Posted on 02/05/2015 11:18:26 AM PST by csvset
WILMINGTON | As police investigate a spate of recent homicides in Wilmington, the shooter in one incident may not face charges.
Saturday evening, the owner of a video poker business at 420 Raleigh St. was walking to his car when men with guns walked toward him, according to police. Bullets were exchanged and one of the alleged robbers, 38-year-old Frankie Stukes of Wilmington, was hit. Police found his body alongside the building about 10 p.m.
Wilmington Police Department Detective Kevin Tully said Wednesday the robbery victim ran back inside his business – Bourbon Street Amusement – for safety. Tully said the man, who has not been publicly identified, did not know he had shot anyone until police told him.
"It's pretty cut and dry," Tully said. "He was on private property and he was approached by gunmen who tried to take his money. As far as we're concerned, that was justifiable use."
He said police do plan to file charges this week against three other people allegedly involved in the attempted robbery. Names of the three have not been released, but Tully said they are all from Wilmington and will be charged with robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
North Carolina law allows someone to use defensive force if "he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm." In December 2011, the state's updated law went into effect expanding acceptable use of deadly force to motor vehicles and workplaces, in addition to private homes.
Calls and a voice mail left for Bourbon Street Amusement were not returned.
On Wednesday, the business was dark and several people at neighboring businesses said they believed Bourbon Street Amusement was permanently closed. Attempts to contact the owners of the 420 Raleigh St. industrial park were unsuccessful.
Police have described the business as a "video poker establishment," but it is unclear if Bourbon Street Amusement is a game parlor or gaming machine wholesaler. Per North Carolina law, sweepstakes gaming businesses are illegal, but suppliers are allowed to sell out of state or for use on Indian land under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Cammie Bellamy: 910-343-2339
On Twitter: @cammiebellamy
He should have shot the guns out of their hand. I saw it done in the documentary “Blazing Saddles” so I know it can be done.
Victims of wanna be perps ought to be able to take their scalps and display them on an effigy pole.
Don't they have proofreaders any more? The "victim" was obviously the dude found laying by the side of the building.
You forgot the /s
The victim should have laid down his pistol and surrendered to the criminals.
Negative. If a man is killed during the act of assaulting/robbing another, he is in no way a victim of anything. Dead yes, victim no.
I thought the “victim” label attached to the one against whom the greater wrong was done.
I must review my victimology lessons!
The kind hearted ones sometimes do just that, but some are mean as a snake!
That marshal Cogburn killed a whole flock of ‘em, just show he still had ‘it’.
If it had been in the "other" Wilmington (y'know, that'un up Nawth), it would have been so written.
Fortunately, Southerners have better sense (and are better shots).
Now that Rooster was a real man.
If a woman kills her rapist, she is still the victim.
There was no wrong done to the attacker. He was justly shot.
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