Murfreesboro market clerk throws BB gun at lollygagging customer: Police
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WZTV) — A Murfreesboro market attendant is accused of pulling a BB gun thought to be a handgun on a man for apparently taking too long in line.
The man told police they argued about the amount of change he received and that prompted the clerk to get the BB gun.
Murfreesboro Police say a man walked into D&J Market to buy a drink on March 28 when he says the clerk gave him the wrong change. They began arguing, which turned to cursing and name calling, but then things escalated even more.
That’s when the man says the clerk grabbed a BB gun from behind the counter and pointed it at him saying something about having a bad day; but, instead of running, police say the man used his phone and tried recording it all instead.
Police say the BB gun looked completely realistic.
FOX 17 News stopped in and talked with the market clerk Friday, who admitted to us he was the one who pulled out the BB gun.
He told police it was all because the man was holding up the line and he wanted him out of the store.
Police say the clerk then threw the gun at the man instead of shooting.
Scott Reeder is an anger management specialist at Murfreesboroangerclasses.com.
He says we’re constantly on the move and now live in a much faster society.
“We get mad if our microwaves don’t cook fast enough, right? And that kind of describes the problem right there,” he said.
Reeder says there’s also an increased sense of entitlement in our culture, and, instead of having self-control, we often act out.
“People feel, very quickly, that if our rights have been violated, they have this responsibility of revenge, or at least this entitlement of revenge,” Reeder said.
He believes it’s only getting worse, and says anger is now the quick response when we’re forced to slow down, which is why he’s a big advocate for timeouts: a few simple moments to step away, collect our thoughts, and practice a little self-control.
The employee says he was not afraid for his safety when he pulled out the BB gun. He was later arrested for aggravated assault.
