CNN: 9mm handgun saves 8 lives from slasher

[Veritas_223]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/07/21/supermarket.stabbing.ap/index.html

[50 Freak]

ARLINGTON, Tennessee (AP) -- A knife-wielding grocery store employee attacked eight co-workers Friday, seriously injuring five before a witness pulled a gun and stopped him, police said.

The 21-year-old suspect, whose name was withheld pending charges, was arrested and then taken to a hospital after complaining of chest pains, Memphis Police Sgt. Vince Higgins said. The attack apparently stemmed from a work dispute, police said.

Five victims, one in critical condition, were admitted to the Regional Medical Center, the main trauma hospital for the Memphis area. Three others were less badly hurt and treated at another hospital.

The attacker, chasing one victim into the store's parking lot, was subdued by Chris Cope, manager of a financial services office in the same small shopping center, Higgins said.

Cope said he grabbed a 9mm semiautomatic pistol from his pickup truck when he saw the attacker chasing the victim "like something in a serial killer movie."

"When he turned around and saw my pistol, he threw the knife away, put his hands up and got on the ground," Cope told The Associated Press. "He saw my gun and that was pretty much it."

Police arrived within minutes and took the attacker into custody.

"He just kept saying, 'I'm insane. I wish I was never born' and that kind of stuff," Cope said.

The attack started in an employee area of the Schnucks supermarket on the outskirts of Memphis and no customers were involved, Higgins said.

Police said two large kitchen knives used in the attack were found at the scene.

Witness Frank Rector said the attacker held a knife high in a stabbing position as he chased a victim into the parking lot. The victim, Rector said, "was circling, trying to get away from him."

The ages of the victims were not immediately released. Higgins and a company spokeswoman said all the victims were employees of the store.

The spokeswoman said officials from the St. Louis-based company were on their way to the scene.

Higgins said police were pulling into the parking lot as Cope was confronting the attacker.

"We commend him," Higgins said. "But we don't encourage people to take that kind of risk. He could have been hurt."

[Diabolus]

I like clicking links!

[50 Freak]

"We commend him," Higgins said. "But we don't encourage people to take that kind of risk. He could have been hurt."

What a crock....In other words....Don't be doing our jobs...We would have eventually arrived and taken everyone's report and pick up the 90+ dead bodies...

When it comes down to it...The LE's can't be everywhere all the time. When a crime like this happens and a citizen "saves the day". Just say thanks, not this "we don't encourage people to grow a backbone and try to fend for themselves until the LE's arrive"...."We like you sheep the way you are...docile and stupid".

[HeHateMe]

"We commend him," Higgins said. "But we don't encourage people to take that kind of risk. He could have been hurt."

So what? Does he prefer more victims?

[Fjold]

I just saw the story on the local NBC news affiliate here and they didn't even mention that the witness who stopped the crime used a gun.

Bas****s


I'm going to call them and leave them a polite message about how disappointed I am with their slant on the news.

[Socal858]

stupid ****** kid isnt crazy, hes just acting out

crazy would be trying to stab the guy with the pistol, and that would be a new discussion

[kantstudien]

Too bad the guy didn't double-tap him while the moron still had the knife, now we have to pay for his "rehabilitation."

[m1371]

What a crock....In other words....Don't be doing our jobs...We would have eventually arrived and taken everyone's report and pick up the 90+ dead bodies...

When it comes down to it...The LE's can't be everywhere all the time. When a crime like this happens and a citizen "saves the day". Just say thanks, not this "we don't encourage people to grow a backbone and try to fend for themselves until the LE's arrive"...."We like you sheep the way you are...docile and stupid".

My thoughts exactly..... saves me the time to type it out.

[Dont Tread on Me]

"We commend him," Higgins said. "But we don't encourage people to take that kind of risk. He could have been hurt."

That is natural. The police really don't want us to realize how usesless they are at stopping this type of thing before the body count hits double digits so we continue to outsource our saftey to them.

[M. Sage]

What a crock....In other words....Don't be doing our jobs...We would have eventually arrived and taken everyone's report and pick up the 90+ dead bodies...

When it comes down to it...The LE's can't be everywhere all the time. When a crime like this happens and a citizen "saves the day". Just say thanks, not this "we don't encourage people to grow a backbone and try to fend for themselves until the LE's arrive"...."We like you sheep the way you are...docile and stupid".

Nah, they say that so they won't be held liable.

"I confronted a guy to stop him like I seen on TV, and he slashed ME with his knife! I'ma sue them cops for not telling me a psycho with a knife is DANGEROUS. I thought they were all wimps..."

[Bishop]

"We commend him," Higgins said. "But we don't encourage people to take that kind of risk. He could have been hurt."

INCREDIBLE!

So if they don't encourage people to take that risk, are they encouraging people to stand there and watch while the victim gets murdered?

"he could have been hurt"
NO S***! The VICTIM could have been hurt too! But he wasn't, because someone took charge of the situation until the authorities could arrive.

This stuff makes me so mad. I respect cops, but sometimes they just don't get it.

[NRAhighpowershooter]

"He just kept saying, 'I'm insane. I wish I was never born' and that kind of stuff," Cope said.

Looks like the perp is already setting up his insanity defense... problem is... people who ARE insane don't go and say they are.... DOH!!!!!!

[tenpercentfirearms]

"We commend him," Higgins said. "But we don't encourage people to take that kind of risk. He could have been hurt."

Unfreakingbelievable. If he would have just said, "We don't encourage people to take that kind of risk", I would have been fine. No crap he could have been hurt. The person he was chasing could have been dead. Moron.

[Stanze]

Knife guy isn't crazy, he knows gun beats knife!

I'm suprised Cnn.com reported this, I hope more stories like this encourage people and politicians to be pro-CCW to save lives and lower the crime rate.