Samuel Williams, 71, lives in Ocala, Florida and was minding his own business, along with other patrons at a local internet cafe, when two thugs entered the establishment armed with a handgun and baseball bat to rob customers. Neither of these young punks expected what came next.
Surveillance video shows that the men entered Palms Internet Cafe, 8444 SW State Road 200, just before 10 p.m. Friday and immediately began holding customers at gunpoint. The man with the baseball bat apparently took a shot at a computer screen while the video shows the man with the gun pointing it at the back of a patron with his hands in the air as he walks him forward.
Just as the would-be robber turns his back, you can see Mr. Williams stand from his chair, retrieve his .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun and fire at the thug, hitting him apparently twice. As the robber tries to flee, Williams follows after him, continuing to fire and hitting his accomplice as well.
The two men escape out the front door falling over each other and Williams gets off a final shot as the door closes. He then locks the door and waits for police.
Talk about your dumb crooks. Not only were these two punks stupid enough to try and rob people, but they allegedly didn’t even carry a gun that worked or was loaded.
According to Ocala.com,
One of the masked men, identified as Duwayne Henderson, 19, comes in pointing a handgun at customers. The second man, Davis Dawkins, 19, is seen swinging a bat at something off screen, which was later identified as a $1,200 computer screen.
Both men were shot by Williams. Their wounds were not life-threatening. Each was arrested hours later and charged with attempted armed robbery with a firearm and felony criminal mischief.
Henderson remained in the Marion County Jail late Monday in lieu of a $31,000 bond. Dawkins was released Sunday after posting an $11,000 bond.
Bill Gladson of the State Attorney’s Office said in regards to charges being filed against Mr. Williams, “Based on what I have seen and what I know at this time, I don’t anticipate filing any charges.” The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is still to issue a final report. However, there is no doubt that the shooting is justified.
One of the patrons wanted to express her appreciation to Mr. Williams. “I think he is wonderful. If he wouldn’t have been there, there could have been some innocent people shot,” said Mary Beach. “I heard pop, pop; then pop, pop, pop, all at once. In the confusion I never really got to see his (Williams) face.”
Just imagine if these deviants had access to the information that Mr. Williams had a concealed weapon as I wrote about on Wednesday. Things might have turned out different.
The kind of vigilance and courage demonstrated by Samuel Williams should make him the “poster boy” for carrying concealed. He was able to save not only his own life, but possibly the lives of several people in the establishment. Kudos to Mr. Williams! You are a hero and not only do those fellow patrons applaud your actions, but so do gun owners everywhere.
To view the surveillance video click below:
