Fabula
S3E21 · Posse Comitatus

Second Robber Fatally Shoots Simon, Grocer Flees in Panic

Triumphant after subduing the first robber, Simon activates his wrist mic to call for NYPD backup at the Korean grocery on 98th and Broadway, beginning to reassure the grocer. Suddenly, a hidden second robber erupts from the back aisle, firing three deafening shots that hurl Simon backward, lifeless to the floor. The long-haired gunman flees into the night, triggering the traumatized grocer to glance at Simon's body in horror before bolting out, abandoning him alone. A melancholy tune swells, underscoring the random brutality that snuffs Simon's heroism, mirroring the episode's themes of uncontrollable loss and sacrifice.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

Simon calls for NYPD backup, but is suddenly shot by a second robber hiding in the store, who then flees.

control to shock

The grocer panics and runs out, leaving Simon's body on the floor as a melancholy tune plays in the background.

shock to despair

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

5

Frozen shock fracturing into raw horror and panic, overwhelmed by violence invading his sanctuary.

The Korean grocer remains frozen behind the counter, watching Simon's backup call and reassurance attempt, then panics upon the gunfire, glancing in horror at Simon's fallen body before fleeing the store in terror.

Goals in this moment
  • Survive the escalating threat by observing silently
  • Escape to safety after witnessing Simon's death
Active beliefs
  • The intruding hero's intervention might restore normalcy
  • Immediate flight is the only path to self-preservation
Character traits
Shocked Passive Terrified
Follow Korean Grocer's journey

Nervous compliance turning to stunned immobility amid surrounding violence.

The cuffed suspect lies prone and subdued on the floor near the fruit stand, hands bound behind his back, remaining inert as Simon calls for backup and the second robber's shots erupt, chaos unfolding around his immobilized form.

Goals in this moment
  • Avoid further confrontation while restrained
  • Await authorities without resisting
Active beliefs
  • Compliance with the armed agent's commands ensures survival
  • Escape is impossible under Secret Service restraint
Character traits
Submissive Nervous Helpless
Follow Unidentified Convenience …'s journey

Cold predatory focus exploding into desperate flight post-kill.

The long-haired second robber erupts from hiding in the back aisle, firing three deafening shots that hurl Simon backward lifelessly, then immediately flees out into the night, abandoning the scene.

Goals in this moment
  • Eliminate the intervening threat to enable escape
  • Flee the scene before backup arrives
Active beliefs
  • Lethal force neutralizes armed interference swiftly
  • Speedy retreat maximizes survival odds in botched robbery
Character traits
Ruthless Opportunistic Cowardly
Follow Second Robber's journey

Calm and professionally reassuring, exuding control in crisis until abruptly shattered by mortal shock.

Simon stands confidently after subduing the first robber, activates his wrist mic to call for NYPD backup specifying the location, and begins reassuring the grocer with 'Sir' while approaching the counter, only to be violently thrown backward by gunfire, collapsing lifeless amid the chaos.

Goals in this moment
  • Secure NYPD backup to fully resolve the robbery
  • Reassure the traumatized grocer and maintain situational calm
Active beliefs
  • His Secret Service authority guarantees rapid containment of threats
  • Empathy and protocol can stabilize victims post-intervention
Character traits
Professional Reassuring Heroic Vigilant
Follow Simon Donovan's journey
Supporting 1
Josh Lyman
secondary

nervous

Browses the fruit stand after the robbery, reaches suspiciously when confronted, complies by raising hands and lying face down on the floor, allows Simon to cuff his hands behind his back.

Goals in this moment
  • avoid detection after robbery
Follow Josh Lyman's journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Korean Convenience Store at 98th and Broadway

The dimly lit Korean convenience store serves as the intimate battleground where Simon's authoritative backup call offers fleeting triumph, shattered by ambush gunfire echoing off grimy walls and fluorescent buzz; it frames the robbery's savage pivot from control to tragedy, petals and candy evoking mundane life's fragility amid urban peril.

Atmosphere Tense hush exploding into deafening violence, then desolate with melancholy tune underscoring isolation.
Function Crime scene arena for heroic intervention and fatal reversal.
Symbolism Embodies random street brutality piercing illusions of off-duty safety, echoing White House staff's vulnerability to …
Access Open late-night urban storefront, unguarded until NYPD summoned.
Fluorescent lighting casting harsh shadows Back aisle concealing hidden threats Empty cash drawer and scattered everyday items

Organizations Involved

Institutional presence and influence

2
U.S. Secret Service

Simon invokes his U.S. Secret Service affiliation implicitly through protocol-honed authority in calling backup, his federal training manifesting in precise crisis command even off-duty, underscoring the organization's protective reach extending from presidential orbits to street-level heroism tragically overwhelmed.

Representation Via Simon's embodied protocol and self-identification as Secret Service agent.
Power Dynamics Exercising overriding authority over civilian criminals, yet vulnerable to anonymous ambush.
Impact Highlights Secret Service's blurred off-duty boundaries, amplifying personal sacrifice in national security ethos.
Contain armed threats through agent intervention Coordinate with local law enforcement for scene security Agent's trained marksmanship and restraint tactics Wrist mic comms for rapid inter-agency mobilization
Police

Simon urgently summons NYPD via wrist mic to the specified location, positioning police as the immediate responders to secure the robbery aftermath, their institutional machinery primed but arriving too late to prevent Simon's death, framing procedural response against raw chaos.

Representation Through Simon's direct radio summons invoking NYPD protocol.
Power Dynamics Local enforcers deferred to by federal agent for jurisdictional backup.
Impact Illustrates inter-agency handoff in crisis, underscoring delays in random violence containment.
Respond swiftly to armed robbery report Process crime scene and apprehend suspects Emergency dispatch via radio coordination Investigative authority over urban incidents

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 2
Foreshadowing weak

"Ron's hint at significant progress in their investigation foreshadows Simon's tragic intervention in the robbery."

Ron Ramps Up Security and Teases Simon with a Lead
S3E21 · Posse Comitatus
Foreshadowing weak

"Ron's hint at significant progress in their investigation foreshadows Simon's tragic intervention in the robbery."

Ron Teases Breakthrough Lead to Simon
S3E21 · Posse Comitatus
What this causes 1
NARRATIVELY_FOLLOWS

"Simon's shooting in the convenience store narratively leads to Ron discovering his body, intensifying the impact of his death."

Ron's Devastating Discovery of Simon's Corpse
S3E21 · Posse Comitatus

Part of Larger Arcs

Key Dialogue

"SIMON: This is Donovan. I need NYPD at a Korean grocery at 98th and Broadway."