A 60-year-old man is lucky to be alive after having been accosted by a would-be robber who targeted him at an ATM machine. The incident, which occurred on the south side of Chicago, further highlights the importance of responsible gun ownership, especially in a state that is not exactly friendly to those seeking to defend themselves.

The confrontation occurred in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood and left the attempted robber dead, and the licensed gun owner wounded but alive.

A man attempting a robbery was killed during a shootout with a concealed carry license holder in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood Friday morning.

Chicago police said just before 5:30 a.m., a man, 60, was at a nearby ATM in the 1500 block of West 82nd Street when another man on a bike approached, displayed a firearm, and demanded his property.

The victim, a valid FOID card and CCL holder, pulled out a firearm, and the two exchanged gunfire, police said.

The would-be robber was shot multiple times, and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead.

Meantime, the victim ran to a nearby Marathon gas station at 81st Street and Ashland Avenue, looking for help after the shootout.

The victim, who had been shot twice, collapsed in the gas station where an employee attempted to help him. He was later transported to a nearby hospital by police officers, where he began to recover.

Robberies at ATM machines are not as common as other types of crimes, but they are on the rise, according to the FBI.

Since the turn of the century, the FBI’s official bank crime statistics show a steep decline in robberies within banks. These changes had driven an overall reduction in bank crimes. Figure 1 shows official FBI statistics for Bank Robberies at the Counter since 2003.

But 2020 and 2021 statistical analysis shows a sharp increase in crime incidents at ATMs. ATM crimes in America increased 600% from 2019 to 2020. Figure 2 shows the official FBI statistics for robberies involving ATMs. These numbers were likely significantly influenced by the 2020 pandemic.

Most ATM robberies happen between 7 p.m. and 4 a.m., when there are few people around who could possibly witness the crime. This particular incident happened slightly outside of this timeframe.

The robbers typically position themselves about 50 feet away from the machine. They wait until someone uses the machine before mugging them. 

Many ATM robbery victims are women and were alone when robbed. Most claim that they never saw the robber coming. Most ATM robbers used a gun or claimed to have a concealed weapon when confronting the victim and demanding their cash.

This incident underscores the importance of being careful when withdrawing cash, particularly when it is dark. But it also shows why exercising one's right to keep and bear arms is essential. If the citizen had not been armed, he could have been deprived of his property or, even worse, his life. With these types of crimes on the rise, it is even more important to make sure one is being vigilant.

In a city like Chicago, one has to be able to defend oneself, especially in high-crime areas.