It was a shotgun he tried to grab. He was unarmed, but trying very hard to become armed by stealing again.
I do remember that St. Trayvon Martin got so mad about being profiled that he was pounding the head of the 'white Hispanic' into the sidewalk when he got shot.
So maybe the fear of being 'profiled' is stronger than the fear of being shot. Just one of those things yinz white guys wouldn't understand.