1/02/2008

"Pizza deliveryman who shot robber had gun permit"

A Domino’s pizza deliveryman who shot and killed a would-be robber in Pagedale has a valid permit to carry a weapon and appears to have acted in self-defense, according to St. Louis County police.


UPDATE: This is disappointingly true:

The pizza delivery driver who fatally shot a robber last week could have faced discipline over the incident had he not resigned, a Domino's spokesman said Wednesday.

Although the driver was being praised by bloggers with comments such as "Score one for the good guys," many corporations, like Domino's, prohibit armed employees. . . .


I assume that at least part of this due to expectations of liability. This in turn effects insurance rules. If the legal set up were changed, I think that many firms would start to let employees carry guns.

Labels: ,

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Let's see if he gets to keep his job. To date, nothing else has appeared in St. Louis Post Dispatch about this.

1/02/2008 10:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Would I want a Domino's pizza deliveryman armed with a firearm coming to my house to deliver a pizza? Absolutely not. I don't want to be mistaken for a would-be robber. When you come on my property, live your guns at home.

1/02/2008 5:47 PM  
Blogger John Lott said...

Dear 2nd anonymous:

Could you name one time where a permit holder has caused a problem in any remotely similar situation? Just one case? No. Why should you be afraid of this law-abiding citizen harming you? People who go through the permitting process are extremely law-abiding. A criminal won''t bother going through this process.

1/02/2008 6:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi John,

But I have no way of knowing if the gun-carrying pizza delivery guy who comes to my house is a permit holder or not. Maybe he's some sort crazy. It's not like the good guys and bad guys who carry guns have some sort markings to tell them apart.

As a property owner, I hope that gun owners respect my rights and leave their guns at home when they come on my property.

1/02/2008 7:51 PM  
Blogger John Lott said...

Dear 3rd anonymous (may be 2nd again):

Would banning permit holders from having guns protect your from those who are illegally carrying a gun? In fact, there is research showing that more permit holders carrying guns means that fewer criminals carry guns.

I respect property owners making the decisions for their property, and believe that you have the right to do so. Before you invite people into your house your can ask them whether they have a gun with them and ask them to lock it up in their car if they do. Here is one suggestion. Generally the law requires that property owners who don't want guns carried on their property to put up signs that say that guns are banned from the property. Would you consider putting up signs on your property that say that your house is a gun free zone?

1/02/2008 8:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Here in Texas, the delivery guy would still have been breaking the law. I hope that it's not that way in MO.

For us, the law says that if you have the permit, but your employment agreement says 'no guns', then carrying not only is grounds for firing (annoying but fair play under contract law), it's also illegal (five years in the pen IIRC)

1/02/2008 10:38 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home