Golf club thief picked the wrong mark - gets held at gunpoint

[nevets88]

A picture is worth a thousand words:

http://golfweek.com/quick_shot/man-held-at-gunpoint-over-stolen-golf-clubs-thief/

[Yukari]

Clint Eastwood would be proud.  "You feel lucky, punk?"

[Dave2512]

Not a deadly force situation.

[Abu3baid]

This is such bullshit.  Not that I would steal, but I would have just walked away.. What's he going to do shoot me in the back?  I don't care that he was a fire marshal or what ever, he is not a police officer and he had no right to hold him at gun point.  You think he stole from you?  Great, write down a license plate number.

[Gunther]

Haha, bet that kid won't be stealing anything anytime soon.

[rehmwa]

once the kid is lying down, the guy needed to put his weapon away.  He should lose his permit to carry at the least

detain the thief?  yes

continue to have a tantrum once the thief is detained?  absolutely not

[DaveP043]

This seems like a complete abuse of the power that the gunslinger may not ever have had.  A retired fire marshall claiming to be a police officer, threatening the other guy with a gun for what he thinks might be theft, completely over the top.  This is the kind of thing that should lead the local folks who issue firearm permits to re-evaluate this man's fitness to be licensed.  I don't care if he's a retired law-enforcement officer, at this point he displayed extremely poor judgement.  Even Oklahoma doesn't count as the wild west anymore, there's no room for vigilante justice.  Call the police, get a license plate number, but don't endanger the kid and everyone nearby with a firearm.

I wonder if we'll hear the results of whatever happens, both to the young thief, and the not-so-young gunslinger.

[Dave2512]

Wonder if they gave quick draw a breathalyzer, they should have.

[Abu3baid]

I wonder how it turned out when the cops got there?  Wouldn't they get him to get on the ground and put the gun down ect?  Or where they high fiving him for his effort?  I'm surprised no one video taped that.

[GolfLug]

What an overzealous idiot..

3 hours ago, Abu3baid said:

This is such bullshit.  Not that I would steal, but I would have just walked away.. What's he going to do shoot me in the back?  I don't care that he was a fire marshal or what ever, he is not a police officer and he had no right to hold him at gun point.  You think he stole from you?  Great, write down a license plate number.

Yes!! very very possible. Please, for the sake of your family, don't ever underestimate how stupidly people can act when adrenaline is flowing. Knuckle down whatever ego/self respect you have and lie down in that moment unless you can Jason Bourne the gun out of his hands.  

[iacas]

4 hours ago, Dave2512 said:

Not a deadly force situation.

Deadly force wasn't used.

Most states permit the use of deadly force when someone is committing a felony (against you or someone else), but I don't think stealing clubs hours before would even count as that under a generous interpretation. I think the act has to be committed right then. Heck, the guy might not have even been the right guy.

The proper thing to do would have been to detain the guy and call the police.

4 hours ago, Abu3baid said:

This is such bullshit. Not that I would steal, but I would have just walked away.. What's he going to do shoot me in the back?

That asshole? Maybe. Just walking away may have been the last thing you'd have done.

The guy was off his rocker and should have his carry permit or whatever he's got revoked.

[drmevo]

9 minutes ago, iacas said:

Most states permit the use of deadly force when someone is committing a felony (against you or someone else)

I'm fairly certain that's not true.  I think it only applies to cases where you or someone else is in physical danger.  Where it may be different, depending on the state, is if the felony is committed on your property. 

[billchao]

Both in the wrong and both need to be punished accordingly.

[Aflighter]

I dont know but golf clubs can be like family.Guy picked the wrong children...uh  i mean clubs to try to take.One thing is for sure.That guy wont be stealing anymore clubs.

[bweiss711]

Ah, yes.  This is one my favorite examples of human interaction: the old you're-being-an-asshole-so-I-will-be-an-even-bigger-asshole-to-show-that-you-shouldn't-be-an-asshole.  Gets me every time.

[disco111]

Over the top action..............perhaps, but lets make an observation. 59 yr old dealing with a 24 yr old. how would you detain or attempt to detain physically? Would not think the 59 yr old could handle a physical altercation. OK, let the kid go with the hopes of getting a plate number............what if there was no car and he just keeps on walking away. Also, as a retired fire marshal in Okla, according to the story link, he has peace officer status, which means that he has the power to detain and or arrest., of course depending on the situation. Granted, after the fact, it was found that the 24 yr old had in fact stolen the clubs and at a value of $3800, which is grand larceny and a felony, but at the time of detainment, there was probable cause for said action. Now could the retired guy have maintained a less violent voicing as opposed to "I'm gonna kill you"............most definitely, but suffice to say that fire marshals in general don't make many arrests, if any, so the verbal skills needed for voice commands would be sorely lacking. Gratefully, the thief had enough sense to realize that there was a chance of being shot, so he complied. Sadly, there's to many that don't and we have story after story of what happened next. 

[iacas]

3 hours ago, drmevo said:

I'm fairly certain that's not true.  I think it only applies to cases where you or someone else is in physical danger.  Where it may be different, depending on the state, is if the felony is committed on your property. 

I meant to say "forcible felony."

776.08 Forcible felony.--"Forcible felony" means treason; murder; manslaughter; sexual battery; carjacking; home-invasion robbery; robbery; burglary; arson; kidnapping; aggravated assault; aggravated battery; aggravated stalking; aircraft piracy; unlawful throwing, placing, or discharging of a destructive device or bomb; and any other felony which involves the use or threat of physical force or violence against any individual.

[drmevo]

31 minutes ago, iacas said:

I meant to say "forcible felony."

776.08 Forcible felony.--"Forcible felony" means treason; murder; manslaughter; sexual battery; carjacking; home-invasion robbery; robbery; burglary; arson; kidnapping; aggravated assault; aggravated battery; aggravated stalking; aircraft piracy; unlawful throwing, placing, or discharging of a destructive device or bomb; and any other felony which involves the use or threat of physical force or violence against any individual.

Interesting, but it looks like only a small handful of states define it. Either way, I think that in most states, you aren't allowed to use deadly force against someone that stole something from you in a nonviolent manner.