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.

[Maelstrom]

Now THAT is cool!

[Shooter 2.5]

The graphic is courtesy of jedge and the laws are courtesy of the NRA.

[jdege]

The NRA has certainly been a help in getting these laws passed, but the primary effort has been by local gun-rights supporters in each state.

There simply is no way any D.C.-based lobbying group could do what has been done on this issue - push legal reform in every state, constantly, over decades.

It takes real grass roots - not astroturf.

[Shooter 2.5]

The NRA has clinics as to how to start grass roots organizations.

Our grassroots organization was given matching funds to get started in Oak Park, Illinois during the handgun ban.

When the opposition starts to name any other group other than the NRA, I'll pay attention to those groups.

Thanks for the graphic.

[garybob]

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

Yes.

In his truck?

Even better. Makes hauling off his dead carcass easier.

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

Of the 31 "Shall Issue" states, can you cite one example of something like that happening?

[Travis McGee]

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.

That's true.

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?

Yes, I'd have dropped him, either in the front or the back or the side, whichever shot presented itself. If someone commits a shooting, an axing or a knifing and leaves with the weapon, the legal presumption is that he is on his way to commit another murder, and you are allowed to shoot him. It's a very clear exception to the "can't shoot a felon who's leaving" rule. These psychos often have a little list in their head. "After Lowe's, my old job. Then Mom's. Then the ex-wife."

This kind of thing happens all the time, and will continue to happen regardless of CCW in any State. I think the stats show it happens a lot less in states with CCW, that there is a clear dropoff in incidence. These guys are out to settle a score, and not get dropped in their tracks, (at least not before completing their "mission.")

[Travis McGee]

I don't know about TX, but in FL the law is different. There was a famous workplace shooting case in Miami 15 years ago. A nut rode up to an engine repair shop on a bike with a shotgun slung on his back. He killed 4 or 5 folks, slung his shotgun, got on his bike and rode away.

Some guys from another business across the street heard the shooting and saw the guy leave. They jumped in a car, got next to the man with the shotgun slung on his back, and shot him to death from their car.

This led to a lot of education on this point of the law for us. The DA said that since the guy had just used the weapon to inflict bodily harm, and still had it, he presented an immediate danger to the public even though his weapon was slung and he was riding away on a bike.

Who knows who his next victim might be? Nobody is obligated to find out. He still had the weapon, and the 2 civilians made a "good shoot" and got kudos all around, from the cops to the mayor. (They were worried at first and came up with a cock and bull "accidental discharge/warning shot" story first to cover themselves. No need. They were not even booked.)

I think the situation in Mass is the same. The perp had just used the gun, and still had it. He's fair game, because the presumption is that he could use it again at any moment to kill the next person he saw.

[wardaddy]

I think if one is armed and in the presence of someone killing another person that it's reasonable to assume that one may use deadly force to stop it unless that person is a cop.

That Miami story reminds me of the crackhead bank robber who rode his bicycle to the bank armed with a fake gun and with a manhole lid strapped to his chest as makeshift body armour. He was caught fleeing the bank on the bike making a rather slow getaway burdened with the 90lb manhole lid and the red dye spewing bag of money.

[teeman8r]

never bring a hammer to a gunfight...

teeman

[Travis McGee]

Now that's a mental image!

[Dan Evans]

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

I would have shot him in the back or in his truck and taken my chances with the jury. It would have been the right thing to do.

[ExSoldier]

"They jumped in a car, got next to the man with the shotgun slung on his back, and shot him to death from their car."

LOL Travis, this happened in my town...I remember it well. They not only shot the bozo....they ran him over too! The tenth anniversary of that incident just passed and they tried to re-interview the heroes, but one had already passed away and the other said he knew he'd done the right thing, but that he was "haunted." I guess good people handle things in different ways. I think I not only would have run him over, I'd have locked the wheels on him.

[Travis McGee]

I remember that was a BIG case at the time. I forgot they ran over him! I think it was a Cadillac convertible from a classic car dealership. Classic case too! I think they ran over him to hide the bullet wound, afraid they'd get in legal trouble.

The nutbar was angry because they overcharged him for a lawnmower engine repair, as I recall. About five people killed over a lawnmower repair bill...

[ExSoldier]

"About five people killed over a lawnmower repair bill..."

Including the shop owner and his wife. The son was sick or late or something. Today he owns the business and mentioned his lucky escape in the article a few months ago. But he lost his parents. There is certainly something to be said about being armed on the job. Too bad they won't allow armed teachers.

There is a gang war brewing at my school. Guns and knives in and out every day. I personally wouldn't be surprised if our principal had a cut of the action on drugs, since he invited all the thugs and gang members who were expelled back into school.

[R. Scott]

People never expect eruption of violence…

I think it is safe to say there are more eruptions of violence than fatal cases of the flu – but people seem to be running scared of the flu and the vaccines are being snapped up as fast as they become available. We’ve had possibly three fatal cases of flu in Virginia this season, and that many people were shot yesterday alone here in Hampton Roads. Why should the random nut case surprise them, and why aren’t they rushing to be prepared for it?

[Travis McGee]

What's the demo breakdown at school?

[ExSoldier]

About 70% Haitian, 20% other Carribbean groups, and the rest spread out over thirty other nationalities. 4000 kids in a school built to hold 2400. I'm the chairman of the school chapter of the VFW....Very Few Whites.

The war seems to be breaking down between the Haitians and the Jamaicans. The Haitians are more numerous but the Jamaicans are much more violent. Mark my words, a teacher is gonna get capped sometime this year if there is not some form of intervention and I doubt it'll be me or one of the other five ex-military guys there.

Lemme think...there's me: a former treadhead slash light infantryman; then there is a fmr Coastie; a retired USAF PJ and a retired airborne ranger with his last 12 years in a line ranger battalion. He got out in 1997 and became a teacher at my school Great guy, my best buddy at the school.

[oyez]

a circular saw blade can do nasty things when used as a frisbee,

But you got to get the thing out of the packaging first.

[ninenot]

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

Yes.

You will go to jail for (minimum) manslaughter, possible 2nd-degree murder. In ALL States, it is illegal to shoot ANYONE in the back, as they are not a threat if they are walking/running away.

Same-o with shooting in his truck--more jail time unless he was pointing the weapon OR the truck at you.

Easy. About 3 months, ago, factory shoot-em-up in Mississippi. About 2 months ago, another factory shoot-em-up in Indiana.

Happens all the time.

[ninenot]

If someone commits a shooting, an axing or a knifing and leaves with the weapon, the legal presumption is that he is on his way to commit another murder, and you are allowed to shoot him. It's a very clear exception to the "can't shoot a felon who's leaving" rule. These psychos often have a little list in their head.

Not in Wisconsin. Not in Texas, according to a prior post.

And, given the mindset of both journalists and DA's in almost the entire USofA, noplace else, either.

That "exception" you cite most likely applies only to LEO's, after they've screamed "stop/drop" a few dozen times.

But hey--try it sometime. Let me know how your case turns out.