bkrownd

I'd be far more worried about being the next victim of those predators.

ban guzzi

hummm...
BFs' seem to fall in the two extremes. Do no harm ignore all or shoot the MFs'...

I'll go with if you pull a gun, kill somebody. Handguns are made for that purpose. If your shooting for tires, go to jail for a very long time. Rifles are for multiple uses. Handguns are defensive, up close and kill them where they stand.

All parties should be sucking soap in the penal system.


If you pull a handgun, kill someone. Outside of that, suck it up and make an angry internet post about stupid drivers.

Nothing else is acceptable or excusable.

Kimmitt 

The weird thing is how much more effective a good camera would have been in the situation.

Schwinnrider

He should have shot them when they were closer to him. Dead men tell no tales.

I-Like-To-Bike

Really? Explain. Why would getting a camera taken by thugs as well as being kicked in the ribs be an improvement? Or maybe you expect the thugs to meekly pose for close ups after beating a victim?

Luddite

Unlikely they would steal a cheap P&S digicam, but I could be wrong.

Somebody kicked me in the ribs, I'd look for a stick to shove in their spokes.

YungBurke

Couldnt he have caught up to them if they were on BMX bikes? They would have been screwed if they kicked me on my bike

Square & Compas

He could have been aiming at the kid and hit the tire. Truth is we'll never know. Not sure I would have waited untl they were 250' away before I pulled the gun. I'd have had it within easier reach and liley would have pulled it the instant the little ******* kicked me Or if I felt they were approaching me in a threatening way.

nelson249

How exactly? Let's turn MUPs all into target ranges and be done with it. The cyclist attempted to use deadly force in RETALIATION not in defence. That is patently illegal in all civilized societies.

Square & Compas

Or up their ass?

Luddite

It would be more awesome to watch them endo and hurt themselves.

huhenio

I love living NOT in that area !

The West is wonderful and I can open carry my guns!

huhenio

... from the article

"The worst thing that can happen is if people start arming themselves,” Ferman said."

What an imbecile.

I've ridden that path many a time, and nothing was ever heard of such thing happening before.

Norristown is a tough town, and when times are hard, seems that things started spilling over the bicycle path.

That guy is a pretty good shot to hit a bicycle tire at that distance, but if the assailtants took off and he shot them from behind, he is in deep sh*t

abstractform20

ARENT ALL POLICE OFFICERS IN AMERICA LEGAL CITIZENS?

citizens do crazy things. remember that one time when citizens enforced jim crow laws. thank god the police did the right thing.

huhenio

"DePaul, of Hamilton Street, called Plymouth Township police from home later to report the assault and discharge of the gun, and say he was not sure if he had hit anyone, the records say. "

dummass

bkwentz

Wow, so the surekill title should extend beyond the expressway. But really, thats even crazy by Killadelphia standards...

alhedges

They should all go to prison. But the guy with the gun should go for a lot longer. *No one* can reliably hit a moving target the size of a bmx wheel at 250' with a pistol. And of course shooting at people who are 250' away from you and moving way is not self defense, either.

no1mad 

The cyclist was observing gun control law: He hit what he was aiming at. Sure beats a gang-banger using the 'pray and spray' method...

bmclaughlin807

Kids attempted to kill a man, get shot at.... The only issue I have with the situation was how long it took the guy to get his gun out and take the shot.

*shrug*

If I get a gun, I'll open carry it on my belt, in the middle of my back, so everyone can see it and know to go mess with someone else. Maybe I'll give 'em jeffpoulin's address.

jeffpoulin

Hey thanks.

Neil_B

The 'recurring problems' include a number of assaults over the past three months. The best publicized incident was a woman getting struck in the face in an attempted bikejacking during her commute home. She remained upright and got away, thank God.

Norristown, PA, has always had a crime problem, but the Schuylkill River Trail has seen an increase in teen gang activity this spring. There are various reasons given for the increase, ranging in credibility from the economy to an alleged gang 'initiation' rite of beating up a Caucasian.

Here is a stretch of trail near the attempted bikejacking site I mentioned. This is between the Norristown Transportation Center bus, trolley, and train terminal, and the Haws Avenue trailhead. There's a basketball/tennis court area nearby that is a hangout for idle youth, and the trailhead leads to some decidedly 'daytime only' neighborhoods in Norristown's West Side.



BTW, I know of at least one Bike Forums poster who 'carries' when he rides the SRT through Norristown. (No, it's not me.)

DoB

Hit what he was aiming at? You must have missed this part:

"DePaul, of Hamilton Street, called Plymouth Township police from home later to report the assault and discharge of the gun, and say he was not sure if he had hit anyone, the records say. "

He wasn't aiming at a bike tire. He was aiming at a group of kids 250' away and after firing at them he wasn't sure if he had hit them or not. That's loony. I expect him to plead 'no contest' as there is no way you can make a group of unarmed people 250' away into an immediate threat.

ouzelum

I was running on the trail today and not only was the NPD out on the trail, as per usual, the Parks and Heritage Services were as well and a group of guys clearing brush by the Haws Ave connector.
All the pro-gun sentiment on here surprises me. This guy is obviously not responsible with his firearm, and is riding the trail with it anyway (which, IIRC, is illegal in and of itself). This, for me, poses a much bigger safety hazard than the handful of incidents that have occurred this season. What if another biker was riding towards him when he opened fire on these kids?

stu842

The teenagers ought to be really punished for what they did. I'm disgusted by people who detract from society like they do.

I applaud the guy for retaliating, but not in the way that he did. No one should have to put up with the kind of **** he experienced. I imagine his act will help improve the level of safety on the MUP.

exile

Seems like a lot of bad judgement all around. First off the person firing a weapon at assailants 250 feet away. Secondly the two teenagers kicking a rider in the ribs for unknown reasons. And thirdly the local township knowing their is a problem but doing little to rectify the situation.

I'm sure people who live in that area would hear more about the problems on that trail than what the papers report. Even the D.A. "experienced intimidation" riding the local trail. Feeling under threat, plus being assaulted, plus being the previous victim of a "violent crime" made Mr. DePaul possibly a little to "itchy fingered" in my estimation.

Unfortunately little information is given about the youths since no charges have been filed (yet?). However it is difficult to prove someone kicked you unless you have a bruise or mark to show for it. So even if Mr. Depaul went to the police their is little I feel they can do except take a statement and "increase" patrol.

It seems the township has been aware of the problem and increasing escalation of attacks but no resolution has worked. However from the article it doesn't state what exactly the township has done except to increase patrol (from zero times per day to one maybe?). Perhaps more patrol or greater lighting would help, but it will cost more money. Its a difficult dilemma, but I don't think firing a gun towards someone 250 feet away (and not advancing) is the answer, no matter how good of a shot you are.