Brave or Stupid? Chron: Wounded NW Harris Co. bank robber had fake gun

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl...-+Top+Stories)&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

[rquoter]Deputies: Wounded NW Harris Co. bank robber had fake gun
By DALE LEZON HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Jan. 19, 2010, 1:18PM

A suspected bank robber was apparently packing a fake gun when he pointed it at an off-duty Harris County sheriff's deputy, who then shot and wounded him last week.

The shooting happened about 12:30 p.m. Friday after the man, who wore ski mask and gloves and carried what appeared to be pistol, walked into a Vista Bank Texas in the 14500 block of U.S. 290.

The man, whose name has not been released, was rushed to Ben Taub General Hospital with more than one gunshot wound. His condition was not available today.

The deputy was not injured. [JV: no ****, sherlock]

Investigators said that Deputy R. Smith, a 19-year sheriff's office veteran, was working an extra job as a security guard at the bank when the man came inside.

He ordered the man to stop and drop what the deputy thought was a gun. But the man refused and turned toward the lawman with the phony weapon in his hand.

Smith fired once, hitting the man, officials said. The man fell down, but got up and walked out of the bank.

Smith followed him and ordered him to stop. But the man refused and reached inside his shirt.

That's when Smith feared the man was reaching for another weapon and fired at him again. The man fell down wounded a second time.

Investigators said that the gun found at the scene was a realistic-looking fake.[/rquoter]

I can understand hoping you could bluff security into surrendering to avoid a gunfight. But, I can't fathom doing it with a fake gun. Robbing a bank seems scary enough all by itself, nevermind aggravating people who have guns when you don't.