Robber, who had wounded two store clerks, was shot to death during liquor store robbery

This attack and its consequences are covered by the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. A couple of points should be made. This criminal was let out early on parole. This provides an excellent idea of why one should study the impact of gun control laws on murder rates, not homicide rates (note what the Coroner’s Office classified this defensive gun use as).

Robber was just paroled
Shot to death during liquor store holdup
Holly Abrams
The Journal Gazette
January 23, 2009

A man who was shot to death during the robbery of a south-side liquor store was recently released from prison after serving time for a string of robberies across the city.

Donald Nigel Jones, 29, was found in the middle of the street Wednesday after shots were fired inside Belmont Beverage, 1414 E. Tillman Road.

Fort Wayne police said Jones is the same man responsible for dozens of city robberies in 1999 and 2000. Jones pleaded guilty in Allen Superior Court to robbing nine Fort Wayne businesses and was sentenced in July 2000 to 20 years in prison. . . . .

Gunfire rang out at the store at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday when Jones entered the business armed with a handgun and demanded money, police said.

When officers arrived at the store, near Lafayette Street, Jones was lying in the middle of Tillman Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

His death was ruled the third homicide of 2009 by the Allen County Coroner’s Office. All have occurred in the city.

Meanwhile, a store clerk was found suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg. That man, who police have yet to identify, was taken to a hospital in fair condition. He was expected to be released Thursday, said Officer Michael Joyner, police spokesman.

Police believe two weapons were involved in the shooting but would not confirm whether the employee had an Indiana handgun license.

Joyner said Jones had taken money from the store, although he would not verify who fired a weapon first, whether the clerk fired a gun or whether the clerk had acted in self-defense.

Jones’ weapon was recovered at the scene, Joyner said. . . . .

Thanks very much to Jordan Nash for this link.

An update on the story can be found here:

Fatal shooting said to be in self-defense
By Evan Goodenow
of The News-Sentinel
Fri. Jan. 23, 2009
After a suspected robber shot his co-worker on Wednesday, a Belmont Beverage liquor store clerk didn’t wait to see if he’d be next.

The clerk fatally shot the suspected robber – whom Fort Wayne Police have identified as Donald N. Jones – in self-defense, according to Gary Gardner, Belmont operations manager. Gardner said Thursday that store surveillance video shows Jones enter the store, walk around the counter and shoot a clerk in the leg before robbing two cash registers.

“That’s what was so stunning to us,” said Gardner. “(Usually) all they want is the money and they leave, but not in this instance.”

The armed clerk was behind the counter when the man entered and was on the east side. After taking the money, Gardner said the masked man moved toward the front door, which is on the west side of the store.

As Jones was leaving, “that’s when the bullets started flying,” Gardner said.

Gardner said the clerk opened fire with the pistol he has a permit to carry because he believed he was about to be shot, given the robber’s actions and demeanor.

“The way he spoke, the way he carried himself, he was just very sure of what he (the robber) was going to do,” Gardner said. “The guy is not shaking. He’s not wavering. He knows what he wants. He’s already done harm to one employee.”

Thanks very much to Jordan Nash for this link also.