Nineteen-year-old Dante Williams' family said there is no doubt he entered the Waffle House in Chesnee back in January of 2012 intent on robbing it, but they say he didn't have to die.
FOX Carolina obtained surveillance video from inside the Waffle House that investigators said shows Williams and his accomplice Jawan Craig come into the restaurant. Deputies said Williams is the one seen pointing a gun and demanding money.
Sitting at the bar area of the restaurant was Justin Harrison, a concealed weapon permit holder, who was armed the night of the robbery.
"They're yelling 'everybody get down, get down' and I'm not getting on the floor. I am not going to be a victim," Harrison said.I understand that Williams' family is heartbroken about their loss. But when you commit armed robbery, you are saying to others: "Your life is worth less than the contents of your wallet. I am ready to kill you because I want to go buy something." Your have effectively said that your victim's life is worth very little. That also establishes that your life is worth even less. Harrison made the right call.
Harrison said while the men terrorized other customers and staff he was deciding when to act.
"This was the only time," Harrison said. "If I am going to fight it was that one time. He was approaching me and I saw that as him engaging me."
The video shows Williams, gun by his side, walk back toward Harrison, who stands up and fires several shots killing Williams almost instantly.
The video then shows Harrison trying to hold Craig at gunpoint. But Craig tries grabbing Harrison's gun and after a struggle Craig escapes.And this demonstrates that Harrison was not prepared to kill Craig, who was not armed, even though he had a legitimate reason to fear that Craig was going to disarm him and use the gun. This show remarkable restraint on Mr. Harrison's part.
Williams' family thinks that there should be more training before getting a concealed weapon permit. What training would have prevented this? Perhaps training their thug not to threaten the lives of others for the contents of a wallet.
This is the kind of story that makes you think hard about whether you should choose to concealed-carry. Nobody wants to HAVE to carry a gun, but here it's obvious that you never know when circumstances may prove it to be the prudent decision.
ReplyDeleteThose two young men made the choice to assault innocent people. They had the guns, they were threatening people. They probably didn't plan to shoot anybody ... but who knows what they would do if their nerve broke?
They picked up the gun. One of them died by the gun.
It's not a tragedy; it is a lesson for the next young man who expects to profit by terrorizing strangers.
You never know who you will meet, when you choose the path of violence. Now, one knows, and his friend paid for the lesson.
Now wait one second...
ReplyDeleteHe was a "good" kid.
He was fun loving.
He liked to dance.
The only cliche I did not hear was "He was just getting his life together".
And, if the situation had become a murder by one of the thugs, the same family members would have been decrying the prosecution as well.
Agreed. If a person is killed in the act of attempting a crime where a reasonable person could assume that their life is in danger, I have zero sympathy.
ReplyDeleteWhen one attempts to commit armed robbery, it's truly a threat to, potentially, a lot of innocent people. Sorry, buddy, but sometimes it does not end well for the perp, even if the perp is a really good dancer.
ReplyDeleteTo avoid such, don't attempt to commit armed robbery.
I agree with Athena. I have no sympathy for the Williams family. They raised a criminal, Harrison didn't. They bear some responsibility for what happened to him.
ReplyDelete