A man who was waiting for a bus was reportedly shot by an armed robber after the robber learned that the man had nothing to steal.
The 48-year-old victim told police he was at a bus stop on St. Louis Avenue and Union when an unknown man approached him, showed a firearm and demanded money around 3:30 p.m. When the victim told the suspect he didn’t have any money, the suspect fired the gun, striking the victim in the leg.
This case, while sad, is not uncommon. Although documenting the harm inflicted by robbers upon their victims is not the focus of this website, there are still plenty of examples that have been posted here before. These cases run the spectrum from robbers shooting cooperative victims just for fun, to shooting victims for not having enough money to steal, as well as shooting victims who try to run:
- Violent Robber Shoots Cooperative Victim in Each Leg
- Robbery Victim Shot 3 Times for having Only $12
- Mother of 11 Killed by Armed Robber after Complying with Every One of His Demands
- Robber Shoots Victim who Fully Complied
- Armed Robber Shoots a Fleeing Victim
- Robbery Victim Shot in Buttocks While Trying to Run From Robber
- Woman Shot After Complying With Robber’s Demand for ATM Money
- Robber Shoots Deli Owner For Not Having Enough Money
- Armed Robber Shoots Victim who Fully Cooperated
- Man Shot in Back While Trying to Run Away From Armed Robber
- Armed Robber Shoots Cooperating Victim in the Mouth
The frequency with which robbers injure victims should not be surprising itself, since a person whose morals allow them to commit a robbery will also be willing to physically harm their victim.
The great many real-life armed self defense examples, and the studies on armed self defense, both make clear that crime victims can and do stop robbers – before harm can be inflicted. Indeed, even related guidance from the Department of Justice shows what should be obvious – fighting back against a violent criminal will often save a person from harm. This makes sense, as violent criminals are cowards who prefer to prey upon defenseless victims. When confronted by a victim who is armed for self defense, criminals often flee.