Mass Killings Stopped by Armed Citizens, Updated

Mass Killings Stopped by Armed Citizens has been my most popular article.  It was published on 16 December, 2012.  I had been collecting these incidents for a few years, ever since I noticed that the old media gave them virtually no coverage.  They received a little local coverage, but were ignored/spiked by the national media.

In the original publication, there were eight incidents.  Readers quickly brought more to my attention, swelling the list to fifteen.  Over the last two years, seven more incidents have been added.  One of those, the SC Boiling Springs event, does not appear to be a likely mass shooting.  I added it in response to a reader, with the note that it did not really fit.   It is not included in this update, which brings the total to 21 incidents that have come to my attention by 17 May, 2015.  Only incidents in the United States are included.    Given the lack of curiosity, if not direct hostility, by the old media about these incidents, it is likely that a significant number exist that have been under reported and are unknown to me.   The totals will change as more incidents are brought to my attention.

Update: As of June, 2018, the number of incidents has increased to 28.

For clarity, I have arranged the incidents in chronological order, and have interjected commentary where it seemed appropriate in this update.  I have refreshed links where they have gone bad.  A few older links are to secondary sources reporting on the original article, where the original has disappeared down the memory hole.

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 This is  the oldest incident that I have found.  I include it because it is in the "modern era".   It occurred in 1915, in Brunswick, Georgia.  It is a bit unusual in that 20 or more people were wounded and at least five killed.  The citizen who finally stopped the slaughter obtained the pistol used from a hardware store, during the attack, after he had been wounded.  The shotgun was actually a double barreled model.

Angered by losses in a real estate deal, Monroe Phillips, a lead business man, ran amuck today with an automatic shotgun and killed five men and wounded twenty others before he himself was killed. Phillips was shot dead by E.C. Butts, a lawyer, while he was trying to fire upon citizens who appeared in the street.

Link to 1915 Brunswick GA Mass Shooting story

Link to the 1915 NYTs Article  March 6, 1915

There is an astonishing gap for the next 76 years.  Several explanations are possible.  President Woodrow Wilson instituted severe censorship during WWI; political "progressives" became dominant during this period; and bans on the carry of weapons were adopted across much of the country.  There may have been formal or informal decisions made at AP to spike such stories.   I will not be surprised if readers find several incidents in this period that were spiked by the national media and only reported locally.  Without the Internet for research, they are difficult to discover.   The next reported story is from 1991.

 The 17 December, 1991, Aniston, Alabama defense where a CCW holder stopped armed robbers who were herding employees, customers, and his wife into a cooler. He shot both robbers, killing one.

 17 December, 1991, 20 innocent lives saved, and it wasn't even news to ABC,  CBS, NBC, or CNN__no bloody innocent bodies for the "film at eleven." What's  more, it never even made it in to the largest Georgia daily newspaper. I was  doing a site inspection of our Warner Robins (Robins AFB) classified/crypto  account at the time.

Aniston Shoney's Shooting Link   17 December, 1991


August 23, 1995  Plans to slay everyone in the Muskegon, Michigan, store and steal enough cash and jewelry to feed their "gnawing hunger for crack cocaine" fell apart for a band of would-be killers after one of their victims fought back.

Muskegon Shooting Link  


October 1, 1997  The Pearl High School shooting was stopped by vice principal Joel Myrick with his Colt .45.  He had to retrieve the handgun from his car.


Pearl High School Link     

April 24, 1998  Parker Middle School Dance Shooting
 
14 Year old Andrew Jerome Wurst Killed one person and wounded three others when he was confronted by James Strand who subdued Wurst with a shotgun and held him until police arrived.

Parker Middle School Dance Shooting Link   

July 5, 1999  The Santa Clara gunshop shooting in 1999 was stopped by an armed citizen after the shooter declared that he was going to kill everyone. Police found a list of intended victims in his car. Only the perpetrator, Richard Gable Stevens was shot.

Santa Clara Gunshop Link 

January 16, 2002  The Appalachian School shooting was stopped by two students with handguns, without firing.  Other students tackled the gunman while he was being held at gunpoint.

Appalachian Law School Link 

24 February, 2005  Tyler Courthouse shooting,  While police officers were involved in this shooting before and after Mark Alan Wilson intervened, no more people were killed after he shot the shooter, who had body armor, and who was able to return fire and kill the CCW holder, Wilson.

Tyler Courthouse Shooting Link


February 12, 2007  An off duty police officer stopped the Trolley Square shooting with his personal handgun. He stopped the killing and contained the shooter until police reinforcements arrived and ended the situation.   Off duty police officers are armed citizens.
 
Trolley Square Shooting Link


9 December, 2007  The mass church shooting in Colorado Springs was stopped by the shooter being shot by a church member with a CCW permit.




New Life Church Link   


25 May, 2008   Winnemucca NV shooting

 The shooter, Ernesto Villagomez, entered the Players Bar and Grill and killed two people. He reloaded and was continuing to shoot when a citizen with a concealed carry permit shot him and stopped the killing.

Winnemuca Shooting Link


 May 4, 2009  College Park, GA,



Two gunman entered a party and ordered the men separated from the women. Then they started counting bullets. “The other guy asked how many (bullets) he had. He said he had enough,” said Bailey.

When one of the assailants prepared to rape a girl, a student was able to access a handgun and engage the two attackers in a firefight, driving one off and killing the other before the thug could rape his girlfriend.

“I think all of us are really cognizant of the fact that we could have all been killed,” said Bailey.
College Park Link


 July 13, 2009, in Virginia at the Golden Food Market: The gunman tried to shoot several people, was stopped by a CCW carrier.

Golden Food Market Shooting Link


27 May, 2010   AT&T Store

Abraham Dickman had a history of anger against employees of the AT&T store in New York Mills, New York. On May 27th, 2010, he walked into the store with a .357 and a list of six employees. He shot the first employee, but was stopped from further attacks when Donald J. Moore, an off duty police officer who was allowed to carry his own handgun when not on duty, drew and fired his .40 caliber, killing Mr. Dickman before he could fire any more shots.
AT&T store Link


9 September, 2012   Plymouth PA shooting

Consider that the Plymouth shooting incident happened just three months before Sandy Hook.  Mark Ktytor, a concealed carry permit holder, stopped a likely mass killing before it reached enough victims to officially quallify.   From the citizensvoice.com:

"Mark Ktytor?" the latest in the stream of reporters asked, trying to put a face to the name of the man investigators credited with preventing a fatal bar shooting last weekend from escalating into a massacre.

 Link to Plymouth, PA Shooting story




April 24, 2012  Destiny Christian Center Shooting

 Kiarron Parker rammed his car into another in the church parking lot, got out and attempted to kill multiple church members. He was only able to kill one before a member of the congregation, the nephew of the lady killed, and an off duty police officer, drew his handgun and shot Parker, stopping the killing.

Destiny Christian Center Shooting Link


11 December, 2012   Clackamas Mall Shooting 

I include this story because it is recent and has been getting some interest on the net. This case is not as clear as the others listed. This incident is similar to the more common defensive uses of guns because the mere display of the gun was enough to defuse the situation. We can never know if the shooter decided to commit suicide because he was confronted by Nick Meli, the CCW holder, as the shooter is dead. However, many mass shooters commit suicide when they know that armed resistance is at hand.

Clackamas Concealed Carry Showdown Link




 29 July, 2012  Peach House shooting, Texas

In Early Texas, armed citizen Vic Stacy shot and stopped a deranged man who had just murdered two neighbors and was firing at police with a rifle. Stacy made a very long shot with his revolver, three times as far as the perpetrator was from the police officer, who had an AR-15 type rifle.




That sounds like a very good story... but it never made the national news.
I wonder who made the decision to spike that story.
Of course, when a mass shooting is stopped by an armed citizen, there are not as many victims. This leads to the charge that it would not really have been a “mass shooting”.   Vic Stacy was awarded a rifle and ammunition by Governor Perry for his valor in this incident.



Early Texas Peach House Shooting Link

 Updated link to Peach House Shooting one Year Later




24 July, 2014  Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in West Philadelphia shooting

ATLANTA — A mental-health caseworker is dead and a doctor and his patient wounded after a bizarre gunfight at a gun-free-zoned hospital in Yeadon, Pa., near Philadelphia, Thursday. As police prepare murder charges against the wounded patient, focus is shifting to the gun-toting psychiatrist who stopped the mayhem, likely saving other lives.

Prosecutors say Dr. Lee Silverman opened fire on Richard Plotts, after Mr. Plotts shot his caseworker and barged his way toward Dr. Silverman’s office desk after gaining access to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital. Silverman crouched down behind his desk and fetched his gun, which he then fired at Mr. Plotts, wounding him several times before he was subdued.

Comment on some of the media coverage of a rare firearms defense in a gun free zone

 Doctor Stops Murderer at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital 24 July, 2014 




May 22, 2015  Falah Barbershop shooting  at West Philadelphia. 

A 40-year-old man was inside Falah Barber Shop Inc. on the 600 block of Preston Street shortly before 3 p.m. Sunday when police say he began fighting with another person inside.

 "The person who responded was a legal gun permit carrier," said Philadelphia Police Captain Frank Llewellyn. "He responded and I guess he saved a lot of people in there."

Link to Philadelphia Barbershop shooting stopped by Armed Citizen with CCW Permit   




19 April, 2015  Uber driver Shoots Gunman who is shooting into Crowd in Chicago

The driver had a concealed-carry permit and acted in the defense of himself and others, Assistant State's Attorney Barry Quinn said in court Sunday.
A group of people had been walking in front of the driver around 11:50 p.m. Friday in the 2900 block of North Milwaukee Avenue when Everardo Custodio, 22, began firing into the crowd, Quinn said.

The driver pulled out a handgun and fired six shots at Custodio, hitting him several times, according to court records.

Link to Uber Driver Hero in Chicago article


22 March, 2015   Los Altos Skate Park Shooting

The mass shooting took place on 22 March, 2015.  It took a while for the police to figure out what happened from cell phone video, but apparently a criminal gang attempted to steal a skateboard, then opened up on the mass of skate boarders when they attempted to retrieve the stolen item.   At least three people were shooting illegally, hitting six innocents, paralyzing one, until a legal handgun carrier was able to fire back, killing one of the aggressors,  17 year old Jaquise Lewis.  That stopped the attack.

 Link to Los Altos Skate Park Shooting


 31 May, 2015  Conyers Georgia Magnet Bottle Shop Shooting

The active shooter came into the shop with pistol drawn and immediately started fireing.  He killed two people before Todd Scott drew his openly carried pistol, a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson, and returned fire.  The active shooter exited the store, and returned to his parents home, where he wounded both of them.  The police arrived, and the active shooter was killed.   Sheriff Eric Levett called Todd scott a hero who saved lives.

Link to Conyers Georgia Magnet Bottle Shop Shooting

Link to Gun Watch article on Open Carrier Stops Mass Killing

10 February, 2016  Legally Armed Man Stops Mass Killing in Hamilton, Alabama

In this case a mentally disturbed man had killed two people in offices separated by a couple of blocks.  An armed man who was in the last office followed him and engaged him in a gun fight.  Police were also involved, the murder suspect was wounded and captured.  News reports have downplayed the contributions of the legally armed citizen, he wishes anonymity.

Link to Gun Watch summation from several sources on Hamilton Shooting

Original video report that mentions the armed citizens actions

This article mentions the private citizen "assisting" law enforcement

In this Article from 14 Feb, 2016, it mentions that the  suspect was "taken down by a civilian who legally used a firearm".


10 March, 2016 B & L Landscape Company, Jacksonville, Florida, March 10, 2016

After an employee opened fire and killed a woman, another employee, Joseph Curry, pulled his legal gun and stopped the attack.  Other employees say that the attack could have been much worse if Curry had not intervened.

Link to B & L Landscape Jacksonville article from wokv.com


26 June, 2016, Lyman, South Carolina, Playoffz nightclub

Deputies said 32-year-old Jody Ray Thompson pulled out a gun after getting into an argument with another man and fired several rounds toward a crowd that had gathered out in front of the club.

"His rounds struck three victims, and almost struck a fourth victim, who in self-defense, pulled his own weapon and fired, striking Thompson in the leg," Lt. Kevin Bobo said.

Bobo said the man who shot Thompson has a valid concealed weapons permit, cooperated with investigators, and won’t be facing any charges.

Link to Playoffz nightclub article from South Carolina, wistv.com


5 May, 2017, Arlington Texas, Zona Caliente

A concealed carry holder is being heralded as a hero by Arlington police for preventing mass murder by killing an "incoherent" gunman at a sports bar Wednesday evening.

Before he was shot about 6:15 p.m., the gunman killed the manager of Zona Caliente in the 6500 block of South Cooper Street, police spokesman Christopher Cook said.

Police later identified the gunman as 48-year-old James Jones of Grand Prairie and the victim as 37-year-old Cesar Perez of Duncanville. The man who killed Jones has not been identified.

Authorities later found two loaded guns and two knives on Jones, Cook said Thursday.
(snip)

Cook said the customer, who was dining with his wife, "prevented further loss of life."

The customer was carrying a handgun under the Texas concealed handgun license program, Cook later confirmed.

"We're treating the good guy as sort of a hero," he said.

 Link Hero stopped Mass murder at Zona Caliente in Arlington, Texas to dallasnews.com

 24 September, 2017, Burnett Chapel Church of Christ, Antioch, Tennessee

Don Aaron, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, said Samson drove up to the church and shot and killed a woman who was standing near her vehicle in the parking lot. The shooter — who police said was armed with two handguns — then entered the church through a rear door, shooting and wounding six people inside.

At some point, the gunman also pistol-whipped a church usher, causing “significant injuries” to the man, Aaron said. The usher, 22-year-old Robert “Caleb” Engle, confronted the gunman, police said, and during a struggle, Samson was wounded by a shot from his own gun. The usher then ran to his car and retrieved a handgun, police said.

Aaron said the usher ensured the gunman did not make any more movements until officers arrived. “It would appear he was not expecting to encounter a brave individual like the church usher,” Aaron said.

Link to Antioch, Tennessee Church Shooting stopped by armed usher washingtonpost.com

5 November, 2017 Sutherland, Texas Church Massacre stopped by Stephen Willeford

SUTHERLAND SPRINGS — Stephen Willeford, shoeless but with a semi-automatic rifle, sprinted toward the First Baptist Church here and shot at the man who had just shot 46 worshipers.

He hit him twice. The bloodiest mass shooting in modern Texas history was nearing an end. Willeford, by maiming Devin P. Kelley outside the church Sunday, hastened his departure and then joined a highway chase until Kelley crashed his vehicle and shot himself dead.

 Link to mysanantonio.com article about Stephen Willeford


25 November, 2017, Mass killing in Rockledge, Fl, stopped by armed employees at Schlenker Automotive. Killer had no link to Schlenker Automotive.

from video transcript

Matt Lupoli, reporter:

Another employee, a manager, came out with a gun of his own and shot and wounded Baily. That man has not been named, but police say he saved several other lives, customers and employees alike.

Rockledge Chief Joseph Lasata:

Mr. Baily had multiple magazines on his person.  He was intent on doing harm. The employees stepped up and prevented customers, employees, and other vendors who were in the business at the time from sustaining further injuries. They did a good job.

Link to video from wesh.com 

Link to floridatoday.com article


On May 24, 2018, Rampage shooter stopped in Oklahoma City

Alexander Tilghman started shooting into the entrance of Louie's Bar and Grill in Oklahoma City. He fired at a mother and her two daughters, and another woman. He was unrelated to the women, and did not know them. Tilgman was wearing ear protection and safety glasses.

He moved away from the restaurant entrance. Two armed citizens responded to the shooting and engaged the attacker as he fired back. Tilgman was killed.

From Newsok.com:

The gunman, Alexander C. Tilghman, had fired toward the entrance of the Louie's Grill & Bar at Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City the evening of May 24. The civilians confronted him a short distance away.

Tilghman was killed after firing again during the confrontation.

"Both of the armed civilians shot at Tilghman in an attempt to defend themselves and others against Tilghman's deadly threat," the district attorney said in a news release Monday.

"The two civilians who engaged, and ultimately neutralized the threat posed by Tilghman, were justified and compliant with the law when they employed deadly force," Prater said.

A police investigation determined Tilghman fired without warning at a mother, her two daughters and another girl as they walked up to the popular restaurant.

Link Louie's Bar and Grill Rampage Shooting in Oklahoma City,


©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.Link to Gun Watch