Move along, no media bias to see here (Pizza shop owner kills robber)

[JonM]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/04/21/BAGUNPCQN41.DTL

OAKLAND
Man killed in attempt at robbery
Pizza shop owner fires on assailant

Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Catarino Piedra, 41, kept a gun underneath the counter at the Coliseum Pizza and Taqueria that he owned in East Oakland because his drivers had been robbed many times while making deliveries.

Allen Joseph Hicks III, 22, was an accused batterer on probation for a drug conviction and an aspiring rap artist whom everybody in his neighborhood knew as "Boonie."

The lives of the two men intersected tragically at about 9:30 p.m. Thursday when Hicks, armed with a pistol and joined by two other men, tried to rob Piedra inside the popular pizzeria at 89th Avenue and International Boulevard. Fearful that the assailants might hurt him, his wife and three children -- all of whom were inside the restaurant -- Piedra pulled out his 9mm semiautomatic pistol and opened fire, killing Hicks, police said.

In the chaos, Piedra may have accidentally shot and wounded his 17-year-old son, who was not seriously injured, police said.

Piedra acted in self-defense and won't be charged with a crime, Alameda County Assistant District Tom Rogers said Friday.

"I was scared," Piedra told The Chronicle in an interview Friday. "I had to defend my family. I was in fear for me and my kids."

He added that he took no satisfaction in taking Hicks' life.

"I wish this never happened," Piedra said. "I don't want anybody, any business to be in this kind of situation, with anybody putting a gun in your face."

Piedra said he has owned Coliseum Pizza for 18 years. The pizzeria used to be on 98th Avenue until it moved to International Boulevard in 2005.

The drama began at 9:37 p.m. when three men walked into the pizzeria. Hicks was armed with a pistol and walked up to Piedra, pointed the weapon at him and said, "This is a robbery," according to police and Piedra.

Piedra said his 17-year-old son, 19-month-old son and 13-year-old daughter were inside the restaurant at the time. Piedra said he was afraid that the assailants would shoot him or hurt his family, a contention supported by Oakland police who nevertheless cautioned against citizens taking direct action against criminals.

"There is definitely a balance," said Officer Roland Holmgren, department spokesman. "This thing had potential -- who knows where the suspects were going to take the situation? But by no stretch of the imagination are we agreeing with or justifying what the owner did."

Holmgren said, "We're not saying that we want citizens to go out there and arm themselves and take the law into their own hands. We want citizens to be good witnesses, to be good report-takers and to identify suspects."

The shooting has left two families traumatized, Holmgren said. "There are no winners in this whole case," he said.

Mohammed Ali, the manager of a market on the busy thoroughfare that has seen its share of robberies, had mixed feelings about business owners arming themselves. "Of course they have a right to protect themselves, but from what? If we have law enforcement, should (businesses) have guns? I don't think so. They're inviting trouble."

Hicks was remembered at a growing makeshift memorial Friday near the corner of 90th Avenue and Olive Street in East Oakland. Friends left balloons, candles and bottles of Hennessy cognac on the street and wrote messages on white boards tied to a fence.

"Hard-headed ass, Boonie," one message read. "The world's gone miss u boy."

"He always had a smile on his face," said a 22-year-old man who identified himself as a rapper named Little Al. "He was a solid dude, loyal."

He didn't express any anger at the pizzeria owner for shooting his friend. "Life happens," he said. "I'm not upset, you feel me? You wouldn't want it to happen, but it happened. Ain't no telling why that shooting occurred."

Hicks had pleaded no contest to marijuana possession after police reported finding him counting 19 bags of marijuana on 90th Avenue in June 2004, court records show. He spent two months in jail and was placed on three years' probation. Police then arrested him on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sale in April 2005, and prosecutors sought to revoke his probation.

"I don't sell weed, I smoke it," Hicks told officers during the second incident, the police report said.

Last month, Alameda County prosecutors charged Hicks with two counts each of battery and making threats and one count of brandishing a gun in November and December against his girlfriend, with whom he had been engaged to be married.

The woman said she ended their three-month relationship after Hicks became physically abusive, Oakland police Officer John Biletnikoff wrote in court records. On Christmas Day, Hicks let himself into her home with a key, got into an argument with her and punched her in the face six times, police said.

"One of the blows was so hard her head hit the wall and it put a hole in the wall," Biletnikoff wrote. After she fell to the ground, Hicks kicked her in the stomach, she told police.

Hicks once called the woman and showed up with a gun in his hand, the woman told police.

The 28-year-old woman, who didn't want her name used, told The Chronicle on Friday that despite the alleged abuse, Hicks was a "good person." Still, she said she very surprised that he was shot and killed in an apparent robbery attempt. "I wouldn't think that he would have done something like that," she said.

E-mail Henry K. Lee at hlee (at) sfchronicle.com.

[cathleeninnh]

Holmgren said, "We're not saying that we want citizens to go out there and arm themselves and take the law into their own hands. We want citizens to be good witnesses, to be good report-takers and to identify suspects."

I think that I am going to be sick.
Cathleen

[Dreepa]

Mohammed Ali, the manager of a market

Did he spend all the money that he made boxing?

[SpeedPhreak]

Holmgren said, "We're not saying that we want citizens to go out there and arm themselves and take the law into their own hands. We want citizens to be good witnesses, to be good report-takers and to identify suspects."

Proof "they" are scared of an armed populace who thinks & acts for themselves & want us to be good little drones.  

This situation is Exactly why we should all be armed... there would be VERY little real crime.  

If he knew that their was a 95% chance the owner would be armed & knew how to shoot he wouldn't have robbed that place.  He would still be alive & have a chance to grow out of his behavior (I don't condone his actions regarding his g/f) & make a life for himself.

A side note - If we lived in a free society, he wouldn't have been busted on the original drug charge & probably wouldn't have had to resort to trying to rob people... Maybe he was a good person who had some bad breaks & didn't know how to channel his anger & contempt into something positive & ended up dead as a result.  Then again maybe he was just a POS to the core & deserved what he got.

1 thing is for sure - he made his choice & paid the ultimate price for his actions.

[error]

That's Oakland. And of course that's what they're going to say to the press.

Over in San Francisco, most of the cops generally want honest law-abiding citizens to be armed and well-trained.

[cathleeninnh]

That's Oakland. And of course that's what they're going to say to the press.

Over in San Francisco, most of the cops generally want honest law-abiding citizens to be armed and well-trained.

Really? I have never known any cops and the few interactions that I have had weren't conducive to chatting.

We applied for our CCWs on Saturday.  I suspect there have been a lot of applications around the nation this week. We went to the range yesterday and I wish that I had done better. Once a month is about all we can manage, though. Somebody tell me that I am bound to improve, please.

Cathleen

[SpeedPhreak]

you are bound to improve

but if you can really only make it to the range that much I would suggest a compentent concealed carry/combat handgun class (for anyone really).

the instructors should be able to give you drills you can do in your home w/out the gun being loaded that will improve your skills (ie practice drawing from the holster(s) you plan on wearing, reaction time drills, etc..).

[Rocketman]

you are bound to improve

but if you can really only make it to the range that much I would suggest a compentent concealed carry/combat handgun class (for anyone really).

the instructors should be able to give you drills you can do in your home w/out the gun being loaded that will improve your skills (ie practice drawing from the holster(s) you plan on wearing, reaction time drills, etc..).

This would be what I'd need.  Any NH class recommendations?

[KBCraig]

Training is always good. But most defensive gun uses that result in shots fired, take place at ranges from 3 yards to arm's length (or less). Go ahead, measure off nine feet from where you're sitting: you don't have to be an expert to put three shots into the boilerworks at that distance.

Our last trip to the range, Mary and Sarah both wanted to know why I insisted on shooting from "so close!"; it was about 7 yards, which is just about the outside limit for personal encounters of the negative kind.

I always practice contact drills, which start at half an arm's length. Lunge forward with an elbow, jam to retain my pistol, rock back and fire from a retention position, step back and fire again, and step back again and take a proper two-hand stance. Assuming a target that doesn't move, that still leaves you less than six feet from the target.

Kevin

[Kat Kanning]

We have media bias at the Keene Free Press 

[space]

Holmgren said, "We're not saying that we want citizens to go out there and arm themselves and take the law into their own hands. We want citizens to be good witnesses, to be good report-takers and to identify suspects."

I think that I am going to be sick.
Cathleen

Yes put a camera up and we will watch you being killed and try to identify the suspect after the fact. Yes be a good citizen, don't protect yourself, that's our job. And when we arrive an hour later we will make sure we do a great job outlining your body with chalk.

This is insane, and the sad part is lately when I talk to people about being armed they actually would rather be shot dead than have that responsibilty.

[SpeedPhreak]

This is insane, and the sad part is lately when I talk to people about being armed they actually would rather be shot dead than have that responsibilty.

so true.  I don't know how in less than 100yrs "we" went from the WWII tough as nails, get the job done at all costs, no body hurts me or mine mentality to this weak, selfish, materialistic... scared society.  It's like the ratio of the strong to the spineless has completely reveresed.

We have media bias at the Keene Free Press 

I think it is safe to say all media is biased... whether the bias goes our way is what is important

Training is always good. But most defensive gun uses that result in shots fired, take place at ranges from 3 yards to arm's length (or less). Go ahead, measure off nine feet from where you're sitting: you don't have to be an expert to put three shots into the boilerworks at that distance.

Our last trip to the range, Mary and Sarah both wanted to know why I insisted on shooting from "so close!"; it was about 7 yards, which is just about the outside limit for personal encounters of the negative kind.

A local school here teaches different levels (I am sure most do)... their Combat (not self defense) classes focus on more than just close range (a part of the curriculum)... all the way out to 30 feet (I haven't been able to take the class yet but practice from 3ft to 30ft+ every time I go to the range).  In my CCW class (same school) they say most encounters will be from 15ft or less any way... from what I have read this is true.  If I were to teach a gun class I would teach it as I do any weapons class... practice, practice, practice for any & all situations (rain, dark, snow, dust storm, weak hand, 1 eye, etc...) so that if the time does come - you will be as prepared as you can be.  Maybe we should start a thread on drills we can do w/pistols in open & concealed carry that we can practice at home & at the range to become more proficient?

[dalebert]

This is insane, and the sad part is lately when I talk to people about being armed they actually would rather be shot dead than have that responsibilty.

Darwinism.

[KurtDaBear]

That's Oakland. And of course that's what they're going to say to the press.

Over in San Francisco, most of the cops generally want honest law-abiding citizens to be armed and well-trained.

Really? I have never known any cops and the few interactions that I have had weren't conducive to chatting.

We applied for our CCWs on Saturday.  I suspect there have been a lot of applications around the nation this week. We went to the range yesterday and I wish that I had done better. Once a month is about all we can manage, though. Somebody tell me that I am bound to improve, please.

Cathleen

Error is putting you on.  S.F. last year passed an ordinance outlawing private ownership of guns in the city, and only a pending court decision is preventing them from disarming all citizens at gunpoint.  It's a city in which citizens go meekly to their deaths as lambs to the slaughter.

I used to be a police reporter and have known quite a few cops, mostly decent people.  They're just regular people in small towns because things are on a personal basis there.  But a lot of them are not as nice in large towns where no one really knows anyone and everything is impersonal.  For one thing, the police community is large enough that they tend to socialize together, so they don't really know people outside their circle of co-workers.  As a result, all non-cops are either "Perps," Victims" or "Witnesses."  They also tend to be paranoid, since on first contact they don't know which category you fit into; and because of that, they're scared to death of guns (except their own).

[error]

I do not put you on.

The SFPOA came out against Proposition H, saying specifically that people should be able to keep and bear arms for self-defense.