Posted on 12/03/2005 11:45:29 AM PST by DogByte6RER
Man takes law into his own hands: Father shoots at robbers at Kent shop while gun is pointed at son's head
2005-12-01
by Bruce Rommel Journal Reporter
KENT -- For a few seconds, Frank Buell thought he was going to be shot in the head.
One of the three robbers who burst into Kent Jewelry & Loan ordered Buell to his knees and then jammed a handgun against the back of Buell's head, hard enough to leave a knot.
But the single gunshot that startled Frank Buell was from a pistol fired by his father, Nick Buell, who was taking aim at another robber.
All three robbers then fled.
Kent police think one of the robbers was hit by the single shot because they found no evidence of the round striking doors, windows or walls. Police are contacting area hospitals to see if the robber might have sought treatment for a gunshot wound.
Until the robbers ran from the business at 624 W. Meeker St., father and son were on opposite sides of a display counter on Tuesday evening, each unaware that the other was being threatened by an armed assailant.
On Wednesday morning, Frank Buell, 40, was carrying a Beretta semiautomatic pistol in a hip holster when he and other family members opened the business.
``I didn't want to be wearing a gun -- but now I guess you have to do something because of this,'' he said of Tuesday's attempted robbery just before the 6 p.m. closing time.
Nick and Beverly Buell have owned and operated Kent Jewelry & Loan in downtown for 18 years. Sons Frank and James also work there.
This is the first robbery at the store. Nick Buell said they've been trying to avoid ``the old pawn shop image'' and don't carry personal weapons when they're at the counters, although weapons are out of sight in strategic locations, just in case.
But Frank Buell, didn't have time to grab a weapon when the three men burst through the doors of the business and began yelling orders.
One forced him to his knees in front of a counter and held a handgun to his head.
``He put the gun to the back of my head and told me not to move,'' he said.
About the same time, another robber, holding a handgun in his left hand, started walking behind the same counter. Nick Buell, 64, sidestepped behind a display and grabbed his Glock 9 mm pistol.
``I held the gun with both hands and I dropped into a military crouch, which is what you do when you want to make yourself less of a target,'' the elder Buell recalled Wednesday.
He aimed at the robber walking toward him and fired one round and all three intruders immediately bolted toward the door.
``I don't think they expected any resistance and when I pulled out my gun and fired, they all ran,'' Nick Buell said.
``Then after they're gone I find out my son was on the floor on the other side of the counter with a gun at his head.''
The Buells said they are taking additional steps to increase security, including wearing sidearms.
``Fortunately, all of us here are pretty proficient shots,'' Nick Buell said.
Bruce Rommel can be reached at 253-872-6722 or bruce.rommel@kingcountyjournal.com
POLICE SEEK HELP IN FINDING ROBBERS
Kent police are asking the public's help in locating three armed men who attempted to rob Kent Jewelry & Loan just before 6 p.m. Tuesday.
All three wore masks. Two were black. The race of the third wasn't known. One wore a white, puffy padded- type jacket and a bright yellow ski mask.
One of the others wore an orange puffy jacket and dropped an expensive baseball-type hat with a silver ``76'' logo of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team. The white hat, with a pattern of smaller, gray National Basketball Association symbols, is a New Era 59Fifty brand hat.
The suspects fled in a light gray or tan two-door car with a Chevrolet insignia, possibly a newer model Chevrolet Cavalier.
Anyone with information is asked to call 253-856-5915 to speak with Detective Kathy Hotl, or leave a recorded message.
People also can leave anonymous tips and qualify for a cash reward by providing a tip to Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at 1-800-CRIME-13.
See: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1533352/posts
Actor Michael Douglas pushes for tighter gun control
And only some Hollywood leftist would want to take firearms away from law-abiding citizens after someting like this.
Great story that happens hundreds of thousands more times than the left would admit.
Chalk one up for the good guys. I'm sure this will be picked up and reported far and wide in the MSM.
Seems like if the father was going to shoot, he should have hit the guy with the gun.
A great story would have been three dead robbers.
All three wore masks. Two were black. The race of the third wasn't known.
Color me shocked beyond belief that they released this info!
Owl_Eagle
"You know, I'm going to start thanking
the woman who cleans the restroom in
the building I work in. I'm going to start
thinking of her as a human being"
I give Mr. Nick Buell a B+/A-:
-crime foiled
-no good guys injured
-perp hit
-no wild fire
If the perp dies, I'll regrade Mr. Buell's work: A+
Dead Perp and no injured good guys always gets the A+
A Glock has how many in the clip? Why fire only one round?
Anyway, good story with a happy enough ending.
he did.
Nick Buell shot at (and seems to have hit) ArmedPerpAlpha; His son, Frank Buell, was under the gun of ArmedPerpBeta.
The elder Buell could not see what was going on with his son.
we do not know from this report whether PerpGamma was Armed or not.
Just another example of out of wedlock births coming home to roost. Guns aren't the problem, bastards are!
The two guys who were not shot, better hope their buddy lives, or they will both be charged with felony murder and go away for a VERY long time. Life is hard.
Why is that?
Didn't see a sarcasm not so wasn't sure if you were serious.
There are two schools of thought. One is based on what may happen in the courts and is geared toward applying the least amount of deadly force that will resolve a "situation."
The other school of thought is based on combat and sometimes the courts and that is to keep firing until there is no more ammo and the treat is totally destroyed or gone. Sometimes the "I was so scared for my life I just pulled the trigger and didn't realize that I kept pulling the trigger until the firearm was empty" is both a classic sign of stress and a great argument in litigation.
Considering that the man's son may have been in the general direction of the firing, the store owner may have opted for the approach that minimized the potential harm to his son for a slightly off-target shot.
If dead, they will use the SSS method of disposal.
Another example of why you should use a .45. If elder Buell was shooting a .45 the perp would have been on the ground and only two would have run out the door.
Thanks. Yes I was serious. It would have been nice if he got a bullet in all 3.
Youre right..being as he didnt know his sons location and didnt want to accidentily shoot him, he fired once and they fled.
(had they not more rounds would have followed)
Hopefully the thug he shot will be forced to show up at a hospital or morgue. the fact that he hasnt yet suggests to me that his buddies are trying to patch him up knowing the PD will be looking for a wounded punk at the hospital.
Accuracy is more important than the caliber.
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