http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/p...AL07/801170309
Store owner vindicated, still haunted
By Abby Slutsky
The Journal Gazette
The owner of an adult video store won’t be charged for fatally shooting an armed robber, but he said his life will never be the same.
“I’ve broken the Sixth Commandment; I’ve taken another man’s life,” said John Rinker, who owned VIP Video on South Anthony Boulevard for 13 years before 17-year-old Willie Winder entered the business and put a gun in Rinker’s face.
The Allen County Prosecutor’s Office announced Wednesday that Rinker, 59, was justified in using deadly force against Winder, and no charges will be filed against him.
Winder, armed with a handgun, entered the video store Sept. 12 and demanded cash from Rinker.
“I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that that boy was going to kill me,” Rinker said.
At the time, police said Rinker was “staring down the barrel of a handgun” but was able to get to his own gun before Winder could fire at him.
“It was not something that was in my control. I had time to react and that was it,” Rinker said.
Since that day, Rinker’s life has changed drastically. He closed his business and worries when he leaves his home. His wife has had to deal with people knowing her husband killed a man, and it’s been hard on her. Rinker’s church held a peace vigil after the shooting, and the minister who spoke at Winder’s funeral tried to comfort Rinker, he said.
Rinker waited until after Winder’s funeral, “out of respect,” to have a going-out-of-business sale and closed down his business.
“I’m not a heartless old fart. … I wish I knew how I was supposed to feel,” he said. “I’ve thought about it for a long time.”
Since the shooting, Rinker said he has sought counseling, but no one has been able to tell him how he should feel about having killed another human being.
“I feel sorry for (Winder’s) family, I really do, and I’m sorry that that had to happen,” he said.
Winder’s family expressed shock after the shooting and expressed surprise that Winder would have even wanted to commit a robbery.
“I can’t imagine what drove him to do something like that,” Winder’s mother, Sondra Tolbert, said the day after the shooting.
Rinker said Winder and three other boys had been in the store two days before the shooting and had seen Rinker was armed but still chose to rob the video store, which was flanked by a computer repair shop and a cash advance store.
“He could have gone to either side (of the business) and gotten more money than I had,” Rinker said.
But Winder chose to rob the video store, and Rinker said he believes that even if he had handed Winder the money, “he’d still have shot me.”
And though he said he’s glad he can finally start to put the shooting behind him, Rinker said he’s still going to wonder how he should feel knowing that he killed Winder.
“And after awhile I’ve said, ‘Let God sort it out when I get there,’ ” Rinker said.
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Store owner vindicated, still haunted
By Abby Slutsky
The Journal Gazette
The owner of an adult video store won’t be charged for fatally shooting an armed robber, but he said his life will never be the same.
“I’ve broken the Sixth Commandment; I’ve taken another man’s life,” said John Rinker, who owned VIP Video on South Anthony Boulevard for 13 years before 17-year-old Willie Winder entered the business and put a gun in Rinker’s face.
The Allen County Prosecutor’s Office announced Wednesday that Rinker, 59, was justified in using deadly force against Winder, and no charges will be filed against him.
Winder, armed with a handgun, entered the video store Sept. 12 and demanded cash from Rinker.
“I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that that boy was going to kill me,” Rinker said.
At the time, police said Rinker was “staring down the barrel of a handgun” but was able to get to his own gun before Winder could fire at him.
“It was not something that was in my control. I had time to react and that was it,” Rinker said.
Since that day, Rinker’s life has changed drastically. He closed his business and worries when he leaves his home. His wife has had to deal with people knowing her husband killed a man, and it’s been hard on her. Rinker’s church held a peace vigil after the shooting, and the minister who spoke at Winder’s funeral tried to comfort Rinker, he said.
Rinker waited until after Winder’s funeral, “out of respect,” to have a going-out-of-business sale and closed down his business.
“I’m not a heartless old fart. … I wish I knew how I was supposed to feel,” he said. “I’ve thought about it for a long time.”
Since the shooting, Rinker said he has sought counseling, but no one has been able to tell him how he should feel about having killed another human being.
“I feel sorry for (Winder’s) family, I really do, and I’m sorry that that had to happen,” he said.
Winder’s family expressed shock after the shooting and expressed surprise that Winder would have even wanted to commit a robbery.
“I can’t imagine what drove him to do something like that,” Winder’s mother, Sondra Tolbert, said the day after the shooting.
Rinker said Winder and three other boys had been in the store two days before the shooting and had seen Rinker was armed but still chose to rob the video store, which was flanked by a computer repair shop and a cash advance store.
“He could have gone to either side (of the business) and gotten more money than I had,” Rinker said.
But Winder chose to rob the video store, and Rinker said he believes that even if he had handed Winder the money, “he’d still have shot me.”
And though he said he’s glad he can finally start to put the shooting behind him, Rinker said he’s still going to wonder how he should feel knowing that he killed Winder.
“And after awhile I’ve said, ‘Let God sort it out when I get there,’ ” Rinker said.
Letters to the Editor:
letters@jg.net
