At about 1:30 this morning (Dec 19) my room mate was shot in the neck during an armed robbery at his Chevron gas station/convenience store. Almost 24 hours later, after 2 surgeries to repair an artery, he is in critical condition. The robbery was committed by two local black teen-agers.

After being shot in the neck, he was able to draw his own gun, shoot and kill the teen who shot him, and stagger outside to chase the other teen who was a little too fast for him. He was caught later by the police. The boy who survived was 17, although he won't have much of a life left. We don't know what type of life to expect for my room mate. The doctors expect at least a stroke during his recovery.

We don't know how Chevron will treat the incident because he was told by the company not to carry a gun. Will they fire him? Will they withhold workman's compensation? This is the third robbery this year of his station while he was at work. His handgun stopped the first two without incident.

But we do know two things:

1. The police will not bring charges against him because he was defending his business and his life.

2. Gun control is a steady aim.