BY B.G. GREGG
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Tony Marshall foiled a robbery attempt by chasing the thief with a gun.
(Steven M. Herppich photo)
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Tony Marshall is fed up with being a victim.
"I've worked too hard to get what I have," said Mr. Marshall, who says thieves have twice stolen merchandise from his downtown computer store. "I'm tired of guys thinking they can get away with that."
The latest to allegedly try didn't get away. Mr. Marshall, brandishing a .38-caliber handgun, chased down a suspect Thursday morning near the intersection of Seventh and Vine streets, turning a typical downtown morning into high drama.
"He was walking around and he asked about Apple computers and software," said Mr. Marshall, who owns AAA Unison Computers, 723 Vine St. "I told him I didn't have what he was looking for. He had kind of a crazed look in his eye.
"I felt he had the wrong intentions, so I went to the back of the store where I keep my weapon."
As Mr. Marshall was coming back toward the front of the store, the man grabbed a laptop computer, stuck it under his coat and fled. Mr. Marshall, waving his gun, chased and caught the man with the help of a customer, Ron Drumright, 47, of Westwood.
Passersby saw the incident and, some believing a gunman had taken hostages, called police. Several officers, with guns drawn, converged on the scene, only to find a passive suspect sitting in a chair.
James T. Victor, 31, Bond Hill, was arrested on a theft charge.
Sgt. Mike Hopper said Mr. Marshall was a registered gun owner and commited no crime in chasing the thief.
Mr. Marshall, who owned computer stores in Cheviot and Eastgate before opening his downtown store about three years ago, was unsure what he would have done had the man not stopped.
"I hope I wouldn't have shot him," he said. "I was not thinking. I was acting on instinct."
Lt. Roger Wolf, a spokesman for the Cincinnati Police Division, said store owners can shoot others only to "save your life or save the life of another." He said shooting someone who is fleeing would most likely result in criminal charges against the shooter.
"The best thing you can do," he said, "is get a good description and call police."
