A neighbor is hailed a “hero” by the local sheriff after intervening in a violent domestic incident. A neighborhood woman and her children were at maximum risk of being murdered in Trinity, Florida on Aug. 21.
Due to Marsy’s Law, the identity of the people involved in the crime was not released, Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said, WFLA reported.
According to the sheriff, this is how the incident unfolded:
A woman (victim 1) was screaming while a man (suspect) physically abused her, Tampa Bay Times reported.
Meanwhile, a neighbor (victim 2) was mowing the lawn when he saw a woman lowering young children from the second-floor window.
After the neighbor took the children to safety, a furious man—the suspect, came out of the house to confront the neighbor.
When the neighbor failed to calm him down, the suspect went inside and returned with a loaded gun. He started shooting at the neighbor.
Since the neighbor was also armed, he fired back and killed the man.
A nearby resident told Tampa Bay Times that while he was not home at the time of the incident, his family said to him that at least eight shots were fired during conflict.
“All indications here, victim 2 was a hero,” Sherrif Nocco said. “Victim number 2 … was helping another victim (victim 1), who was a victim of domestic violence, make sure those school children were safe,” Fox 13 reported.
‘Concealed Carry Once Again Saved Lives’
In other news related to acts of heroism, a customer at a 7-Eleven in Virginia Beach shot two armed suspects during an attempted robbery, leaving one gravely wounded and the other dead.
A spokesperson for Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney Colin Stolle told WAVY that the customer, whose name has not been released, will not be charged.
The man was in the 7-Eleven convenience store on South Newtown Road in Virginia Beach at about 2 a.m. July 25. Two armed men came in and demanded money, according to The Virginian-Pilot. A witness cited in the report said the man was at the back of the store when he fired at the suspects.
“Nobody’s gonna point a gun at me and get away with it,” the man said, according to the witness.
Michael Moore III, 18, died from a gunshot wound, said Virginia Beach Police Public Affairs Officer Linda Khuehn.
Ronald Lee Brookins, 18, suffered a gunshot wound to the neck, The Virginian-Pilot reported. Brookins appeared at his arraignment sitting in a wheelchair.
Khuehn said Brookins has been charged with two counts of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. Two counts of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony. Abduction and Wearing a Mask in Public.
She added that a third suspect, 19-year-old Deric Breon Simmons, was taken into custody outside the 7-Eleven. Simmons was charged with two counts of Robbery and two counts of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony.
Police cited by Norfolk’s WTKR-TV said witnesses called the customer a “hero.”
A customer who was in the store on the day of the incident, Barrie Engel, launched a Facebook fundraiser for him, expressing appreciation for “the heroic actions of a legally carrying customer.”
“I was a witness to a robbery where two people were shot, one fatally,” Engel wrote. “Thanks to the heroic actions of a legally carrying customer, no innocent people were hurt. This HERO is now surly [sic] faced with numerous expenses (attorney fees, missed work, etc.) and I would like to ease the burden of these expenses after what he has selflessly done for me.”
Domestic Violence
Anyone affected by domestic violence, including friends and family members concerned about a loved one, can receive confidential help, advice, information or crisis intervention by calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visiting the website thehotline.org, which offers a live chat service.
More than 12 million people in the United States victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner—24 people per minute, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
“1 in 4 women (24.3 percent) and 1 in 7 men (13.8 percent) aged 18 and older in the United States have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime,” it reported.
Intimate Partner Violence
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), intimate partner violence affects millions of people in the United States each year. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is defined as violence or aggression that occurs in a close relationship, usually perpetrated by current and former spouses and dating partners.
“IPV can vary in frequency and severity and occurs on a continuum, ranging from one episode that might or might not have lasting impact, to chronic and severe episodes over a period of years,” the agency said.
The behavior can fall into four categories, which are physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, and psychological aggression.
According to data from CDC’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, nearly 1 in 4 adult women and approximately 1 in 7 adult men reported having experienced severe physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime.
The agency said the IPV considers this “a significant public health issue that has considerable societal costs.”
Epoch Times reporter Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
