Crooks Attack NYC Store Owner, Store Owner Gets Arrested

By FrumNews.com

Queens, NY – A liquor store owner, who has a NYC gun license and concealed carry permit, is facing seven years in prison after he accidentally shot a violent burglar, while defending himself during a brawl outside his Queens store.

Francisco Valerio, the 53-year-old owner of the “Franja” liquor store in Ridgewood, Queens, was arrested on Tuesday night, “for allegedly discharging his weapon when attempting to pistol-whip a man on the sidewalk outside his liquor store,” while defending himself after being brutally attacked by one of the burglars at his liquor shop on Monday evening.

The store owner, who has a license for the pistol issued by the NYPD, was fighting off the robbers when he struck one of them with the gun outside the store.

“We heard a bang. We weren’t sure if it was a gunshot, but then a lot of people showed up,” Pawen Khohti told the NY Daily News, who lives in a fourth-floor apartment above the liquor store.

Within moments, ambulances had shown up to haul away the wounded burglar. One was handcuffed, and one was taken to a local hospital.

“Two crimes, inside and outside a liquor store, resulted in three people being charged in this case.” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “As alleged, brazen thieves stole merchandise from a neighborhood liquor shop. After the store was targeted by these shoplifters, the stolen merchandise was recovered, and the two men were escorted out of the store. At that point, the store owner was physically attacked by one of the men.”

The DA called the store owner “reckless” for defending himself “on a public street in broad daylight. All three defendants in this incident will have to answer charges against them.”

Ridiculously, Francisco, the store owner, who has a NYC concealed carry permit—according to the DA—charged the owner with “criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.”

Additionally, the owner is being charged with “assault in the second and third degrees, reckless endangerment in the first degree.” He faces up to seven years in prison.

Both burglars were only charged with petit larceny (shoplifting) for stealing two bottles of liquor.

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Since the Milchama in Eretz Yisroel, concealed carry permits have skyrocketed with thousands of Yingerleit in New York’s Frum communities of Brooklyn, Five Towns, Monsey and Rockland County as well in Lakewood, have applied for and obtained their firearms licenses.

While red states like Florida would commend victims for defending themself and the general public. This episode shows the reality in New York City: If one Chas v’Sholom finds themself in life threatening danger needing to defend themself from a criminal, many people may be very reluctant because of a pattern of instances where the victim got charged for defending themself in bodegas and the subway system in New York City.