Top 7 Tragedies Stopped By Real Life Heroes
Despite an awe-inspiring list of combined accomplishments we as a civilization have
accrued - it's depressing (at best) to stop and think about the suffocating amount of
hate and violence there is in the world.
In light of recent tragic events making us feel unsafe and mistrusting, it can be hard
to let your guard down around - well - anyone.
However, where there is tragedy - there is sometimes a hero - and these seven people
prove that sentiment through and through.
Called to action not by profession, but rather by bravado - the following people looked danger
in the eye and shut it down.
Today, let's take a look at seven tragedies stopped by real life heroes.
You won't believe what some people braved!
Number seven - the Freewill Baptist Church incident.
Starting things off without a single casualty - the Freewill Baptist Church "almost-massacre"
is a great example of heroic bravery fortunate enough to stop something without ever escalating
it further.
While sitting in the recreation building of his grandfather's church - Aaron Guyton noticed
fellow congregation member Jessie Gates pulling a shotgun from his vehicle.
Springing into action, Guyton locked the doors to the room where a service was taking place
- but not without the maniac kicking them down and taking aim at the elder Reverend
Guyton.
Aaron pulled his own concealed handgun on Gates while two church members took him to
the ground and apprehended his weapon.
Scary, but non-lethal!
Number six - the AT&T Store Shootout.
This trip to the cell phone store got messy - really quickly.
A 79 year old retired Griffiss Air Force Base worker named Abraham Dickan entered an AT&T
store located in New York Mills, New York in 2010, announcing his intent - to kill six
employees he had written on a piece of paper in an act of revenge.
After pulling his .357 Magnum on the front counter clerk, his shot luckily only injured
the staff member - alerting a fellow shopper to take action.
Off-duty police officer Donald Moore pulled his own personal .40 caliber handgun and quickly
shot Dickan dead - preventing any REAL harm from occurring.
In a case of right place, right time - Moore's actions stopped what could have been much,
MUCH worse.
Number five - the Texan boss who fired back.
After being fired from his job (only one week into his employment), twenty year old Jesus
Delarca-Reyes returned to the construction site he was recently canned from - just west
of the University of Texas campus - on a violent mission.
Showing up and aggressively demanding a paycheck - Delarca-Reyes verbally threatened a witness
before being told to leave the premises.
Returning once again shortly after, the man pulled out a gun, shooting the construction
site's foreman, Ronald Palmer, in the leg.
However, before he got the opportunity to fire a second time, Palmer used his own gun
to wound his assailant in the abdomen, disabling the attacker - and stopping a potential massacre.
Number four - The Parker Middle School Incident.
In April of 1998, a banquet facility located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania was hosting an eighth
grade dinner dance for the Parker Middle School when things got out of control.
Andrew Jerome Wurst, a troubled 14 year old student that authorities later learned initially
planned to only commit public suicide, entered the hall - fatally shooting 48 year old John
Gillette and badly wounding another two students and one teacher.
James Strand - owner of the banquet hall the shooting was taking place in - grabbed his
shotgun and held the disgruntled teen at bay for over eleven minutes until police arrived
- Wurst was sentenced to 30-60 years and is eligible for parole in 2029.
Number three - The Pearl School Shooting.
Stabbing his mother to death on the morning of October 1st, 1997 - (then) sixteen year
old Luke Woodham arrived at his rural Pearl, Mississippi high school wearing a trench coat
and concealing a rifle.
After opening fire (seriously injuring seven and killing two others, including his ex-girlfriend),
the school's assistant principle Joel Myrick ran to his truck to grab a .45 caliber semi-automatic
pistol - eventually working with another student to trap the fleeing Woodham, detaining him
at gunpoint until authorities arrived at the scene.
Number two - The New Life Church terror.
In December 2007 - the New Life Church, a non-denominational megachurch located in Colorado
Springs, Colorado came under fire from Matthew Murray a former missionary-in-training carrying
a Bushmaster AR-15.
After wounding three and murdering two - church security volunteer Jeanne Assam used her personal
concealed carry firearm to confront the attacker from about 20 yards away - firing five times
to stop him from pulling the pin on a grenade he was now holding.
Although her shots were non-lethal, the gunman chose to take his own life instead, with her
actions sparing an untold amount of people.
Sadly, although praised & touted as a national hero - Assam was fired by the same church
after coming out as gay.
Number one - The Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital shooting.
While attending a psychiatric session with his case worker at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital,
patient Richard Plotts grew agitated and pulled a gun at the attending doctor and his case
worker while behind closed doors in a third floor office.
After hearing shouting from down the hallway - staff members watched through a cracked
door as Plotts fired his weapon - grazing the Dr. in the head and fatally wounding his
53-year-old case worker.
Pulling his own concealed weapon, Dr. Lee Silverman retaliated by unloading three rounds
into the gunman's torso - allowing his fellow doctors and case workers to tackle him to
the ground - disarming the murderous psychopath.
Although he lived, Plotts was sentenced to life.
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