Store Owner Uses Gun to Help Authorities Catch Robbery Suspect

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Drizzt

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Store Owner Uses Gun to Help Authorities Catch Robbery Suspect

(Springfield Township, Ohio) -- A mini-mart owner took action when a man tried to rob his store on Sunday morning. And now, the robbery suspect is behind bars.

It all happened at Deano's Mini-Mart Too on McCord Road just north of Hill Avenue in Springfield Township. A robbery suspect entered the store at about 8:20 Sunday morning. Store owner Dean El-Joubeily was working in the store's back office. Unbeknownst to Dean, the man in the main store area had approached the female clerk. Dean told NBC 24, "(The suspect) came behind the counter and asked (the clerk) to give up the money or he was going to shoot her. She opened the cash register. She gave him all the money."

When the clerk came back to the office to tell Dean what had happened, Dean grabbed his gun, ran through the store, and confronted the suspect in the parking lot. Dean said, "This is when I drew my gun. And I asked him nicely to get out of his car. I gave him a chance to leave. And he wouldn't. He started to take off. This is when I had to do what I had to do."

Using his handgun, for which he has a concealed carry permit, Dean fired twice into the suspect's front left tire. The suspect sped away in the car. And the tire began to fray. Dean jumped into a car with one of his store customers, trailing the suspect and using his cell phone to call 9-1-1.

Lucas County sheriff's deputies joined the chase. The suspect eventually crashed into a mailbox on King Road and then fled on foot. A short time later, deputies caught 28-year-old Ronniel Lewis hiding in a barn in the woods near King Road. Lewis was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery.

When asked about Dean's actions, Lucas County Deputy Sheriff Jeff Summers stated, "I thought Deano handled the situation extremely well. Nobody got hurt. And the apprehension was made."

Dean told NBC 24 that he could have killed the suspect. But Dean said he's grateful that he made the "right decision," that no one was hurt and that the suspect was caught. And Dean added that he will handle any future robberies at his store the same way, saying, "I will not allow anybody to walk into my business and treat my employee or myself like that."

Dean extended heartfelt thanks to the Lucas County Sheriff's Office for their quick response to this robbery call. And Deputy Sheriff Summers returned the thanks, saying Dean's actions helped authorities take a "bad guy off the streets."

Ronniel Lewis is expected to be arraigned on the charge of aggravated robbery in Sylvania Municipal Court on Monday.

http://www.nbc24.com/Global/story.asp?S=2941523&nav=1aI5WKB7

I'm surprised the Deputy was as congratulatory as he was. As much as I support what the store owner did, that was a bit of a gray area to be treading in.
 
Sounds like a citizen's arrest to me

This guy did the right thing. I am very surprised that the cops agreed but am glad that he fulfilled his responsibility as a citizen. This seems to me to be a perfect case of a citizen's arrest performed exactly as it should be. He used just the proper level of force to attempt to restrain the criminal.
 
If it is outside Cinci it is probably pretty rural. As always, it's amazing the difference (typically) between urban/rural and elected Sheriff/appointed Chief.
 
When asked about Dean's actions, Lucas County Deputy Sheriff Jeff Summers stated, "I thought Deano handled the situation extremely well. Nobody got hurt. And the apprehension was made."


:what:

I am, quite frankly, amazed that a Deputy Sheriff said that.

Where's the obligatory, "Don't take the law into your own hands..."?

I like it. :cool:
 
When asked about Dean's actions, Lucas County Deputy Sheriff Jeff Summers stated, "I thought Deano handled the situation extremely well. Nobody got hurt. And the apprehension was made."

Didn't notice this before but, when the police spokesman calls you by your nickname vice your legal name, you are probably going to come out pretty good in the report. :D
 
How long before the armed robber is back on the streets? Better just to shoot the looters and skip the high cost of incarceration.

I hope no CCW holder will take this advice as it is clearly flawed. I don't know the exact situation, but the store owner may/may not have had reason to fear for his life.

Remember, your CCW is valid (at least in most states) to protect your life, not your property. It could have been easily argued if he had shot the suspect that he was trying to flee and this man murdered him in cold blood.
 
But you must also remember, than in some states, your place of business is much like your residence, and if the man claimed he was armed and would do bodily harm to the employees, then he had every right to shoot him dead.

Now after the guy has fled, not so much. But while he was in the store, very much so.
 
But you also must remember the context of this particular story too. No one is disputing defending your life in the store.

The shopkeeper:

1) Chased the guy to his car in an attempt to recover property. Fine.

2) Attempted to hold the robber at gunpoint to prevent escape. Great.

3) Shot out the tires of his car to attempt to prevent escape. Ok, apparently. A bit risky just in terms of where the rounds might end up, but apparently, legal.

If he had actually shot the guy, through the window or door, while he was trying to escape and no longer posing an active threat?

Homicide without legal justification.

We don't get to execute in retribution for any crime. But we can fire away in prevention of some.
 
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