“After an evening out with family to watch the festival, [Dr. Mir Jafar] Shah, a suburban oncologist, went into the bathroom inside the Chicago Westin’s Grill on the Alley restaurant,” chicagotribune.com reports, “where [ex-con Jimmy] Harris [above] approached him from behind and announced a robbery, according to prosecutors and police. Harris stabbed the doctor in the right side of his neck and face . . . as the victim turned and started screaming for help, Harris punched him in the eye. Shah tried to grab Harris’ arms to ‘prevent him from cutting’ him any further and tried to pull Harris out of the bathroom so his cries for help could be heard. Shah was finally able to break free and run back into the restaurant.” Two interesting facts: Harris had 60 arrests and nine felony convictions. Dr. Shah lives in a state where American citizens are not allowed to exercise the second part of their Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms. Connect the dots, preferably somewhere outside of The Land of Lincoln.
Being attacked while standing at a urinal has got to be one of the worst situations. Is the next self-defense tip to only use stalls and to lock the door, even if you only have to go #1?
Some creative entrepreneur needs to market four-foot-long ‘personal and portable’ urinal hoses so that you can stand with your back to the urinal doing the necessary duty and still be on guard. It can be called the “Chicago Hose”.
Actually Eric, that’s exactly what Massad Ayoob suggested when he walked in on several of us at the urinals during LFI One. He predicted the very attack Dr. Shah suffered.
It’s not even a good solution yet I always look for anything metal on the plumbing or a plate on the wall to act as a mirror while using a urinal. I also look over my shoulder a couple times just to let any others know I’m trying to watch my back not that it would stop a committed street-skilled attacker.
That’s my old ‘hood, and it’s supposed to be one of the better-and safer-neighborhoods. Cops are understrength. BGs are getting more brazen and have figured out that on the Magnificent Mile there are lots of tourists and folks from the suburbs who make for easy pickins. It’s been going on for a while-it’s just that occasionally something happens that’s high profile enough the media actually reports it.
Glad I’m gone.
It’s Chicago. Very sad. Hope the doctor gets better, but is anyone surprised?
There’s no safe place in Chicago anymore. People thought they were safe if they avoided the south and west sides. Bad for tourism.
The black man interviewed said:
…”I don’t know…if it’s a result of all the vigilantism thats been going on in this neighborhood over the last several months..”
— Interesting comment. I don’t understand what he meant by the vigilantism comment since it was a criminal assault and robbery.
The well-dressed young woman interviewed said she carries a knife in her pocket yet doubts she’ll ever use or need it. If she does need it I hope that it is enough if used in legitimate self-defense.
60 arrests and 9 felony convictions and he’s still on the street. No gun laws, no matter how draconian, will work as long as people are allowed to amass this type of criminal record and still be amongst us.
Exactly. Everyone wants to blame guns, yet only someone with a felony on their record will be banned from passing a NICS check – the real issue is if a violent criminal isn’t reformed, why the HELL are we putting them back on the streets?
60 arrests and 9 felony convictions? Somebody should have shot that worthless bastard a long time ago.
Maybe that’s why he “works” in Chicago – much less chance of getting shot there.
The doctor (the victim) probably was for strong gun control. I doubt he is now.
Doubtful. I’m from Chicago and changed my mind on gun control after being attacked for the second time. First time I thought “thankfully they don’t have guns or I’d be dead” second time they did have a gun and I came to face reality of laws vs criminals
#1
Bob: It is not nice to blame the victim.
You do not know if he was pro or anti gun.
Carry anyway in a region like that if you have to live there. Better judged by twelve than carried by six. The animal will get life, but I would like to see his skull explode just the same.
“And I won’t rest until that happens.” What a load of crap that is from Mayor Rahm…
This predator needs to be removed from the planet.
Who? The guy with the knife or Rahm Emanuel?
So where’s the violence tax on sharp things?
LMAO
Just goes to prove how stupid gun control is. Some lawyer should take a client who was brutalized in a gun free zone and sue the crap out of the owner/city/county/state for depriving them if their right to self defense. If they won a huge judgment, it would end gun free zones and states that ban carrying. People always try to avoid lawsuits they can lose.
Around blacks, never relax.
uhhh yeah, not too sure i agree with this statement….
What if they’re your friends? Relatives? What if you’re black? Is it ok to relax then?
Odviously, it would depend on who your friends and relatives are. The main murderer of young black men is…..young black men.
Pat, agree with you, apparently that simple point is not as obvious to jwm’s evil twin (the regular poster jwm is not behind these comments).
Race, in and of itself, has nothing to do with it. Do you think Oprah or Jay Z are gonna mug your a**? Granted, if the dude looks like a gang-banger or a thug, then you might want to be on alert. But its not as if there isn’t plenty of white trash that you need to be alert for.
Around anyone, never relax. You’re more likely to be murdered by someone you know (even a relative) than a stranger.
This is, of course, not a realistic standard.
False. It works well for me. I have been assaulted zero times due to my constant vigilance!
@jwm…I am white but will say this..color doesn’t matter when it comes to thugs!! They come in every size, shape, color and sexual gender/orientation.
Chicago, Cook County and Illinois needs to be sued in a class action lawsuit brought about by every victim of any crime by felons/thugs/gang bangers and keep being sued until they change the laws in the state, county and city to allow ccw and to make it feasible and not cost prohibitive for the average citizen to obtain a ccw license.
Not the draconian biased laws they have now but common sense laws.
And no ungodly stupid amount of money for the lawsuit. Make the State pay all lawyer and legal fees, and lost wages for the people who missed work due to injuries and a set amount to the families of those who were killed or disabled because of the states refusal to observe common sense constitutional rights!!
speedracer, if you’ve ever read any of my comments you know it’s not me making these racist remarks. I’ve made RF aware 0f someone hijacking my name to make these remarks. He usually removes the remarks. I’ve emailed him twice about this same remark on another post and so far haven’t had any action or reply.
My apologies jwm. I remember now it being brought up before and had just forgotten about it. I offer my most humble apologies and retract my earlier statement in regards to the “not to relax around blacks comment” that I thought you had made!!
Some blogs, with comments sections, will only let someone comment using a specific given name if it is connected to a specific email address for identity that the blog administrator keeps private and the email address does not show when a comment is made. Hope I wrote that clearly as I’m starting to get really sleepy.
@Aharon…very clear sir. Although what you say I true here and on other blogs the problem is anyone can change their name on here when posting. As an example look at the name I used above for my screen name!
It is I… speedracer5050 but I can type in another name to post on here. Haven’t tried to change email addy but probably possible.
Maybe RF can lock the name and email so they can’t be changed unless him or DZ approve it.
You keep coming up with some very good online names!
Well the only names I have used on TTAG are: speedracer5050, old fat guy and crabby old bastard.
A name for each of the voices I keep hearing!!! LOL!!!!
All I can say is THANK GOD there weren’t any wild eyed vigilante concealed carry gun nuts present, because if there had been then someone might have gotten hurt.
Mr. Michael Bonomo approves this message.
“Harris had 60 arrests and nine felony convictions.”
What’s that saying about the definition of insanity? Maybe someone should tell Chicago…
“Two interesting facts: Harris had 60 arrests and nine felony convictions. ”
When looking at Illinois, one should remember that its as close to pure democracy as we have in America. The pack of criminals in IL office, including the two Governors turned inmates, are elected by fellow criminals in Chicago and their wealthy enablers in the suburbs. Laws like limits on ethics and oversight committees and “strong” gun regulations are exactly what the ex con voters want. Yes, criminals and their families are a powerful voting block in Chicago-and politicians are employed to represent their constituents.
I believe the legislature is back in session on 11/27 and concealed carry is up for consideration. will this be enough to get the votes needed to override Quinn’s veto?
A”Three strikes and you’re out” law would’ve had this Orc removed from the gene pool long ago. Can any of you Illinii tell us whether your state has such? (All civilized states do!)
Of course, if you don’t have this law,we all know why and will pray for you.
And my friends wonder why in a crowded bathroom, I always wait for the stall…
Recidivism. It’s one of the many reasons why I do not believe violent felons should have gun rights. Although a gun wasn’t used in this crime, I wonder if it was used prior to his other arrests.
And yes, I believe an armed victim would have made the possibility of a happy ending in this crime. “He stabbed me, so I shot him. Take me to the hospital (and the bad guy can go to the morgue).” That’s a happy ending that won’t happen in Chicago.
Recidivism: One of the primary reasons stripping violent felons of their gun rights is a completely fruitless endeavor.
Sky high recidivism rates are proof that indefinitely disarming felons even after they’ve served their sentence don’t even remotely achieve what they were supposedly intended for. They don’t stop violent felons from getting guns. They don’t stop violent felons from committing crimes. The only thing they do is prevent reformed violent felons from being able to defend themselves.
How many reformed violent felons do you know? This Harris guy certainly isn’t reformed, and his history of violence supports my opinion.
Yes, violent felons will still get guns. I will not support them legally obtaining guns unless – just maybe – they can stay clean for 5-10 years. I just don’t see many reformed felons.
Even the most liberal estimates put recidivism at %70. That’s %30 of all convicted felons don’t repeat offend. %30 that are, effectively, reformed.
“…his history of violence supports my opinion.”
No, it doesn’t. Harris has been barred from legally owning firearms since his first felony conviction. He went on to commit 8 more. What exactly was achieved?
This is the same line of “logic” that the antis employ. You’re trying to control the behavior of the law breaking (repeat offenders) by making laws that only the law abiding (reformed offenders) will follow. The only difference is, the law abiding in this scenario have been to prison.
You being a cop, I can understand being jaded with the “justice” system we currently have to live with. I’m jaded with it and I don’t even have to deal with the sh!t suckers every day, but you’re falling prey to an emotional response.
@ Derek
I’m not emotional – I just literally don’t see many reformed violent felons. No, this dirtbag did not use a gun, but he has clearly continued his violent behavior.
If you want gun rights for someone who has robbed, raped, or stabbed someone, go for it. I’ll be on the lookout for their next crime.
There are many people on this site who have the opinion that people will be in jail until they have paid their dues – until they are reformed. Due to budget constraints, justice system failures, etc. many get let out early. This guy got let out early about 59 times.
If you carry AIWB, then when you’re at the urinal you are already in a good position to grab your piece…. I mean unholster your weapon… Damn it, why does everything soud so phallic?!??
“Constitutionally PROTECTED right”?!
No Sir. This right is obviously not PROTECTED in Chicago.
Does this make you think how law-abiding some politicians are?
I hope so….
Make your politicians legally responsible for being un-constitutional!