Good Guy with a Gun #165: Memphis, TN
He tried to rob a Shell station with a five-foot snake. The cashier had a gun and better judgment. | Original incident: April 12, 2024
These posts are based on our Good Guy with a Gun calendar. Today’s post is somewhat updated from the calendar version.
Honestly, the Shell station clerk’s restraint is more striking than the five-foot-long snake. And I really appreciate the family coming to the store afterward.
But we’re getting way ahead of ourselves.
At 2 AM in Memphis, Reginald Cook made a purchase at a Shell station and left. A half-hour later, he returned and demanded money. On the second visit, the cashier thought he might have a weapon, but he refused to open the safe. Cook left again.
A little after 3 AM, Cook came back a third time — with a five-foot-long snake around his neck.
He demanded money and reached into his backpack, at which point the cashier drew his own firearm. No shots were fired, and the cops picked Cook up.
The backpack? No gun: It held a railroad spike and a rock.
Kudos to Cook’s family, who later apologized and offered to cover damages that might have resulted from the incident. That didn’t get as much coverage as I would have liked. They seem like the type of people who are trying to raise their son right.
But wait: We’re not done.
This situation seems ridiculous — who would rob a store with a snake? — but check out this story, where two men successfully robbed a truck stop using snakes.
This happened in Denmark, Tennessee — about an hour northwest of Memphis — less than a year later, in March, 2025. Unfortunately, nobody there was able to detain the men, so they absconded with about $400 in CBD oil.
Sources
There are literally too many sources to name, so you’re going to get a sampling. Funny thing is, I don’t see the original police report, so all you’re getting is secondary sources.
Main story
Straight news sources (local)
The article that spawned most of the offshoots is from WREG 3, with text and video.
WMC/Gray News supported a number of outlets, much like the AP does. Here’s an example from WWNY TV 7.
News Channel 8, WFTV 9 are examples of other local coverage, much of it through affiliates.
Straight news sources (national)
The New York Post.
The Washington Examiner.
I don’t know News Nation, but I’ve seen them referenced before, so they’re probably not nobody.
Specialist news sources
Sean Holt at USACarry.
Aggregator Hoodline often covers defensive gun uses, and they didn’t disappoint.
The Daily Caller ran with it.
Those trippy dudes at Smoke Tales on YouTube.
Talk radio
There were a lot of these, but most were duplicates down to the last comma. Here’s a sample: 104.5 WOKV, B100, Talk Radio 960, KCOL 600.
Why am I not surprised?
Not the Bee covered this story. That’s a first for us, covering the same material they did. But how could they not? Unfortunately, I’m no longer a paying subscriber, so I can’t read it. :(
Successful March 2025 snake robbery
This is documented at WREG 3 and Lipstick Alley.