Santa Monica Shopkeeper Shoots Robber in Self-Defense

Despite all of the anti-2A laws that politicians in Sacramento have put in place, they haven’t managed to completely kill off a culture of responsible gun ownership in the Golden State. There are still plenty of lawful gun owners across California, and thanks to the Supreme Court’s decision in Bruen a couple of years ago it’s now possible for more Californians to exercise their right to carry a handgun for self-defense… though they might have to pay $1,000 or more or wait for over a year to obtain a permit depending on where they live. 

Authorities in Santa Monica, California haven’t said if the owner of a shoe store is among those who’ve managed to obtain a Concealed Handgun Permit, but the shopkeeper did successfully exercise their right to bear arms in self-defense late Sunday evening when they were the victim of an attempted robbery. 

The shooting unfolded around 9:30 p.m., the Santa Monica Police Department announced in a news release. The owner of the shoe store, Sole & Laces, was carrying out an after-hours sale with a customer when the attempted robbery took place, according to property manager John Alle.

A second person, who allegedly knew the customer taking part in the private sale, entered the store and pepper-sprayed the owner, according to police. There was a struggle and the store owner, who had a legally owned gun, shot the suspect, police said.

The suspect was taken to a local hospital and later died from his injuries, police said. The customer who arranged for the private sale was arrested on suspicion of being involved in the attempted robbery, according to authorities. Police did not identify either of the suspects involved.

The customer who was arrested apparently knew the store owner well enough to arrange for that after-hours sale for a friend, but not well enough to know that the owner carried a firearm for their own protection; a fatal mistake for their friend, and one that could land them in prison as well. 

Incidents like this underscore the need to carry a firearm for self-defense, but Santa Monica doesn’t make it easy for residents to get a carry permit. The initial application fee is $398, plus an additional $219 for the police to conduct a background check. Applicants must also fork over $25 for fingerprinting fees and another $98 dollars for the permit itself (which is only good for two years), bringing the cost to more than $700. That, however, doesn’t include the cost of a mandatory psych evaluation, which can run $150 or more. Add in the price of obtaining the training mandated by the state, which can cost another $150, and Santa Monica residents can easily spend $1,000 in order to exercise their right to bear arms. 

How many residents are unable to afford the cost imposed by the city and state on a fundamental civil right? How many others have decided that, even if they’re willing to scrimp and save to pay for the permit, it’s not worth the time and effort to navigate the numerous barriers that have been erected between we the people and our Second Amendment rights? Groups like the California Rifle & Pistol Association and Gun Owners of California are challenging the exorbitant fees imposed by jurisdictions like Santa Monica, but that’s a slow process as well. 

I’m thrilled that California’s anti-gun regime didn’t prevent this store owner from being able to defend themselves from a pair of robbers, but it’s not for a lack of trying on the part of Democrats at the statehouse and local politicians who set the fee schedule for the city of Santa Monica. Their goal is to make it as difficult as possible to exercise our right to keep and bear arms, which in turn makes the state a target-rich environment for criminals looking to prey on the defenseless.