MagicMtnDan
12-11-2003, 07:51 PM
'The good guys won'
By GREG GITTRICH, MELISSA GRACE and MICHELE McPHEE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
A Brooklyn, NY pet store owner who shot a pair of career criminals dead was hailed as a hero yesterday while cops called the killings justified.
"He's amazing," neighbor Bruce Eisen, 50, said of storeowner Ivan Blume. "It's nice to think the good guys won."
The armed thugs burst into Blume's Gravesend shop Tuesday night, announced a robbery and herded Blume and an employee into a back room. The lanky owner then wrestled a .38-caliber pistol out of one robber's hand and fatally shot him in the chest, cops said.
Then Blume spun around, saw employee Daniel Bonder, 17, being beaten by the other robber and opened fire again, catching the second bandit in the chest, too, police said.
The dead men were identified yesterday as Michael Live, 48, of Jackson Ave. in the Bronx, and Hector Perez, 33, of Trinity Ave. in the Bronx.
Live had been arrested at least 10 times since 1973 on charges including fraud, grand larceny and gun and drug raps, cops said. Perez had been arrested three times, but his record was sealed, police sources said.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly called the incident a "justified shooting" yesterday. And neighbors praised Blume, the proprietor of JG's Quality Canines at 2434 Stillwell Ave., for standing up to the bad guys.
A worker at a nearby pizza shop walked by Blume's shuttered store yesterday and shook his head at the recently rinsed sidewalk.
"They should have left the blood there to warn the next guy," he said, declining to give his name.
Blume was expecting a shipment of 22 pedigreed lap dogs Tuesday night and had more than $2,000 in cash on him when the robbers showed up just after 8 p.m., police sources said.
He has been targeted for robbery in the past, most recently in January, when a pair of thieves ran off with a Yorkshire terrier puppy. Blume chased after those robbers, too, but stopped when they pointed a gun at him.
"He is not the kind of guy who was going to let himself get robbed," a police official said.
Cops recovered a cache of weapons in the store, including the .38-caliber weapon used in the killings, a 9-mm. handgun, a .25-caliber pistol and a stun gun.
Blume told police all the weapons belonged to the dead men, but cops weren't so sure, sources said.
Kelly said it is unlikely that Blume - described by neighbors as a quiet, mild-mannered man who lives with his wife above the store - will be charged with any crime.
The decision not to prosecute Blume was applauded by other business owners and residents along the bustling block, who said they have been terrorized by criminals in recent months.
"People should be able to protect themselves," said Lori Latori, 47, who lives next to the pet shop. "Enough is enough."
Live's daughter Lucinda Live, 17, insisted her father was a hardworking butcher.
"He always goes to work early and comes home late," she said. "My mother was shocked about this."
Blume remained in seclusion yesterday. "He's not doing too well right now," said a woman who answered his phone.
By GREG GITTRICH, MELISSA GRACE and MICHELE McPHEE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
A Brooklyn, NY pet store owner who shot a pair of career criminals dead was hailed as a hero yesterday while cops called the killings justified.
"He's amazing," neighbor Bruce Eisen, 50, said of storeowner Ivan Blume. "It's nice to think the good guys won."
The armed thugs burst into Blume's Gravesend shop Tuesday night, announced a robbery and herded Blume and an employee into a back room. The lanky owner then wrestled a .38-caliber pistol out of one robber's hand and fatally shot him in the chest, cops said.
Then Blume spun around, saw employee Daniel Bonder, 17, being beaten by the other robber and opened fire again, catching the second bandit in the chest, too, police said.
The dead men were identified yesterday as Michael Live, 48, of Jackson Ave. in the Bronx, and Hector Perez, 33, of Trinity Ave. in the Bronx.
Live had been arrested at least 10 times since 1973 on charges including fraud, grand larceny and gun and drug raps, cops said. Perez had been arrested three times, but his record was sealed, police sources said.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly called the incident a "justified shooting" yesterday. And neighbors praised Blume, the proprietor of JG's Quality Canines at 2434 Stillwell Ave., for standing up to the bad guys.
A worker at a nearby pizza shop walked by Blume's shuttered store yesterday and shook his head at the recently rinsed sidewalk.
"They should have left the blood there to warn the next guy," he said, declining to give his name.
Blume was expecting a shipment of 22 pedigreed lap dogs Tuesday night and had more than $2,000 in cash on him when the robbers showed up just after 8 p.m., police sources said.
He has been targeted for robbery in the past, most recently in January, when a pair of thieves ran off with a Yorkshire terrier puppy. Blume chased after those robbers, too, but stopped when they pointed a gun at him.
"He is not the kind of guy who was going to let himself get robbed," a police official said.
Cops recovered a cache of weapons in the store, including the .38-caliber weapon used in the killings, a 9-mm. handgun, a .25-caliber pistol and a stun gun.
Blume told police all the weapons belonged to the dead men, but cops weren't so sure, sources said.
Kelly said it is unlikely that Blume - described by neighbors as a quiet, mild-mannered man who lives with his wife above the store - will be charged with any crime.
The decision not to prosecute Blume was applauded by other business owners and residents along the bustling block, who said they have been terrorized by criminals in recent months.
"People should be able to protect themselves," said Lori Latori, 47, who lives next to the pet shop. "Enough is enough."
Live's daughter Lucinda Live, 17, insisted her father was a hardworking butcher.
"He always goes to work early and comes home late," she said. "My mother was shocked about this."
Blume remained in seclusion yesterday. "He's not doing too well right now," said a woman who answered his phone.