It's been a bad week for armed robbers . . .

. . . because sometimes their victims are armed, too.


1.  Jacksonville police: Man takes cash register from Walmart, tries to carjack 2 people at knifepoint

A man was arrested Friday after he took a cash register drawer from the Walmart at River City Marketplace and then tried to carjack two people at knifepoint.

. . .

A witness saw Hill get into a silver Ford SUV, but it did not appear to start, so he got out and ran.

Police said Hill approached a man who was sitting in the parking lot near Supercuts. Hill asked the man for a ride and the man refused.

. . .

According to the report, Hill put the cash register in the Reardean's truck bed and pulled a knife, cutting Reardean on the hands and leg, the arrest report said.

"I was basically just doing this, trying to get the knife off me, and he's like, trying to pull me and he yanked my shirt and ripped it all up," Reardean said.

Reardean said to Action News Jax that he was able to grab his pistol from his truck and pointed it at Hill, who then ran away toward Starbucks.

Hill ran to the car of a woman who was in line at the Starbucks drive-through. She told police she rolled down her passenger's side window to see what he wanted and she said Hill opened her door and got into the car.

The woman said Hill told her to drive because someone was chasing him. She told police she tried to push him out of the vehicle and he would not get out. According to the report, she was in fear for her life, so she got out of her car to to get her Ruger pistol out of her trunk.

Hill got out of the car and came toward her. She said she pointed her pistol at him and he ran away.

In both cases, it would have been better for the victims had their firearms been more accessible:  but, better late than never.  They both prevailed, and the criminal ended up in custody.


2.  Police: Man shoots 3 attempted robbers outside DeKalb shopping center

Three men accused of trying to rob a couple Friday afternoon as they walked to their car outside a DeKalb County Kroger were shot in the shopping center’s parking lot, police said.

. . .

Police said the male victim exchanged gunfire with the alleged robbers, injuring them. Those three men are in the hospital, police said.

The couple was unharmed.

Way to go, that man!

Both cases highlight the fact that one simply doesn't know when, or where, or how, an assault on your property or person may occur.  Better to be armed and ready to defend yourself.  That way, if it happens, you won't have to spend the rest of your life (which may not be all that long) regretting your lack of preparation.

Peter