Time to boycott Autozone?

C

Colduglandon

New member
Is it time to boycott businesses that are anti-gun?
http://wtkr.com/2012/11/30/autozone-employee-fired-after-taking-action-against-fake-beard-bandit/

from story "Devin’s manager is grateful.

“He was like “Thank you Devin, you really saved my life,” says McClean.

Two days later, he was fired.

“It’s pretty much getting slapped in the face doing something that you feel was right everybody else around you feels you were right,” says McClean.

NewsChannel 3 spoke to a representative at AutoZone’s corporate office, and he says that the company has a zero tolerance policy for employees having weapons inside the store.

“If I can save somebody’s life, I put that way above a store policy,” says McClean. "
 
Kind of less than ideal tactics, wasn't it?
As heroic as his actions were, in running back into the store to confront the bandit, wouldn't it had made more sense to stay outside and call the cops?
None the less, just on principle, we won't be buying any more car stuff from Autozone.
 
My anecdotal phone call to Autozone about the employeed firing

Hello,
(Newbie here, I had to join and give my two cents worth.)
This story got me so riled up that I called the Autozone corporate office this morning to voice my opinion.
This is what followed (as best I can remember):
Corporate office in TN told me they had not heard of the news...
I told them that if the story is true, I will no longer do business with them.
They took my message down, and then offered to patch me to the regional Autozone office where the attempted robbery and employee firing took place.
I said sure, why not... After a couple minutes of being on hold, I was patched through to a conference/speaker phone call with some owner/manager/whatever guy...
He was not alone, as a woman could be heard on the line with him as he answered my questions. Anyway, the man on the phone told me the employee had been fired, but not for stopping a robbery...
When I asked was he fired for using his own gun to stop the robbery... he told me they had a zero tolerance for guns in the workplace...
So, I asked... He was fired for using a gun to stop a robbery?
Sir, we can't discuss employees, past or present, or terminations, yadda, yadda, yadda...
But, I reminded him, he had already told me the employee had been fired...
I then told him I wasn't a reporter, or a lawyer, just an average joe citizen, wanting answers and voicing my opinion...
At this point, I could tell he was getting mad...
He then asked if there was an auto part he could find for me... Over and over again... Sir, how can I help you? What do you want from me? What auto part may I locate for you?
I told him no thanks, that the call was kind of funny/ridiculous at this point. I told him that he could certainly count on me, my family, friends, that we would never shop at Autozone again.
He quickly told me that's the great thing about America... that I could shop wherever I wanted to... And, that he would love to keep me as a loyal customer forever... Etc.. (All of which came across the phone as a bunch of snarly hate filled attitude.)
I told him I appreciated his wanting to keep me as a loyal customer, but assured him again that I would never do business with Autozone again.
I then thanked him for his obvious hate and smart aleck attitude he had given me.
He then hung up on me. Such professionalism.
I suggest everyone call Autozone and voice their opinion.
 
I'm back and forth on this issue. If he had the weapon in his vehicle I don't see how it went against company policy. On the other hand, when I took my CCW course I was told you should never under any circumstances use a weapon unless you fear for your life. If you can run outside and get a gun you can run away and thus have no reason to fear for your life. I don't think he should have been fired but I do understand why he was fired.
 
You have to look at this from Autozone's point of view. It sucks they had to fire him, but if they didn't, they'd be sending a message to all other employees that bringing guns to work and confronting robbers is ok. Unfortunately, not everyone is Wyatt Earp.

He did the community a service but in today's lawyer world that's a lot of liability for a store to have.
 
Autozone is horrible anyway. My local one is stocked with complete imbiciles who don't even know what an ignition coil is.

I will be calling autozone reguardless to voice my opinion however.:mad:
 
And let's not forget about Wally World among others. I don't think the kid would get fired at a mom and pop store. It's the big franchise stores that can't just sell you goods, but rather insinuate some out of state policy that insults our intelligence. I realize it's easy when you can pass your costs on to the masses, that a robbery impacts you less than hanging your morals and ethics out to dry with some policy that let's robbers walk. Morals and ethics aside, it's just business. I don't feel safe at places like these.
 
Wanna do something about it? Here is a link to Autozone's web site e-mail. Drop them a line. Tell them you feel that Devin McLean should not have been fired for potentially saving the store manager's life. Tell them you feel it inappropriate to support the kind of thinking that would leave a man unemployed after he had saved their store manager's life and thereby also keeping their store from being robbed.

Thanks for being there, Devin - And good luck!

Wiley

PS - From jasmith85's post above: "...when I took my CCW course I was told you should never under any circumstances use a weapon unless you fear for your life. If you can run outside and get a gun you can run away and thus have no reason to fear for your life."

In some States, it is rquired that you do run away if you can instead of standing your ground. Does that mean you would not use your firearm to save the life of your spouse or children? How about your friend or neighbor? In most States, you are permitted to save the life of anyone, not just yourself.
 
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In some States, it is rquired that you do run away if you can instead of standing your ground. Does that mean you would not use your firearm to save the life of your spouse or children? How about your friend or neighbor? In most States, you are permitted to save the life of anyone, not just yourself.
Click to expand...

Yes I would use a firearm if need be to save someone I cared for. What I was pointing out is that, going by what I was taught, he not only went against their policy but also would have technically broke the law if he was here in Tennessee. I'm not saying he shouldn't have done it. I'm saying that I understand why they had the right to fire him.

Just to play devil advocate a little, I did not watch the video but the article said that he had robbed around 30 other businesses. It did not mention him ever even drawing the gun. It just said he would show the gun then take the money and leave. This employee running out and grabbing his gun greatly increased the risk of the criminal actually shooting someone. Had a shoot out started, it would have been because of his actions and people on the street could have been injured or worse. Thats why stores have policies to just give the criminal what they want.
 
Yes, they certainly do have the right to fire him. As you said, the very act of bringing his weapon into the store while he was at work was against company policy and, at least in this instance, they have a zero tolerance philosophy about it.

The "Fake Beard Bandit" did indeed have his weapon out. The video indicated that when Devin told the man to put down the gun and raise his hands, the bad guy raised his hands with the gun still in his hand...and then he fled the scene.

Wiley
 
Just to play devil advocate a little...
Click to expand...

Well, that's the thing... Many corporate lawyers basically ARE advocates for the devil when they let the "demons" run amok 20, 30, 100? times with no repercussions.

Why should they stop?... It's a sad state of affairs.

Oh well, maybe some 2nd Amendment supporter will gladly hire Devin after seeing the video.
 
Yes I would use a firearm if need be to save someone I cared for. What I was pointing out is that, going by what I was taught, he not only went against their policy but also would have technically broke the law if he was here in Tennessee.
Click to expand...

Not true if he thought the manager was in danger.
Tennessee Code 39-11-612. Defense of third person.

A person is justified in threatening or using force against another to protect a third person, if:

(1) Under the circumstances as the person reasonably believes them to be, the person would be justified under § 39-11-611 in threatening or using force to protect against the use or attempted use of unlawful force reasonably believed to be threatening the third person sought to be protected; and

(2) The person reasonably believes that the intervention is immediately necessary to protect the third person.
Click to expand...
 
I think AutoZone did the right thing. If they didn't enforce it consistently then they open themselves up for lawsuits later for picking and choosing who to enforce the policy with. I'm glad the man is ok, but he was on company property. The company has a right to make choices regarding weapons on the premiss. I know that I have no way of knowing the what the outcome would have been if the employee had not had his weapon. But every other day he may have brought the gun to work and nothing happened, was in violation of policy. Any other employee found out with a weapon on them would have been fired on those days, why not him? Sure it sucks but he made his choice and now he has to live with it.
 
+1 MB2

Devin took the job knowing there would be consequences for breaking the rules and what the rules were. He agreed to take their money in exchange for working and abiding by the company rules. He broke the rules and was fired.
 
Autozone is a private business and has a no firearms rules can be on their property by their employees. Autozone pay them to work there.. Just like Walmart.
I don't get where is the outrage here when no one can carry a friearm into Federal, State or County Court House? We as tax payers own thoes building Or a Military Base. Where is the outrage in that?

I will still buy and won't Boycott- Autozone, Pizzahut, Dairy Queen, McDonalds, Carls Jr.,Dollar General, Arbies, Burger King, Karogedrs, Walgreen, Wallmart, Ford Motors, General Motors, and everywhere else that has incidence like this every month..


https://www.google.com/search?hl=en...8.2631.26j6.32.0.les;..0.0...1c.1.UirmwEnT5mo
 
Auto Zone has every right to fire him per their company policy.

I have every right to never go to Auto Zone again and call them every day for 2 weeks and remind them of that as well.

The fact that Devin McClean had to leave the premises to get a gun and than come back inside to confront the perp is another issue all together.

I'm glad, for Devin's sake, no one was shot as I don't think he'd like the outcome of that trial.
 
jasmith85 said - "Just to play devil advocate a little, I did not watch the video but the article said that he had robbed around 30 other businesses. It did not mention him ever even drawing the gun. It just said he would show the gun then take the money and leave. This employee running out and grabbing his gun greatly increased the risk of the criminal actually shooting someone. Had a shoot out started, it would have been because of his actions and people on the street could have been injured or worse. Thats why stores have policies to just give the criminal what they want."

This is the anti gun mentality, what their entire anti carry stance is based on. Just give the criminal what he wants and no one will get hurt. Well, most of the time. Sometimes he'll just kill you anyway. But he MIGHT not! Best to leave the criminal in control of the situation, everyone is safer that way. Cower in the corner and let the bad guy decide whether or not he feels like killing you that day. If you try to fight for your life you will only make it worse.

Autozone has now published their willingness to get robbed. Don't worry criminals, come on down the Autozone! We'll not only give you whatever you want, we'll also help you carry it to the car! Don't worry, if anyone resists we'll fire them! We want to make you, the robber, safe. We'll do what we can to make your criminal experience an easy, satisfying one. Rob us? Sure, go ahead! Rape us? Why not? Kill us? Feel free, we won't put up a fight! We, at Autozone are there for you, the criminal psychopath. So, come on down to Autozone and rob us today!
 
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Let's put this in perspective.

You hire a landscaping crew to work on your yard. You have no real idea who these people are or their qualifications/familiarity with a gun. Your family spends time in the yard while this work is going on. Do you really want these random people working for you toting guns around your yard drawing on anyone they deem a threat? If not, congratulations, now you see Autozone's point of view.
 
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