Unarmed man attempts to rob EMU student of holstered gun
An unarmed man attempted to rob an Eastern Michigan University student of his handgun Thursday morning while he walked on Pearl Street near the campus in Ypsilanti, university officials said.
According to an email alert sent out by EMU, the student — an open-carry advocate — was walking at about 9:15 a.m. in the 300 block of Pearl Street when he was approached by an unknown man. The man grabbed the student’s holstered handgun and attempted to wrestle it away from the student, according to the alert.
Another person walking by the area came to the student’s aid and was able to secure the handgun, EMU said in the statement.
The suspect fled the area on foot, and no one was reported to be injured.
The man is described as black and in his early 20s, with a thin build and a beard. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, red shirt, dark pants and gray and orange tennis shoes.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Bcar
Mon, Apr 23, 2012 : 11:36 a.m.
Yet another reason to NOT open carry. Makes you a target, or the first target...
Michael B
Sat, Apr 21, 2012 : 8:06 a.m.
@jay thomas Open carry is illegal in Texas
Jeffersonian Liberal
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 12:09 p.m.
Open carry equals shoot me first. I appreciate the diversion.
Jay Thomas
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 8:38 a.m.
This is why I don't carry openly. I'm not against it, I just don't think it's a deterrent, and it can make you more vulnerable. If I was living someplace like Texas or Arizona I might reconsider.
Tru2Blu76
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 7:22 a.m.
This incident shows all that needs to be shown about the notion that one is safe while openly carrying their defense-pistol. One can get a little better idea of how bad this line of thinking is by viewing the complaint videos uploaded by open-carry proponents over the "harassment" by police. There are "open carry people" who actually go out and tempt police to stop them, then take videos of the ensuing "discussion" as "proof" of police harassment. I got my first CPL in 1967 (as soon as I became age eligible). In the 45 years since, I've had a few times when I needed to have a gun - and had one. Two of those times involved the very rare circumstances which made having my gun open to view a tactical advantage. A very dear friend of mine would be dead today if she had not had her gun in her purse when an ex-con broke into her home and attacked her. He didn't notice the purse or the gun until he got too close to do anything but die. But open-carrying as daily or even weekly practice: no way! There are 315,000 people with CPLs with a few thousand added every month in Michigan. There are only a few hundred at most of those who think "bowing to state regulation" is unnecessary when they can open-carry for free. Well - easy come, easy go.
nickcarraweigh
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 4:10 a.m.
Talk about embarrassing. The NRA needs to rip the epaulets off this gun owner and show him the door.
A2comments
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 10:57 a.m.
@Tru2Blu76 A quick Google search shows that the NRA does support and endorse Open Carry.
Tru2Blu76
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 8:02 a.m.
Nick: you seem confused about what the NRA does (and doesn't do). The NRA mainly deals with sporting guns activity. They have established themselves in the area of home defense with NRA instructors & instruction a mandatory part of qualifying for a CPL in Michigan and other states. There may be and probably are a few "open carry people" who are NRA members: but the NRA DOES NOT directly get involved with that issue, nor does it promote that practice. If anything, the NRA would agree with you that this incident is "embarrassing" to the victim - and proof supporting the practice of concealed carry for very good tactical reasons.
Major
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 2:55 a.m.
From my cold dead hands!
grimmk
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 2:45 a.m.
Wow, this could have turned out very differently. That's sheer stupidity to try and take a gun from someone. I'm glad it didn't happen.
Michael
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 2:44 a.m.
It's terrible that a civillian should be so afraid and so insecure they feel the need to carry a firearm. We can only be thankful that under the circumstances the armed man did not panic and accidentally injure any innocent by standers. Perhaps in the future he'll leave his weapon at home and feel secure that shoul he be assaulted someone will once again rush to his aid.
Lynne Radcliffe
Sat, May 12, 2012 : 5:29 p.m.
Renee - under state law, it's illegal to carry concealed into campus buildings, so maybe he was on his way to/from class or work. In any case, why does it matter how he choses to worship? Freedom of religion is a protected civil right & nobody has the right to tell you how you should do it. Ditto for keeping & bearing arms. Michael - I'm guessing you don't have insurance on your home or car, you don't lock your doors, you don't have a smoke alarm, you don't wear a seatbelt or helmet, you don't know first aid, you don't have a spare tire in your car, etc. All of those show how afraid & insecure you are. They're exactly like having a pistol for self-defense - something to help you come through an unlikely very bad event a bit better off than without them. Also, you obviously don't have any religion, since only people who are afraid & insecure need to rely on the crutch of an imaginary friend. And you don't need to vote, or write your elected representatives, & you'd turn down a trial if you're ever accused of a crime. All those pesky civil rights are only for people who are afraid & insecure. If you had bothered to learn the requirements for getting a carry permit in MI, you'd understand why this person didn't panic. The training is extensive, focussing on real-world situations. But even if he did fire at his attacker, it would be the attacker's fault if anyone were hurt. The criminal instigated the crime. If the criminal hadn't committed a crime, there would have been no reason for the citizen to act in self-defense. Besides, it's hard to miss an attacker who's that close.
Renee S.
Sun, Apr 22, 2012 : 8:31 p.m.
The guy was an open-carry advocate. I would think it's more likely that he was carrying for political reasons than because he was "afraid" and "insecure."
Tru2Blu76
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 7:43 a.m.
So your premise is: civilians have no need to worry about being attacked - ever??!! If my mother were still alive, I'd convey to her that she need not have feared the ex-con who beat her in the face with her own steam iron. And I'm sure that my close friend who lived in Ann Arbor for many years will have a let-down over your assurance that the ex-con she shot and killed really wasn't trying to kill her when he broke into her apartment and "seemed" to come at her with a knife. I myself now feel foolish because I believed the one AAPD officer and two AAPD detectives when they informed me that the Ypsi street gang I'd inadvertently angered WERE actually hunting me with intent to kill. You are SO helpful and reassuring and "wise." Thanks! LOL!
Major
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 2:58 a.m.
This proves exactly why some choose to carry, open or not! If some idiot is crazy enough to attempt to grab a gun from someone, one can only imagine what other dastardly deeds they may attempt!
smokeblwr
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 1:46 a.m.
This sounds a bit too perfect.
Peter
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 12:23 a.m.
It's pretty hilarious that you guys are the first to complain about run away political correctness in regards to the request that race be left out of crime reports when it was the only info can't even recognize one of your own facetiously making fun of it.
Dirtgrain
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 12:20 a.m.
An unarmed bystander came to the rescue of an armed man? Maybe pro-gun people have it backwards.
Mr. Ed
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 12:01 a.m.
A possible Trayvon moment.
stevek
Thu, Apr 19, 2012 : 10:25 p.m.
@Mike--The victim and witness stated that he was black. The report doesn't say that the police were looking for a black person. Get your definition of "racial profiling" correct before playing the race card.
Mike
Thu, Apr 19, 2012 : 10:14 p.m.
Do they have to say the assailant was black? That sounds like racial profiling to me. The police should question one white person for every black one they introgate just to make sure. I'd even grab a cule of grandmas and some kids just to be "fair".
Ypsi_Wings_Fan
Mon, Apr 23, 2012 : 1:05 a.m.
Whats a cule?
Jimmy McNulty
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 : 11:53 a.m.
"Do they have to say the assailant was black?" Only if they want to catch this alleged criminal, assuming the description is from the victim and witnesses. So, yes.
zigziggityzoo
Thu, Apr 19, 2012 : 9:07 p.m.
Situational awareness is key. Failing that, always use a retention holster. Police usually use a Level II or Level III retention holster, which has two or three (respectively) devices that must be deactivated before the firearm will release from the holster.