Really Bad Choice

Of people to try to rob.

A Knox County commissioner known for his pro-gun stance says he aborted an armed robbery at his car dealership Saturday with the aid of his .380-caliber pistol.

Greg "Lumpy" Lambert, who represents the 6th District in northwest Knox County, said he was at Advantage Auto Sales on Clinton Highway early Saturday afternoon when a young man began acting suspicious while test-driving a 2005 Ford Focus.

The man, identified as 19-year-old Kane Stackhouse, claimed to have $12,000 in his pocket and seemed intent on buying the car without any haggling or even a mechanical inspection, Lambert said.

Later, as the paperwork was being drawn up, Stackhouse stepped outside to smoke a cigarette, Lambert said. When the commissioner went outside to tell him it was time to work on the title, Stackhouse allegedly pulled a .25-caliber handgun from his jacket pocket.

Lambert, who was armed with a Kel-Tec .380-caliber pistol and wearing a "Friends of the NRA" ball cap, drew his gun. For a moment, the two men stared at one another down the barrels of their guns, according to Lambert's account.

"I think we probably leveled our sights close to the same time," Lambert said. "I think I got a bit of a drop on him. I told him to drop his weapon, and he said he didn't want any trouble."

Stackhouse didn't ask for money or issue any demands, Lambert said. "I didn't give him a chance to," he said.

Lambert said he convinced the young man to lay down his weapon and then told him to leave the premises, but not before letting him know he'd probably "be arrested at some point."

You can tell Tennessee is a fairly gun-friendly place. They helpfully identify the make and caliber of the gun the guy used to protect himself. I don't like the Kel-Tec, it's too small for my hand. I favor the Taurus PT-938, myself. It's a little more suited to my hand. And there's that 10+1 capacity. (I think the 938 is no longer available, at least in the US. The replacement is the Millennium Pro).