The only thing better than a feel-good gun story is a feel-good gun story coming out of California. This one’s about as close to picture-perfect as it gets.
In Redding, California, 31-year-old Travis Hutchinson was at someone else’s home helping his girlfriend’s cousin study for a math exam. As the two were working through the problems on the page, another problem interrupted them: 34-year-old Burl William Hall, who was also in the home at the time, started a brawl with a few others in the (apparently crowded) house. Threatening to call the police, the homeowner managed to get Hall and his adversary out onto the porch.
Unable to continue his math tutoring under the circumstances, Hutchinson went out onto the porch to try to calm things down. In retrospect, he probably shouldn’t have had a 4-month-old baby in his arms while doing so, but hindsight is 20-20.
Hall’s then directed his rage on Hutchinson, hitting him in the head and face. According to police, the blows were so severe that Hutchinson was nearly knocked unconscious and almost dropped the child. Fortunately, he was able to catch the kid in the nick of time.
Understandably concerned for his own safety as well as the child’s, Hutchinson, a lawful concealed carry permit holder, drew his gun and fired one round into Hall’s chest. That stopped the attack.
Hutchinson stayed at the scene and directed people in the home to call the police and request an ambulance. Hall, a registered sex offender with a “lengthy criminal history” succumbed to his injuries and died of the gunshot wound. Hutchinson hasn’t been arrested, but the case is being submitted to the DA for review.
Here is a brief video news segment from Action News Now:
