Armed off-duty firefighter halts armed suspect at Walmart

First, the good - ...

An armed man wearing body armor sent panicked shoppers fleeing from a Walmart store in Missouri on Thursday, but an armed off-duty firefighter was able to detain the suspect until police officers arrived to make an arrest, Springfield police said.

Now the bad - ...

The suspect was wearing body armor and military-style clothing, according to the News-Leader, which cited information from Lucas. He walked inside the Walmart carrying a “tactical rifle” and another gun, the newspaper reported, and carried more than 100 rounds of ammunition.

The suspect grabbed a cart, pushed it around the store and recorded cell phone video of himself walking through the Walmart, Springfield's KY3 reported, citing police.

(emphasis by me)

Armed off-duty firefighter halts armed suspect at Walmart store in Missouri, police say

WT actual F??? This S# is starting to actually piss me off! WTF was this guy thinking????

Did he think it was going to be "cool" to exercise his rights by walking around Walmart looking like a storm trooper?? OR, is this guy some left wing nut job trying to force the gun issue? Either way, he deserves a serious DENT in his skull for this stunt!!

I'm beginning to think the world has gone crazy. And NO, guns are NOT the issue...people are!

I certainly hope we hear more about this case! We really need to understand what this puke's motives were!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I'd say this is good news. A potentially bad situation was averted. Kid was an idiot and he will get to explain his actions for a while. Glad the firefighter was there, carying, and had the training to deal with the situation.

If the MSM didn't glorify the killers in these instances, kids wouldn't want to emulate them.

Did he think it was going to be "cool" to exercise his rights by walking around Walmart looking like a storm trooper??

My money is on him being a self-professed “2nd amendment auditor.”

Aren't these kids now calling them selves influencers?

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

While I think what the kid did was stupid given the current climate, and I understand the logic for the off duty fireman... The off duty fireman opened himself up to getting sued by this kid (if the kid didn't do anything threatening). He very well could be under good Samaritan protection, but it will be interesting to see it play out.

I was always taught that if you're going to carry, never pull it out unless you're going to use it. Better to keep an eye on someone with some distance than put yourself in a situation that could play out bad, even if you're in the right.

Where I live, it would be completely legal for me to shop with a rifle and body armor. My guess is, this kid was live streaming to make some sort of really idiotic point at the worst time possible. The response, though I understand it, is a bit ridiculous for someone just pushing a shopping cart.

originally posted by: Excallibacca
Where I live, it would be completely legal for me to shop with a rifle and body armor. My guess is, this kid was live streaming to make some sort of really idiotic point at the worst time possible. The response, though I understand it, is a bit ridiculous for someone just pushing a shopping cart.

Clearly the kid isn't mature enough to handle the right that comes with responsibility.

Speech is also a right, but if you go into certain places shouting ridiculous things, expect to get a reaction. And while you may beat any legal recourse, you will have to deal with the ramifications of your speech in the time right after, which may catch you a lick or a few.

This kid basically larped recent events just to see if he could. That's super messed up, and I'm seeing unconfirmed reports that a police officer speeding to respond to the call hit a car with an elderly woman driving, and she has multiple broken bones.

This is why we can't have nice things, because people feel entitled with their rights rather than being responsible about them.

originally posted by: CriticalStinker
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

While I think what the kid did was stupid given the current climate, and I understand the logic for the off duty fireman... The off duty fireman opened himself up to getting sued by this kid (if the kid didn't do anything threatening). He very well could be under good Samaritan protection, but it will be interesting to see it play out.

I was always taught that if you're going to carry, never pull it out unless you're going to use it. Better to keep an eye on someone with some distance than put yourself in a situation that could play out bad, even if you're in the right.

I hope you don't take offence to this, but you were taught wrong, and if it's not corrected, I'm afraid you could kill someone.

The rule is never point your weapon at something you aren't prepared to destroy. That doesn't mean if you pull it, you have to kill who you pulled it on. the goal is to NEVER have to take a life. I know you aren't a killer, but from your post, it sounded like you were given wrong information.

a reply to: network dude

I understand that, but it really comes down to different forms of logic, and not everything is one sized fits all. But I'll clarify a few points.

I'll start off by saying I wouldn't hit someone unless my hand was truly forced, I absolutely hate violence, and even in the rare instances in life I had to defend myself, I felt horrible about it even though I didn't initiate it.

While I shouldn't have spoken in absolutes and said never pull unless... Pulling it out many times can make a situation worse for you and everyone around.

Pulling a gun can escalate a non situation. Pulling a gun can open yourself up to civil and criminal recourse just because someone else's lawyer or the DA is better than your attorney. All of the above and now you're a news story, and your life is effected or ruined.

That's the way I was taught, and I agree. I don't carry, because I don't want the baggage that comes with it in today's climate. But I wouldn't use one unless it was life or death, so by default I wouldn't pull it out unless it was life or death.

Sounds as if the dude was on the cusp of carrying out mass shooting.

If so, that would have been the THIRD mass shooting carried out in a Walmart on the last 7 days, Southaven, MS being one and El Paso, TX being the other...

a reply to: CriticalStinker

as I thought, you get it, just conveyed a bit fuzzy.
And I agree that pulling a weapon should be a last resort, just before having to take a life.

In this case, with the current situations that have happened, not shooting the kid took some restraint, I'd guess. Copycat killers are a reality, and with the MSM glorifying the killers, they only promote more of this violence.

I hate violence as well, I get physically ill if I get into a physical altercation. I don't like hurting people.

This is why there are laws covering disturbing the peace which can be broken in many ways.

At this point there is no need to shop with body armor and a rifle. If he was doing it for his own protecting from mass shooters at Walmart than he wouldn't be doing a selfie video at the time, he would be watching for shooters.

Can MSM do away with the Off-duty fireman part of the narrative, please. Just because he is considered a first responder doesn't mean he wasn't just another Walmart shopper who carries a gun. This narrative perpetuates the thought only certain people should have the right to carry a gun.

a reply to: network dude

This situation played out well, but it could have been worse.

20/20 and all that, and I don't fault a single person, because they rose to the occasion and did what they thought was right and it worked out. But pulling a fire alarm will inherently congregate people, so in a shooter situation it can be like putting water on a small grease fire.

But you never know what you'd do in a situation, and I applaud these people for doing what they think is right. Unfortunately I think the firefighter will probably see a civil suit and probably throw down a few G's for a lawyer. This is why if people are going to conceal carry, insurance is a great option to protect yourself after an incident. Personally though, I'd always stay invisible unless I was reacting. You're just considered a bystander until you step up to the plate and now you're a focal player.

a reply to: roadgravel

I wouldn't be sad if they hit this kid with a misdemeanor.

Allegedly, his larp started the events that led to a police officer bolting to the scene and striking another car while en route. Someone on reddit said it was their grandmother 75 and she broke multiple bones, it will effect the rest of her life.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

People often miss that issue. Lots of people are clueless to reality.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

It's not anyone's fault but the police officer for that accident.
I'm not a fan of this special tier of culpability where it comes to police.

originally posted by: Identified
a reply to: CriticalStinker

It's not anyone's fault but the police officer for that accident.
I'm not a fan of this special tier of culpability where it comes to police.

You have the details of the investigation so we can see how it was his fault? A video maybe?

a reply to: roadgravel
True, it could have been granny's fault. What I should have said was it certainly wasn't anyone at Walmart's fault.

originally posted by: Identified
a reply to: CriticalStinker

It's not anyone's fault but the police officer for that accident.
I'm not a fan of this special tier of culpability where it comes to police.

I'm sure there will be an investigation into that accident.

But if you go into a movie theater and yell fire and generate a response, you can be liable.

If you literally larp recent events brandishing a firearm, you're not going to get sympathy from me if the local DA decides to hit you with a misdemeanor disturbing the peace. Having rights doesn't mean you can do stupid things just to prove that you can at the expense of many.