Posted on 06/30/2007 8:56:02 AM PDT by traumer
Two friends accused of robbing a Subway sandwich shop didn't count on a customer packing a gun.
After a quiet dinner with his grandfather Wednesday, Donicio Arrindell and his best friend headed out for the night. Three hours later, he was dead and his friend Fredrick Gadson was critically wounded.
The duo -- lifelong friends and roommates -- are accused of storming into a Plantation Subway shop, armed and announcing a robbery. They didn't plan to encounter retired Marine John Lovell, 71, who had just finished a veggie sandwich and had a gun tucked in his waistband.
On Friday, two days after the foiled holdup, the families of the accused robbers were trying to understand what happened. ''He has never been in trouble before,'' Margaret Gadson said of her 21-year-old grandson, Fredrick. ``I don't understand how this could happen.''
And while Gadson's family tries to see him at Broward General Medical Center -- where he is under police guard and has been charged with armed robbery and murder in the commission of a crime -- Arrindell's family is traveling back from vacation in Dominica to plan his funeral.
''This is a pity,'' said Meanwell Prince, his 75-year-old grandfather. ``This is more than shocking.''
Since the robbery, Lovell, a former airline pilot, has kept a low profile, with reporters camped out at his Plantation home. He did recount the ordeal to a close friend, Wesley White.
''He said everything was in such crystal clarity,'' said White, who is also his attorney. ``It was like he became hyper aware of what was going on.''
Friends describe Lovell as a fitness buff, who monitors his diet and works out regularly at the gym. On Wednesday, after weighing himself and noticing he gained a few pounds, Lovell decided to eat a healthy dinner -- a veggie sub at Subway.
At 11:15 p.m., he finished his meal. As he walked toward the trash bin to clean off his tray, two gun-wielding men walked in.
Lovell was the only customer.
The robbers pointed guns at Lovell and the cashier and demanded they hand over their money.
Lovell cooperated.
He pulled out about $500 from his pocket and dropped it to the floor.
''They apparently demanded he pick it up,'' White said. ``He said he couldn't. That's when they started to push him toward the bathroom.''
With a gun pointed directly at him, Lovell knew he had to do something.
He reached inside the back of his pants and pulled his gun from its waist holster, which had been covered by a loose T-shirt.
He fired at the two robbers, striking them both.
When police arrived at the Subway, 1949 N. Pine Island Rd., Arrindell, 22, was on the floor, bleeding. A bandanna covered his face and he wore sunglasses. He wore dark gloves, and a handgun lay next to his left hand, according to a police report.
Outside, police found Gadson in the bushes along Pine Island Road. He had a knife, gloves, bandanna and Mace, the report said.
No charges will be filed against Lovell, who, police say, acted in self-defense.
During the Vietnam War, he served in the U.S. Marines as a pilot for Marine 1, a helicopter that ferried Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.
Lovell was married years ago, but divorced soon after, White said. He has no children.
Neighbors described him as nonviolent man, who had no choice but to protect himself.
''He has training, and he used his training,'' said Phyllis Fabara, who lives around the corner from Lovell. ``Until you've had a gun pointed at you, how could anyone criticize him for reacting?''
Aaaroooogaa!
but...but....but....they were such nice kids.
Mr. Lovell, Thank you for making our world a safer place.....
This is the best written and most objective account of this I’ve seen so far.
Vegetarians are notoriously mean. It’s the unhealthy diet.
Don’t piss off an armed veggie, especially a marine.
What is America coming too, when someone can actually defend themselves against thugs without being sued?
Yep, sounds like this punk never did anything like this before.... not.
I was thinking the same thing.
USMC training is the very best.
These types of stories need to be told to all the deceived anti-gun buffoons in Congress. 2nd Amendment rights must be strengthened in America through Congress and the courts. May God bless Mr. Lovell.
Yep. Just two fine upstanding citizens stopping by for a sandwich...
L
It just wasn’t the thieves’ lucky day was it? A couple more minutes, and Lovell would have been out of there. But they had to be greedy and rob a customer too. I’m sorry, but consequences happen. Granny is surely old enough to know that.
Good shootin’ ... Sir.
They are still reading through the hundreds of letters from trial lawyers before making a decision on who to hire for the multimillion dollar lawsuit.
God made man but Colt made man equal.
Not to hijack the thread - but there seems to be a lot of 71-year old guys doing stuff like this lately. Earlier this week I read an account of a 71-year old guy who beat the crap out of a mugger and in this morning’s paper here in Portland there was a story about a 71-year old guy who shot a burglar.
I guess I can be glad all that’s behind me now that I’m 73.
Bump
Veggies are mean because they feel like c*ap, no energy, headache, or maybe that just me. Glad this guy had the energy to pull out his gun.
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