Man Shot 3 Times by Woman He Tried to Rob

A Cincinnati prosecutor declined to charge the store owner in the death of a man attempting to rob her store in January.

The robbery occurred at 4:30 p.m. at the Glenway Pony Keg in Cincinnati, Ohio when James Douglas entered and told the store owner he would kill her if she didn’t give him all the money. She complied with his instructions and took the money out of the cash register and handed it to him.

But Douglas didn’t count on her being a licensed CCW holder. The 63-year-old woman drew her Ruger LCP and fired three rounds. All three found him. Douglas stumbled out of the store and soon succumbed to his wounds.

This is an example of why you should always be armed, and know when the proper moment to act is. Staring down the barrel of a gun requires you to wait, as this armed defender did, until you have the advantage.

Douglas was armed with a 9mm pistol loaded with a full magazine but no round in the chamber. The store owner fired 3 rounds from her Ruger LCP, which is chambered in .380. Since all three rounds hit their mark (Douglas’s chest), we are given an example of the potential lethality of the .380 caliber.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters, believes recent family and financial problems may have driven Douglas to commit the crime as officers have seen a recent rash of similar, desperate robberies in the area.

Deters said in a news conference:

“If you go into a store with a gun or a home with a gun to rob it, you have forfeited your right not to be shot. This guy was just in a horrible spiral, but he’s got kids and it’s very sad that he resorted to this type of violence.”

The prosecutor went on to say,

“I feel badly for the children of this man that got shot, but he brought it on himself.”

What do you think of this? Do you carry a .380? Leave a comment below to let me know.

Always carry your pistol. On your body if possible. You never know when you’ll need it. And, if you do ever need to defend yourself, do you have a plan in place for the aftermath? Check out our Concealed Carry Insurance Chart to find the best possible coverage for when the unthinkable happens.

62 Comments

  1. WhoCares on February 21, 2019 at 7:36 pm

    Good for her…. But if you live in Cal/Mexico.
    Don’t do it. They will charge you. For defending yourself.
    And remember. If you ever use your gun to defend yourself.
    NEVER. NEVER talk with the police, until you have a lawyer with you.
    Know your rights & use them. The Thugs do.
    Don’t talk yourself into jail.

    • Rob on February 21, 2019 at 7:43 pm

      I recommend telling police
      – You were attack to establish you are the VICTIM
      – witnesses who may have seen the crime
      – point out physical evidence to make sure they preserve the crime scene
      – that you will cooperate as soon as you talk with your lawyer
      After the scene is secured the police are working for the prosecutor to collect evidence. Don’t let anyone tell you that telling them your story right after you’ve been attack will help you. More than likely you will mess something up and then you have to explain that!

      Be the first to call police and the first one to call your attorney!

      • David on February 22, 2019 at 5:03 pm

        That’s too much talking. Keep your mouth shut.

        • Arlene on February 25, 2019 at 11:05 am

          You’re right

      • Paul on November 30, 2019 at 11:02 am

        Agree with others. Too much information. In my 6 years as a 911 telecommunicator I’ve seen plenty of people incriminate themselves in attempting to explain their position. I want as much information as possible because I want an understanding of what I’m sending my officers into, so I’m going to ask questions. What I NEED to help YOU is the following:

        WHERE you are (accurate location as possible. If you give me nothing else, at least I can send you help. If you were forced to relocate for your own safety, tell me where the incident happened, but DEFINITELY tell me where to find you.)

        WHO you are (the victim. That’s IT. I need to know YOU were the victim and I need to know how to identify you when police arrive. I don’t NEED anything else, so don’t feel obligated to give me anything else)

        WHY you’re calling for help (you were the victim of a crime and you were forced to defend yourself. THAT’S IT.)

        WHAT help you need (Police, obviously. If anyone is hurt, ask for that help too.)

        That’s it. Hang up. Do not answer the callback that WILL COME. My motivation is to remain on the scene for your and my officer’s protection. Though my not being on the phone with you may be a compromise of safety to my responders, your personal motivation is to not allow yourself an opportunity to talk. You are either still amped up on adrenaline or you’re coming down from it. Either way, you do NOT want to be giving statements in your condition. Answers to simple, direct questions that are otherwise obvious (“were you attacked?”. Yes. “Are you currently armed?” Answer accordingly and comply when the police disarm you, which they will. “Are you injured?” Answer accordingly. Any other question about the circumstances should be answered with, “Officer, I prefer not to answer that question until I consult with my lawyer.” The police will figure out pretty quickly that you’re not going to talk and will likely not press further.

    • Tim S. on February 22, 2019 at 12:33 am

      Good advice my friend. Very good advice

      • Dan on February 22, 2019 at 10:39 am

        Very good advice indeed!

    • S. Newby on February 24, 2019 at 1:35 am

      Being a California “deplorable” with a CCW for over 44 years, that is excellent advice. You might have to spend a night or 2 in jail, but much better than a lifetime in prison because you were eager to tell your story and justify your actions.

  2. David Grimes on February 21, 2019 at 7:37 pm

    A while back I ran across an article discussing the “Best Caliber for a Carry Pistol.”

    And oddly enough, they had the precise mathematical definition.

    The best carry caliber is the largest caliber you will have on your person AT ALL TIMES.

    • Rob on February 21, 2019 at 7:39 pm

      Agree 100% David. There are better guns for certain situations but the best gun is the one you carry all the time.

  3. Greyguy on February 21, 2019 at 7:39 pm

    What a shock she was not charged…Hamelton County and Cinncy are the some of the biggest pricks when it comes to gun ownership and gun laws which are not in compliance with state laws.

  4. Dr. Chris Nix on February 21, 2019 at 7:40 pm

    Yes I carry a Ruger LCP II. I train with it often at the range and love the accuracy, reliability and its ability to be totally concealed.

  5. Douglas G Williams on February 21, 2019 at 7:44 pm

    Yessiree Bob, I carry, my EDC is a Ruger LCP .380 6+1 in an ankle holster.

  6. Bill Seiber on February 21, 2019 at 7:46 pm

    I carry a 9mm,or a 45,AndI believe it is like the old Carl Malden commercial about AMERICAN EXPRESS don’t leave home without it

  7. John Sorci on February 21, 2019 at 7:48 pm

    Good for her. Sorry for his kids, but he should have used his head not his gun. I have 2 9mm and a 40 cal. I carry all three but not at the same time of course

  8. DEFENDER on February 21, 2019 at 7:48 pm

    Another example of its not how Big the hole is,
    it is “Where” the hole is.

    I will take 17 – 9’s over 8 -45’s every/any day.

    • Yogi on February 22, 2019 at 2:48 am

      My advice learn to shoot straighter!

    • William Costello on February 22, 2019 at 7:36 am

      I carry a 45 with 15 rounds and feel very safe

    • Doug Northcutt on February 22, 2019 at 9:55 am

      I carry a 45 8+1 and 2-10 round mags. Thugs run in packs.

  9. Dennis Sumner on February 21, 2019 at 7:50 pm

    Yes, carry a .380, 9mm, .45, whatever suits the situation. Make sure you’re very familiar with whatever you carry, though. It’s not the caliber, it’s the shooter.

  10. Jackie R Barnes on February 21, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    Carry an LCP380 24/7

  11. Craig Johnson on February 21, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    I have a concealed carry permit and carry a ruger 380 with a crimson trace I am a viet nam vet who believes in protecting my family

  12. Dave on February 21, 2019 at 7:56 pm

    Yes, I carry a Sig P238 in my pocket at all times and a Glock 19 in a concealed brief case……Always Be Ready!

  13. Larry Beary on February 21, 2019 at 7:57 pm

    I have a 9MM colt and I would have to use it if needed. Remember training and mind set.

  14. James Bushdid on February 21, 2019 at 8:00 pm

    Love my Glock .45ACP, and my back up Glock 9MM.

  15. Susan on February 21, 2019 at 8:03 pm

    I carry a Sig 380 and love it.

  16. Gene Hollon on February 21, 2019 at 8:05 pm

    The best gun to carry, is the one you can handle comfortably , AND HIT WHAT YOU AIM AT.
    A friend said that in the jungles of WORLD WAR ll ,he used a 45 caliber and when you hit a BIG man,with 3 rounds in the chest . IT KNOCKED him about 6 inches straight up, and he fell
    6 feet behind where he stood. I CARRY A .45 caliber COLT M-1911. WOE UNTO THE THUG WHO IS EVER ON THE RECEIVING END !!!!!!!!

    • Sam on October 23, 2021 at 1:33 am

      It knocked him up off the ground and six feet back? Fuckin’ please… Physics 101, dude.

  17. Mike on February 21, 2019 at 8:07 pm

    Sorry for his family’s loss but a good person with a gun is alive.

  18. Joe on February 21, 2019 at 8:17 pm

    Hi. I changed from carrying a 38 Chiefs Special to a Sig P238 .380 loaded with Remington hollow points. It’s easier to pocket carry and conceal. Hopefully, I’ll never have to use it.

  19. Paul Medley on February 21, 2019 at 8:19 pm

    Sounds like a close call regarding a Self Defense, and a sad situation for both parties from what is printed regarding the case.

    It seems Self Defense laws (the 5 elements) in general put the person being attacked, robbed, car jacked, etc. at a disadvantage when it comes down to the question “Did you fear for your life?”.

    Like if it is just a robbery or property you want to protect – you can’t shoot.

    Anyway, I would not make a judgement (and glad I don’t have too) on what is presented here as not a lawyer, a prosecutor or knowledgeable about that states or my own state’s laws.

    Sounds like the guy had a gun on her (would make me fear for my life or bodily harm) and at the same time appears he may have had the money and was leaving so the reason for Fear for Life or Bodily Harm may have been passed.

    On the other hand, I think you should be able to protect your property by any means.

  20. Sam on February 21, 2019 at 8:19 pm

    I wonder what round she used.

  21. Mikial on February 21, 2019 at 8:23 pm

    Any caliber works if you can hit your target in a vital spot. In this situation she was able to do that. In too many other situations with a lot of movement, or while you are being shot at, or in the stress of the moment you may not be able to place your shot and in those circumstances a more powerful caliber is preferable. You can carry a 9mm that is about the size of a .380 and that is my preference. But in the final analysis, always carrying is the best strategy.

  22. Richard S Huling on February 21, 2019 at 8:32 pm

    I carry a Browning BDA 380 and don’t leave home without it on me or within reach.
    Before they took prayer out of the school in1963 we had no need to carry except for hunting and certain security professions. Now that the evil is so rampant in the United States no one should be without a weapon of choice. I got my training in the Boy Scouts and was on the NRA sponsered rifle club at school. We were taught how to handle fire arms and all of us knew our constitutioal rights.
    Its interesting to note that before prayer came out of school in 1963 there was no crime ever recorded below 18 years old in the US! Government is kind of easy to figure out also since that ruling. Good or evil, or God and the devil. Funny, 10 years later they gave us Roe vs Wade. now its ok to murder babies in the womb and in some states after they survive an abortion.

    • danny on March 3, 2019 at 9:08 pm

      amen this is true what you say Richard

  23. John Patterson on February 21, 2019 at 8:49 pm

    My Glock 43 suits me just fine – – the power of a 9mm, accurate and very concealable.
    My S&W 59 holds 17 rounds of 9mm and is my open carry firearm of choice, but being double stack it’s hard to conceal.

  24. Joe Taylor on February 21, 2019 at 8:57 pm

    I have a Ruger lcp 380 I carry every day. I feel safe enough with it.

  25. Subterfuge on February 21, 2019 at 8:59 pm

    My carry is S&W M&P .40 cal. Started off with .32 Rugar and moved up.

  26. Steve W on February 21, 2019 at 9:47 pm

    I carry a Sign 380 and a Glock 9 or Sign 40 in my briefcase

  27. Terry Story on February 21, 2019 at 9:59 pm

    One of the things about this article that bothers me some is that they do not say why she decided to shoot him. It says that she gave him the money out that she had, but did not say why she chose to shoot him and that would determine whether or not she should be charged with anything. The other element of this article that interested me is that they make an issue of the gun that she used as a Ruger .380 and that she shot him three times with it and it killed him. I am happy that she survived, but I am surprised that she wasn’t charged and I would like to know why she chose to shoot as opposed to just letting him go with the money that she had given him???

    • Larry D Price on February 22, 2019 at 12:59 am

      She works for her money. When a person like this guy starts down this road, they will probably get worse, and maybe kill someone along the way. Don’t judge this woman for doing what she felt was the thing to do. He made the decision to go that route, and she had every right to do what she felt was right. You stand there looking down the barrel of a gun and see if you feel so judgmental.

      • Terry D on February 22, 2019 at 3:41 pm

        Couldn’t agree more, Larry. People seem to really search for a reason to put the victim in prison. Furthering the attack on the 2nd amendment.

    • Ricky on February 24, 2019 at 1:33 pm

      Maybe because that money he was stealing would have made the difference between her store staying open or closing..and besides if he got away with it once, the next time he could have killed someone..so she may have saved another’s life..just saying.

  28. Neannie on February 21, 2019 at 10:09 pm

    Agree w/the Crimson Trace! It can keep you from HAVING to kill someone. My g.son (an officer) put me onto it. Someone tried to break into his house and was already through the storm door, trying to get through the house door, when he looked down and saw that little red light on his chest. He didn’t break in, and my g.son didn’t have to shoot him.

  29. Hans Anderson on February 21, 2019 at 10:10 pm

    I have a Ruger SR 1911 chambered with .45 ACP. I have a SD Enhanced CCP which is good in most states and I practice every month when I’m in the states.

  30. bob pulley on February 21, 2019 at 10:51 pm

    I alternate between my LCP and a Taurus 9mm PT111. depending on how i dress. I always carry IWB. My wife carries a22 mag in her purse and we each keep a spare gun within reach in our vehicles. I think the store owner did the correct thing. I hope to never allow myself to get into a position where i have to draw or shoot another person, but i rest easier knowing USCCA has my back if i my wife or i are ever in a shooting situation.

  31. w. bryant on February 21, 2019 at 11:01 pm

    She will be sued by the man’s family as soon as a lawyer can convince them that the woman over reacted and didn’t have to shoot the robber because he needed the money to buy food for his family

  32. Tom on February 21, 2019 at 11:17 pm

    There are enough of stories of attackers who took numerous chest hits from a .45 and kept coming. The lesson is still, carry the biggest caliber you can handle well. In the end, a handgun is a poor substitute for a shotgun with slugs but carrying concealed is a compromise. I’ve been carrying concealed for 25 years, both a .38 Special +P and/or a .40 but the .38 is a J-frame and should be regarded as a backup rather than a primary gun, IMHO.

  33. Jeff on February 22, 2019 at 4:50 am

    Outstanding! Good for her.

  34. Jimmy james on February 22, 2019 at 5:47 am

    I have 2 9mm and carry eveyday I switch up depending on what I am doing that day
    One is smaller the the other .it only makes cents not to leave home with out one
    You never know when its needed
    I do feel sorry for the family but sometimes you get what you give
    All Carry on and be safe

  35. Jim Wildrick Jr on February 22, 2019 at 7:29 am

    To say do not shoot a crimminal commiting a robbery against anyone is foolish.If they are armed it’s because they won’t think twice when it comes to shooting you.This senior citizen was smart enough to wait until she got the drop on him.He put himself in this circumstance not her.I’m sure he could have found some means of gainful employment.

  36. Tony Caputo on February 22, 2019 at 7:38 am

    I carry a S&W 380 shield. I use a powerful Remington 102 grain hollow point bullit that will stop anything that threatens me. My gun is light, has an EZ slide, not as bulky as other side arms and easy to carry. I have a Blue Star in the waistband holster that was made of my gun and leaves no signature.

  37. VN VET 01/68-01/70 on February 22, 2019 at 8:27 am

    I was a Police Officer in Texas. I went through the academy in 1978 where we were shown a case from NYPD. A thief attacked two uniformed Officers with a S&W 38 special. The Officers returned fire hitting the thief center mass over twenty times, he kept coming. Two factors, the Officers were using FMJ ball ammo and the perp was on a high dose of speed. Tip, use good hollow points and use extreme caution! Carry what you train with!

  38. Joel McGarvey on February 22, 2019 at 8:39 am

    My EDC is a .40 Shield, but if situation warrants I carry a Bodyguard .380.

  39. Allen R on February 22, 2019 at 10:23 am

    Most criminals are cowards to be truely safe we need to push for constitutional carry laws a criminal will more than likely not attempt to rob someone that is openly carrying a gun

  40. Glenn A Asher on February 22, 2019 at 10:27 am

    I carry a Ruger .380 lcp custom. A LONG time ago my service revolver was a S&W Model 10 38. Eventual we changed to S&W 686, .357 magnum. Never had an automatic until I left law enforcement in 1990. Love the little Ruger as I can carry it almost anywhere.
    A word about ammo. With the Remington golden bullet 380 hp bullets i got misfeeds. Switched to Hornaday critical defense. No misfeeds.

  41. Doug H on February 22, 2019 at 5:51 pm

    I carry a Sig P365 or Ruger LC9s mostly and occasionally a Shield .45. Also have a Ruger LCP II .380 for those times with limited concealability .

  42. thomas robinson on February 22, 2019 at 6:11 pm

    I carry a mini firestorm nine, because I like the way it fits my hand, but I have many backup choices. I also carry a ccw license and 1.5 million dollars of protection from USCCA. for my wife or I ,should we ever have to defend ourselves.

  43. Steve on February 22, 2019 at 8:53 pm

    I too carry a LCP. Especially a great summer carry.

  44. Angie Russell on February 25, 2019 at 1:25 pm

    Thieves think “hey I’ll go take money from the Woman business owner”.. Well, We are not prey anymore. Brass & Gunpowder even up the playing field sometimes. We have the right to protect our homes, businesses, personal belongings & hard-work.

  45. Sassy on February 25, 2019 at 9:19 pm

    Love my little Glock 42! Can’t wait to get a 43, but it’s just because I’ve started a collection. My Glock 26 is a double stack, so I feel it may be a little more difficult to conceal without me adjusting it regularly.

  46. william on April 3, 2019 at 7:29 pm

    “Douglas stumbled out of the store and soon succumbed to his wounds.”

    Best lines in the whole article.

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