Armed Citizens Stop Purse Snatcher – Don’t Make These Mistakes [VIDEO]

Yesterday at a Walmart in Waco, a thug tried to snatch an 84 year old women’s purse.  Luckily for the victim a group of bystanders were not about to let this happen.

In the video you can see at group of 7 folks crowded around the criminal, with 2 of the men attempting to detain him.  Off to the left a young woman has him at gunpoint.

Soon you see the suspect make a break for it, and the woman foolishly fires a shot in the air, the criminal dives down for cover, yet gets back up again and is later subdued by citizens and then arrested by police moments later.

Lessons:

• I respect the citizens who got involved, that was an honorable thing to do. However:
• You should not draw your firearm unless you are justified in using your firearm.
• While Texas law does allow the shooting of a fleeing thief at night (still a bad idea), you are only justified in using a firearm if you or someone else is in danger of bodily harm during the day. I do not see the danger in the case of this pursesnatcher.
• Firing your gun should always be a last resort.
• A warning shot is never a good idea.
• What goes up must come down, firing a warning shot into the air is completely irresponsible.
• The lady in question did not have a CHL.  She might have brought the firearm out of her vehicle (which would be perfectly legal), yet for her actions she is being brought before a Grand Jury to see if she will be charged.

What do you think?  Did she act responsibly?  Leave a comment below.

UPDATE: She was indicted: http://ow.ly/W5OUo
“According to Texas law, a person commits deadly conduct if he or she ‘recklessly engages in conduct that places another in imminent danger of serious bodily injury’ or if she ‘discharges a firearm at or in the direction of one or more individuals, or a habitation, building or vehicle.’ Deadly conduct can be a Class A misdemeanor or a third-degree felony, depending on how it is alleged. That was unclear Wednesday, because the indictment remains sealed.”