Yesterday in Mandeville, a good guy with a gun saved his own life and most likely the life of a convenience store clerk. An unidentified man, who was open carrying a handgun at the time, was trying to make a purchase.

Shawn Breland kept interrupting the purchase and yelling racial slurs at the Middle Eastern store clerk. The clerk told Breland, who is from Folsom, to leave the store. Breland kept coming back and was throwing things.

Eventually the clerk had enough and called the police.

When Breland went outside, the customer followed him to write down his license plate number for police. The Times-Picayune has what happened next:

The customer followed Breland outside to get his license plate number for police, but Breland got out of the vehicle and attacked him, Ruple said. The man drew his weapon, ordered Breland back and tried to retreat into the store. Breland followed and continued the attack, grabbing for the gun, Ruple said.

The man warned he would shoot if Breland did not stop, and he retreated into a corner of the store while still under attack. He then fired one round, striking Breland, and fired twice more when Breland kept coming at him, Ruple said.

Police Chief Rick Richard said the customer was lawfully carrying the firearm on his side in plain view. “Louisiana is an open-carry state. The guy was straight-up legal,” the chief said.

The dirtbag was later pronounced dead. Mandeville police don’t expect to file charges in the case.

This morning, we received this from Mandeville City Councilman David Ellis, praising the shooter.

Mandeville City Councilman David Ellis said the armed civilian who reluctantly shot a man who was attacking him and harassing a convenience store clerk yesterday is a hero whose courage and restraint underscore the importance of Louisiana’s “Open Carry” laws.

Yesterday morning, a belligerent customer at a gas station in Mandeville began harassing the store clerk with racial slurs and physical attacks.  Another customer, a self-defense instructor who was wearing a pistol on his hip, intervened.  While police were en route, the assailant became increasingly aggressive and reached for the second customer’s weapon.  The man issued repeated warnings, retreated, and – once cornered – opened fire, killing the aggressor.  Mandeville Police did not charge him with any crime.

“The right to carry weapons is ingrained in the Constitution and in Louisiana law, and this gentleman, who remains unnamed, is a hero,” Ellis said.  “Whatever the aggressor’s motives, racist language, violence, and purely anti-social behavior do not have a place in our culture, our society or our city.  It’s unfortunate, even tragic, that the aggressor lost his life, but the shooter is to be praised for his quick, trained reaction and his restraint.”

Ellis said the Mandeville Police Department and the Coroner’s Office are to be commended for their quick and thorough response.

“I’m very proud to serve a city with a Police Department like ours, and to live in a Parish with public servants like the Coroner’s Office investigators who handled this case,” Ellis said.  “I am confident the District Attorney will quickly and properly review this case and reach the right conclusion.”