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Shopkeeper
pulls gun to fend off robbers
By Karen Ali December 24, 2000 NEW MILFORD Ernest Ryan is known to business
owners on Route 7 as the "Warden of Boardman Bridge'' because he is
protective of their businesses and his own. So it's no surprise that when two masked people
came into his store, Ryan's Radio, Friday evening pointing a large single-barrel
shotgun at him and misting him with pepper spray, he pulled out his own pistol
and fired several shots. "I pulled out my own gun and they took
off,'' said the 79-year-old Ryan, who also lives in New Milford. Neither he nor the police know if any of the
shots hit the robbers, and apparently nothing was stolen in the 7 p.m. incident. Ryan sells CB radios and other equipment, as he
has been doing for 30-some years. As of yesterday, police were still searching
for the two suspects. Ryan said he couldn't tell if the robbers were
men or women or what race they were. Police describe them as men in dark
clothing, masks and gloves. "They were all bundled up and their faces
were covered,'' he said. Ryan was sprayed with a Macelike substance, a
product he sells at his own shop. He said he was temporarily blinded by the
spray. "I had a tough time dialing 911,'' he
said. Ryan, who was in the Navy during World War II,
said he has had a gun permit for 31 years. Though brave during the incident, he said
yesterday that afterwards he was "shaking like a leaf.'' "I didn't sleep last night,'' he said. After the attempted holdup, Ryan was taken to
New Milford Hospital, where he was given a cardiogram and an exam. He said a
nurse told him his blood pressure was extremely high. "I've had break-ins before, but I never
looked down the barrel of a shotgun,'' he said. The victim fired about four rounds at the
suspects as they fled from the store, crossing over Boardman Bridge, according
to police. Police were able to follow their footprints in
the snow, but they had not caught the suspects as of yesterday. Some of the patrons of nearby Tapajoz
restaurant were able to provide police with clues. Manager Sylvie Ross said that at least one
customer saw someone running across the bridge. Soon, the entire restaurant,
which has a good view of the bridge, was buzzing. "It started spreading from table to
table,'' Ross said. Later police came inside the store to interview
patrons about what they saw, she said. Anyone who has information about the case or
saw a vehicle stopped in the area at about 7:10 p.m. should contact the New
Milford police. Contact Karen Ali at
kali@newstimes.com
or at (203) 731-3341. NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C.
Section 107, this material is distributed, without profit, for research or
educational purposes. We do our best, as well, to give credit to the original
news source who published these Guns Save Lives stories out of respect and
appreciation for their willingness to spread the word that Guns Save Lives. God
Bless the Americans that publish these stories - for assisting Americans in
hearing the truth. |
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