Devilsadvocate - i just think you might want to get the facts straight before you start accusing this situation to be "suspect." You must not read the paper much. Because if you did you would have realized the same store had been broken in to at the beginning of the month. Just because those employee are smart enough to take action to save them selves from any type of danger is not "suspect." And it just shows women can stick up for them selves and are smarter than men, who in this situation would have tried to fight the guy, doing what she did takes guts that i dont think a lot of people have. So thinking this is suspect is an immature thought.

The whole story is somewhat suspect. A female clerk suddenly decides to spray pepper spray at an armed intruder? First off, where did she come up with pepper spray on short notice? Secondly, most folks looking down the business end of pistol become rather narrowly focused on remaining alive, don't think, now lets see, grab some pepper spray and open fire. This one may need some "extra" investigation.

Hannah your making a money argument where this is a safety argument. The good doctor was sued, and won, but it was a hassle he did not need. I will bet he does not regret it, he saved his family from harm, period. Training and arming a clerk isn't about protecting from a monetary loss, its about protecting her life. The only thing that prevented her from being killed was the will of the robber, I would prefer it if she had a say in the matter.

he who steals my purse, steals trash, give him the money, it's not worth the hurt...

Why should an employee, or even a store owner, risk their life for $480? I think the clerk was incredibly stupid, and lucky. A good surveillance system would be a good deterrent, would assist in actually catching the criminal, and store clerks wouldn't have to worry about defending the owners property with their life.

mgmgrand-your comments about proper training are exactly what I was talking about in regards to concealed carry. And as for employees being able to have weapons, they should go through training just like everyone else. However, I think maybe MORE training, in regards to the situations they may face. Sorry if I weren't more clear earlier about that earlier!

I agree with jajeja8. There are only 2 states that do not have a concealed carry law; WI and IL. It is a proven fact that states with this law have a reduced crime rate. It is becuase you just don't know who is and who isn't.
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If you were a criminal and walked into Stop N Go with the intent to rob it. There were 3-4 other people in there besides the clerk. Would you chance it knowing that maybe at least 2 of those people were carrying?
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For those that are not educated regarding the process to get a carry permit, the process is long and lengthy. You cannot just start carrying. You have to complete a proper training course. This includes instruction on the law, and proper firearms safety and use. Then you fill out the application. The approval process goes deep into the background of the applicant. It may come up with something you did when you were 18, and you are now 50. It could take up to 10 days for a decision. Then you receive your permit.
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So it is not a simple process to get a permit to carry. I truly hope WI does pass a right to carry law. Of course we need a governor that is not against firearms. Businesses also have the option of posting a sign that indicates they do not wish to have firearms brought into the business, and anyone carrying must leave the firearm in their vehicle.
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I do agree that training a store employee on the defensive use of a firearm is wrong. They would definitely have to go through the exact same steps as someone getting a permit to carry. Plus you need to get to a range and practice shooting on a regular basis. So you are comfortable with handling a firearm.

An armed society is a polite society.

Hannah-that's why I suggested that people are trained properly on how to use firearms, that way it would not come down to innocent people losing their lives. And there were other circumstances that prevented her from spraying him before he got the money, but I understand what you meant!

curlysue- I did not say that an employer would train the employees. I meant that they would have to take a training course, similar, or more strenuous, than that you have to take in order to carry a concealed weapon. And I'm not saying retail, more the little business where there is no one else there. And as for that AZ situation, obviously the store owner didn't know how to properly use the gun, or innocent people would not have gotten hurt.

ihavealife- yes it was just broken into less than a month ago unfortunately, but then it was closed and there was no one there. This is more serious than a breaking like what happened before.

ps 4 innocent people would still be alive if the store owner would have just givin them the money and held up his hands, heros end up losers when you throw guns in the picture!

jaje- how could a store train the employees? Employees come and go often in most retail stores. I don't think training every 16,17,18 year old working in retail to use a hand gun would be a good idea. At that age they would end up getting killed themselves. Money is replaceable, young ones still in highschool are not! And hopefully the adults working understand money is never a reason to risk your own life. This will be happening ALOT more with people lossing their jobs all over the place. GIVE THEM THE MONEY AND LIVE TO SEE THE SUN RISE AGAIN!!! = )
When I lived in AZ, which allows people to carry guns, I remember one store owner trying to defend the stores money by pullin out a gun, it became a shootout like in the wild west. A women and her young son walking past the store were killed, the store owner who pulled the gun was killed and the 2 employees working in the store were killed. The robbers got away. Yeah give store employees the right to have guns, it DOESNT stop desperate people from robbing, and blood will be spilling out all over!!!

I don't know if it was gutsy or just plain stupid to pepper spray a criminal who is holding a semi automatic handgun on you for $480 that wasn't even her own money. I'm glad he didn't decide to shoot her for doing it. I think I would have just given him the money and called police after he left.

I can't imagine I'd have the courage to pepper spray this guy. Good for her.

Well the discription describes a majority of the area. I hope they get him but then will they even work on it as a priority? Thank God the clerk was not physically injured. How many unsolved robberies do we have here? I think JPD should see if the clerk could do a composite drawing to help narrow it down. and plaster it all over.

This is why we should have Concealed Carry in WI. Business owners should be allowed to have some sort of protection for themselves/their employees/their business on hand, without having to risk losing insurance coverage, or having to worry about leaving their employees alone at night. No one (employees or business owners) should have to worry about this happening in their workplace.

Obviously, I think that the only way that it would be effective, and safe, for a weapon to be present in the workplace is through proper training and certification of each employee. But I think that this would deter would-be criminals from preying on those employees that they know will be helpless to them - instead, they will have to think about the fact that the potential victim may have a weapon also. And knowing that they are properly trained on how to effectively use the weapon could also be a means to deter.

In this case, it was a lucky thing that the employee had the pepper spray, and the composure (and guts!) to use it to protect her self and her workplace, which prevented the criminal from getting any more money than he did get away with.

It just amazes me that someone would risk spending a good chunk, if not the rest, of their life in prison for $480! But unfortunately, those are the times we live in - which is again the reason we should have Concealed Carry here in WI!!