James Vernon saving the world

James Vernon

Someone sent us a story on Facebook about 75-year-old veteran and retired chess teacher, James Vernon who protected sixteen students from a knife-wielding 19-year-old Dustin Brown at the local public library in Morton, Illinois.

Vernon, 75, won his “90 seconds of combat” with Brown, “but I felt like I lost the war,” he chuckled. He cut two arteries and a tendon on Vernon’s left hand as Vernon blocked Brown’s knife swipe.

“I failed my mission to kill everyone,” Brown told police, according to a prosecutor’s court affidavit that accompanied formal charges Thursday that included attempted murder.

Vernon’s first mission was to get the children out of the room with Brown blocking the only entrance. He distracted Brown until all of the kids escaped, then Vernon went after the thug. You should read the whole story.

Comments

16 responses to “James Vernon saving the world”

  1. 2/17 Air Cav

    All Hail Jimmy V! He said he never served in combat but was trained. I’d say. Nice job. The kids are safe. The POS is in jail, and somehow, someway, bail was set. Bail was set. I realize that bail is not to be punitive but the POS is facing 22 child porn charges and just intended to kill a bunch of kids. Said his life sucks. Yes, clearly it does. So he was going to unsuck his life by killing children.

  2. Pinto Nag

    A very brave and selfless man. God bless him!

  3. Ex-PH2

    I love stories like this.

  4. Susan

    Don’t know why, but the following self criticism made me chuckle…

    “I should have hit his wrist. That’s how you’re trained, but it’s been half a century”

  5. OC

    Bravo Zulu Jim V.
    Outstanding !!

  6. Combat Historian

    Mr. Vernon, thank you for being “that guy”…

  7. JarHead Pat

    Do you think if he also made a fake clock he would get to see the whitehouse?

    1. OldManchu

      He is way too white for that reward.

  8. B Woodman

    (THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE)

  9. When I was taking my Basic Combat Training at Fort Lewis, Washington in the Winter of 1967-1968, we were taught to remove our shirt or jacket, and use that to foil a knife attack, while counter attacking with our free hand.

  10. There’s an Internet petition to have this guy awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

    He deserves it.

    But, I never sign petitions on the Internet, as they have no legal standing.

  11. USAF_ Pride

    As Richard Marcinko is fond of saying, “no one wins in a knife fight”

    Too bad it wasn’t a “knife free” zone!!

  12. Haywire Angel

    Sir, great job!

  13. Gravel

    75 and stills has giant balls of steel.

    1. Gravel

      *still has

  14. Green Thumb

    Tough!

    Maybe we need to send this guy to take care of “Ranger” Burrell.

    Way to go, sir!