Category: Feel Good Stories

From South Carolina, we learn that no matter if you’re right or you’re wrong, when the police tell you to put down your gun, you put down your gun. A homeowner had just finished running off a couple of burglars when the police showed up. They told the homeowner to put down his gun – he didn’t so they shot him.

A sheriff’s deputy responding to a home invasion shot the homeowner in the neck Thursday because he refused to drop his gun, authorities said.

Two deputies from the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office encountered the man at the rear of his mobile home in Hollywood, South Carolina, after two other men fled on bicycles, Sheriff’s Maj. Eric Watson said in a news release.
Authorities work near the scene on Scott White Road in Hollywood where a Charleston County sheriff’s deputy shot and wounded a resident Thursday May 7, 2015 after a call about a home invasion. Authorities say a sheriff’s deputy responding to a home invasion shot the homeowner in the neck after he refused to drop his weapon.

The man was either leaving or standing at the back door of the house and was armed, Watson said. One of the two deputies shot him after he refused to drop his gun, he said.

After he was shot and had been placed in an ambulance, the man told police that he had exchanged gunfire with the two men who fled on bicycles.

One of the burglars have been arrested, but there’s much more at the link before you judge either the police or the homeowner.

Chief Tango sends us a story about an incident that happened in Georgia, a couple of fellows tried to rob a smoke shop, that endeavor wasn’t such a good idea for at least on of them;

During the incident, one suspect tried to distract the employee by asking to view a product.

While the employee was turned around the other suspect pulled out a shotgun and hit the employee in the head, police said.

But the incident didn’t go as planned for the suspects.

Police said the employee pulled out his own firearm and fired several rounds, killing one suspect.

The employee was alone in the store and no one else was hurt officials said.

This morning’s story, sent by AW1Ed, comes from South Carolina where firefighters credit their concealed weapons permits for helping them end a deadly possible shooting spree;

Firefighters said Chad Barker pulled up to the crowded fire station parking lot full of children and firefighters, got out of his car, and began firing in the air and at his vehicle. They say he also pointed the firearm at individual firefighters for lengthy periods of time.

“I came out of the office, saw the man with the gun, told everybody to leave out the back quickly that there was a man in the parking lot with a gun, and I was not kidding,” said Gary Knoll, a firefighter for New Holland.

Knoll said he and another firefighter who have concealed weapons permits pulled their guns on the gunman.

Knoll said Barker returned to his vehicle and firefighters carefully followed him with their weapons still drawn. After encouraging Barker to put the gun down, Knoll said Barker ultimately complied and Knoll grabbed the gun.

He said the group of firefighters detained Barker, who then began beating his head on the ground, until deputies arrived and locked him up. Barker has been charged with two counts of Pointing and Presenting a Firearm.

Knoll, meanwhile, hopes for additional charges and says he’s more disappointed with the $20,000 bond granted to Barker. Knoll was hoping for a larger amount.

“He’s a hazard to everyone here,” Knoll said. “We can’t possibly think about going to a fire call without having to worry about whether this guy’s standing in a tree stand somewhere with a high power rifle.”

Ultimately, though, Knoll is relieved no one was hurt and he is relieved he and other firefighters carry concealed weapons.

“It saved a life, if not multiple,” Knoll said.

I hope Barker picked up some knowledge while the firefighters were beating his face into the pavement.

FOX Carolina 21

This morning’s feel good story comes from Texas where they need more time on the gun range and less time on the ball field;

Officers found a 42-year-old injured man at a home in the 7500 block of Trimble Drive. He was in critical condition with life-threatening injuries at John Peter Smith Hospital, officials said.

A 911 call at 3:43 a.m. Monday reported that gunshots had been fired in the back yard of the residence.

Initially, the resident told police that he had shot the intruder, Cpl. Tracey Knight, a police spokeswoman, said in an email Monday. “However at some point, the homeowner threw an object at the prowler and the object is what caused the injury,” she wrote.

If you throw better than you shoot, start doing that first.

This morning, we read about a good guy with a gun in Colorado;

The shooting occurred when the occupants – a man and a woman – were watching television. They heard the suspect banging loudly on a window in the rear area of the house. The man told the woman to call the police, and he retrieved his handgun.

At this point, the suspect had gone around to the front of the house and was banging loudly on the glass screen door, which was locked, continuing his attempt to break in. The suspect shattered the glass screen door and then burst in through the front door, which may have been unlocked.

The man was standing near the front door when the suspect burst in. The suspect immediately attacked the man, knocking him down to the ground, and the two began fighting. The man told police that he feared for his life.

During the fight, the man fired a single shot from his handgun, hitting the suspect in the chest. The suspect was dead when police arrived.

Yeah, when they get shot and there’s only one living witness, he’s not a “suspected intruder” at that point.

AW1Ed sends a story of a 95-year-old World War II veteran who decided that he didn’t want to give up the pictures of his grandchildren that were in his wallet;

[Arthur Kamberis] said he noticed a man about 15 feet ahead of him. He recognized him from the waiting area at Walgreens.

The man made a U-turn and headed straight for him, grabbing Kamberis’ arm and reaching for the pocket where Kamberis had placed his wallet, Kamberis said.

“I didn’t know he was stalking me,” Kamberis said.

[…]

Kamberis said he swung his cane hard, hitting the man first in the arm and a second time in the shoulder.

By then the two were in the middle of the road. A car came along and the young male driver stopped and started to get out; the would-be robber ran. –

The fellow who stopped to help Arthur drove him home – he reported the incident to police who advised him that he should have whacked his attacker in the head.

He said he is taking steps to ensure his future safety. Whenever he goes out walking, he said he’s going to have his cellphone on one hip and his .357 magnum revolver on the other.

The police are still looking for the assailant, but, if Arthur sticks to his plan, the perp will be easier to find next time.

This morning’s story comes from Utah of all places;

Police say Chichia began to forcefully pound on the homeowner’s door around 5:42a.m., which startled the family inside. When no one answered, he climbed onto the second story balcony.

The homeowner was then notified by his wife that someone was trying to get into the house through the balcony door.

The homeowner – who was armed with a gun – made his way to the door.

He went to the door, he unlocked the door and was intending on opening the door just a small crack so he could engage in conversation with the individual and find out why he was there and find out what he was doing,” said Smith.

Police say Chiciha then forced his way into the house. The homeowner was able to fire off one shot, which struck Chichia in the chest.

“Chichia was transported to the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center lifesaving measures were taken but ultimately he died of his injuries today,” said Smith.

Mr. Homeowner has found the perfect amount of range time.

Meanwhile, in Detroit, they’re taking the advice of their police chief and arming themselves against criminals;

The shooting began at about 12:20 a.m. after the intruder, a 45-year-old man, forced the homeowner’s 30-year-old girlfriend into the house…at gunpoint, according to a news release from Detroit Police Department.

“The victim armed himself (with a) firearm, and exchanged gunfire with the perp,” killing the intruder, according to the news release.

The 46-year-old homeowner was taken to a hospital and is in temporary serious condition, police said.

Mr. Homeowner does well at the range, but he needs some work on using available cover. Seriously, though, we hope he pulls through.

We begin our week with the story of another California family that is alive and well because of a gunowner;

Police were called to the 1000 block of Jewett Avenue just after 9 p.m. on a report of a shooting, and found two subjects shot and killed at the home.

The circumstances that led up to the shooting remain under investigation, but police said four people were arrested during a home invasion robbery at the same address earlier in the week.

Investigators are looking into the possibility that the deceased were killed in an interrupted burglary attempt, police said.

From AW1Ed comes a good Samaritan story from Utah about a good guy with a gun who rescued a woman from a car jacker;

The man who came to the aid of the woman was described only as 31 years old. He was parked near the woman in the parking lot and overheard her screams as the would-be carjacker pulled her out of her Mercedes SUV. He ran to her aid.

“According to the citizen’s statement, the suspect starts to walk to the back of the car and lunges at him trying to grab the gun. The citizen shoots one round, shoots the suspect in the chest,” he said. The shooting occurred about 11:20 a.m.

Paramedics worked on the injured man but he died at a hospital a short time later.

The article says that the newly ventilated is also suspect of another assault on another woman earlier that day. But there won’t be any more trouble from him now, will there?

Our story this morning happened in California;

Investigators determined a burglar was in the process of taking things from the residence when the homeowner saw him and grabbed a weapon.

The homeowner fired one shot, wounding the suspect, according to authorities.

The suspect was taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition.

Unfortunate for Mr. Burglar that he chose to rob the only person in California who had a gun. What are the odds?

We begin our tour of safer streets like most days, in Texas where everyone except the carjackers feel safe;

The victim told Houston police he was getting in his SUV when a gunman walked up and demanded the keys. That’s when the SUV’s owner pulled out a gun of his own and opened fire, killing the suspect at the scene.

Police said another suspect, possibly a lookout, ran away.

Next stop is Washington State, believe it or not;

Witnesses told investigators that the wounded man had attempted to rob another man outside a nearby store, police wrote in a news release. “The target of the robbery drew a gun and and opened fire on the 19-year-old,” police wrote.

The wounded man was taken to Harborview Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Seattle Fire Department.

Police stopped an SUV near the scene of the shooting and talked to the gunman. Police spokesman Drew Fowler said that the man has cooperated with police and “is not in custody.”

As usual, thanks to Chief Tango for the links.