Massachusetts Gun Laws Turn Store Full of Customers into Cowering Targets*

Worcester (MA) Telegram and Gazette (owned by New York Times Publishing) ^ | 12/16/03 | Williamson

[pabianice]

Shootings always surprise

People never expect eruption of violence

WORCESTER, MA --Here are some things we can count on when an unexpected act of violence breaks out in our back yard:

The assailant is invariably described by those who know him as a nice, mild-mannered guy who would never be capable of doing such a thing.

Witnesses are always shocked - absolutely shocked - because they watch such violence on television but never expect to see it themselves.

"My God," an employee of Lowe's was telling me yesterday, two hours after a gunman opened fire inside the sprawling home improvement warehouse and shot two people. "Everyone here is absolutely shocked. You see stuff like this on television all the time, but you never expect it in your back yard."

In Spencer, meanwhile, David Anderson was reacting to news that a man he knows - his daughter's brother-in-law - allegedly drove to Lowe's in his Chevy pickup truck and shot two people with a semi-automatic handgun.

"He always seemed very nice and polite and mild-mannered," said Mr. Anderson of the man who allegedly compiled a hit list of people to kill. "This is completely out of character, to say the least. But who really knows why someone would do something like this?"

Cliches are cliches for a reason - they're steeped in truth. No one expects to see a bloodied shooting victim stagger into the frame of a department store security camera in broad daylight. But such a video was shown to police yesterday as they searched frantically for Mark Lebreton of Auburn, alleged shooter and widely considered nice guy, who was described as "extremely dangerous" last night by Auburn Police Chief William E. Stone.

"We believe him to be very, very dangerous," Chief Stone said. "He said he'd kill any police officer who stopped him."

Chief Stone said Auburn police were alerted moments before the shooting by Mr. Lebreton's brother, Oxford police Officer Kevin Lebreton, who reported that his 38-year-old brother was armed and suicidal. As police began to respond to that report, they heard on the police scanner that Worcester police were rushing to a shooting at Lowe's that involved a white pickup truck. Chief Stone said police were aware that Mr. Lebreton drove such a truck; they went to his home on Boyce Street, blocked off the street and brought his distraught wife to police headquarters.

According to Lowe's employees, Mr. Lebreton drove to the store shortly after 4 p.m. and could be seen on the security camera entering through the lumber area. He was dressed in jeans, snow boots and a knit cap and was wielding a handgun. He allegedly walked into the commercial sales area and confronted Steve Collins, a plumber and subcontractor for Lowe's, who reportedly had done some work for Mr. Lebreton, a contractor who owns Lebreton & Son. The men engaged in a heated argument because Mr. Collins reportedly wanted to end their business relationship.

Four people, all employees, witnessed all or part of the shooting. The store's surveillance film shows one of the victims, a young employee named Jim Walling, stagger into view and fall to the floor with a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Seconds later, Mr. Collins is seen holding his neck and then falling in front of a cash register. Mr. Lebreton then allegedly walked calmly from the store and drove off in his truck while shocked customers screamed and headed for the exits.

"If you didn't know that two people had just been shot, you'd never know from watching him," an employee said. "He was very calm and almost nonchalant." Mr. Lebreton also reportedly had made out a "hit list" that contained several names, but it was not clear last night whether Mr. Collins was on the list.

Mr. Walling is expected to survive his injury. Mr. Collins was in critical condition last night. Eight shots in all were fired by the assailant, in full view of customers and staff, 10 days before Christmas, in a store that sells faucet washers and lightbulbs and two-by-fours.

"Everyone here is very jumpy," the Lowe's employee said. "This happened almost two hours ago, and my heart is still pounding right now."

As police continued their search for Mr. Lebreton last night, those who know him said they couldn't reconcile the violent incident with the good-looking, friendly contractor who rarely raised his voice and seemed to enjoy his work.

Mr. Anderson said Mr. Lebreton, along with Mr. Lebreton's brother, Brian, helped him build a garage for his Spencer home a little more than a year ago.

"He did an excellent job, and you could tell he knew what he was doing," Mr. Anderson said. "He just seemed like a normal, happy fellow. I never even heard him swear, and I never heard anything but good things about him. This is totally out of his character, big time. Why would he do this? This is really a shock."

Chief Stone said Mark Lebreton had a "run-in" several months ago with a neighbor that appeared to be resolved, but was otherwise not known to police. Chief Stone said he met yesterday with Brian Lebreton, who could offer no motive or explanation for his brother's alleged violence.

"He had absolutely no idea why he would do something like this," Chief Stone said.

We've heard it before, haven't we? Someone snaps and everyone is shocked. And somewhere else, perhaps soon, maybe at another store not typically meant to host a hail of bullets, we'll most certainly hear it again. And there's nothing we can do but count on it.

Dianne Williamson can be reached via e-mail at dwilliamson@telegram.com.

[mvpel]

"Gawd" was the least of my reaction. I personally concluded that that police chief is likely destined for the First Round of the Seventh Circle right downstream from the rapist, as a tyrant, boiling in blood up to his eyebrows.

In other words, I was outraged.

[.38sw]

The police chief is not only a tyrant, he is an arrogant fool. He belongs in the First Round of the Seventh Circle, as you said. Anyone who would deny a woman the right to protect herself from a rapist belongs there. As a resident of California, I am unable to get a carry permit, but I cam and do carry a nice little folder. It's not much, but it's better than nothing.

[Dead Corpse]

Where were the police?

Maybe I haven't been paying attention, but I've never heard of a donut shop getting robbed.

[claudiustg]

I've lived in Mass. They've passed so many gun laws and been subjected to so much propaganda that the majority of people react with horror to guns. They've developed an exaggerated fear and awe of firearms. Mass is more like England than a part of the US.

[zip]

You nailed it (pun intended).

[SCDogPapa]

but I've never heard of a donut shop getting robbed.

Of course not,,,it's full of cops.

[zip]

Everyone has had bad experiences at some store at some time but that doesn't excuse it. I retired from state gov't 5 years ago with experience with managing up to 120 employees so I know a little about mgt. At the Jefferson City Lowes, any employee acting that way would be dragged through hot coals, or have finger nails ripped out (figuretively speaking). Elbucko, have you discussed this with the store manager. I know it would bring results at most of our stores. Give it a try.

[Sergio]

You've heard the cliche, "It's always in the last place you look." If you found it the first place you looked, ou will have found it in the last place you looked, as there is no reason to continue searching for something that you have already found.

You need to look at the cliche, "It's always the quiet ones that snap" in the same manner. It's always the quiet ones!

The ones that are loud, foul mouthed, drunk, disorderly, anti-social, and make a habit of waving a weapon around, are already in jail.

The average person is, well, average, like the vast majority of us. We know that we wouldn't go out and start shooting people so it shocks us when someone so similar to us does.

Prayers go out to all involved.

Sergio

[from occupied ga]

Darn, beat me to it, but there is a world of difference between "may issue" and "shall issue" NYC is a "may issue" jurisdiction, and no one except a few celebrities get a carry permit there.

[from occupied ga]

I've lived in Mass.

My sincere condolances

They've passed so many gun laws and been subjected to so much propaganda that the majority of people react with horror to guns.

Exactly. There is a reason that fat Teddy keeps getting re-elected. The reason being that he accurately reflects the viewpoint of the majority of the electorate, freedom hating, government, loving, tax sucking marxists who are too cowardly to accept responsibility for their own well being and envious of those who do.

[hobbes1]

2 16 oz. Estwing Claw hammers.



The first to get his attention with a solid toss.


The Second to open a hole in his skull.

[Shooter 2.5]

[m1-lightning]

LOL! Well, I'll still give some respect to cops. There was one that called in on the radio show in Peoria that said he supported CCW because he admitted that police couldn't be on every street corner and can't drive the speed of light.

[ninenot]

If the story is accurate, by the way, there's not a damned thing an ARMED citizen could have done unless they happened to be standing right next to the action.

The guy shot 2 people and left.

So if YOU were at the cash register, armed, exactly what would you have done? Shot the perp in the back? In his truck?

This kind of thing happens all the time, and will continue to happen regardless of CCW in any State.

[ibheath]

bump for later

ps, Great Graphic!

[tx4guns]

Your point is a valid one. Here in TX, if the perp is attempting to flee, and poses no immediate threat to inflict bodily harm on you or others, you cannot use deadly force to stop him. You could order him to drop the weapon, but I'm sure this happened so fast, nobody had a chance to do anything. He was probably out the door before people could react. Now if you draw on him to defend yourself and he raises the gun towards you, he's fair game. The guys who got shot probably didn't have time to defend themselves, even if they did have a gun. If the shots were fired at very close range, some kind of martial arts would have come in handy, but it sounds like this guy unloaded on them (8 shots fired). A CCW holder more than likely would not have prevented these guys from getting shot. The only thing CCW would have done to prevent this is to be a deterrent to a criminal. Unfortunately most of the time, the criminal is not thinking about himself, and has no regard for the consequences. Like I said, CCW can act as a deterrent, but it's never going to stop the crazies from doing stupid acts.

[IonInsights]

I lived in Massachusetts, just a few miles down to road from that Lowe's. I had a class A CCW that allowed large capacity magazines. I took an NRA course, applied to (and got fingerprinted by) the Police Department, and got my license in about 6 weeks. Simple.

[cpst12]

1. Why do you have a CCW? Are you in law enforcement or some special case?

Just because I wanted one, and no, I am not in law enforcement.

2. Massacusetts is not a "shall issue" state. How easy is it for the average law-abiding citizen to get a permit?

Can't answer for anyone but myself...went down, filled out application, got pictures taken and voila. Guess it may help to live in the still rural part of the state (Western mass). I am sure it is not as easy everywhere; perhaps I falsely assume that it still possible *most* towns if you are "clean."


3. How many people do you know have a CCW, other than law enforcement types?

I never ask anyone, so I don't know.

[MD_Willington_1976]

Yeah no kidding, you should see what I did to my left index finger with my 20oz ripping hammer, almost took the end of my finger off with it when I was framing. A couple stiches later and its all good.

[Saundra Duffy]

And there's nothing we can do but count on it.

Nothing we can do?!! Arm yourselves!!