The Christchurch dairy owner, who pulled out a slug pistol and opened fire at two machete wielding robbers, has been inundated with support from all over the country.
The shop owner hit one of the robbers in the face before they fled.
"My wife was so brave, she was low down and reached up for the pistol, she handed it to me and I just fired at them," says shop owner, "Nike".
"The two men, their faces covered by bandannas, burst into the shop waving machetes, one of them though came off second best after being shot in the face with one of these (air pistols)".
"Nike" would not be interviewed on camera, but said he bought the gas powered slug pistol in June, after the cold blooded killing of Auckland bottle store owner Navtej Singh.
"He complied with the bandit's requests, but still they shot him and he was dead. what could we do?, " says Nike
Nike's customers say he is a hero.
"Not only did they do the right thing, they've set a benchmark, don't take crap," says local supplier, Simon Reidy.
Last year firearms charges against Auckland gun shop owner Greg Carvell, who also shot a machete wielding robber with a handgun, were dropped.
His father ray says shopkeepers must be allowed to defend themselves.
"What is different about this country that we can't allow our decent citizens to have some form of retaliatory, against this kind of attack," says Carvell.
Asian anti crime campaigner, Peter Low, applauds the man's action.
"Other shop owners and people should learn to defend themselves should learn how to defend ourselves and our family and our property from now on because the government have failed," says Low.
Nike says he believes he did the right thing.
Police will not say if they will charge Nike for shooting the robbers, but it is likely there will be a public outcry if they do.
3 News
source: newshub archive
