Pizza Delivery Robbery
In Irmo, South Carolina, a pizza delivery man was delivering an order on March 7, 2009 when he was forced to defend his life. Christopher Steven Miller, a Pizza Hut employee, was delivering two large pizzas ordered by Paul Andrew Sturgill, Jr. Sturgill had provided a stranger's address to set up the robbery. The owner of the home at the address had no idea a robbery was planned in his front yard.
Paul Sturgill was standing on a sidewalk outside the home when Miller drove up. Sturgill asked Miller if he could make change for a hundred dollar bill, but the sharp eyed delivery man saw that his customer had no money in his wallet. Suddenly three figures came running towards the pair from a wooded area. The pizza delivery man tried to escape, but Sturgill gave chase. Catching up with his prey, he struck Miller viciously in the head. With his assailant pounding him with his fists, Christopher Miller pulled a 45 caliber handgun from his fanny pack and shot his attacker twice in the upper torso.
At the sound of the gunfire, the men running towards the fight turned tail and fled. A bloodied Miller called 911 as his attacker gasped and gurgled on the ground. Police arrived to find a bloody but alive pizza delivery man and a soon to be pronounced dead criminal.
"Knowing that the other three would soon arrive to help him and believing I would be gravely injured or even killed, I pulled my weapon and fired two shots in self-defense," said Miller. "I believe that night all four of them meant to cause me serious harm and possibly kill me. I have delivered pizzas on and off for ten years and have worked at the store in Irmo for the past four years and this is the third time I have been robbed delivering pizzas."
Authorities say Christopher Miller acted in self defense. "If you’re bringing a pizza and they’re whipping your butt, you’ve got reason to shoot them," Lexington County prosecutor Donnie Myers said succinctly. Miller has a valid concealed carry permit.
Last year, a Des Moines Pizza Hut driver was fired for violating the company's no weapon policy. James William Spiers III, too, was forced to pull his concealed handgun and defend himself against an attempted robbery. His interview is below.
Paul Sturgill was standing on a sidewalk outside the home when Miller drove up. Sturgill asked Miller if he could make change for a hundred dollar bill, but the sharp eyed delivery man saw that his customer had no money in his wallet. Suddenly three figures came running towards the pair from a wooded area. The pizza delivery man tried to escape, but Sturgill gave chase. Catching up with his prey, he struck Miller viciously in the head. With his assailant pounding him with his fists, Christopher Miller pulled a 45 caliber handgun from his fanny pack and shot his attacker twice in the upper torso.
At the sound of the gunfire, the men running towards the fight turned tail and fled. A bloodied Miller called 911 as his attacker gasped and gurgled on the ground. Police arrived to find a bloody but alive pizza delivery man and a soon to be pronounced dead criminal.
"Knowing that the other three would soon arrive to help him and believing I would be gravely injured or even killed, I pulled my weapon and fired two shots in self-defense," said Miller. "I believe that night all four of them meant to cause me serious harm and possibly kill me. I have delivered pizzas on and off for ten years and have worked at the store in Irmo for the past four years and this is the third time I have been robbed delivering pizzas."
Authorities say Christopher Miller acted in self defense. "If you’re bringing a pizza and they’re whipping your butt, you’ve got reason to shoot them," Lexington County prosecutor Donnie Myers said succinctly. Miller has a valid concealed carry permit.
Last year, a Des Moines Pizza Hut driver was fired for violating the company's no weapon policy. James William Spiers III, too, was forced to pull his concealed handgun and defend himself against an attempted robbery. His interview is below.
Labels: Self Defense
posted by Xavier at 9:27 PM
17 Comments:
I do hope the reply from head office amounts to "". Also, good guys 1, gomers 0, which is good news, although I don't envy he the emotions he'll go though.
Jim
And given Pizza Hut's history, how much are you willing to bet that corporate will force the local franchise to fire him?
Better to lose your job than your life.
I'm still dumbfounded that a company would mandate helplessness in one of the most robbed jobs in the nation. The whole "just give them what they want and you'll be fine" shtick is utterly flawed, and yet some people stick to it. Of course, those people tend to have bodyguards for themselves.
"If you’re bringing a pizza and they’re whipping your butt, you’ve got reason to shoot them," Lexington County prosecutor Donnie Myers said succinctly.
Now that's change I can believe in. Could sure use more prosecutors like that. If Pizza Hut causes this brave employee to be fired I will never patronize Pizza Hut again.
I long for a day in which robbers, not pizza drivers, fear going to work.
"If you’re bringing a pizza and they’re whipping your butt, you’ve got reason to shoot them," Lexington County prosecutor Donnie Myers said succinctly.
That seems like an oddly specific set of criteria for a justified shooting.
What if you don't have a pizza?
Kevin, it's your solemn obligation to Avoid the Noid.
-Sans Authoritas
apparently he was given the "opportunity" to resign, according to the local news.(WLTX.Com)
James William Spiers was a Pizza Hut deliver driver in Des Moines Iowa. As he delivered a pizza to an apartment building, a gunman jumped out and attempted to rob him. Spiers pulled out a hand gun he had concealed in his pants and shot the attacker three times. Mr. Spiers had a permit to carry a concealed weapon and was not charged; however, Pizza Hut fired him for violating company policy by carrying a a weapon. A state senator from a Des Moines suburb starting a "boycott Pizza Hut" movement to protest Pizza Hut's firing of Mr. Spiers.
Haven't bought from Pizza Hut in years, since they fired a man for defending his life.
Now, cue sobbing relatives of the choir boy in 3... 2...
I already do not patronize Pizza Hut because they tend to fire their drivers who fight back. This poor guy will be fired, I have no doubt.
Besides... their pizza is pretty bad.
I am looking for a cheap 1911 45 cal because of fond memories of my military sidearm. It does not have to work well. My local gun dealer has a new one for $429 which is a good price, but an older one for much less would be preferable. Let Xavier know if one is available, and I will get in touch with him in a few days.
My concealed carry is a 357 magnum and a 9mm.
It is so satisfying to see citizens protecting themselves against bad guys.
Watching the video, you can see this young man rocking back and forth. This is the body language of a person who is reliving an emotional trauma. Those who don't understand or believe in the terrible reality of Post-Traumatic Stress have no idea how long it may take him to recover.
Yes, he does indeed need some time off. He also needs someone to talk to even though it is temendously difficult for him just now.
Perhaps as sad is the corporate policy which prevents him from protecting his life while on the job. Making door-to-door deliveries at all hours of the day and night is a dangerous occupation, if only because would-be felons "know" that he carries money and is un-armed.
He's a victim, but he's not a target. Not much consolation for him now, though.
Not that I am trying to educate criminals on how to better select their targets, however, the fannypack should have been a dead giveaway that the pizza delivery man was packing. In all, justice was served as the bad guys got what they deserved. The victim will probably be fired; he should be given a medal.
I like ordering a couple pizzas from "the hut" then when I go to pick them up I pull out my wallet to pay... but before paying I hesitate then ask if they're familiar with one case or another of a delivery guy packing heat and being fired for excersizing his right to self-defense because that violates Pizza Hut's policy. The worker behind the counter usually seems shocked. I ask if that policy has been reversed or if it's still on the books, they usually don't know so we call up the manager. The manager usually claims the reports are "urban legends" and that no Pizza Hut driver has ever had to use a firearm in self-defense. So I pull out a printout of one of the stories, the manager usually skims it, then brushes it aside. I ask if the policy has been overturned, they pretend that they don't know, but I keep pushing until they admit that it hasn't, at which point I feign shock... pause for dramatic effect, then put my wallet away and ask them if Domino's has a similar policy. You don't know? Hmmm... Let me go find out...
After 6 or 8 times the manager starts to get tired of me and just says "no, we haven't changed the policy yet" so I turn around and walk out... trying to tell one or two customers on my way.
- www.JoeLevi.com, SittingDuckPolicy.com
I'm female. I work as a driver for Domino's somewhereinalabama. We are not allowed, by policy, to carry a gun. I do have a conceal carry permit and I do carry on the job. I know of at least two other drivers who do the same. Worst case scenario, I can always find another job - as long as I'm alive to do it.
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