72-Year-Old Retired Marine Runs Down, Kills Armed Man Who Robbed His Business

A man who robbed a 72-year-old Texas business owner at gunpoint is dead after the owner, a Marine Corps veteran, jumped in his car and chased after him, ramming him against a metal fence.

According to the Houston Chronicle, a tall man forced his way into Kenneth Kobobel, Sr.'s office Friday morning where Kobobel had been chatting with his brother. He put a 9mm handgun to Kobobel's head, demanded money from them and screamed "You're dead!"

He emptied the contents of the brother's wallet and Kobobel handed him $20. Not satisfied with the amount, Kobobel said the man patted him down and upon finding a wad of bills totaling $800 yelled, "You lied to me! You're dead!"

Kobobel said robber struck him on the head with the barrel of the gun and ran off, warning them to wait before calling 911.

Once he left, Kobobel called 911 and went outside, asking neighbors if they had seen which way he went. He then got into his car and sped off in pursuit.

Kobobel's son, Kenneth Kobobel, Jr., who pulled up just as his father was leaving, said he wasn't surprised his father went after the robber.

"He's an ex-Marine," he told the Chronicle. "He doesn't put up with a whole lot of nothing."

Kobobel said he spotted the robber in a strip mall parking lot, and when the robber saw Kobobel coming he raised his gun and fired at least once. Kobobel rammed him with his car, then did so again when the man prepared to fire again.

Police are calling details about the incident sketchy and are trying to determine if another vehicle might have assisted Kobobel.

Once Kobobel got out of his car, he said he saw the man lying on the ground and kicked the gun away.

"I thought it was good that I caught this jerk who'd robbed me," Kobobel told the Chronicle. "But what I didn't like was that this man was laying there and his life was ebbing away. I'm a Christian, and I wouldn't want to see anybody die."

(h/t Fark)

Editor's note: In this story's original headline, The Blaze referred to Kobobel as an "ex-Marine." Kobobel is a veteran of the Marine Corps. H/t Blaze readers Leslie, Mark and Doug.