[federali]

Here on Long Island, NY, we've had yet another tragic shooting. Briefly, a gunman attempted to rob a pharmacy of cash and pain pills. some customers fled to a nearby deli, imploring others to call 911 as an armed robbery was in progress. A retired Nassau County cop and an off-duty NYPD cop immediately responded but in the pharmacy was an off-duty BATFE agent who pulled his own gun and apparently was about to make an apprehension as the robber fled the store (perhaps in an effort to avoid gunfire in the store) Shots were fired and the robber fell dead and the federal agent died soon after. Premilinary reports indicate the robber carried a pellet pistol, increasing the likelihood that the agent was killed by friendly fire. It also appears that the two cops who responded, did not know each other.

The message for the CCW is clear: just because you see a gun doesn't mean the guy holding it is committing a crime. Avoid drawing a gun when police are present. If you must draw in public and police show up, do whatever you can to holster or lay down the gun to minimize the chances of mistaken identity and getting shot.