'I decided I was gonna fight back,' mugging victim says

[LowFlyer]

Did I miss this here?



Man testifies he shot would-be robber after gun was pulled on him.

By Tyra Braden | Of The Morning Call
January 19, 2008

An Easton man testified he unholstered his handgun and slipped it into his coat pocket moments before Maurice T. Cook and Tyrone Wright tried to rob him at gunpoint.

Robert Pierce Jr. said he became suspicious when Cook, 22, of Easton, and Wright, 22, of Newark, N.J., who were walking behind him, picked up their pace and narrowed the gap as all three made their way to S. 11th Street about 5:30 p.m. Dec. 4. Pierce said he didn't know either man but knew something was wrong when he heard them call out ''Yo,'' or ''Hey.''

Cook, Pierce said, pulled out a handgun, which he pressed to Pierce's back, then his head, and both men warned him to be quiet and dragged him a short distance. ''That's when I took the chance and pulled my gun,'' Pierce testified Friday during a preliminary hearing before District Judge Michael Koury of Wilson.

Pierce said he fired into the air and Wright ran. Cook returned fire and, Pierce said, appeared to be positioning himself to shoot him. Pierce said he aimed for Cook's legs and squeezed off another round. Cook, who had been shot in the abdomen, took off running. Pierce yelled to a man who had come out of a nearby market to call for help, then he walked the short distance to his fiancee's mother's home on Lehigh Street and told her to call police.

Koury sent all charges against Cook and Wright to county court. Each man is charged with robbery, aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit both crimes. Wright also is charged with giving a false name to police and Cook is charged with two firearms counts. Both remain in the county jail under $250,000 bail.

Pierce said he had left his fiancee's home on Warren Street and encountered Pierce and Cook soon after leaving. He said that during the attempted robbery, he told the two he had nothing to steal. ''They were telling me to calm down,'' Pierce said. ''Cook was saying he was gonna shoot me'' and Wright added, ''Yeah, he's gonna shoot you.''

''I decided I was gonna fight back,'' said Pierce, who has a permit to carry a concealed weapon. He was not charged with a crime.

Easton police officer Robert Weber testified that he was called to 1143 Washington St. for a report of a shooting victim. Weber said Cook was lying in the foyer of the building, moaning. He said Wright identified himself as Tyrone Watson and gave several Social Security numbers and dates of birth. Asked what had happened, Weber said, Wright said, ''A white guy came out and started shooting'' at him and Cook.

Detective Daniel Reagan said he interviewed Cook at St. Luke's Hospital-Fountain Hill, where he underwent surgery for his wound. ''He didn't know the individual's name,'' Reagan said. ''He said he's a white boy who hangs around Butler Street.'' Reagan said Cook told him Pierce ''said something about a female,'' and Cook ''told him to go on,'' but Pierce pulled out a gun and opened fire as Cook tried to disarm him.

Police found a .45-caliber handgun on S. 11th Street. Pierce, once at his fiancee's mother's house, said he unloaded his gun, put it in plain view and waited for police.


Man, Easton has really become a hotbed hasn't it............
C.R.

[Montanya]

He fired into the air? WHILE HE WAS AT GUNPOINT? WTF?? Then he "aims for his leg" I am just going to assume he was a really bad shot and used the "fired into the air" thing as a cover. Amazing he survived. For the safety of all involved including himself can we yank his LTCF unstead of people like Greg and Damage?

[Thekatar]

He did the right thing up to the point where he decided to commit; then he acted half-heartedly.

I'm glad he decided to act, but warning shots and shooting to wound aren't a good idea.

[doug]

Isn't it nice that the perps tried to twist the story, and blame it on some 'crazy white guy' ..

Where's Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton?

[NineseveN]

He fired into the air? WHILE HE WAS AT GUNPOINT? WTF?? Then he "aims for his leg" I am just going to assume he was a really bad shot and used the "fired into the air" thing as a cover. Amazing he survived. For the safety of all involved including himself can we yank his LTCF unstead of people like Greg and Damage?

How is it for his safety to have his LTCF revoked? Had he not had his gun, he may have been killed. Say what you will about what he did being unsafe, but in the end, no one was hurt by his actions except the person that needed to be and he walked away. Some unsubstantiated fear about what he might have done or might do because he's not joe-tactical is irrelevant...or would you have rather him not had the LTCF in the first place and ended up lying in a pool of his own blood?

Hopefully, based on his experience, he'll now understand that he could do with some training in order to perform better under that kind of pressure, but it is no reason to revoke his permit.

I don't believe in the government intervening on what might happen, it's nonsensical, anything might happen, and whatever argument you use to get your way, someone else can use to get theirs as well.

Even stupid people have a right to life and to keep and bear arms, and any action they take should be protected up until the point to where someone else gets hurt or has their rights directly violated.


I expect all the hardcore training advocates will now take the opportunity to contact the man and let him know there are options for him to improve how he might handle this kind of situation in the future, that would be the responsible thing to do.

[Brick]

I'm glad the good guy (Pierce) came off OK, but he was lucky beyond all belief.

But beyond that, where are the firearms possession charges against Cook? And the charges against the person who sold or lent him the pistol?

[Philadelphia]

He did the right thing up to the point where he decided to commit; then he acted half-heartedly.

I'm glad he decided to act, but warning shots and shooting to wound aren't a good idea.

The warning shot is a little weird but said he aimed for the legs and gut shot the guy. Translation: he aimed for the chest, gut shot the guy, and said he aimed for the legs. A lot of jury members like the whole "tried to wound him" if it comes to that. People who don't shoot don't understand that a bullet from a handgun isn't exactly a guided missile.

As for firing in the air and then at his legs, whatever, this guy is hardly dangerous or half hearted. He should get a medal. Two assailants had a gun in his back and then at his head. He is still alive and the criminals have been arrested. He didn't wet his pants and just indiscriminantly empty his gun at them. Anybody who has a problem with what happened should try it themselves sometime. Maybe make him an honorary cop and give him a medal instead of criticizing him.

[Philadelphia]

I'm glad the good guy (Pierce) came off OK, but he was lucky beyond all belief.

But beyond that, where are the firearms possession charges against Cook? And the charges against the person who sold or lent him the pistol?

I think the full article does mention the firearms charges. The cops found the scuzzball's gun. A .45

As you say, Mr. Pierce is one lucky guy.

[markheck1]

With I personally think this guy needs slapped around for firing in the air, I gotta agree with 9-7 here on this one....We need less government intervention....not more....

[Thekatar]

He didn't wet his pants and just indiscriminantly empty his gun at them. Anybody who has a problem with what happened should try it themselves sometime. Maybe make him an honorary cop and give him a medal instead of criticizing him.

Have you ever heard of an AAR? That stands for After Action Report. An After Action Report generally consists of a bunch of alpha-type personalities who sit around and criticize each other very openly and honestly about what they did and did not F up whilst employing firearms to solve "problems."

This is so that they can be better next time. Get it?