A Harlem pushover.

The New York Times reported on August 13 that Charles Augusto, Jr., a 72-year-old proprietor of the Kaplan Brothers Blue Flame Corporation, shot four men who tried to rob his supply store, fatally injuring two. The four perpetrators thought they had an easy target: a restaurant supply store with cash available and an elderly owner who would be a pushover. Well, they didn't count on Augusto being well prepared for such a scenario. Augusto had been robbed 20 years ago and the experience drove him to buy a shotgun in case something similar would ever happen again.

The four men burst into the building and announced that it was a hold-up. No customers were present, but Augusto was there with two employees, one male and one female. Ominously the would-be robbers began trying to wrap Augusto's employees with duct tape. Fearing what the gunmen would do next, the male employee fought back, and one of the robbers pistol-whipped the resisting employee. Augusto, who was seated nearby, witnessed everything. He sprang to his feet and pulled up his shotgun.

Before the criminals knew what hit them, Augusto fired three shots. The first blast immediately killed the leading gunman, and the last two shots were sent after the remaining three as they furiously ran from the store. One of the injured assailants didn't make it far before collapsing, owing to the severity of his injuries. A third left a blood trail that alerted police to his whereabouts, and the fourth was picked up based on tips.

Augusto returned to work shortly after the incident and regretted having to use his weapon for the first time since he bought it. "Not even touched in 20 years," he said of the shotgun. "Not even touched. I wish I didn't need to."