Guns and Shooter's Wounds Details New Life Church

[RamboLiberal]

Because there's been so much discussion of this on DU:

Matthew Murray, the gunman who killed four people at two religious organizations Sunday, shot himself in the head with a 9mm pistol as a security officer fired at him at New Life Church.

Security officer Jeanne Assam, 42, shot Murray three times — twice in the thigh and once in the wrist before Murray turned a gun on himself, according to Colorado Springs police Lt. Skip Arms. Sources said Assam was armed with a 9mm pistol, and she fired numerous shots at Murray.

Murray carried 1,000 rounds of ammunition in magazines he kept in a backpack. He also wore a vest with sleeves that held additional magazines filled with bullets. A gun belt was strapped to his leg. Sources said Murray carried a Bushmaster AR-15 — a rifle style often used by military and law-enforcement personnel — and two 9mm handguns.

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(After he killed the two Work sisters outside) Murray then shot Judy Purcell, 40, in the right shoulder. He was swinging the AR-15 back and forth — spraying bullets into the doorway of New Life Church — as he entered the building. Inside, he shot Larry Bourbannais, 59, in the left arm. He made it 60 feet down the hallway before Assam engaged him.

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_7696167

[gatorboy]

1. That's funny. Folks whined yesterday that she should have shot his arm.

They were determined to tear her down. Still are.

[The Straight Story]

6. Yeah, they said God was a bad shot caused she killed him....now they will whine

that God was a bad shot cause it took three hits to slow him down.

Some people just like to bitch...

[Squatch]

2. He was there to do some damage. Thank God Assam was there

to stop him.

[aikoaiko]

3. Interesting to me how often the firearm has changed, first an SKS, then an AK variant, and now AR15

But back to the topic. Assam defense of herself and others was heroic.

[piedmont]

4. And yet we STILL have the "but she's not a real hero" crowd. nt

[atreides1]

8. She's not

She was doing her job, and her job was to provide security for the church and its members.

A hero is someone who goes above and beyond what they would normally have to do.

[Squatch]

10. Just because it's her job does not detract from her heroism in carrying out her duties.

She deserves all the accolades and distinction that is commensurate with acts of heroism.

[piedmont]

11. Interesting perspective...

But don't you think that walking toward the gunfire, then firing while being fired upon, is above and beyond the call of duty for a security guard?

[RamboLiberal]

12. My understanding was she was a volunteer

Which probably means FREE and not paid by the church.

Cops and soldiers are paid and yet they are called heros and awarded medals. It is also said they performed "above and beyond the call of duty" when they perform a heroic act.

[Tejas]

13. you have a hilarious take on job desciptions.

To generalize "provide security" to your extent...well, let's just say she deserves a bonus.

[benEzra]

16. It wasn't her job...she was a volunteer with a personally owned gun, not paid staff. (n/t)

[TCJ70]

22. Stopping an armed gunman...

...is a normal duty of volunteer church security people?

[jmg257]

5. Taking on a heavily armed rifleman with a 9mm AND WINNING - one courageous lady! nt

[Mugu]

14. That was what I was thinking.

Generally, it's suicidal to take on a rifle with a handgun. I'm glad that it turned out the way it did because now she will not have to live with the memory of taking a life.

Regards, Mugu

[virginia mountainman]

19. And the realization

That she SAVED many, with her actions.

[QC]

23. But...but...but...she's a...Christian!!!!!11!!!!1!

That means she's eeevul!

[virginia mountainman]

7. These "shooters"

Usually cannot deal with anything that forces a change in THEIR plans...

It seems to be, that when someone with a firearm even CHALLENGES one of these "shooters", the killing usually stops..

This latest incident, the Appalachian law school, where two students fetched firearms from their cars and challenged the shooter, he surrendered instantly

Pearl Mississippi, where the assistant principal retrieved a pistol from his car, and challenged the shooter, he surrendered instantly as well...

I wonder if they where brought up on charges of violating the "gun free school zone"??

Talk about a total failure, that law has been..

[Tejas]

9. armed private citizen

stops heavily-armed murderer = RKBA saves innocent lives.

[slackmaster]

15. 9 mm is a poor choice for shooting one's self in the head

Too much potential for overpenetration and collateral damage.

Oh yeah, this was a guy who was TRYING to do as much collateral damage as possible.

Never mind.

[piedmont]

17. kick. nt

[Sanctified]

18. I also read he was wearing body armor and a helmet is there any details on that? n/t

[RamboLiberal]

21. I haven't seen anything about a helmet

Did read he was wearing a long sleeve vest? with ammo in the pockets besides the loaded magazines he was carrying in a backpack.

[Sanctified]

28. I read it here.

http://www.9news.com/news/top-article.aspx?storyid=82473

"Police are not releasing any information about what kind of weapon was used in the attack. 9NEWS has learned the gunman was dressed with a tactical helmet and body armor."

[RamboLiberal]

20. Church shooter bought five guns from licensed dealers

A Bushmaster XM 15 assaultrifle, purchased Jan. 9 at the Sportsman's Warehouse at 14140 E. Ellsworth Ave. in Aurora.

A Beretta .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun, purchased Jan. 4 at the Sportsman's Warehouse at 555 N. Chelton Road in Colorado Springs.

A Springfield Armory 9mm semiautomatic handgun, purchased Sept. 11 at Dave's Guns, 1842 S. Parker Road in Denver.

In addition, investigators found an AK-47 assault rifle in the trunk of his car and a Beretta .22-caliber handgun at his Arapahoe County home.

The AK-47 was purchased Nov. 17 at Robert's Firearms, 18498 E. Colfax Ave., in Aurora. The Beretta was purchased June 2 at the Aurora Sportman's Warehouse.

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Police investigators also said today that Jean Assam, the church security officer who shot and wounded Murray, fired a total of 10 rounds from her Beretta 9mm semiautomatic handgun.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/12/church-shooter-bought-five-guns-licensed-dealers/

So Assam had 3 hits out of 10 shots. I don't have enough details on distance, etc. to say if that was good or bad accuracy on her part. Kind of about the average from what I've read of past police shootings.

On edit also:

Greenwood Village Police said Wednesday that they investigated Matthew Murray in September, after someone voiced concerns about a weapon being mailed to a post office in Greenwood Village.

The officer went to the UPS Store at 4950 South Yosemite Street and talked to the manager.

"The officer examined the package, and then verified that the owner of the P.O. Box, Matthew Murray, was not wanted by law enforcement. Based on the information obtained by the officer the investigation was concluded," Greenwood Village police said.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/14839707/detail.html

Police say while at New Life, Murray fired 26 rounds from the Bushmaster assault rifle and one round from the Springfield 9mm.

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=82659

This was from the Vietnam vet who witnessed the shooting:

"She (Assam) was yelling, I recall, 'Surrender.' I didn't want to get in her way. I was unarmed, so I ran kind of up and parallel because I couldn't see," said Bourbonnais. "She fired off 10 or 12 shots and we both came around the corner and he started sliding down and he started bleeding. He looked pretty dead. I told her to take a headshot and she said, 'No, I think he's dead.' I took a handgun out of his hand because I was unarmed. I cleared it. It had jammed, I remember that."

"I told her that's the bravest thing I've ever seen and she said, 'I was just praying. It was the Holy Spirit to help me do this right.' That was pretty powerful stuff, very, very brave," he said.

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=82532

[piedmont]

24. I wonder where he got the money for all that?

That's what-- $3,000-4,000 worth of weapons?

[virginia mountainman]

25. I doubt that...

I doubt that he had an AK47 Assault rifle...

They are extremely expensive, and HIGHLY controlled...

Most likely it was a semi-automatic rifle, that LOOKED like an AK-47...

Also the Bushmaster XM15, is not an assault rifle, it too, is a semi automatic rifle....


Assault rifles are capable of both Semi-automatic, and FULLY automatic fire, I have heard of NO ONE stating that they where selective fire.

The repukes that run the Brady Campaign, started DELIBERATELY miss-naming these firearms back in the 1990's, and the news media, believed all their bullshit.

Don't be misled by that rethug organization.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_rifle#Assault_weapons_vs._Automatic_weapons

[RamboLiberal]

26. We know the news media is lazy

and most know diddly about guns. I don't know who are the bigger doofus about guns, them or Hollywood filmmakers.

Hell they still write "service revolver" for a cop's pistol.

[benEzra]

27. Excellent info, thanks. (n/t)

[RamboLiberal]

29. More info Today

Murray, 24, began buying weapons in November 2006 from Front Range gun and sporting-goods stores, according to Colorado Springs police, who had the weapons traced by federal authorities.

A large shipment of ammunition was sent to Murray's post office box in Greenwood Village. The shipment was delivered to him but only after authorities had been alerted and determined he could legally possess it.

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Chrstnnghtmr on the online blog Independent Spirits says in early 2004 he went to a charismatic conference at New Life Church with his mother and her church group and "got into a debate with two prayer team staff members."

The staffers told the poster's mother that he "wasn't walking with the Lord and could be planning violence," according to the online posting.

Two weeks later, chrstnnghtmr says a pastor came to his house and searched his room for "anything evil." After he stashed video games, DVDs and books about other religions at a friend's house, he says they searched there too "and basically destroyed at least $900 worth of property."

"I wasn't involved in anything like drugs or anything like that. I just had video games, some books about other religions, DVDs and such."

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_7704989

It doesn't justify what he did - but if above is true - wow - no wonder he felt violated!