HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT — When a previously convicted felon attempted to rob Barranquitas Mini Bakery, he wound up with yet another felony charge and a gun shot to the leg. Witnesses and police both recalled the scene for WTNH.
“There was a struggle, I believe, in the bakery. They all run out of the bakery and down the street, and there’s another altercation. At one point the suspect is shot in the leg,” said Hartford Deputy Police Chief Brian Foley.
A husband and wife team, the wife yelled for her husband at the first sign of trouble. That’s when the husband came out and shot the man.
“I never knew he carried a weapon, but a business like this you should be carrying a bat or pipe or something, but I never knew he had a weapon,” said the owner’s cousin, Jimmy Gonzalez.
“The person who was shot has been arrested in Hartford 27 times and he’s a convicted felon,” said Foley.
According to the WTNH news report, Marcus Torres had initially tried to remove the tip jar on the counter of the bakery. The tip jar contained an estimated hundred dollars in tips. It was also bolted to the counter, preventing him from running off with it. When the attempt at petty larceny failed, he attempted to rob the store only to be flushed out by one of the owner’s.
While authorities and witnesses are still unsure if Torres had a weapon – he reportedly made a motion as if to withdraw one from his waistband before the owner of the bakery shot him in the leg. Because of that perceived threat to life and livelihood, Torres was charged with criminal attempt at first-degree robbery and third-degree assault.
Police were quick to point out for WTNH that the owner’s actions appeared justified as Connecticut upholds the “Stand Your Ground” argument for self-defense.
“I can’t think of a case where the owner has been arrested for shooting someone, and I’ve responded to some before, fatal,” said Foley. “It depends on the situation and is very case specific.”
Connecticut is a shall-permit state with strict regulations governing the use and carriage of firearms. The alleged robber’s injuries appear to be non-life threatening and he is currently in custody on a $100,000 bond.