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“This hit so hard and so fast that the different aspects of human nature is going to come out, and people are going to do anything to survive.” Yes, well maybe that applies to someone breaking into a grocery or c-store to get some water or food. But in Panama City, one looter thought he’d try to get away with a police cruiser.

Witness Landon Swett said a man tried to steal a police car.

“He yelled at me a little bit. He said, oh I’m looting and he opened the door to the police officer’s SUV with the lights going, got in it and shut the door,” said Swett.That’s when Swett took his family to safety. Moments later, shots were fired.

The looter was reportedly shot and killed by a state fire marshall. Exactly what the looter planned to do with the car isn’t clear. And now we’ll never know.

Read the full story here.

 

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53 COMMENTS

    • My question is why did they leave the keys in the car? Honestly, these reports of people leaving the keys in the car and then shooting the thief are getting old, and will start to look bad for the pro gun side. As most people here will agree, locks are there to keep honest people honest, so…..

      • If I leave my front door unlocked and you enter through it uninvited, that is breaking and entering and you will be dealt with accordingly. Why, in your view, should a vehicle (an emergency response vehicle no less) be any different?

        • Agree. If my keys are in the car and the engine is running, does that somehow make it your car? Because if it is now your car, it will clearly become my car again when I kill you. If that is the way the “law” is going to work, just let me know. And we didn’t even get into the question of whether you needed it more than I did.

      • Binder here is spot on. If you leave your door open and get robbed, it’s your fault and you have no right to self defense. Just like if a woman wears a short skirt and gets raped, that’s her fault and she has no right to self defense too right?!? We blame the victim. Robbers would all be honest if only you locked your doors. So sayeth the intelligent and morally superior Binder!!!!

      • Um…it’s early Fall in Florida, with the temperature in the upper 80’s. Police vehicles contain computers and radios that work better when cooled by the vehicle air-conditioner. Most officers leave the vehicles running while on duty for that reason and to allow quicker responses to emergencies.

        As noted by others, just because it’s running doesn’t make it fair game to anyone who comes along.

        The article doesn’t seem to mention “why” he was shot by the Fire Marshall shot him. Perhaps the poor deprived youth tried to run over the Marshall while he tried to stop his vehicle from being stolen during a declared emergency?

  1. Oh, I’m sure this guy was a model citizen. But, but…he was just getting his life back together! Enrolled in the local community college studying to be a brain surgeon, you know, after getting parole for his last drug/violent crime.

    Seriously, I know they just got hit by a hurricane, but this dude wasn’t stealing the vehicle to save his baby. He figured it was open season and he could take whatever he wants. I guess he figured wrong. No sympathy.

  2. A hurricane can bring out the best in some , people helping each other in a terrible situation. It can also bring out the worst. This is a prime example , steal a vehicle that is there for the sole purpose of helping those in need. I guess this idiot picked the wrong one. He got what he deserved.

      • “Can we ban this comment?” That is the most pointless knee-jerk reaction I’ve seen in the comments section for quite a while.

        You missed someone else who wrote that before you made your comment, by the way. Just thought I’d mention that in case you had un-bunched your underwear too quickly.

        I too get mad at people I don’t know talking on the interwebs. Geez. Sarc off.

      • Uhh…it’s a “comments” section. For……(wait for it)…….comments….

        If you don’t like it, move along…..

      • It’s hackneyed, to be sure, but it’s still far less annoying than the self-styled Comments Police trying to comment shame and Mau-Mau others into self-censorship and silence.

  3. The looters caught after the Carr fire up here were quick stepped to prison. Where they belonged. They weren’t too hard to spot; all the regular residents were prevented from entering for days and days.

    • Is this a tradition of some sort in the western world during times of disasters to keep residents out and let looters in? It must be the progressive’s “involuntary wealth redistribution programme”.

      Looters can’t loot in safety if the owners object.

      • It’s part of a democrat wealth redistribution plan.
        Mainly occurs in blue cities and towns.
        Middle class folks have insurance so it doesn’t really hurt them to lose their stuff.

      • law enforcement officials tell law abiding citizens that they are not allowed back into an area for their own protection (fallen power lines, ruptured gas lines, etc). law abiding citizens agree to follow the law enforcement officials demands, so they stay out.

        looters are criminals. they don’t care about the law that says they shouldn’t loot, so they don’t care about the law that says they should stay out.

        cops don’t let looters in, looters sneak past the cops who are keeping law abiding citizens out.

        See also: murderers and gun free zones.

  4. I heard about this. Guess the prep may have tried to use the police vehicle for malicious behavior.

    I live only an hour away from Panama City.

    Also glad things didn’t go to complete heck where I lived. Most of the people in my area cleaned the neighborhood up. Checked on others and did what ever to help.

  5. I’m no fan of the police, but seriously?

    Did his father have pet names for his mother… like “sis”?

    The expression “too stupid to live” comes to mind.

    Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

      • What’s your recommendation when state or local law forbids carry in a particular place?

        Ignore the law, or lock the gun in your car?

        • Florida law allows the concealed carry of weapons during a declared emergency for the 1st 48 hours. Or if its extended by the Gubbiner. You think one is supposed to leave ones guns at home during an evacuation??
          Leave them there just for the looters…….

      • I don’t store guns in my car. But I do have a “truck gun” and a side arm when I’m going about the day. I don’t recommend long gun carry into a business. But an organized protest with 2A support signs, and open carry is ok.

        Police cars have been stolen for what’s inside them. And in Japan the police are assaulted for their side arm all the time.

    • I’ve wondered about that. Like leave a disabled (no firing pin) hand gun in plain sight in the car. Then when you confront him and he reaches for it then you can send him on down the river. Or just leave a Taurus out and you don’t have to bother with the mods…

  6. The article’s account is not clear at all. Just fragments of information.

    “That’s when Swett took his family to safety.”

    WTF does that even mean?

    • “I’m witnessing someone do something incredibly stupid. I’m taking my family from the vicinity before we wind up as collateral damage.”

  7. We have seen plenty of stories about criminals pretending to be police, feds, etc in order to put some shock and awe into the the people they want to victimize, and we’ve even seen people putting fake lights on their cars to help them do it.

    I would bet my house on the fact that a looter stealing an actual police vehicle and the weapons inside of it would NOT be out looking to direct traffic, help people get out of the deep waters, or any of the other things a model citizen would do.
    I’d guess that nothing of value was lost.

  8. Reportedly, the fire marshal who shot the looter was heard to yell “LEMME SHOW YA SOMETHING!!” just before drawing his firearm.

  9. “This hit so hard and so fast that the different aspects of human nature is going to come out, and people are going to do anything to survive.”

    So now, we justify looting?

    Looting is just urban survival foraging? Riots are just peaceful protests? Mobbing people in restaurants is just political activism?

  10. This situation went from hundreds of thousands of potentially wasted taxpayer dollars. To a 21 cent solution. Do the math. As a side benefit. No recidivism on the perps part and a life lesson taught to other thugs.

  11. What a dumbass, everybody knows when you steal a cops car you’ve got to shoot the cop first.

  12. I think alot of our stupidity stems from entertaining foolish thoughts. Nip that thought from you mind. Another example: train your eyes on your wife, not others, your mind and eyes are like muscles. Train them.

  13. Did he have his hands up and was shot in the back? Going to college?
    Will his absentee parents (egg and sperm donors) demand ‘burn the bitch down’?

  14. In a lot of cases, the car has to be on so the lights will work. They draw a lot of juice and will kill the battery fairly quickly.

    That being said, he was most likely snagging the SUV to strip the good bits out and fence those.

    • You DO during a declared Emergency when the PERP has said outright that he’s “looting”. You must have a Golden mindset, because nothing less could be so DENSE Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

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