Eight co-workers hurt in knife attack - aided by armed citizen

Since 08-09-06

Grocery employee, 21, charged with attempted murder

bestseller92
http://battlerifles.ambackforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=38598
Joined: 07 Nov 2005
Posts: 221
Location: Oklahoma
The mainstream media is leaving out the part about the armed citizen and reporting only (erroneously) that Cope "tackled" the stabber.

By WOODY BAIRD
Associated Press

Saturday, 07/22/06

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006607220349 

MEMPHIS — A grocery store employee attacked eight co-workers with knives Friday, seriously injuring four before a witness pulled a gun and stopped him, police said.

Elartrice Ingram, 21, was arrested and taken to a hospital complaining of chest pains, Memphis Police Sgt. Vince Higgins said. He later was released and charged with nine counts of attempted first-degree murder.

The attack apparently stemmed from a work dispute, police said.

Four victims, one in critical condition, were admitted to the Regional Medical Center, the main trauma hospital for the Memphis area. Four were less badly hurt and treated at another hospital.

Ingram, chasing one victim into the store's parking lot, was subdued by Chris Cope, manager of a financial services office in the same small shopping center, Higgins said. The person who was chased was hospitalized with heat-related symptoms.

Cope said he grabbed a 9mm semiautomatic pistol from his pickup truck when he saw the suspect chasing the victim "like something in a serial killer movie."

"When he turned around and saw my pistol, he threw the knife away, put his hands up and got on the ground," Cope told The Associated Press. "He saw my gun and that was pretty much it."

Police arrived within minutes and took Ingram into custody.

"He just kept saying, 'I'm insane. I wish I was never born' and that kind of stuff," Cope said.

The attack started in an employee area of the Schnucks supermarket on the outskirts of Memphis, and no customers were involved, Higgins said.

Police said two large kitchen knives used in the attack were found at the scene.

Witness Frank Rector said the suspect held a knife high in a stabbing position as he chased a victim into the parking lot. The victim, Rector said, "was circling, trying to get away from him."

The ages and names of the victims were not immediately released. A company spokeswoman said all the victims were employees of the store.

"Our first priority is the customers and associates," said Schnucks Markets Inc. spokeswoman Lori Willis. She said officials from the St. Louis-based company were on their way to the scene.

Higgins said police were pulling into the parking lot as Cope was putting Ingram down.

"We commend him, but we don't encourage people to take that kind of risk," Higgins said. "He could have been hurt."