TX: Store Owner Wins Gunfight with two Robbers, Frees Wife held as Hostage

Picture from Fox4

A gunfight in Dallas on 26 January, 2016, shows that you do not need to be a professional gunfighter to win.

Bunthan Te owns the Shop-N-Go store in the 4900 block of Columbia Avenue, in east Dallas, with his wife.  Three robbers go into the store at about 10 p.m., with weapons. 

Te sees what is happening.  He attempts to draw his gun, but it hangs up on his clothing or the holster.  One of the robbers sees him struggling, and comes after him.  Te retreats to the inside of the cooler.  Coolers are somewhat bullet resistant.  Inside the cooler, the robber and Te engage in a gunfight at close range.  Te is not hit, and it is not clear if the robber is.  The robber flees the store, and Te emerges from the cooler to find his wife being held hostage by a second robber.

At the critical moment, she breaks free, and Te engages the second robber.  A gunfight ensues as the second robber flees the store.  The third robber had already fled at this point.

Police arrive.  Outside, in the parking lot, police find one of the robbers, dead.  From fox4news.com:

There was a brief shootout at close range in the cooler. Te wasn’t hit and he doesn’t remember hitting the suspect, but the man ran away after that.

Te then went to help his wife. She was able to break away and he took the opportunity to fire shots at the other suspect.

Police believe there were actually three suspects involved in the robbery. Two of them got away and the man the store owner shot died in the parking lot.

Te said he doesn’t like guns, but keeps one at the store always to protect himself and his wife.

Notice that Te does not like guns.  He is not a quick draw artist.  His gun got hung up when he tried to draw, and he had to retreat to draw it.  His tactics and use of cover are only fair at best.  But he won.  He prevailed and saved himself and his wife, partly because his attackers made more and worse mistakes; and while he was fighting for his property, family, and life, they were just trying to score some cheap cash. 

“That's why I shoot. To protect her. To protect my family,” Te said.

I give Buntham Te high points for courage, initiative, aggressive action and the sense to have a gun in the first place.  His wife deserves accolades for having the moxie to support him at the critical junction.  She assessed the situation and made the right move.  Consider how much better the tactical situation would have been if she were armed as well. We may never know how many other lives have been saved because of this couple's valuable, positive actions to improve society. Career criminals who organize armed robberies usually go on to commit many more violent crimes. Buntham Te and his wife are valuable citizens, and deserve our thanks.

Now, Buntham Te, get another gun, for your wife.  Get some good holsters that will work for you in critical situations.  Get some training and Texas concealed carry permits.  If you are willing to do so, I will donate $100 to start, and I bet we can raise the rest of the $1,000 necessary in about one day on the Internets.

Americans appreciate courage under fire, and you have proved that you have the right stuff.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.     Link to Gun Watch