NEWS: Wallet Snatcher Dead - Jumped By Bystanders

What appears to be an unarmed wallet snatching attempt at a local Daytona Beach convenience store caused bystanders to take action. The police are now investigating the resulting death of the suspect, apparently caused by injuries sustained during the resulting altercation with the store clerk and other bystanders. By the time the police arrived at the scene, the suspect was already unconcious and was unable to be revived.



It does not appear that the bystanders intended to kill the alledged thief, but things escalated when the victim was knocked to the ground. At that point the alledged thief was hit over the head with a "metal bottle" and "a crowd" held him down till police arrived.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the community as someone probably will have to face charges over this death. Many will not want to see that bystanders who intended to come to the aid of the initial victim have ruined their lives over it. There are an awful lot of people who would feel much safer knowing that strangers on the street would defend them if they were in trouble. On the other hand, incidents like this, left improperly addressed, set a disturbing precedent for the future. I don't see a good outcome no matter which way this turns.


[edit on 7-12-2004 by Banshee]

Originally posted by Relentless
I don't see a good outcome no matter which way this turns.

I agree, I feel that if the guy/girl with the bottle is not reprimanded in some way, that it could lead to people using "good intentions" as an excuse to go overly-violent on someone. I mean, I feel that the criminal must have done something to end up dead after all that (besides steal the wallet) and that hey, what goes around somes around, karma and all that. Break the law, break a bottle.

OMG something needs to be done about this. If the crowd isn't punished just think of how many thieves will be to afraid to rob people. Thieves need to make a living just like everyone else if their victims fight back how are they going too?

Some one needs to stand up for the rights of poor victim here, the poor thief who was just minding his own business trying to make a living and along come this bunch of no-good do-gooders who violated his rights by costing him his wages and no doubt the wages of some drug dealer.

I am so upset I can hardly type

Good writing, Amuk.

As long it is not proven the crowd had an intent of murdering him, there is no point in prosecuting them. A thief very often is a dangerous assailant himself (I know, my family house was robbed). It was defense.

Originally posted by Aelita
A thief very often is a dangerous assailant himself (I know, my family house was robbed). It was defense.

IMO once you assualt someone by either attacking or robbing him you lose ALL rights at that point if you get killed, tuff, the other person was not harming you in any manner till you attacked them. YOU caused the chain of events that brought on your death.

Well he will thieve no more thats for sure, kind of like someone getting sued by a burglar that gets injured during the committing of the crime. This is insane......hope they all walk free and it serves as a message - don't break the law!

Originally posted by edsinger
hope they all walk free and it serves as a message - don't break the law!

Wait, shouldn't this be the message - don't steal! Or is this some kind of subliminal mind-game again?

i was just watching that extraordinary television program REALTV, and they had something like this, just the guy didnt get hurt. the police always tell you not to try and confront the victim. heres one of your reasons.

you have no training to help yourself, and no training to help the victim. a dozen men are going to hurt him real bad.

Amuk, that almost sounds like you're promoting the killing of a petty thief. almost.

Originally posted by Amorymeltzer
Amuk, that almost sounds like you're promoting the killing of a petty thief. almost.

Not really what I am saying is if he hadn't tried to rob someone to begin with he wouldn't have got hurt. Who is at fault here? I feel no sorrow for this punk at all.

would it have happened if he hadn't tried to take something that did not belong to him? That could have been someones money to buy Heart Medicine or Food, should they have a stroke or starve because he wanted to get high?

[edit on 7-12-2004 by Amuk]

Although he was comitting a crime, i doubt he deserved to be killed. Could the crowd just not have held him down? Why hit him over the head? All it takes is one blow to the head and your dead.

I remember last year, there was a fight outside a pub in my town, and one guy punched another (just a regular fight). from that one punch, the guy died. And the other wnet to jail for something like 10 years...all because of a split second decision in a post pub brawl, over something silly, I think there was a woman involved....

police said citizens shouldn't take the law into their own hands if they're caught in the middle of a robbery.

I like that one, so we sit by and let some schmuck take our wallets, cell phones, and whatever else fancies them and wait for the police to show up, file a report, and then promptly sit on their arses...No thanks! Its a shame to have people go to the extreme of beating a guy to death, but quite frankly as Amuk mentioned had he not decided to try to rob someone he wouldnt have been in that situation.

How many people here would stand by in something like a robbery, etc if they had the means/ability to intervene?

Originally posted by Amuk
Not really what I am saying is if he hadn't tried to rob someone to begin with he wouldn't have got hurt. Who is at fault here? I feel no sorrow for this punk at all.

would it have happened if he hadn't tried to take something that did not belong to him? That could have been someones money to buy Heart Medicine or Food, should they have a stroke or starve because he wanted to get high?

oh, i know, i completely got that, i was just pointing out that the way you phrased it, it sounded like it was fine if you killed him. ftr, i agree, the killing is wrong, but he did bring it upon himself.

sorrow is one of those things i save for people i can relate to. like those who failed tests. how sad.

frankly, i'd beat the sucker to death with my parasol.

Some people sound like they want the death penalty for stealing. To dole out justice without a jury of your peers, any kind of due process. If you want that, fine, just find another Constitution to wrap yourself in. You can't pick and choose when you want the values, liberties, and principles of the USA to work, or they don't work at all.

Originally posted by curme
If you want that, fine, just find another Constitution to wrap yourself in.

Where in the Constitution does it say if assaulted and robbed do not fight back? And Again I will ask would this have happened if he HAD NOT TRIED TO ROB someone? Shooting your assailant has a Long and proud history in America

Or should you hand over everything you have at the demand of any crook that walks up to you? Should the victim (you know the person minding their own business before they were attacked) not have ANY rights to retain his property.

Cry me a River





[edit on 7-12-2004 by Amuk]

Well, obviously stealing is not a good thing to do, but neither is taking the law into your own hands.

If it was the intention of these individuals to deliver this man to justice, manslaughter is not the answer.

Originally posted by Amuk
OMG something needs to be done about this. If the crowd isn't punished just think of how many thieves will be to afraid to rob people. Thieves need to make a living just like everyone else if their victims fight back how are they going too?

Dude! I had my screen a bit off and did not see the member name. I was about to vote for you, but there is that whole mod thing.

Nice!


So why is this sort of thing bad? Because the government/state is suppose to be the one protecting you? Well they don't! If you want to be one of the lambs lead to slaughter then that is your choice, but I won't be among that flock.

HALLELUJIA!! Maybe a new movement will sweep across the land and people will no longer watch, or turn their backs while their fellow man is mistreated. GIVE THOSE PEOPLE MEDALS!!!

[edit on 12-7-2004 by groingrinder]

Well he will thieve no more thats for sure, kind of like someone getting sued by a burglar that gets injured during the committing of the crime. This is insane......hope they all walk free and it serves as a message - don't break the law!

edsinger I am inclined to agree with you I dont feel sorry for the guy who was killed he got what was coming to him. Let this be a lesson to anyone out there to those who thinks that the worst thing that will happen to them is a minimum sercuity jail.

Originally posted by Amuk
Cry me a River

[edit on 7-12-2004 by Amuk]

So if you commit a crime against me, say, scratch my car, I can kill you? Or is only in cases of theft can I kill you? What if I think you robbed me? Can I kill you, or just wound you?

You know, some people not as honest as yourself, will kill people, and then make up a reason later. Instead of killing them for a real reason, like stealing your tv.