“Clerks and store owners have been on edge after a recent string of burglaries. There have been business robberies 13 out of the last 14 days in Huntsville. Some days have seen multiple robberies.” Which probably explains why the anonymous clerk who was manning the counter at the Atlantis Corner Store in Huntsville, Alabama was armed last week. Good thing, too, as Rodney Cordell Pride had chosen his c-store as the latest target of opportunity . . .
Pride was packing when he strolled into the Atlantis, expecting to extract a little unearned income. As waff.com reports, the “Huntsville store clerk fought back.” Rodney probably didn’t anticipate being carried out – down a few pints and a few degrees of body temperature – but that’s what went down.
The Huntsville PD, though, wants to be sure everyone knows they actively discourage these kinds of self-defense shenanigans.
“Our strategy is it’s not worth a life for property and we encourage compliance and non resistance in situations like that,” said Dr. Harry Hobbs. “We don’t encourage them to be armed but he has his right to be armed.”
Yes. Yes he does. But thanks for the advice anyway, Dr. Larry. We’re sure the clerk’s next of kin would have taken a lot of comfort in knowing their dearly departed loved one had been following police department guidelines if Pride had decided he didn’t want to leave any witnesses behind had things gone a little differently.