Armed Customer Intervenes, Shoots Man Attacking Starbucks Barista

A customer with a concealed carry permit intervened and shot a man who was attacking Starbucks barista in Millcreek, Utah.

KSL reports that the incident unfolded during the early shift when a “haggard looking” man entered, walked behind the counter, and began beating barista Shelby Hamilton.

Hamilton said, “It was all just kind of random. I didn’t really know him. … He just came in the door and hit me in the back of the head from behind.”

At one point the attacker, 37-year-old Benjamin Overall, alleged hit Hamilton from behind with a metal basket, knocking her to the floor. He then began kicking her and she recalled thinking to herself, “I don’t want to die this way.”

Just went Hamilton thought she might be thinking her final thoughts the attacker walked away from her then a shot rang out.

Not knowing who had fired the shot or if more shots were coming, Hamilton took cover under a the counter. Police then entered and she heard radio chatter about a customer at Starbucks shooting an attacker.

Hamilton said, “My honest thought? I just hoped that he was dead.”

Overall was transported to a hospital in serious condition. Hamilton was transported in “fair condition,” treated and released.

She learned that the armed man who saved her was one of her regular customers. She expressed gratitude that he was armed and said, “I never would have expected that from him. He just seemed like a very meek guy. So I was surprised, but also very grateful. I was very grateful that he was there. And I was glad it was somebody we see regularly so that hopefully, in the future, I can thank him.”

Gephardt Daily reports the concealed carry permit holder was “in his late 50s or 60s.”

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News, the host of the Breitbart podcast Bullets with AWR Hawkins, and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.