When 32 year old Jody Ray Thompson opened fire on a nightclub full of people, one patron stepped up. The South Carolina man, who was not named by police in the official report, had a concealed-carry permit and hit Thompson in the leg.
Thompson was arrested on June 26 and is currently being held at the Spartanburg County Detention Center. He is being charged with four counts of attempted murder, possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime, and unlawful carrying of a weapon, according to Epoch Times.
“His rounds struck three victims, and almost struck a fourth victim, who in self-defense, pulled his own weapon and fired, striking Thompson in the leg,” Lt. Kevin Bobo told WISTV.
The defender will not be charged because he had a valid concealed carry permit and the shot was not fatal.
“Thompson was still on the scene when deputies arrived, but the initial scene was chaotic,” Bobo added. “It wasn’t until victims and witnesses were interviewed, and video from the scene was reviewed that Thompson was identified as the suspect.”
This incident eerily mirrors another one from 2012, also in Spartanburg. In that case, Jesse Gates kicked down the door of his church with a shotgun in hand, only to be stopped by Aaron Guyton, who had a concealed carry permit.
There are several instances where concealed-carry permits have saved lives.
2015: An Uber driver in Chicago shot and wounded a man who opened fire on a crowd of people.
2015: Warren Edwards opened fire on a barber shop full of customers only to be stopped by a concealed-carry permit holder.
2014: Psychiatrist Lee Silverman shot Richard Plotts in a Philadelphia hospital. He was stopped by a doctor with a concealed-carry permit.
2012: In Plymouth, PA, William Allabaugh shot and killed another man after he was “ejected” from a bar. Mark Ktytor, a concealed-carry permit owner, shot Allabaugh after the shooter began to walk back towards the bar.
There are varying opinions about open-carry vs concealed-carry permits.
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