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Police praise off-duty patrolman who foiled robbery of toy vendors
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
Police praise off-duty patrolman who foiled robbery of toy vendorsBY BILL BRYANOf the Post-Dispatch09/03/2001 08:40 PMSt. Louis police officer John Undersinger with the canine section guards the scene of a triple shooting Sunday in the 4600 block of Natural Bridge Avenue.(JERRY NAUNHEIM JR./P-D) Two men who travel through several states during the summer selling stuffed animals from a trailer could count themselves lucky to be alive Monday after both were shot in a robbery attempt, authorities said. An off-duty St. Louis police officer interrupted the holdup Sunday and killed the gunman. "The police officer did an outstanding job," said a homicide detective who investigated the shooting. "The two victims might owe their lives to him." The holdup happened shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday in the 4600 block of Natural Bridge Avenue, near Marcus Avenue. The off-duty officer, 5th District Patrolman Kevin Jones, 31, was standing near the trailer talking to a friend when he heard gunfire and the loud voice of a man demanding money, authorities said. Jones drew his gun and went closer to the trailer, where he saw a man pointing a pistol at the head of one of the stuffed-animal sellers. Jones hollered, "Police! Stop!" but the gunman turned his pistol on Jones and Jones fired twice, fatally wounding the robber in the chest, police said. The robber was identified as William Harlston, 23, of the 4700 block of Farlin Avenue. Harlston had a criminal history that included two convictions for assaults, police said. Police said Harlston shot the two vendors before they had a chance to respond to his robbery demands. One of the toy salesmen, Michael Haisch, 48, of Alabama, was shot in the abdomen, groin and left arm. He was in serious condition Monday at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. The other victim, Robert Royal, 59, of Tennessee, was shot in the right hand and grazed on the right side of his abdomen. He was treated at St. Louis University Hospital and released. Police said Haisch and Royal travel among six to eight states during the summer, selling stuffed animals from a trailer. Recently, they were in East St. Louis. Reporter Bill Bryan: E-mail: bbryan@post-dispatch.com Phone: 314-340-8950
Comments
So many guns to buy. So little money.