3 February 1990, Washington
A man tried to commit a robbery in Renton, WA. This was probably his first attempt, as suggested by the fact that he had no previous record of violent crime, and by his terminally stupid choices as listed below:[list=1][*]The target was H&J Leather & Firearms, a gun shop. [*]The shop was full of customers, in a state where a substantial portion of the adult population is licensed to carry concealed handguns in public places. [*]To enter the shop, he had to step around a marked Police patrol car parked at the front door. [*]An officer in uniform was standing next to the counter, having coffee before reporting to duty. [/list=1]Upon seeing the officer, the would-be robber announced a holdup and fired a few wild shots. The officer and a clerk promptly returned fire, removing him from the gene pool. Several other customers also drew their guns, but didn't fire. No one else was hurt
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