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Photographs of Charles "Gus" Augusto" and a store window by David Karp/AP
Yesterday morning, hours after he stared down four armed robbers, begged them to leave, and then fired at them when they started pistolwhipping one of his employees—ultimately killing two of the suspects and injuring the other two—Charles "Gus" Augusto was back at his West 125th restaurant supply store and repeatedly stated he was unhappy that he had to resort to violence. The Daily News got the first interview, and the other papers and news stations followed—the 72-year-old told NY1, "I did the only thing I could do at that time. Tried as long as I could not to, tried to get out of it; they wouldn't let me get out of it," while saying to the Post, "I did what I had to do. It wasn't my choice; it was their choice."
Augusto used a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun he purchased 20 years ago after being robbed; the Post says Augusto fired three times with buckshot and the NY Times says Augusto wasn't sure it would work. James Morgan, 29, was shot in the face and died outside the store, while Raylin Footman, 21, ran down the street, collapsed and was later pronounced dead. Their fellow would-be robbers, 21-year-olds Bernard Witherspoon and Shamel McCloud, were treated by St. Luke's Hospital and will be arraigned today on robbery charges. Augusto said to NY1, "How would you feel? This is terrible. This is really awful. I can't imagine it. Some young kids are dead because they're stupid."
There are worries that the neighborhood, which was riding the wave of the real estate boom and economic good times, may falter again. According to the Times, "Just two years ago, Mr. Augusto, who became an owner of the company in 1978, and his partner turned down offers to sell their two buildings on West 125th Street, including the one that houses the store, for $9 million, an amount it would be unlikely to fetch today." Augusto said, "I’ve been here 50 years. I don’t really want to go nowhere. What do I do then? I’m not going to let these hoodlums run me out of here."
The employee that was pistolwhipped, J.B., rallied around his boss, telling the Times, "Better [his attacker] with a tag on his toe than my mother planning a funeral for me." And the Post saw J.B. kick away a candle that had been placed outside the store, asking the woman who placed it, "Who's this for? For the guy who died? F--- him!"
And Augusto doesn't think he's a hero: He said, "I know the pain these people must feel. I don’t know what feels worse, now or when my only son died."
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Wow, a candle for an armed robber who got shot because of his scumbagness. Very nice lady.
Maybe it was his mother. Most of these guys were young. They made the wrong decisions and paid the price. The store owner had a right to shoot them, but their mothers have a right to grieve. Gus has the right attitude. And there's no need to be so venomous after they've already paid with their lives.
And maybe their mothers are crappy mothers.
Don't most mothers teach their kids not to touch a hot stove?
pretty witty
I feel bad for Gus, seems like this will bother him for some time.
Forever.
If the situation had been reversed and those thugs has killed Gus, they'd be laughing and bragging about it to their fellow hoodlums.
Gus did the city a big favor. Nice shooting.
Thanks Gus. Sorry you had to do it.
i can't imagine what gus is going through, i hope he has someone to talk him through this. how awful.
and i second jb's sentiment - a memorial for the guy who tried to rob a store and attacked an employee? fuck that.
I hope you continue to follow this story when some jackass lawyer files a civil suit on behalf of the two injured criminals. Because you know that's going to happen. If you've got to shoot, shoot to kill.
The estate can still step up.
The customer is king! Or wormfood, depending...
When you come into a business armed to rob the place and start to pistol whip the staff, I hardly think you qualify as a customer.
You can still try to buy something on your way out.
THIS is why we armed...all you anti-gunners take note. The good American Gus was able to defend his friends & employees, protect his store and live to see another day. Good people with guns killing bad people with guns is GOOD for America. Guns don't kill people, people kill people.
That was a good comment
You seem to ignore that guns fueled the robbery. If the robbers hadn't had guns, Gus wouldn't have needed to use his. I'm not against people wanting and needing to protect themselves, but guns beget guns. If the bad guys don't have them, the good guys don't need them. The kids have knives, Gus uses a bat.
when you figure out how to keep the bad guys from getting guns, the good guys will give up theirs
I have a feeling the robbers' friends will pay him a visit...sad but I'd feel a little nervous if I were him. Sigh. The world sucks sometimes.
These guys were cowards. I am sure their friends are also.
It's better the suspects are dead. We save money for imprisonment and court fees plus the suspects are career criminals anyway.
The only victim here is GUS. He didn't ask for this, he went to work to make an HONEST
living.The punishment fit the crime. Sorry for Gus he had to do it. We need to fight back and protect our freedoms,and any attorney or judge that would entertain a lawsuit against Gus is indeed a jackass and should be fired.
It is a shame that the guy without a permit for his gun used it on 4 young men whom had legally obtained and carried their guns. The restraint that these young men used in the face of danger was nothing short of heroic. I can't understand why this man isn't sitting in jail right now. Where is Bloomburg when you need him?
I realize you are desperate for attention, but geez, couldn't you at least base your pseudo lunatic rantings on some sort of fact? There is nothing in this story about gun permits. Couldn't you have gone with the race angle or is that too old for you? Maybe if you typed it in all caps? Yawn.
Sarcasm: as old as the 2nd Amendment.
i'm sure Bloomy's going to tighten gun laws in order to "prevent" these things from happening again. Then again, criminals don't obey the law. Oh Bloomy, what shall you do with your conscience?
I don't like the fact that Gus's image is everywhere. What if something happens to him? How come I haven't seen pictures of the four criminals? I'd like more protection for Gus.
Hey, Realist, what you said was funny and you made your point.
"I know the pain these people must feel. I don’t know what feels worse, now or when my only son died."
This shows incredible capacity for empathy and some emotions we don't have words for.
You're summary of this is really great, Jen.
Ack. "Your..."
Thanks—what's really striking is that Augusto really seems upset that he was pushed to this point. Here he was, being threatened by four armed guys—he asked them to leave but they refused and one started beating his employee, so he decided he needed to act. It's an incredible situation, one no one wants to be in— and I agree with the earlier commenters who think that Augusto will be mulling this forever.
"He asked them to leave"
Maybe he didn't say please. Mr Augusto and his employees' lives were in danger the moment those sociopaths walked in.
I know I will sleep better tonight. I think there should be more of this. I believe that if more people were shot committing crimes then less would be apt to commit crimes.
Good Ridden scumbags, hope you all burn in hell
I agree with the people who think Gus needs more protection. After an incident such as this, it would not surprise me if a similar incident happened in the near future, an act of revenge if you will.
He should consider moving his shop even though he has been there for years. After this story, he won't have a problem finding a place either.
You have to draw a distinction with gun ownership. I don't there is any issue with someone owning a rifle or shotgun, and keeping it in their home or business to protect themselves and their property. That's reasonable, even in a city like New York.
I do have a problem with pistols, especially in NYC. Most crimes involving firearms in NYC are committed with handguns.
There has to be a happy medium between the Left (Ban Guns!) and the Right (The Constitution says I can keep an RPG in my apartment because I'm American!)
He should watch Gran Torino for therapy. "I shoot you in the face, and I sleep like a baby"
A 12 gauge shot to the face? Its amazing he managed a few steps. That face was turned into ground beef. Not a cool thing but unfortunately necessary for the shop owner to protect employees and himself. These thugs are/were POS. They should have been flushed down the toilet years ago..
Thank you Charles. The only thing you should feel bad about is you couldnt get the other 2. Now they will do some time and be let loose by some liberal parole board to prowl the streets again.
The second amendment works.
Gus will be fine but I think the thieves took something more away from him. I have a feeling hes gonna retire, and then hes gonna miss his business and pass on.
I think this incident is the one that will tell gus "life too short" lets hit the bahamas
He's my hero!
Dedication it takes a lot to run a small business. Fucking hoodlums, kinda sad!! he such a bad shot 2 out of 4 kinda low for a shot gun.
He's not a bad shot. He hit all 4, but he only killed 2.
I'm sorry he feels bad for what he did.
Those scumbags got what they deserved. Fuck'em.
Anyone notice the "customer is king" poster in the back? that's a total Bret Easton Ellis ending book scene. Hollywood should be calling any minute now.
Anyone else looking forward to the self-righteous Law and Order monologue this season? Where the neighborhood threatens to come apart unless the evil white man is put away?
unfortunately sometimes in life as young adults we make bad decisions.. and must be accountable for our actions .. but there are indeed two sides to every story and i'm definitely waiting to here my friends side and aint rollin wit the press.. but i must say that Bernard Witherspoon is a good man and it just don't sound like him; He is a recent college grad; from the Borough of Manhattan Community college who never had any problems with the law; and could have just slipped up with the wrong crowd;he is a devoted brother who always helps his mother with his siblings and contributes alot to his household.. i don't understand what went wrong but i think theres a big chunk of the story left out.. I'm praying for you Bernie.. God will turn this around
What chunk of the story is left out? Enough of this "Oh, he's a good guy but got mixed up with the wrong crowd" crap. Bernard and his three pals tried to commit an armed robbery. End of story. If you're going to be a thug, you'll have to live with the consequences. Bernard is lucky he's not dead like his other two buddies.
thug? hilarious ! what is a thug? if it was another community and another race.. we would say that old johnny has made bad choices.. we would also closely examine the ethics of both the store owner and clerk... but you know what it's in God's hands period
Bullshit.
Stop playing that race card.
Those scumbags were pistol whipping his employee and the only way to make them stop was shooting them.
Fuck those scumbags, your pal Bernard too. He was a part of the problem.
You're questioning the ethics of the store owner and clerk? Are you serious?
This has nothing to do with race. It's about right and wrong. Your friend Bernard decided to break the law. Sometimes you get away with it. Sometimes you end up bleeding on the street. He took his chance and is now sitting in Rikers.
The woman who put the candle near the shop to honor the robbers? Wow.
Why all the pity for people who want to rob someone who works hard? If someone comes into one's home & tries to harm your loved ones, you bet your ass you will do everything in your power to save them. Because if the tables are turned, these fuckin' low-lives would not think twice about killing innocent people!!