Posted on 07/28/2022 5:37:41 AM PDT by marktwain
The first victim killed in the mass murder at the Greenwood Park Mall was Victor Gomez, a well thought of husband, father, and craftsman.
The story was reported by Vic Ryckaert of WRTV. Vic was able to obtain the exclusive information by talking with Greenwood Police Chief Ison as they walked to Ison’s vehicle.
Chief Ison revealed Victor Gomez was found to have a handgun on his person as investigators processed the crime scene.
Chief Ison said Gomez was not able to access the handgun in self-defense, as he was shot too quickly to draw his firearm. From WRTV:
One of the people shot to death by a gunman at Greenwood Park Mall Sunday was carrying a handgun that he never had a chance to pull, Greenwood Police Chief Jim Ison told WRTV.
“He (Sapirman) comes out (of a restroom) and the very first person that he sees walking into the restroom, he fires on, (he) shoots, then turns the gun to the food court and starts firing into the food court,” Ison said.
Gomez was the first of five people who were shot by the suspect. Three of them died.
Police later found that Gomez was carrying a handgun. Gomez, Ison said, had no chance to pull his gun and defend himself.
He had no time,” Ison said.
Vic Ryckaert confirmed to this reporter via email Police Chief Ison communicated the information to him without other reporters present.
On the afternoon of July 20, WTHR, confirmed Victor Gomez, the first victim, was armed when he was killed.
“Never had a chance to use his weapon,” said Greenwood Police Chief Jason Ison.
This is reminiscent of the West Freeway Church of Christ defense shooting
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
Victor Gomez was the first victim. He was carrying a pistol, but was killed before he had time to react.
That’s why we need lots of armed civilians.
Precisely correct.
Was he carrying concealed or “open”? I wouldn’t want to have a miscreant spot me before his (her) unlawful action.
Concealed.
The investigators found he had a handgun on his body after the shooting was over.
Exactly!!!!
If by chance Dicken had been targeted first then Gomez might have taken out the shooter. I think that needs to be understood. The more people avail themselves of lawful CCL, the safer we will be from the nutjobs.
I’ve been knocked out twice, in high school, by what is now called the knockout game. I already had such a high state of situational awareness that I developed significant sleep problems that followed me into adult life, and I am still dealing with in my late sixties. But here’s how it happens and why there’s little you can do about it.
You’re walking along in a crowd. You’re alert because at any moment you might have to deal with some asshole who sneaks up behind you, catches the non-weight bearing foot and hooks it behind your other calf so you fall. Or something equally stupid. Kids are only afraid of other kids because they know how evil and uncivilized those other kids can be, especially when surrounded by their in-group.
Here’s what you do. The crowd has a rhythm. People are moving at about the same pace. You adjust your personal envelope to fit the circumstances. You can react easily to whatever happens inside of your situational envelope. You spot a troublemaker with his buddies and redirect to put more space between you and “them.”
The person who has targeted you is outside of your envelope and effectively invisible because your entire attention is divided between your thoughts, plans, and attention dedicated to protecting you inside of your envelope. The attacker times his approach like a pilot would time a run into a target so that the radar is facing the other way. He swings his cudgel as he passes you and is already leaving as you impact the ground unconscious.
Something similar probably happens to the first victim of a shooting.
All of whom should practice their quick draw and wear rear-view sunglasses.
Armed police and soldiers are killed every day too. So if someone’s tries to make the point “see, concealed carry won’t protect you!” based on this story, then they’re idiots.
It’s a twist of fate. Had perp not spent an hour in the bathroom Eli might not have been there to take him out. Had he come out 10 minutes earlier maybe first victim would have been the hero.
exactly....
Carrying is no guarantee. It just gives you a fighting chance....most of the time. Unfortunately, this poor guy never had the time to draw his weapon.
The anti-gunners will say, “See! Having a gun didn’t protect him!”
Will the young hero who saved lives with his weapon, be charged by the mall owners with violating their gun free zone status?
How’d such a young guy also write all those novels about 19th Century England?
One of the congregants in the White Settlement church drew his and took down the perp so fast, Matt Dillon’s jealous. You have to have it. You have to drill with it. And you have to pray that your hand is guided from above.
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