GA: Open Carrier Stops Mass Killing

Link to video of start of shooting

In Conyers, Georgia, a citizen, openly carrying a holstered pistol, returned fire at a man who had already killed two people.   The attack appears to be a planned mass shooting.   The attacker was armed with a semiautomatic pistol, which he is seen firing in the video.  The open carrier is off screen and/or shoots after the end of the short video clip.

When the open carrier, Todd Scott, returned fire, the active shooter stopped the attack, and fled the store.  He returned to the home where he lived with his parents, and shot and wounded them both.   At this point the police arrived at the parents home.  

The attacker allegedly pointed an AR-15 type rifle, with a double drum magazine, at the police.   They shot and killed him.  From wsmv.com:

CONYERS, GA (CBS46) -
A customer of a Rockdale County liquor store said he opened fire on a gunman who shot and killed a store owner and another customer.

(snip)

Police said Pitts left the liquor store, but later returned and opened fire on the owner and customers.

“I assume that this man was not going to stop, so I came up,” said Scott.

Scott was carrying a weapon and fired a shot at Pitts. He said he is not sure whether Pitts was struck.

The open carrier, Todd Scott, appears to be carrying a Smith & Wesson 4013TSW, in a Serpa retention holster.  The pistol is clearly marked .40 S&W.

Todd Scott was not sure if he hit the active shooter, because when he returned fire, the attack stopped and the attacker fled the store.

 

Link to Video and Interview with Todd Scott 

The attacker traveled a little over four miles back to his parents house, where he shot and wounded both of them.   The parents house is on the 3500 block of Ebenezer Rd.   It is not clear what firearm he shot them with, but both are in the hospital in stable condition.  

The police likely arrived shortly after the attacker shot his parents.  It has been reported that he pointed the rifle, below, at them.   That is when the police shot and killed him.




The brass appears to be .223/5.56mm. I have not seen reports to definitely indicate that the rifle was fired. The empty brass could be from the police. If the parents were shot with a .223, they are lucky to have survived.

The .223 was not used in the liquor store attack. It is not clear at what point the attacker accessed the rifle. This story reports that shots were fired at the police at the 3500 Ebenezer road location. However, the story also says that the rifle was used in the liquor store shooting, which we know is incorrect. It is an early report.

Many Internet commandos have indicated that a determined attacker would "shoot the open carrier first". It did not happen in this case. The people in the store are fortunate that Todd Scott was on the scene and was able to stop the attack before more people were killed.

This one will be added to the list: Mass Killings Stopped by Armed Citizens.

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

Update:  In this interview, Todd Scott says that he shot 5-6 times.   The police say that the active shooter was wearing body armor.

In this story, Rockdale Sheriff  Eric Levett calls Todd Scott a Hero

Link to Gun Watch