Concealed Carry: 'It levels the playing field'

A little local, Brew City news for you.

MILWAUKEE -- It's the first known case of a concealed carry permit holder in Wisconsin shooting someone, and it happened in the middle of a Milwaukee grocery store, where a customer stopped two men from robbing the store by shooting one of them, Milwaukee police said.

It was just after 7 p.m. Monday when two men stormed into the Aldi at 76th Street and Villard Avenue. Police said at least one of them was waving a shotgun, despite the presence of two unarmed security guards.

Still, they couldn't have counted on a customer legally carrying a concealed handgun, who opened fire on them.

Everyone involved in the attempted robbery has been arrested. A short video on the story accompanies the link. It's worth watching, and it presents a few interesting anecdotes:

1. Unarmed security guards... Seriously? What's the point?

2. The store boasts a sign warning, "Weapons of any kind are prohibited". Do people really think that criminals are going to take note of that sign and have a change of heart about carrying out their plan to rob, or murder? I've never understood the logic of these signs. Criminals will not care a wit, and the only ones who might care about following the rules are those interested in protecting themselves.

3. The refreshingly common sense observation of a nearby worker, Larry Rowell, who declared (in a classic Milwaukee accent) "I'm really happy because now the criminals are gonna be afraid 'cause who knows who's gonna have their weapon on 'em? ... I think it levels the playing field."

Let's put Rowell up as a candidate for Mayor of Milwaukee.