12/30/2009 6:00:00 PM Man shoots at shoplifter in parking lot
By STEVEN THOMAS Staff Reporter
A disabled man wearing a neck brace is charged with discharging a firearm in the city limits after trying to "take the law into his own hands" and stop an alleged shoplifter on Christmas Eve, the authorities said.
James D. Russell, 52, of 14420 Road 450, Union, was arrested at 2:20 p.m. Thursday and charged with discharging a firearm in the city limits and with disturbance of the peace.
Police initially received a report of a shoplifter at Wal-Mart and almost immediately afterwards a second caller reported shots being fired in the parking lot.
When police arrived at Wal-Mart they found Russell in the parking lot.
He told police that he saw a man put several boxes of bullets in a bag and then proceeded to leave Wal-Mart, said Chief of Police Dickie Sistrunk.
Russell told authorities that he followed the man to the parking lot where there was a confrontation.
When the man ran across the parking lot, Russell followed and later admitted to firing one shot into the ground as a warning sign for him to stop, Sistrunk said.
The alleged shoplifter then dropped the bag and ran off, he said.
When police arrived they found Russell in possession of a Glock .40 caliber handgun, which he had a permit to carry.
"Just because he has a permit does not give him the right to fire at shoplifters," said Sistrunk said. "My officers do not even have this right over shoplifters."
While no one was harmed in the incident, Sistrunk said it could have resulted in a more serious situation. If Russell had fired into another direction someone may have been hit by the bullet, he said.
Russell claimed that he only wanted to help the police, the chief said.
If convicted, Russell could face jail time and/or a fine.
Police took his handgun and are seeking to have his permit pulled and the weapon destroyed, Sistrunk said.
"You don't take the law into your own hands," he said.
The alleged shoplifter remains at-large.
Reader Comments
Posted: Monday, February 01, 2010
Article comment by:
JT Herrington
I too hold a permit to carry concealed. Anyone (normally) knows that this gives you the right to protect and defend yourself and your possessions. The current mindset in criminal justice is one of they are just an investigative arm. They are no longer responsible for protecting the public. Keep this in mind in the future. I have a saying that " I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy" that I live by. The punishment fits the crime. If Mr Russell isn't stable or knowledgeable enough to know what his responsibilities are as a permit holder he doesn't deserve to have one or a weapon in my opinion
Posted: Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Article comment by:
Angell Haston
O.K. so what yall are saying is that we should all go around shooting at people whenever we feel the need to do justice. Innocent people could have been injured. Its one thing to stop a shoplifter but to shoot at one is another story. I was there, i saw the whole thing and he didnt shoot into the ground, he had it aimed.
Posted: Monday, January 11, 2010
Article comment by:
Norma Massey
Maybe if there were more people like Mr. Russell, then there would be LESS shoplifting going on and therfore reduce the pricing for the rest of us. I would like to shake this mans hand and say "thank you" for trying to stop a crime in progress. How many others would have the courage to do the same? I pray he does NOT receive the jail time & fine that has been threatened him. Every citizens should stand in protest if he does!! Why would the law take and destroy his gun that he had a permit to carry? Afterall, he fired into the ground to stop a CRIMINAL. I'll bet that shoplifter (that I remind you got away) is laughing at the punishment this man is facing while he is still walking around scott free- and that makes me sick. Wake up people- we need to thank this man, not punish him. Maybe we should elect someone like him for police chief or sheriff and see if crime levels dropped. Does anyone else share my opinion?? I really would like to know.
Posted: Saturday, January 09, 2010
Article comment by:
winn mott
seems like the shooter gets around good for being dis abled!
Posted: Friday, January 08, 2010
Article comment by:
J Payne
You asked for comments based on the facts given in the article, so here goes. Mr. Russell witnessed a theft, a crime. I do not believe that he was trying to take the law into his own hands. In fact, until the lawman arrives, it is the duty of the law-abiding citizen to step up to the plate and be the law. I, as does Mr. Russell, have a carry permit. He obviously had the required training because he only fired a warning shot into the ground resulting in the recovery of the stolen property. If not for Russell all you would have is another police report. I can't believe the man was arrested for firing a shot in the city limits while deterring a crime in progress. Again, all I know are the facts based on this article but if I was the victim of a crime in progress I would take Mr. Russell any day over the police chief. Now, because Russell didn't look the other way, the chief wants to thank him by taking his carry permit, gun and hand him a nice little police record which he probably didn't have or he couldn't have the permit to begin with. I don't know the chief, Mr. Russell or even live in Philadelphia but based on this article I would recommend thanking Russell and looking for a new chief of police.
