Surveillance video captures shootout involving CNN reporter

[bananas]

Source: KRQE TV

Officials have released surveillance video of the robbery turned shooting at a Motel 6 involving a former CNN anchor and reporter that left the thief dead, one of the victims seriously injured.

In the video the robber, Tomorio Watson, is seen wandering around the motel he walks past the rooms, talking on a cell phone. Then former CNN anchor Lynne Russell is seen leaving her room and walking to the parking lot to get something. All the while Watson is around the corner, out of sight watching.

<snip>

Another man was involved in the robbery. Police say Skyy Barrs was the lookout.

Barrs appeared in court and was held on a $500,000 cash only bond. He is charged with murder, because his actions contributed to his Watson’s death.

Read more: http://krqe.com/2015/07/10/surveillance-video-captures-shootout-involving-cnn-reporter/

[bananas]

1. Surveillance video of shootout with former CNN reporter released; accomplice charged with murder get

http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S3849073.shtml#.VaCUBdHn-6k

Surveillance video of shootout with former CNN reporter released; accomplice charged with murder gets $500k cash bond

Updated: 07/10/2015 5:32 PM | Created: 07/10/2015 5:11 PM
By: Erica Zucco, KOB Eyewitness News 4 and Blair Miller, KOB.com

Friday, we got a firsthand look at the moments before and after former CNN reporter Chuck de Caro shot an armed robber at the Motel 6 near Coors and Iliff last week.

<snip>

Police say on the night of June 30, armed robber Tomorio Walton forced his way into the motel room of former CNN anchor Lynne Russell and former CNN reporter Chuck de Caro.

<snip>

Police say Walton skipped parole in Tennessee and was robbing innocent people with the help of accomplices – one of whom, Skyy Barrs, was charged with murder Thursday.

Friday, a judge set Barrs's bond at $500,000 cash only at his first appearance. Police say he gave Walton the gun used in the shootout and drove him to the motel to commit the crime.

[Warpy]

2. I have to agree in this case, it's been big news here for over a week

Unfortunately each justified shooting is vastly outnumbered by accidents, unjustified homicide, and suicide.

[bananas]

4. I just heard about it - I know she was a martial artist.

Used to watch her on CNN Headline News.

[NBachers]

3. Skyy Barrs?

[bananas]

5. July 1: Gunman Killed Trying to Rob Ex-Reporters Lynne Russell and Chuck de Caro in Albuquerque

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gunman-killed-trying-rob-ex-reporters-lynne-russell-chuck-de-n385416


Jul 1 2015, 6:19 pm ET

Gunman Killed Trying to Rob Ex-Reporters Lynne Russell and Chuck de Caro in Albuquerque

by Andrew Blankstein and M. Alex Johnson

<snip>

Former CNN and Headline News anchor Lynne Russell and her husband, former CNN reporter Chuck de Caro, were involved in a fatal shooting at an Albuquerque, New Mexico, motel, police told NBC News on Wednesday.

Albuquerque police said Russell was accosted by a man about 11:35 p.m. Tuesday (1:35 a.m. ET Wednesday) in the parking lot of a Motel 6 and was pushed into her room.

De Caro — a former investigative reporter, Special Forces member and military expert — and the man then got into an altercation, and both were shot, police said.

The assailant was unresponsive when officers arrived and died at a hospital, while de Caro was wounded and was being treated at a hospital Wednesday.

Russell — herself a licensed private investigator and former Fulton County, Georgia, sheriff's deputy with two martial arts black belts — told NBC station KOB that she and her husband had stopped in Albuquerque for dinner with a friend and were planning to get up early because they were traveling.

<snip>

[Devil Child]

6. Good riddance

Looks like the would be thieves chose wrong people to rob.

[passiveporcupine]

7. she had the gun in her purse, but it was in the room

If her husband had not been with her, and grabbed the gun out of her purse, she probably would not have been able to get to it. This was very lucky. Her husband was shot first, and then used her gun to shoot the robber.

So the husband could have been killed with the first shot, and the robber still might have killed them both.

This story really only shows that having the gun was helpful, but may not have been if things had not turned out just as they did.

And if the husband had not pulled the gun out of her purse, it's very possible they would have just been robbed and nobody would have ended up shot or dead.

Police say Walton skipped parole in Tennessee and was robbing innocent people with the help of accomplices – one of whom, Skyy Barrs, was charged with murder Thursday

.

It appears they weren't killing the other people they robbed, who did not have weapons to fight back with.

[Psephos]

13. I am impressed at your gymnastic ability.

Seriously.

[GGJohn]

43. Victim blaming?

How vile can you get?
How the fuck do you know they would not have escalated the crime by murdering the victims?

[passiveporcupine]

70. I'm not blaming them at all. They did what they felt they needed to do to survive.

But according to the history of these guys, they weren't shooting their previous victims, so the odds are they wouldn't have here either.

Having a gun often escalates a situation. That is a know and data proved fact.

Just saying that this story does not prove that everyone should be carrying a gun to keep themselves safe.

[friendly_iconoclast]

75. No one said that such a thing was proved

[Yo_Mama]

85. Your statement doesn't match with the account of Russell's that I saw

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/01/us/new-mexico-motel-shooting/index.html

The man's behavior was increasingly erratic, Russell said. He told them to get a briefcase he saw.

The couple explained there was nothing of value in the bag, Russell said, but the man lunged at them and "went around the bed and then opened fire on Chuck. There was a firefight inside the room."

De Caro was shot once in the leg and twice in the abdomen.

He fired all the rounds in the first handgun, then picked up the other and shot the man, whom police identified in a statement as the "offender in the altercation." He was found in the parking lot and later died at a hospital, CNN affiliate KOAT-TV in Albuquerque reported.

And here's another one:
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gunman-killed-trying-rob-ex-reporters-lynne-russell-chuck-de-n385416

"In the process, I recognized what I had seen before — I was a deputy sheriff for many years — that this guy was used to this," Russell said. "I suddenly realized that it wouldn't bother him at all to pull the trigger."

Russell and de Caro — both described as expert shots — were legally carrying concealed handguns, she said. She said she offered to search her purse for something of value to hand over to the gunman — and slipped her gun into the purse, which she then handed to her husband.

"'Is there anything in here we can give him?'" Russell said she asked. "Chuck said, 'Oh, yes, there is.'"

Russell said the man took de Caro's briefcase over to the bed of the motel room and began firing at her husband.

Either she was lying or the robber started firing first. He may have thought he was dealing with a woman alone, and been startled when the husband emerged from the bathroom.

There was only one robber, not two. The other was the lookout, apparently.

I haven't paid much attention to this story, but I just did a google search to see if the first account I skimmed early one dark morning before the caffeine hit had changed. It hasn't. Their story was that they were attempting to cooperate.

[passiveporcupine]

87. It always helps to get more info on a story

the one I saw didn't have any info from the victims at all.

[Fred Sanders]

78. Agreed. Serial robbers do not kill their victims; these serial robbers would likely not have killed also

...if not for another gun....no one would have been killed.

[friendly_iconoclast]

88. You are entirely free to believe that...

[mackerel]

91. Then why carry a gun at all? I've never seen any study that shows serial robbers don't

kill. It's in their best interest not to commit a murder during a crime but it doesn't mean they'd avoid it all together. Hence the reason for carrying the gun.

[Fred Sanders]

93. You have made a good summary of the mindset that causes the gun problem in America.

Fear of the worst. Chronic paranoia. Paranoia generators like the NRA.

Well done.

[Telcontar]

94. I take it you don't use seatbelts of have a fire extinguisher either

After all, how often do you get in accidents or start fires?

[Hoyt]

104. I bet you don't carry a defibrillator, much more likely to need that.

[Telcontar]

105. I don't need to, there's one in the hall next to my office

Thanks for playing

[Fred Sanders]

106. Good one. The astounding lack of logic by gun-lovers is also another thing they cling to.

It is complimentary to chronic paranoia.

[Sunlei]

108. It goes to show the target of a robbery is "a womans purse" its kind-of dumb to store gun inside.

same goes for leaving a gun inside the car. cars are broken into all the time.

[SunSeeker]

8. The video does not capture the shootout.

It shows the robber push his way in and then you see him stumble out, dropping to the ground after being shot.

I'm guessing the thief's m.o. was to rob and run, not kill anybody. Looks like they were casing the place and saw a women in a business suit--which means easy mark with easy to fence business equipment. But these reporters put up a fight rather than give up their laptops and iPads. There's a good chance the husband would not have gotten shot if they had just handed over the stuff instead of having an "altercation," as the article describes it.

Folks, if someone with a gun wants your stupid laptop or iPad, give it to him, then call the cops. You should have Carbonite or other backup software so you don't have to worry about losing these devices. These devices are not worth your life. The husband is lucky his injuries were not life threatening.

[SunSeeker]

17. Not blaming the victim. Just suggesting how folks can stay alive.

It is very human to want to fight a robber and not give up your stuff. And if you have a gun you will want to use it. But all law enforcement advice I have ever read on this situation says you should just give your stuff over. Do you think it makes sense to fight a robber with a gun?

[GGJohn]

19. And many of those that have just given up stuff

have been shot and or killed.
I will never bow down to anyone attempting to take my "stuff" at gun point, I'll always fight back and if I lose, then so be it.
Maybe my over 40 years in the Army is where I get my outlook on life.

[SunSeeker]

23. So you think cops are full of shit when they tell not to resist armed robberies?

You think this advice is bad?

http://blogs.findlaw.com/free_enterprise/2014/11/video-shows-why-cops-dont-want-you-to-fight-armed-robbers.html

[GGJohn]

24. Considering the track records of cops?

Yes, they're full of shit.

[SunSeeker]

31. So you think cops want robbery victims to get shot?

Wow. Just wow.

[GGJohn]

33. No, I don't think that, and I'll thank you not to put words in my mouth.

Many victims of armed robbery have been shot and injured or killed even though they gave up their possessions, so I don't give 2 fucks what cops say.

[SunSeeker]

48. The fatality rate for gun robberies is 0.4% (4 in 1,000)

The overall fatality rate in gun robberies is an estimated 4 per 1,000--about 3 times the rate for knife robberies, 10 times the rate for robberies with other weapons, and 20 times the rate for robberies by unarmed offenders.

https://www.ncjrs.gov/txtfiles/fireviol.txt

[GGJohn]

49. Yeah, that's comforting.

You can continue to be an advocate for being a victim, I'll ALWAYS be an advocate for fighting back.

[SunSeeker]

51. I don't "advocate for being a victim." I advocate for surviving. nt

[GGJohn]

52. You're advocating for victims to just give up their possession and hope that the POS's won't

escalate by shooting them, that's advocating for being a victim.
Fine, be a victim, OTOH, I'll ALWAYS advocate for fighting back.

[SunSeeker]

54. No, I'm advocating surviving an armed robbery.

I'd rather give up my iPad than have my 11 year old son give up a parent.

Once a thief has demanded your stuff, whether or not you fight back, you're still a robbery victim. I just prefer to be a living robbery victim at that point. Based on statistics and law enforcement advice, it appears you increase your chance of surviving an armed robbery by simply giving up you stuff.

You seem to think that by fighting back, you are not a victim. You seem to have a real problem with that word victim, as if being labeled a victim is the worst thing that can happen to you...worse than getting shot defending your stuff.

[LisaL]

61. From what is being reported, robber opened fire first.

What are you suggesting should be done if robber shoots you?

[friendly_iconoclast]

66. You've ruined a perfectly good subthread with inconvenient truth...

[SunSeeker]

69. What is reported is the husband pulled a gun from the wife's purse and then a shootout.

The robber shot the husband and the husband shot the robber.

[heaven05]

62. yep

sorry to all who blame the victims here, these two took the responsibility of robbing innocent, presumed unarmed people while brandishing a weapon. Their luck ran out. Period. Remember this one? "live by the sword, die by the sword"? Hey I have no pity for the dead one and the lookout is in the same boat with me. Let's move on. Nothing to argue about here.

[Telcontar]

95. How the fuck did your post get hidden?

Jesus Krystos, some of the people around here...SMH

[Spitfire of ATJ]

9. FOX "News" is breathlessly hyping this as a "good guy with a gun" story.

[GGJohn]

11. Well, isn't it? eom.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

12. No. It's a shootout story that could have gone either way....

Also, since WHEN is the theft of a few easily replaceable items a death sentence?

[GGJohn]

14. Ok, I now get it.

You're blaming the victims of this armed robbery for this POS's death.
Nice, real nice.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

15. No. I'm saying FOX "News" is claiming this ends the gun debate....

They got their "good guy with a gun" story.

Debate over.

[GGJohn]

16. I really don't give a good fuck what Faux Snooze says,

you were saying that if they had just handed over their possessions, then there would have been no shoot out.
By that standard, you are blaming the victims for the death of this waste of O2.

[SunSeeker]

18. If you cared about robbery victims, you wouldn't be giving them bad advice.

No one is blaming the victims for the robbery. No one. They are just pointing out that the victim's gun did not make the victim safer.

[Psephos]

20. Robber dead. Victim alive. Evidence says the victim was indeed made safer.

Unless one grants that your hypotheticals are more factual than the actual facts.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

25. Really? Victim shot too. Guess his gun wasn't equiped with a force field.

[GGJohn]

28. He's alive isn't he?

More victim blaming.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

34. How is that "blaming the victim"? It was a robbery turned shootout....

Show me where this crew shot their other victims and you have something.

Otherwise, you've got a guy and his wife who's lucky to be alive and a bunch of assholes on FOX "News" using an incident to push a false narrative.

[GGJohn]

38. So you're willing to trust the tender mercies of these POS armed robbers?

Well, good luck with that, I, myself, will always fight back.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

42. That's why if you are ever in a group held hostage like at a bank you'll be the first they shoot....

They like to do that to heroes.

Makes everyone else behave.

[GGJohn]

45. Yes.

If I perceive a deadly threat to my life, then I will deploy my weapon and shoot, at least I will have a good chance of surviving.
But, hey, if you want to be a victim, go for it, but bear in mind that other's may have a difference of opinion than yours.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

55. Bear in mind this situation isn't about you either.

[SunSeeker]

27. Victim alive but in hospital with gun shot wounds.

Chances are, if he hadn't pulled a gun on the robber he might not have been shot.

Law enforcement advises not fighting armed robbers:

http://blogs.findlaw.com/free_enterprise/2014/11/video-shows-why-cops-dont-want-you-to-fight-armed-robbers.html

[GGJohn]

30. And chances are they would have been murdered.

Are you willing to give the benefit of the doubt to armed robbers?
I'm not, and I will always fight back.

[SunSeeker]

35. Robbers generally want your stuff, not to kill you.

The article suggests these robbers were responsible for a series of robberies, but this was the only one where a victim was shot.

If you pull a gun on an armed robber, you are greatly increasing the chance that the guy will kill you, because now he has a reason to kill you: you are about to kill him. That is why cops advise against it.

[GGJohn]

37. So, your solution is to just give the armed robbers what they want without protest?

Numerous victims have done just that and have been shot and injured/killed doing exactly what you and the cops are advocating.
Nope, I'll fight back, no POS criminal will ever have an easy time of me.

[Psephos]

39. When seconds count, police are only minutes away.

Meanwhile, your hypotheticals assume the robber - who shot first! - would behave rationally and predictably.

If only the robber used SunSeeker's hypotheticals himself, he wouldn't have brought a gun to the robbery, and no one would have gotten hurt, right? Maybe they could have all gone to counseling, then out for ice cream.

Do you have any idea what kind of people commit shooting armed robbery? Wolves. Their raison d'etre is to pluck you like a stew hen and leave you for dead or worse as needed without the inconvenience of conscience.

At a certain point, naivete is so profound it becomes malicious. Your trust in police is just more wood on the fire.

[GGJohn]

41. +1000. eom.

[SunSeeker]

50. It is not neivete. It is statistics.

The overall fatality rate in gun robberies is an estimated 4 per 1,000--about 3 times the rate for knife robberies, 10 times the rate for robberies with other weapons, and 20 times the rate for robberies by unarmed offenders.

https://www.ncjrs.gov/txtfiles/fireviol.txt

Why escalate the situation when chances are all they want is your stuff and will not kill you? I'm using logic rather than emotion.

[Psephos]

53. Meanwhile, they're using emotion, not logic.

Or they wouldn't be in the robbery business. And the emotion is vicious indeed.

BTW, you are not using logic either. You're trying to shore up a pre-existing belief with selectively chosen, government-supplied statistics (from the same government that says inflation is 1% and unemployment is 5%). Belief first, "reason" ex post facto. The cart is pulling the horse here...while armed robbers remain vastly more brutal than you imagine.

[SunSeeker]

58. I'm going by law enforcement advice and facts.

I am well aware how brutal armed robberies are.

[Igel]

63. Your stats are right.

Most armed robbers want stuff. Usually if you give them what they want they just go away. The police advice is rooted in the statistics.

At the same time, there was that 0.4% chance of fatality this time.

And next time. 0.8% chance of fatality for this and the previous incident.

And next time. 1.2% chance of fatality for this and the previous 2 incidents.

And next time. 1.6% chance of fatality for this and the previous 3 incidents.

And next time. 2.0% chance of fatality for this and the previous 4 incidents.
...

If they're serial armed robbers, then killing this robber not only affected this but all future armed robberies this guy would have committed, plus whatever would have happened when he was finally cornered and arrested.

[friendly_iconoclast]

67. Others are perfectly free to choose their own course of action in such cases

They are not, and should not, be free to dictate what *others* should do.

[passiveporcupine]

71. Of course he shot first

Meanwhile, your hypotheticals assume the robber - who shot first! - would behave rationally and predictably.

He walked in the door with gun drawn and found himself facing a man holdling a gun and he shot first to protect himself. That's why it's not safe to have a gun in a situation like this if it's just a robbery with no intention to kill.

I understand you guys who want to defend the right to have a gun, and I guess if you want to take the chance that it won't escalate into you being killed over possessions, that's fine...it's your choice. Statistically, having the gun is more of a risk than it's worth.

In another situation, the gun might have saved their lives from intentional murder. In this one, it most likely just escalated the situation and the husband didn't need to be shot.

I'm not as worried about the death of the robber, because anyone going into a robbery with a gun is taking that chance. That was totally on him. But I am sorry the husband got shot over this.

[Psephos]

73. Statistically, a woman who resists rape is at more risk than one who doesn't.

By your reasoning, women who are about to be raped should just lie back and take it. Because they'll be "safer" that way.

Do you see the problem here?

Also, as Igel wisely pointed out up-thread, the statistical probability of injury to others increases with every additional robbery committed by the gunman. Eventually, it approaches certainty. The probability of the dead gunman injuring or killing anyone in the future is now zero.

I am hardly a gun freak, and I support reasonable requirements for someone to own one, but the people who use them to commit robberies are outside the system. Law-abiding people who obtain weapons for self-defense are overwhelmingly not causing problems. They are responding to problems, especially the inadequacy of police to keep them safe.

One more thought:

[passiveporcupine]

74. You cannot compare the physical attack on a woman

to "possessions" that are replaceable.

Sorry...but that is absurd. Some women would rather die fighting off a rapist than accept it in hopes of living. Rape victims are prone to suicide, so that is one more reason to fight rather than give in.

I've had some expensive things stolen from me over the years, and it still bothers me to this day, but what would have bothered me more, is if I had a gun and killed someone from trying to stop them from taking my possessions. If instead I had been raped, I would never ever forget or ever be able to get over it. Ask me how I know.

[Telcontar]

97. Sure you can

By your logic, it's not like she can't be sexually active after a rape. So, no worries ladies, lay back and relax. If you resist, you might hurt your attacker and then society will have to deal with his hurt feelings.

Jesus fucking wept, what the hell is wrong with you guys? Violence can only be countered by violence - have none of you studied fucking history?

[passiveporcupine]

98. Have you ever studied Ghandi?

[Telcontar]

99. I have, his use of violence in pursuit of a political goal was nothing short of brilliant

Rather than attack the British into their strength, their military capability, he addressed his attack on their soft center of gravity - public opinion.

Following the devastation of the second half of the Great European Civil War, the British people had little stomach for military adventurism. Ghandi invited attacks upon his own people, ensuring maximum coverage, so that the people of Britain were confronted with images of their own troops acting very much as they were accustomed to seeing NAZI troops.

With the loss of support from the people at home, the British military was hamstrung. They could inflict more and more violence, but there was no political will.

Like I said, brilliant application of the use of force.

[passiveporcupine]

100. you are just rootin for a fight aren't you?

You are sure not going to get it from me.

[Telcontar]

101. Rooting for a fight? No

I did a whole thesis on the comparisons between Washington and Ghandi. Both led revolutions against the British Empire. Both one. I did a comparison of their tactics and strategic methods. It was well received.

[passiveporcupine]

102. Sorry, not interested

[Telcontar]

103. Well, you did ask

Have a nice day

[GGJohn]

21. I care more about the victims of this POS than you do as

evidenced by your earlier post.
You want armed robbery victims to give up their possessions rather than fight back, even though numerous victims did just that and were either injured or killed.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

22. That "blaming the victims" line is intentionally provocative.

[GGJohn]

26. Well, that's exactly what you were doing. eom.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

29. How? (This oughta be good)

[GGJohn]

32. ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1143078

[Spitfire of ATJ]

36. How is THAT "provocative"?

[DiverDave]

92. Easy. No need for the f bomb.

Yes you have a difference of opinion, but just chillax.

[Devil Child]

40. Don't wish to die? Don't rob people.

It's pretty simple. I have no sympathy for thieves or criminals who meet a violent end.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

44. Neither do I, but it's not good policy to get in a shootout.

[GGJohn]

46. Nor is it good policy to trust the tender mercies of someone pointing a gun at you. eom.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

56. You seem practiced at this.

[Devil Child]

47. I agree

In the sense that a shootout is best avoided. However if a robbery results in a shootout it is solely the fault and responsibility of those who initiated the crime.

If Tomorio Walton and Skyy Barrs decided not be be piece of shit criminals one would still be alive and the other wouldn't be facing murder charges.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

57. I got one for ya, this crew might have worked for a gang and they may cut a deal to squeal.

[Travis_0004]

84. Threating somebody with a gun is the bigger problem

It could have gone either way but it didnt.

And honestly I dont give two shits if sonebody commiting armed robbery gets killed. He is no longer a threat to society.

Charge the other robber with muder, put him away for 15 years and make this a safer place.

[Telcontar]

96. If you try to take from me, I don't care what it is, you will die

Or I will die trying.

[secondvariety]

59. Good riddance.

Two more scumbags off the street.

[Le Taz Hot]

60. This is why I won't stay at a hotel/motel

that opens to the outside. I stayed in one of those ONE time -- in a seedy part of San Francisco (I didn't know SF that well at the time) and there were people trying my doorknob all night long. Needless to say, I didn't sleep that night and checked out the next morning.

And I'm with the poster above, you rob people for a "living" you're taking a huge chance of something like this happening and this time, it did. No sympathy for either one of them.

[47of74]

89. Nice thing about the internet is now...

Nice thing about the internet is now you can actually get something of an idea what a hotel is like before you stay there. Thanks to third party sites like Yelp and so on you can get an idea of what a place is actually like, not just what you see on the hotel web site or printed material.

If I know of newer hotels I try to stay there first. You might pay a bit more but they're often much more comfortable than older places and a bit more secure.

[Paladin]

64. Wish fulfillment for our resident Gun Enthusiasts:

Getting to use a gun against another human being. If there's not enough evidence of it on this thread for you, there's a daily supply of it in the DU Gungeon (Gun Control & RKBA).

[friendly_iconoclast]

65. Kindly point out the posts where such a 'wish' was expressed

TIA

[friendly_iconoclast]

76. And no such posts were pointed out- so your claim is bullshit

[Fred Sanders]

79. Not very friendly comment attacking widely held beliefs, friendly_iconoclast....

[friendly_iconoclast]

81. Beliefs are just that- not demonstrable truth

[Fred Sanders]

82. Like climate change, or the theories of relatively and evolution, or 320 million guns is too many, those kind?

[friendly_iconoclast]

83. Your first three examples are demonstrably fact, the last is merely your belief

https://www.google.com/search?q=%22ipse+dixit%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

[Fred Sanders]

80. This looks like a thread in Gungeon...the NRA Swastika needs to be defended!

[brett_jv]

68. Something nobody so far has mentioned: these reporters were ...

VERY VERY well-trained in proper use of firearms. Ex-Military & Ex-Cop.

People like THESE ... I applaud for having guns and using them appropriately in a crisis. Good on them, they're f***ing heroes, straight up.

HOWEVER ... the average Joe and Jill who picked up a pistol at the gun show and watched a youtube video on how to shoot it are FAR more likely than not to wind up dead if they try to go this route in an armed robbery situation.

IMHO, unless you REALLY know how to use your weapon SPECIFICALLY in a crisis situation (which the vast majority of gun owners do not) you're almost certainly more likely to live by just handing over your shit. It's only 'stuff', it ain't worth your friggin' life.

Just MHO ... I feel confident in saying that a big, big reason why this went as well as it did (so to speak) for this couple is that they basically WERE 'the cops'.

As an aside, I'd buy into the whole 'good guy with a gun' narrative of the gun-lovers a hell of a lot more if they would stipulate support for gun laws that REQUIRED extensive training with actual certs provided before acquisition of a firearm designed for self-protection ... so that they are prepared to BE that legendary GGWaG like these two.

[passiveporcupine]

72. very good point

[friendly_iconoclast]

77. I'm sure that those you call "gun-lovers" will give your thoughts all due respect.

Certainly, I will...

[Fred Sanders]

86. Extends training? Hell, in SC if your background check takes more than 72 hours, you get your gun!

No more questions asked about anything, even teen Dylan Roof!

Even a felon with a thousand convictions.....more the 72 hours...you get your WMD!

I suppose gun-lovers are all on board with doubling the amount of money for the FBI to do background checks so quickly for all?

Or an extension of 72 hours...what the duck is the hurry?

[47of74]

90. Yeah, don't take the training from this guy;

[Sunlei]

107. wow, they have a reality story to tell the grandkids now!

all kinds of criminals hang around those type of hotels, parking lots looking for easy loot. Fast food
drive-thru also are an easy place to rob people.

They really need visible human security and people need to be aware of what is around them. Hand over your stuff and there is much less chance of being shot.