Burgers & Bullets: Retired Cop Kills Gunman at Detroit McDonald's

[One Shot]

Not to make humor but where was prince Akeem???
The McDowells robbery in Coming to America.

[Hamtragedy]

Another retired DPD officer shot and killed a younger perp two years ago in Hamtramck outside a restaurant on Jos Campau during an attempted car jacking.

[mikefmich]

It's a shame when anyone dies but....I won't shed many tears over hooligans that get shot while committing armed crimes.

[bartock]

Just reading this makes me want to cry. I remember growing up in the seventies when my father would take us to McDonalds, White Castle, Burger King and Big Boy's and we would sit down and eat in the dining room. A family moment long gone in Detroit. They can glassed up the fast food joints but who is going to want to eat in the dining rooms when there are other predators ready to pounce?

I saw the video this morning from Fox2 and they had the uncle talking about how he never knew the boy carried a gun and my cousin said "but he knew he was broke." That is the reality that people somehow seem to miss. When people are desperate [[this include sixteen year old boys) they will do anything for money and if they have to die for it, they will.

Almost all 16 year olds are broke. And invincible.

I don't think he was willing to DIE for money. I think he was willing to KILL for money.

[wolverine]

It's a shame when anyone dies but....I won't shed many tears over hooligans that get shot while committing armed crimes.

It's a shame in theory, but when you think about it...if someone is robbing stores at 16, just imagine how many lives may be saved in the future with this person out of existence. Had this teens life been spared, I can't say for sure whether he would have changed and become a productive member of society...statistically speaking, the answer is no.

[tammypio]

I drive through that McDonalds almost every morning for my super size diet coke fix since I don't drink coffee. I teach at a school just down the road. This neighborhood is generally a very safe neighborhood. UDMercy is right across the street and the businesses in the area are well kept up and busy. I do hope that they do not put plexiglass up in the restaurant.
It is a very sad situation when a 16 year old decides that the best way to get his hands on some money is to rob the local restaurant. I'm very sorry for his family, but I hope this is a wake-up to other would-be thieves.
I also found it very odd that the sister of the young man was on the scene so quickly and thought it might be her brother even before he was actually identified. Did she know he was planning this? Did one of his friends fill her in? A little fishy to me.....

[CLAUDE G]

I saw the story also, and they diidn't need to show the robbers sister and family screaming when they found out what happened.

I think the mistake the kid made was taking a gun with him to the robbery and probably firing the first shot.

Once you fire or point your gun at someone, its self defence at that point. If your messing with a cop you might as well consider yourself dead.

But what kind of idiot robs a Mc Donalds in broad daylight?.

[Frankg]

How and where did a 16 year old get a handgun?

I used to subscribe to the belief that if handguns are outlawed, only outlaws will have handguns.

But I have changed my views after thinking about this.

If you look at the history of virtually any handgun used in a crime, and trace back its ownership, you find one of two things: 1) the "law abiding citizen" protecting himself, isn't so "law-abiding" after all, or 2) the gun was sold to, given to, lent to, or stolen by, the criminal.

Given that virtually all handguns used in crimes were at one time "lawful", the only conclusion is that if law-abiding citizens didn't have handguns, then outlaws wouldn't have them, either.

I mean, it isn't like this 16 year old imported this handgun from China or something...

Q.E.D.

[tompage]

I'd like to see housing incentives for retired Police Officers to move into the city. Also, I refuse to patronize any business that use plexiglass [[and other barriers) to separate the customers from the workers.

[jtf1972]

At 16 being broke is a common thing. He could probably have remedied that situation at the same McDonalds by taking a pen instead of a gun and asking for an application.

[313WX]

He could probably have remedied that situation at the same McDonalds by taking a pen instead of a gun and asking for an application.

With a 9.1% unemployment rate and McDonalds having a lower acceptance rate than Harvard? In Detroit no less?

I HIGHLY doubt it.

[R8RBOB]

Almost all 16 year olds are broke. And invincible.

I don't think he was willing to DIE for money. I think he was willing to KILL for money.

It is oblivious that he was willing to kill for money but he knew that there is the possibility that he may get killed once he pulled out that gun.

[Zacha341]

Yeah it is unfortunate that we've grown accustom to accepting glass barriers and what not. I do not like it but I can see why some businesses opt for it.

I'd like to see housing incentives for retired Police Officers to move into the city. Also, I refuse to patronize any business that use plexiglass [[and other barriers) to separate the customers from the workers.

[wolverine]

I'd like to see housing incentives for retired Police Officers to move into the city. Also, I refuse to patronize any business that use plexiglass [[and other barriers) to separate the customers from the workers.

It's probably a good idea. The places I've been that have plexiglas, had it for a reason. I've seen homeless folks or irate customers just march in and start punching the glass when they didn't get something handed to them for free. That's when I told myself...avoid these places.

[daddeeo]

Quality of life isn't what it used to be in the hood.
One less happy meal to serve.

[tompage]

That's what happens with Plexiglass barriers. They drive the good customers away. I used to work in Los Angeles. Even in South Central Los Angeles very few businesses used the Detroit-style barriers.

It's probably a good idea. The places I've been that have plexiglas, had it for a reason. I've seen homeless folks or irate customers just march in and start punching the glass when they didn't get something handed to them for free. That's when I told myself...avoid these places.

[Zacha341]

Yeah the plexi-glass thing seems strong in Detroit, even cabbies in Chitown and rough areas of New York don't have it in their cabs yet we do...

...Even in South Central Los Angeles very few businesses used the Detroit-style barriers.

[detroitsgwenivere]

I've been a happy customer of Hungry Howie's on Linwood for about two years, no plexiglass involved. One day I walk in and the place had become bulletproof. I asked the manager what happened, and the response was: " An insurance adjuster 'just happened' to drive by my location and saw the neighborhood I was doing business in. Next thing I know I'm getting a letter from them saying that my insurance will be going up $2000 a month if I don't put up the glass and alter the front door. I've been here over three years and have never been held up. Now my customers are upset, but what can i do?"

The glass has doors that can be left open or closed, and they have been open every time I've been in there.

I asked for the name of the insurance company and told the manager I'd write them a letter. I never got a response from my letter.

I'm willing to bet that this is not an isolated case for the fishtank glass. Insurance companies have HUGE pull in this state.

[SWMAP]

Not long ago, citizens were able to walk into any Detroit Police precinct and conduct business. Now I notice that they have metal detectors and someone questiong you about what you want before you get in. Seems so unfriendly and I wonder what other cities do.

[xphillipjrx]

A 16 year-old is only broke if he/she chooses not to work. An earlier post said that that McD's "only hires little girls". Maybe the little girls decided to make their WAM the honest way. I worked at Little Caesars when I was 16.

[SWMAP]

Funny. I was walking near Campus Martius just moments ago ahead of three black girls disscussing this shooting. They talked about a similar episode earlier in a barbershop when a retired cop shot a would-be robber. The girls - teenagers all - said " I tell my friend that there are better ways to get money. Why not just get a job?"

[internet_pseudopod]

A 16 year-old is only broke if he/she chooses not to work. An earlier post said that that McD's "only hires little girls". Maybe the little girls decided to make their WAM the honest way. I worked at Little Caesars when I was 16.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/econom...shortage_n.htm

The teen unemployment rate is hovering around 25% but according to the story what is more disconcerting is that the teen employment rate[[ % of available teens participating in the workforce) has dropped dramatically. These kids are discouraged because they have to compete with adults for low wage jobs in a terrible job market.

[313WX]

A 16 year-old is only broke if he/she chooses not to work. An earlier post said that that McD's "only hires little girls". Maybe the little girls decided to make their WAM the honest way. I worked at Little Caesars when I was 16.

And how long ago were you 16?

[firstandten]

Who knows what goes thru a 16 year old head. Kids that age do nutty things and they can't tell you why they did it. Having said that there are some fundamental things that you do not do. Being broke is no excuse for robbing people. Somewhere his caregivers did not explain a fundamental truth to him. When you do those types of crime only two things will ultimately happen to you. You will either wind up dead or go to jail. That has been true for generations, and its not changing any time soon.