While robbing a Pinole, CA, liquor store, he needed both hands to scoop the money from the register, so put his gun on the counter for a moment. Then while putting the gun back in the waistband of his pants, shot himself, puncturing his femoral artery.

His getaway car was reported as last seen southbound on Appian Way, but instead of stopping at Doctors Hospital where Appian crosses the freeway, Mr. W and his companion apparently opted to continue onto the freeway and home to Oakland, about 20 miles away.

The gun was recovered at the robbery scene, the companion was still at large when the news story that ran in the Contra Costa Times, and the article wasn't clear as to whether the money was recovered, but Mr. W turned up dead on a west Oakland street, having bled to death from his self-inflicted wound.

~ ~ Web link & text of news article follow:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/email/news/15878754.htm

Posted on Sun, Oct. 29, 2006 EAST BAY ROUNDUP

Pinole

ROBBER DIES FROM SELF-INFLICTED WOUND: A man found dead on an Oakland street early Saturday morning from a gunshot wound apparently shot himself accidentally a short time earlier while robbing a Pinole liquor store, according to investigators.

Police officers found the body of Sharffeequa Williams, 24, about 1:15 a.m. in the 1600 block of 12th Street after he apparently bled to death from a wound to his femoral artery.

During the holdup of Appian Liquors, Williams placed his handgun on the counter so he could grab cash from the register, Oakland police detective Sgt. Phil Green said.

As Williams placed the gun back into his waistband, he squeezed the trigger and shot himself, Green said.

The shooting was caught on security footage, the sergeant said.

A second suspect also took part in the robbery, and both men fled from the store in a dark-colored American vehicle similar to a Ford Crown Victoria, Pinole police said. It was last seen traveling southbound on Appian Way. Investigators described the second suspect as a man in his mid-20s who was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black pants.

Police recovered a handgun the men dropped at the scene when they fled, Pinole police Officer Ken Lindberg said.

-- Peter Hegarty and Karl Fischer

Submitted on 10/29/2006

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: Contra CostaTimes 10-29-'06

Copyright © 2006 DarwinAwards.com

James said:
Neutral: Darwin Award
An interesting twist on what would otherwise be a "dumb crook" story...the victim actually killed himself and didn't die while fleeing from the law! Obviously, he underestimated the severity of his wound, but given his choice between being found out (had he checked into a hospital) and almost certain death (which he probably didn't realize was the case), he chose to remove himself from the gene pool!

Graham said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
See! I DID say that the femoral artery was NOT a good place to inflict a wound! Although this IS an act of sheer stupidity, placing the gun on the counter was not it! What WAS dumb, was skipping by the hospital. Fortunately, this guy not only shot his femoral artery to &$^%, he took along his genes as well. In case you didn't know, the femoral artery bleeds like a garden hose, so he really had a tough choice to make. In this case, the right one.

Jorge said:
Definitely Toss: Lacks Excellence

Jack said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
"Dumb crook" story or not, I like this. And the writeup was pretty good as well. Thanks for the submission.

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