Well, one Chicago man who played “tough guy” in the Sunshine State, and brought a little piece of his hometown to Florida, got a really rude awakening when he got a gun and attempted to rob an Escambia County convenience store. He quickly found out that the folks in Florida actually fight back… Hard.
This isn’t Lori Lightfoot’s domain, where criminals rule the day and citizens are sitting ducks and helpless victims.
No.
This is Florida, the wild and patriotic “south,” and the citizens have a God-given right to protect themselves.
Amen.
Western Journal reported that Rakim Stephen Tate is innocent until proven guilty. But you can watch the video below and decide for yourself what you think Tate may or may not be guilty of.
According to this Facebook post from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, posted under the headline “Robbery Attempt,” the event took place on Sept. 9. Escambia County is in far-western Florida, on the Gulf Coast and bordering Alabama.
According to the post, “Unbeknownst to the ‘would-be’ robber, a store employee had watched him arm himself before entering the store. This employee headed to the backroom to arm himself (with his own personal gun).”
The employee was off-camera for most of the subsequent encounter, but here’s how the sheriff’s office described it:
“Seconds later, when he sees the employee return, he freezes…oh boy. The employee returned to the counter holding his own gun toward the befuddled attempted robber. He then fumbles for words, resorting to meaningless babble about being from Chicago. Words seem to fail you when your felony attempt is thwarted by lawful and righteous force. Thankfully, he decides that it is not the time for a robbery, and he slowly exits the store.”
Tate was arrested six days later in Santa Rosa County, just to the east of Escambia County. Officers said they recovered the shotgun as well and charged Tate with “openly carrying a prohibited weapon and attempted robbery with a firearm.”
Whoever wrote the Facebook post then concluded it with a statement that leads me to believe he or she enjoys the occasional television cop show.
“You’re not in Chicago anymore; you’re under arrest.”
Warning: language
You can watch the video below:
In case you’re wondering about Florida law:
Florida is a shall-issue state with concealed weapons licenses issued at the state level by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).
There is no license, background check or firearms registration required when buying a handgun from a private individual. Buyers must be at least 21 years old to purchase any firearm and although several counties have enacted ordinances establishing waiting periods for some purchases from non-licensed sellers (often at gun shows), Florida Concealed Weapons License (CWL) holders are exempt.
Open carry is not legal in Florida, except for a few limited exceptions such as when engaged in fishing, camping, lawful hunting or target practice at an indoor range.
Also, Concealed carry is legal for residents with a Florida CWL and for non-residents with a CCW permit from a state that Florida honors. The Florida CWL allows holders of the license to carry not only a handgun but also other weapons such as electronic weapons, tear gas guns, billie clubs and knives.
And when it comes to “Self defense,” this is what Florida law says:
A person is justified in using deadly force if he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony or to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another. A person who uses or threatens to use deadly force in accordance with this subsection does not have a duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground provided that the person is not engaged in a criminal activity and is in a place where he or she has a right to be.
The use of deadly force is further justified when a person is resisting any attempt to murder such person or to commit any felony upon him or her or upon or in any dwelling house in which the person is located. If the defendant is in his or her home or vehicle, the law will presume that the defendant had a reasonable fear of imminent death or bodily harm if the alleged victim unlawfully entered or remained or attempted to remove another person against their will. A person who unlawfully and by force enters or attempts to enter another’s home or vehicle is furthermore presumed to be doing so with the intent to commit an unlawful act involving force or violence.
Maybe Mr. Tate should have read up things before coming to Florida because he’s not a liberal utopia anymore.
This post originally appeared on WayneDupree.com.