Victim never saw shooter, praises rescue response

The News Tribune ^ | November 22nd, 2005 | ADAM LYNN

[hadit2here]

From the leftist Tacoma newsrag, a surprising positive mention of assistance by a National Guardsman during the Mall shooting Sunday:

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Frank Stiles, a 68-year-old retired air traffic controller, was strolling through the Tacoma Mall on Sunday, minding his own business. He heard a familiar sound, but one he never expected to hear near a Sam Goody store: gunfire.

"Once the shooting started, I recognized it for what it was," said Stiles, a former hunter and one-time military man. "I started for the deck, and I was hit in the upper arm as I went down. I was angry."

Stiles was one of six people shot during Sunday’s shooting rampage. The man police believe responsible for the mayhem, Dominick S. Maldonado, 20, was charged with 12 felonies Monday.

The echo in the mall was so great that I couldn’t tell exactly where the shots were coming from," he said.

A National Guardsman from Grants Pass, Ore., came to his rescue, he said, helping him to an aid station set up at the north end of the mall and following his ambulance to Allenmore Hospital, where he was treated and released. Stiles said the man’s name was Staff Sgt. Johnny Palmer.

"That young man did himself proud," Stiles said.

[hadit2here]

The Trib had a 2 page spread on the shooting stories in Tues. paper, and this story accompanied them. I thought it would be of interest on FR since it again shows how well our troops act and respond, whether in Iraq or the US.

Note where the story says that not only did Sgt. Palmer assist the wounded man at the scene at the Mall, but followed the wounded man to the hospital. Above and beyond the call of duty-- as usual for our wonderful troops!

[Robert357]

Bump