Just because you have it doesn't mean you can use it.

A White Rock-area convenience store clerk who was slain during an apparent robbery last Saturday night was also armed with a gun, police said Friday.

Police now believe that the slain clerk, Abate Z. Hailu, 43, saw that the two men were armed as they came into the Fina Food Mart on Garland Road shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday.

The clerk pointed the gun at them, said Lt. Craig Miller, a homicide supervisor.

"There was a malfunction with the weapon, and obviously Mr. Hailu was not able to use the weapon" because the safety was still on, Lt. Miller said.

The two robbery suspects then fired their weapons at Mr. Hailu, who died at the scene, police said. Store surveillance cameras recorded the crime and images of the two men. The two suspects also went behind the counter and took a small amount of cash and some property, police said.

One suspect, Howard Lee Simon, 22, was arrested Monday in connection with Mr. Hailu's death. Police are looking for a second suspect, Deshawn Larkin, 26.

Unfortunately, it appears that there was NOT a problem with the weapon, but with the operator. Just because you have a gun doesn't mean you will be able to instinctively use it correctly under pressure unless you train to use it. I am guilty of not training enough with my weaponry. Of course, you could go with a less complicated firearm, like a Glock, where all you have to do is pull the trigger (assuming the gun has been readied to fire).