OK - Man shot fatally after snatching child in Walmart

OMG!
This country REALLY needs to get a better mental health system in place!
I cannot even begin to imagine the terror this mother felt!

A woman was shopping with her two children in an OK City Walmart. A black male snatches her child out of the cart, hands the mother a phone and tells her to call a certain policeman he knows in Dallas, TX all the while holding a knife to the child and holding her hostage.

Pastor who was shopping helps block man with his cart, police and SWAT move in and try to negotiate, eventually ending up having to shoot the man to save the child.

Video at link shows the whole thing play out, but DOES NOT show the shooting or anything graphic.
http://www.wistv.com/story/22734816/man-fatally-shot-after-snatching-girl-from-walmart-cart

This world is getting crazier and more dangerous every day. And you might know we live on the outskirts of the most dangerous and violent city in the entire United States. Just yesterday a 13 year old here killed his brother and the brother's girlfriend. Shootings and stabbings nearly every day. We live in what has always been a very safe neighborhood but the crime is getting closer to us every day. The more stores and businesses that are built in our area, the more crime we have. We don't go into the city of Flint at night if we can help it. Gunshots ring out all night every night and there are always arson fires. Stores are being robbed all around us even in daytime, banks are robbed too. Its not safe for kids to play on the streets anymore. Not safe for them to walk to school or even to the bus stop. If not kidnapped or raped, the kids can get killed by stray bullets. In Flint, people have their kids sleep in the basement so they aren't shot in their own home when random bullets hit the house. Gangs run rampant over the streets. Now the Walmart near our house is having carjackings and strong armed robberies in the parking lot. I don't go anywhere without my husband with me. I'm disabled and can't get around all that well. Where will it all end? I worry for my children and grandchildren. I'm glad the kidnapper in Walmart was killed. On less creep around and it saves the cost of a trial and keeping him in jail. I have no sympathy for criminals.

Thank you to the pastor for blocking him and to the police for killing him before he could harm that precious little one.

OMG if I was mom, they would've had a hard time getting me away from there but she did the right thing by allowing the police to handle it.

Wow. Yes definitely have to give the mom credit for doing the right thing and letting the police step in well stepping out. As a mom myself not sure I could do it even when it's what is actually best for your child's safety at that moment.
On another note, I loved the Pastor's style and grace. Still even addressing the bad guy as a gentleman. Thank god the child is okay.
"If that gentleman was to come in my direction, he had to go through me or my cart if he wanted to do that," he said.

What a strange request from the man to the mother - call a cop he knows in Texas? What was that about? Too late now. I cant imagine what that Police officer is feeling to have to shoot this guy point blank range and get the little girl from him. And the Pastor to stand there and block this kidnapper.
I hope there is lots of support for the mum and her daughters. The eldest one (you can see in the video) is very distressed.

MidwestMama said:

OMG!
This country REALLY needs to get a better mental health system in place!

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Wow. Walking up and shooting him at point blank range after talking to the guy for 20 minutes is really something for that cop!

Regarding the mental health thing -- a week ago I watched a documentary on that. There are virtually NO government run permanent mental hospitals or group homes these days for the severely mentally disturbed. It showed 6 schizophrenics that ended up in prison, they get better when on meds but when they are let out of prison many are literally put ON THE STREET and told to find a homeless shelter.

These folks are way way too messed up to ever remember to take their meds (if they can find a charity to provide medications) on their own and when they go off meds many become violent/crazy. Some are obviously mentally retarded as well which makes matters worse. Everyone knows this yet the current plan is to lock them up in prison, let them out and then when they hurt someone arrest them and lock them up again. Even the mentally ill prisoners don't want it to keep happening but if they don't have a group home or someplace similar to go to they can't prevent it.

Sonya610 said:

Wow. Walking up and shooting him at point blank range after talking to the guy for 20 minutes is really something for that cop!

Regarding the mental health thing -- a week ago I watched a documentary on that. There are virtually NO government run permanent mental hospitals or group homes these days for the severely mentally disturbed. It showed 6 schizophrenics that ended up in prison, they get better when on meds but when they are let out of prison many are literally put ON THE STREET and told to find a homeless shelter.

These folks are way way too messed up to ever remember to take their meds (if they can find a charity to provide medications) on their own and when they go off meds many become violent/crazy. Some are obviously mentally retarded as well which makes matters worse. Everyone knows this yet the current plan is to lock them up in prison, let them out and then when they hurt someone arrest them and lock them up again. Even the mentally ill prisoners don't want it to keep happening but if they don't have a group home or someplace similar to go to they can't prevent it.

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I agree Sonya. From the Co theater shooting, numerous college shootings, the CT grade school shooter... the list goes on and on.... these people need consistent, affordable mental health care. Until our country is willing to make the effort and spend the money to put a system that works in place, I fear this will only get worse.

My youngest child has mental health issues. When he was under 18 he was on our insurance and we had some rights (as well as the responsibility)to get him the help he needed. Now that he is older, it is very difficult to get into any program or receive consistent, quality care. The programs are underfunded, understaffed and so few programs are available now with the funding cuts. Over 18 parents hands are tied in speaking to drs, making appts for him, etc... many who have mental health issues are not capable or motivated to do those things while undertreated. (ironically, if treated properly, many would have no problem doing those things and so much more.)
While my son is not nearly as severe as those you mention above, he has had some interaction with LE when he has done impulsive, stupid things due to his undertreated mental health issues. He DOES have some responsibility for his actions, and we make that clear to him, but it is clear that his m.h. issues play a large part when these things occur. When I think of the MANY others that are FAR more mentally ill than my son, and the fact that they are not getting the care they need, it scares the daylights out of me!

ETA: Our country seems to accept that the obscene amount of money we spend to provide for the mentally ill as a prisoner is okay. If we spent that money to get help for the mentally ill who wind up in the court system the money would be so much better spent and we would solve the overcrowded conditions in the jails. Not to mention the most important part, giving the person a chance at being a productive happy part of society. Obviously, there are those that are SO mentally ill it would never be safe to have them free in society, but that is not the majority of the mentally ill in the system.
IMO

Mom of tot taken hostage at Walmart: I begged for her life

http://t.today.com/news/mom-tot-taken-hostage-walmart-i-begged-her-life-6C10523331

ETA: Video at link - the little girl is absolutely beautiful!

It seems clear to me that LE really had no choice at the end. It sounds like they would have continued to talk to him to try to resolve it with less "finality" but the man began the count down and seemed determined to hurt that child when he hit zero. I am sure the LE did not relish what he had to do, it will likely haunt him for a long time. But IMO he did the right thing. That innocent child's life was at risk. The man likely was so ill he was acting without reason or thought. It is a tragedy all around.

I had a nightmare about this last night. Cannot imagine what it was like for any of them involved!

This mother is very lucky that a policeman was able to get that close to the suspect to shoot him. With the suspect holding the child the way he did, it would be very difficult to get an accurate shot in otherwise.

My thoughts are with the officer that was forced to shoot him. He's a hero in my book! I don't want him to have a single nightmare, any anxiety at all over this. I want him to sleep well knowing a little girl is alive and well because of him.

Linda7NJ said:

My thoughts are with the officer that was forced to shoot him. He's a hero in my book! I don't want him to have a single nightmare, any anxiety at all over this. I want him to sleep well knowing a little girl is alive and well because of him.

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I totally agree. I hope I would have the courage and strength to do what he did if I were in that position. God bless him and all involved in this horrific situation.