnerable position by social engineering, that is, the bad guy feigning an apology for something.

Bad guys, sometimes assisted by women, will also ask for help, directions, or otherwise try to appear harmless.

Many people are susceptible to this approach. I was once. There are training programs for dealing with this kind of thing. Many police forces offer them. The NRA also has Personal Protection Outside the Home and Refuse to Be a Victim, but you can't find them in every area.

There is one sure way to avoid becoming a victim in a Walmart parking lot: don't go there.

- Jim

[Thomas]

There is one sure way to avoid becoming a victim in a Walmart parking lot: don't go there.

- Jim

Especially since Target is cheaper than Walmart.
(Recent news, one article here: http://chicagobreakingbusiness.com/2011 ... rices.html)

And since Target is also better than Walmart: http://steve-olson.com/10-reasons-targe ... -wal-mart/

[Beiruty]

There is one sure way to avoid becoming a victim in a Walmart parking lot: don't go there.

- Jim

Especially since Target is cheaper than Walmart.
(Recent news, one article here: http://chicagobreakingbusiness.com/2011 ... rices.html)

And since Target is also better than Walmart: http://steve-olson.com/10-reasons-targe ... -wal-mart/

There is no Ammo at Target? Why, I thought Target is what people shoot at Ammo should be stocked somewhere close.

[seamusTX]

A lot of crime occurs in Walmart parking lots because (a) they are the biggest retailer in the world, (b) most stores are open all night (when the zombies come out), and (c) they sell goodies like flat-screen TVs that are tempting to robbers.

That said, life is possible without getting within cootie-jumping range of the people of Walmart. I finally quit shopping there when it took me 35 minutes to buy two boxes of shotshells.

- Jim

[OldCurlyWolf]

This is not the first purse-snatching that turned into murder, nor is it the last crime to occur in a Walmart parking lot.

- Jim

I've made sure that my wife saw this. After she got done reading "A Gift of Fear" and "Strong on Defense", she is better about following the prevention advice than before. She is finally starting to make noises about getting her CHL but I'm not sure that the poor woman in the OP would have had a chance if she had been armed (including on body). The only way out would have been to detect the BG early and move out of his reach.

Some people seem to make fun of Wally Walks but there is a lot more validity to being prepared in that parking lot than the average person in the general public believes.

I always "go on alert"(transition from yellow to orange) whenever I hit the exit door. There has been more than once when I believe that alert stance has forestalled trouble.

[seamusTX]

I always "go on alert"(transition from yellow to orange) whenever I hit the exit door. There has been more than once when I believe that alert stance has forestalled trouble.

This is why most CHL holders don't even get close to trouble.

Robbers rarely are Rhodes scholars, but they are not blind stupid. They know to avoid adults who are alert and determined. These tough guys go after young, elderly, preoccupied (with cell phones, etc.), or women with infants in arms.

- Jim

[ELB]

..I finally quit shopping there when it took me 35 minutes to buy two boxes of shotshells.

- Jim

Interesting, that's how I usually avoid the long lines when I have only a couple items (and can't avoid Walmart altogether). I found that if I go to the ammo counter and ask for a box of .22s (always handy to have another box), I can also pay for the other items as well. The only flaw in my tactic is when they can't find the one employee on shift that is allowed to sell the ammo...

[seamusTX]

On that fateful trip to Wally World, I was in line behind two people buying fishing licenses. They have some kind of special register (terminal) for that. Then I had to spell out in short words and simple sentences what 20-gauge #8 shot shells were.

This was in the 2008-9 ammo drought.

indeed.

- Jim