Just hours after Hurricane Helene swept through the Big Bend region of Florida, causing widespread destruction throughout the area and beyond, an attempted robbery at a local weed store escalated into a fatal shooting. With law enforcement stretched thin responding to numerous storm-related emergencies, a pair of robbers sought to take advantage of the distraction and targeted the Florida Hemp Distribution store on West Tennessee Street, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.
The Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) was called to the scene around 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27 to investigate the shooting, which has since become a homicide investigation. According to Alex Petrick, co-owner of the store, the shooting was a matter of self-defense by the store’s lone employee.
Petrick recounted that two men entered the store and confronted the employee on duty, prompting him to draw his firearm. The employee allegedly issued a warning to the would-be robbers, saying, “Leave, leave. Don’t make me do this,” according to Petrick.
Despite the clear warning, at least one of the suspects didn’t believe he would pull the trigger and continued to move toward the employee, who continued backing up until he was against a literal wall. With no choice left, he fired his gun, striking and killing the criminal.
The second suspect fled the scene as soon as he saw the firearm, Petrick told the Democrat. No other employees or customers were present at the time of the incident.
After the shooting, TPD questioned the employee for several hours before releasing him without charges. Petrick noted the investigation remains open and authorities have not confirmed many of the details he provided to the newspaper.
TPD spokesperson Heather Merritt stated that the incident is still an active investigation, with interviews ongoing with all involved parties.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the shooting has become a stark reminder of the challenges and dangers that can arise in times of crisis. With another potentially catastrophic hurricane on its way to make landfall in Florida this evening, Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state and local law enforcement officials have warned against looting as well as advised criminals not to take advantage of the chaos from the disaster to further victimize Florida residents.
Good shoot aside … don’t smoke weed, kiddies. It’s bad for you.
I quit pot circa 1983. No sympathy for pot shops. Anywho my older brother is ok post hurricane. Brief power outage. He lives just south of Orlando(Celebration). Said the tornado outbreak was scarier than the hurricane! Amazing ain’t it what happens with a competent run state!
Residual flooding may be a concern but glad to hear he is ok and the state is generally doing well given the circumstances.
“…what happens with a competent…”
Well put. I’ve got family who were in the path too, all are ok, and they have nothing but praise for the way the DeSantis administration gets things done.
Having a gun on your person while working in a weed store is possession of a firearm in continuance of a drug crime.
18 USC 924 (c)
“Just [email protected] m.a.riju.an.a and the crime will go away.”
And they will be no reason for a weed store employee to carry a gun at work.
Liquor store employees are frequently armed and alcohol has been legal again since 1933.
The people who supported ending alcohol prohibition never said that would end crime. But the stupid pot heads did say making weed legal would end all crime.
And they did say there would be no reason for black dealers to carry guns.
RE: “The second suspect fled the scene as soon as he saw the firearm, Petrick told the Democrat.”
How is Uncle Bens, Aunt Jemima and a laundry list of other names and statues were changed, moved or torn down while the party behind all the race based atrocities got a complete and total pass? When I see democrat I see a nitwit who belongs to the party that owns the Legacy of Slavery, nitwit democRats need to be reminded of it.
I like “interviews are still ongoing with the parties involved”. Lol gonna be hard to get much out of the perp methinks