Victoria Police going back to the 80’s:
“AN armed bandit wielding a sawn-off shotgun has been shot dead by police who stumbled upon a bottle shop hold up.
The man, who was known to police, was inside the Park Orchards bottle shop when plain clothes detectives turned up as part of an investigation into armed crime in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. Police saw the man point a sawn-off shotgun at the store’s attendant and fired a fatal shot at the man.
Witnesses have told the Herald Sun the shooting was linked to Park Orchards Cellars on Park Rd, 29km east of Melbourne CBD. Up to six shots were fired, according to a witness.
Witnesses have told how a worker ran from the shop screaming for help. “The shop owner’s son ran to my friend’s place … he was yelling ‘help, help call police’,” a witness said. “I was told the dad had to check his chest for bullets after the shooting … it was so loud.”
There were no other reported injuries.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Ross Guenther said detectives were in the area as part of an ongoing armed crime investigation at the time of the incident. “One of the investigators has seen that person appear to withdraw a sawed-off shotgun and point it at the attendant. As a result they thought the attendant’s life was endangered and took the action they did,” Mr Guenther said at the scene.
The detective who fired the shot was receiving support, Mr Guenther said. “The welfare of our officers is critical. I’d say he’s been very brave,” he said. Locals say they have been told the owner and a younger worker at the store are OK. “There’s been a break-in there once a month for a long, long time,” one said.
Another local said his partner drove past the bottle shop shortly before 9pm and “police were flying up Park Rd toward the store”.
The family-run bottle store is surrounded by other shops, including a petrol station and pharmacy. A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said it was usually one of the “safest suburbs” in the country.
“It’s really quiet here. This is just so surreal,” the neighbour said.
Park Rd is currently blocked to motorists. The deputy commissioner confirmed police were not called to the store but had attended as part of a routine investigation about 9pm. At 11.30pm the deceased man’s body remained inside the store awaiting the Coroner, who will investigate the shooting.
A large number of officers remain investigating at the scene. As per standard protocol following a police shooting, Professional Standards Command members will oversee the investigation.
Note the language used for justification of force.
This is just days after a Police officer in Maroubra shot a knife wielding assailant who had stabbed him.
Standard procedure says coronial inquests will reveal anything out of place, but if taken at face value both instances are clear cut cases of justified use of a firearm in self-defence and kudos to the officers for their actions.
So the question is, why can’t the public?
Sure, you have the right to do it under Section 462a of the Crimes Act in Victoria and Section 400 in NSW as per both of these incidents, but acquiring the means to do so, even so much as a pepper spray, in preparation for a potential threat? No way, thus rendering your right essentially toothless.
Ask David Dunstan how that goes.
Judging by the public’s reaction in the comment thread, there was unanimous approval of the officer’s actions. However, suggest that a private licenced citizen be able to do the same in Australia and you’ll be met with scorn from a legion of programmed frightbats who still believe it’s someone elses’ responsibility to protect you and being a victim is the morally superior outcome. This is even after Victoria Police admitted they can’t stop the gang problem last week.
It’s this double standard that needs to end. If you believe you have the right to life you should have the means available to protect that right, otherwise it means nothing. There’s nothing to suggest that the shopkeeper in this instance could not have been armed and prevented this from happening, and indeed the crook may not have bothered if he knew it wasn’t a soft target.
The fact that the shopkeeper had to wait on Police help to save his life is the real criminal offence committed here.
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