Shoplifting was less common in the Wild West because pretty much everyone toted a gun, according to my extensive review of U.S. history and John Wayne movies.
But even the itchiest of trigger fingers couldn't stop one recent heist.
Tatiana Duva-Rodriguez, a concealed weapon permit holder, is charged with reckless discharge of a weapon , a misdemeanor, for shooting at two men fleeing with merchandise from a Detroit-area Home Depot.
Duva-Rodriguez, 46, didn't try to defend her home, she tried to defend an estimated $1,000 in Home Depot merchandise after seeing an employee chasing two men through the parking lot.
She pleaded not guilty to the charges and faces up to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine.
Despite her sharpshooting (and flattening at least one tire of the suspects' 2015 Jeep), a local prosecutor said the gunslinger's actions were misguided.
“Once fired, the bullet could have easily ricocheted or fragmented and injured or killed someone else. It would have been much more helpful for her to take out her cellphone and shoot pictures of the shoplifter’s license plate,” said Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper, who must not know the 2nd Amendment says nothing about the right to bear mobile devices.
The shoplifters have been charged with felonies. Police did not say what the men stole but it probably wasn't worth getting shot at or prison time.
An attorney for Duva-Rodriguez seemed to suggest his client was charged with a crime because of the current "gun control" debate.
“It’s just an unfortunate situation. Somebody trying to be a good Samaritan [made] a split-second decision that may be questioned after. I know there’s a big debate going on with gun control versus the Second Amendment. There are two sides and I think that’s probably what’s behind this. Fortunately nobody was injured. There was never an intent to injure anybody but here we are with this big story,” said Steven Schwartz, who may have watched a few John Wayne movies himself.
Police took Duva-Rodriguez's 9mm, but most people with conceal carry permits own more than one gun.
A local gun store owner said the enthusiast of street justice may have forgotten her gun training, is she has any.
"None of it makes sense. Even if it were law enforcement, they wouldn't do that," said Doreen Hankins , adding that conceal carry permit holders are "not a police officer. You are not a person out there protecting the public at large."
In other news, evidence suggests concealed carry permits do nothing to reduce crime. But that hasn't slowed the number of conceal carry permits, which have tripled during the Obama presidency.
Despite this arrest, concealed carry permit holders are convicted of gun crimes at a much lower rate than police officers.
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