Pharmacist Speaks Out After Shooting

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Posted: 2:00 PM Aug 27, 2007
Last Updated: 10:56 AM Aug 28, 2007
Email Address: news@kake.com

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Police have identified the armed robber who was shot and killed by a store employee Saturday morning.

Officers say 27-year-old Alexander Mies entered Salyer's Pharmacy at 10:47am with a bandage over part of his face, exposing just one eye. He asked to pick up a prescription under an alias name. Mies then pulled out a handgun and pointed at the clerk.

Wichita pharmacist Tom Lundberg says he didn't hesitate. He says he fired one round from his shotgun, hitting Mies in the head and killing him.

No customers were inside at the time - just three employees. A delivery worker arrived in the middle of the holdup.

Mies pronounced dead at 11:15 am. Police say the shooting appears to be a simple case of self-defense.

- written with assistance from the Associated Press

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Posted by: anonymous repeat Location: Wichita on Aug 31, 2007 at 10:04 AM
So now he got shot in the back. Doesn't really make a difference, he was robbing a store. This isn't a downtown high noon face off in the wild west. Maybe if some people did a little research on reaction times you would learn something. By that I mean maybe the bad guy realized he was about to be shot and the good guy had already comitted in his mind and had physically started to pull the trigger. How far could you turn before the gun went off and the bullet hit you? All of this takes 1 to 1.5 seconds, how far could you turn? Probably far enough to get shot in the back. People watch too much tv and don't take the time to research and read about the real world. I learned this after a shooting in Chicago I read about where the public was screaming about some kid getting shot in the back after he pointed a gun at a cop. The reaction time article was very enlightening. I guess I'll never understand how someone can stand up for himself and then be chastized by the community for doing so.

Posted by: Missourian Location: COMO on Aug 30, 2007 at 11:58 PM
You put someone else's life in jeopardy with a weapon whether it is for petty cash or to feed an addiction, and you deserve what is coming to you. You people defending the perp conveniently ignore all the times that a criminal (which is what Alex was), ends the life of an innocent clerk, cop, etc. If a criminal introduces lethal force into a situation, he has basically forfeited any right he HAD not to get shot in the head. Punk got what he deserved.

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 30, 2007 at 11:31 AM
but the thing is if you knew alex and the whole stroy you would know that the clerk did not shoot him in the head it was in the back

Posted by: Mandy Location: Wichita on Aug 29, 2007 at 10:42 PM
None of u have a right to judge either alex or the pharmacist unless you know either of them personally! When you are in the situation the pharmacist was in, who knows what you would do, especially him having no idea who alex was, or what kind of person he truly was. And for alex, what he did was no different then what many of you do every weekend while driving drunk, putting other peoples lives at risk as well as your own! Its called addiction wheter its painkillers or alcohol!! What alex did was wrong, yet none of us know what exactly he was going through at that specific time. So to all of the families involved, my thoughts and prayers are with you, and Alex, you will be missed and the ones who truly knew you and the person you truly were, we love you soooo much!

Posted by: Chuck Location: Beloit, WI on Aug 29, 2007 at 08:41 PM
Jayhawk: The perp forfieted his right to life when he treatened the life of the clerk. He made that choice by deciding to carry a gun into the store and attempt a crime.

Posted by: Barebones Location: Colorado on Aug 29, 2007 at 08:19 PM
Many of the comments are examples of pacifist ignorance. When it's time to stop an attack you do so in a manner that leaves you in the best position to survive. That's the purpose of self defense. Officers are trained to apply lethal force in a manner that is most likely to end the threat and guarantee the survival of the officer. An armed citizen should be trained in the same manner. Attempting to wound or just injure an attacker will almost guarantee he will still have the capability to do you great harm if not kill you. Life does not always exist in a safe little fantasy world where everybody holds hands and sings Coom Bye Ah. Some people will kill you or your loved ones for the change in your pocket or just because you're not Muslim. You can either die a fool or you can fight back. Life or death situations frequently end in death, for someone, and if I have any thing to say about it - it won't be me.

Posted by: KansasKat on Aug 29, 2007 at 11:31 AM
Wow, Gunner, glad you live in New England. Jayhawk, I too wondered if the clerk could have shot him elsewhere, however the clerk probably did what anyone would in the same situation and that was simply pull the trigger. Gunslinger, perhaps the other lesson here is not to judge a person's total value based only on what you read or hear about that person in the news. "trash," that's pretty harsh. I sure hope his family does not have to hear of your comments. And I hope you never have the experience of reading about a loved one in the news. Should you ever have to experience it, I hope those reading about your loved one will be kinder and keep the trashy comments to his or her self.

Posted by: Jayhawk Location: Lawrence on Aug 29, 2007 at 09:10 AM
I am not against self defense. But I wonder if the pharmacist had another action besides shooting the guy in the head and killing him.

Posted by: Concerned Location: Sedgwick County on Aug 29, 2007 at 04:26 AM
Too many people are overanalyzing this. Its real simple. Alex may have been a good guy, thats not the problem. The problem is when he pulled out a pistol and pointed it at another human. And then the owner did what anyone of us would want if we were held at gunpoint. It is sad, but the robber started this all himself. No one deserves to die, but he got what he asked for. When you take it to a lethal situation, you better be prepared not to always win. And this time he lost. Bad decision for him that ended his life. I am very thankful for citizens like the owner of the store who defended what he righfully owned.

Posted by: "gunner" Location: new england on Aug 29, 2007 at 12:48 AM
"poor alex" pulled a gun on the pharmacist, the pharmacist used a bigger gun to protect himself and his employees. sorry 'bout that alex. case closed.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Wichita on Aug 28, 2007 at 10:45 PM
I am all for self defense so I do not blame the owner for action. BUT, let's talk about the price of rehab & poor drs & the gov't not making any easier on any1. This is still a loss of life & all the negative comments on this situation will not change the future. Let's talk about the future & what we are as a society going to do for our youth? We have a role models that let's Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Britnay Spears and how many others do drugs, drive and put others in harm and get out in 24 hrs. What is that an example of? Yeah, the phamarcy's employees had a right to protect themselves, but let's talk about the price of getting help from "helpful" doctors? Until you get an estimate price from your local rehab, you shouldn't even make a comment on this article. I think you would be surprise at the cost of what "overly extending" drs are costing our society. No wonder medical rates are rising for drs. Do you ever notice patient's rights aren't listed on the wall?

Posted by: Gunslinger Location: MO. on Aug 28, 2007 at 10:01 PM
Way to go Mr. Pharmacist You deserve a metal for being prepared for just such an event. I pray you don't have any remorse about killing such a piece of trash. That is the message all those whom have visions of robbing and stealing need to learn. If you want to take something that doesn't belong to you also expect to pay the ultimate price when you do.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Wichita on Aug 28, 2007 at 07:24 PM
I will miss you Alex. No matter what anyone says I will miss you!

Posted by: Another Anonymous Location: Wichita on Aug 28, 2007 at 03:08 PM
You've got to be kidding me! Poor criminal? Regardless what type of life he led outside of his criminal one the fact is HE brought a gun into a business to commit a robbery and HE endangered those employees. They have every right to defend themselves, without having to wait until it's too late and they are tied up, defenseless and shot in the head.Being shot or beaten while committing a violent felony is a job hazard. I don't condone violence but "he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword". You were right about it being a shame for someone to lose their life over something so worthless, but HE chose to put himself at risk when HE went there to rob them. So don't go blaming the real victim for the criminal's poor decision making skills. I don't believe the employees were "illegal", but what if they were, are their lives less valuable, do they not have the right to protect themselves? If the police were there in time and he was pointing his gun at people he'd still be dead.

Posted by: A Mom Who Knows Location: Garden Plain on Aug 28, 2007 at 01:43 PM
How can anyone judge what was going through Alex's mind? If you have a child that has had a doctor give you pain medicine for an injury and becomes addicted to that who is in the wrong? Well the doctor should never give pain medicine to someone over a 2 week period! How many doctors make money with PAIN CLINICS? Yes I know the family and Yes I have a child who is out there 30 years old on drugs! WHY? Because the doctors gave her an addicting drug for to long!!!!!!!!! What happened to our insurance company's? KAKE you need to be asking WHY WHY WHY? We were able to put our children in the hospital and lock them down if they had a problem! Now they have PAIN clinics. Come on!! They need to be locked down they are children! Who is to blame? More children die from prescription drugs every day. When they can not get them they turn to street drugs? This is a no win situation! You can not put the child on the street for 6 months! Our children need a rehab clicic that will lock down 6 months!

Posted by: James Location: winfield on Aug 28, 2007 at 01:35 PM
Dear Anonymous ; what planet do you live on? The clerk is a 58 year old American; and you don't have to register a gun in Kansas; all the police could have done is gather evidence after the clerk was shot. You are over medicated. I hope the clerk is OK with this ; he did what had to be done to save his life

Posted by: James Location: winfield on Aug 28, 2007 at 01:29 PM
Good for the owner; for all he knew the next thing to happen was that he would be shot ; he had every right to defend himself; I hope he handles this OK ; this is one thief that won't be back.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Wichita on Aug 28, 2007 at 10:21 AM
There could have been a different out come. Why do we have police if we are not willing to use them? This have a direct reflect of how our society has changed. It appears that this young man was there to collect a prescription regardless if it was false or not and he lost his life for it. I am sure that the store and the drugs are insured. What was the necessity to end someone’s life over something that is so worthless? I would like to know if that gun by the clerk was registered. Was the employee a legal citizen of the United States of America? If the police was called and this young man was arrested then just maybe that could have helped the young man over come his issues. I guess now he will never have that opportunity because of some employee that is not trained in hostile situations decided to play “hero” and KILL a innocent man. What happened to “We are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law?”

Posted by: Wichita person that knew him Location: Wichita on Aug 28, 2007 at 07:16 AM
Alex was a good guy this was not like him at all. It is to bad he is gone. He will be missed. I'm still in shock with what I've heard. Alex you and your family are in my thoughts.

Posted by: theresa Location: s. wichita on Aug 27, 2007 at 09:55 PM
KAke tv you show concerns on a lot of issues.But where are you guys when these young girls are getting raped and get there kids taking into custody and put into the home where the abuse continues. Its sad to see any abuse but more sad that you will cover alot but not help these girls that has went to you in regards for help and get are system (SRS & Youthville) back.And quit being so scared of the gang bangers that has the control of are system. And there gang banging families. We need you TV stations to continue the reports that you put out there for us to watch.I feel you need to continue letting us know whats the outcome unstead of throwing it aside. They are human too and needs someone to listen.Also who was it that was involved in the counterfeit ring.No names were givin that time that was on date 01/31/07.

Posted by: Susan Location: Wichita on Aug 27, 2007 at 07:41 PM
You are in our thoughts and prayers

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Wichita on Aug 27, 2007 at 05:04 PM
Won't be pulling that crap again will he. Next guy who thinks about robbing that place will think twice.

Posted by: Angela Location: Wichita on Aug 27, 2007 at 02:44 PM
Regardless if it was self defense, if you decided to rob a store you should expect the worse! If the store employee would have been charged with anything it would have sent a bad message.