70-Year-Old High School Coach Shoots Attackers, 1 Dies - Victory?

[celtics23]

From: www.davidpakman.com

[kag]

1. Yes!

This guy was obviously trained to use his gun, and use it safely. (Reserve police officer)

Why should I have to carry a gun just to compensate for the idiots out there who think we don't need ANY laws that restrict gun purchases.

[AtheistCrusader]

2. This was a good, honest interview.

Completely agree with Pakman

[SunSeeker]

8. Pakman incorrectly refers to them as "men" (they're 15 & 16); and it is not clear they had a gun.

Although I totally agree with the point Pakman was making, he appears to have gotten the facts wrong. It's possible they may have been pretending to have a weapon; the police have not confirmed they had a gun. What is clear is that a 16-year-old is dead. But on the bright side, the coach managed to hold on to his precious gold chain that the boys were after.

Read more: http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/detroit/sources-tell-7-action-news-fatal-shooting-at-martin-luther-king-high-school-may-be-ruled-justified#ixzz2K2rtnIIN

[mwrguy]

10. He killed two young kids

No way around that.

[AtheistCrusader]

13. The second one died?

The one that did die, was scheduled for trial on another armed robbery later that month.

[SunSeeker]

3. The coach killed a guy trying to steal a gold chain.

Last edited Tue Feb 5, 2013, 12:54 PM - Edit history (1)

If he had just given the guy the gold chain, I'm guessing he/they would have just left. But hey, you've got a gun on you, why not use it? I mean, that chain was worth way more than that guy's life.

[FailureToCommunicate]

4. The two men pulled a gun on two girls. It may not have been about a gold chain

if things had gone differently.

[SunSeeker]

5. Mugging Survival Basics 101: Give them the money, gold chain, etc.

Last edited Tue Feb 5, 2013, 01:09 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.wikihow.com/Survive-a-Bank-Robbery

http://www.ehow.com/how_2072901_survive-mugging.html

The girls were very lucky the coach was a faster draw than the mugger--if the mugger had a gun out.

[SunSeeker]

6. BTW, they were not men, but 15 & 16; and police have not said if they had a gun.

The muggers were both students at that Detroit high school. Turns out they poked something into the coach's chest, saying it was a "holdup" and grabbed the coach's (not the girls') gold chain necklace. The girls took off running (smart). The coach wrestled with the boys and then, "when he got some distance," pulled out his gun and shot both of them. Apparently it is all on surveillance video.
It's possible the boys may have been pretending to have a weapon.

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/detroit/sources-tell-7-action-news-fatal-shooting-at-martin-luther-king-high-school-may-be-ruled-justified

[FailureToCommunicate]

9. I was replying from what was reported in the OP link. Muggings don't

always work out so well as your advice to 'just give 'em your jewelry' might indicate. IMO, women especially should probably carry- and be adept at using- non lethal protection such as those tear gas/flashing light canisters, in addition to knowing some basic self defense moves from Krav Maga or similar. Especially if they live in sketchy neighborhood.

It is sad that people need to worry -and be prepared for - this sort of thing happening. The coach was smart to walk the girls to their car in the first place. The girls were smart to run. The men - or boys- were stupid to attempt the mugging. Too bad it turned out this way. But it could have turned out to be the girls as the victims if a few things had gone differently.

[DFW]

12. I don't carry, but have to agree with you

If someone is trying to take something from you by force, you don't know 1.) at what point they will be content with what they have taken from you or 2.) whether they will run off when they are done with you or whether they are out for some fun beating the shit out of you or if they are not into leaving witnesses in perfect shape. I've lived in the American south, and I've lived in the northern Big City (Philadelphia, in my case), and even 16 year olds are sometimes out to do some serious violence just for kicks, especially if it's a senior they think they can get away with kicking half to death. It happened all the time in Philly when I was living there.

MAYBE these kids were just out for a gold chain. Maybe not. Was a gold chain worth the kid's life? Hardly. Could the guy have known he would have been left in peace if he had given them the chain? Hardly. I wasn't there, so I'm the last one to pass judgement. I will say that these days in America, with gun ownership so prevalent, a pair of kids would have to be pretty optimistic if they think every victim they decide to attack will be unarmed.

[Iggo]

7. Yep. Gold chain worth more than human life.

[oldbanjo]

11. The first night I was in Washington, D C

13 police car were broke into and vests and guns were taken. Gun control will not help keep guns out of the bad guys hands. Strong jail sentences will.