Robber pulls gun at Bowie store, but worker is quicker on the draw (Texas abductor shooting)

Arizona Daily Star ^ | 01/22/05 | Ignacio Ibarra

[IonImplantGuru]

About 6 a.m. Friday, investigators say, Williams pulled into the Mountain View RV Park in Bowie driving Holden's pickup truck. He went inside a convenience store on the property where he pulled out a gun and demanded money, said Carol Capas, a spokeswoman for the Cochise County Sheriff's Department.

"He said, 'This is robbery. I want all the money in the cash register,' " store worker Richie Chapman said. "And as he said that, he drew a weapon from underneath his shirt, and I drew and fired."

"If he had gotten a shot off, I would have been dead," said Chapman, a retired New York firefighter who carries a .45-caliber automatic. "And I have no qualms about it, that I think he would have shot me."

Chapman "felt threatened, and pulled out his own gun and shot the man one time," Capas said.

Investigators said Williams ran to the truck and drove away. A short time later, as he traveled east on Interstate 10, Williams pulled over and began flagging down passing motorists.

When deputies arrived at the area where Williams was flagging down motorists, they were told by someone that the man had driven himself to Northern Cochise Community Hospital in Willcox.

Capas said Williams was treated at the hospital before being released to FBI agents Friday.

[Incandesia]

I didn't mean "If you can witness that and not become a psycho, you're not right". You can be as 'prepared' as a thousand boyscouts, but the first time you see someone's arms blown off, it's going to affect you. And I believe that cops, EMTs, etc ARE affected; Don't they have counselors on staff for people that are regularly exposed to those situations?

My point was, everyone that's been stationed in Iraq has probably suffered emotional trauma; Most of them don't turn to crack or violence against random women, and this piece of waste shouldn't be allowed to claim that as an excuse.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

I agree with you. I was questioning your premise that to be able to do this work and not be affected means you are abnormal. After all, all our life experiences affect us in some way, just few are traumatic. On top of that, those who face traumatic situations are trained for it. I also agree that despite the training some are traumatized.

[BenLurkin]

45-caliber automatic.

Good choice.

[BenLurkin]

Yes, I think he sized him up pretty quickly.

[Bean Counter]

I truly hope and pray that this animal attempts to escape when they transport him back to Texas. Then some good Deputy Sheriff can do the taxpayers a favor.

A good double tap, right in the forehead.

[mad_as_he$$]

Man that sucks! The Texas defense -"HE needed killin'." Hope justice prevails and you can watch him fry. That will not bring back your loved ones, I understand, but at least he will not do it to anyone else.

[mad_as_he$$]

This was a Colt but the Ruger is a fine weapon. I have two favorites for carry a Smith 357 round butt with a 4" barrel and old slab sides. The 45 did me well in the Southeast Asia War Games (Second Place).

FWIW my then 18 year old daughter was plinking a steel plate at 100 yards - yes 100 yards with the Smith one day at the range. Pissed some guys off so bad they left. Made me proud.

[Incandesia]

I agree that training can help, and if you go to war expecting a tea party, you're a fool. :^) When I was at MCT, they told us that post traumatic stress syndrome became such a huge problem after Vietnam because Marines (and probably all the other services, too) are taught to fire without thinking. So while we have a better kill ratio than we did in the world wars, people end up having to deal with the fact that they killed even though, if given the choice, they might have hesitated. Not that this is a bad thing.

Of course, this might all be BS; It did come from our MCT instructors who were not the most reliable bunch in the world. :^)

[marktwain]

He got hit with a .45 and walked away? Where did he get hit, in the pinkie?

It sounds like a solid torso hit. It is not uncommon for people to be hit several times with a .45 and walk or run away. The idea that it is a magical one shot stopper is pretty much a myth.

The .45 is a pretty good stopper, but if you don't hit the heart or spine or major support structures such as the pelvic girdle or leg bones, it takes time to take effect, especially if hardball is used instead of expanding bullets.

[mvpel]

I carry Speer Gold Dot in my Glock 30. Switched to that from HydraShok after finding out that the cops use them in their .40s.

Nice hefty 230-grain rounds, even with the cavity at the tip, and they feed very nicely, since they're a bit more rounded than the HydraShoks.

My 9mm HiPower would sometimes choke on HydraShoks since they're a bit too pointy for it - the edge of the cavity would catch on the feed ramp.

[joesnuffy]

SIG P220 chambered in .45ACP

Double Tap Ammo

5" 1911:
185gr GDHP - 1225fps
200gr GDHP - 1125fps
230gr GDHP - 1010fps
230gr FMJ Match - 1010fps