Despite a sign posted outside designating the business a so-called “gun-free zone,” three thugs reportedly assaulted restaurant employees during a robbery attempt in Durham, North Carolina, earlier this week.
At around 9 p.m. on Sunday, three men wearing hoodies and armed with handguns invaded a newly-opened barbecue restaurant in Durham through the back door, according to police. The thugs reportedly forced employees to the ground, assaulting two of them. Thankfully, they were not seriously injured.
While the robbery occurred in the kitchen, patrons in the restaurant were able to safely escape through the front door.
Restaurant owner Greg Hatem told WTVD-TV that he’s offering $2,000 for the “arrest and conviction of these guys.”
“We want to make sure our guests and our staff are taken care of,” he said.
Pro-gun advocates have criticized the restaurant’s “gun-free zone” policy and argue allowing citizens to protect themselves in the establishment is a much more effective way to ensure their safety. Second Amendment supporters have repeatedly argued that “gun-free zones” only entice criminals because they know they will likely face minimal opposition.
A recent study out of Purdue University found that all but two mass shootings since the 1950s have occurred in locations where victims were restricted from carrying weapons for self-defense