Dead Right There

This news is sort of old, but I just heard the story on Neal Boortz. This is another in a string of recent stories I've read on blogs and news sites chronicling would be thugs getting their come-uppance when they decided to mess with the wrong person - namely, a vet, and in this case, a Marine.

Police: Former Marine Shoots 2 Subway Robbery Suspects

PLANTATION, Fla. -- A retired United States Marine disrupted a robbery in progress when he shot two men who attempted to rob a Subway sandwich shop, fatally wounding one of them, police said.

I went in search of the original article in the Sun-Sentinel but the link was dead. I did find most of the original article posted on Cassy Fiano's blog

John Lovell had just finished dinner at about 11: 15 p.m. Wednesday when, Plantation police say, two men armed with guns rushed inside a Subway shop and demanded cash. After robbing the store, the men turned to Lovell. They wanted his money, police said.

But like his attackers, Lovell was armed.

The retired military man opened fire, shooting dead Donicio Arrindell, 22, of North Lauderdale, and critically injuring Fredrick Gadson, 21, of Fort Lauderdale.

Lovell, 71, of Plantation, has a valid concealed weapons permit and is not expected to be charged in the shooting, said police spokesman Detective Robert Rettig. Gadson, however, faces multiple felony charges that could include murder, he said. Under Florida law, anyone who commits a felony such as armed robbery resulting in a death can be held accountable for the capital offense.

[...]

According to a police statement, Arrindell ordered Lovell to hand over his wallet. He intentionally dropped it on the floor and refused to pick it up, saying he was afraid. That's when Arrindell ordered him into the women's restroom.

"The victim believed he would be executed and when he noticed [Arrindell] distracted ... reached behind his back, removed his loaded .45 caliber handgun from his holster and fired seven rounds," the statement said.

Arrindell was struck twice — once in the head and once in the stomach — and collapsed. Officers found him face down, wearing sunglasses and a bandanna, with a gun near his left hand. Gadson was hit in the chest and ran from the store. Police dogs found him in the hedges of a nearby office building and bank.

Sebastian Shakespeare, 23, of Lauderhill, was going to buy a sandwich at the Subway at 1949 N. Pine Island Road when he saw Lovell, gun in hand, standing over Arrindell. A former employee, Shakespeare worked the night shift and often worried about getting robbed.

He said Lovell did a good deed. "A civilian was a hero."

[...]

A good citizen, hero for the day, right? Well, not to everyone -

But Gadson's grandmother, Rosa Jones, said: "He ain't no hero. He is a murderer and God will serve justice."

She and her husband, Ivory Jones, pastor of a Fort Lauderdale church, sat on their front porch in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday wondering how a man could shoot two people and not go to jail.

They said their grandson sometimes hung with the wrong crowd but never got into legal trouble. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, he has no arrest record. They said Gadson, who never finished high school, got tired of low-wage jobs and was pursuing his GED.

[...]

You see don't you? It's not the young boy's fault they did an armed robbery, then selected the wrong guy to try to rob. It's society's fault and Lovell is a meany.

In other articles I found, Lovell had piloted Marine One for Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.

At Topix, I found a string of comments commending Lovell for his action, well, with the exception of one commenter - sickoftheknowitallpeople:

We dont know the whole story....Just what we read. Lord knows how they sensationalize everything. He knew if he killed them that he wouldnt be charged. He could have shot them in the legs, let the cops take them to jail where they would have to pay for their actions. But hey...it's better to just kill them. Two young black men...who cares huh!!!!

As if shooting someone in the leg will keep them from shooting back.

Good thing Florida is a state that allows it's citizen's to arm themselves to protect their life and property.

Semper Fi, Mr. Lovell!