South Dakota man waits 50 years to get revenge on school bully by shooting him twice in the face

MSN ^ | October 4, 2025 | Charlie Jones

[Trump20162020]

A man waited more than 50 years to carry out his vengeance after being bullied at school.

South Dakota man Carl Ericsson never forgot how his bully Norman Johnson pulled a jockstrap over his head in a high school locker room when he was younger.

Retired Madison High School teacher and track coach Norman Johnson had answered his front door only to get shot twice in the face.

[ansel12]

Destroy the gun no matter what, just as you described for example.

A lot of us here just had guns from all over the place and still aren’t used to the concept of gun records.

In high school the gun I kept in my car was a 32 caliber rolling block single shot rifle from probably the late 1800s.

[frank ballenger]

Glad your life turned out so well.

The MD self help author Dr. Maxwell Maltz (1889-1975) advised people to forgive including to refrain from going to meet with your old time bully or bad guy to tell them that.

He said (paraphrased) Nearly always they won’t even remember you or the injustice done. They will not believe anyone has to forgive them.
And if you explain it they will say or imply you deserved it for being a weak loser. Your burning resentment against them, allowing them free space in your mind, was a waste of time, he said.

Maltz was ahead of later psychologists’ findings that bullies are not scared, weak types who can stood up to and will show they are inner cowards. Now the findings are usually they believe they are better, superior to you and consider you deserving of being hurt or stepped on for their success and enjoyment.

[alternatives?]

It always seems like there are a lot more people bullied than those doing the bullying. Maybe the bully didn’t think they were bullying. I have seen some kids bullied by their parents. That is really sad.

[onona]

ask me if I even remember names from 50 years ago !!

[frank ballenger]

True. And Stephen King ordered his book Rage to be taken out of print permanently because it also seemed to be a spur to unbalanced high school students to do Columbine type things.
Book is now highly valued by collectors.

[alternatives?]

I remember 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. We were terrible to each other. It was a bad time.

[Tired of Taxes]

I’ll never understand people who can’t let go of their high school years. It’s a short time in life, only three or four years, but they keep reliving it.

I was picked on mercilessly as a kid. But those experiences taught me how to handle those situations.

[decal]

Mine died a couple of months ago; used to obsess about the incidents.

Not anymore.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Yes, true.

[OKSooner]

Thank you.

[jeffersondem]

“What is an untraceable gun?”

A gun bought on the street, or in a parking lot, from a stranger for cash. It could have been stolen from another state.

It could probably be traced to the original hardware store that sold it 60 years ago but there would, a criminal hopes, be no record of the private sales since.

Still, to prevent getting tied to the gun professional mob gunmen foul the barrel and maybe the firing pin and abandon the gun as soon as possible where it will not be found.

Then they buy another stolen gun for the next crime.

[rlmorel]

I hope that is the key phrase, but I think my wife wonders sometimes...:)

[ansel12]

When I was young guns used to just be everywhere and no record keeping, traded, gifted, in the family for a 100 years, army surplus, war momentos, just guns, but since ballistics were discovered, any gun used in a killing should be destroyed, which means it doesn’t really matter where it came from.

[TigersEye]

LOL

Well, uh, you need to keep ‘em guessing. You know, keep the intrigue going. Spice and all that.

That’s my theory and I’m stickin’ to it! :D

[Hebrews 11:6]

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

[logi_cal869]

I’m a bit conflicted about this but will not delve into the minutiae in-forum tonight.

Too many posts in just the past 30 minutes of lurking are eliciting an emotional reaction for me on a nice day spent in the kitchen; I’m gonna watch a movie.

[factmart]

Yes, happy ending, living your life in prison forever.

[Big Red Badger]

I had a compassion for people but there was a point that taking care of Business
Just “Happened” and It was over.
I grew out of it.
No body got really hurt.

[Big Red Badger]

Agreed
This stirs up a Ton....
Mostly bad.

[T.B. Yoits]

Re: Post 62 (Billy Madison Movie Scene)

Danny McGrath: [On the phone] Hello?

Billy Madison: Hello? Is this Danny? Danny McGrath?

Danny McGrath: Yeah.

Billy Madison: The Danny McGrath who graduated from Knibb Highschool in 1984?

Danny McGrath: Yeah, who's this?

Billy Madison: Umm... this is Billy Madison. You probably don't remember me but I went to high school with you. And I, um, kinda gave you a hard time back then, and, uh, I did some things I thought were funny at the time, and realized they were just mean and stupid. And I just called to apologize and hope you forgive me.

Danny McGrath: [Nonchalant] Yeah, sure. Don't worry about it, it's no problem.

Billy Madison: Wow, that's great! Well, I am sorry, and maybe we can get together sometime and have some coffee.

Danny McGrath: Yeah, sure. I'd like that.

Billy Madison: [Relieved] Okay, great! I'll see you around.

Danny McGrath: Okay. Bye.