Tuesday, November 04, 2003

Word of Advice: Don't Rob This Woman's Bar!

She's an ex-cop, so that might get her special consideration, but this is Wayne County (Detroit) Michigan, so maybe not. Anyway:
Police: Bar Owner Kills Two Robbers With Single Shot

Wayne County Prosecutor To Review Alleged Robbery, Shooting
Helluva shot, but the "prosecutor to review" bit isn't encouraging.
Two suspected robbers are dead after a former police officer and owner of a Detroit bar fired a single shot, Local 4 reported.

The robbery and shooting happened early Sunday or late Saturday at Adela's place on the city's southwest side.

Police say the 49-year-old woman who owned the restaurant -- a retired Detroit cop who was a former member of Mayor Coleman Young's security team -- tried to hold the suspects in the parking lot until police arrived. But when the two men attempted to speed away, and nearly ran over one of her employees, she fired a single shot that apparently struck both men, according to police.
Well, that would be defense of another, and justification for use of lethal force. Being that she's an ex-cop, the presumption would be that she knew the law (though given the example of ex-chief Jerry Oliver in the post below, maybe not) and was aware when lethal force was justified.
"We've had some robberies in that area. We have some evidence now that may indicate that someone was robbed there and assaulted there. There attempted to be another assault against one of the employees, before the owner of this establishment fired one shot in an attempt to stop a fleeing felon," said Detroit police Inspector Marilyn Hall-Beard.

The two men -- Dorian Gordillo, 22, and Rosalio Becera, 33 -- were later found dead from a bullet wound in a car parked on the Interstate 75 service drive, according to police.

One of the men was reportedly still holding a beer in his hand.
Open container. Isn't that illegal?

Oh well, I suppose if you're going to go, do it with some sense of style. Lawbreaker all the way.

Regular Butch & Sundance.
Family members of Gordillo and Becera were initially confused over their deaths, Local 4 reported.

"He was a very good guy. He would never look for trouble. I don't understand what happened. I hope we can find some answers," said Barbara Gordillo, the sister-in-law of one of the victims.
"No! Our (brother, son, cousin, nephew, uncle, fill-in-the-blank) would never do something like that!" (Even though he probably has a rap sheet several pages long.)
Officers who had responded to the incident at the bar wrote down the description of the car that left the scene and later made a match with the vehicle in which Gordillo and Becera were found dead, Local 4 reported.

While the shooting appeared to be justified, the Wayne County prosecutor was expected to review the case to determine if the bar owner would face charges.
And that is, of course, his job. However, I find it fascinating that so few people are charged in the rural South and so many in the urban North.

Question: Was the gun the proprietoress of Adela's used registered?

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