In the left’s Alinsky-inspired campaign to demonize the National Rifle Association, the notion of a good guy with a gun being the best deterrent to stopping a potential bad guy with a gun gets little play in the media when it plays out in real life.
That exact scene occurred Thursday at a Springfield, Missouri, Walmart when a man armed with tactical weapons and wearing body armor and military fatigues was arrested by an off-duty fireman, who was also armed.
https://twitter.com/BradleyCooperMO/status/1159596193560875008?s=20
“An armed white male in his twenties was detained by an armed off-duty fireman until officers arrived on scene and took the suspect into custody. No injuries were reported and no shots were fired,” the Springfield Police Department said in a release.
This coming just days after two mass shootings that left 31 people dead, to include one that occurred at an El Paso, Texas, Walmart.
And, according to police, the suspect had over one hundred rounds of ammunition on him.
“People obviously were very concerned and started to panic. The store manager pulled the fire alarm and told people to evacuate the building,” Police Lt. Mike Lucas told the local NBC affiliate KY3 News.
More from KY3 News on the man’s actions:
Police then say the man walked into the Walmart: Neighborhood Market where he grabbed a cart and began pushing it around the store. Police say the man was recording himself walking through the store via a cell phone.
The store manager at the Neighborhood Market pulled a fire alarm, urging people to escape the store.
Police say the man then made his way out an emergency exit where a former firefighter held the man at gunpoint. At that moment Springfield Police arrived on scene and detained the man.
While it appears the man’s motivation was to create chaos, given the heightened state around the country after last weekend, Lt. Lucas said “he’s lucky he is alive” after pulling such a stunt.
“He certainly had the capability and the potential to harm people. And then what has happened in Texas and Dayton and all that kind of stuff the last seven days, that is on everybody’s mind,” Lucas added. “His intent was to cause chaos here and he did that.”
Missouri is an open carry state were a permit is not required, providing the firearm is not displayed in an angry or threatening manner. Local ordinances may apply.
If this was some twisted attempt to call attention to that law, it was a stupid thing to do.
The firefighter reportedly had a concealed carry permit.
#BREAKING 20-year-old man with rifle,handgun & body armor arrested at Walmart on Republic.
SFD Police say he had 100+ rounds of ammunition. Off-duty firefighter with concealed carry gun held him at gunpoint until officers arrived about 3 minutes later:https://t.co/T4y26bLYuB— Heather Lewis (@HeatherLewisTV) August 8, 2019
Here’s a sampling of responses to the incident, with a focus on the armed firefighter who stopped the man before he could do any serious damage.
https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1159620392102891520?s=20
Armed, off-duty firefighter stops man armed with 100 rounds of ammunition at south Springfield Walmart https://t.co/dC9M1rWClo (“His intent was to cause chaos …” what on earth??”)
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) August 9, 2019
It’s the biggest no brainer in the history of mankind. An armed citizenry is our best weapon to prevent these domestic acts of terrorism.
— Max Kenton (@MaxKenton54) August 9, 2019
Good guy with a gun, stops bad guy with a gun. WHAT A CONCEPT!!!
— Jose Jimenez (@joseumgb) August 9, 2019
Its the good guys who are armed we seldom hear about in the media. It doesn’t jibe with the narrative of evil guns. That guns do good too, should also be part of the story. In that sense, no gun control law will ever save a single human life.
— Norman F Birnberg (@NormanBirnberg) August 9, 2019
There was the observation that this may have been an “open carry fanatic.”
Sounds like it was a open carry fanatic dude.
— ♱ James Graham U.E (@Culture_Buffet) August 9, 2019
And those eager to exploit the incident in their quest for more stringent gun control weighed in, of course.
Why are you praising the firefighter for harassing someone just going about his business? Or do you think maybe people *shouldn’t* be allowed to walk around crowded areas with an assault rifle, 100 rounds of ammunition, and body armor? ?
— Dan Adelman (@Dan_Adelman) August 9, 2019
There was also a whole other argument about whether the suspect was within his rights. Although, this seeming goes down the path of screaming fire in a crowded theater.
So unless he tried to open fire, can’t the guy just say he was walking around like that for self protection? I mean just yesterday I saw a pic that was tweeted of a guy in Starbucks with a rifle on his back. So I mean what makes one suspicious and the other not? Body Armor?
— Linda Suarez (@LindaSu2099) August 9, 2019
In all fairness, I wouldn’t have been comfortable with a man armed to the teeth walking into a store with unknown intentions either. We can just all be thankful nobody was hurt and that his only crime was very poor judgment.
— Nate Hankins (@NateHankins2) August 9, 2019
What law did dude break? I’m confused?? Missori is an open carry state isnt it? What if he was the good dude and went shopping prepared to face evil? I see a possible 2a violation, all dude did was mind his own business and properly exit the store during a fire alarm….
— Busy Backwoods (@crypticwoodsman) August 9, 2019
Hell, there were even those who say the firefighter was the one in the wrong here!
Misleading headline.
Guy was open carrying. Article does not indicate that he threatened or shot at anyone at all.
Open carry is a Constitutional right. Nothing said within this article indicates that this man broke any laws.
However, the man who pointed a gun at him did!
— Redpilled Texan (@AussumPossum) August 9, 2019
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
[email protected]
The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!
