Monday, April 2, 2012

Not Sure How I Missed This...

From March 26, 2012 CBS Charlotte, N.C.:

BOILING SPRINGS, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina sheriff is praising a man with a concealed weapons permit who helped disarm someone who kicked in the door of a church armed with a shotgun.
...
Jesse Gates had already been to the Southside Freewill Baptist Church in Boiling Springs once Sunday morning, so the pastor’s grandson was keeping his eye on the parking lot when he saw Gates come back, this time taking a shotgun out of his trunk, Wright said.
“They locked the door and they were calling 911 at the time. He didn’t draw his weapon or make any move or action toward this gentleman until he kicked the door open and forced the issue,” Wright said.
After Gates kicked in the door, the pistol pointed at him distracted him enough that the pastor was able to grab the shotgun. Members of the church kept him down until deputies arrived, Wright said.
It isn't clear from reading the account that Gates was actually going to kill anyone.  He sounds like a very troubled, but not necessarily mentally ill or homicidal person, desperate for someone to take action on his problem about custody of his children.  Still, it could have worked out a lot worse.

No comments:

Post a Comment