Armed off-duty firefighter halts armed suspect at Walmart

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

This guy, wearing body armor, military-style clothing, carrying a tactical rifle, another gun and carrying more than 100 rounds of ammunition was afraid after the last gun related incidents that he would walk into someone wearing body armor, military-style clothing, maybe a tactical rifle, other guns and carrying ammunition.

This will not go away unless things change. Do not get me wrong, I like guns. It is as if people are becoming more stupid and society is hardening. The combination of the two will lead to....

a reply to: Identified

Do we even know if the officer was running full lights? Do we know if he came around a bend, or over a hill? Do we know the speed? Do we know his speed in relation to the usual speed of the road? Because all that applies for lights to be effective and even then they still aren't a magic wand for clearing a street.

You’re the one that brought sirens into the conversation, not me. If he had his siren on, he most likely had his lights on. Do we know any of that for certain? No, which is why we have investigations. Are they a magic wand? No, of course not. But the use of them is relevant.

That said it's completely possible the cop was in no way at fault,

That’s not what you said to begin with, which is why we’re at the point we’re at now.

And let's be honest, do you think if the cop was at fault they will be quick to admit it if they can blame it on someone else and save themselves the bad press and lawsuit?

I would bet they’ll get sued regardless of whether they say the officer is at fault or not. I don’t know anything about Springfield PD, but my agency has no problem arresting officers who have been found to be culpable for hitting pedestrians or other vehicles while on duty.

a reply to: roadgravel

So there is something wrong with exploiting the legality of our current gun laws? I was thinking of going to our local state fair with my AR-15 strapped to my back. It is legal so why not..

a reply to: Shamrock6

Actually if you read back I responded that granny could have been at fault and that I should have said that it was not anyone at Walmart's fault.

Yes, let's wait for police to investigate. Still won't make Walmart guy or former fire fighter at fault.

I brought sirens in because the article you cited in ref to someone asking if I had details claimed he was "heading to a call." Unless he was running silent which further calls into how the other driver might not have seen him as well as what he was doing in the lead up to the crash.


Well I'm glad your PD does that. They should all do it, unfortunately they do not.

Yes! Shame this man for not breaking any laws and doing an audit on our liberties! Come on guys, we need to ensure that we have no liberty, scream with me, Shame! Shame! Shame!

I can honestly hear you screaming along with me, though without the irony in my voice.

originally posted by: mzinga

So there is something wrong with exploiting the legality of our current gun laws? I was thinking of going to our local state fair with my AR-15 strapped to my back. It is legal so why not..

Because you would be exposing yourself as full potato. Never go full potato.

a reply to: mzinga

How about after two recent mass shooting in Walmart the person waits awhile or pick another venue.

Stupid move to prove a point.

edit:

This is how idiots with guns will cause more laws to be passed or worse.

originally posted by: ManWhoWasThursday
Yes! Shame this man for not breaking any laws and doing an audit on our liberties! Come on guys, we need to ensure that we have no liberty, scream with me, Shame! Shame! Shame!

I can honestly hear you screaming along with me, though without the irony in my voice.

Would you be surprised if on 9-20-01 an Arabic man in full garb carrying a duffel bag onto a bus quitely repeating "Allah Akbar" got detained until they sorted some stuff out, and that man would have been well within his rights? That still happens to this day mind you.

This kid pulled all the stops just weeks after. He dressed the part, he had the gun and multiple mags, and worse of all, he was filming with his phone. Most anyone would have seen that as a red flag.

As I said earlier, we have the freedom of speech, but that comes with responsibility... If you go out looking for a reaction, you'll get one.

a reply to: Identified

You’re right, you did walk it back. That’s my bad.

a reply to: Shamrock6

Thanks, no problem. I was assuming things in my first post in my zeal to stop the slippery slope of blaming the guys at Walmart for any police response. I see this no differently than blaming Trump for someone else's response or reaction or whatnot.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Yeah this whole thing baffles me. Even more, I live 5 hours north of Springfield and did not hear a THING about it. And I am always checking newsources on my phone. The local radio KMOX had nothing.

If there is a shooter, let us know.

Thank goodness the moron was stopped.

I wish I knew what is behind this. First people are licking icecream in Walmart, then peeing on the vegetables.

So, current story from the mouth of the former fire fighter is he approached the man outside the store and then drew his weapon on him.

www.cbsnews.com...< br />

The former firefighter, who wanted his identify kept confidential, told KOLR, "I walked up to the grass and asked him if he was the male inside and he stated, 'yes,' and I drew my weapon and told him to put his hands in the air. "He complied. He was compliant the whole time.
"He was videotaping on his phone, which was kind of odd, but he complied with my request that he keep his hands in the air and he asked me to come up there and take his weapon from him. I told him to keep his hands off of it and keep his hands in the air and when the police arrived that they would take his weapon."

Man has been charged with "making a terrorist threat" even tho it is not against the law for people over age 19 to openly carry guns in Missouri, so long as the firearms were obtained legally.

So it is OK for the FireFighter to legally carry, AND pull a gun on a person posing no threat. But it was not OK for this person to open carry where it is legal?

What the heck?

a reply to: MrRCflying

That's what I'm hearing.

The guy isn't even currently a fire fighter - he "was in public safety" according to his own words which may have been fire fighting. So, I think they put that out there so they could lump him in with first responders to somehow make it better or more legal or whatever.

originally posted by: Identified
a reply to: MrRCflying

That's what I'm hearing.

The guy isn't even a fire fighter - he once was one according to his own words. So, I think they put that out there so they could lump him in with first responders to somehow make it better or more legal or whatever.

So we have a private citizen legal gun owner pulling a gun on another private citizen legal gun owner. Nice. The one that should have been arrested was the guy that pointed the gun. He was the only one that was a threat.

In my mind, this guy would have been within his rights to defend himself. He was not the aggressor. I hope he lawyers up, and wins big against this "former Firefighter". Like that makes any difference.

originally posted by: Identified
Man has been charged with "making a terrorist threat" even tho it is not against the law for people over age 19 to openly carry guns in Missouri, so long as the firearms were obtained legally.

They must be doing it just to scare the piss out of him. I don't see how that will fly unless they're sitting on some damning evidence, which is a possibility as we don't really know much right now.

a reply to: MrRCflying

I think what the kid did was horribly stupid, and if he gets punished (as long as it's not heinous), this shouldn't be the hill to die on for pro gun rights people.

What the kid did was irresponsible given recent events, and just brings negative attention on the issue. I'd be willing to bet many people would have had the same reaction as the former firefighter, though I've already stated I think he could have handled things differently to insulate himself.

a reply to: roadgravel

If he is exercising his rights within the current laws why would new laws get passed?

a reply to: MrRCflying

I agree. I think the open carry was stupid but completely within his rights. It's a damn epidemic that people cry public disturbance at the simple sight of a gun.