Posted on 04/05/2008 6:11:27 AM PDT by marktwain
A grand jury will decide whether a Houston convenience store owner was justified when he fatally shot one of two men who tried to rob his business late Thursday night, authorities said today.
Peter Quang Dan fired at two men as they fled his store in southeast Houston, hitting one in the head, Houston Police said. The man's name has not been released.
Police said he and another man entered the Colony Express Market at 2525 Broadway about 11 p.m. and robbed Dan, who was behind the cash register.
Dan, 50, told investigators one of the men pistol-whipped him after demanding cash, then forced him to lie on the floor of the store. As the two fled, Dan grabbed a pistol he keeps in the store and fired, police said.
Dan was not seriously injured in this attack.
A woman behind the checkout counter at the store this morning identified herself as Dan's wife. She declined comment.
Customer Angela Bradley, who works across busy Broadway at James S. Deady Middle School and has known Dan for 15 years, said she was shocked to hear about the incident but thinks Dan did the right thing.
"It's sad but he's got to protect his business," Bradley said.
Joanna Tamez works at a tax preparation service her father runs in the same strip-mall that houses Dan's business. Other neighboring stores include a nail salon, a hair salon and a laundromat.
"They are really nice people," Tamez said of Dan and his wife. "I really was completely shocked when I heard about it this morning. I really got goose bumps."
Dan is a kind man who keeps an eye on the area, she said.
"He looks out for us," said Tamez.
Tamez and Bradley said they are not aware of lots of robberies or other crimes in the area, just off South Loop East. She said she sometimes locks the tax service doors when her father is not around but she is not in constant fear.
Police continue their search for the second man, who was armed with a black semiautomatic pistol.
Great shot, Mr. Dan. Too bad you didn’t get the second thief too.
Is there a video of this?
Now, for the Kenny Blankenship's, "Most Painful Elimination of The Day ", slo-mo replay.
“A grand jury will decide whether a Houston convenience store owner was justified when he fatally shot one of two men who tried to rob his business late Thursday night, authorities said today.”
Better to be judged by twelve than carried by six.
Standard procedure in Texas. A "good shoot" like this one almost always gets a "no bill."
Amen.
I love happy endings.
I sure would like to be on that grand jury.
He won’t be charged.
Hell, I'd give him a medal!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.