The owner of Westlake Comics Cards and Coins in Illionois fatally shot an alleged robber, numerous news sources reported over the weekend:

The owner of a Roselle card, comics and coin shop shot and killed a convicted robber Friday in what authorities said was a justifiable use of force.

In the gunfight at Westlake Coins, Cards and Comics in the 1200 block of West Lake Street, the 49-year-old proprietor, who lives in Hanover Park, was shot once in the arm, DuPage County State’s Atty. Joseph Birkett said at a news conference. He was treated at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village and released.

The alleged robber, a 40-year-old man on parole for a 1994 armed robbery, was shot multiple times, including once in the head, Birkett said. He was not identified. An autopsy was scheduled for Saturday.


The owner will not be charged, since all the evidence — including a security camera tape — showed that it appeared to be justifiable force. Although the Chicago Trib story says the store had never been robbed before, this from the website seems to indicate that a robbery had taken place four eyars ago:

$5,000 REWARD! There is a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the burglary of Westlake Cards, Comics and Coins, Inc on the evening/morning of June 26th/27th, 2002; as well as the recovery of the goods stolen during that burglary.

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