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.
Agreed. There are too many criminals who do only a small proportion of their sentences. Even murderers can get parole after only a few years.
You want to see the guy tried for first degree murder?
Traditionally, stealing someone's horse (or car, or life savings) can mean the difference between life and death for an individual or his loved ones, and using deadly force to prevent such a crime is lawful in the State of Florida, at least in some cases—and many Florida juries simply will not convict a crime victim in such cases...
Political correctness is killing us in an inconspicuously slow fashion
Did they ax the thief why he stole the beer?
In TN, decades ago, I had a police officer tell me that you could perform a citizen’s arrest.
And that you had the right to use whatever force necessary including deadly force if necessary to bring the perp to justice.
But you can’t just go shoot someone. You have to try to arrest them. You have to warn them and the force used has to be necessary.
Don’t know if that’s changed or not.
The thief needs to be punished but I think anyone who has any firearm training knows; you can’t fire on a retreating person who is not actively shooting at you. To do so is attempted murder. Even the cops can’t get away with this if it’s on camera. If there’s is no threat to the store person then his only recourse is to get the plate number of the car and call the police. That’s it. Even grabbing the perp to pull him out of his car would be assault.
I know it sounds crazy but that’s the law. Even in stand your ground states the victim must be in danger. The store person was in no danger. It was $36 worth of cheap Natural Ice beer. Big deal.
I predict this thief, if he lives, will win a lawsuit against the store owners (the two who shot him) and they will lose their store over this because they will have to pay the perp more than they are worth.
Not only that; the shooter will now have a felony record preventing him from owning a firearm. Is all that worth losing $36 worth of cheap beer? Heck, the old man may even be considered complicit and get the same punishment. If they are really lucky they won’t go to prison.
What happened to "Stop or I will shoot?" Do victims have zero rights?
We’d all be better off if the thief was killed.
Sending them before judges to be set free in short order isn’t working.
These type of wild beasts need to be eliminated from society.
This is a breach of morality. Thug state.
If by chance Mehedeun Hasan, has a concealed carry permit he probably did not pay attention when he took the course. I positively do not agree with some one walking away with stolen goods, on the other hand this doesn’t give you the right to use lethal force to stop the robber, only if and when your life is in imminent danger something many people in the heat of the moment forget. Something what invariably comes back to bite them.
He wasn’t being threatened.
Not picking sides, but if you are going to use a firearm, you had better know the local laws on the use of deadly force.
He was protecting his property.
He was standing his ground.
But he didn't stand his ground. He followed the thief, who never brandished a weapon, out of the store and shot him while he was trying to drive off. I doubt there is a single CCW instructor who would say this was a justified shooting.
I have never dared to sample ‘Natty Ice’ but if even I had 3x18 ND’s I would be angry, as well...
That always makes me LOL.
I hope he made that sign as a joke. I mean, he had to.
Am I incorrect?
This action is not the purpose of a handgun. I understand you are angry and you want a quick solution to being very badly wronged, and with non-lethal illegal behavior. This is still an inappropriate application of deadly force.
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