Black Friday - An American Jihad (Publish my Book)
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Black Friday - An American Jihad
I've written the story of a terror attack on the U.S. that takes place on the busiest shopping day of the year - Black Friday.
It's taken more than a year to write, rewrite and edit my novella to a point where it's ready for professional editing and then publishing, which both cost money.
Although I received an offer from a conventional publisher, I want to self-publish the story and maintain control of the story. A small California firm made an offer to buy the book, but they wanted to make drastic changes to the storyline and I did not. Instead, I have decided to self publish the book and keep creative control of what I've written.
This means I need money for editing, formatting and printing.
I have selected a New York company for editing and Page Publishing will handle formatting, printing and distribution. The book will be available online and in print through Amazon and select brick and mortar stores.
A great deal of time has been put into this and now I need help to take my story to the next level - editing and publication.
The editor is read to begin and publication would begin shortly after, making the book available by early to mid summer 2019 - with your help.
I'm a first-time novelist but hope to write more in the future.
With your help, this story can make its way from my computer to Amazon and the local book store.
The costs are outline below:
Professional Editing 82,000 Words - $3700
Formatting / Publishing 500 copies - $4350
Recording Audio Unabridged Version - $2100
I am prepared to and already have spent some of my own money but don't have enough to complete the process.
From that point, the publisher will handle production costs of any future books and subtract the cost from the sales price.
Below is an UNEDITED selection from the story, which I hope you will read and enjoy.
---
Part Twelve
17:01:05—Portland, Maine
Staging cars for the attacks had taken several days and each had a spare key taped to the bottom. The first vehicle was left at Home Depot, almost directly across the street from the Wal-Mart they attacked. The second was parked at a hotel near LL. Bean. The final car was left in a parking garage near downtown Portland.
Provisioned with additional ammunition, clothes, and $20,000 in cash, the car would provide their escape, should Allah will them to make it that far.
As expected, the parking garage was almost empty. They had chosen a lot primarily used on workdays. There were a few cars, but no drivers.
The men removed their blood-soaked tactical vests and tossed them in the trunk of the first car, followed by their shirts and pants, which were also covered in blood. From the new car, they removed water bottles, and each man rinsed blood from his hair and face.
It took five minutes for them to remove and hide the blood-soaked clothes, then dress in tennis shoes, blue jeans, and t-shirts. The transformation was quick and astounding, from blood-spattered jihadi terrorists with body armor to regular, every day travelers. Adding baseball hats and glasses, made the man appear like anyone else.
Although fake passports were also in the last car, they wouldn’t do much good. The men’s pictures were being broadcast to every television, smart phone, iPad, digital billboard, and police car in Maine.
Any civilian watching television, making a phone call or going online would be inundated with images of the men.
Besides news and cable television, Apple broadcast the images to every iPhone user within 200 miles of Lewiston and Portland. Amber-alert style messages displayed on each phone and a loud tone sounded, followed by several images of each attacker. Warning messages also popped up on every screen.
Wanted in connection with Black Friday attacks. Call police if sited. DO NOT try to apprehend. Armed and dangerous.
But escape was never the plan. The final attack was yet to come America was weakened and the final blow would cripple the infidels forever. Fear would run rampant throughout the country and true believers would take up arms and follow the brave examples set by the jihadist.
Before getting in the car, the two men made Maghrib prayer. They praised Allah and asked for his blessing. The believed their actions were justified and part of his divine will. Their misguided and retarded interpretation of the Koran brought them this far. It must carry them to the end.
17:05:19—Columbia, South Carolina
In another deserted parking garage, the Barnwell shooters were washing away all evidence of their attacks, except for bandages to one man’s left arm, which would be covered by a light jacket..
The wound was just above his left bicep. It was minor. A small-caliber bullet had gone through his muscle and cleanly exited, leaving a small hole. The jihadist was right-handed, and could shoot. But, the injury required attention, if they were to try and move freely. A bloody arm was sure to attract attention.
CEL+X is used by the military to clot blood and close injuries on the battlefield. It’s readily available to civilians and the first-aid kit in each car contained several bags. With the bleeding stopped, the wound was wrapped with gauzed and applied with tape.
Tylenol, ibuprofen and OxyContin were also in the kits and the gunmen took two of each. Amoxicilin was also taken. .
It was several minutes before the injured man was able to perform Maghrib prayer.
13:10:50 PST—Near Denver, Colorado
The green Honda struck the concrete column of a parking garage entrance. He had been shot several times, along with his passenger, who died a few minutes before.
Several of the King Sooper shoppers had been armed and the men had been prepared. However, as the men were nearing the killing fields of the store’s stockroom, several shots had come from behind them, striking one gunman in the leg and the other in his arm.
A police officer led the counterattack by several civilians, each armed with a handgun or rifle. Accurate fire from a handgun was sure to do almost no damage. The body armor would stop small arms fire, and most people were trained to aim for the largest target: the chest and upper body.
Before being shot himself, Larry Reynolds had taken several shots at both gunmen, although panic and adrenalin preventing him from really aiming.
Reynolds was the founding member of a local gun club and capable of making what he called “damn fine shots.” He could hit almost any target within fifty yards, and these men were much closer, but he had just seen what was left of his wife’s face and he wasn’t able to hold the gun steady. Still, his third shot hit the leg of one gunman.
James Roland, an off-duty police officer was better trained but still unprepared for the bloodbath inside King Sooper. Hit twice, the he continued to fire, striking the other gunmen in the arm and shattering his humorous.
The largest bone in the arm, shards from the destroyed humorous nicked the gunman’s brachial artery, a major blood vessel. Only a hospital and competent surgeon would be able to save his life.
The blood loss was constant and would not be stopped by CELL+X or bandages. However, adrenaline would overcome the slow loss of blood for a short time and he fired back at the officer and his civilian posse.
Struck another time, Roland continued firing until his weapon was empty and a jihadi bullet struck the officer’s chest. He crumpled against another member of the posse and went down hard. Unthinking, more than twenty years of training continued to move his arms. Removing another magazine from his belt, it dropped to the floor.
He simply starred are the useless ammunition storage device and willed his dumb hand to pick it up. The arm didn’t move and Roland toppled onto the magazine, blood drooling from his mouth.
The counterattack took several minutes and didn’t save any lives. While one of the gunmen was firing at the would-be attackers, the other was killing the last of the shoppers trapped in the back of the store. But the civilian attack did prevent the gunmen from making a clean getaway.
Mortally wounded, both gunmen’s jihad was at an end. So were the lives of 182 people in King Sooper, including the officer and most of his posse. Another 129 were wounded and many would die before they could reach life saving help.
The terrorists were able to reach their car and drive away, but their injuries would prevent any future attacks.
Wounded and driving slow, the gunmen were followed by several witnesses to the King Sooper attack.
“They’ve crashed into the wall at a parking garage.” Said the driver of a pickup truck to the 911 operator.
“Sir, stay back, police are responding.” The operator said.
Scott Steele was no hero and had no intention of getting anywhere near the car. Stopped almost a block away, he whispered, “I see them moving but they’re staying in the car.”
Like so many people, Steele was going to “lay in some groceries” and stopped at King Sooper before heading home for the curfew.
Arriving at the store, the parking lot was packed and he parked across the street where several empty cars were stopped. Probably doing the same thing, he thought and shut off the engine only to hear muffled gunfire.
He opened the door and immediately knew from where it was coming. He dialed 911 and had been on the call for more than twelve minutes. Through the attack he continued to question when the officers would arrive saying, “It’s gonna be too late.”
The operator tried to calm and reassure him. “They are close. They’re getting really close.” She said and typed updates that instantly appeared in responding officer’s car-mounted computers.
When the attack was over and the wounded men drove away, Steele followed, while the operator said, “Let the police handle it. They are almost to you.”
“I’m staying pretty far back.”
Steele continued updating his location to the operator, who relayed the information to officers. Several times he said, “They just hit a car.” Or “They just ran that light.” Which of course, he did too.
The drive was only a couple miles and ended when their car tried turning into a parking garage and crashed.
At the parking garage, police were on-scene within minutes of the crash and Steele was filming with his phone on “speaker.”
Officers could be seen approaching the car and there was movement inside. Suddenly shots erupted as three officers began firing into the stopped car.
After a few seconds, the bodies of both men were pulled from the car and handcuffed. The officers were taking no chances.
15:21:56 MST—Casper, Wyoming
Before the FBI arrived, there were twenty police cruisers in the Albertsons parking lot, along with six ambulances, three fire trucks, and a SWAT van. However, it was a civilian who killed the two terrorists as they exited the store.
Gary Martin was a hunter, target shooter, and avid gun collector. He always carried a concealed weapon, and usually had more in whatever he was driving. Today, that was a 1987 Jeep Grand Wagoneer with thirty-eight-inch tires and six-inch suspension lift. Gary spent eight year restoring it himself, everything from replacing fenders and quarter panels to installing new seats and upholstery.
Although the Jeep looked like it could climb Mount Everest, it never did more than carefully creep down a few hunting trails on occasions when extra space was needed. He usually took a beat up pickup truck to the hunting cabin.
Sometimes his wife said, “You love that truck more than me.” Gary laughed but never disagreed.
Inside was his new favorite weapon, a combination Christmas and birthday gift a year before. Gary’s wife loved her husband and knew he loved guns. The Ruger Creedmoor 6.5 mm tactical sniper rifle with a 24 x 50 scope was a total surprise. Gary prided himself on being able to figure out a gift by the questions his wife asked or the things they sometimes did in the months before the holidays.
The Creedmore was one of the few where he fell well short.
As a competition shooter, Gary could make accurate shots over a mile and was parked less than 100 yards from the entrance. He watched as one gunman killed two women who were fighting over a grocery cart, before opening fire at several other people. Knowing he was too far away to make an accurate shot with his Beretta 9 mm, Gary ran back to his truck and opened the back gate.
His Creedmoor was out. He stepped on his tailgate and climbed onto the Wagoneer’s roof.
Like so many people, Gary had been watching events unfold on the news. But, he never expected terror to erupt in Casper, but he knew it would be over quickly. News reports said the earlier attacks were blitz-like and over fast. From atop the Jeep, there was a clear line of sight to the storefront and checkout area. With the bipod open and a few clicks of the MOA adjustment, the rifle was ready to fire.
As a hunter, Gary was accustomed to taking the kill shot, and it never bothered him. He was a survivalist, and the animal never went to waste. From the hide to the meat, he used everything.
Gary wasn’t a trophy hunter, and despised people who killed for sport.
As a competition shooter, his targets were usually made out of paper. Gary had never even seen a person through one of his scopes, and the cold, hard realization of what was about to happen took hold. His whole body started to shake. Tears blurred his vision. There was no way he could make this shot accurately.
He thought about getting closer. There’s no time. Everyone will be dead. They’ll be gone. It’ll be too late.Gary rested his forehead on his right arm and closed his eyes.
“Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”
Gary raised his head and looked at the store.
“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
He placed his cheek on the padded rifle stock and used his right hand to chamber a round.
“Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
He looked through the scope and used his left hand to bring the store into focus.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Gary scanned the store from right to left and found the first gunman. He watched as the man heartlessly shot a clerk whose hands were raised above her head.
“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.”
Gary took in a breath and breathed out. He held his breath and took the first shot.
The 129-grain full metal jacket projectile left Gary’s barrel at 2,940 feet per second and reached the first gunman faster than the speed of sound. The bullet passed through the glass window and penetrated the man’s body armor, killing him instantly.
Gary watched through the scope and saw the man fall. As he tracked the rifle further to the left, the front windows shattered in a hail of gunfire. There was a short pause before additional shots were fired, and Gary could hear parked cars being hit and more windows breaking.
Lying prone on the roof of his Jeep, he didn’t provide much of a target, and Gary doubted the gunman knew what he was shooting at.
Continuing to search for the gunman, Gary said, “Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.”
More gunfire came from inside, and two more people were shot in the parking lot.
“Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.”
Gary found the second gunman and watched him discard an empty magazine before inserting a full one. “Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”
He squeezed the trigger gently and the second gunman died before firing a shot from his fresh magazine.
The survivalist took a deep breath and sighed. “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.”
Gary made the sign of the cross.
The police arrived a few minutes later and Gary was still on top of his Jeep, crying. There was a lot of confusion, and several officers were pointing weapons at the survivalist before witnesses explained that Gary was a hero. And had saved lives.
He didn’t feel like a hero. He was tired and wanted nothing more than to sleep. But it would be a long time before he did.
Hailed as a “life save” and “true hero”, he would receive interview requests from Dave Maltese and Anderson Cooper with CNN, Brian Williams, Connie Chung and many more. He would be offered, along with many others, the Presidential Medal of Honor. Gary would be one of only a few that declined the offer and all interviews.
The few times he spoke with reporters, it was only to say, “People died. A real hero would have stopped them before that happened.”
I've written the story of a terror attack on the U.S. that takes place on the busiest shopping day of the year - Black Friday.
It's taken more than a year to write, rewrite and edit my novella to a point where it's ready for professional editing and then publishing, which both cost money.
Although I received an offer from a conventional publisher, I want to self-publish the story and maintain control of the story. A small California firm made an offer to buy the book, but they wanted to make drastic changes to the storyline and I did not. Instead, I have decided to self publish the book and keep creative control of what I've written.
This means I need money for editing, formatting and printing.
I have selected a New York company for editing and Page Publishing will handle formatting, printing and distribution. The book will be available online and in print through Amazon and select brick and mortar stores.
A great deal of time has been put into this and now I need help to take my story to the next level - editing and publication.
The editor is read to begin and publication would begin shortly after, making the book available by early to mid summer 2019 - with your help.
I'm a first-time novelist but hope to write more in the future.
With your help, this story can make its way from my computer to Amazon and the local book store.
The costs are outline below:
Professional Editing 82,000 Words - $3700
Formatting / Publishing 500 copies - $4350
Recording Audio Unabridged Version - $2100
I am prepared to and already have spent some of my own money but don't have enough to complete the process.
From that point, the publisher will handle production costs of any future books and subtract the cost from the sales price.
Below is an UNEDITED selection from the story, which I hope you will read and enjoy.
---
Part Twelve
17:01:05—Portland, Maine
Staging cars for the attacks had taken several days and each had a spare key taped to the bottom. The first vehicle was left at Home Depot, almost directly across the street from the Wal-Mart they attacked. The second was parked at a hotel near LL. Bean. The final car was left in a parking garage near downtown Portland.
Provisioned with additional ammunition, clothes, and $20,000 in cash, the car would provide their escape, should Allah will them to make it that far.
As expected, the parking garage was almost empty. They had chosen a lot primarily used on workdays. There were a few cars, but no drivers.
The men removed their blood-soaked tactical vests and tossed them in the trunk of the first car, followed by their shirts and pants, which were also covered in blood. From the new car, they removed water bottles, and each man rinsed blood from his hair and face.
It took five minutes for them to remove and hide the blood-soaked clothes, then dress in tennis shoes, blue jeans, and t-shirts. The transformation was quick and astounding, from blood-spattered jihadi terrorists with body armor to regular, every day travelers. Adding baseball hats and glasses, made the man appear like anyone else.
Although fake passports were also in the last car, they wouldn’t do much good. The men’s pictures were being broadcast to every television, smart phone, iPad, digital billboard, and police car in Maine.
Any civilian watching television, making a phone call or going online would be inundated with images of the men.
Besides news and cable television, Apple broadcast the images to every iPhone user within 200 miles of Lewiston and Portland. Amber-alert style messages displayed on each phone and a loud tone sounded, followed by several images of each attacker. Warning messages also popped up on every screen.
Wanted in connection with Black Friday attacks. Call police if sited. DO NOT try to apprehend. Armed and dangerous.
But escape was never the plan. The final attack was yet to come America was weakened and the final blow would cripple the infidels forever. Fear would run rampant throughout the country and true believers would take up arms and follow the brave examples set by the jihadist.
Before getting in the car, the two men made Maghrib prayer. They praised Allah and asked for his blessing. The believed their actions were justified and part of his divine will. Their misguided and retarded interpretation of the Koran brought them this far. It must carry them to the end.
17:05:19—Columbia, South Carolina
In another deserted parking garage, the Barnwell shooters were washing away all evidence of their attacks, except for bandages to one man’s left arm, which would be covered by a light jacket..
The wound was just above his left bicep. It was minor. A small-caliber bullet had gone through his muscle and cleanly exited, leaving a small hole. The jihadist was right-handed, and could shoot. But, the injury required attention, if they were to try and move freely. A bloody arm was sure to attract attention.
CEL+X is used by the military to clot blood and close injuries on the battlefield. It’s readily available to civilians and the first-aid kit in each car contained several bags. With the bleeding stopped, the wound was wrapped with gauzed and applied with tape.
Tylenol, ibuprofen and OxyContin were also in the kits and the gunmen took two of each. Amoxicilin was also taken. .
It was several minutes before the injured man was able to perform Maghrib prayer.
13:10:50 PST—Near Denver, Colorado
The green Honda struck the concrete column of a parking garage entrance. He had been shot several times, along with his passenger, who died a few minutes before.
Several of the King Sooper shoppers had been armed and the men had been prepared. However, as the men were nearing the killing fields of the store’s stockroom, several shots had come from behind them, striking one gunman in the leg and the other in his arm.
A police officer led the counterattack by several civilians, each armed with a handgun or rifle. Accurate fire from a handgun was sure to do almost no damage. The body armor would stop small arms fire, and most people were trained to aim for the largest target: the chest and upper body.
Before being shot himself, Larry Reynolds had taken several shots at both gunmen, although panic and adrenalin preventing him from really aiming.
Reynolds was the founding member of a local gun club and capable of making what he called “damn fine shots.” He could hit almost any target within fifty yards, and these men were much closer, but he had just seen what was left of his wife’s face and he wasn’t able to hold the gun steady. Still, his third shot hit the leg of one gunman.
James Roland, an off-duty police officer was better trained but still unprepared for the bloodbath inside King Sooper. Hit twice, the he continued to fire, striking the other gunmen in the arm and shattering his humorous.
The largest bone in the arm, shards from the destroyed humorous nicked the gunman’s brachial artery, a major blood vessel. Only a hospital and competent surgeon would be able to save his life.
The blood loss was constant and would not be stopped by CELL+X or bandages. However, adrenaline would overcome the slow loss of blood for a short time and he fired back at the officer and his civilian posse.
Struck another time, Roland continued firing until his weapon was empty and a jihadi bullet struck the officer’s chest. He crumpled against another member of the posse and went down hard. Unthinking, more than twenty years of training continued to move his arms. Removing another magazine from his belt, it dropped to the floor.
He simply starred are the useless ammunition storage device and willed his dumb hand to pick it up. The arm didn’t move and Roland toppled onto the magazine, blood drooling from his mouth.
The counterattack took several minutes and didn’t save any lives. While one of the gunmen was firing at the would-be attackers, the other was killing the last of the shoppers trapped in the back of the store. But the civilian attack did prevent the gunmen from making a clean getaway.
Mortally wounded, both gunmen’s jihad was at an end. So were the lives of 182 people in King Sooper, including the officer and most of his posse. Another 129 were wounded and many would die before they could reach life saving help.
The terrorists were able to reach their car and drive away, but their injuries would prevent any future attacks.
Wounded and driving slow, the gunmen were followed by several witnesses to the King Sooper attack.
“They’ve crashed into the wall at a parking garage.” Said the driver of a pickup truck to the 911 operator.
“Sir, stay back, police are responding.” The operator said.
Scott Steele was no hero and had no intention of getting anywhere near the car. Stopped almost a block away, he whispered, “I see them moving but they’re staying in the car.”
Like so many people, Steele was going to “lay in some groceries” and stopped at King Sooper before heading home for the curfew.
Arriving at the store, the parking lot was packed and he parked across the street where several empty cars were stopped. Probably doing the same thing, he thought and shut off the engine only to hear muffled gunfire.
He opened the door and immediately knew from where it was coming. He dialed 911 and had been on the call for more than twelve minutes. Through the attack he continued to question when the officers would arrive saying, “It’s gonna be too late.”
The operator tried to calm and reassure him. “They are close. They’re getting really close.” She said and typed updates that instantly appeared in responding officer’s car-mounted computers.
When the attack was over and the wounded men drove away, Steele followed, while the operator said, “Let the police handle it. They are almost to you.”
“I’m staying pretty far back.”
Steele continued updating his location to the operator, who relayed the information to officers. Several times he said, “They just hit a car.” Or “They just ran that light.” Which of course, he did too.
The drive was only a couple miles and ended when their car tried turning into a parking garage and crashed.
At the parking garage, police were on-scene within minutes of the crash and Steele was filming with his phone on “speaker.”
Officers could be seen approaching the car and there was movement inside. Suddenly shots erupted as three officers began firing into the stopped car.
After a few seconds, the bodies of both men were pulled from the car and handcuffed. The officers were taking no chances.
15:21:56 MST—Casper, Wyoming
Before the FBI arrived, there were twenty police cruisers in the Albertsons parking lot, along with six ambulances, three fire trucks, and a SWAT van. However, it was a civilian who killed the two terrorists as they exited the store.
Gary Martin was a hunter, target shooter, and avid gun collector. He always carried a concealed weapon, and usually had more in whatever he was driving. Today, that was a 1987 Jeep Grand Wagoneer with thirty-eight-inch tires and six-inch suspension lift. Gary spent eight year restoring it himself, everything from replacing fenders and quarter panels to installing new seats and upholstery.
Although the Jeep looked like it could climb Mount Everest, it never did more than carefully creep down a few hunting trails on occasions when extra space was needed. He usually took a beat up pickup truck to the hunting cabin.
Sometimes his wife said, “You love that truck more than me.” Gary laughed but never disagreed.
Inside was his new favorite weapon, a combination Christmas and birthday gift a year before. Gary’s wife loved her husband and knew he loved guns. The Ruger Creedmoor 6.5 mm tactical sniper rifle with a 24 x 50 scope was a total surprise. Gary prided himself on being able to figure out a gift by the questions his wife asked or the things they sometimes did in the months before the holidays.
The Creedmore was one of the few where he fell well short.
As a competition shooter, Gary could make accurate shots over a mile and was parked less than 100 yards from the entrance. He watched as one gunman killed two women who were fighting over a grocery cart, before opening fire at several other people. Knowing he was too far away to make an accurate shot with his Beretta 9 mm, Gary ran back to his truck and opened the back gate.
His Creedmoor was out. He stepped on his tailgate and climbed onto the Wagoneer’s roof.
Like so many people, Gary had been watching events unfold on the news. But, he never expected terror to erupt in Casper, but he knew it would be over quickly. News reports said the earlier attacks were blitz-like and over fast. From atop the Jeep, there was a clear line of sight to the storefront and checkout area. With the bipod open and a few clicks of the MOA adjustment, the rifle was ready to fire.
As a hunter, Gary was accustomed to taking the kill shot, and it never bothered him. He was a survivalist, and the animal never went to waste. From the hide to the meat, he used everything.
Gary wasn’t a trophy hunter, and despised people who killed for sport.
As a competition shooter, his targets were usually made out of paper. Gary had never even seen a person through one of his scopes, and the cold, hard realization of what was about to happen took hold. His whole body started to shake. Tears blurred his vision. There was no way he could make this shot accurately.
He thought about getting closer. There’s no time. Everyone will be dead. They’ll be gone. It’ll be too late.Gary rested his forehead on his right arm and closed his eyes.
“Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”
Gary raised his head and looked at the store.
“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
He placed his cheek on the padded rifle stock and used his right hand to chamber a round.
“Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
He looked through the scope and used his left hand to bring the store into focus.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Gary scanned the store from right to left and found the first gunman. He watched as the man heartlessly shot a clerk whose hands were raised above her head.
“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.”
Gary took in a breath and breathed out. He held his breath and took the first shot.
The 129-grain full metal jacket projectile left Gary’s barrel at 2,940 feet per second and reached the first gunman faster than the speed of sound. The bullet passed through the glass window and penetrated the man’s body armor, killing him instantly.
Gary watched through the scope and saw the man fall. As he tracked the rifle further to the left, the front windows shattered in a hail of gunfire. There was a short pause before additional shots were fired, and Gary could hear parked cars being hit and more windows breaking.
Lying prone on the roof of his Jeep, he didn’t provide much of a target, and Gary doubted the gunman knew what he was shooting at.
Continuing to search for the gunman, Gary said, “Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.”
More gunfire came from inside, and two more people were shot in the parking lot.
“Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.”
Gary found the second gunman and watched him discard an empty magazine before inserting a full one. “Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”
He squeezed the trigger gently and the second gunman died before firing a shot from his fresh magazine.
The survivalist took a deep breath and sighed. “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.”
Gary made the sign of the cross.
The police arrived a few minutes later and Gary was still on top of his Jeep, crying. There was a lot of confusion, and several officers were pointing weapons at the survivalist before witnesses explained that Gary was a hero. And had saved lives.
He didn’t feel like a hero. He was tired and wanted nothing more than to sleep. But it would be a long time before he did.
Hailed as a “life save” and “true hero”, he would receive interview requests from Dave Maltese and Anderson Cooper with CNN, Brian Williams, Connie Chung and many more. He would be offered, along with many others, the Presidential Medal of Honor. Gary would be one of only a few that declined the offer and all interviews.
The few times he spoke with reporters, it was only to say, “People died. A real hero would have stopped them before that happened.”
Organizer
Greg Bear Gardner
Organizer
Banner Elk, NC
