Even though we are not legally allowed CCWs here in Calif., I have "heard and read" about postings where Blockbuster has said no weapons in their stores, I wonder if the murders read the stupid sign. Oopsiee, sorry!
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4 Killed in Second Video Store Robbery in a Week

Two Blockbuster employees in Alabama and two customers were shot at close range in the back of the head. It was the second violent video store robbery this week in the area.  The description of the suspect was the same in both incidents.

ANNISTON, Ala. (AP) 5.16.02, 8:05a -- Four young men, including two brothers browsing for videos, were shot and killed during a robbery at a Blockbuster store.
"I've been around a lot of crime scenes, but that was about as gruesome as I have ever seen," Police Chief Wayne Chandler said.

Employee Austin Joplin, 22, was found dead at the scene. Co-worker Douglas Neal, 27, died early Thursday at Regional Medical Center, coroner Bill Partridge said. Both men were found in an office area at the rear of the store. The robbery took place at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, police said.

Joseph Burch, about 21, and his brother Andrew, about 19, were found dead in a back aisle.

Witnesses told police a man around 20 years old with apparent acne scars and long blond hair was seen driving away in a 1980s-model Ford Mustang.

The description of both the man and car were similar to that given by witnesses to the holdup Monday at the Movie Gallery video store in Heflin, about 20 miles away, police said. A clerk was stabbed but survived; he was treated for his wounds and released.

Relatives of the victims collapsed in grief as they approached the store after word of the Wednesday killings spread.

"The entire Blockbuster family is saddened by this tragic loss," company spokesman Randy Hargrove said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families."

I have never seen that sign at Blockbuster.  I am sure that many customers here in Alabama would refuse to use Blockbuster if there was such a sign.  I know that I would not use that store if it did have a sign.  I have never been to the Anniston store, but knowing that the employees are unarmed, just makes them victims waiting to happen.

I am not sure that Blockbuster prohibits weapons in Alabama.  I have not seen any signs on Blockbusters in Georgia.  Even if they did, does anyone think that is going to stop bad guys.

If this particular Blockbuster did have signs prohibiting firearms, the families of the victims, all of them, should sue the pants off Blockbusters for not allowing a self defense capability inside their store.

What is it with BlockBusters?  Wasn't there a DGU at one just a month or so ago?  What are they going to get away with?  A microwave popcorn tub, Gummy Bears, and 86 copies of the latest DVD release?  Are Stop-n-Rob's no longer the target of choice?  

A man with a CCW killed an armed robber in a Blockbuster here, a little over a month ago.  He was picking his son up from work very late at night, and 2 morons came in with weapons.  The dad shot them both, killing one!  

I don't understand how this could have happened if there are no firearms allowed in the stores.


In VA, the Blockbusters haven't had the "No Firearms" signs up for a few years now.  At least not the ones I've been to.

Guys this happened just 15 minutes away from were I work.  Yesterday at a movie rental place in Heflin, Al(which is 20 minutes away from Anniston).  A lady was stabbed 10 times by a person fitting the same description as the on that committed the homicides yesterday.  The FBI was there in Anniston.

My co-worker has a friend that works with the Anniston PD.  They think the robberies are not so much about the money but this guys gets his "kicks" doing it.  He's a phsychopathic thrill junkie.

The description they have is a guy driving a white mustang with acne scars on his face with long blonde hair with black tips.

I've been by these stores.  There were no signs there not allowing weapons.  Alabama has few restrictions on where I cannot carry.  The property owner can always tell you to leave if they discover you have a weapon but that's not likely to happen, unless you're being blatent and carrying something that is not really conceiled.  Remember most people have been hunting at least once in their life down here.  Even hard core Democrats/somewhat liberal own guns.

The Blockbuster's in Macon and around south Georgia are being robbed on a regular basis.  I have heard employees numerous times stating that they hit this store or that in the last few months.  As a matter of fact there seems to be general knowledge here in Macon that businesses will be robbed multiple times.  I have been in Macon a year and there have already been around 5 bank robberies, and numerous other business are being commonly hit.  The people around here joke about the frequency of business robberies.  It makes me very nervous everytime I go to a business here.  I carry everywhere except where I am not allowed to, although I think its ridiculous you cant carry in a restuarant that serves alcohol even if you dont drink.
Bill3508

I find it hard to believe that even if one of the people in the store had been carrying a gun that they would have successfully been able to defend themselves.  Don't read this the wrong way and get all up in my virtual face.  The robber had the element of surprise.  Only visibly armed store clerks could deter such a violence prone criminal.

Either way, I guess we'll never know.

That guy's dad who shot two robbers in Blockbuster didn't seem to have a problem!  Anyway, you're assuming the person with the gun is the one who gets shot, in which case having a gun does no good.  However if an armed individual shot these assholes even after they killed someone, that would at least have removed them from the gene pool and saved 3 lives.

At a gunshop near where I live called "Target World", they have a little comic thing posted near the cash register.  It shows a gunman in a store shooting all over, and an innocent bystander is hiding under a desk.  At the side of the picture, it says something like, "What do you think the person under the desk is thinking?"  The three choices are:

A.  "This guy obviously has some anger issues."

B.  "This wouldn't happen if guns weren't so easy to get."

C.  "I wish I had a gun!"

Hey Mike,

Whereabouts are you in B'ham?  I'm hoping to move there within the next 6-12 months, provided I can find a job...

the_reject

since you have to pay for video rental when you check them out, they must have alot of cash on hand.

Ditto.

Funny, how most folks seem to think that if you carry, you walk around with a flashing arrow neon sign that says "GUN!!" pointing at you. There's a reason it's called Concealed carry. Ignore their stupid head in the sand rules.

Pit

I, shockingly, find myself agreeing with you, well the first part of your post. How does a visibly armed store clerk eliminate the "elemement of surprise" from the robber?? Also the robber is willing to kill for no reason, an armed citizen would be using lawful methods of self defense, again toug to keep the element of surprise.

Then again if a clerk, customer, or passer by had a CHL, and the robber was in the act of robbing the place they may be able to surprise him.

But5 this is tragic and what if's are just that.

True I would say giv'em the money, because it is most likely covered by insurance, and is probably a pitance anyways, if robbery was their motive. As I say, I don't have a CCW or carry, but it has been said that crooks are oppurtunists, they are looking for easy prey, if you make it hard for them, or make it appear hard, they will just probably pass you by. Another words, bullies won't bother you if you give them the appearance that you will beat the snot out of them.

Mike I saw it al.com, under B'ham News (online version) I think.

I printed off a copy of the article, and passed it around the office with "renewed your pistol permit yet?" written on it.

Well I would think long and hard about shooting it out with robbers, because most of them just want money. These guys DID NOT, by what the story says. Some of the guys that I have known, that seem ready, eager almost to use weapons for self defense have said they wouldn't neccesarily shoot it out with robbers, it usually isn't worth it.

However, they also said they wouldn't be going into a back room, assuming a kneeling position,a prone postiion, letting themselves get tied up, or going anywhere with the robbers. These are all signs that the robbers also want to be killers. If any of those requests, or similar requests are made it is "go-time" because they are after more than money.