Garland church shooting youth pastor recovering

[RPB]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 6d9c2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Pastor was shot in Church Friday

" It was about 9:30 p.m. Friday when Josue Pablo, 20, walked through the doors of Walnut Park Asamblea De Dios church in Garland and began yelling obscenities with his 2-year-old twin boys at his side.

He screamed to the group of 35 that they were all pretending to worship and were putting on an act. Alyssa Elizondo, 19, said she thought it was a skit that the pastor would sometimes use to punctuate the sermon.

"It fit perfect with what he was saying," Rolando Arellano said.

They said Pablo continued for about five minutes, telling the youth group members that they were fake.

"He was putting us down," Elizondo said. "We were thinking, 'Is this real?' "

But it was....
As Contreras walked forward to calm him down, Pablo pulled out a gun and fired, witnesses said. Contreras survived the attack, but a bullet went through his hand and pierced his cheek. Pablo waved his gun once more, sending group members – ages 13 to 25 – scrambling for cover ... "

More if you Google ... Garland Pastor shooting ... or at the link above.

[longtooth]

No wonder some of you preachers are armed.
Oooooohh wait, I resemble that remark.
Glad he is OK & looking at full recovery.

[RPB]

No wonder some of you preachers are armed.
Oooooohh wait, I resemble that remark.
Glad he is OK & looking at full recovery.

Yeah, could have gone real bad real fast with all that youth group there.
Glad there were not a bunch of 13/14/15 year-olds to bury, sad parents and a Pastor preaching funerals.

I sent this to a few CHLs in my church who sometimes "forget" to carry to church, as well as some cousins who are CHLS and deacons at various churches around Texas who always carry. Figured I should post it here too.

[longtooth]

Yes sir & good job.

[ELB]

Josue Pablo, 20, ...and began yelling obscenities...Alyssa Elizondo, 19, said she thought it was a skit that the pastor would sometimes use to punctuate the sermon.

"It fit perfect with what he was saying," Rolando Arellano said.

...

Maybe some of you pastor-types can explain...what kind of preacher would have a style that would suggest that someone yelling obscenities at your congregation would fit perfectly with his sermon? Well, I guess I can think of one, but he lives in Chicago, not Texas...

[stevie_d_64]

Josue Pablo, 20, ...and began yelling obscenities...Alyssa Elizondo, 19, said she thought it was a skit that the pastor would sometimes use to punctuate the sermon.

"It fit perfect with what he was saying," Rolando Arellano said.

...

Maybe some of you pastor-types can explain...what kind of preacher would have a style that would suggest that someone yelling obscenities at your congregation would fit perfectly with his sermon? Well, I guess I can think of one, but he lives in Chicago, not Texas...

That is an excellent point...

In a church setting, a situation like this would cause me to go "red" and "weapons tight" in the blink of an eye, even before the shooting began...This is certainly one of those horrible situations where you have your doubts, but at the same time you are so conflicted, you may hesitate at the wrong time, and there would be your quandry...

If you can get over the "This can't possibly happen at Church" stigma, things may turn out ok...But then again, it would be ironic to ask God for a steady hand in his house...

[phrogg]

This article really hits home for me. I happen to have been in discussions with our Youth Pastor about the fact that she should get her CHL. She actually brought it up thinking she should because she can. She is from Iowa and they don't have CHL there. But she wasn't sure she could actually shoot someone if the situation came up. So I had the discussion with her that I'd help her through the process to get the CHL, but only AFTER she had gone through the process in her own heart about whether she would use it if called upon. Otherwise she is just providing another weapon into the situation that can be used to escalate things and not stop things.

I just forwarded this article over to her to think about. I want her to be able to say that if someone came in waving a gun around all my kids that she could take action. I'm pretty much always there and I'm prepared to defend any of the kids there as well as my own but I'd sure love to know that she's ready as well.

I have had another discussion with someone at work about the fact that I carry at church and he thought we were opening ourselves up to a lot of liability as individuals and as a church by doing so. I think we are actually opening ourselves us to the BG's by NOT being armed. A BG is going to actually think through enough to figure out where the guns are not and go there. That's why schools are such targets! I'd like to make sure that my church is not a target. There are at least 6 of us that I personally know are armed at church...I hope there are others.

[magillapd]

I was talking with my wife about carrying at church. She said it was stupid that nothing ever happens at a church. After this story hit I showed it to her. She didn't say anything, but I know she knows I'm right. As soon as I get my IWB holster, I will be carrying most everywhere I go.

[RPB]

I was talking with my wife about carrying at church. She said it was stupid that nothing ever happens at a church. After this story hit I showed it to her. She didn't say anything, but I know she knows I'm right. As soon as I get my IWB holster, I will be carrying most everywhere I go.

1) just have her Google "church shooting"
2) nothing ever happens at Universities, schools, nor Fort Hood either, that's why soldiers aren't allowed to be armed there; and guns are illegal in Mexico, it's a "gun-free zone", therefore totally safe since nothing ever happens there, it couldn't happen here ... http://tijuana.usconsulate.gov/tijuana/warning.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Partial list of church shootings: http://copycateffect.blogspot.com/2009/03/ch-list.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That "I am not going to a neighborhood that would require me to carry" mindset assumes that a robber prefers the little bit of money he'd get in a poverty stricken neighborhood over the Rolex and wallet he'd get in a "nice" neighborhood.