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I think this guy was crazy, to do what he did.

rufe-snow
Just got this off yahoo. I'm really happy it worked out OK. But if the perp was a brain dead tweeker and his gun was loaded, all kind of bad stuff could have happened in a supermarket full of people.




INDIANAPOLIS - A customer at a grocery store stopped an armed robbery by pulling his own gun and holding the suspect at gunpoint until police arrived, authorities said.


Charlie Merrell, 51, was standing in a checkout lane at Bucks IGA Supermarket on Indianapolis' south side when a masked man jumped over a nearby counter and held a gun on a store employee, according to a police report made public Wednesday.

While the suspect demanded cash from workers, Merrell pulled his own handgun, pointed it at the robber and ordered him to put down his weapon, the report said. After a moment the suspect placed his gun and the cash on the counter, removed his mask and lay on the floor. Merrell held him at gunpoint Monday until police arrived and arrested the suspect.

Police said the suspect's gun was not loaded. Merrell had a valid permit to carry his gun, which was loaded, police said.

The suspect, identified as Dwain Smith, 19, was being held Wednesday night in Marion County Jail on initial charges of robbery, criminal confinement, pointing a firearm, battery and carrying a handgun without a license.
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Comments

15 comments

Date Votes
  • acdodd
    I have to agree with you.
    The guy took a big chance of getting an innocent bystander shot.
    AC
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  • Zebra
    I agree with acdodd, that scenario could've turned tragic if the perp did have a loaded gun. He should have waited till the perp walked outside and confronted him. Too many people with a CCW permit think they're Josie Wales or Clint Eastwood these days.

    My 2 cents
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  • Colt Super
    By the way, in other reports, it was stated that the Heroe had to rack his slide to chamber a round AFTER he challenged the bad guy.

    More balls than brains, but nonetheless a Hero.

    Doug
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  • AZEX
    Um....Yeah.

    For all the whining about how folks don't "do the right thing" and "honor is an anachronism"...when someone actually DOES something, takes the risk to protect his fellow men, you nervous nellies sit around 2nd guessing his actions.

    It wasn't like he started a running gunbattle with the guy. He had the drop of Mr. Tweeker. Mr. Tweeker thought he was dealing with a society made up of only nervous nellies who are too scared to do the RIGHT thing.

    Mr. Tweeker was mistaken. Thank God that a few people still have testicular fortitude.

    D.
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  • slipgate
    I vote that this guy did 100% the right thing. "what if the perp started shooting"? Yeah, what if he did? He could have got the money and then started shooting on his way out anyway. If more people would be like Merrell, less brazen robberies would happen.

    You don't negotiate with terrorists!
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  • p3skyking
    The only mistake I see he made was to not just shoot the guy. Cops have to take prisoners if possible, citizens don't. Surprise is your best asset when dealing with thugs.
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  • mrseatle
    What if he had left the store before police arrived with his two guns?
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  • goldeneagle76
    I think the guy did the right thing. We don't know 100% of the details unless one of us was there. Other than not having a round chambered, he was in the right.
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  • wwg55
    The real dummy was the thug trying to rob a joint with an empty gun
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  • GUNFUNCO
    I agree with Goldeneagle. Other than not chambering a round first (if that is what happened) he was the person that had to take in all of the circumstances and make a decision. Because it went well, he obviously made the right choices.

    If it had gone bad, we could all second guess but none of us were there having to make the choices and he at least decided to do SOMETHING, rather than sit around and wait for SOMETHING to happen at the bad guys choice.

    Little things can make a big difference. As an example-Maybe the perps facial expressions told the hero he could probably get away without having to open fire on him.

    Little details make all the difference and that is why you need to give the benefit of the doubt to the person taking the action. I say he is a hero because his judgments were correct, (in this particular case) anyway.
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  • Spider7115
    It's a good thing he wasn't in Texas - they would have blown his brains all the way to Arkansas! [:0]
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  • bigtire
    His name is Dwain Smith, sounds more like a crack head than a tweeker.[;)]

    I think the guy did the right thing. Good for him!
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  • He Dog
    Nellie? Nellie indeed young man, you are confusing us with Buschmaster.
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  • jwb267
    quote:Originally posted by AZEX
    Um....Yeah.

    For all the whining about how folks don't "do the right thing" and "honor is an anachronism"...when someone actually DOES something, takes the risk to protect his fellow men, you nervous nellies sit around 2nd guessing his actions.

    It wasn't like he started a running gunbattle with the guy. He had the drop of Mr. Tweeker. Mr. Tweeker thought he was dealing with a society made up of only nervous nellies who are too scared to do the RIGHT thing.

    JUST WONDERING, if that store employee was your wife, girl friend or some other family member would you still feel the same?





    Mr. Tweeker was mistaken. Thank God that a few people still have testicular fortitude.

    D.
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  • dheffley
    I'm not a cop, and I have no police training. I leave police stuff to the police and thier training and knowledge. That being said, and man has to do what he thinks is right, and if I thought I could save an inocent persons life, or if I thought I was about to witness an inocent person get killed, I don't know what I would do, but I think I would react.
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