News stories of civilian self-defense seldom receive adequate media coverage. After all, armed good guys stopping violent felons does not make headlines like the lives of innocents being taken. Bias and agendas play their part, but the media does not cover an event that did not happen, such as a case where a good guy stopped a violent event before it it resulted in the loss of innocent life. However, these are exactly the type of stories we need to highlight to educate non gun owners before they head to the voting booth.
Retired Cop Uses Two AR-15 Rifles to Take Out Shooter in Campground
A retired police officer used an AR-15 to stop a gunman who had been shooting at passing cars on July 2.
The incident began when police received a call about a carjacking after 28-year-old Austin Benson stole a blue Mazda hatchback in El Paso County, KUSA reported.
Benson drove the car up to Rampart Range Road where he began shooting at random passing vehicles, KOAA reported.
Douglas County deputies interviewed numerous people who told them they’d been shot at from the Mazda, which was running on only three tires.
The first victim told deputies that a white male between 20 and 30 years old flagged down their car as they passed. He was standing next to a Mazda with one flat tire, KRDO reported.
But when the Good Samaritans who stopped to help him saw he was carrying a gun, they sped away.
Authorities said Benson got back into his car and drove further up Rampart Range Road where he encountered two other victims whom he threatened with a pistol, KRDO reported.
The second victim told police that Benson shot in his direction. The third victim said Benson tried to fire his gun at him but the weapon did not discharge, according to KRDO.
However, one couple camping with their grandchildren told deputies that they’d had to duck when Benson shot at their truck, KOAA reported.
Benson’s shooting spree ended shortly after he targeted a campsite at Devils Head Campground that belonged to retired Russellville, Alabama police officer Wesley Mattox , KUSA reported.
The retired 51-year-old officer told authorities that he was camping in Pike National Forest with his wife when Benson pulled into their campsite and began yelling.
Mattox told Douglas County deputies that when he approached the Mazda to find out what the man wanted, Benson pointed a rifle at him and told him to “get him water” and said “the law was after him,” KOAA reported.
The former officer said he returned to his camper and gave his wife a handgun, and told her to take cover, KUSA reported. He then grabbed an AR-15 rifle for himself.
Mattox told deputies that he took up a position behind the Mazda and ordered Benson to drop his weapon, but Benson shot at him and his camper as he began to drive away. Mattox returned fire.
The former officer told deputies that during the gunfight, he moved away from his truck to direct Benson’s fire away from his camper, where his wife was hiding, KOAA reported.
Benson drove into a tree, but then fired a few more rounds at Mattox.
Mattox told deputies that he believed he was out of ammunition in his rifle, so he went into his truck and grabbed a second AR-15.
According to the arrest affidavit for Benson, Mattox said he fired one more shot at the Mazda to see if he would get a reaction because he didn’t see any movement inside the car, KUSA reported.
About that time, Manitou Springs police officers arrived at the campsite and arrested Benson.
Police said Benson had been shot several times and had wounds to his face and his arm, KUSA reported.
Manitou Springs police said they found a loaded pistol in Benson’s car when they took him into custody.
Neither Mattox nor his wife were injured during the incident, according to KUSA.
Benson was arrested and charged with six counts of attempted first-degree murder, and one count of attempted aggravated robbery.
Prior to this multi-county crime spree, court records showed that Benson had only been arrested once before in Colorado, KUSA reported. He was arrested in 2008 for obstructing a Denver police officer and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Armed Man Defends Family Against Attacker
A Pasco father had just one response for a gun-wielding man who stood in front of his family’s SUV and started firing a gun into the air. He fired back.
The man and his family were driving through the area near South Hugo Avenue and East Alton Street in a Chevy Tahoe. The family crossed paths with a heavyset man who began screaming, pounding on the hood of the SUV and firing a gun into the air.
Pasco police say the father — who had a concealed pistol license — fired a warning shot from a 9 mm Glock he carried. Then, he slammed his SUV into reverse.
Investigators say Jose L. Loera, 28, wasn’t done with the family. He started chasing the Tahoe. The father fired twice more at the man before driving away. After escaping, the family called 911 to report the shooting.
Around the same time, a man appeared at a home on the 200 block of North Owen Avenue yelling that he was shot and threatening to shoot people. Police found Loera walking away from the home. While witnesses identified Loera, officers did not find a gun on him when he was arrested.
They believe it’s still somewhere between the intersections of Hugo Avenue and Alton Street and North Owen Avenue and East Adelia Street.
If you find the gun, don’t touch it.
Pasco police ask you to call 911 and wait for officers.
Loera was booked into the Franklin County jail on suspicion of unlawfully possessing a firearm and threatening to kill the family.
Do you know of a recent event of where armed good guys turned the tide on the bad guys? Share your answer in the comment section.
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