Read & React: Liquor Store Clerk Pulls Gun on Robber

September 06, 2013 By G&A Online Editors

The term "badass" gets thrown around a lot these days, usually for Hollywood poster boys who pretend to be tough action heroes laying waste to bad guys on the silver screen.

But these Hollywood actors can't hold a candle to 54-year-old Jon Lewis Alexander. Now a liquor store clerk, Alexander is a 30-year veteran who has done four tours in Iraq, has extradited federal prisoners, and has worked as both a prison guard and a private investigator. Needless to say, this guy is tough, and he has little patience for petty thugs.

One would-be robber in Marionville, Mo., found out the hard way earlier this week when he tried to hold up Alexander, only for the clerk to stick the business end of his own pistol in the criminal's face.

Check out the video from KOLR-TV in Springfield, Mo.

According to the Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader, Alexander was working the counter at the Marionville liquor store Beer 30 on Sunday, when a man in a gray T-shirt entered at about 9 p.m., walked up to the counter and began to draw a firearm from his side, demanding Alexander empty the register.

But before the crook could ready his handgun, Alexander pushed the pistol back down with his left hand, drew his Walther PPX 9mm with his right and stuck it right at the robber's mouth, threatening to open fire.

"I pulled my weapon up and told him, 'You need to get out of here before I blow your head off,'" Alexander told KOLR-TV in Springfield. Backed right on out the door."

Alexander later told the News-Leader the only reason he didn't open fire because the man's gun wasn't pointed at him.

"If I had seen the actual barrel of the gun, I would have pulled the trigger," Alexander said."My life wasn't threatened."

The dumbfounded man staggered, tried to reholster his pistol and left without any shots fired. He remains at-large, though police did swab the barrel of Alexander's PPX for DNA.

Store owners Max and Jeannine Dawson applauded Alexander's actions, saying they too have been victims of violent crime in the past four years.

In one of the more mind-boggling statements of 2013 — so far, at least — Vice President Joe Biden offered his sage home-defense tactics during on online interview. In situations where his wife feels threatened at their home, Biden said, his advice is to "walk out on the balcony here, walk out and put that double-barreled shotgun, and fire two blasts outside the house." Of course, anyone with half a brain knows firing a weapon into the air is not only unsafe, but illegal, so it's puzzling why the Veep would encourage citizens to commit crimes in the name of self-defense.

Biden didn't stop there, saying in another interview if you want to keep someone away from your home, "Just fire a shotgun through the door."

Wisconsin Marine Stops Assault with Concealed Firearm

Marine Corps veteran Charlie Blackmore was driving home from work at about 4 a.m. one March morning when he noticed a large man kicking something on the sidewalk. Turns out, the man was brutally attacking his ex-girlfriend, and Blackmore — a CCW holder — was quick to respond. He pulled up and told the man to stop, but when the man continued, Blackmore pulled his handgun and told the man to get on the ground, then held the suspect at gunpoint until the police arrived. Semper fi, Marine.

Elderly CPL Holders Thwart Armed Robberies in Detroit

On Feb. 1, a 70-year-old girls basketball coach at Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Detroit was walking two of his students to their cars when they were approached by two males — one a student at the school, another recently expelled. When the pair tried to rob the coach and pulled a gun, the coach — a Michigan concealed pistol license holder and reserve police officer — pulled his concealed handgun and opened fire on the would-be robbers, killing one and wounding the other.

That same day, an elderly gentleman on Grand River Avenue in Detroit was held up by another robber who had picked a bad target; the older gentleman, also a CPL holder, drew his pistol and shot the criminal. Both incidents are a perfect example of the reason behind and effectiveness of concealed carry.

Naked Utah Homeowner Holds Burglar at Gunpoint

In March, St. George, Utah, homeowner Eric Martin was awoken by noises inside his home. After grabbing his handgun, Martin found an intruder, Clinton Keller, who then fled outside, tripping over some of the items he'd already removed from the home. Martin kept his 9mm trained on Keller until the police arrived.

And oh yeah, Martin was completely naked throughout the entire ordeal — even when the police arrived on the scene. 'Imagine five police cars and seven officers rolling up to a scene with a naked man holding a weapon pointing at someone, and holding him down on the ground, ' Martin said. 'The police got a kick out of that. '

72-Year-Old Woman Shoots at Intruder

When 72-year-old Jan Cooper noticed 31-year-old Brandon Alexander Perez trying to force his way into her home, she grabbed her Smith & Wesson .357 and fired a shot — missing him, but scaring him senseless. Perez, already on parole for burglary, was apprehended by Orange County deputies. After being put away, Cooper sent a message to Perez: "Well Mr. Perez, you have no idea how lucky you were to be able to walk away from my house."

Police Chief: Guns Are Not Defensive Weapons

It's"http://www.gunsandammo.com/2013/04/17/police-chief-ken-james-guns-are-not-defensive-weapons/" target="_blank">Emeryville (Calif.) Police Chief Ken James took the microphone during a February press conference and used the opportunity to condemn civilian use of firearms.

"One issue that always boggles my mind is the idea that guns are a defensive weapon. That is a myth. A gun is not a defensive weapon," James said. "A gun is an offensive weapon, used to intimidate, and used to show power. Police officers do not carry a gun as a defensive weapon to defend themselves or their other officers, they carry a gun to be able to do their job in a safe and effective manner and face any opposition that we may come upon. If it was a defensive measure, why did we lose 55 officers last year to gun violence?"

87-Year-Old Shoots Man Attacking Pregnant Woman

In February, a 24-year-old pregnant woman was doing laundry at her apartment building with her 3-year-old daughter, when 49-year-old Larrell Stell began harassing her and making sexual advances toward her. When she refused, Stell pushed her, so she grabbed her daughter and ran to the landlord's apartment. Stell caught up with her there and began punching her repeatedly, so the 87-year-old landlord got his handgun and shot Stell. When Stell tried to attack the landlord, the landlord shot him again.

"From the information that we've been given, we think it sounds fortunate that the landlord was armed in this case," said Lt. Britt Snyder of the Chaves County (N.M.) Sheriff's Department. "He certainly would have been no match for a man that's 40 years younger than him."

New York Student Uses AR-15 to Stop Home Invasion

In March, Chris Boise, a college student in Rochester, N.Y., came face-to-face with two home intruders in his apartment, one of the men pointing a gun in Boise's face. Boise's roommate, Raymond, heard the commotion and grabbed his AR-15, which scared the intruders away on sight.

Plenty of folks may want to ban the AR platform, but this story proves these rifles have a place in today's society.

Liquor Store Owner Pulls Gun on Armed Robbers

Having been pistol-whipped and tied up by robbers back in 2011, 69-year-old Arturo Taveras was no stranger to armed criminals with evil intentions. So when an armed robber entered his store on June 2, Taveras wasn't about to give in. Instead, Taveras pulled his own pistol on the robber, scaring him away before a single shot could be fired. When push came to shove, Taveras showed he was willing and able to end the threat himself; sometimes that's all you need.

W.V. County Tries to Prosecute Teen Over NRA Shirt

Jared Marcum, a 14-year-old West Virginia student, caused quite a stir after he refused to take off his NRA T-shirt at school. After being verbally reprimanded by a teacher, then suspended, and finally arrested for charges of obstruction by his school's safety officer, Marcum was faced with jail time over a T-shirt emblazoned with an AR-15 and the phrase, "Protect Your Right." County officials began treating local media with hostility and refused to answer reporters' questions, making an already ridiculous story even goofier. Charges were eventually dropped against Marcum, putting an end to one of the more bizarre stories of 2013.

Kidnappers Force Couple to Rob Bank, Shot by Husband

After 20-year-old Jordan Kutach and 21-year-old Preston Kutach kidnapped a couple, forced the wife to steal an undisclosed amount of cash from the bank where she worked, and forced the husband to drive them down the highway, they were dealt a little Texas justice by the perturbed husband. A reserve officer with the sheriff's department, the husband drew a firearm he had concealed in his vehicle and shot both suspects, killing Preston Kutach and critically wounding Jordan Kutach. Authorities did not release the husband's name, but it's believed he will not face charges.

Iowa Hostage Kills Escaped Fugitive

Having recently escaped from prison, 38-year-old Rodney Long led authorities on a four-day manhunt, shooting and wounding a deputy in the process and wrecking a stolen truck. Entering the home of 71-year-old Jerome Mauderly, however. After he and his wife, Carolyn, were held hostage for four hours, Mr. Mauderly finally decided enough was enough, grabbed his shotgun and confronted Long, firing one shot and ending the threat once and for all.

Pizza Restaurant Owner Thwarts Armed Robbery

On Aug. 16, two masked men entered Steve Sahin's New Haven, Conn., restaurant, Pizza Heaven II, shortly before midnight, brandishing a rifle and demanding Sahin empty his cash register and his pockets. However, the robbers got greedy and demanded Sahin take them to his office in the back to grab more cash. The robbers were shocked to see a pistol in Sahin's drawer, which he pulled on the robbers. Surprised, the wannabe rifleman stumbled and dropped his weapon — which turned out to be a mere pellet rifle.

Liquor Store Clerk Pulls Gun on Robber

Hollywood actors can't hold a candle to 54-year-old Jon Lewis Alexander. Now a liquor store clerk, Alexander is a 30-year veteran who has done four tours in Iraq, has extradited federal prisoners, and has worked as both a prison guard and a private investigator. Needless to say, this guy is tough, and he has little patience for petty thugs. One would-be robber in Marionville, Mo., found that out the hard way earlier this week when he tried to hold up Alexander, only for the clerk to stick the business end of his own pistol in the criminal's face.

French Jeweler Shoots Robber, Charged with Murder

Stephan Turk, a 67-year-old jeweler from the town of Nice on the French Riviera, shot and killed an armed robber, 19-year-old Anthony Asli, who tried to flee after holding the jeweler at gunpoint around 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11. However, the shooting has prompted many to question whether the shooting was justified, as Asli had already fled the store. What do you think?