Bad move AutoZone

[jayded1]

York County, Va. – The man dubbed the “fake-beard bandit” has hit more than 30 businesses on the Peninsula.

Each time, the MO is the same: He walks in, flashes a gun and takes off with the cash.

But this time, an AutoZone employee decided he was going to take action!

“I was in fear of my life as soon as he walked through the door and I see the gun. Your heart just starts pounding,” says Devin McClean, a former Auto Zone employee.

Devin McClean decided to take action after recognizing the Fake Beard Bandit.

“I waited for him to go up toward the front, I ran out of the restroom, ran out to my truck where I keep my own personal weapon, grabbed my weapon, came back into the store and confronted the guy,” says McClean.

“When I yelled “freeze” and I said “Stop, drop the weapon,” he threw his hands up with his gun still in his hand he started running,” says McClean. “I felt like it was my responsibility to step in.”

Devin’s manager is grateful.

“He was like “Thank you Devin, you really saved my life,” says McClean.

Two days later, he was fired.

“It’s pretty much getting slapped in the face doing something that you feel was right everybody else around you feels you were right,” says McClean.

NewsChannel 3 spoke to a representative at AutoZone’s corporate office, and he says that the company has a zero tolerance policy for employees having weapons inside the store.

“If I can save somebody’s life, I put that way above a store policy,” says McClean.

 

[A j shooter]

I just stopped shopping autozone.

 

[signut]

No more Auto Zone.

 

[plinkman]

Costas have a lot of stock in AutoZone?!

 

[40X Guy]

This does not surprise me. Auto Zone and Advance Auto along with Pep Boys are all corporate auto parts whores who sell offshore parts. I own a garage and would not pour water on any of them if they were on fire. I only buy from the 2 local mom and pop parts stores locally. Just last week an Advance Auto salesman came thru my door wanting me to start an account with them just because they are opening a new store 10 miles from me. I was not nice to him and ran him out the door.

This "former" employee Devin McClean is a stand up citizen and a true free thinker. This country needs a few million more like him!


Frank

 

[NateHaler]

Auto Zone would rather have a dead employee or customer at the hands of a murdering thief than to have an employee prevent such tragedies. Such is their policy. You shall not question their policy. And I shall not ever spend another cent in Auto Zone. That's my new policy.

They trust their employees to handle cash and show up for work and not burn the place down. They trust their employees to recommend parts and service that potentially ensure motorists will be able to drive safely and get home to their families and friends.

But they don't trust their employees to save the lives of people by brandishing lawful firearms. Pathetic.

 

[gambleone]

I guess zero tolerance policy is more important than
a persons life. So much for political correctness.
They can change their policy or go oob.
Many other places to get parts.
No more auto zone for me either...

 

[Uthink Uknow]

I agree but they won't miss me. I buy so few auto parts.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Unless you like changing parts for fun when they go bad a month later, or like going back to the store twice because they gave you the wrong part you shouldn't be going to Autozone any way. I do this for a living, and quit going to Autozone a LONG time ago.

 

[doc gordon]

I went thru my records,i spent 2315.00 with auto zone in the last 8 years.i will not spend another dime if it's not warranty !!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[sdneil]

UNBELIEVABLE !! no more auto zone ....

 

[newgun]

Autozone doesn't like this.Because of this former employee they lost a chance to go on and on about why guns are bad.

And they will not take advantage of this opportunity to point out the merits of this man's actions (with a gun)

 

[BoydAllen]

Well....they are Xed off my list forever. Thanks for sharing. I hope someone has the good sense to hire the fellow.

 

[Outrider27]

Crossed off my list, too. And the NAPA store is closer anyway, now that I think about it. ;D

 

[Tozguy]

Are we reacting to this fellow being fired or approving how he handled the situation or both?

 

[gary0529]

Toz----Both

I went to the AutoZone corporate website yesterday and made sure they understood that they will never have me spend a penny in their newly opened store in my home town.

There are gun friendly mom and pop stores that sell auto parts around me that I frequent anyway but the "Zone" will never have me open their door.

Gary

 

[KMart]

If you have done business at Auto Zone before, you should already have reason not to do business with them again. I know I do. This is just reinforcing your thinknig.

 

[kentuckytroutbum]

AutoZone needs to take a lesson from the FAA. Prior to 9/11, the FAA's policy was to not offer any resistance to a potential hijacker or such.
After 9/11, the FAA realized that this policy accomplished nothing, except to get a bunch of people killed or injured. That's when the FAA started arming pilots
and flight crews, and added back the armed air marshalls.

Bill

 

[Uthink Uknow]

After I posted, and since I've read some other posts, I have come to this conclusion; Autozone did what they had to do. They covered their rearend or differential. Let's face it, not everyone with a gun can handle a situation in the manner this one was handled. Thus, the public firing was in order lest untrained others run around with drawn guns firing in the air. We can only hope this clerk was moved to a higher position. Now, with the cameras unplugged, he can move on and train others at Autozone in how to handle life and death situations. In a perfect world.............

 

[NateHaler]

After I posted, and since I've read some other posts, I have come to this conclusion; Autozone did what they had to do. They covered their rearend or differential. Let's face it, not everyone with a gun can handle a situation in the manner this one was handled.

Right, including cops, who are ostensibly trained. Autozone exhibited the classic knee-jerk reaction, with emphasis on the JERK. It just so happens that this employee handled the situation properly. And was fired for it. He should be judged on his own actions, like each and every individual. Sweeping generalizations results in you being judged by what somebody else did. Which is precisely why there are THOUSANDS of failed gun control laws on the books, and more en route.

The cops in Alameda, CA stood by and watched while a despondent man, a couple of years ago, waded into chest deep water at their beach near South Shore shopping mall. None of them helped him, saying they weren't trained, didn't have the right gear, etc. The man died, when all the cops had to do was walk out into the water and bring him back. BTW, dude wasn't armed, he was just sad and disturbed. Sounds like he had good reason to be, as we all do.

The INDIVIDUAL is an endangered species in this version of the USA. And it should be renamed the DSA, as in divided.