These posts are based on our Good Guy with a Gun calendar. Today’s post is somewhat updated from the calendar version.
As if Hurricane Helene didn’t cause enough chaos on her own.
In the hours after Helene swept through, just before six that evening, two men walked into Florida Hemp Distribution, where one employee was working the store alone.
No customers, nobody else on shift. Easy target. The two men approached the employee.
The employee drew his gun. Now he was a harder target. One man ran away.
The other, though, kept coming.
“Leave,” the employee said, backing up. “Leave. Don’t make me do this.”
Once his back was literally against the wall and the other man was within lunging distance, the employee fired.
Sammie Zipperer died in the store.
“No employees were hurt, no employees were placed in handcuffs, no employees were arrested. Florida Hemp Distribution is now open as usual,” co-owner Alex Petrick said.
Without a duty to retreat, he backed up anyway, until the wall stopped him. Nobody could ask for more. Even that much might have been foolish.
Sources
Primary
The Tallahassee Police Department is currently conducting a homicide investigation… (Tallahassee Police Department, Facebook)
News
The Tallahassee Democrat ran two pieces, the interview with the store’s co-owner and, four months later, a year-in-review that named the dead man.
Tallahassee hemp store owner says fatal shooting was ‘out of self defense’ during robbery (Original incident)
Leon County, Tallahassee murders took a ‘downward turn’ in 2024. Here is why. (Year in review; via Yahoo)
Florida Hemp Distribution says employee fired in self defense during hold up (WCTV)
Developing: Man found dead inside of Tallahassee Hemp Business (WTXL ABC 27)
Two Fatal Shootings Over Weekend (Tallahassee Reports)
2A / specialist media
Justified Self-Defense in Tallahassee Hemp Store Shooting During Attempted Robbery (AmmoLand)
Weed Store Owner Claims Self-Defense in Fatal Shooting Amid Post-Hurricane Chaos (The Truth About Guns)