A man shot four men with whom he had worked — two of them fatally — in northern Florida on Saturday before shooting and killing himself, the Union County sheriff said.
Sheriff Jerry Whitehead told CNN affiliate WJXT that the Lake Butler “community is in shock,” after 72-year-old Hubert Allen Jr. allegedly went on a shooting spree, killing his longtime boss, Marvin Pritchett, 80, and a former co-worker Rolando Gonzalez-Delgado, 28.
Whitehead said Pritchett was a “self-made millionaire” and “just a great guy, with a great family.”
Whitehead knew Allen for 40 years, and said he’d just talked to him just last week.
A law enforcement authority with detailed knowledge of the case said the gunman had an argument with Pritchett earlier in the week, The same source clarified an earlier report, saying the argument happened Monday and that the gunman was retired from the company, though he was still involved in some capacity and still interacted with its owner.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office said Allen went to a Lake Butler farm owned by Pritchett, where he fatally shot Gonzalez-Delgado.
A short distance away, Allen shot and killed Pritchett, authorities said.
From there, police said Allen confronted another former colleague driving a farm tractor. The men exchanged words before Allen fired a shot at 66-year-old Lewis “Buddy” Mabrey Jr., striking him in the left arm and side.
Allen traveled to Pritchett Trucking Inc. and shot a third co-worker, 44-year old David Griffis, in the stomach, officials said.
The suspect then fled the scene to his home, where he shot and killed himself, officials said.
When multiple murders and suicide take place the question of whether or not the shooter had a concealed carry permit becomes as unimportant as whether or not he had a library card. In Florida it's so easy to get a permit, you can bet your bottom dollar some of these lawful gun owners who go off the deep end had carry permits but no one is checking.
The result is obvious, the true percentage of concealed carry permit holders who turn bad is unknown.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteIf him having a carry permit is so unimportant, then why exactly do you bring it up? While the article you reference here makes no mention of it, I looked at several others for more information and so far the only weapon mentioned in all of them is a shotgun, which would make a carry permit not pertinent. As far as I know, most carry permits apply to handguns only. Anyone know of any states who's permits authorize long arms?
I'll tell you why it's so important. Because your side often references truly incredible statistics which can't possible be true about how safe concealed carry permit holders are. That's why.
DeleteAnd I believe that in the past I've referenced reliable hard data that supports that claim in Minnesota.
DeleteProve its not true Mike. Believing its not true doesn't count. Prove that the state DPS numbers are wrong. Prove the federal research is wrong.
DeleteNo more "I don't believe it so it cant be true" type of rationality, prove it wrong once and for all.
I've provided many examples of how the data could be compromised.
DeleteSo you're suggesting that data compiled by the state government is somehow compromised? How exactly do they do that?
DeleteSo you're suggesting that data compiled by the state government is somehow compromised? How exactly do they do that?
DeleteThat's not what Texas said, and that's not what I've asked from you time and again. You're making a claim of fact. We want to see evidence supporting that claim. Not speculation. Evidence.
DeleteYes, Mike, you've presented many theories. Most are demonstrably false and you have never provided any evidence to back any of them up.
DeleteProvide proof, not your examples. Undeniable proof. Show me the money!
DeleteMore baseless commentary on this pet subject as you grasp at straws to come up with reasons to justify your ludicrous claim that people with carry permits are less law abiding than people in general.
ReplyDeleteYawn.
You've been shown the evidence from state police agencies on the rates at which carry license holders commit crimes. So either you insist that those agencies don't do their jobs, or you're wrong. Of course, those very agencies are the ones that would enforce the laws that you demand, but you don't seem worried about that.
ReplyDeleteDavid Griffis is a direct descendant of German and Swiss ancestors.
ReplyDeleteMarvin Pritchett's nephew died very unexpectedly.
ReplyDelete