Bystander Shoots, Kills Armed Robber at Convenience Store

A good guy with a gun shot and killed an armed robber at a convenience store in East Knoxville, Tennessee early Monday morning.

According to WATE, the incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. at the Breadbox located on the 6200 block of Asheville Highway. The suspect, later identified as 18-year-old Tamon J. Stapleton, entered the store and pulled a 9mm handgun on the female clerk.

Fortunately, a friend of the clerk was sitting in his vehicle in the parking lot when he noticed the armed robbery in progress. He quickly grabbed a handgun of his own, entered the store and fired one shot at Stapleton, killing him.

As WATE reports, Knoxville police said the armed bystander likely wouldn’t face any charges because he was acting in defense of another citizen.

“The law in Tennessee as to third party is basically the same as it is to any individual in self defense,” Knox County District Attorney General Charme P. Allen said. “If you walk upon a stranger and you think that stranger is fixing to be hurt, then you can act on behalf of that stranger.”

There were no other injuries reported during the incident.

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