AL: Armed Citizen lnvolved in Stopping Mass Shooting

By Dean Weingarten

AL: Armed Citizen lnvolved in Stopping Mass Shooting
AL: Armed Citizen lnvolved in Stopping Mass Shooting
Dean Weingarten
Dean Weingarten

Arizona – -(Ammoland.com)- Another legally armed person has stopped a potential mass shooting in Hamilton, Alabama on February 10th, 2016.

The shooting occurred in the morning, a little over an hour before noon, over a distance of a couple of  blocks.

Two people, 67-year-old Donny Miller and 61-year-old Linda Cole were killed in separate offices.  The second victim was shot in an accounting office close to the bank pictured above.  A WVTM13 crew was on the scene less than two hours after the shooting.  Here is video from Marlei Marinez, from WVTM13.

Link to video

In the video, Marlei Martinez reports that she spoke with a man who was waiting in the accounting office to file his taxes.  He heard the initial gunshots,  then pursued the shooter, and took cover behind the bank pillars shown in the image above.  He exchanged gunfire with the shooter.  The legally armed man believed that he hit the suspect, Jimmy Cooper, twice.  That is consistent with the reports that the suspect has gunshot wounds to the arm and leg.

The shooting by the armed citizen is only mentioned in the video report; there is no mention of it in the transcript.

The account appears to be verified by the Alabama Secretary of Law Enforcement.  From abc3340.com:

Although, we will conduct a thorough investigation of the officer involved shooting, the initial indication is that the deputies, officer and private citizen acted without hesitation and probably prevented the further loss of life,” Alabama Secretary of Law Enforcement Spencer Collier said in a release.

It is not clear if the legally armed man shot Cooper before the Sheriff deputies arrived, or during an ongoing gunfight.  Most reports seem to be downplaying his actions.  From wbrc.com:

Two Marion County sheriff’s deputies and a Hamilton police officer engaged Cooper behind the First State Bank. A private citizen assisted law enforcment during the exchange of gunfire.

Authorities took Cooper into custody behind the Bank.

“He was not going to surrender. Not at all,” Sheriff Williams said.

It may be some time before we learn the precise details of the shooting; but this is likely another case where a legally armed person on the scene, was able to deter and/or stop the perpetrator until the peace officers arrived.

Update: Linda Cole’s daughters report that she had virtually no contact with the murder suspect for nearly 15 years.  From wiat.com:

She was one of two victims in a double homicide that rocked that small community, and according to Cagle and Todd, their mother barely knew the suspect Jimmy Cooper at all.

They said Linda Cole had no contact with Cooper for almost 15 years. But Thursday, people remembered a bright woman who was gunned down at her own firm.

The murder suspect was hit at least three times, possibly four.  His pelvis was fractured and he was hit in the leg, arm, and hand. From quadcitiesdaily.com:

Williams said at UAB, bullets were removed from one leg and one hip. Williams said he was shot in the groin area and surgery was held at UAB‚ to remove his testicles as a result. Cooper is in stable condition and still has a fractured pelvis, an abrasion on his left elbow and two bullets remaining in his body, Williams said.

A bullet that fractures the pelvis is an anchoring hit.  It destroys one of the main support structures of the body.  A person with a fractured pelvis may crawl, but they won’t walk or run.

c2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included. Link to Gun Watch

About Dean Weingarten;

Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of constitutional carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and recently retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.

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Kenneth Verastegui

Does anyone really think he was aiming for the hip? During high stress situations unless you’re highly trained, marksmanship goes right out the window. I mean according to the report he was hit in the arm, leg and hip. Where were the torso hits?

DeAnna Doherty

Dean;

You preface the story with Arizona, yet it took place in Alabama.

F Riehl, Editor in Chief

FYI – Dean; is reporting from Arizona.

Wolf

Apparently you’ve never met an angry philatelist when you insult his collection.

Pistol Pete

Funny i did not hear that on the national news the big three said nothing about this

Ruger1

Nice shooting on the Part of the “Legally” Armed Citizen!!!! And for the Nutless Wonder… Hopefully it Hurt like Hell when your balls fell out your pant leg!!!!!

RayJN

If he was hiding behind a pillar his hip may have been the only target when he fired.

Huapakechi

A cousin (Oklahoma Highway Patrol) taught me to aim below the belt with the first shot and walk the point of aim up with the recoil. Sounds like this is what happened.

Wild Bill

Why don’t none of us shut up… and enjoy all of our 1st and 2nd amendment rights.If I wanted “no debate” I go to a philatelist forum. If I wanted dishonest, childish, or name calling debate, I’d go to a Democrat forum.

Rick D

well said

"Taj" M.A. Hall

Dean, in regard to your comments about a pelvis shot being an “anchoring shot”. I’ve heard this statement throughout my LE career . As a Vietnam era medic and having experienced a broken, completely unstable pelvis (long story-short parachute ride) I have to tell you, that there are way too many variables to count on a pelvic shot to anchor or disable someone, especially in handgun calibers. I’ve seen more than one pelvic hit with nothing more than a hole poked through it. I taught at POST certified LE academies for almost 40 years and I did not routinely teach… Read more »

DR_T

Yeh but a bullet thru the nut sack is pretty disabling also.

Mitch

Hey Taj, Why don’t you just shut-up and let every else enjoy the good news. I don’t think Dean said the legally armed citizen was aiming at Cooper’s pelvis. But, had the bullet gone through his hip joint before “fracturing” his pelvis, now that really would be “anchoring”.

Darkhorse

Mitchelle. Why don’t you shut-up. If Taj has the training and experience that he claims, his comments are worth noting. If armed citizens think a pelvic shot is an “anchor shot” then they may think the gun fight is over if they score a hit there, and it MAY cost them or others their lives. I’ve seen men in Iraq take a rifle round to the pelvis a couple times and in both situations, with their adrenaline rush, they still stayed in the fight for another minute… like Taj said could happen. I’m glad this douche lost his balls that… Read more »

Gary Johnson

What is extremely bad about this is, I live in Tuscaloosa, AL and this is the first I have heard of this matter.

David E

It was on the news from every TV station in the Tuscaloosa/Birmingham area for several days. I am still seeing updates from Birmingham TV stations. I also live in the Tuscaloosa area.

Jay

It is comforting to know that his testicles were removed without any pain meds.

TEX

This turd had his loins removed and is about to get sent to the joint again ! LMFAO !

Alex Swoyer

I like the fact that they took his balls.

Tionico

I was surprised to learn that he still had some to be taken. Clowns like this rarely have any….. else they’d be working, contributing, to society instead of taking and destrohying.

Gryyphyn

+1 Alex. This guy deserved to be emasculated.

Carl

Shame they didn’t use the Mafia disposal method.

Bruce A. Frank

Besides being shot, there can be no better result than being castrated by an armed citizen!