NOLA’s Times-Picayune has an amazing story running:
Bar owner Frank Barrera acted quickly and quietly when he spotted two men pulling out pistols as they entered his newly opened Mid-City business about 2 a.m. Saturday.
Pulling an armed security guard behind a wall next to the bar, Barrera waited a few moments as one of the robbers grabbed a patron and dragged him behind the bar, and moved toward Barreras wife Maria, who had been counting money near the cash register. As the bar customer wriggled free, the guard fired a shot into the robbers torso, dropping him on the spot.
[snip]
The 22-year-old wounded suspect died at the scene after taking a pounding from debris thrown onto him by people in the bar, while his companion disappeared on foot, according to witnesses and a bar videotape. Police haven’t yet released the dead man’s name, but said he is from New Orleans.
Wow. It’s like a bad version of an old joke: “Two guys walk into a bar…”
Except the punch line isn’t funny at all. NOLA.com has the video, too (here).
I can’t begin to imagine how terrifying that must have been, and while it’s disturbing to see the shot man being pelted with bottles and debris, it’s easy to understand.
If only things always worked out this way…