Wisconsin Shopper Kills Two Would-be Robbers

[The Unknown 1087]

Wisconsin Shopper Kills Two Would-be Robbers
Taren Reed Created: 8/19/2009 6:45:07 PM Updated: 8/19/2009 6:47:18 PM

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MILWAUKEE, WI -- Police say two would be robbers are dead after a customer at the store they were trying to rob pulled out a gun and shot them.

It appears it was an act of vigilante justice, and police are still looking for the shooter.

It started about 10:45 Tuesday morning as an attempted robbery at a convenience store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Police said the two suspects were wearing masks and gloves.

They were both armed.

"It was something different about them because they had the scarf over their mouth," says one anonymous witness.

The shots came quickly. Police say the men announced they were robbing the store and a customer opened fire.

"By the time I got to the door, that's when they had evidently got into the store and all this shooting, all this shooting and I thought, 'Oh my God, that's what it's all about, they were going in there to rob it,'" the witness said.

One alleged robber was killed at the scene.

The other was wounded.

Witnesses said the armed customer chased him down the street.

"He was chasing him and shooting him."

The second alleged robber collapsed down the street. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.

At this point police are not calling the deaths murders.

Sharon Lawson is the mother of one the dead men. She identified him as Kenneth Whitaker, 28, who lived a couple of blocks from the convenience store.

She doesn't believe her son was robbing the store when he was killed. "They said he had a bandanna and a gun. If he had a gun why didn't they shoot the other person?"

Relatives identified the other man killed as Robert Givens, 22.

Both men who were killed do have criminal records that include charges for drugs, weapons and theft. No one else was hurt.

Hours after the shooting, police were still looking for the customer who fired the shots.

Late Tuesday afternoon the SWAT team surrounded a home in the area.

After a standoff that lasted several hours, police packed up without the suspect in custody.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/s...storyid=143616

[Berks_Iraq_Vet]

"It appears it was an act of vigilante justice, and police are still looking for the shooter".

Vigilante justice? If I am in a position where two masked men pull firearms in the commission of a crime, I'm going to defend my right to life by eliminating the threat with extreme prejudice.

Now, why he fled is another reason. What are the carry laws in this State and did he have a license? (if applicable)

[/dev/null]

This appears to be in Wisconsin.... RIGHT DENIED (unless your OPENLY carrying).

While this is also a news report (and Ill give 8-10 odds from an anti) were not getting all the facts here. No idea if the guy was CC or OC, so at this point well chalk it up to a story. There is obviously lots more going on that whats been reported

[QuakertownRich]

I say "good riddance to bad ga-bage". If this happened more often, maybe these Tupac-wanna-be's would for once in their life give a second thought before committing violent crimes against innocent ppl. The parents of the dead robbers should be held up in example of how NOT to raise your children, and should focus the blame on themselves, not at ppl who defended their life against the animals who victimize others. I say to that armed customer "RUN! DON'T LOOK BACK! DON'T TELL ANYONE!!" or you'll be put in prison for not letting yourself be a victim(although I'm not onboard with the whole running other robber down part). He/she will go to prison if found, as Bernard Goetz did in NY who shot those punks robbing him on the subway.

[NikeBauer21]

Of course momma would say her little baby wasn't there to rob the place. Get a frickin grip lady. I'm sure they were just kidding when they said something along the lines of "give me your money or I'll kill you".. they were just playing right? I guess your boy didn't do the drug charges or wepaons charges either huh?

As the story stands above, good for the defender. If there is more to the story, as to why they fled, IDK... Guess we will find in due time.

[NikeBauer21]

I say "good riddance to bad ga-bage". If this happened more often, maybe these Tupac-wanna-be's would for once in their life give a second thought before committing violent crimes against innocent ppl. The parents of the dead robbers should be held up in example of how NOT to raise your children, and should focus the blame on themselves, not at ppl who defended their life against the animals who victimize others. I say to that armed customer "RUN! DON'T LOOK BACK! DON'T TELL ANYONE!!" or you'll be put in prison for not letting yourself be a victim(although I'm not onboard with the whole running other robber down part). He/she will go to prison if found, as Bernard Goetz did in NY who shot those punks robbing him on the subway.

I will say though... it's a crying shame.. it should not be this way at all... etc... you can go on and on.. But I would personally rather go to jail for doing the RIGHT THING, than live/die for doing nothing, or the wrong thing.

[tommy610]

She doesn't believe her son was robbing the store when he was killed.

Oh, ok.

10 characters

[Justin2012]

Score another one for the good guys, even if the good guy is a "vigilante" as the media put it. I'm not so sure about running after the other robber though. That news article reminds me of the movie Death Wish.

[SHEPHERD321]

This is clearly a case where the police are covering up a crime scene because they are happy that two black males where murdered.

[Dannytheman]

I am only sorry the armed citizen isn't around for me to hug and thank!!