Interesting Crime Spree Article

mhuegerich · June 10, 2010, 07:52 AM

Here's a story about a random crime spree, with one shooting happening really close to my house.

There were a total of four robberies/attempted robberies. The interesting thing about the crime spree was that the two victims who either had a gun, or threatened that they had a gun, scared the criminals away. The other two unarmed victims were both shot.

I really don't have a tactical question, but thought it was interesting study of armed versus unarmed victims. Same group of criminals, four different encounters, with different outcome based on the victim being armed.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/new...A?OpenDocument

Crime spree ends with two shot and three in custody
By Leah Thorsen, Kim Bell and Christine Byers
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
06/09/2010

Amber Hoxworth's house was the only one on the Imperial cul-de-sac with its lights on.

Upstairs, she and her husband were trying to get their 2-year-old nephew to fall asleep in their bedroom. Downstairs, their three children were playing with a cousin and watching TV in the living room.

A man with a gun banged on the front door.

It was about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, and the Hoxworth home in The Oaks subdivision was a stop on what authorities say was a three-county crime rampage that resulted in the shooting of two people.

Each victim was picked at random, police say. Both were expected to survive.

The rampage began before midnight Monday when police got a call that a 25-year-old man had been shot on his front porch in the 400 block of Winston Drive in south St. Louis County, near Jefferson Barracks County Park. The man apparently was confronted by a gunman at his front door. After he was shot, the man fell into his home and shut the front door, police said. The gunman fired more shots into the front door and through a window.

Minutes later, a 23-year-old man was taking a walk when he was shot in the chest, the victim of an apparent robbery, police said. A passer-by near Baumgartner and Telegraph roads in Oakville found the man on the ground and called police.

A half-hour later, the rampage shifted to Jefferson County.

Hoxworth said her 15-year-old son went to the door about 12:30 a.m. when he heard banging. He did not open the door.

Her husband grabbed his gun, Hoxworth said, but the man ran away within seconds of knocking.

The would-be-intruder could have seen clearly into the living room through the windows on both sides of the door.

"It was by luck that my doors were locked," said Hoxworth, 34.

A few minutes later, a man with a rifle walked through an unlocked door into the home of Nick Barr in the 5400 block of Black Creek Road in Imperial.

Barr said he was going to the kitchen for a glass of water when he saw a man with a rifle in his living room.

The intruder told Barr, a 25-year-old asphalt worker, not to move. Barr flipped off the living room light, retreated to the bedroom and quickly shut the door. "I was afraid he'd shoot me through the door," he said.

Barr yelled that he had a gun and was calling the police. He told his fiancé to get into a closet. Barr owns a gun but did not have immediate access to it at the time.

Police arrived, but the intruder had left.

Barr and his fiancé were not hurt and nothing inside the home was stolen or damaged. Barr said he has no idea why the man chose his home.

"It was a worst-case scenario with a best-case outcome," Barr said.

Jefferson County police put out a description of the getaway car, which had been stolen earlier from a bar parking lot in Collinsville. They chased it onto Interstate 55, over the Jefferson Barracks Bridge and into Illinois. Dispatchers radioed ahead to police in Illinois to set spike strips on Interstate 255.

About 1:20 a.m., on I-255 near the 13-mile marker, the spike strips flattened the car's tires. The car's occupants fled, but police nabbed three teens with the help of a police dog. Court documents indicate there may have been a fourth suspect.

St. Louis County prosecutors on Tuesday charged Albert Robinson, 17, of the 4700 block of Nebraska Avenue in St. Louis, and Alan Burns, 17, of the 3400 block of Minnesota Avenue in St. Louis, with two counts each of armed criminal action and two counts each of first-degree assault.

jhenry · June 10, 2010, 08:16 AM

Very interesting, but not surprising. The average criminal is not gun savy, is a poor shot, has a crappy weapon, is a coward at heart, is a life long loser, and will run like a little girl from someone he thought was a victim, and ended up being armed and resolute.

Not that a scared crappy shot with a Jennings can't kill you, because he sure can. And not that the above description fits all criminals, because it sure don't. We all have knowledge, personal, media, whatever, of the criminal with a good weapon used well who intends to stand fast and kill. I'm just glad most do not fit that mold.

Just my 2 cents on a Thursday morning. Now I have to go get my motorcycle insurance renewed. If I had to give up being a gunbug, or being a gearhead, I would keep the guns, but it would hurt and hurt bad. Have a safe day y'all.

booker_t · June 10, 2010, 08:55 AM

Drive by?

mhuegerich · June 10, 2010, 10:16 AM

Booker,

Drive by? Are you referring to my post?

Not sure what you mean.

The intent of my post was not to ask a question, but instead was to compare the different outcomes of similar situations (same night, same bad guys, same intent) between armed and unarmed individuals.

Plus it happened very close to home in an area with a very low crime rate.

June 10, 2010, 07:52 AM	#1
mhuegerich Member Join Date: June 28, 2007 Location: St. Louis MO Posts: 62	Interesting Crime Spree Article Here's a story about a random crime spree, with one shooting happening really close to my house. There were a total of four robberies/attempted robberies. The interesting thing about the crime spree was that the two victims who either had a gun, or threatened that they had a gun, scared the criminals away. The other two unarmed victims were both shot. I really don't have a tactical question, but thought it was interesting study of armed versus unarmed victims. Same group of criminals, four different encounters, with different outcome based on the victim being armed. http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/new...A?OpenDocument Crime spree ends with two shot and three in custody By Leah Thorsen, Kim Bell and Christine Byers ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 06/09/2010 Amber Hoxworth's house was the only one on the Imperial cul-de-sac with its lights on. Upstairs, she and her husband were trying to get their 2-year-old nephew to fall asleep in their bedroom. Downstairs, their three children were playing with a cousin and watching TV in the living room. A man with a gun banged on the front door. It was about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, and the Hoxworth home in The Oaks subdivision was a stop on what authorities say was a three-county crime rampage that resulted in the shooting of two people. Each victim was picked at random, police say. Both were expected to survive. The rampage began before midnight Monday when police got a call that a 25-year-old man had been shot on his front porch in the 400 block of Winston Drive in south St. Louis County, near Jefferson Barracks County Park. The man apparently was confronted by a gunman at his front door. After he was shot, the man fell into his home and shut the front door, police said. The gunman fired more shots into the front door and through a window. Minutes later, a 23-year-old man was taking a walk when he was shot in the chest, the victim of an apparent robbery, police said. A passer-by near Baumgartner and Telegraph roads in Oakville found the man on the ground and called police. A half-hour later, the rampage shifted to Jefferson County. Hoxworth said her 15-year-old son went to the door about 12:30 a.m. when he heard banging. He did not open the door. Her husband grabbed his gun, Hoxworth said, but the man ran away within seconds of knocking. The would-be-intruder could have seen clearly into the living room through the windows on both sides of the door. "It was by luck that my doors were locked," said Hoxworth, 34. A few minutes later, a man with a rifle walked through an unlocked door into the home of Nick Barr in the 5400 block of Black Creek Road in Imperial. Barr said he was going to the kitchen for a glass of water when he saw a man with a rifle in his living room. The intruder told Barr, a 25-year-old asphalt worker, not to move. Barr flipped off the living room light, retreated to the bedroom and quickly shut the door. "I was afraid he'd shoot me through the door," he said. Barr yelled that he had a gun and was calling the police. He told his fiancé to get into a closet. Barr owns a gun but did not have immediate access to it at the time. Police arrived, but the intruder had left. Barr and his fiancé were not hurt and nothing inside the home was stolen or damaged. Barr said he has no idea why the man chose his home. "It was a worst-case scenario with a best-case outcome," Barr said. Jefferson County police put out a description of the getaway car, which had been stolen earlier from a bar parking lot in Collinsville. They chased it onto Interstate 55, over the Jefferson Barracks Bridge and into Illinois. Dispatchers radioed ahead to police in Illinois to set spike strips on Interstate 255. About 1:20 a.m., on I-255 near the 13-mile marker, the spike strips flattened the car's tires. The car's occupants fled, but police nabbed three teens with the help of a police dog. Court documents indicate there may have been a fourth suspect. St. Louis County prosecutors on Tuesday charged Albert Robinson, 17, of the 4700 block of Nebraska Avenue in St. Louis, and Alan Burns, 17, of the 3400 block of Minnesota Avenue in St. Louis, with two counts each of armed criminal action and two counts each of first-degree assault.

June 10, 2010, 08:16 AM	#2
jhenry Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Location: Ozarks Posts: 1,840	Very interesting, but not surprising. The average criminal is not gun savy, is a poor shot, has a crappy weapon, is a coward at heart, is a life long loser, and will run like a little girl from someone he thought was a victim, and ended up being armed and resolute. Not that a scared crappy shot with a Jennings can't kill you, because he sure can. And not that the above description fits all criminals, because it sure don't. We all have knowledge, personal, media, whatever, of the criminal with a good weapon used well who intends to stand fast and kill. I'm just glad most do not fit that mold. Just my 2 cents on a Thursday morning. Now I have to go get my motorcycle insurance renewed. If I had to give up being a gunbug, or being a gearhead, I would keep the guns, but it would hurt and hurt bad. Have a safe day y'all. __________________ "A Liberal is someone who doesn't care what you do, as long as it's mandatory". - Charles Krauthammer

June 10, 2010, 08:55 AM	#3
booker_t Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2009 Posts: 797	Drive by?

June 10, 2010, 10:16 AM	#4
mhuegerich Member Join Date: June 28, 2007 Location: St. Louis MO Posts: 62	Booker, Drive by? Are you referring to my post? Not sure what you mean. The intent of my post was not to ask a question, but instead was to compare the different outcomes of similar situations (same night, same bad guys, same intent) between armed and unarmed individuals. Plus it happened very close to home in an area with a very low crime rate.