Pembroke Pines, Florida



From the Miami Herald of October 19, 2004

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Woman shoots at armed robber



A robber in a stolen car who targeted a victim with an empty wallet and a semiautomatic in her purse fled under gunfire and stole a van Monday in Pembroke Pines.



The victim of a robbery fired at her attacker Monday afternoon, pulling a gun on the armed man and shooting at him after a struggle, Pembroke Pines police said.



Felicia Moss, 34, was getting out of a white Lexus at the Lakes at Pembroke apartment complex about 1:30 p.m. when a man with a gun walked up to her and demanded money, police said.



Pembroke Pines police Cmdr. Keith Palant said that Moss, who lives at the complex at 9900 Sheridan St., fished her wallet out of her purse to show the man that she had no cash.



She was also stalling for time, Palant said, knowing that her purse also held a 9mm handgun.



The man took Moss' cellphone and the victim pulled the Heckler & Koch semiautomatic from her bag.



She and the robber struggled for the gun. At one point, he dragged her by the weapon but couldn't wrest it from her.



''The victim indicated that no one's going to take her money,'' Palant said.



The thief fled, and Moss, who police said has a permit to carry a concealed firearm, fired three shots in his direction.



Fearing he might try to come back and drive away in the stolen 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera he arrived in, Moss also fired a shot into one of the tires, Palant said.



''He didn't know my wife was a pit bull in a skirt,'' Moss' husband John told WFOR-CBS 4.



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