Atlanta, Georgia

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution of August 16, 2007

Tattoo parlor owner shoots robber

The shotgun hangs on the wall of the Tattoo Doctor for a reason, its employees say. It's meant to convey a message to anyone walking in: Don't mess with us.

Until now, the insinuation worked fine. But when a would-be robber tried to hold up the southwest Atlanta tattoo and piercing parlor Thursday night, he learned the hard way what happens when you disobey.

The store owner shot the man at least three times, sending him scurrying out of the shop and into a nearby apartment complex — where he was promptly arrested.

"Stop trying to rob, that's not the avenue they need to take," said the owner's brother, who goes by the name "Zok" Patrick.

"But if you do," he added, "be ready for the repercussions."

About seven people, including patrons and employees, were at the shop on Campbellton Road when two men came in about 8 p.m. asking to get tattooed.

As one of them was called in for his appointment, the second man pulled out a gun, ordered everyone to get down on the ground and demanded money, Patrick said.

"He pointed to the [shotgun] and said nobody touch it," Patrick said. "We put it up there to curtail exactly this type of behavior."

As the patrons hit the ground, the store owner — whose business license lists him as Ikeno Patrick, but who goes by "Nomadic" — pulled out a different gun and fired.

"Zok" Patrick says his brother returned fire only after the would-be robber fired some shots of his own. Police had not sorted through the details of the attempted robbery by late Thursday night.

"From what I seen, [my brother] hit him on the mouth, the shoulder, the side," Patrick said.

The man ran out, firing back over his shoulder as he made his escape through the parking lot.

"The whole neighborhood must have called police. There were so many shots fired," Patrick said.

The store is in a shopping center that houses, among other businesses, a barber shop and a pizza place.

As the shots flew, the second man cowered in a corner, saying, "Please don't kill me. I didn't have nothing to do with it," Patrick recalled.

Atlanta police Officer Eric Schwartz said the would-be robber, whose name was not released, was arrested and taken to a hospital in stable condition.

"Nomadic" Patrick was taken to a police station to give his version of events. The other employees spent late Thursday night picking up glass shards and sweeping out the debris.