When Should You Shoot?
BY Herschel Smith
6 years, 10 months ago
From a reader, via American Thinker, this from Charlotte, N.C.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) — It’s been a difficult week for parents Temia Hairston and Michael Grace Sr. Their son, Michael Grace Jr., was shot and killed during an attempted robbery early Sunday morning.
Police said Grace Jr. and two other people tried to rob a Pizza Hut in the 3200 block of Freedom Drive. During the incident, an employee fired his own handgun and killed Grace Jr.
Hairston said she learned of her son’s death on social media, and only got confirmation from police after contacting them first. The grieving mother said she has been left with dozens of questions about the situation that have thus far gone unanswered.
“If there was to be a death, it was not the place of the employee at Pizza Hut. That is the place of law enforcement,” said Hairston.
Hairston and Grace Sr. acknowledged that their son was breaking the law by robbing the business, and said they definitely don’t condone what he did.
“It was an act of desperation, but I do not believe that Michael would have hurt anyone,” said Hairston.
They said Grace Jr. had fallen on hard times and resorted to crime to provide for his own child. They also said their son used to work at the same Pizza Hut restaurant where the robbery happened. They maintain he never would have physically hurt anyone during the robbery.
WBTV contacted the local restaurant and the Pizza Hut corporation public relations line. Neither have confirmed that Grace Jr. worked as an employee at the Freedom Drive Pizza Hut. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officials have not confirmed the information either.
The parents are angry that their son was shot and killed by an employee. They don’t believe the full story has been released to the public.
“Why in the hell did this guy have a gun?” questioned Hairston about the employee who shot her son.
Well, that’s right. Criminals do indeed have rights, guaranteed under the constitution. And Tennessee versus Garner says that police cannot discharge their weapons in order to stop a non-violent offense or to stop a fleeing suspect (as that would be an end-around of the right of due process), and only in the defense of their persons or other persons.
The problem, Ms. Hairston, is that we can only assume that your son had a gun and brandished it and used it to threaten others. In this case, the employee was entirely within his rights of self defense in shooting the armed assailant. Brandishing a weapon and making threats is called assault with a deadly weapon, whether the weapon is discharged or not.
You see, if there was to be a death that night, it could have been prevented by you son deciding on a wiser course of action, to wit, not assaulting someone with a deadly weapon. It isn’t the job of the police to perform or conduct executions. They’ve gotten too good at that already. Let’s not feed the monster, okay?
On February 6, 2018 at 8:32 am, Ned said:
It’s all so too bad that the parents “knew” their son – whom they state had succumbed to crime – wouldn’t “hurt” anyone.
The person who had the gun pointed at him didn’t know that, and did what most armed persons threatened with death would do, and eliminated the threat.
On February 6, 2018 at 11:09 am, I R A Darth Aggie said:
It was asked “Why in the hell did this guy have a gun?”
Why the hell did your son have a gun? what was he going to do with it?
Pro tip: don’t commit crimes against your former employer, as you might be recognized, either by your dress, mannerisms, or voice.
On February 6, 2018 at 11:22 am, revjen45 said:
“It was an act of desperation, but I do not believe that Michael would have hurt anyone,”
Well then why didn’t she call the Pizza Hut ahead of time and tell them that seemingly vicious thug who is doing his best to convince the victims that he would kill them is really just gentle, desperate Michael who woudn’t hurt anyone?
Well if that’s impossible, how did she expect the threatened to somehow divine that the guy with the gun screaming threats is really harmless?
On February 6, 2018 at 3:04 pm, Henry Bowman said:
I can’t wait for the local blm/hoodrat crowd to go out and start another riot over another admitted criminal, who was shot for either brandishing a weapon, or otherwise threatening to harm someone in the commission of a felony…..
I’ll be watching this from exit 23 myself…..
play stupid games, win stupid prizes…
I’m all Blacked Out…..
On February 6, 2018 at 3:35 pm, June J said:
Stupid is in the bloodline.
On February 6, 2018 at 7:25 pm, Henry Bowman said:
BTW….this article was from, Oct 30, 2016..A bit old, but the points are still salient to the subject of knowing when to shoot or not….
I do not recall any blm/hoodrat festivities either…..
That said, it’s just a matter of time and weather, for i suspect as the temps warm up so will opfor’s activities…..
Until then, keep planning, preparing and training, meat space baby, it’s where its’ at….
got EMCOMM capability?
On February 6, 2018 at 8:48 pm, moe mensale said:
“Why in the hell did this guy have a gun?” questioned Hairston about the employee who shot her son.
She said her son was shot in the head, and she thinks the shooting may have even been personal, citing past conflicts Grace Jr. had had with other employees at the restaurant.
“This wasn’t a body shot. This was a head shot. My son was shot in the left side of his head just behind his ear. A head shot is personal,” said Hairston.
From the linked story:
“Police said the robbery suspect was carrying a gun when he was shot.”
Ummmm, Ms. Hairston, in case you missed it or you’re just ignorant, your now deceased thug son pointed a gun at the employee which is also quite personal.
On February 6, 2018 at 8:53 pm, moe mensale said:
“Hairston said she learned of her son’s death on social media…”
Ms. Hairston, you’re definitely a role model for all mothers to emulate. It’s so obvious that you were a big part of Mikey Jr’s life.
On February 6, 2018 at 9:00 pm, moe mensale said:
“If there was to be a death, it was not the place of the employee at Pizza Hut. That is the place of law enforcement,” said Hairston.
Uh, no. Your now deceased thug son was pointing a gun at the employee, who had the means to defend himself, not the cops.
On February 7, 2018 at 12:10 pm, soapweed said:
Got me sum dat knee grow fatigue……
On February 7, 2018 at 2:47 pm, Gryphon said:
Unfortunately, the Employee will be Fired, and then ‘thrown under the Bus’ by the lawyers for the company, by way of “He was not Authorized to have the Gun at Work” in an attempt to evade Liability.
At Least, there’s One Less Thug…
On February 7, 2018 at 7:10 pm, Heywood said:
Buh bye!