One for the good guys

[TxD]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... enDocument

Reciprocity= Don't leave home without it.

[txinvestigator]

Riccardo Crossland used a pellet gun to rob a man legally carrying a real gun outside a Bridgeton motel Tuesday morning and ended up shot, police said.

Crossland went off to a hospital with wounds of the hand and leg; the victim went on his way with the congratulations of police.

"Here was a robbery where we have a good ending for once," said Bridgeton Police Major Don Steinman, who said the shooting was clearly self-defense.

The 23-year-old victim holds a concealed-carry permit from his home state of Florida, which is honored in Missouri, officials said. Advertisement

"He had his gun aimed at my face," the robbery victim said in an interview granted on the condition that his name and hometown not be used. "I definitely thought he was going to shoot me, so I started firing."

Crossland's weapon turned out to be a pellet gun that resembled a .45-caliber handgun, police said. The victim had a real .45 in his waistband.

Crossland, 39, of the 7100 block of Beulah Avenue in Jennings, was taken to DePaul Health Center, police said, for treatment of his wounds, which were not considered life-threatening. He was charged with first-degree robbery and armed criminal action.

Police said Crossland is on probation for a drug-related offense, and has convictions for robbery, burglary, stealing and drug-related crimes.

The victim gave this account:

He had stayed several days at the Motel 6, near Interstate 270 and St. Charles Rock Road, while looking at a race car engine to buy from a man in St. Louis.

About 3 a.m. Tuesday, he took his pit bull on an errand for food. Just outside the motel, he encountered two men who asked questions about the dog before one of them pulled out what looked like a gun and announced a holdup.

"The one guy started to pat me down, and I didn't want him to find my gun, so I was handing them over everything I could," the victim said. "I was just waiting for the right opportunity to get my gun."

The robbers then started to depart with the man's wallet, necklace, ring and cash.

"The guy with the gun was walking away with the gun at his side, but then he turned around and aimed it at my face," the victim said. "I definitely thought he was going to shoot me, so I pulled my gun out and started firing."

He fired seven shots and the pair fled.

Crossland was found about a quarter of a mile away, hiding on a parking lot in the 12900 block of St. Charles Rock Road, police said. The accomplice was not caught.

The victim said he had the concealed-carry permit for two years but had never used the weapon. Missouri has no tracking system for cases in which people with concealed-carry permits use their weapons.

[9mmGuy]

the man fires seven shoots and only hit ONE of them TWICE? and in the hand and leg? geez... I guess stress really does play a BIG role in accuracy. and if you notice he had a pit bull with him that didn’t do anything? goes to show that notoriously violent dogs can be trained right. I guess it was the opposite here though.

Anyway, Go good guys

[Rex B]

Takes a walk at 3 AM
Dog is an idle observer.
Let the jerks get the drop on him.

this boy needs some training.

[longtooth]

At least the reporter referred to the real victim as the victim.

[quidni]

Crossland's weapon turned out to be a pellet gun that resembled a .45-caliber handgun, police said. The victim had a real .45 in his waistband.

Anybody else here see the poetic justice in this?

[MrDrummy]

Crossland's weapon turned out to be a pellet gun that resembled a .45-caliber handgun, police said. The victim had a real .45 in his waistband.

Reminds me a bit of the scene from "Snatch."

Bullet Tooth Tony: "And the fact that you've got "Replica" written down the side of your gun..."
[Zoom in on the side of Sol's gun, which indeed has "REPLICA" etched on the side; zoom out, as they sneak peeks at the sides of their guns]

Bullet Tooth Tony: ...and the fact that I've got "Desert Eagle point five O"...
[Withdraws his gun and puts it on the table]

Bullet Tooth Tony: ...written down the side of mine..."

[glocklvr]

Crossland's weapon turned out to be a pellet gun that resembled a .45-caliber handgun, police said. The victim had a real .45 in his waistband.

Anybody else here see the poetic justice in this?

I couldn't help but laugh for a second serves the BG's right

[Rex B]

[Crocodile Dundee voice]


"That's no gun, Boy!

Now THIS....THIS is a gun!"

Bang!

[kw5kw]

[Crocodile Dundee voice]


"That's no gun, Boy!


Now THIS....THIS is a gun!"

Bang!

Yeah

[stevie_d_64]

"The 23-year-old victim holds a concealed-carry permit from his home state of Florida, which is honored in Missouri."

I believe this is the first time a news report I have ever seen that explains this fact, in any way shape or form...

I am actually impressed...

[GlockenHammer]

Takes a walk at 3 AM
Dog is an idle observer.
Let the jerks get the drop on him.

this boy needs some training.

Takes a walk at 3am? I suppose we're supposed to stay in after dark?

Get the drop on him? So, exactly when was this guy supposed to draw his gun? When he first sees two people at 3am?

This is a really tough situation for a CHLer. Yes, you could have chosen not to be at that place at that time where a couple of hoodlums decided to also be, but once you've got an encounter, it doesn't really matter that you guessed wrong on who you'd be meeting. Just because you're in orange doesn't mean you get to pull your gun. Even if they do not obey your request to leave you alone and stay away, you still can't shoot them. Sure, you could draw to the low ready or flash your gun, but now you've possibly committed crimes yourself.

The point is, the bad guys have the advantage. If they play their part correctly, they will generally have the upper hand. I'd go easy on this guy and say he did all right. When I'm in his shoes, I just hope I have better marksmanship.

[KBCraig]

Re: the shooter's marksmanship, I suspect he was walking his dog at heel (on the left side), and fired one-handed (what his his left hand being busy with a leash).

The shooter was in the right. He was under a great deal of sudden stress. I'm not going to second-guess him.

Kevin

[stevie_d_64]

Re: the shooter's marksmanship, I suspect he was walking his dog at heel (on the left side), and fired one-handed (what his his left hand being busy with a leash).

The shooter was in the right. He was under a great deal of sudden stress. I'm not going to second-guess him.

Kevin

Sounds like an interesting senario for an IDPA stage...

[Bubba]

Sounds like he (the real victim) did great, all things considered. YES, stress is a huge factor in accuracy and if he already had the adreniline dump at that point, was probably shaking pretty good. I try to avoid trouble spots and late night outings, but sometimes unplanned / unexpected stuff happens, so be prepared.

And yes, I laugh at the stupid punks that brought a toy to a gun fight. :)