OK: Couple Honored for Bravery in Fighting Invaders

Eddie and Cindy Gilmore, of  Marshall County, Oklahoma, were given an award for fighting back against armed home invaders in March of this year.   Four masked and armed invaders broke into their home and took Cindy hostage before Eddie accessed a pistol and started shooting.   He wounded two of the invaders before they fled, leaving him and Cindy unharmed.  From kten.com:

The Gilmores are being recognized for how they handled a break-in that happened at their home back in march. 

The night of the incident three people broke into their home with the intent to rob them, but the Gilmores fought back shooting two of the intruders.

Here is an excerpt and link from the story shortly after the Gilmore's home was invaded.  From kxii.com:

That's when, Gilmore says, he started shooting in every direction he could, hitting two of the subjects. The suspects fired back, but neither Eddie or Cindy were hurt.

"They had a gun to her head," Eddie Gilmore said, "They could've killed her and come right in here and killed me if I hadn't had a gun."

(snip)

Cryer added investigators don't believe the suspects, Broderick Humphrey, Austin Braden, Meridann Awalt, and Freddy Cervantes knew the Gilmores. "Based on just statements from our suspects," Cryer said. "They claim they were out in a wooded area shooting their firearms and looking for a place to rob and i think just because of the secluded area of this house is why it was targeted."

Said Eddie Gilmore, "I had some re-loads in this one gun and they mis-fired...next time they won't misfire."

 Many people have suggested that using reloads in your defensive firearm is unwise, and this is the best reason that is given for it.  It is hard to match the quality and reliability of factory defensive loads.  It can be done, but it is difficult.

The award is similar to the award given to Zara Aldi, who disarmed and shot a robber in Lexington, Kentucky, in May of this year. 

These awards seem to be part of a trend.  The internet has broken the stranglehold that the old media had on stories such as these.  Nearly all of them were spiked by AP and the old media.  As more people hear of them, and consider them, it only seems right to reward people who have contributed to a safer community by helping to apprehend dangerous criminals. 

I suspect that we will be seeing more awards of this nature.  Maybe cities and states will start rewarding citizens who fight back on a regular basis.  Detroit and Milwaukee would be good places to start.
 
Chief Craig and Sheriff Clarke would be perfect authorities to hand out "armed citizen" awards.   The Bill of Rights day, 15 December, would be a good day to celebrate armed citizens with a parade of them down main street.  There would be many who would participate.  

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