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As reported by CommercialAppeal.com (GA):
Brothers who disarmed gunman felt it was their duty
By Alex Doniach and Jody Callahan
Contact
March 8, 2007
It played out like a scene in an action movie.
Two brothers from East Memphis were driving to Back Yard Burgers to pick up dinner Tuesday night when they noticed a red Mustang stalled at Perkins and Park. Thinking it was just car trouble, William Webber, and his older brother, Paul Webber, ignored the car and the man standing beside it.
"And then I heard the pop, pop, pop of a gun," said Paul, 29.
Added William, 23: "I said 'Dude, you got to turn this car around, that dude is shooting at people!' "
They saw the man, identified later by police as Dementrius Roberson, fire three shots from his 9 mm gun.
"He was shooting right across traffic," Paul said. "Those bullets could have ricocheted off cars and hurt a lot of people."
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Dave Darnell/The Commercial Appeal
Brothers William Webber (left), 23, and Paul Webber, 29, display the handguns they used to stop a shooting at Perkins and Park.
No one was injured although one bullet hit a woman driver's car door.
Paul and William, both licensed to carry weapons, made a hasty U-turn, jumped out of the Jeep and held their guns high so Roberson could see them.
"Get on the ground!" yelled the Webbers.
"What are you going to do?" Roberson yelled back.
"Get down on the ground or I'll blow your head off!" screamed William. He feared for his life at that moment.
Roberson gave the brothers a "wild and deranged" look, William said, then dropped to the ground.
William inched toward Roberson and picked up the gun. The Webbers held him at gunpoint until police arrived five minutes later.
Roberson, 56, said Wednesday evening that he'd been rear-ended by a black car carrying six men. Roberson said he called police, then when the men got out of their car, he reached down, got his gun and tucked it into his back pocket.
At some point, Roberson said most of the men dispersed, leaving just the driver and a "heavyset" man. Roberson said the large man then pulled a gun.
"I didn't know what his intentions were, so I came out with mine. I started shooting," said Roberson, who is licensed to carry a gun.
Roberson, who was charged with reckless endangerment, admits to some regrets about the affair.
"I probably could've handled it a little better," added Roberson, who said he'd put his gun away before the brothers arrived. "Just leave it ... alone."
Memphis police spokesman Sgt. Vince Higgins praised the brothers for their actions.
"These men should be commended for stopping another man in the middle of a crime," he said.
The Webbers, who live with their mom in a quiet East Memphis neighborhood, said they felt obliged to act.
"There are not enough men and women out there willing to step up and say, 'Don't do that,' " Paul said. "I don't want to sound like some Neighborhood Watch salesman but it's important to look out for the good of mankind."
Both Webbers are 6 feet tall and share the thick build of former football players. Born and raised in Missouri, they moved to Memphis with their mom and three siblings after their dad passed away in 1998.
Paul played football at the University of Nebraska and at the University of Missouri. He is a substitute teacher and coach at Harding Academy. William graduated from Harding Academy in 2002 and works at Lenny's Sub Shop in Arlington.
Both men enjoy target practice. They sought "carry and conceal" permits because "it's a constitutional right," William said. Added Paul: "I'm a major advocate of citizens carrying guns as long as they are responsible."
The permits require eight hours of training and written and shooting tests. According to the Tennessee Department of Safety, about 25,000 Shelby County residents owned a handgun permit in 2004. This was the highest number of permit holders in the state, followed by Davidson County with about 11,600 permit holders.
Paul, who got his license a few years before his brother, said he's pulled his .380 caliber Kel-Tec three times, once in the drive-through of a Krystal restaurant when a panhandler grabbed his arm. He did not fire his weapon any of those times.
Tuesday night was Willliam's first opportunity to pull his .40 caliber Kahr, which he generally keeps slung on his hip.
The Webbers said citizens need to take security into their own hands.
"Our dad always told us not to put ourselves in a situation where we can't protect ourselves," William said.
Added Paul: "He said always be prepared."
-- Alex Doniach: 529-5867
The story can be found at; http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local/article/0,2845,MCA_25340_5402238,00.html
- Janq
Lessons learned:
If you are carrying, legally and/or licensed, and find yourself involved in shit being thrown at fans do know that there is great potential that others in the background might be CCWs as well...and see you yourself as a BG whether you discharge any rounds or not. Worst if you are scary/intimidating looking, an ethnic minority, or simply dressed in a way folks don't appreciate then yeah you too can wind up like Roberson in the above case, or worst.
These two brothers broke several laws (in some states) and general rules of proper CCW conduct.
* First they were not in danger and truned their car around to go after trouble, rather than immediately stop to dial 911 and be good witnesses.
* Second they drove over to and exited their cars with their guns in the air going into trouble. Had Roberson been an actual bad guy and fired on them, missed, and they returned fire with a hit or worst kill, guess who might very well find themselves being in court defending their freedom if not bank account. Yep, the brothers. Why? Because they are not cops and having a CCW permit does not deputize you either. They were not in immediate mortal danger and made a concious _decision_ to seek out as much and place themselves in the middle of it and then to escalate things further by coming in with guns drawn...like cops.
* Third they threatened Roberson who at that time per their own statement had repocketed his weapon and was standing there. So what if he had 'crazy eyes' or whatever, what the hell does that mean? I too would have crazy eyes if I just was bashed in the rear, accosted, and then assaulted (brandishing of a wepon is assault), only to deploy my own weapon as countermeasure toward saving my own skin. Yeah, you betya my eyes will be on gimbals and my response to others immediately afterward who are running up on me might not be all that pleasant either. Robersons responses were entirely normal and understandable, even to some degree his firing on the other gunman first in a defensive manner.
Lastly if you do find yourself in the paper please for the love of God, all of our 2A & hard earned CCW rights, and for the sake of decorum too...please DO NOT pose with your firearm all gangsta pimp smack down daddy style like these two fools did. Jeebus! They are representing not just themselves but us all and there are many many people out there just dying to have an excuse to take away our freedomes due to fear of everyday gun toting yahoos who act & look just like these two.
Some folks will see this story as a win.
I personally do not as now one legal CCWr is in the clink and likely facing multiple charges to forever lose his gun rights and for a spell his personal freedom. Another group of BGs are on the loose and the article makes no mention toward arrest or even detention of the persons that ran into Roberson to start things. This story as well was originally pimped as road rage (!) when it first came out a few days ago. As well now people are goign to look at this picture and think that people like these two cowboy brothers represent all of us supporters of 2A and CCW, which of course is not the case.
Brothers who disarmed gunman felt it was their duty
By Alex Doniach and Jody Callahan
Contact
March 8, 2007
It played out like a scene in an action movie.
Two brothers from East Memphis were driving to Back Yard Burgers to pick up dinner Tuesday night when they noticed a red Mustang stalled at Perkins and Park. Thinking it was just car trouble, William Webber, and his older brother, Paul Webber, ignored the car and the man standing beside it.
"And then I heard the pop, pop, pop of a gun," said Paul, 29.
Added William, 23: "I said 'Dude, you got to turn this car around, that dude is shooting at people!' "
They saw the man, identified later by police as Dementrius Roberson, fire three shots from his 9 mm gun.
"He was shooting right across traffic," Paul said. "Those bullets could have ricocheted off cars and hurt a lot of people."
Dave Darnell/The Commercial Appeal
Brothers William Webber (left), 23, and Paul Webber, 29, display the handguns they used to stop a shooting at Perkins and Park.
No one was injured although one bullet hit a woman driver's car door.
Paul and William, both licensed to carry weapons, made a hasty U-turn, jumped out of the Jeep and held their guns high so Roberson could see them.
"Get on the ground!" yelled the Webbers.
"What are you going to do?" Roberson yelled back.
"Get down on the ground or I'll blow your head off!" screamed William. He feared for his life at that moment.
Roberson gave the brothers a "wild and deranged" look, William said, then dropped to the ground.
William inched toward Roberson and picked up the gun. The Webbers held him at gunpoint until police arrived five minutes later.
Roberson, 56, said Wednesday evening that he'd been rear-ended by a black car carrying six men. Roberson said he called police, then when the men got out of their car, he reached down, got his gun and tucked it into his back pocket.
At some point, Roberson said most of the men dispersed, leaving just the driver and a "heavyset" man. Roberson said the large man then pulled a gun.
"I didn't know what his intentions were, so I came out with mine. I started shooting," said Roberson, who is licensed to carry a gun.
Roberson, who was charged with reckless endangerment, admits to some regrets about the affair.
"I probably could've handled it a little better," added Roberson, who said he'd put his gun away before the brothers arrived. "Just leave it ... alone."
Memphis police spokesman Sgt. Vince Higgins praised the brothers for their actions.
"These men should be commended for stopping another man in the middle of a crime," he said.
The Webbers, who live with their mom in a quiet East Memphis neighborhood, said they felt obliged to act.
"There are not enough men and women out there willing to step up and say, 'Don't do that,' " Paul said. "I don't want to sound like some Neighborhood Watch salesman but it's important to look out for the good of mankind."
Both Webbers are 6 feet tall and share the thick build of former football players. Born and raised in Missouri, they moved to Memphis with their mom and three siblings after their dad passed away in 1998.
Paul played football at the University of Nebraska and at the University of Missouri. He is a substitute teacher and coach at Harding Academy. William graduated from Harding Academy in 2002 and works at Lenny's Sub Shop in Arlington.
Both men enjoy target practice. They sought "carry and conceal" permits because "it's a constitutional right," William said. Added Paul: "I'm a major advocate of citizens carrying guns as long as they are responsible."
The permits require eight hours of training and written and shooting tests. According to the Tennessee Department of Safety, about 25,000 Shelby County residents owned a handgun permit in 2004. This was the highest number of permit holders in the state, followed by Davidson County with about 11,600 permit holders.
Paul, who got his license a few years before his brother, said he's pulled his .380 caliber Kel-Tec three times, once in the drive-through of a Krystal restaurant when a panhandler grabbed his arm. He did not fire his weapon any of those times.
Tuesday night was Willliam's first opportunity to pull his .40 caliber Kahr, which he generally keeps slung on his hip.
The Webbers said citizens need to take security into their own hands.
"Our dad always told us not to put ourselves in a situation where we can't protect ourselves," William said.
Added Paul: "He said always be prepared."
-- Alex Doniach: 529-5867
The story can be found at; http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local/article/0,2845,MCA_25340_5402238,00.html
- Janq
Lessons learned:
If you are carrying, legally and/or licensed, and find yourself involved in shit being thrown at fans do know that there is great potential that others in the background might be CCWs as well...and see you yourself as a BG whether you discharge any rounds or not. Worst if you are scary/intimidating looking, an ethnic minority, or simply dressed in a way folks don't appreciate then yeah you too can wind up like Roberson in the above case, or worst.
These two brothers broke several laws (in some states) and general rules of proper CCW conduct.
* First they were not in danger and truned their car around to go after trouble, rather than immediately stop to dial 911 and be good witnesses.
* Second they drove over to and exited their cars with their guns in the air going into trouble. Had Roberson been an actual bad guy and fired on them, missed, and they returned fire with a hit or worst kill, guess who might very well find themselves being in court defending their freedom if not bank account. Yep, the brothers. Why? Because they are not cops and having a CCW permit does not deputize you either. They were not in immediate mortal danger and made a concious _decision_ to seek out as much and place themselves in the middle of it and then to escalate things further by coming in with guns drawn...like cops.
* Third they threatened Roberson who at that time per their own statement had repocketed his weapon and was standing there. So what if he had 'crazy eyes' or whatever, what the hell does that mean? I too would have crazy eyes if I just was bashed in the rear, accosted, and then assaulted (brandishing of a wepon is assault), only to deploy my own weapon as countermeasure toward saving my own skin. Yeah, you betya my eyes will be on gimbals and my response to others immediately afterward who are running up on me might not be all that pleasant either. Robersons responses were entirely normal and understandable, even to some degree his firing on the other gunman first in a defensive manner.
Lastly if you do find yourself in the paper please for the love of God, all of our 2A & hard earned CCW rights, and for the sake of decorum too...please DO NOT pose with your firearm all gangsta pimp smack down daddy style like these two fools did. Jeebus! They are representing not just themselves but us all and there are many many people out there just dying to have an excuse to take away our freedomes due to fear of everyday gun toting yahoos who act & look just like these two.
Some folks will see this story as a win.
I personally do not as now one legal CCWr is in the clink and likely facing multiple charges to forever lose his gun rights and for a spell his personal freedom. Another group of BGs are on the loose and the article makes no mention toward arrest or even detention of the persons that ran into Roberson to start things. This story as well was originally pimped as road rage (!) when it first came out a few days ago. As well now people are goign to look at this picture and think that people like these two cowboy brothers represent all of us supporters of 2A and CCW, which of course is not the case.
