NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Igor’s is the latest business in New Orleans to be hit by criminals. In this case, police say employees did fight back. Crime experts say in that split second, you have to make a decision, and it must be a smart one.
On Monday night, June 19, police say two armed robbers demanded money from one employee who complied, but other employees got involved, and a fight broke out. Then the suspect’s gun went off, and the person ran away. Luckily, no one was injured.
“The victims of that armed robbery were able to overpower the suspect wielding a gun,” Rafael Goyeneche, President of the Metropolitan Crime Commission said.
“Their use of force was permissible under Louisiana law,” says Goyeneche.
He went on to say, “If you are faced with a life-or-death situation, you need to make a split decision as to what you should do to defend yourself.”
While in that situation self-defense was justifiable, Goyeneche said in another recent incident this week in Algiers, the law is pretty clear.
On Shirley Drive, police say Reginal Charles was arrested after he fired two shots at two teens who were trying to steal his wife’s car.
“Property offenses like theft do not qualify for the utilization of deadly force,” he says. “If the police arrested the car owners for deadly force. They believe there was probable cause, a reasonable suspicion that he violated Louisiana law.”
Mayor LaToya Cantrell weighed in saying leave it to the true crime fighters.
“Don’t take it into your own hands, could mean life or death. If residents want to take it into their own hands, join the NOPD, we’re hiring,” says Cantrell.
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