Store owner thwarts robbery attempt, shoots and kills suspect

Not long after opening for business Sunday morning, trouble was brewing inside Justice Coins in New Port Richey.

A customer, who was well-known to the shop's proprietor, had nefarious thoughts on his mind.

Wayne Justice had seen 25-year-old Jacob Scott Sanborn waiting outside just prior to the store opening. He had no idea what would happen next.

"They were talking for a few minutes looking at merchandise and at that time the suspect pulled a knife on Mr. Justice," explained Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco.

Once he realized he was being attacked, Justice, 52, took matters into his own hands. He pulled out a gun and fired a shot into Sanborn's chest.

The exchange proved to be fatal for the convicted felon.

"Mr. Justice has a concealed weapons permit," Nocco said. "He was justified in his action, and he killed the suspect."

Virginia Watts is a frequent Justice Coins customer and happened to be in the area Sunday morning not long after the robbery attempt and shooting went down.

"The gentleman that came in and tried to destroy his life ended up destroying his own," Watts said. "That's the consequence he chose when he went through the door."

Watts often stops by the coin shop to pawn personal items. The practice helps her make ends meet. She was choked up when she learned Justice was injured during the incident.

"He's a very nice gentleman," Watts said of the store owner. "I come here with stuff that's worth $10 dollars and he'll give me $15 because he knows I need it."

Justice suffered a cut on his ear, a wound that required just a few stitches. He was shaken up a bit by the turn of events but was otherwise feeling OK.

Sanborn was no stranger to law enforcement in the Bay area. At the time of this incident he was already on felony probation for a conviction out of Pasco County.

He was sentenced to one year and six months of probation for giving false information to a pawn broker in December, 2011.

Sanborn had also been arrested in Hillsborough County in 2007 on a robbery charge. In January, he was charged with marijuana possession by deputies with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

"We know this person who was killed today had a violent history," Nocco said.

On Sunday, he met a violent end.