Men attempt robbery; one shot dead by victim

[Rogue 9]

Source

Men Attempt Robbery, Woman Shoots One Dead, Deputies Say

POSTED: 1:40 pm EDT May 23, 2008
UPDATED: 3:58 pm EDT May 23, 2008
MOUNT GILEAD, N.C. -- A woman who was awakened Friday morning to two men trying to ram a van through the front door of her business shot and killed one of the men, Montgomery County deputies said.

Deputies said the two men had robbed a motel in Troy earlier before driving to a Mount Gilead coffee shop and attempting to rob it.

That's when deputies said Bouaphan Chanthunom, 51, opened fire with an assault rifle, instantly killing Joseph Murphy McRae, 36, of Mount Gilead.

The other suspect, Jeffery Ray Liles, 36, fled from the scene but was later arrested at his residence. He was not injured and is being held in the Montgomery County Jail on charges of first-degree burglary, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and injury to real property.

Deputies said Chanthunom and her family own the coffee shop and also use it as a residence.

Liles and McRae had been under investigation for other crimes in the area.

No charges will be filed against Chanthunom.

Now taking bets: Was the assault rifle actually an assault rifle? Betting open, current odds 5:1 against. :P

[frigidmagi]

Considering most assualt rifles are illegal (not all of them and there are some legal versions that do semi-auto only) and they are not the ideal weapon of choice for the American public (hunting rifles and pistols out sell them regularly)...

I'm thinking it might on the outside be a legal modification of a military rifle. Maybe an AR-15 or a civiified AK.

[FickityTwists]

I'm thinking it might on the outside be a legal modification of a military rifle. Maybe an AR-15 or a civiified AK.

The craziest thing of all is that military weapons are sometimes available for purchase on ebay. Most of them from other countries, but the way it works is that when shipped to this country, they have to purchase multiple registries for the weapon.
Most of them with the stimpulation that they are to not be used outside a shooting range ( if at all).

Now how is that for the wonders of the internet?

[Rogue 9]

And the news media has an odd fascination with calling everything that's not a pistol an assault rifle.

[FickityTwists]

And the news media has an odd fascination with calling everything that's not a pistol an assault rifle.

Then there is that aspect of it . I guess it sounds Scarier and so they THINK it might sell more papers.