Two armed men barged into a Subway Sandwich shop shortly after 11 p.m., demanding money from the employee, behind the counter. When they tried to force John Lovell - the lone customer, age 71, into the bathroom, he pulled out a gun and shot both men, police said.Donicio Arrindell, 22, was shot in the head and later died at the hospital. Fredrick Gadson, 21, was shot in the chest and ran from the Subway, but police found him in hiding in some bushes on the property of a nearby BankAtlantic.
Lovell, 71. Police said he had a concealed weapons permit. Retired US Marine.
Lovell's neighbor said he made the right decision.
"He did the right thing," said Wendi Hill. "I mean, I was glad that it was them that got shot and not him."
The dead criminal's grandma told Local 10 News that Lovell was wrong for pulling the trigger. "He should not have taken the law in his hands," said Rosa Jones, again, Gadson's (the perp who is still living via ventilator) grandmother. Her husband, (not Gadson's grandfather? It's a little vague with the details...) Ivory Jones, also condemned the media for its portrayal of Lovell's actions. "I don't condone what they did, (but) I definitely don't condone the news people making him out to seem like they're making a hero out of this man because he shot somebody down," he said.
Police said Lovell, the retired Marine, wouldn't be charged.
As stated in the SCOTUS decision - a gun levels the playing field - a victim has a chance against their aggressors. Where else does a 71 year old have a chance against two gun wielding 20 year old? How much imagination does it take to imagine reversing this narrative - an employee and 71 year old customer are found dead in a Subway bathroom? Not much, right?
And how about the criminal being the "victim" here? That sickens me. John Lovell isn't a vigilante. He defended his life. Now he's alive. Simple.
And yes, I have rewritten this story, because the first time I read it - it was very anti John Lovell. The fact John is alive was on the bottom of the story, and the Grandma statement was on the masthead of the story. Totally bogus.
In fact, there's even a picture of the perp and his grandma complaining into a microphone.(link)
Unbelievable.
49 comments:
From the Greek ἣρως, in mythology and folklore, a hero (male) or heroine (female) are characters that in the face of danger and adversity, from a position of weakness display courage and the will for self-sacrifice, that is, heroism, for some greater good, originally of martial courage or excellence but extended to more general moral excellence.
Well he may not be Peter Petrelli, Hiro Nakamura or even Claire Bennet, but I’m thinking John Lovell just might qualify as a hero (read the story here).
In regards to Grandmother Rosa Jones’ statement:
“He ain’t no hero. He is a murderer and God will serve justice.”
I believe GrandMa Jones you might want to think that quite possibly God did serve justice that day. You should be happy that His justice didn’t end up with your grandson dead next to his friend. Your grandson, should he be ok, might get that second chance to turn his life around again. Be happy for what God didn’t take away from you. Be happy that at age 71 that Mr. Lovell’s eyesight may not have been what it was 20 or 30 years ago. Be grateful Mr. Lovell didn’t have a second firearm. I could go on, but mostly Rosa you need to be grateful that your grandson, who tried to rob a 71 year old man, wasn’t found lying face down with a bullet through his head. Mr. Lovell isn’t the problem here. He reacted to your grandson and his friend pointing a gun at him. If it was me instead of Mr. Lovell, I’m sure I would have been found dead in that restroom because I don’t carry a gun. What justice would you seek then from your God? Be grateful that your grandson isn’t at least an actual murderer (that we know of).
Hmmm, I don't see any loss here whatsoever. Seems like a waste of two perfectly good bullets. They didn't choose to enter those thieves. Crying shame to waste ammo like that.
Let's see...Two armed mern, both young, (presumably with weapons out) are taken by a 71 year old who had to draw his pistol. Correct? 71 gets off two rounds which impacted both perps. Correct? That is what I call a well trained Marine and two winners of a Darwin Award. Also an honorable mention for a Darwin to the Grandmother. Why'd she help raise a hood like that anyway?
Mr Lovell should be brought up on charges of using a weapon of insufficient calbier to complete the job.
Good for the guy! You know the two he shot are good for nothing Obamas. And the Obama grama and sugar daddy have nothing to say about their Obama spawn acting like Obamas. Friggin Obamas. Time to ship them back to 'Feaka. The experiment failed a long time ago.
I don't think you know what a masthead is.
Once a Marine, Always a Marine! Great Job Mr. Lovell! More Americans like you are so needed today. I'd be honored to replace the bullets you used that day. God Bless you Sir!
Glad to see Mr Lovell Defending himself. The Grandma is an Idiot who supports thiefs and injustice. I say thanks Mr Lovell for saving us tax payers the cost of keeping on less CRIMNAL in jail. :)
Killed for robbery, yep, seems like proper punishment.. Something tells me these comments are being edited or omitted.
More black on white (attempted) crime
I didn't see a date on this new story here, but the event happened in June 2007.
Semper fi -
Justice was absolutely served. How can that grandma come out and question his actions, insinuating that her precious little snowflake of a grandson had the right to be carrying what was most likely an illegal handgun into a store to rob them. If she really believes in God, then her grandson got exactly what he deserved, maybe her and her family should have done a little bit better job of raising him. But, it's never their fault, it's always the "system" that is against them. I
This guy did the right thing. He protected his own life and that of the innocent store clerk.
But we should not celebrate him, nor give him verbal pats on the back. He was forced by two IDIOTS to do something tragic. Shooting people dead is never to be applauded.
The crooks deserved what they got but I do not celebrate their death. I call them idiots because their actions bear that out. But I don't have to like the fact that they got shot with one dead, one severely injured. Sad.
Can there be a better argument for allowing citizens to own and carry firearms? I can't think of one.
I'm in favor of the shooter. I am also a liberal Democrat and Obama voter.
I noticed that the Supreme Court decision explicitly and specifically authorized a licensing requirement for gun ownership. The former Marine had a CC permit for his weapon, and he used it exactly the way he should have.
I support the right of someone to own a gun for personal protection, subject to reasonable regulations. The shooter didn't do a damn thing wrong; other way around!
So. Two armed men try to rob a Subway, and they both get shot by this guy? They are the ones in the wrong, not him. I think the punishment fits the crime, myself.
I can understand gramma's anger and sense of loss, but it doesn't make Lovell a murderer. Her comments are black-on-white racism at it's worst.
If you knowingly make a person fear for their life in an effort to make them comply, you have no right to complain when said person vigorously fights you off. Who's to say they wouldn't have shot him when they were done?
As a fellow Concealed Weapons permit holder I would have done the same thing. You have to admire the quick thinking and great shot placement of a man that old. This is another reason the castle doctrine was voted for in Florida. Occurrences like this have a twofold benefit:
1) They get rid of criminals
2) They make other criminals think twice.
The original report from the television station is heavily biased and makes one think that the writer is prejudice in some manner
Speaking from the point of view of a parochial Antipodean, this story brings these things to mind.
One: I sorrow that we have allowed American popular culture to permeate our impressionable and somewhat naive national consciousness.
Two: Maaate, I would have given a good rain for being a fly on the wall for that one.
Picture this, Quiet night in a sandwich bar, old bloke going the bargain special. Two uneducated self important highly dangerous thugs scream in waving cannons demanding everything or We'll Kill ya.
Old bloke goes with it, for a moment until he has assessed the
situation. And he fucking nails it in a quick look around and a quicker think.
Pulls his weapon, makes it active, takes on two youths two weapons, two shots, two down! Hostage saved unscathed. Not even breathing heavily. Picks up sandwich, leaves quietly.
Three: I'll write the screenplay.
And feed the pop culture monster.. for money
Cool. So I wonder what's next, does the injured perp now sue the Marine for damages?
Props to Mr. Lovell for proper gun control and appropriate use of force. Grandma needs to wake up and realize her precious snowflake was probably about to become a murderer, and at the very least a armed robber.
Fact:
* “Blacks commit more violent crime against whites than against other blacks.” Forty-five percent of the victims of violent crime by blacks are white folks, 43 percent are black, 10 percent are Hispanic.
* Blacks are seven times as likely as people of other races to commit murder, eight times more likely to commit robbery and three times more likely to use a gun in a crime.
* “Blacks are an estimated 39 times more likely to commit violent crime against a white person than vice versa, and 136 times more likely to commit robbery.” (If decent black folks have trouble hailing a cab, and they do, these numbers may help explain it.)
* Black-on-white rape is 115 times more common than the reverse.
Chimpout . com for more info
To the fellow who sarcastically remarked that justice was served, death penalty for robbery:
I agree that robbery should not carry the death sentence, one hundred percent. Being killed for stealing is not what I would call fair.
I would, however, call being killed for pulling a weapon capable of slaying a person -by accident- says that you are willing to kill for the cash in that register. If you are willing to kill, you have immediately moved yourself from robbery to murder. A gun's only purpose in existence is to deal death, any anyone who will take one out should, justly and by the right of everyone around them, be at the same risk of death as every one of his victims.
So don't feed me that punishment-doesn't-fit-the-crime malarkey. You pull a gun on another person, you take your life in your hands. End of story.
good for him, 2 less scumbags. Now if we all shot 2 a day for a month this world would be a better place.
I really doubt that this guy is rejoicing over shooting those two thugs, he did what he had to do, they brought weapons and that changes the dynamics of the attempted robbery. From a couple of posts up:
"So don't feed me that punishment-doesn't-fit-the-crime malarkey. You pull a gun on another person, you take your life in your hands. End of story."
that's why you HAVE CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMITS.! so FAGGOTS like these kids, CANT TAKE advantage of the law. it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to acquire a CWP. soo the man was well within his right. I have a concealed weapons permit; im an Army Ranger Vet. the REASON I CARRY a pistol, is to be able to use it in the event that i can do some good.
That's what happens when you mess around with the wrong person. If the perps drew a weapon on him, then deadly force is justified-plain and simple!
How dare that white racist shoot those two poor kids trying to make a living?!?
He should of just sat in the bathroom floor and taken their bullet in his head like a lil good marine.
A trained person, with a legally owned and carried weapon, saves not only what he percieves to be his own life, but the life of the staff, and whoever else may stumble into the building.
Would I call him a hero? No.
I'd call him something better, a Marine.
Good God, all these people who know what would have happened or what should have happened, or how it happened... NONE OF US WERE THERE for Christs sake. We don't know what the robbers intended, what they said, what they did. We don't know under what circumstances Mr Lovell opened fire. He might be anything from a cold-blooded murderer to someone who was forced to kill or be killed. Or anything in between. Deciding which is a courts job, not ours.
that's why you HAVE CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMITS.! so FAGGOTS like these kids, CANT TAKE advantage of the law. it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to acquire a CWP. soo the man was well within his right. I have a concealed weapons permit; im an Army Ranger Vet. the REASON I CARRY a pistol, is to be able to use it in the event that i can do some good.
Better watch your back, Ranger.
I'd like to address this comment to 'anonymous', should they come back to read it. Your wrong about 'none of us know what happened'. What part of 'two armed men entered a Subway store and robbed it' do we not know or understand? We don't live in a vacuum, we all know what that means, and the possible outcomes. Anyone who uses a firearm to commit any crime has the potential to become a killer. If you rob me at the point of a gun, I would not assume you mean me no harm, otherwise you wouldn't have a gun. If death comes to you first, you asked for it. You should have stayed home watching TV.
"He should not have taken the law in his hands," said Rosa Jones.
Um, as opposed to her grandson breaking it? Play with fire, you're gonna get burned.
We don't know what actually happened. Yes, there was an armed robbery, but because Mr Lovell was a victim and a soldier does not and cannot - in a civilized society - elevate him on the spot to the position of judge, jury, and executioner, however emotionally appealing it might be to do so. You have to ask, under what circumstances did Mr Lovell shoot? Did he, to take a worst case, wait till the robbers were leaving and had their backs to him, then shoot one in the back of the head at point blank range, followed by shooting the other in the back as he tried to run? We don't know, and it makes a big difference, legally, and, dare I say, morally...
I can't believe that some of you "anonymous" posters actually read what you say before you post it.
"""Anonymous said...
We don't know what actually happened. Yes, there was an armed robbery, but because Mr Lovell was a victim and a soldier does not and cannot - in a civilized society - elevate him on the spot to the position of judge, jury, and executioner, however emotionally appealing it might be to do so. You have to ask, under what circumstances did Mr Lovell shoot? Did he, to take a worst case, wait till the robbers were leaving and had their backs to him, then shoot one in the back of the head at point blank range...etc."""
HE HAD A FRIGGING GUN TO HIS HEAD YOU LIBERAL MORON!!!!!!!
Civilized society? Yes we do live in a civilized society, however, these 2 are not part of that societal spectrum. You are doing no more than TRYING to find a reason to give those criminals an "out" so we will feel sorry for them. How can you possibly say that it was possible they were shot in the back when there were not only witnesses, but camera tapes too. You on the left (don't tell me you're not) are always telling others what they should do to bring themselves to YOUR way of thinking...PEOPLE, don't you realize not everyone agrees with you, and yours is not the end-all of correct beliefs just because YOU want it that way.
"Compare the words of the left (YOUR left) to the words and phrases you hear from those evil, heartless, greedy conservatives. From the Left you will hear 'I feel.' From the Right you will hear 'I think.' From the Liberals you will hear references to groups -- The Blacks, the Poor, The Rich, The Disadvantaged, The Less Fortunate. From the Right you will hear references to individuals. On the Left you hear talk of group rights; on the Right, individual rights."
Quoted from the writings of Neal Boortz. Syndicated radio personality
In conclusion, you say to us that WE don't know what happened there because we weren't there. Well moron, you weren't there either. But you are most definitely on the side of the perps. You get what you sew.
This is a great example of what happens when one chooses a risky career; after all, there is such a thing as occupational hazards.
All kidding aside, the perps got exactly what they deserved and I hope the resulting publicity makes other potential criminals reconsider their career options.
To my fellow CCW permit holders, be safe out there, exercise your civil responsibilities with care, and shoot straight, if you ever have to halt a crime-in-progress.
i would have shot the one that ran away again...
I'm liberal, voted for Obama, and I think Mr. Lovell, as the story is told, has committed no crime, merely defended himself, and the boy left alive is really quite lucky. When they used weapons to commit a crime, they raised the level of action to lethal. It was cowardly, Mr. Lovell exercised his right to defend himself. The relatives of the two boys have no ones but those two boys to blame. I'm sure the loss still hurts, and I think most of us would agree it is a senseless way to gamble and lose ones life, and sad that another young man is dead. But the blame lies with him.
Good shooting, Marine! (even though the other asshole survived.)
Rule #2.
Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
---
If you point a gun at me then logic dictates that you intend to destroy me. There's no better justification than destroying you before you get that chance.
Oorah, Marine.
It was a great day when those two thugs were shot like the dogs they are...I mean were.
If John Lovell didnt do what he did, who's to say how many more stores they would rob and people they would kill. It was not a matter of "if", it was a matter of "when". Piss on their graves and if they had children its probably better that they don't have that negative influence in there lives. The families of the men who were shot should right thank you letters to John Lovell, especially the children.
should have capped granma in the azz too!
I salute John Lovell, I am glad he showed up in defense of his life and the life of the people that could be later victims of this low-life scum.
Well worth to read this article, thanks for sharing this information. With this article you offered me got a chance to know about this, anyway i say Great Article! and waiting for you next article about this interesting subject.
The only bad thing is that taxpayers will now have to pay for all of this young thugs medical expenses!!! To bad, If only......
Retired MGySgt - Don't mess with Marines. Try to rob with weapons and you are fair game.
Grandma is a real jerk. They all think that their little babies are so good.I admire My Lovell. Get the jerks brandishing weapons, who think they have the right to take someone's possessions off this earth. Good ridence.
I completely agree with everything you have printed here.
Too bad Lovell didn't shoot straighter so this evolutionary-challenged Chimp did not survive. Just a shame to waste ten cents to save any of these Chimps.
Regardless, Lovell should receive a Hero's Medal for taking one Chimp out of the gene pool.
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