Posted on 07/19/2018 10:49:11 AM PDT by Simon Green
Here’s a pro tip: don’t learn the law and the rules of armed self defense the hard way. A Lakeland, Florida gas station owner., Mehedeun Hasan, is in serious legal jeopardy after shooting a fleeing beer thief.
An owner of a convenience store in Lakeland has been charged with attempted murder after shooting at a man accused of stealing three cases of beer.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office officials said Rennie Defoe, 43, of Plant City, walked out of the Shell gas station on Combee Road North with three 18-packs of Natural Ice Beer without paying Tuesday.
The stores owners, Mehedeun Hasan and his father Q M Monsur Rahman, followed Defoe out of the store to confront him, according to authorities.
While no store owner wants to see his hard-earned money walk out the door in the arms of a brazen thief, Defoe — a multiple felon — clearly presented no danger to either Hasan or Rahman. Yet both followed him out of the store where Hasan shot him as he drove away.
Officials said a bullet struck Defoe through his left arm and chest. As he fled the area he crashed his car at intersection of East Main Street and Fish Hatchery Road, deputies said.
Defoe is listed in critical condition at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center.
Hasan faces attempted second-degree murder charges and shooting into an occupied vehicle.
And all over three cases of Natty Ice. Here’s hoping that Defoe recovers, if for no other reason than avoiding having Hasan’s charge upgraded to second degree murder.
There’s been a couple of these posts recently. Good stuff.
This should be legal.
He was standing his ground.
He should plead temporary insanity?
“Here’s hoping that Defoe recovers...”
No.
Hey, the thief was an aspiring rapper
There will never be 12 people in Florida to convict. It would have helped if the shooter weren’t obviously Moslem... Anyone else would have been a waste to procecute. People have had enough of this kind of nonsense
3 18 packs! Maybe he was thirsty?
Remember when criminals were locked away?
Maybe he was going to give the beer to flood victims?
I wonder if Defoe cooperates and presses charges.
I got a feeling he won’t. Probably not a good idea.
I think we are starting to see some vigilante things, I don’t support that but I do understand. Courts have been slapping people on the wrist and turning them loose like a revolving door for years. In some areas LEOs are reluctant to do their job because they know it is usually a waste of time.
The store owner may be a nut job or he just may be fed up from years of nothing happening to bad guys.
or sit outside an AA building and drink it
It is ridiculous to assume that unless there is bodily harm, one cannot protect their property or deter thieves, that we have to wait till there is death or injury. Is there any “right” to protect property from outright theft? Can anyone walk into any business establishment and walk away with anything as long as he can get away with it?
Yup. Hasan should be given a medal. He’s disposing of human garbage who has multiple records and no benefit to society. and will clog up the legal system.
Instead of locking him up, he should be given a parade...
How do your get “obviously Moslem”?
I suspect a Paki or Indian dude. Convenience store and all....
So a “brazen thief, Defoe — a multiple felon”... clearly presented no danger to either Hasan or Rahman. How does anyone know who wasn’t there know whether he was a threat or not? The guy walks out of a store in broad daylight with the store personnel following with his arms full of three cases of beer... maybe it looked like he was reaching for a gun when he put the beer down?
I have seen multiple incidents of people stealing booze from our local Fred Meyers and the clerks don’t even try to stop them these days.
Whether it is against the law to shoot the guy, prosecuting the guy and getting 12 people to convict is a different matter.
Grand Jury........No Bill.
“..Rennie Defoe, 43, of Plant City,..” The strawberry capital of the world.
OK, carry on..
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