An elderly man’s afternoon walk becomes a testament to courage and the right to self-defense when he faces off against two would-be assailants.
A peaceful afternoon stroll in Cobbs Creek Park, Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, took an unexpected turn for a 67-year-old gentleman when he was confronted by two masked assailants. With one brandishing what appeared to be a gun and the other a stick, they demanded he surrender his valuables.
Yet, this senior citizen was no pushover. A confrontation ensued, and our protagonist proved he wasn’t about to be intimidated. As the struggle heightened, he drew his own .38 caliber handgun, a legitimate possession thanks to his concealed weapons license and a clean criminal record. The tables turned when he fired at the assailant threatening him with the toy gun, the bullet finding its mark and ending the perpetrator’s life on the spot.
Following the violent exchange, the older man was rushed to the hospital, complaining of chest pains – an understandable reaction considering the high-stress situation he’d found himself in. After all, who wouldn’t feel their heart pounding after such an adrenaline-filled encounter?
With the situation rapidly deteriorating, the second robber, the one armed with the stick, took his chances and fled the scene. As of yet, the local law enforcement hasn’t managed to identify or locate him.
In an interesting twist, the police have approached this case from a self-defense perspective. The 67-year-old man, despite having shot and killed his attacker, is not expected to face any criminal charges. Upper Darby Police Superintendent Mike Chitwood stated plainly, “At this point, I don’t see any charges being filed.”
Our resilient defender, a resident of Philadelphia, was simply enjoying a walk in the park around 2:30 pm when he heard footsteps approaching from behind. The sight that greeted him when he turned around was undoubtedly a shock. “When he turns around, he sees a guy with a mask covering half of his face, and he’s got a gun in his right hand,” relayed Chitwood.
In the face of danger, the older man reacted quickly. As the masked man demanded his money, he lunged for the toy firearm, initiating a physical struggle. “A struggle ensues – this is a 67-year-old tangling with a much younger man – and as (the robbery victim) starts to lose his balance, he reaches into his waistband and pulls out his gun, a .38-caliber revolver,” explained Chitwood. “As he’s falling backward, he fires one shot.”
The police’s working theory is that the 67-year-old was unaware that his attacker’s gun was a toy. He believed he was facing a lethal weapon, and his actions reflected a need to defend himself from a potentially fatal threat.
Lauding the senior citizen’s quick thinking and courage, Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood declared that the victim “did a great job defending himself.” It’s a stark reminder that citizens have a right to protect themselves when they are faced with a threat to their life or property.
Source: AWM
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