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The Reason Why Good People Should Carry
By Lt Col P
TURLOCK, Calif. — Police killed a 27-year-old man as he kicked, punched and stomped a toddler to death despite other people's attempts to stop him on a dark, country road, authorities said.
Even though it was an untraveled rural road, there were witnesses. Some tried to intervene, and at least one called the police. But they couldn't do anything to stop it. They could only stand by and watch.
The suspect had a child's car seat in the back of his four-door pickup truck. The truck caught the attention of an elderly couple at 10:13 p.m. Saturday because it was stopped in the two-lane road facing the wrong direction, Singh said.As they got closer, the couple saw the man brutally beating the toddler behind his truck and throwing the child on the ground, according to Singh. Two or three other cars stopped, an unusual number to be passing through the remote area surrounded by a dairy, a cow pasture, a cornfield and a farmhouse, he said.
"What we got from witnesses is he was punching, slapping, kicking, stomping, shaking," Singh said. "They tried to intervene and get involved, but their efforts really didn't have an effect. The suspect was engaged in what he was doing. He just pushed them off and went back to it."
Just pushed them off and went back to it. Awful. Do you know what would have been an effective intervention? A full magazine of .45 ACP in the upper thorax. Immediately, without hesitation.
According to the article, six minutes elapsed between the 911 call and the arrival of a police officer, who promptly shot and killed the attacker. SIX. MINUTES. Long enough for him to beat the poor child to death.
Folks, this is why good citizens carry guns. Or, rather, should carry. The police, no matter how dedicated and skilled, will almost never arrive in time to do much but clean up after the fact.
Remember this well, when you hear candidates, politicians and journalists (like this little Princess) tell you what rights you may and may not exercise.
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Comments
My first reaction was 'why nobody shot him?? This would be justified in any court' and then I read that it was in CA... no more questions...
If I'd been there, wouldn't have had to shoot him-- might need to give me floss, though, because I would've ripped the bastards throat out with my teeth....
That poor baby....
(If anyone this this is bravado: at six, I faced down a 16 year old, six foot tall bully. I lost, but he limped. At 14, I decked the 18 year old--bigger than me-- who stole my backpack. At 19, I scared the crit out of a former gang member who was the ex of my naval quad-mate. Even if it kills me, I WILL take you out.)
The problem is shooting the bastard and getting off would not have been a slam dunk in any court. Not today.
I agree more with Eric about the tire iron.
It is sad that nobody present at that moment was willing to trade their life for the child's. They weren't willing to risk the damage to body and soul that might occur by taking the killer on. Seems from reporting there were several people present, it is unlikely the killer would of been able to overcome all of them, especially all at once. Were none of these people fathers or mothers? I doubt any grand jury convened would of found fault with deadly force being used by a citizen to stop such an assault. I hope the officer that responded sleeps well and gets a well deserved atta-boy.
I just wonder what folks are becoming in this country. If you will recall, recently a man was hit by a car on a busy street. Many folks stood/drove by while he lay there. Same kind of deal here: there is ALWAYS something you can do. I mean, there are not that many adult males who have not played football...get in there and make the tackle. Do something. There are no bystanders on the road of life.
This story is sickening and I concur.
However, is there a good website (NRA?) for where you authorized to carry? My gut says that here in Northeast not too many places.
And look forward to more weapons posts.
DNice: Try and internet search on "concealed carry." I'll do some looking and see what I can come up with. Maybe BR BullNav knows off the top of his head... In the NE used be surprised. I think VT and NH are permissive. This is not just a call to carry concealed, because as you point out, that's not always (legally) possible. Nor, always, is carrying a "trunk gun" in the car. However, I agree with Eric Blair-- a tire iron, a baseball bat, an axe, a shovel. Or, like BullNav said, a wild flying tackle. Anything.
More weapons posts in the works... :-)
Check out http://www.handgunlaw.us
This story just made me sick when I read it. I wanted to cry, out of frustration and pity. I tend to agree with Matt. We've created a society where no one is willing to risk their body or soul for another; whether using a firearm, a tire iron, fist, teeth, or that flying tackle. Is it the thought of physical harm, the though of legal action, or just plain lack of character that caused these bystanders to just bystand? I don't know. I will admit though, I too wasn't surprised by the fact it happened in California. It may be a generalization, but "land of fruits & nuts" seems to grow a lot of wimps; particularly around Berkley.
God, I wish was there...
Just remember:
When seconds matter, the Police are only minutes away...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/18/BA2G11ARO9.DTL
I hope if I'd been there I'd have been able to overcome shock to intervene. The link makes several interesting points. I'd wager that the average reader of OPFOR is not the same as the average person.
Can't blame the citizens, they just did what the police admin and government types told them to do in a violent confrontation. They didn't get involved, they called the police, and they let the aggressor have what he wanted.
Of course I'm being sarcastic. I would have used every tool available to make that guy stop. Even if it meant he spent a few hours beating on me until the cops got there.
Always keep a four D cell maglite in the car.
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A tire iron to the head would have been effective too.
Most people just don't want to get physical anymore.