A back-to-school event in Titusville, Florida could’ve had a drastically different ending if it weren’t for an armed bystander.
On Saturday, about 150 people from the community, including dozens of children, gathered in a local park for the “Peace in the City” rally where organizers were handing out free school supplies. According to a flyer for the event, it was meant to be “A day of fun, no violence!”
However, the fun ended and the violence began when a gunman decided to open fire on the crowd of attendees. According to police, the suspect got into a fistfight with another person earlier that day. He left the event, but returned later that evening, a gun in hand.
Thankfully, one bystander was prepared. The man, who is licensed to carry a firearm in the state, quickly retuned fire, striking the gunman in the head and effectively putting a stop to what could’ve been another mass shooting.
The suspect, who was airlifted to the nearest hospital with life-threatening injuries, was the only reported injury. His current condition has not been released, nor is his identity known.
Isaac Campbell Park shooting scene secure. One male victim airlifted to local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Titusville Police Detectives on scene conducting ongoing active investigation. pic.twitter.com/ytDfB5AVfd
— Titusville Police FL (@TitusvillePD) August 4, 2018
The armed bystander has reportedly fully cooperated with authorities and is not expected to face any charges.
“We are extremely grateful that nobody else was injured in this incident,” Titusville Deputy Chief Todd Hutchinson told Florida Today. “This suspect opened fire at a crowded public park, this could have been so much worse.”
Dwight Harvey, who was live-streaming the event on his Facebook page, caught the shooting on camera. About eight and half minutes in, you can hear the first shots ring out. [Warning: This video may be disturbing for some viewers.]
“There were kids in the path of those bullets. Thank God none of the kids got hit,” Harvey told Florida Today after the shooting. “To have this happen at an event for the kids, at the 'Peace in the City' rally, is just crazy to me. It's unbelievable. It hurts. It hurts.”
The community would be hurting a lot more if weren’t for the armed citizen who was ready to protect himself and those around him.
And the left says “the good guy with a gun” is just a myth.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member