This hits close to home. Literally — I live in San Antonio and carry a concealed handgun. And stories like this make me glad I rarely leave home without it, no matter how safe I think the destination. As we all know, just because you’re in a school zone doesn’t mean that the bad guys will stay away. And yesterday morning, an armed citizen stopped what could have been a murder in front of a school in broad daylight, all without firing a single shot. WOAI San Antonio picks up the story . . .
The attack happened around 10:00 a.m. Tuesday outside the Bonham Academy on St. Mary’s Street. Teresa Barron, 38, had just dropped off her child at the school when the child’s father showed up, and the two got into an argument.
Its not an uncommon theme. Even the happiest couples have their rocky moments. But most of the time those issues can be resolved without having to resort to repeatedly stabbing your loved one in the neck.
The child’s father, 38-year-old Roberto Barron allegedly then stabbed the woman several times in the upper body and neck area.
So there’s the situation. A man is stabbing his wife to death in the parking lot of a school. MANY bystanders are watching, but too scared to intervene because of the knife — a weapon like that in close quarters is deadly. No one wants to get close enough to do anything for fear of being stabbed themselves. But thankfully, someone had a weapon with a little more range and was able to put an immediate stop to the situation.
Police say a bystander who happened to be a concealed handgun license holder pulled his weapon and ordered Barron to drop the knife. Barron surrendered and was taken into custody by the bystander and a school district officer.
Quick note on Texas’ concealed carry law (and while I’m not a lawyer, this is my understanding thanks to the mandatory 10-hour class): parking lots are always fair game. Schools are off limits, but their parking lots are 100% legal to carry your weapon. Same goes for your vehicle — since it is technically a domicile, you can have a concealed handgun, license or no license.
But once you step foot into that school with a concealed handgun, you’re venturing into felonious territory. Which makes you wonder what would have happened if the stabbing had taken place inside the school rather than the parking lot.
The hero of the story actually commented below, and he had some clarifications on the story:
I am the guy that pulled my KelTec P3AT on the guy yesterday morning. Just to clear up the confusion, I was walking down S. St. Mary’s street IN FRONT OF Bonham Academy. I first thought that the guy was beating someone, and I ran toward him ordering him to stop. He looked at me and ignored me. When I saw the blood and the knife I was about 10 or 15 ft. away from him. I pulled my gun, aimed it at him, and yelled at him again. Again he looked at me and ignored me. When he began stabbing her again I yelled to him as loud as I could. He again turned and looked at me. I told him “dude do you see what I have aimed at your head?” He immediately dropped the knife and asked me to call 911. All of this happened in the middle of S. St. Mary’s street, not in the school parking lot. I was not charged with anything.
The wife is in critical condition at a local hospital and the husband is currently facing an aggravated assault charge. I wouldn’t be surprised if they upped it to attempted murder eventually. Because really, when you think about it, stabbing someone in the neck is a good indication of their murderous intent.
And if that citizen hadn’t had their weapon with them, they could have witnessed a murder right there in front of the school.
Moral of the story: always be prepared. Carry all the time. Because you never know when your life — or the life of a fellow human being — might be in danger. And even the simple threat of force is often enough to end the situation.
Is it a federal offense to have a concealed weapon against school policy or is it a misdemeanor? I know it’s a felony in a post office or court house.
Anyhow, hooray for the CCW person.
Depending on the state: School policy doesn’t matter; state law does. Here in Colorado, I can carry onto school property – as long as the firearm doesn’t leave my vehicle.
Federal law (the Gun Free School Zones Act, re-enacted in 1996) does not apply if your state has issued you a “license” to possess the firearm, and before you obtain that license, law enforcement verified that you were qualified to receive the license (i.e. a “background check”).
However, the “license” must be issued by the state in which the school is located, so CCW reciprocity doesn’t matter, in the event you’re over state lines.
The Federal Gun Free School Zones Act has several exceptions to the prohibition against guns in schools zones. One exception is for licensed carriers. If a person has a carry license from the state in which the zone is located, it isn’t a federal crime for the licensed person to carry on school grounds, but it might be a crime under state law.
Check out 18 USC sec 922 (q)(2)(b)(ii)
If you are just possessing the firearm on school grounds its a misdemeanor. In Texas if you commit a felony with a firearm you are subject to mandatory sentencing. I think its 5 years no probation.
If you are just possessing the firearm on school grounds its a misdemeanor.
Where “school grounds” is limited to buildings or portions thereof.
(Presuming we’re talking about Texas)
Texas Penal Code 46.03 and 46.035.
What about carrying in public without a CCL?
Hypothetical situation:the one time I needed a gun was when I was located in a non-permissive state in my own abode.
The sad truth of life is that if we could predict when we’d need to be armed, we wouldn’t need to carry 24/7. Yet if you can be attacked on a street corner where carry is legal, you can also be attacked in that non-permissive gun free zone too. The latter situation puts the armed citizen in a scary bind-either carry illegally and face time in prison after defending themselves, or end up being the local Coroner’s latest customer for want of following the law.
Wait, so you’re telling me he pulled his gun and didnt use it? That this didnt turn into the OK Corral shootout, with cops (or other CCW-holding bystanders) shooting him instead of the BG? INCONCEIVABLE!
Nor did he perforate nine innocent bystanders accidentally!
I was thinking the exact same thing! Thank goodness the NYPD wasn’t there to “save the day”. There would be wounded school kids all over the place.
You got that right. Many cops in this situation would not have drawn and commanded like the citizen, they would have emptied their mags on the guy.
Let’s see MikeBnumbers and his crew TRY to twist this one. This man is a hero. Without his action (which didn’t even involve firing his weapon) that nut job’s wife would’ve been six feet under. And as we know, when seconds count, the police are minutes away.
But Mikey will say this is just one instance againt the 370,000 others (or whatever big number he decides to pull out of his hat) where innocents were needlessly gunned down in a hail of murdurous bullets, OMG please save the children!
Did I get that about right, ya think?
What I think is right is that numbers dude lives in a bunch of your heads rent-free.
But once you step foot into that school with a concealed handgun, you’re venturing into felonious territory. Which makes you wonder what would have happened if the stabbing had taken place inside the school rather than the parking lot.
Depends. If the man saw it happening from the outside and ran in, he may have a valid defense. According to PC 46.035, section H (the section that says where a license holder can’t carry): “It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (a) that the actor, at the time of the commission of the offense, displayed the handgun under circumstances in which the actor would have been justified in the use of deadly force under Chapter 9.”
The only problem is that schools aren’t explicitly mentioned on that list. They’re mentioned in 46.03, but not 46.035, so it might not apply…any lawyers wanna chime in?
Not a lawyer, but I played one once when I was a child.
Lawyers and judges are required to follow the law, but juries are supposed to dispense JUSTICE. In other words, you could be charged with a crime, but it would be very hard to find a jury that would find you guilty.
For the juries I’ve been on, the people were surprisingly willing to accept whatever the prosecutor said. One jury member even said, “If he was innocent, he wouldn’t be here.”
I know. There are some terrible jurors out there. However, it only takes one out of twelve to cause a hung jury, just one juror who refuses to send a man to jail for doing the right thing, and you’re not guilty.
In Colorado – and even with a Concealed Handgun Permit- a handgun is a no-no on school property (including parking lots) unless a) it’s in your vehicle and you’re also in the vehicle or b) it’s in a locked container within your vehicle.
Here in Cali, it’s 1500′ from a school you’re all good, pushing it though… Inside that 1500′ perimeter…. You’re going to jail for a while dude.
1000 feet.
CA PC 626.9(b) and 626.9(e)(1)
Have to be a rather awesome marksman to hit someone with a pistol at that range.
I don’t know how you divide up your cities but where I come from 1,000 ft can be 4 blocks. Kind of a trap if your new to an area.
doesn’t really matter. it’s next to impossible to get a permit in alameda county, ca where i live.
Send this guy to NY. A gun is an intimidating weapon even before you have to pull the trigger. Sometimes the show of overwhelming force negates the need to harm.
I am the guy that pulled my KelTec P3AT on the guy yesterday morning. Just to clear up the confusion, I was walking down S. St. Mary’s street IN FRONT OF Bonham Academy. I first thought that the guy was beating someone, and I ran toward him ordering him to stop. He looked at me and ignored me. When I saw the blood and the knife I was about 10 or 15 ft. away from him. I pulled my gun, aimed it at him, and yelled at him again. Again he looked at me and ignored me. When he began stabbing her again I yelled to him as loud as I could. He again turned and looked at me. I told him “dude do you see what I have aimed at your head?” He immediately dropped the knife and asked me to call 911. All of this happened in the middle of S. St. Mary’s street, not in the school parking lot. I was not charged with anything.
Thanks for helping her and I’m glad you didn’t have to kill anyone to do it. Stay safe.
Bravo for a job well done.
You exercised remarkable restraint.
John
Bravo. I’m glad there are Texans like you among us.
The small .380 with you is better than the 1911 at home.
You handled the situation perfectly, and I applaud you for that. Consider this post a digital firm handshake and a respectful nod of the head.
Thanks to all who have given me support and kudos for what happened yesterday. I got my CHL about 18 months ago and have often wondered how I would react if needed to a situation like this. My wife and I are avid walkers. I got my CHL because I often walk in “high crime” areas at various hours of the day or night. My wife has never been very happy about me carrying a gun. When this happened yesterday, as soon as I heard the lady screaming for help I started toward her car. I could here my wife calling me back, but I just couldn’t stop. I thought that he was just punching her until I saw the knife. To my amazement afterwards, I was very calm. I wasn’t near as nervous as I thought I would be, and the gun was steady as I aimed at him. Several comments on websites, and even some in person comments from friends (including police officers) suggest that I should have just shot him. As it turned out, I didn’t need to, and now that my wife has witnessed the situation, she is much more comfortable about me carrying a weapon. Some have called my actions “heroic”. I’d rather believe that this is just normal reaction for a law abiding citizen when he/she sees someone in distress.
nisord, whether you consider yourself herioc or not does not change the fact that by your actions you joined a very special group of folks. you ” rode to the sound of the guns” without hesitation and with the thought of the well being of a total stranger. kudos. now, convince your wife that she needs to be able to protect herself when you’re not around. that might not be so tough now.
Damn right.
Nisord: God Bless You for your actions and for your level headedness!! I know people right now with ccw license who would either have stood and watched or just unloaded a mag in the general direction hoping they hit the BG!!
Having been involved in 2 DGU’s myself, with shots fired, I can tell you that not having to shoot the BG is a good thing. Even though he deserved it now he can spend the rest of his life as someone else’s Iittle woman and you have done a great service to her and her child!!! He will love te Texas Prison System!!’
Both of the DGU’s I was involved in had shots fired both ways, and the BG in the first one survived to stand trial and the second one didn’t.
Having served 15 yrs in the Army Infantry (4 of those in a combat zone) I can tell you the worst thing of all was the realization that I had killed someone and having to sit in court and see his parents faces while I testified!!
Justified in the shooting it was still very hard to do, especially at the ripe old age of 20!!
I still carry everyday and have had my CCW in this state for about 6 yrs now
I sincerely hope all goes well for you and again applaud your courage and bravery!
Not everyone can or would have taken the actions you did!!!
nisord,
I live in King William (the neighborhood of the school, for you who don’t know). My kid used to attend Bonham, and I have friends whose kids still go there.
Thank you, from a neighbor, for doing a good job and stopping this attack when you did. Thank you also for making Southtowners and CHL holders look good. You made our neighborhood a better place, whoever you are.
And yes, I attended my CHL class last weekend.
You’ll forgive me for remaining anonymous — you know how many of the people in our neighborhood still feel about the right to bear arms.
You sir, are a gentleman.
You showed a great deal of restraint in an exceedingly volatile situation.
Where are the anti’s with their assertions that armed citizens will shoot people on a whim?
Ahhh shucks Mame, twarnt nuthin’!
Excellent Sir!
The last time I heard someone “running to the sound of gunfire” it was a taliban asshole describing his amazement of US marines because they all run towards a gunfight, not away from them!
You may not think of yourself as a hero, but you are certainly head & shoulders above most citizens who freeze in fear, run away, or just drop to ground to cry and tremble asking god “how” could this happen?
I applaude your restraint and hope if I am ever in your shoes sir, I can conduct myself in the same manner you did.
Now if we just had a few hundred million citizens who thought and acted the same way you did my friend our country would not be suffering the death by a thousand cuts we currently are!
.380
Good thing he didn’t need to shoot.
Please. .380 > knife > fists > harsh language. At the range described by the CHL above (10 – 15 feet!), caliber is of little to no consequence.
P3ATs seem to be present in a lot of DGUs. For a maligned gun, they do seem to see a lot of action.
they’re easy to carry. the gun in the pocket trumps the gun in the safe.
I don’t like gunsafes and don’t own one.
I like the “gun in every room of my home” system.
Fully loaded and at hand with 2 attack dogs gives me the advantage and lets me choose to go for the long guns or not.
Has anybody considered the legal ramifications if the guy had released his victim and run into the school still toting the bloody knife? Then what? You have a violent felon de facto, still in possession of a lethal weapon and a danger to people inside the school. Could you, WOULD you pursue the guy inside to disarm him? And what would they do to you presuming you succeeded?