Pharmacist Shoots and Kills would be Robber

[actaeon277]

Unless you're in California.

Or New Jersey
Or DC

 

[KellyinAvon]

Good's Family Pharmacy in Pinch (Kanawha County) West Virginia. Ya gotta like it. I don't care how cold it is, people will remove their ski-masks before entering this pharmacy.

 

[BogWalker]

I think this is a line of work where, regardless of company policy, I'd still carry.

As somebody entering school for pharmacy, I have to agree with this statement. You're stuck in a building full of pain killers, narcotics, and amphetamines. It's a pretty nice target for thieves.

 

[mbills2223]

As somebody entering school for pharmacy, I have to agree with this statement. You're stuck in a building full of pain killers, narcotics, and amphetamines. It's a pretty nice target for thieves.

Welcome to the show

 

[jagee]

Freakin drug dealers...always out shootin people. Geez, get a job!

 

[g00n24]

.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Too bad more pharmacist didn't protect themselves and clients.
I know, it's the companies fault.

Protect themselves, or protect the drugs?

Just to pay Devil's Advocate for a minute, we've had hundreds of pharmacy robberies in Indy since I've been a detective. Seriously, hundreds. Not one pharmacist has been killed or seriously injured, and only a tiny fraction have been touched in any way. People who steal drugs are generally doing it for an organized criminal enterprise, and many report having some rudimentary "training" on what to do and how to act. Arming pharmacists might help protect the drugs, but would likely put the pharmacists themselves in more danger. Most of these folks aren't gun people, aren't trained in taking the appropriate action under stress, etc. I'd rather see armed guards than armed pharmacists, but really you could address this particular problem with some layout and policy changes.

The companies could protect the pharmacists and clients by simply making it more difficult to rob. Glass partitions like the old bank tellers, counters you can't jump, time delay safes for the popularly targeted drugs (which Wal-greens is implementing), would make a huge difference. Many won't though because they say it compromises the customer service experience.

 

[searpinski]

Thank you for posting this. Always nice to see things turn out the way they should.

 

[searpinski]

Freakin drug dealers...always out shootin people. Geez, get a job!

...hahaha

 

[rhino]

'MERICA!

You dont put guns in people's face and not expect to get shot.

Indeed!

I was impressed by the fact that he kept his focus and was ready to continue servicing the threat when the bad guy raised the gun again.

Welcome to the show

Hush, you!

Protect themselves, or protect the drugs?

Just to pay Devil's Advocate for a minute . . .

On the other hand, based on the news story, the pharmacist in question was plenty capable of solving the problem he perceived at the time. The outcome speaks for itself and I interpret it as an appropriate response.

 

[mbills2223]

In response to BBI (sort of), I can say that being on the receiving end of such a situation is...****ty. You're right that they typically have no intention of harming the pharmacist or other employees, but to be honest, when a presumed loaded gun is pointed at me in a threatening manner, I don't particularly care if the robber intends to do harm or not.

FWIW, I wouldn't mind protecting the drugs either...It might just save a life in the end (in the perfect world ).

 

[ModernGunner]

Here's a 'crazy' thought: Don't attempt to rob and steal, and the chances of being shot for it go down significantly.

 

[actaeon277]

Protect themselves, or protect the drugs?

Just to pay Devil's Advocate for a minute, we've had hundreds of pharmacy robberies in Indy since I've been a detective. Seriously, hundreds. Not one pharmacist has been killed or seriously injured, and only a tiny fraction have been touched in any way. People who steal drugs are generally doing it for an organized criminal enterprise, and many report having some rudimentary "training" on what to do and how to act. Arming pharmacists might help protect the drugs, but would likely put the pharmacists themselves in more danger. Most of these folks aren't gun people, aren't trained in taking the appropriate action under stress, etc. I'd rather see armed guards than armed pharmacists, but really you could address this particular problem with some layout and policy changes.

The companies could protect the pharmacists and clients by simply making it more difficult to rob. Glass partitions like the old bank tellers, counters you can't jump, time delay safes for the popularly targeted drugs (which Wal-greens is implementing), would make a huge difference. Many won't though because they say it compromises the customer service experience.

Whether they allow a pharmacist to carry or not, I do think they should protect them better.
Something about a "safe work environment".

 

[mbills2223]

I agree act. Although, several locations in the Indy area have been robbed with a security guard on duty...obviously wasn't the A- team

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

Protect themselves, or protect the drugs?

Just to pay Devil's Advocate for a minute, we've had hundreds of pharmacy robberies in Indy since I've been a detective. Seriously, hundreds. Not one pharmacist has been killed or seriously injured, and only a tiny fraction have been touched in any way. People who steal drugs are generally doing it for an organized criminal enterprise, and many report having some rudimentary "training" on what to do and how to act. Arming pharmacists might help protect the drugs, but would likely put the pharmacists themselves in more danger. Most of these folks aren't gun people, aren't trained in taking the appropriate action under stress, etc. I'd rather see armed guards than armed pharmacists, but really you could address this particular problem with some layout and policy changes.

The companies could protect the pharmacists and clients by simply making it more difficult to rob. Glass partitions like the old bank tellers, counters you can't jump, time delay safes for the popularly targeted drugs (which Wal-greens is implementing), would make a huge difference. Many won't though because they say it compromises the customer service experience.

Fair enough. Let me play Devil's advocate. Is it the odds and not the stakes, then?

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Fair enough. Let me play Devil's advocate. Is it the odds and not the stakes, then?

Do the good guys always win?

 

[Alamo]

Do the good guys always win?

No, not always, but of course, irrelevant as to whether the pharmacist (or anyone else) should make the decision to protect themselves when someone threatens them with deadly force. just like the police do.

And Nov. 9, a man allegedly trying to rob a CVS at 8935 E. 21st St. — about 3:30 a.m., when the pharmacy counters typically are closed — was shot by Indianapolis police after confronting them with a weapon.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

No, not always, but of course, irrelevant as to whether the pharmacist (or anyone else) should make the decision to protect themselves when someone threatens them with deadly force. just like the police do.

..and if the police hadn't arrived what would have happened? Who would have been shot?

That's the point. When you pull a weapon, you are escalating the situation. In the limited context of pharmacy robberies, there is a very low chance of violence against a compliant victim. They aren't there to rape, assault, like a home invasion where you are much more likely to be injured regardless of what you do. Escalating the situation may increase the odds of the pharmacist being injured, because the good guys don't always win. Especially if the good guys are untrained and unprepared.

Pharmacies could increase pharmacist safety quite easily with modifications to pharmacy counters and procedures, but they refuse to do so on the grounds it hampers customer service.

I have no problem with anyone shooting a robber. What I don't want to see is more good guys killed over someone else's property. Don't go into the debate with the assumption "armed = winning" and try to play the "odds vs stakes" with me.

 

[KittySlayer]

I have no problem with anyone shooting a robber. What I don't want to see is more good guys killed over someone else's property. Don't go into the debate with the assumption "armed = winning" and try to play the "odds vs stakes" with me.

Thank you for reminding us to temper our keyboard zealousness. While it is important to be armed and vigilant each situation needs to be evaluated by the person whose life is in danger. Priority one is you and your loved ones get to be safe. Each of us decides how we make that happen based on experience, training and learning from others opinions. Sometimes that decision will mean using deadly force to stay safe but as you note we have other choices that may work too.

I guess whacking the cell phone user in a movie with my shoe will have to do.

(eight years working behind a pharmacy counter and son of a pharmacist with five decades behind the counter)

 

[Alamo]

Making changes to make the pharmacy a harder target is a good idea. By all means do it.

But again, irrelevant to whether the guy facing the gun chooses to let the guy pointing the gun make all the important decisions. Knowing that pharmacy robberies normally go one way is good, but it does not determine what happens in a specific situation (that's playing the odds "game"). Averages and odds are good to know, but they do not determine what is going to happen in any one instance, so the pharmacist (or whoever) is going to have to make up his own mind about what to do, and no, he can't assume he will "win" if he acts. But neither can he assume he will "win" if he doesn't act, regardless of someone else's experience. That's the point.

When someone is pointing a gun at you, the question is just not over "someone's property." That's why the pharmacist in this case is not being charged by the cops. (Prosecutor has yet to weigh in).

(Also, picture of the robber's gun showing where it was struck by the pharmacist's bullet at that link).

Video of the robbery: WV MetroNews ? Video released in pharmacy shooting