Teen Robber's Career Gets Off On The Wrong Foot

Findlaw: Teen Robbery Suspect Shot Himself in the Foot

Michael Anthony Randall Jr. literally shot himself in the foot.

According to the Augusta Chronicle, Randall, a teen robbery suspect, shot himself in the foot while preparing to rob a convenience store on the west side of Athens, Georgia.

Police said Randall, 19, shot himself above the ankle with a sawed-off shotgun when he tried to pull it from his coveralls.

Ooops, you have to hate it when that happens. Then again he was about to pull a robbery so this is one of those fortunate mistakes.

After reviewing surveillance videos, investigators said Randall had his finger on the trigger of the shotgun, which was concealed beneath his coveralls with the barrel extending down his left leg, and that the gun went off as he tried to withdraw the weapon.

Such a pity they don't teach gun safety in schools. Perhaps he'd have learned to keep his finger off the trigger, but I suspect ne'er do wells like him wouldn't have paid attention anyhow.

On the upside, it looks like his criminal career is somewhat stalled and he'll have to hop to his next criminal activity:

Randall was taken to the hospital. Doctors did not think they would be able to save foot due to extensive nerve and tissue damage.

The downside: Why they heck aren't they charging him with an NFA violation for the sawed off shotgun?

Investigators plan to charge him with criminal attempt to commit armed robbery.

A measly attempt charge with presumably not much time or an opportunity for a 10 year federal felony?

This is crying out for an NFA charge, namely 26 U.S.C. sec 5861(d): here we have an actual criminal, caught in the act of being about to commit a robbery with a sawed off shotgun - it doesn't get much better than that.