Man shot at St. Pete pizza joint had been complaining about slow service

[Sgt. Hartman]

Man shot at St. Pete pizza joint had been complaining about slow service

By Kameel Stanley and Stephen Nohlgren, Times Staff Writers


ST. PETERSBURG — Florida's controversial "stand your ground" law has been cited in hundreds of cases. People have used it to justify shooting, stabbing, killing and maiming would-be intruders, romantic competitors and rival gang members.

And on Sunday, at a pizza joint in St. Petersburg, a man tried to use it as justification for shooting another customer who was yelling at workers because he wasn't getting his order fast enough.

Police said the incident unfolded about 4 p.m. inside the Little Caesars, 3463 Fourth St. N, after Randall White, 49, got mad about his service.

Another man in line, Michael Jock, 52, of St. Petersburg admonished White.

That "prompted them to exchange words and it became a shoving match," said police spokesman Mike Puetz.

White raised a fist. Jock, a concealed-weapons permit holder, pulled out a .38 Taurus Ultralight Special Revolver.

He fired one round, hitting White in the lower torso. The men grappled and the gun fired again, hitting White in roughly the same spot, police said.

One bullet lodged in a wall in the restaurant, which was occupied by at least two other people.

After the shooting, both men went outside and waited for police. Jock told officers the shooting was justified under "stand your ground," Puetz said.

"He felt he was in his rights," Puetz said. "He brought it up specifically and cited it to the officer."

He told officers he feared for his life. He mentioned that he thought White had an object in his hand, then backed off that when officers pressed him. Florida's "stand your ground law" says people are not required to retreat before using deadly force.

"We determined it did not reach a level where deadly force was required," Puetz said.

Police arrested Jock on charges of aggravated battery with a weapon and shooting within a building. He was released from jail on $20,000 bail.

Jock told the Tampa Bay Times he was meeting with a lawyer today, but declined further comment.

White was treated at Bayfront Medical Center and released. Reached by phone Monday night, he said he felt lucky to be alive. He was also angry.

"There are arguments every day, but how many people pull out a gun? When you pull a gun out and shoot somebody, your life better be in danger," White said. "He was in my face and I pushed him. His life was not being threatened."

White said he got mad because his thin-crust vegetable pie was taking longer than the 10 minutes he was promised.

"Twenty minutes later, I'm like, 'Where's my pizza?' " White said.

White, who admitted he was tired and agitated, started talking about the service. That's when he said Jock "started chewing me out."

White said the gun came out quickly. A shot rang out. The two men wrestled for the gun before the second shot was fired.

White said he still has a bullet fragment in his back.

"I got lucky," he said. "To me, that stand your ground rule … people are twisting it. He's twisting it. I walked in to get a pizza and I got shot … I'm hoping the law prevails. We'll see."

[Capebuffalo]

What a stupid son of a bitch. Shot an unarmed man and got shot himself in the process. That is not a situation that a weapon was called for

[gixxerboy1]

i live in florida and that law and people with a carry permit scare the shit out of me more then any drug dealer, robber that may have a gun.

[RaginCajun]

sounds like a weenie to me

[gixxerboy1]

What a stupid son of a bitch. Shot an unarmed man and got shot himself in the process. That is not a situation that a weapon was called for

i agree, but it happens pretty often in florida and they all claim they were under their rights to do it.

[AXx]

That's one of the dumbest reasons I have ever heard of pulling a firearm out and using it. HE is who give us other people bad names. What a fvcking tool

[Capebuffalo]

His permit should be revoked. And fined

[Juced_porkchop]

Seems to strange to me not being American (only 1hr drive away though) that guns are so normal ....

STUPID reason to pull it out. atleast quickly shoot the guy in the knee or foot. in the gut? wtf trying to kill the guy?

[gixxerboy1]

That's one of the dumbest reasons I have ever heard of pulling a firearm out and using it. HE is who give us other people bad names. What a fvcking tool

this one is even dumber. it happened recently in florida


A Florida man asked a group of teens at a gas station to turn down the loud music blaring from their car and, after an exchange of words, opened fire on the vehicle, killing a 17-year-old boy, authorities said.
Michael Dunn, 45, of Satellite Beach, has been charged with murder for the Friday slaying of Jordan Davis, 17, a black high school student from the Jacksonville area.
His lawyer said Dunn, who is white, thought he saw a gun and felt threatened during the incident, indicating that he may seek protection under the state’s controversial Stand Your Ground Law, according to local reports.
"Self defense applies because Mr. Dunn was threatened," attorney Robin Lemonidis told CNN.
"We can't say what the defense will be at this stage … but Stand Your Ground is a possibility."
The alleged murder occurred on Friday as Dunn and his girlfriend were traveling to Jacksonville for his son’s wedding, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
The pair pulled into a gas station parking lot and stopped next to an SUV, which Davis was sitting in with three other teens, authorities said.
While his girlfriend was inside the store, Dunn asked the teens to turn down the loud music they were playing, cops said.
Davis said something back and there was a heated exchange, authorities said.
Dunn then pulled a gun and fired at least eight shots, hitting Davis twice, cops told the Sentinel.
Dunn and his girlfriend then left the scene.
The Sentinel said the two were staying in a Jacksonville hotel on Saturday when they heard news reports about the teen’s death and drove back to his home in Satellite Beach.
He was arrested at his home on Saturday and charged with murder and attempted murder.
He remains in jail after being denied bond on Monday.
No guns were found inside the teens’ car, authorities said.
Davis’ family demanded justice, saying there was no way Dunn fired in self-defense.
"He did something that there was no defense for," Ron David, Jordan’s father, told CNN.
The shooting immediately drew comparisons to the murder of Trayvon Martin in February, which sparked protests over Florida’s self defense laws and accusations that George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot him, was a racist.
Lemonidis said his client was “no vigilante.”


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...#ixzz2FcCACYHu

[Capebuffalo]

Above. Thank God these fools are not the majority. But in any group there will be idiots. It's a shame in both accounts.

[DB1982]

this one is even dumber. it happened recently in florida

A Florida man asked a group of teens at a gas station to turn down the loud music blaring from their car and, after an exchange of words, opened fire on the vehicle, killing a 17-year-old boy, authorities said.
Michael Dunn, 45, of Satellite Beach, has been charged with murder for the Friday slaying of Jordan Davis, 17, a black high school student from the Jacksonville area.
His lawyer said Dunn, who is white, thought he saw a gun and felt threatened during the incident, indicating that he may seek protection under the state's controversial Stand Your Ground Law, according to local reports.
"Self defense applies because Mr. Dunn was threatened," attorney Robin Lemonidis told CNN.
"We can't say what the defense will be at this stage ... but Stand Your Ground is a possibility."
The alleged murder occurred on Friday as Dunn and his girlfriend were traveling to Jacksonville for his son's wedding, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
The pair pulled into a gas station parking lot and stopped next to an SUV, which Davis was sitting in with three other teens, authorities said.
While his girlfriend was inside the store, Dunn asked the teens to turn down the loud music they were playing, cops said.
Davis said something back and there was a heated exchange, authorities said.
Dunn then pulled a gun and fired at least eight shots, hitting Davis twice, cops told the Sentinel.
Dunn and his girlfriend then left the scene.
The Sentinel said the two were staying in a Jacksonville hotel on Saturday when they heard news reports about the teen's death and drove back to his home in Satellite Beach.
He was arrested at his home on Saturday and charged with murder and attempted murder.
He remains in jail after being denied bond on Monday.
No guns were found inside the teens' car, authorities said.
Davis' family demanded justice, saying there was no way Dunn fired in self-defense.
"He did something that there was no defense for," Ron David, Jordan's father, told CNN.
The shooting immediately drew comparisons to the murder of Trayvon Martin in February, which sparked protests over Florida's self defense laws and accusations that George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot him, was a racist.
Lemonidis said his client was "no vigilante."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...#ixzz2FcCACYHu

That's just terrible. Some people feel when they have a gun they now have power n can do whatever they please.

They need to prosecute these people to the furthest extent of the law. There is no place in the world for people like this

[stpete]

^^^^ That cat's being held without bond i believe. He's going to be there a while, i think.

[AXx]

^^^AS he should. Yes that is also very STUPID