PORTLAND, OR — A U-Haul employee fired upon and killed a would-be robber just around closing time earlier this week, according to reports.
Police were quickly sent to the scene, but by the time they arrived the only apparent criminal was neutralized.
As The Oregonian reports:
Police spokesman Sgt. Chris Burley said police believe the man had attempted to rob the store at gunpoint, but died after a male employee shot him. Police retrieved two firearms from the site – one was the alleged robber’s and one was the employee’s, they believe.
The injured man was transported to a nearby hospital, but was dead when he arrived. The employee is not in custody, and he and two other witnesses are cooperating with police, Burley said. Police identified the alleged robber Thursday as Robert R. Porter, 53, of Newberg. The Oregon Medical Examiner’s Office determined his gunshot wounds as the cause of death, according to the release.
Tyson B. Pfau, 27, was identified as the employee who shot Porter, police said. It is not clear whether the witnesses are customers, passersby or employees. Nor is it clear whether the employee had a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Police do not believe the dead man fired his weapon, Burley said.
I’d be willing to bet that Mr. Pfau did have his concealed carry permit, and I for one am elated he chose to carry at work that day. It is interesting to note that The Oregonian makes a point to mention that the police do not believe that the would-be robber fired his weapon.
I’m sure it’s true, but it’s still deliberately misleading. It appears to be a subtle attempt to try to cast doubt to the legitimacy of the shooting, even though it was clearly in self-defense.
That may sound nit-picky, but it’s really not. That’s just the kind of narrative gun advocates fight against every day.
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