Metadish, Fresh from NYC

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Bolivar Cruz, a 53-year-old Dominican born bodega owner in South Ozone Park, was shot in the face during a robbery as he attempted to pull out a gun to defend himself and his two daughters who were also in the store.

“It’s very painful,” said one of Cruz’s daughters. “What happened was very tragic and we’re just trying to deal with it right now.”

This a scene right out of Law & Order with one of those unanswerable questions. Could this tragedy have been averted?

When you’re the employee of a store and it gets robbed it’s fairly easy to just take the position of take what you want and try and be removed from the situation. When you’re the owner and you’re in fear for not only your own well-being but your daughters’ as well, trying to pull a gun may seem like your only option.

Cruz “did take out his weapon” - an unlicensed .380 semiautomatic pistol - and “was shot in the face,” Kelly said, adding, “The owner was not able to fire his weapon.”

Police believe the robbery was part of a previously undisclosed crime spree that dates back to March. Prior to Cruz only one other victim had been shot, in the leg, during the robberies. Two other victims were punched in the head.

One has to wonder how many more headlines like this will have to run before politicians climb out of the pocket of the gun lobby and start instituting some sort of real gun reform.

Of course with guns off the streets it won’t be as easy to keep us all living in fear of each other. Oh well, there’s only like nine months until Lost comes back and we can finally focus on more important, meaty issues.

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