Stray bullet sparks conceal-carry dialogue

ST. LOUIS -- When a man fired a weapon at armed robbers from his truck in suburban St. Louis earlier this month, authorities said it likely was the first instance of self-defense under Missouri's new concealed-weapons law.

One of the man's bullets pierced a window screen and frame, an aluminum blind, and lodged in the comforter on the bed of his girlfriend's 79-year-old neighbor, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Sunday. The neighbor was not home at the time.

Bryan Rutherford, 36, of De Soto, turned over his wallet when held up at gunpoint March 9 in the St. Louis suburb of Lemay, but the three men allegedly wanted more valuables from inside his pickup truck. Rutherford then pulled out a .22-caliber pistol hidden in his truck and opened fire.

A man holding a BB gun on Rutherford was hit multiple times in the torso, and all three attackers fled. Rutherford was not injured.

Bobby Washington Jr., 19, Terrell Scott, 19, of Wellston, and Keon White, 19, of St. Louis County were charged with first-degree robbery. Washington was wounded from the shots fired, but expected to recover.

St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch said Rutherford would not be charged because he acted in self-defense.

Missouri's law allows most adults 23 and older to apply for concealed gun permits from their county sheriffs after passing a firearms course and background check. It also allows any person -- not just a concealed gun permit holder -- who is over age 21 and is not otherwise disqualified from owning a handgun to conceal a weapon in a vehicle.

Lemay residents had mixed opinions about the shots fired.

"I think that, by him doing this, the robbers will think twice before coming back," said Phyllis Ray, 62, who lives in the same condominium complex.

Nadine Doerr, whose residence was damaged, said she that while she does not necessarily oppose the concealed gun law, she wanted to know who will fix the window and replace her comforter.

"I do not blame that man for fighting for his own life," Doerr said. "He had the right to defend himself. But I don't think he needed seven shots."

A phone number for Rutherford was not listed. It's unknown if Rutherford had applied for a concealed weapons permit; those records are not public. But in this circumstance, it does not appear that one would be needed. Some officials said motorists do not have the right to carry weapons in their vehicles until the court's decision is final, while others disagreed.