There's a lot of heated discussion about the wisdom of allowing law-abiding citizens to walk about armed. I'm all for it, and stories such are one of the reasons why.
BESSEMER, Ala. (AP) — Law officers have praised a bank customer who pulled his gun and helped deputies capture a gunman who opened fire during a robbery of a Wachovia branch, killing two tellers and wounding two.
Chris Chappell, who was in the bank Monday morning getting $40 in change on the way to his job in Adger, fled the bank when gunshots rang out, drew a gun for which he has a concealed weapon permit, took cover by his sport utility vehicle and alerted deputies who came up. [...]
It's also nice to see the man isn't being hounded by law enforcement officials--
[...] "It's certainly commendable," Jefferson County Sheriff's Sgt. Randy Christian said. "It's obvious he played a key role in keeping the guy there until we could get there. It's a great testament of someone willing to take action."
"He kept him from escaping, and he gave deputies time to get to the scene," Bill Veitch, chief assistant district attorney, told The Birmingham News in its moment-by-moment account of the robbery and arrest.
Bessemer Mayor Ed May, while calling Chappell a "good Samaritan and a brave individual," added that "I would not encourage anyone to do that." [...]
[...] According to witnesses and police investigators, the gunman fatally shot Eva Lovelady Hudson, then continued firing down the line of tellers, killing Sheila Prevo. He shot two other tellers, who survived, while demanding money, and forced bank manager Myron Gooding to open the vault.
Grabbing a bag of money, he left the bank, only to find Chappell waiting.
"I was prepared to shoot," Chappell said. [...]
Oh, and as I usually do, here again is a link to an online firearm self-defense handbook put together by a local police officer/firearms instructor/FOP firing range owner. It's good, and thorough, and no-nonsense common-sense. Basic premise? Don't go looking for trouble, but know what to do when trouble comes looking for you.