Fatal Shooting at Univ. of Utah Med. Ctr. - Corrections Officer Killed

[qlajlu]

Inmate Who killed Guard Tried To Shoot Food Worker

http://kutv.com/topstories/local_story_177132335.html

Jun 26, 2007 11:21 am US/Mountain

A Utah prisoner accused of killing a corrections officer during a medical appointment tried to shoot a fast-food employee at the end of a high-speed chase with police but the weapon didn't fire, authorities said.

Documents filed to support the arrest of Curtis Allgier show there could have been more victims Monday after guard Stephen Anderson, 60, was shot in the head with his own gun while alone with the inmate at a University of Utah clinic.

Inside an Arby's restaurant, Allgier held the gun in the air and ordered customers and employees to the floor, Salt Lake City police Det. Mark Knighton wrote.

Two employees tried to wrestle the weapon away, but Allgier pointed the gun at one and pulled the trigger, the report states.

"The gun had a malfunction and didn't fire,'' Knighton wrote. "Allgier then hit both employees with the gun.''

A 59-year-old customer then snatched the gun from Allgier, who was subsequently arrested while hiding in a manager's office at Arby's.

 

[qlajlu]

A Hero Emerges From Monday's Tragic Shooting

Interview video http://www.kutv.com/video/[email protected]

Story http://kutv.com/topstories/local_story_176224442.html

Jun 25, 2007 8:43 pm US/Mountain

(KUTV) SALT LAKE CITY Monday's tragic events could have been much worse if it weren't for a special customer inside a fast food restaurant.

Eric Fullerton may look small but he's got a big heart and apparently some big muscles.

"I didn't have time to think about being scared," said Fullerton. "I wrestled the gun from him. I took the gun from him."

When Curtis Allgier jumped out of a Ford Explorer and into the Arby's at 1700 south and Redwood Road Eric Fullerton didn't flinch.

He didn't know police suspected Allgier of killing a corrections officer.

He just knew he wasn't going to let him kill anybody else.

"I just instinctively did what needed to be done. He was going to kill that guy, and I wasn't going to let him kill him," says Fullerton.

"Everybody's calling me a hero," Fullerton said. "I'm not a hero; I just did what I had to do."

The suspect, Curtis Allgier, is about three times bigger than Fullerton and he had a gun and a knife.

In fact Allgier actually cut Fullerton's throat but that didn't stop this Vietnam veteran from ending a deadly day.

"I can't tell you how I did it or what I did," Fullerton said. "I don't know if it was adrenaline or if I had a guardian angel watching over me. I have no idea."

He says, "I'm just glad the other guys alive and everybody got out safe."

Fullerton reportedly was a Ranger during Vietnam.

 

[Langenator]

What I really love is the scumbag's family saying things like "You shouldn't rush to judgement. We don't know what happened in that room."

Um, two people went into the MRI room. One came out, with the other guy's gun. I think we can figure it out.

Apparently the prisoner's metal cuffs had to be removed for the MRI. I'm guessing that instead of putting the flexcuffs on first, then removing the metal ones, the CO took the metal cuffs off first.

Fullerton was a Ranger during Vietnam.

"Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to drive on to the Ranger objective, and complete the mission, though I be the lone survivor."

If he was, indeed, a Ranger, I hope the Regimental commander gives him at least a coin and a handshake. And buy him a beer, if he's not Mormon.

 

[qlajlu]

Edited for Content

 

[DouglasW]

My sympathies to the CO's family. I agree the courageous bystander is the one high-point of this entire tragedy:

Eric Fullerton a 59-year-old Salt Lake City resident is credited with wrestling the gun away from Allgier. He says the gunman threatened others inside the restaurant.

“He was going to kill that guy and I wasn’t going to let him kill him,” he said.

We need more of that thinking in this country...not less.

 

[qlajlu]

Edited for Content