Police say attacker shot to death at Bethel Park music store

[scruff]

Thank goodness this 73-yr old shop owner could protect his wife and himself! I grew up a mile from there. It's a safe area; if it can happen there, it can happen anywhere. From the Trib:

By Bill Vidonic

Published: Saturday, April 27, 2013, 2:51 p.m.

After a brief and violent struggle, a Bethel Park business owner on Saturday shot to death a club-wielding man as he attacked the owner's wife inside the couple's music store, police said.

Police Chief John Mackey said robbery did not appear to be the motive, but investigators were not certain why the unidentified man attacked Alfred and Sylvia Armen in Armen's House of Music along Library Road. He said it was not immediately clear whether the Armens knew the man.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office said the man was 31 but did not release additional information.

Alfred Armen, 73, and Sylvia Armen, 72, both of Bethel Park, were being treated for head injuries in UPMC Mercy, Uptown. Mackey said their injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.

Witnesses said Alfred Armen was taken out of the business on a stretcher, while Sylvia Armen walked out.

The District Attorney's Office will decide whether Armen would face any charges, county police Inspector Chris Kearns said.

The man walked into the store shortly before noon, looked around for a few minutes and then left, Mackey said.

Within moments, the man re-entered the store, Mackey said, brandishing a wooden nightstick, and began attacking Sylvia Armen. Alfred Armen intervened and after a brief struggle shot the man with a .38-caliber revolver.

Mackey said “there were some words exchanged” during the struggle within the cramped confines of the music shop, “but it's not something we're willing to talk about at this time.”

The man's vehicle remained parked outside the store for hours after the shooting, and Mackey said investigators were searching it. The Armens were alone in the store, which was open for business, the chief added.

Mackey said the Armens have operated the business for years. Allegheny County property tax records showed the couple have owned the building since 1996, but Mackey said they do not live there.

A “for sale” sign was in place outside the music lessons and instruments store on Saturday.

Neighbor Lisa Augustine said her son Aaron, 15, had just taken a piano lesson at the store on Friday.

“He's a very nice guy,” Augustine said of Alfred Armen. “He just told me Thursday, ‘You have a really nice boy there, a nice kid.' ”

Read more: http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/3...#ixzz2RisHm77M

[MagRelease]

I have met these people, and have relatives that are good friends with them. It is a shame someone's life was lost, but I am glad that Alfred was able to defend himself and his wife otherwise it likely would have been a different obituary.

[GrumpyBear]

I'm glad that he was prepared and able to defend himself and his wife.

Hopefully the D/A will right this off as what it appears to be.

A good shoot.

[scruff]

I'm glad that he was prepared and able to defend himself and his wife.

Hopefully the D/A will right this off as what it appears to be.

A good shoot.

It's a shame that the reporters always have to say that there's been no decision on whether charges will be filed, no matter how justified the shooting seems to be. Although that does seem to be their mindset - guilty until proven innocent.

Just as stupid: I saw an interview with the Bethel Park police chief, who was asked if the shop owner was properly licensed for the gun. The chief didn't know. As if a shop owner needs a license to have a gun in his shop.

[GrumpyBear]

It's really a shame when the people paid to enforce the law don't know the laws.

IMO

[harold63]

It's a shame that the reporters always have to say that there's been no decision on whether charges will be filed, no matter how justified the shooting seems to be.

Yea, and when one of them gets their ass whipped, they'll be asking how long before I get MY permit. Dumb ass reporters.

[Jhaydeno]

...Just as stupid: I saw an interview with the Bethel Park police chief, who was asked if the shop owner was properly licensed for the gun. The chief didn't know. As if a shop owner needs a license to have a gun in his shop.

I sent the following to the Chief via their email link:
Dear sirs,*

* * Recently I saw Chief Mackey interviewed on TV w/r/t the Armen Music shooting; he was asked about whether the gun was licensed. *I was disappointed when he responded, 'I don't know'. *He should have straighten the reporter out and stated state law: pistols are not registered in PA, and anyone except a felon can have one to protect their home and business without a license.

* ***I realize the Chief has a variety of items on his plate, and a quick interview about a death is the least of his worries, but by*answering the way he did Chief Mackey has propagated the liberal media's agenda of misinformation. *He has shirked his responsibility to make sure the public knows what the law really is, and that's disappointing.

Sincerely,
'jhaydeno'



Sent from my iPhone

[jerkin]

I have met these people, and have relatives that are good friends with them. It is a shame someone's life was lost, but I am glad that Alfred was able to defend himself and his wife otherwise it likely would have been a different obituary.

Disagree. The only thing I see as being a shame is that the dead asshole got a few hits in on the old couple before he was shot.

[MagRelease]

Disagree. The only thing I see as being a shame is that the dead asshole got a few hits in on the old couple before he was shot.

The point is, a human being still died. Whether that human being was a good man, a bad man, or a terrible man....... Someone still died, and in my opinion that is never a "good" thing, even if it is necessary for defense. I'm very glad Alfred was able to defend himself, and glad that the attacker was stopped. Glad that the attacker died? No, I can't personally say that I'm glad anyone dies.

[39flathead]

The motive has me puzzled, as does the part where they don't speak of the words exchanged.

Are the owners immigrants of a sort?