Jeweler Fights Off Robbers; 1 Dead (Downtown Los Angeles)

LA Times ^ | 11/7/05 | From a Times staff writer

[BurbankKarl]

A downtown jewelry store owner fought off two men who tried to rob him at gunpoint this afternoon, shooting one dead and seriously wounding the other, authorities said.

"The owner sustained a gunshot wound to the hand and is in OK condition," LAPD Sgt. Catherine Plows told KCAL television, "one was shot dead, and the other was shot in the neck," Plows said.

The shooting in the 400 block of West 7th Street took place just before 2 p.m., police said, at the Lucky Gems store.

[shekkian]

I remember reading about a jewelry store owner in California who was targeted for armed robbery several times over a period of several years, and he fought them off every time. It got so bad that it became personal, that the last robber's family or fellow gang members threatened to spray the place with automatic fire. The shop owner was then forced to close up and sell on-line.

[shekkian]

I tried to watch O'Reilly the night he was supposed to have Phil Donahue on but it was precluded by that heroic airplane landing.

He replayed it the next night. It got very personal and very nasty. It was incredible.

[DMZFrank]

"he fought them off every time"

He did more than that. He killed a whole bunch of them, at least four, and wounded others I think. when I went through Police firearm instructor training, they showed an interview of him on an ABC (suprise suprise maybe 20/20) news magazine show. They posited him as a near perfect example of firearm preparedness and combat ready mindset. This guy was neither a soldier or a cop, but in my many years as a combat vet and a shot at cop, he was one of the coolest and focused gun fighters that I have ever seen. Wish I could remember his name.

[shekkian]

I read about him in the Ayoob Files in American Handgunner magazine (my favorite gun mag).

[DMZFrank]

Can you refer me to a link to his name and story?

[TC Rider]

Second perp had a neck wound. I'd give the store owner an A+ for dealing with two bad guys, at least one armed.

He should work on double taps.

[shekkian]

I'm searching through American Handgunner's website for back issues. I think the article was put out in 2000, and the jeweler's name was Roy Aultman. I'll have to fish through my own back issues, but that's what I have for now.

[ibbryn]

I saw this story reported on a LA based news station. The lead read Jeweler "takes justice into his own hands." During the story the reporter stated the jeweler was being beaten, tried to get away, the badguys started shooting at him and the jeweler then shot at him.

The lead could have said "Jeweler sucessfull in fight for life" or "defends self" but instead said "takes justice into his own hands" like he was a vigilante or something.