Gun-Packing Citizen Grabs Purse Snatcher, Didn’t Need Weapon
Oak Park, MI - An Orthodox Oak Park man was honored by police last week Thursday for his efforts in catching a purse snatcher outside a local kosher supermarket and was presented with a citation by the Southfield Police Department for his heroic efforts.
51 year old Aaron Tobin was standing outside One Stop Kosher Food Market in the Detroit suburb of Southfield on March 19th when he saw a man grab the purse of a mother with two small children who was about to start loading groceries into her car. Surveillance video shows the purse snatcher surveying the parking lot just moments before the theft and captured the ensuing events on video.
Tobin, who had just spent part of his morning taking a tactical defense class, said that at first he couldn’t believe what he had just seen.
“The lady was screaming ‘Help me, help me!’” Tobin told VIN News. “I didn’t know if she had been stabbed or punched or anything.”After ascertaining that the woman was unharmed, Tobin jumped into his own vehicle, hoping to catch the thief who had fled across the street. Waiting to make the turn out of the store’s parking lot, Tobin saw the man reversing direction and running towards him. Leaping out of his car, Tobin began to chase the thief, who turned briefly when Tobin yelled out to him to stop.
“That one pause gave me the opportunity to tackle him,” said Tobin.
Tobin restrained the 22 year old man, with the help of bystanders, until police arrived.
The news report continues that Tobin had received tactical training and was carrying a gun at the time, but did not need to draw or use it.
I am posting this story here because:
1. HOLY FREAKING SHIT I SHOP AT THIS STORE ALL THE TIME
2. MOAR GUNZ is not the answer, be alert, be aware.
3. Yashar koach to Mr. Tobin for being in the right place at the right time and knowing what to do, also kudos to him for not shooting anyone.
4. Wingnuts will probably be using this story as proof of a need for MOAR GUNZ even though NO GUNZ were needed in the capture of the fleeing felon.
