KANSAS CITY, Mo. – People around the country are reacting to Friday’s attempted robbery and shooting death of a Shawnee gun shop owner and the assault of his wife, maybe none quite as affected as those who knew and did business with Jon and Becky Bieker.
Shops like She’s A Pistol often host booths at gun shows. That shop was no stranger to that scene in Kansas City. Business went on at this weekend’s RK Gun Show at the KCI Expo Center, but FOX 4 spoke with several people who knew the Biekers well and described the loss.
While Eric Worsham showed off his inventory and spoke with customers at Saturday’s gun show, something else consumed his thoughts. The St. Joseph gun shop owner was setting up for the show when heard what happened at his friend’s gun shop in Shawnee.
“Yesterday with the dealers, a lot of us know each other. We see each other at the shows all the time. And there was definitely a somber mood yesterday,” Worsham said, describing the couple as “top-notch folks.”
Forty four-year-old Jon was killed and his wife Becky assaulted in Friday’s attack. The news prompted memories and thoughts of the couple to become top of mind for Worsham.
“He and I developed a very good friendship joking back and forth and over the past couple of years. Becky always struck me as someone who is extremely concerned about the customer and about people,” he said.
Worsham keeps asking questions shared by many in the gun community.
“I don’t understand the desired outcome of those four guys coming into a gun shop where they know that people are probably going to be armed, and I look at Jon and Becky and I saw Jon went down in the best way possible. He’ll be missed,” he said.
Rex Kehrli runs the RK Gun Shows and also knew the couple.
“They were real good folks. They’re the type of folks that you would want for your neighbors; very good people,” he said.
He said the couple is “honest” and called them “wonderful folks.” Kehrli continued: “I know the whole gun show, we just feel so horrible for their loss,” Kehrli said.
FOX 4 was told She’s A Pistol had a class set up next week to teach people about setting up video cameras to learn how protect and defend your home. FOX 4 did try to reach out the family, but we have not yet received a response.
