The Karsch’s Village Market employee who shot and killed a man on the Barnhart store’s parking lot Nov. 6, 2014, will not face charges, Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Forrest Wegge reported today (Feb. 11).
Robert Larson, 48, of Imperial died at the scene from gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen, according to the Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Wegge said he and his office’s chief warrant attorney, Mike Ravetta, decided Tuesday (Feb. 10) that the employee shot Larson in self defense.
“Charges will not be pursued in the Karsch’s Market shooting,” Wegge said. “Upon review of all the evidence, we have determined that this was an act of justified self-defense.”
The name of the Karsch’s employee, who was 23 and lived in Imperial at the time of the shooting, has never been released by authorities.
“I want to stress this decision was based on the unique facts and evidence of this particular case,” Wegge said. “Thus, any similar type of incident in the future could result in homicide charges.”
Deputies responded to a call at 10:20 a.m. Nov. 6, 2104, about a disturbance involving Larson, who allegedly was intoxicated in the store, 1730 Hwy. M, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Employees told deputies they followed Larson to his vehicle trying to stall him from driving until law enforcement officers could arrive, but he retrieved a gun from his vehicle and pointed it at the employees. An employee with a concealed carry permit pulled out a handgun and fatally shot Larson, deputies reported.
Larson was found to have “acute ethanol intoxication,” according to a Medical Examiner’s Office spokeswoman in January.