CANDLER, NORTH CAROLINA — A store clerk exchanged gunfire with a masked, armed man entering his shop. The grocer specializes in Mexican and South American cuisine and quickly identified a man wearing a mask and brandishing a gun as a bad guy. Thankfully, he was armed and able to handle it.
According to a Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office statement to Citizen-Times, the 21-year-old suspect brazenly barged into the store with a gun drawn and opened fire on the clerk. The clerk was able to pull his gun and return fire, critically striking the armed robber.
For 21-year-old Darwin Villatoro, this would be his last great escapade in the criminal world. Law enforcement confirm that the robber died at the scene. An oddly fitting first name for an unsuccessful criminal.
He was likely expecting to be a bit faster or a bit more steady than the clerk he was intending to shoot. He wasn’t. The clerk, thankfully, was capable enough to defend himself. It’s something that comes as a by-product to carrying a gun everyday.
There’s no guarantee that when rounds are exchanged, we’re the ones left standing. What improves that chance is cover and good marksmanship — something the young Darwin never thought to use when he decided to trade rounds with the guy behind the counter.
We’ve seen a lot of dead and critically injured thugs this year in 2016. It must have something to do with more people deciding they’re not going to be idle victims to criminal violence. That’s horrible news for bad guys looking for an easy heist.
The good news is that there’s more people who won’t be victims because they’re taking the steps to responsibly carry a handgun every single day, everywhere they go.
As we head into the new year, make a firm commitment to carry that gun on you everywhere you possibly can. It’s a simple step. While it may add one or two pounds to your waistline, those are pounds that can save your life if you need them.