An unarmed, elderly veteran is being hailed as a hero for fighting off a knife attack by a teenager bent on murdering children.
James Vernon was teaching a group of youngsters chess at the Morton Public Library in Illinois, Tuesday, when the knife-wielding 19-year-old, Dustin Brown stormed into the room yelling “I’m going to kill some people!”
Vernon got between Brown and the children, giving them time to escape, before using his U.S. Army knife-fight training from decades ago to disarm the teenager.
“I gave [the kids] the cue to get the heck out of there, and, boy, they did that. Quick, like rabbits,’ Vernon old the Pekin Daily Times.
“I tried to talk to him. I tried to settle him down,” Vernon said. “I didn’t, but I did deflect his attention and calmed him a bit. I asked him if he was from Morton, did he go to high school. I asked what his problem was. He said his life sucks. That’s a quote.”
Once the room was cleared of everyone but him and the attacker, Vernon said “there was no more talking.”
“First rule of combat: Be fast and vigorous,” Vernon, who was trained for combat but never saw action, said.
“I grabbed him and threw … Somehow he wound up on a table,” Vernon said, adding that he hit him on the right collarbone until his arms numbed and he dropped the knife.
Brown was arrested, and later released on $800,000 bond, on charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery to a person over age 60, burglary and armed violence.
The 19-year-old is also due in court Monday on 22 child pornography charges he has had since March.
Social media heaped praise the hero.
75-year-old Army vet, James Vernon saved 16 kids from a knife attack inside a library https://t.co/1A4dk5OcC4 — Fox&Friends Weekend (@ffweekend) October 17, 2015
Army vet, 75, fights off man threatening children with knives in central Illinois library http://t.co/qwsx8Wp25v pic.twitter.com/2kJZShxWOi
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) October 17, 2015
@chicagotribune hero — c berg (@berglofc) October 17, 2015
@chicagotribune this guy is a flipping national hero!! Cc @ABC @CBSNews @nbc @NPR @people
— BCT21 (@bct21) October 17, 2015
@chicagotribune What a @#$%!ing badass. I wish men like this were made nowadays. — Texan.357 (@TuckerLatham) October 17, 2015
James Vernon put himself in harms way to thwart evil acts and protect children. I am thankful for him…pray his wounds heal quickly!
— Ps. Bob (@PsBobCrossroads) October 17, 2015
Attempted Mass Killings , don’t always involve Guns http://t.co/a0M6iZhm7X But, Real Hero’s work with what they have, in any situation — ted scott (@tedscott4) October 17, 2015
God Bless James Vernon for stepping up and without regard to personal harm fended off knife wielding intruder… https://t.co/29dmKz2N7P
— DL Riggan (@RigganDL) October 17, 2015
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