Why some pharmacists now pack heat

In Detroit, two armed and masked men attempted to rob a Walgreens at 4:30 am. However, pharmacist Jeremy Hoven responded by drawing his concealed handgun and firing at the robbers. They fled.

Hoven’s former Walgreens colleagues were oh so grateful for his possibly saving their lives that night. I say “former” colleagues because Walgreens thanked Hoven by firing him.

In Seattle, pharmacist Michael Donohue was confronted by a hooded robber demanding OxyContin which, evidently, has become a hot item for those interested in abusing drugs. However, Donohue responded by drawing his Glock 19 and pointing it at the robber. The robber fled (notice a pattern here?).

You might think that, with so many pharmacies out there, that some of them are bound to be targeted for robbery. Michael Donohue could tell you about that, for it seems that the incident describe above occurred only two hours after he identified (in a police lineup) a man who had held up his pharmacy previously.

In this CNN video report on the story, note the ending in which some pharmacies have taken to posting signs indicating that they do not carry OxyContin. If only it were as simple as putting up a sign. In an interview on Armed American Radio, Donohue tells of a pharmacist friend who was killed in a hold-up and of another colleague who insures that he always has a supply of OxyContin on hand, for would-be robbers.

As point of fact, it should be noted that any form of self-defense training, especially that involving the use of firearms, should also include knowledge of the laws pertaining to the use of deadly force. Another pharmacist, in Oklahoma City, is now in prison for murder after shooting a robber in his pharmacy.