Smith County Courthouse shooting

[Doug.38PR]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORUQjp5_dq4&mode=related&search=

Dang. Kinda eerrie. I've been to this courthouse in Tyler several times...right through that metal detector seen in the video. The remnant of an old small town downtown square slowly turning into a major big city downtown area with office buildings surrounding the square. In this moment, it's a battlefield.

Always heard about this shooting as I work in East Texas most of the time, but never saw any footage of it until now.

 

[69Chevy]

They said automatic gunfire? Sounded like a semi to me, but either way, thats some ammo for the brady bunch. Glad he got what he deserved though.

 

[geekWithA.45]

This is way old news, and I believe theres an old thread about this very report.

Also note that the report does not mention Mark Wilson, a normal citizen, who engaged Arroyo until killed.

 

[Doug.38PR]

uh huh! Didn't know about that part. Interesting, liberal Court TV gave him no credit for his efforts. Thanks for pointing that out geekwitha.54

 

[highdesert]

As I recall, Wilson was credited with saving two lives that day by engaging Arroyo and preventing him from finishing them off. He scored solid hits to the torso but Arroyo was wearing body armor.

Thanks for posting the video. Good work by the police taking him down.

 

[Texas_Cowboy]

Yes Guys, Biggest thing to happen here in Tyler. I watched it live coverage as the TV stations filmed it, Channel 7 is on the square.

Mark Wilson is considered a Hero here, and a plaque has been erected on the spot he died. Mark was a very good marksman. Started an indoor Gun Range that he later sold (Lock & Load - Indoor Shooting Range). Yes, there were lots of Restaurants in the area with people with their noses against the glass, watching, not realizing they might be in the line of fire. I think Mark lived downtown, there are several warehouses converted into apartments. I understand he heard the shots fired & went to help.

Met the Sheriff Officer a couple of months ago that had been shot 4 times & lived. He had worked at the Court House for several years. He is doing OK.... I think still in shell shock a bit though.... Still with the Sheriffs Department, light duty.... that night he was protecting a school being built. I think it aged him 10 or 15 years, But what he went though, it is amazing that he lived. It will just take time for him to deal with his PTS...... He has been honored several times here. He was first out the door & first to engage the shooter.

The YouTUBE video even though accurate really did not do it justice, it sounded like a war zone for over 30 minutes or so.... this guy was shooting off lots of rounds, 100+ or so....mostly at the building... sounded like a machine gun.... plus the cops were returning fire. The video made it sound like the shooter was "mowing the cops down"..... in reality Mark Wilson was killed, the Sheriff officer shot 4 times, the shooters ex-wife was killed & the son of the shooter was wounded & I think that is it, not counting the shooter himself.... The Shooter was comitting suicide & taking out anyone else he could.

The event has changed many people here, I for one got my CGL (at Lock & Load) and now carry.

Anyway, what I know...
Glenn

 

[highdesert]

Did anybody understand why the officer with the rifle wanted to ride on the hood of the squad car? I can see not wanting to be confined inside the car when you roll up on the BG, but being flat on your back doesn't look like a good position from which to start a fight.

Edit to add: Here's the previous thread... http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=207778
I see that the "hood riding" technique was discussed ad nauseam, no need to start that one up again

 

[g56]

The officer with the rifle had a lot of guts, or maybe just foolish, his John Wayne move out in the open to engage that perp was brave/foolish, it worked out, he got the guy, but did you notice the cross fire problem, not only traffic going the other direction, there was another Sheriff unit almost directly in the line of fire.

I cringe almost every time I watch one of those chase shows, some of those idiots trying to shoot tires out, often times the fire is from the right side, shooting towards the left, and there's traffic going by on the other side of the road. Most Police agencies have regulations against shooting at a moving vehicle, for just that reason!

 

[Erebus]

Notice the AR-15 in the hands of a cop is designed for sharpshooting? In the hands of a citizen it's an "assault rifle".

 

[Doug.38PR]

Glenn,
I've heard a lot of good things about Lock and Load from several people over in Marshall. You can turn the lights down and shoot in the dark if you want. Haven't had a chance to get over there. Got a good outdoor range over here in Marshall, but you have to be a CHLer in order to go, and hence none of my friends working with me are able to go Lock and Load is 45 minutes away.
From all you said about the late Mr. Wilson, sounds like he is the real hero of the fight (not that I take anything away from the police and sheriff duputies)

Erebus,
Interesting you should say that. I sent the link to my father, and he made a comment noticing that the media commentator narrarating it said "The police continued to charge forward engaging the shooter, armed ONLY with handguns." Whereas, according to the media, if non-LEOs have handguns then suddenly they are the most dangerous things in the world , but if police have handguns then they are ONLY handguns.

From a courthouse policy standpoint, this whole incident demonstrated that all these stupid metal detectors are just a waste of time and a waste of our liberty (not to mention inconvenient if not illegal search and seizures, despite what modern courts have twisted that to mean). If some lunatic wants to do something, then they are going to do it. Considering we saw every deputy and more at that detector shot down.

Strangley enough (well, maybe not strange considering the retarded mentality, or ego of our public officials ) , after this event, seems like just about every courthouse in East Texas started putting them up up. Rusk county, Harrison county, Gregg County (of course Longview had theirs up back when Smith County put theirs up way before the shooting), I think Anderson County has one now too. In fact, now that I think about it, just about every county out of the 10 I've been to over in Alabama with the exception of 3 had them.
And of course you will get fussed at for bringing something as small as a pocketknife in (when the real threats are the guys with AK 47s.) I guess they are afraid someone is going to hijack the courthouse with a pocketknife and crash it into an airplane.

 

[Texas_Cowboy]

Doug,
As far as lights go, I will have to ask... You might be wanting to do this at night, you might call first because they give CGL training on certain nights... when the classes need to shoot, they will run you out if they need every spot.... there is a smaller section that if they don't need they will let you shoot as long as you do not interfere with their class.

Their training is a bit more interesting, as they can turn the target sideways, will turn it toward you, then give you 5 seconds to get three shots off.... then the target turns sideways again..... another time they simulate a attacker coming at you, maybe with a knife, the target will come toward you (comes home) & you have to get off 5 shots... they do not warn you & it catches you by suprise.... I loved taking the class.... Ricky Cheeks does a fine job of teaching, a former DEA agent and is a Old West enthusiast.

It is still a bit hot, their A/C is down at the moment in the range.... Hope they get it fixed. But in 30 days we won't need it I hope.

Lock & Load (903) 939-1500

Glenn