SHAWNEE, Kan. — One of four suspects in a Shawnee gun store attempted robbery was released from the hospital Tuesday as two others remained. As the suspects recover and face charges, local business owners near and around She’s A Pistol are trying to decide what they will do next.
At least one local business owner FOX 4 spoke to Tuesday said if She’s A Pistol opens back up in this location, he will move his business out, but he would not go on camera because it’s not personal. He likes owners Jon and Becky Bieker and feels sorry that Jon lost his life in the botched robbery, but feels that is too dangerous to stay.
The first of three suspects also shot in the gun battle, 19-year old Nicquan Midgyett, left the hospital early Tuesday morning and went straight to jail. He, 18-year-old Hakeem Malik who was booked into jail on Friday, and two others have been charged with felony first-degree murder for allegedly killing gun shop co-owner Jon Bieker.
Becky, his widow and co-owner of the shop, is receiving a lot of support from the community surrounding the area of Nieman Road and Johnson Drive. The couple, popular among business owners here, like Gene Hugunin who owns Mission Plumbing Heating and Cooling, which is next door to the strip mall where She’s A Pistol is located.
“With the gun shop my wife always said a few things about maybe being scared a little bit, and not just the gun shop itself, but something could happen. But it could happen anywhere,” he said. “I mean, people go down I-70 now and get shot, so it can happen anywhere, but we hope they can regroup and come back in the neighborhood.”
Local business owners have planned a vigil for Jon on Thursday night at 7:00 in the parking lot of She’s A Pistol.
