These posts are based on our Good Guy with a Gun calendar. Today’s post is somewhat updated from the calendar version.
When they named the store, they probably weren’t thinking about bullets flying.
It was just after 5 PM on a Sunday when a man stormed into the Duck N Go Market, pulled out a gun, pointed it at the clerk, and demanded money.
The clerk was armed too. Fearing for his life, he shot the man, then immediately called 911.
KEZI was on-scene early, and anchor Joey Vacca was close enough to hear what came next:
“When we’re about to call somebody, we hear sirens. So we say, ‘okay, well somebody’s on their way.’ And then that’s when we kind of started to put together maybe somebody’s shot. I mean, we just keep hearing somebody scream, ‘help, help. I don’t want to die…’”
The man didn’t go anywhere. Officers walked up with guns drawn to find him on the ground outside the store, and on the video he can be heard saying, “I can’t move,” then screaming. He didn’t have the use of his left arm.
Officers gave him first aid and handcuffed him at the same time, and he went to the hospital with injuries that weren’t life-threatening.
He was 21-year-old Noah Alexander Sky. The gun he’d pointed at the clerk was a BB gun — a realistic-looking one, made to look like a Glock 19.
Pointing one at anybody is a bad idea, and it was a particularly bad idea at this particular counter.
“Once we realized it was from the store, people that go there regularly know the owner carries a gun. And a lot of the conversation was ‘I wondered if it involved that owner, we know he carries a gun.’”
The next morning, the man behind the counter was out taking down the police tape, cleaning in and outside the store, and switching on the lights and signs. He wouldn’t go on camera. But he said he was “okay,” and the Duck N Go was open for business.
Police announced that he wouldn’t face charges. Sky was charged with second-degree robbery, which in Oregon carries a mandatory minimum of 5 years and 10 months. The following May he took a plea deal to attempted second-degree robbery and got 4 years and 6 months in prison.
If you like what I do, please consider upgrading your subscription.
Or, of course, I’d be very grateful if you’d buy me a coffee!
Sources
News
KEZI 9 News ran four articles. The second went beyond the police release, with a neighbor’s account and the station’s own anchor, who heard the aftermath.
Eugene police respond to shooting after attempted convenience store robbery (The shooting)
Store manager cooperating with Eugene police after allegedly shooting robber (Next day)
Store clerk “feared for his life” before shooting suspected robber at Duck-N-Go, according to police (The police release)
Convenience store robber who was shot by store clerk sentenced for attempted robbery (The sentencing)
Police: Man shot during attempted robbery at Duck N Go (KMTR NBC16)
The Register-Guard (paywalled; read via the Wayback Machine): Eugene store clerk who shot robbery suspect won’t face charges, police say
2A / Specialist Media
Duck N Go Market Clerk Pulls Own Gun, Shoots Armed Robber in Self-Defense (USA Carry)
Oregon Store Owner Shoots Armed Robbery Suspect in Self-Defense (Colion Noir)