Armed Citizen: Traveling Jewelry Salesman Shoots Two Robbers

[SigfanTN]

http://www.wmctv.com/global/story.asp?s=10665046

Police respond to shooting at Hobson Building
Posted: Jul 08, 2009 3:50 PM CDT Updated: Jul 08, 2009 5:06 PM CDT

By Janice Broach - bio | email | Twitter | Facebook

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC-TV) - Memphis police are investigating a Wednesday afternoon shooting in the parking lot of the Hobson Building in the 5300 block of Poplar.

Witnesses said the shooting occurred after a botched robbery, where four men tried to rob a jewelry salesman. Police said it appeared the four suspects had been tracking the traveling salesman for at least a week.

Building manager Joe Steffner said the salesman was in the parking lot when the botched robbery happened.

"There was a vendor calling on the tenant," Steffner said. "He went into the building...came out..there was a group of four men waiting on him."

Shots were fired, and two of the would-be robbers were hit. Investigators say the jewelry salesman is from Nashville, and has permit from Alabama to carry a gun.

One witness said the salesman held his gun on the two injured suspects until police arrived. They were both taken to The MED in critical condition.

Meanwhile, two other suspects left the scene in a white Ford Fusion, heading west on Poplar. Police are still searching for the men.

This happened within a mile of where I live and where I work. The "good" part of town. On the face of it looks like a good shoot. Hopefully they catch the other guys. Scary that these four might have been following the victim for several days. Good thing he was prepared.

He is from Nashville but has an AL permit? Maybe he just moved. Does AL issue non-resident permits?

 

[amprecon]

This is a reassuring occurrance.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

This happened within a mile of where I live and where I work. The "good" part of town.

You probably don't find a lot of jewelry stores in the 'bad' part of town.

Scary that these four might have been following the victim for several days.

So bad guys do their homework. Apparently, these guys didn't do it well enough. They probably knew his basic outward MO without knowing he carried a gun. They may have even come to the conclusion he didn't if he was sufficiently concealed.

I wonder how it was that the cops came to the conclusion he as been followed for several days.

 

[MikeGoob]

presumably they interviewed the surviving attackers.

 

[SigfanTN]

I wonder how it was that the cops came to the conclusion he as been followed for several days.

The story I linked to has been updated. Apparently the FBI has been following other similar crimes. It was reported that agents joined the MPD on the scene.

The witness said she heard the jewelry salesman tell someone over the phone that Columbians had tried to rob him. It is not clear how he knew they were from Columbia. She said they spoke very little English."

Investigators say South American groups have targeted diamond dealers in the Mid-South.

The attempted robbery comes a year after masked gunmen and knife-wielding attackers robbed diamond couriers in Arkansas as part of a crime wave across the South. FBI and police suspected the previous thefts could be part of what the bureau refers to as "South American Theft Groups" targeting diamond couriers.

FBI agents say the groups, crewed by illegal immigrants from countries like Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, stake out traveling salesmen and jewelry shows, sometimes traveling across the country for scores. Other victims reportedly told police they heard the men speaking Spanish in the lightning robberies, conducted in parking lots of hotels, jewelry stores and restaraunts across the South.

I went to pick up my dry cleaning earlier today, and police were there. There had been an armed robbery half an hour earlier. Of course this was unrelated, but another event that could have resulted in a shooting which happened so close to home. This city has a lot of crime, but it is not nearly as common in this part of town. I do carry daily, but my employer does not allow firearms at work. We do have armed security on site, but I might have to petition to get their policy changed or just carry at work anyway.

 

[rampage841512]

I don't think AL issues non resident permits and I'm also pretty sure TN requires you to have a TN permit if you work in TN even if you are not a TN resident.

 

[SigfanTN]

I don't think AL issues non resident permits and I'm also pretty sure TN requires you to have a TN permit if you work in TN even if you are not a TN resident.

Initial facts reported incorrectly, I think. The evening report says the salesman was driving a car with AL plates and lives in AL, not Nashville. You are correct about TN, though, but I don't think this person technically works in TN. He is a traveling salesman. TN recognizes all state permits.

 

[rampage841512]

Glad the report was fixed.

 

[lockedcj7]

The problem with Memphis is that you can be on a good block, go two blocks over and it looks like Baghdad. Two more blocks and it's nice again.

 

[hogdogs]

He should have given up the goods. His life was never in danger. The thieves only use the guns to impart fear. They don't really fire them...
[sarcasm] [/sarcasm]
least that is what many will lead you to think by their posts.... Glad the guy was okay but a good point of note is we all need to pay even closer attention to our surroundings. Not sure these guys would have been spotted but it would be nice to think you might get the notion days early to elevate your awareness level in following days. Just cuz yer paranoid don't mean you ain't bein' follered
Brent