A Springville, Utah police officer saw a man rummaging through a local donation bin. After asking the man to get out, the officer was brutally attacked. Luckily, a good samaritan and CCW holder Derek Meyer was nearby and observed what was taking place.
Meyer drew his pistol and demanded the assailant to stop hitting the officer. At the sight of the gun, the assailant stopped his attack on the officer and ran off. The search resulted in a brief lockdown at a nearby school. The assailant was eventually found lying under a flatbed and subsequently arrested. Now, he is facing a number of charges.
Local police praised Meyer’s quick action. Springville Police Corporal Cory Waters stated, “He (Meyers) definitely stopped it from continuing and becoming much worse. He might have even saved either one of their lives.”
Meyers said “(I did it) because of who I am. Not to get any extra attention or to have people talk about me or anything I did.” Continuing, Meyer noted that he was glad to share his story because people do not hear enough “Good stories from responsible, gun-owning people.”
Police caution people to be careful in these types of situations because officers are very weary of people nearby with a weapon. Not every situation warrants civilian action. At times, you may confuse the situation or actually make it worse. However, the unnamed officer who suffered a fractured eye socket as well as multiple lacerations around eye, and his family can be grateful for the actions of Meyer and his willingness to assist.
Do you have your CCW? How would you have reacted? Do you have a story of a good guy with a gun? Share your answers in the comment section.
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Argh…it’s wary, not weary. Please update the article as this completely changes the connotation.
The use of the term “civilian” to distinguish non-LEO’s from LEO’s is incorrect. All LEO’s, federal, state, count, and city are civilians. The Posse Comitatus act prohibits the military from enforcing civil law.