15 min. rampage ends when Pastor shoots drug-induced assailant at LR church (911 didn't work!)

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette ^ | 10 DEC 03 | dcbryan1

[DCBryan1]

Pastor kills attacker on rampage Assaults mount until bullets stop Jacksonville man at LR church
BY ANDY DAVIS
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

A string of violent attacks Tuesday afternoon ended when a pastor shot and killed a man who attacked him and his sonin-law with a fireplace poker after breaking into an east Little Rock church.
Corey Adams’ 15 minute rampage began about 3 p.m. outside the management office of an apartment complex near The House of Prayer of the Apostolic Faith at 1400 E. 10th St.
Before he was killed, Adams, 30, robbed and struck an acquaintance, attacked a pest control worker and brutally beat an insurance salesman, who was critically injured, before fleeing into the church, police said.
Adams then forced his way into the Rev. Arthur Ford’s living quarters at the church, where Ford shot him several times with a pistol. Adams of Jacksonville was taken to St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center, where he died.
Police said the shooting appeared to be justified although they will forward information to the prosecutor’s office for a final determination.
Detectives plan to question Adams’ relatives to determine what prompted the outburst. The acquaintance who was hit and robbed told police Adams was acting "crazy" and routinely took the drug phencyclidine hydrochloride, or PCP, known to cause bizarre behavior and numb users to pain.
"That’s one of the questions were trying to answer during the investigation — is what triggered his behavior," Little Rock police detective Ronnie Smith said.
More than a dozen of Ford’s relatives who gathered at St. Vincent, where Ford and his son-in-law, Vernon Barnes, were being treated, were asking the same question.
"Why would they do my brother like that? Why would they do that?" asked Ford’s sister, Beatrice Mitchell, 68, of Little Rock.
"It makes you scared of people, I’ll tell you," said niece Kathylene Austin, 54, of Little Rock.
Police said the attacks started when an acquaintance, Anthony Johnson, 39, saw Adams outside the management office at Eastview Terrace Apartments at 1200 Geyer St.
Adams, who had a cast on one arm, asked the apartment manager if he could use the phone. The manager told him no.
Adams then pulled out a pistol and ordered Johnson to give him his money. He took $220 in cash from Johnson and hit him with a jug of coins. Johnson ran away.
A few minutes later, the exterminator, Jake Bowden, 57, of Lonoke saw Adams picking up some papers outside of the office and asked if he needed help. Adams said, "What do you want, bitch?" and hit Bowden several times with the cast.
Adams then struck the apartment manager and went into her office, where he began beating the insurance agent, Henry Vance, 54, of Little Rock. The apartment manager, Cynthia Brown, 48, entered the office and dialed 911 but couldn’t get through, police said. She went outside to seek help and accidentally locked Adams and Vance inside with her key, police said.
The manager and exterminator watched through a window as Adams repeatedly stomped Vance in the head, police said.
Eventually, a maintenance man unlocked the door and one of Adams’ brothers got Adams out of the office.
Adams then went to the church at East 10th Street and Shall Avenue and struck 64-year-old Arthur Ford with a fireplace poker and the cast. The preacher was on the floor when son-in-law Barnes, 35, of Little Rock arrived and pulled Adams away.
Adams then began beating Barnes, police said. Ford got his pistol and fired several shots at Adams, who ran outside and collapsed on the ground about 3:15 p.m. Ford’s wallet was found in one of Adams’ pockets, police said.
Vance was in critical condition Tuesday night at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Center. Brown and Bowden didn’t suffer serious injuries, police said.

[Rebelbase]

"attacked him and his sonin-law with a fireplace poker "

They that live by the fireplace poker..............

[ladyinred]

Thank GOD literally this Pastor was armed and knew what to do. No telling how much more this wacked out nut would have done. Prayers for the injured.

[Arkinsaw]

I'll dial 1911!!

That's a number you only have to dial once.

[semaj]

"And the perp's relatives are the ones whining:"

"Why would they do my brother like that? Why would they do that?" asked Ford's sister, Beatrice Mitchell, 68, of Little Rock."

That wasn't the perp's relative, that was the Reverend's sister bemoaning why anyone would attack the Reverend.

[xp38]

Robert Mitchum as a machine gun toting priest

[DumpsterDiver]

That wasn't the perp's relative, that was the Reverend's sister bemoaning why anyone would attack the Reverend.

Yep, you're right. (See posts 14 and 16.)

[Travis McGee]

Oh no! Another senseless death from gun violence!

(Brady Center version.)

[CharlotteVRWC]

Am I naive,,,but I always thought that a pastor or priest would never be armed (ie: Thou shall not Kill)!
Guess they must be starting to think like the rest of us, and supporting that old 2nd Amendment.

[ValerieUSA]

Yes, you are naive.
Thou shalt not murder is the meaning of the commandment - it does not mandate that you or your family shall be murdered. Preventing murder by killing a murderer, or would-be murderer, is not murder - it is defense.

[PistolPaknMama]

Yaaaay for the pastor!

[George W. Bush]

Am I naive,,,but I always thought that a pastor or priest would never be armed (ie: Thou shall not Kill)!

Sorry. 'Kill' means 'murder' in this context. It does not ban self-defense.

We've got armed ex-military clergy right here at FR. Heck, I even know an armed Episcopalian clergyman locally and let him hunt varmints. Of course, I took the precaution of purchasing a new Glock 23 just in case the Anglicans should run amok suddenly. You just never know...

[George W. Bush]

Preventing murder by killing a murderer, or would-be murderer, is not murder - it is defense.

Larry Pratt, the leader of Gun Owners of America, a Baptist deacon for many years, teaches that it is the duty of Christian men to kill evildoers before they victimize and murder the most helpless members of society. He maintains we must be armed in order to be good Christians in our society and to prevent the triumph of evil.

[spokeshave]

DING Ding ding....we have a winner.....

I'll dial 1911!!

[DCBryan1]

BANG!

[chaosagent]

"She went outside to seek help and accidentally locked Adams and Vance inside with her key, police said."

Exactly how do you "accidentally lock" someone in with a key?

[Chu Gary]

"I really misread the article."

Don't feel embarrassed; it was an extremely poorly written article, very hard to follow.

[Yeti]

Exactly how do you "accidentally lock" someone in with a key? ...

... Vance was the only white involved. ...

The manager and exterminator watched through a window as Adams repeatedly stomped Vance in the head, police said. ...

911 was busy and she accidentally locked Vance in, eh? She must feel really sad for Vance right now.

[MHGinTN]

If you tote Hydra-Shoks.

[bethelgrad]

I've just completed seminary and know at least 4 pastors in training who have carry and conceal licenses and many others who are big 2nd ammendment proponents. I myself own 2 shotguns and would not hessitate to use them if me or my family were threatened in our home.

When I was in youth ministry, all the local Evangelical youth pastors would go shooting together. That was in Michigan even!!!

[bethelgrad]

"We've got armed ex-military clergy"

Right here. Former Marine, future Navy Chaplain, presently an armed civillian.