In Georgia Armed Robberies, The Victims Are Shooting Back

Every holiday season, police say they see spikes in robberies as crooks try to take advantage of shoppers or get desperate enough to break the law for a little extra cash.

This year in Georgia though, there was a twist. In a handful of cases in the metro Atlanta area, when armed robbers showed up at stores, the employees shot back.

Whether it was coincidence or part of an emerging trend, shop owners and employees have been showing a willingness — for better or for worse — to take matters into their own hands when firearms become involved.

Gun Store Owner Kills Suspect

In Cobb County, police say an armed robber was killed the day after Christmas when he and another man tried to hold up a gun shop.

The owner of Dixie Gun and Pawn was just opening up shop in Mableton when the two men walked in, and he shot and killed one of them before the other ran away.

Waffle House Waitress Fired For Firing

At 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, robbers showed up at a Waffle House in Coweta County, handing a note to a waitress saying they'd shoot the place up if she didn't give them money.

Another waitress, Heather Stanley, responded by going to her car, getting a handgun and firing a shot into the air, scaring the robbers away.

For doing that, Stanley — nicknamed "Shorty" — was fired from her job.

She says she was just defending herself, her co-workers and the customers and would do the same all over again. A GoFundMe campaign raised more than $7,000 to help her along.

Convenience Store Suspect Killed

Last Tuesday, three men tried to rob a Sunoco convenience store in Cartersville.

At least one of them ended up exchanging gunfire with the night store manager and was killed.

The other two suspects ran away from the store, where a cashier had been pistol-whipped during a robbery in June.

Grocery Store Manager Fires Back

Saturday morning, police say three men — at least two of them former store employees — tried to rob the Ingles supermarket in Covington.

The manager, who had the morning's bank deposit, was told to get into a truck. Instead, he either found a gun in the truck or had one of his own and started shooting, police said.

The robber, who police believe was hit, fired back three times, but didn't hit anyone.

Two men have been arrested, and the third is still at large.

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