As reported, Donald Nigel Jones was a 29 year old convicted felon, who had had committed dozens of robberies. After serving about eight years in prison and then being paroled, Jones set out to rob the Belmont Beverage liquor store in Fort Wayne, Indiana – a store that he had previously robbed nearly a decade ago. However this time, the clerk was armed and fatally shot Jones, putting a permanent end to his life of crime. Unfortunately, the clerk was also shot in the leg by Jones, although he is expected to make a full recovery from this non-life-threatening injury. Prosecutors are not expected to charge the clerk for this self defense shooting, and the store owner supports the clerk’s decision to defend himself.
Here we have yet another case where an armed citizen is able to shoot a violent robber before that robber could kill the citizen or another innocent person. Instead of ending up nearly killed by a robber after complying with demands for money, this clerk will be able to go on with his life. As I’ve said before, complying with robbers is no guarantee that they won’t become violent, and self defense is often the best way for a citizen to stay safe during a robbery. Society as a whole will also reap the benefit of having a violent career criminal permanently off the streets.
This robbery also shows that gun bans just don’t work. Donald Nigel Jones, the armed robber, was prohibited from owning a gun by many state and federal laws. First, there is the federal law that bans convicted felons from owning a gun. Then there is the similar Indiana state law that also bars felons from having a gun. Indiana also bans the carrying of a gun without a permit, which Jones could not have acquired, given his felony convictions. Finally, it was a violation of Jones’ parole for him to have a gun, or commit armed robbery. But not one of these great many laws stopped Jones from going back to his life of crime. Gun control laws just don’t work, in this country or any other country.