This is crazy. Just when you thought Manalapan was safe. All this crazy stuff is happening.

This, my friends is why we have a Second Amendment. The store owner would have had every right to shoot deadly force against such a danger to the public. I certainly hope that the citizens of Manalapan take armed defense courses and be prepared. The police can't protect everyone, so you have to protect yourself.

I love Manalapan I have raised my kids here.They turned out great.But now i am scared and i dislike guns maybe because i dont know how to use one.Vut i am worried especially when something like this happens ...

Maria, no need to be scared. Just train first, then arm your self.

Does that tell you something wanted Oxy and not cash. Why work when you can take it from people who are working hard to provide for there family, it is going to get worse before it gets better, you wait and see.

It makes me want to get training and apply for a concealed carry permit. I was up there at WaWa about 10 minutes before that. It's getting very scary

The people at Maio's are particularly nice and kind. It's so sad that they experienced such a horrible crime. Nobody deserves this, but they certainly didn't.

he needs rehab. hes wasnt a criminal hes not crazy...just a sick and.suffering addict. trust me, I would know. I was when I left manalapan....obviously nothings changed.

This is Crazy I used to be addicted to the Oxys IM 4 months Clean and this is getting rediculous.

THINK PHARMIST SHOULD BE ALLOW BE ABLE CARRY GUNS BECAUSE THIS GET IS OUT OF HAND BEEN IN MANLAPAN ALL MY LIFE AND WAS BORN AND RAISE WHAT IS MANLAPAN COME OF IT

If the Pharmacist had a gun this would have had an entirely different outcome. Nobody was hurt - if there were shots fired we'd be reading something different.

Manalapan is a safe place to live. This is just an incident that reflects hard times and could happen anywhere. I don't think Manalapan resident carrying handguns would help. You would have more shootings over parking spots at Wegmans and parent arguing over who kids are better then their neighbors kids. Plus you can't carry in the state of NJ so only the store can carry arms. The answer is cameras and security systems.

Here is the link to apply for a concealed carry permit in New Jersey: www.njsp.org/info/pdf/firearms/sp-642.pdf

New Jersey does not make it easy for average citizens to carry a side arm. It never hurts to try, however.

States "...with right-to-carry laws have 30% lower homicide rate, 46% lower robbery, and 12% lower aggravated assault rate and a 22% lower overall violent crime rate than do states without such laws" -- that's not me writing this, it was a Human Events article citing the FBI's Uniform Crime Report.

Please explain how a camera is going to stop a robbery in progress? Does it have a device to detect illegal firearms and will it shoot the robber??? Hellooooo....

A camera isn't going to stop an armed robbery, who are you kidding?

"Mayor Manalapan" has no clue about concealed carry statistics. The absurd claim of "more shootings over parking spots at Wegmans and parent arguing over who kids are better then their neighbors kids" falls apart when it is statistically proven states with concealed carry laws have LESS CRIME, not more.

For example:

* Since the outset of the Florida right-to-carry law, the Florida murder rate has averaged 36% lower than it was before the law took effect, while the U.S. murder rate has averaged 15% lower

* Since the outset of the Texas right-to-carry law, the Texas murder rate has averaged 30% lower than it was before the law took effect, while the U.S. murder rate has averaged 28% lower

* Since the outset of the Michigan right-to-carry law, the Michigan murder rate has averaged 4% lower than it was before the law took effect, while the U.S. murder rate has averaged 2% lower.

Source: http://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp#general

RE: Mayor Manalapan 7:56 am on Thursday, September 20, 2012 Manalapan is a safe place to live. This is just an incident that reflects hard times and could happen anywhere. I don't think Manalapan resident carrying handguns would help. You would have more shootings over parking spots at Wegmans and parent arguing over who kids are better then their neighbors kids. Plus you can't carry in the state of NJ so only the store can carry arms. The answer is cameras and security systems.

You all need lessons in grammar. It's pathetic.

John Jay, your fighting a losing battle. This town if full of uninformed, gun hating people who will be the first to try to hide behind you or me with our firearms when they're in danger.

Gregor Spencer - I think its time to organize our citizens with a National Rifle Association and/or Project Appleseed event!

There are plenty of intelligent citizens who use firearms lawfully in the area, but they are not organized. The NRA and Appleseed members would glady help get citizens together so that they can improve their safety and shooting skills.

They will also help get more citizens signed up to get the necessary paperwork to obtain lawful firearms.

I think the mutants that are targeting citizens will think twice once they know there are thousands of us out here!

join njgunforums.com and nj2as.com.....two orginizations that provide, nj residents on how to purchase, safely use and store, where to practice shoot,....

What actually ocurred then? The suspect said give me the drugs and flashed a gun (which may or may not have been real) and the pharmacist said "no", and he ran away?

this town is getting worse...i moved here for my children and all this is happening, maybe we need more police officers around !!!!

did something happen at CVS on Rt 33 also or is that a rumor??

john jay - I live in miami and I have a CCP but the stats you refer to are just that stats - there is no causal connection between the CCPs being issued in those states and the lower crime stats. The stats reflect a nationwide trend that holds true in states without a CCP.

For instance - I am sure you will agree NYC is worse than NJ for carrying or even owning any firearm yet there has been a huge decrease in all the crime stats over the same period.

You may be an accomplished bloviator but you clearly do not understand cause and effect my closeted gay friend.

jorge mas canosa...you can't take the truth, so you engage in personal attacks. Typical...It's amazing how the crime DECREASES after the carry laws go into effect. Just an amazing coincidence I guess.

Show the causality bitch! Explain the same or larger decreases in NYC over the same period!

Adios jorge! You're obviously not capable of adult discussion.

Ha! You cannot do it can you. Poor little girl.

For those who don't believe armed citizens can make a significant impact to deter crime, please get a copy of the book "More Guns, Less Crime" by John Lott

His was the first study of its kind that shows how violent crime rates go down in states with "shall issue" concealed carry laws -- the statistical analysis of crime data for every county in the United States during 29 years from 1977 to 2005 is presented.

Unlike the anti-gun and disgraced Michael A. Bellesiles, who presented false data to support his Left Wing agenda, Lott's data has withstood the test of time and every imaginable critic.

The book is in its third printing -- the data is there -- and it can stop the most intelligent and most ignorant anti-gun people in their tracks.

I hope you folks get a copy and help repeal New Jersey's Left Wing gun laws.

Interesting information that strongly supports the theory in practice that armed citizens can and do deter crime:

"Also addressed by the new third edition is the federal “assault weapons” legislation, which took effect in 1994 but terminated in 2004. Gun control advocates predicted an explosion in murder and violent crime when the ban expired, but rates actually declined substantively. As Lott notes, “rarely do we get a chance to look at the impact of gun laws when they are first passed and then when they are eliminated.”

"...Immediately following the Court’s District of Columbia v. Heller decision, the Washington, D.C. murder rate fell 25% (compared to a 7% nationwide reduction). Lott notes that the city of Chicago shows the opposite pattern, as the murder rate “exploded” after imposing its 1982 gun ban."

"In the new third edition, Lott also addresses the inefficacy of such things as waiting periods, mandatory trigger locks and gun show regulations. Each of these regulations raises obstacles for people to defend themselves, thereby making it easier for criminals to prey on weaker citizens with greater confidence."

"And, as noted above, Dr. Lott has not encountered a single jurisdiction in the entire world where imposing gun control laws triggered a decline in murder rates."

(See: http://cfif.org/v/index.php/commentary/42-constitution-and-legal/686-john-lott-more-guns-still-less-crime)

Which works best: Dial 911 and pray, or draw your weapon on a criminal and make THEM pray?

Hi George: I think owning and operating a drug store a business where you handle large amounts of cash would be a good reason to be issued a permit. The worst the judge would do is say no -- and then it's time to get the lawyers involved.

Isn't it insane that we have such situation in New Jersey? 40 states don't tolerate this nonsense, but the Left Wing and some ill-informed Republicans would rather make citizens potential victims than have criminals be put on notice.

Gov. Christie is 100% wrong to support current gun laws -- but I have a feeling he is making a decision based on the politics of a state that has an enormous number of people that are ignorant about the legal use of firearms.

RE: "George Hartigan 11:33 am on Friday, September 21, 2012 John, If you look at the application one of the reasons a judge can deny the permit is due to a "Lack of justifiable need". This need of course is determined by the judge. I'm guessing the average citizen gets shut out on these grounds. I'm trying to find "Justifiable need" in the second amendment. Can't find it anywhere...."