Make no mistake, there are few things more devastating than the death of a child, regardless of the circumstances. Still, the parents of a man shot during what police say was an attempted armed robbery aren’t making it easier to people to feel sympathetic.
What normally would have been a local crime story is garnering widespread attention thanks to this tweet:
Parents of Pizza Hut robbery suspect that was killed want to know why it was a store employee who had a gun and shot their son @WBTV_News pic.twitter.com/Vt1HlGT0Ll
— Alex Giles WBTV (@AlexGilesNews) November 3, 2016
“Did he deserve to die, at the hands of a Pizza Hut employee, no less?” Um …
According to police reports, Michael Renard Grace, 28, was shot and killed by a Pizza Hut employee around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Grace was one of three people to enter the closed restaurant in an alleged robbery attempt, and police say they recovered the gun Grace was carrying. The other two suspects fled the scene on foot.
Pizza Hut employee shoots, kills robbery suspect» https://t.co/Gm0OQp8xpa pic.twitter.com/x7ZTEYjwNM
— WBTV News (@WBTV_News) October 30, 2016
In that light, why the employee had a gun and fired it probably isn’t the first question Grace’s mother, who admitted he likely had attempted to rob the restaurant as an act of desperation, should be asking.
to protect himself from getting killed by a robber would be my guess…
— Dealia ??? Digital Prayer Warrior (@dealio24) November 3, 2016
To me, that's a stupid question. He was there to rob and he had a gun.
— Spencer Barnes (@oleheel1) November 3, 2016
"If there was to be a death, it was not the place of the employee at Pizza Hut. That is the place of law enforcement.” smh
— Jim (@Ifitsthisname) November 3, 2016
so the employee should die waiting on the response of the police? sorry, not the law… scratch harder
— Dealia ??? Digital Prayer Warrior (@dealio24) November 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/M240H/status/794282278432231428
It's quite remarkable that anyone can say they believe that only police can protect themselves with deadly force.
— Maggie Leber (@MaggieL) November 3, 2016
Because we have guns to defend ourselves in America.
— Casper ✠ (@C_asper_) November 3, 2016
for them to even ask that tells EXACTLY why their son robbed people. #MindlessParents
— Jeff P. (@Spbulldogmw3) November 3, 2016
please let them know it was so they could protect themselves from people like their son.
— Wendy (@wendysboys) November 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/ElliottMcmurry/status/793985370685919232
Are they for real?
— JoJo (@popsicles3) November 3, 2016
because there were bad people in the neighborhood who were not properly parented.
— Andrews Dad (@Andrew_Dad) November 3, 2016
if they asked different questions earlier, held their son accountable for things, he might not of made that choice
— Stephanie Brienza (@sabrienza) November 3, 2016
The employee was placed on a leave of absence.
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