Gun-Toting Pharmacist Sues after Being Fired

A Walgreens pharmacist who thwarted an attempted armed robbery with his own gun has filed a federal lawsuit after being fired from his job.

Attorneys for Jeremy Hoven have released surveillance footage of the May 8 robbery attempt at a Walgreens in Benton Harbor, Mich. Hoven, 36, sued last month in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids, claiming wrongful termination.

Deerfield, Ill.-based drugstore chain Walgreen Co. denies many of Hoven's claims in the lawsuit, including his assertion that he was fired over a company "non-escalation" policy. It disputes the contention that Hoven had a right to carry or discharge a concealed weapon on its premises.

Hoven, who read a statement about the robbery at a Wednesday press conference, said he was in the rear of the store when he saw a manager being pushed toward him by an armed robber. He said he tried to call 911, and the robber tried to shoot him.

"I feared for my life," said Hoven, who described the shooting as self-defense.

"Walgreens had a plausible and legitimate business reason to justify its decision," attorneys Charles Mishkind and Adam Forman said of the firing in a response to the lawsuit.

Hoven had a permit to carry a concealed weapon but apparently didn't notify his employer he was carrying a gun. Daniel Swanson, one of Hoven's lawyers, said one of the issues for the court to decide was whether Hoven should have told the drugstore about the gun.