When Florida adopted its permitless carry law last year, gun control advocates were quick to predict that the state would become a more dangerous place. Instead, homicides declined in most cities around the state, including Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa, and Miami. That trend has continued this year, with murders down a whopping 52% in Jacksonville and 15% in Orlando and Miami. Tampa’s the only major city in Florida to see an increase in homicides, with 23 murders reported between January 1 and June 30th compared to 19 homicides during that same time period in 2023. 

Permitless carry hasn’t led to the “Wild, Wild West” or anarchy in the streets, but it’s safe to say that there are more armed citizens ready to defend themselves, their loved ones, and even strangers when necessary.

A man apparently trying to steal a car — with a mom and her kids inside — is dead after witnesses allegedly opened fire and killed the man. It happened Sunday afternoon in Pompano Beach. The Broward Sheriff’s Office shared these details with BocaNewsNow.com:

Detectives with the Broward Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit are investigating the circumstances surrounding a deadly shooting in Pompano Beach. At approximately 4:58 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 13, BSO deputies and Pompano Beach Fire Rescue responded to a disturbance and possible shooting in the parking lot of the RaceTrac located at 599 W. Atlantic Blvd.

On scene, emergency crews located Brian Semil suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to Broward Health North where he was pronounced deceased. BSO’s Homicide and Crime Scene units responded to conduct an investigation into the circumstances of the shooting.

According to BocaNewsNow, Semil was trying to force his way inside a vehicle with a woman and her kids inside when three men at the gas station intervened. At some point during the struggle, the armed citizen discharged his pistol, striking and fatally wounding the would-be carjacker. 

The Broward County Sheriff’s Office says all three men remained on the scene, along with several witnesses, and cooperated with the deputies who were called out to the incident. Based on the initial reports, it sounds like the armed citizen was justified in using deadly force to protect himself, as well as the woman and her kids inside the car. It also appears that this wasn’t Semil’s first attempt at a carjacking. 

Semil was no stranger to the law, In 2015, He was the suspect in a carjacking that led to police chase and a rough take down in a Fort Lauderdale. In this case he approached a woman and demanded her keys. For her safety, she gave up the keys and he drove away, but he was soon spotted by police, which prompted a short pursuit.

Semil appeared in court and was charged with robbery, grand theft auto, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, among other traffic offenses. He was later released.

Whatever punishment Semil received after his previous carjacking attempt, it clearly wasn’t enough to keep him on the straight and narrow path, which is a shame. We’ll be keeping an eye out for any updates on the armed citizen who intervened this past weekend, but as of right now there’s no indication that he’ll be facing charges for protecting the woman and her children when they were in danger.