Posted by  Pat Faucett, Brooksville on 08/10  at  05:54 PM

The guy who robbeythe man made a concious choice to commit a robbery and if he had decided to you can bet he would have hurt or shot anyone who stood in his way to robbing the man. It was HIS choice to put his own life in jeporady by commiting a robbery. He got what he asked for. If you commit a crime don’t whine when you get the punishment you asked for.

Posted by  David Smith, Tampa on 08/09  at  01:43 PM

Honest store owner-1. young DEAD punk-0. isn’t America great!

Posted by  rob gibson, pinellas county on 08/09  at  07:44 AM

He did what any smart american citizen would do, protect himself and his interests. Nobody else is. You can’t count on our crimnal protection system to do anything. So we must do it our selves. that fool got what he deserved.

Posted by  Tonya Cook, Winter Haven on 08/08  at  02:35 PM

Mr. Wilson had to answer for his crime as well as Mr. Storer. they will both have the same judge and jury GOD.

Posted by  Lisa G, Riverview on 08/08  at  12:41 PM

Several years ago I was a victim of carjacking.  The guy forced me to drive him around town looking for drugs.  I had a gun pointed at me for a long while.  I took the first opportunity I had to escape.  He got out of the car and walked to speak with another man and I took off.  I’ve thought about this a lot.  If I could have killed him, I think I would have.  I wish I had turned around and ran them both over.  Then maybe I wouldn’t be so scared to stop at red lights and I wouldn’t be terrified for my childs safety when we are in the car. I would sleep much better if I knew this guy was dead.  I say Good for Storer and too bad for Wilson.  More people need to stand up for themselves.  The court system certainly isn’t standing up for us.

Posted by  Thomas Patrick, Fort Myers on 08/07  at  12:45 PM

I have no pity for Wilson and I applaud what Storer did.  This criminal could have killed Storer, purposely or accidentally.  Fortunately, he just got himself killed.  When you stick a gun in someone’s face and rob them, you forfeit any and all rights as a human being.  Wilson certainly knew that guns and crime are dangerous and he paid the ultimate price.

Posted by  Dave Dyer, Houston and Tampa on 08/06  at  07:41 PM

I know how Mr. Storer feels.  I have been in 4 armed robberies. In the most recent, someone cut my tire in a bank parking lot and then followed me in hope that I would be stranded by the side of the road and an easy victim.  I did not spot the flat till I got home and I pulled into my garage.  The crook came in to rob me and he was shocked when I attacked him with my bare hands.  I chased him down the block and around the corner while shouting politically incorrect things that would not be printed here. Luckily, he was about 30 years younger than me and faster.  He jumped into a waiting car and sped off.  It was just a natural reaction on my part and I could have easily killed him if I had the means.  Boy, did my wife give me hell!

Posted by  M. F. Vinette, Tampa on 08/06  at  01:07 PM

Mr. Garrett are you living in outer space? Do you really believe your comments (which you are certainally entitled to) or are you yanking everyone’s chains? A drug deal gone bad? Mr. Storer not sitting in his truck? Do you really think the police are that incompitent? Do you think all of the witnesses lied? Where do you think the gun came from? Was it beamed down from outer space? Come on, get real. Your comments are interesting but really off the wall.

Posted by  M. F. Vinette, Tampa on 08/06  at  01:00 PM

As a veteran law enforcement officer (not retired) I have had to study law and CASE LAW. Each law ELEMENTS. If one of the elements is missing thus, a not guilty finding . Some of the elements of this charge involve state of mind of the person committing the homicide. If the person is of the state of mind he is in imminent danger (whether or not he is) he cannot be convicted. Storer was not in the state of mind to commit manslaughter hence he was found not guilty. The jury made the correct decision, the only one they could make. In law, one must not only read the statute but must know the case law behind it. Those who have not studied law do not have the knowlege to know this, thus the judge must give instructions to the jury. .

Posted by  Michele Lopez, Riverview on 08/06  at  11:54 AM

Mr. Chapman,

You’re right, our court system needs to get tougher.  Tougher on the CRIMINALS.  I’m assuming that’s what you meant.

The thug in this case was a career criminal.  SURELY, the outcome of his last felony attempt came as NO surpriese to his parents.  I’m quite sure they were aware that their son was not expected to go to Yale University in the fall, and that he had been living a life of crime for awhile. In fact, the thug was lucky to have survived his crime ridden life this long!!

Yes, a life lost is always sad.  But it was the thugs’ decision to turn his life into GARBAGE, not Mr. Wilsons.

Let’s put the ultimate blame where it belongs.

Posted by  Ed Chapman, Tampa,Fl 33613 on 08/05  at  09:10 PM

I feel sorry for both parties. I try to understand what pushed the one person to the point of running down someone with his car & the pain the family of the robber have to live with. What the one man did does not lessen the effect of the others action. Our court system must get tougher so these kinds of things will not contiue to happen

Posted by  Douglas K. Roberts, tampa on 08/05  at  10:13 AM

Why were there only 6 members of the jury? What was the make-up of the jury? Suppose Storer had been black and Wilson white? In “the heat of passion”, Storer manages to hide $2000, lock the door to his restaurant, call 911, and then give chase knowing that Wilson was armed and had stolen $15.23 in loose change. I’m not writing to defend Wilson, but once Storer called 911, it was out of his hands in in the Police’s.

Posted by  Mark Gergory, Tampa on 08/05  at  10:06 AM

V. Garrett,

You don’t like someone else’s blog, so you tell them to get a life.

But then after we read your blog, we all realize that you live in PRETEND land yourself!

Shall we call you Sherlock Holmes?

Posted by  Robert Cerajewski, Largo,FL on 08/05  at  04:55 AM

Altho it’s not the most spiritual thing to do,under extreme duress it is understandable.
People are begining to fight back to thieves and robbers.
Society is tired of being victimized,thugs seem to have the upper hand,one man said"no more” and took action.
Perhaps it will put the “bad guys” on alert,“run em down” or shoot a few may make them think before robbing someone!!

Posted by  v garrett, tampa, fl on 08/04  at  06:52 PM

theresa w, get a life. all this tells us is that we can be victim first the suspect. We really don’t know if Storer was siiting in his truck, we really don’t know if wilson tried to rob storer. For all we know it could of been a bad drug deal, Storer knew what he was about to do, so he called 911 made up a bogus robbery, then went and killed wilson. knowing that he had to kill wilson to keep his drug habit safe, like the old saying goes “A DEAD PERSON CAN’T TELL A POLICE——”.

Posted by  Wesley Jackson, Brooksville on 08/04  at  05:52 PM

Those individuals who sympathize with someone who assaults with a deadly weapon, and have no personal experience with which to relate really disgust me.

Posted by  Paul Sanchez, Riverview on 08/04  at  05:09 PM

Rather than, “Oh my gosh, Mr. Storer killed someone for $15.00 dollars”, why aren’t you asking INSTEAD, “Oh my gosh, that worthless %#/! held a gun to someones’ head for $15.00”!!??

Why are SOME people always making excuses for the criminals?  And a CAREER CRIMINAL at that!

Mr. Wilson (and that’s more respect than he deserves!) put a GUN to Mr. Storers’ head.  He was an ARMED FELON.  Is that really so very difficult to understand? 

Or do you need to be robbed and threatened by someone just like Mr. Wilson to ‘GET IT’!

The criminals have had the upper hand, while innocent people have had their hands TIED for a very long time now.  Largely due to our justice system.

It’s ABOUT TIME the INNOCENT person comes out on top!

Posted by  Robert Gilliam, Sr., Odessa, FL on 08/04  at  02:07 PM

Someone is dead for taking $15.00.  A jury said a man was right for choosing to kill someone over what amounts to less than a half tank of gasoline in the vehicle used for the killing.  I hate crooks and I will defend my property, but someone is dead for taking $15.00.  God help us.

Posted by  Victor Diaz, Brandon on 08/04  at  01:00 PM

This is a case of a law biding citizen protecting his livelihood verses a criminal who was trying to take it away from him. In the end, the law biding citizen won and society has one less predator to worry about.

Posted by  nikki SMITH, tampa on 08/04  at  11:52 AM

IF WILSON WANTED TO KILL STORER THEN THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENDED STORER HAD A CHANCE TO GET AWAY WITH HIS LIFE SAVED BUT WILSON NEVER HAD THAT CHANCE REGARDLESS IF HE COMMITED ROBBERY HE DID NOT HARM STORER…IN FACT STORER HAD A CHANCE TO HIDE 2000 DOLLARS WITHOUT WILSON SEEING HIM SO HE MUST NOT HAVE FELT TO THREATENED…TO HAVE A GUN POINTED AT YOUR HEAD I AM SURE IS A VERY TRAUMATIC EXPERINCE BUT TO GETAWAY FROM THE SITUATION UNHARMED PHYSICALLY AND THEN PUT YOURSELF BACK IN THE POSITION OF A CRIMINAL WITH A GUN IS JUST STUPID…AND TO GET AWAY CALL THE POLICE THEN DECIDE TO TAKE MATTERS INTO YOUR OWN HANDS IS PREMEDITATED MURDER….PERIOD….

Posted by  Julie Canton, Albuquerque, New Mexico on 08/04  at  10:17 AM

My husband and I moved from Tampa to Albuquerque after I was robbed at gunpoint while sitting on my own front porch.  TPD never caught the robber. Who knows, maybe it was the same guy who threatened and robbed Mr. Storer. Good riddance to yet another pimple on the face of society.

Posted by  Lindy Morse, Tampa, FL on 08/04  at  10:08 AM

If this verdict’s message doesn’t ring loud and clear to criminal ears,  theirs too will be tales of reaping what was sewn. 

The court’s judgement was the culmination of Wilson’s choices and actions, not a celebration of his death.

Posted by  Teresa Willoughby, Tampa, FL on 08/04  at  09:51 AM

Hell ya!!! That’s one less thug off the streets & usurping taxpayer money in the system!!! 

Posted by  Lee Roberts, Sebring on 08/04  at  09:19 AM

Do I agree with the jury?  YES…YES..and a double YES! People are sick and tired of being in fear of their life because thugs and hoodlums seem to be controling the lives of ordinary citizens.  If and when they should ever get caught and get a court date the process of getting to trial can take years.  Meanwhile the victim(s) has to live daily with the consequence of being threatened or hurt in some manner and many can not ever feel free from fear again.  I believe ordinary citizens are reacting to the lack of justice found thoughout the current “justice” system found across our great country.

Posted by  Dave Taylor, Zephyrhills on 08/04  at  02:56 AM

I think the verdict was a relief for Tampa Bay. It would have been a crime to put a man away who was literally minding his own business before being attacked at gunpoint. I have read comments from people trying to say Mr Storer killed a man over $15. My response is do you really think Mr Wilson was only after $15? I am pretty sure he would have taken Mr Storer’s life savings including his children’s college tuition if it was available to take. Secondly, why should Mr Storer let Mr Wilson steal $15 from him anyway? If Mr Wilson didnt commit a crime he would be alive today. It is his own fault. Lets not muddle the facts here. We have one less criminal on the streets and that is positive for the community.