Sarasota robbery victim fires back

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Sarasota robbery victim fires back

Posted: 6/17/2009 6:04:31 AM EDT

SARASOTA - Walking with a limp after sorting some of the heaviest packages at a Tallevast Road mail facility, a sleep-deprived Elliott Firby recounted today his decision to fight back when an armed robber cornered him.

"I know he was going to shoot me if I didn't reach in my pocket. So I took a chance," said Firby, 54, as he sat inside the Sarasota Police Department.

He said it started when he left work about 2:30 a.m. and noticed the driver of a pickup truck slow down, change lanes and get behind him.

When he stopped to unlock the gate to his driveway, the truck turned onto his street, Firby said.

"Guy jumps out on the passenger side with a pump shotgun, tells me 'Give it up, sir. Give it up, sir,' " he said.

Firby, who has a concealed weapons permit, had already grabbed his gun from his trunk and stuck it in his pocket. He said its part of his nightly ritual. The demand from the would-be robber forced Firby to his knees. That's when he made the decision to shoot.

Firby fired twice.

One bullet struck the suspect, Brandon Ellis, 16, in the stomach, police said.

Police said the driver of the truck later dumped Ellis at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

Police said Ellis, who is a former Booker High football player, underwent surgery today and that he faces a felony warrant for attempted armed robbery.

The search continues for the driver of the truck, which police found at Ellis' home.

Reporter Jackie Barron can be reached at (813) 221-5708.

Posted: 6/17/2009 6:09:01 AM EDT

[#1]

too bad he didn't bleed out

Posted: 6/17/2009 6:11:13 AM EDT

[#2]

There's a thread in the FLHTF about this as well. Also the interview with Mr Firby.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=10&t=365350

Posted: 6/17/2009 6:12:03 AM EDT

[#3]

My sweet baby didn't do anything.

There was no reason for that mean gentleman to shoot him.

Posted: 6/17/2009 6:13:03 AM EDT

[#4]

I'm appalled at the decision this gun nut made to shoot down such a polite young man in cold blood like that.

Posted: 6/17/2009 6:19:51 AM EDT

[#5]

Good shoot. That said, if someone follows me home at 0230 I'm going to drive around the block a few times and call for backup before getting out of the car.

Posted: 6/17/2009 8:09:30 AM EDT

[#6]

Mr Firby should be aggressively prosecuted for taking a firearm on to post office property. After all, it is the law and the NRA Project Exile demands that all Federal firearms laws be aggressively enforced.

Posted: 6/17/2009 9:36:37 AM EDT

[#7]

My baby dint do nuffin

Posted: 6/17/2009 9:52:08 AM EDT

[#8]

If you look up the pre-season write up of the Booker High football team, the guy. is not even listed as a player.

Standard defenses:

mileaway - I was a mileaway
soddi - some other dude did it
religious - god told me to do it
home cooking - I was at home cooking
strawberry - I was just there a pickin' strawberries (actual federal case with 16 arresting officers and 2 kilos of cocaine)
passing through - I was jus' passing through
deserving - he go what he deserved
village - it takes a village, so it wasn't my fault
messing - I was just messing around
twin - it must have been my twin brother
Patti Hearst - I was forced to do it
Devil - the devil made me do it
pre-law - I was a decent well respecting pre law student at Havard University. Of course, I never applied or was accepted.

Posted: 6/17/2009 10:07:23 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
too bad he didn't bleed out

This

Posted: 6/17/2009 10:07:26 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:

SARASOTA - Walking with a limp after sorting some of the heaviest packages at a Tallevast Road mail facility, a sleep-deprived Elliott Firby recounted today his decision to fight back when an armed robber cornered him.

"I know he was going to shoot me if I didn't reach in my pocket. So I took a chance," said Firby, 54, as he sat inside the Sarasota Police Department.

He said it started when he left work about 2:30 a.m. and noticed the driver of a pickup truck slow down, change lanes and get behind him.

When he stopped to unlock the gate to his driveway, the truck turned onto his street, Firby said.

"Guy jumps out on the passenger side with a pump shotgun, tells me 'Give it up, sir. Give it up, sir,' " he said.

Firby, who has a concealed weapons permit, had already grabbed his gun from his trunk and stuck it in his pocket. He said its part of his nightly ritual. The demand from the would-be robber forced Firby to his knees. That's when he made the decision to shoot.

Firby fired twice.

One bullet struck the suspect, Brandon Ellis, 16, in the stomach, police said.

Police said the driver of the truck later dumped Ellis at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

Police said Ellis, who is a former Booker High football player, underwent surgery today and that he faces a felony warrant for attempted armed robbery.

The search continues for the driver of the truck, which police found at Ellis' home.

Reporter Jackie Barron can be reached at (813) 221-5708.

The whole "sir" thing is weird to me. Why say "sir" if you're robbing someone at gunpoint?