|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A Mountain View man who allegedly stole a handgun from a local gun store Wednesday afternoon was detained by the store owner after he chased the suspect for several blocks and fired a warning shot in the air, according to the Mountain View police.
Dispatchers received a call around 1:50 p.m. on Sept. 17 reporting that a handgun had been stolen from E2’s Gun Vault, 363 W. El Camino Real. A gunshot also had been heard, according to police spokesperson Scott Nelson.
The 33-year-old suspect had entered the Mountain View gun store and allegedly ran out with a handgun that he had not purchased, Nelson said in an emailed statement.
The store owner, a 41-year-old Campbell resident, and another employee reportedly chased after the suspect for several blocks. During the pursuit, the store owner allegedly fired one shot in the air that was not aimed at the suspect or anyone else. The suspect stopped running and surrendered on Camille Court at the Nilda Avenue intersection, according to Nelson.
Eli Villalobos, a Mountain View resident, told the Voice that he saw the suspect a little before 2 p.m. running on Bonita Avenue towards the Cuesta Park neighborhood. The store owner was chasing after the suspect and shouting for people to call 911, he said.
Villalobos and his grandfather ran out of their apartment to help. His grandfather followed the suspect to Camille Court. A gunshot was fired, and the suspect dropped to the ground, Villalobos recounted. Nobody was hurt and the police arrived a few minutes later, he added.
Mountain View police are still investigating the incident and both guns were seized as evidence, Nelson said.
The suspect was arrested on suspicion of stealing a firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm, and was booked into Santa Clara County jail, Nelson said. He is being held on $500,000 bail with a scheduled hearing on Sept. 19, according to court records.
Mountain View police have also asked the county District Attorney’s office to review potential charges against the store owner for the negligent discharge of a firearm, Nelson said.
If I were Dirty Harry I would’ve overlooked the harmless warning shot but in these PC & DEI times the cops are just following enforced protocol.
“potential charges against the store owner for the negligent discharge of a firearm”
The gun shop owner fired a gun on a residential street without any idea of where his bullet was going to come back down and without any thought of who it might hit, what exactly is there for the DA to review? Why didn’t the cops arrest both the thief and the shop owner?
I guess the store owner is unfamiliar with Physics: what goes up must come down.
The number one rule is that you never discharge a firearm unless it is to kill. No warning shots, no “shoot to wound”. Sorry, Gun Shop owner, the DA should charge you for negligence. Thank goodness no one was hurt.
Glad nobody got hurt but discharging a gun in a residential street was reckless. And of all people, a gun store owner ought to know that.
While it’d still be illegal, it would’ve been much safer and just as effective if the warning shot was fired down into (unpaved) soil or sod where there is essentially no chance of ricochet or injury.
Mr T: I don’t think the bullet cares about DEI when it falls back down. I can appreciate them chasing the guy and calling 911, but unless at a gun range or hunting situation, I don’t think it’s safe to shoot into the air in a neighborhood. If there’s a law against that, the gun shop owner certainly knew that. But yeah… you’re right that it’s still unfortunate when the good guy gets in trouble.
The gun shop owner should be given an award for stopping a felon who had stolen a gun.
The gun shop owner probably saved lives!!!