Ruth Robinson watched in fear as the gunman, demanding money, cocked the handgun and threatened to kill her husband.

Robinson, who was working with her husband, James, at the Busy Mini-Mart on South Hoskins Road in northwest Charlotte, reached under the counter and grabbed a handgun.

She fired once, striking 17-year-old Marquis Sanchez Vinson in the chest.

The teen-ager died five days later.

Robinson, 67, won't be prosecuted in connection with the June 10 fatal shooting.

Mecklenburg Assistant District Attorney Bob Gleason reviewed the evidence and decided that no charges will be brought.

"It was a clear case of self-defense," the prosecutor said Wednesday. "Mrs. Robinson's actions were lawful. She was honestly in fear of her life and the life of her husband. She believed that she needed to defend herself and her husband."

The attempted robbery occurred around midnight on June10.

Gleason said Vinson pointed a .32-caliber handgun at James Robinson and told him to "give up the money."

"When Mr. Robinson did not give him the money, Mr. Vinson cocked the gun and told Mr. Robinson to give him the money or he would blow his brains out," the prosecutor said.

Ruth Robinson reached under the counter and pulled out a .38-caliber handgun and shot Vinson once in the upper left chest.

"Mr. Vinson was knocked down by the shot," Gleason said, "neutralizing his threat to the Robinsons at their place of business."

Vinson was transported to Carolinas Medical Center. He died June 15.

Gleason said Robinson's belief that her life and the life of her 60-year-old husband were in danger was reasonable.

"Mr. Vinson was the aggressor in the incident," the prosecutor said. "Mrs. Robinson was in her place of business and had no duty to retreat. Mrs. Robinson did not use excessive force, firing only once, which was sufficient to neutralize the threat to her life and that of her husband."

Vinson was the second person killed this year while trying to rob a Charlotte business.

On New Year's Day, Judus Lewis Caudle was shot and killed while trying to steal office equipment from Absolute Bail Bonding Co. on North Kings Drive. Juliet Williams, co-owner of the bonding company and a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer, fired one shot, hitting Caudle in the chest.

The DA's office did not press charges against Williams. Police said Caudle, 38, tried to attack Williams with a crowbar before she shot him.

Source: Charlotte Observer