Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Auto parts owner, 74, opens fire on robbers
Birmingham News ^ | 3/17/06 | CAROL ROBINSON

Posted on 03/17/2006 6:02:42 AM PST by Full Court

Auto parts owner, 74, opens fire on robbers

Friday, March 17, 2006
CAROL ROBINSON
News staff writer

A 74-year-old Birmingham shop owner stared into the barrel of a gun inches from his face Thursday, but said he felt no fear.

Joe Montabana could see there were no cartridges in the cylinder of the snub-nosed revolver. It was brandished by a bad guy and pointed straight at him.

Montabana got angry. And he fought back.

The longtime owner of Joe's Auto Parts near the Kingston community grabbed his own revolver, and moments later unleashed five shots toward the would-be robber.

"When he saw my gun, he went out the door really quick."

The fleeing man jumped into a waiting car occupied by two others. It was unknown whether anyone was injured; police were watching area hospitals to see if any gunshot victims would show up.

Montabana said it began when the man came into his 47th Street North store about 1 p.m. and asked him to duplicate a key. Montabana turned his back on the customer briefly, and when he turned back around the man had pulled the gun.

"He said something like `this is a robbery' or `you know what this is,' and he said `go around to the cash register,"` Montabana said. "I saw all the chambers were empty, so I just walked back behind the counter and got my own gun."

The robber immediately dashed for the front door. Montabana followed him and, once outside, opened fire.

"I just walked right here and started shooting," Montabana said, showing where the getaway car had been parked. "If I didn't hit the car, I don't know how I missed it."

Montabana opened the shop in 1965. The only previous trouble for his business happened 20 years ago, he said, when someone robbed the business, firing shots at his wife, who works there with him.

He seemed relatively unscathed by Thursday's event and said he had no qualms about firing his gun.

"He was robbing me. All I'm upset about is my damn lunch got cold."

E-mail: crobinson@bhamnews.com

© 2006 The Birmingham News



TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Alabama
KEYWORDS: alarmedcitizen; armedcitizen; bang; banglist; gun; guns; selfdefense
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next last

1 posted on 03/17/2006 6:02:42 AM PST by Full Court
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Full Court

Thank G-D for people like Joe Montabana!


2 posted on 03/17/2006 6:06:08 AM PST by 2001convSVT ("People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Full Court
He seemed relatively unscathed by Thursday's event and said he had no qualms about firing his gun.

"He was robbing me. All I'm upset about is my damn lunch got cold."

Gotta love the old coot. I want be like him when I grow up...In about ten years! :-)

3 posted on 03/17/2006 6:07:53 AM PST by Gorzaloon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Full Court
If he had actually dropped the guy, I hope he would've kept quiet about noticing the empty cylinders. "I was in fear of my life, your honor."

Of course, you can't see the one that might actually be lined up with the barrel.
4 posted on 03/17/2006 6:09:42 AM PST by Sax
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Full Court

Note to crooks. Put bullets in gun before entering store..........


5 posted on 03/17/2006 6:11:25 AM PST by Red Badger (And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sax
"Of course, you can't see the one that might actually be lined up with the barrel."

Good point. And one would have to assume that might be the case.

6 posted on 03/17/2006 6:12:36 AM PST by davisfh
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: davisfh

Yep, he might be operating under Barney Fife restrictions.


8 posted on 03/17/2006 6:17:29 AM PST by Sax
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Sax

Yeah, I hate it when I get ready to rob a store and find myself with only one bullet for my revolver.


9 posted on 03/17/2006 6:25:23 AM PST by Max in Utah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
Still more proof that most criminals are stupid.
Too bad the criminal did not get Zotted, it would have raised the collective IQ of the town.
10 posted on 03/17/2006 6:28:27 AM PST by Fraxinus (Warning: Opinion may be less useful than it appears)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Max in Utah

That's when you know times are tough.


11 posted on 03/17/2006 6:28:28 AM PST by Sax
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Full Court

Ut oh, the store owner has made a law-suit impending mistake. He said he could tell that the robber's gun was unloaded, therefore his life wasn't in jeopardy, yet he turns cowboy and pulls out his own pistol anyway!


12 posted on 03/17/2006 6:37:28 AM PST by xrp (Fox News Channel: MISSING WHITE GIRL NETWORK)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fraxinus

Cops here killed a scumbag the other night who had robbed a convenience store, then shot at cops. The world is just a bit safer with another perp gone.


13 posted on 03/17/2006 6:44:15 AM PST by TNCMAXQ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: xrp

The robber could of easily pistol whipped the old guy and killed him. The pistol would of cracked the old, thin skull like an egg.

The old guy did right.


14 posted on 03/17/2006 6:54:22 AM PST by Leisler (Mein Kampf for Nazis, Koran for Islam.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Leisler

Now now, you're thinking like a rational person. You MUST think like a liberal lawyer!


15 posted on 03/17/2006 6:57:52 AM PST by xrp (Fox News Channel: MISSING WHITE GIRL NETWORK)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

Comment #16 Removed by Moderator

To: Full Court
"He was robbing me. All I'm upset about is my damn lunch got cold."

Food drive in man...don't ever underestimate it....

ask my wife..she knows about such things..in men..and GSDs

17 posted on 03/17/2006 7:35:09 AM PST by joesnuffy (A camel once bit our sister..but we knew just what to do...we gathered rocks and squashed her!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Full Court
"He was robbing me. All I'm upset about is my damn lunch got cold."

Good sentiment - but a very bad thing to say aloud in this day and age.
18 posted on 03/17/2006 7:38:35 AM PST by Little Ray (I'm a reactionary, hirsute, gun-owning, knuckle dragging, Christian Neanderthal and proud of it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: davisfh

Depends. If'n the goblin was firin' double action, you don't care about the chamber lined up with the barrel - you care about the next one in the sequence.
If he was firin' single action, and had already cocked the weapon, then, well, are ya feelin' lucky?


19 posted on 03/17/2006 7:41:03 AM PST by Little Ray (I'm a reactionary, hirsute, gun-owning, knuckle dragging, Christian Neanderthal and proud of it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: 2001convSVT

Joe and his dad ran a sevice station near my home in the fifties. I worked some for them and they were a class act. Joe was a fine man and I am glad to know he is still working.


20 posted on 03/17/2006 7:41:57 AM PST by Lewite (Praise YAHWEH and Proclaim His Wonderful Name, His Son Yahshua Messiah is coming soon!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson