Need another reason to carry? Man brutally beaten while defending his daughter...

[TGO David]

These pathetic pieces of **** are everywhere, people. Any one of us could be next... but God willing we and those around us would be armed.

http://www.startribune.com/local/25472764.html?location_refer=Homepage:highlightModules:1

Dad who shielded daughter in attack at Valleyfair recovering, wife says

Police continue to investigate brutal assault; more charges against the ambushing group are possible.

By JIM ADAMS, Star Tribune

Last update: July 16, 2008 - 10:09 AM

A woman whose husband was severely beaten trying to protect his daughter from being molested as the family left Valleyfair said Tuesday they remain traumatized and are still healing from bruises and injuries.

Eight young men are accused of taking turns stomping on and kicking the head of the 41-year-old man, who was knocked unconscious as his wife and three daughters tried to help him. Prosecutors say more serious charges could be brought against the men if the man's injuries are permanent.

"He is hanging in there," said his wife, who asked that the family not be identified out of fear for their safety. She didn't recognize their attackers: "I never seen them a day before in my life."

Shakopee police said serious felony assaults are unusual at the amusement park, which normally has a handful of misdemeanor assaults each summer. The park said Tuesday that 22 security guards were on duty the evening of the assault, July 4, when the fair closed at midnight, and that safety is a priority.

Police arrested seven of the suspects in the Valleyfair parking lot that night and the eighth escaped. Police did not have a good description of that suspect but would like help finding him.

Six men and a 14-year-old boy were charged July 8 with third-degree felony assault. More serious charges, and possibly a sex assault charge, may be filed after police finish their investigation, Scott County Attorney Patrick Ciliberto said Tuesday.

"This type of violence cannot be accepted in our community," he said. "We had a family at the fair enjoying the holiday. Behavior like this is personal to our community."

Ciliberto said Valleyfair has had "no assault of this magnitude" since he took office in 2002. He said the father was taken to Ridges Hospital in Burnsville for a fractured eye socket bone and other injuries. His office was told Monday that doctors were waiting for the man's swelling to subside before checking for permanent injuries, which could justify more serious charges.

The couple was nearing the exit gate with their three daughters at about midnight on July 4, when two young men approached and slapped the youngest girl, about 12, on her buttocks. Her father yelled at the men, one of whom pulled out a cell phone and called for others to join in on the assault.

The wife said she and her daughters tried to protect her husband, and are still recovering from being punched. Her husband has been home from the hospital for a week .

She said she couldn't say more for fear of hurting the prosecution's case.

The assault "was an isolated incident. This has not happened before," said Valleyfair spokeswoman Rachel Onken. "We are a very safe park." She said the guards handled the incident as they were trained and no immediate security changes are planned.

Shakopee Police Capt. Jeff Tate said Valleyfair has "a skirmish once in a while. We usually don't see anything escalate like this." He said park security officers do a good job and that this is the only felony assault this year. He said a domestic assault occurred in the Valleyfair parking lot in May and two juveniles were charged in June with disorderly conduct and misdemeanor assault.

One of the suspects, Darris D. Evans, allegedly punched a man in the face as the group left the unconscious father. Evans, 20, of Brooklyn Park, is charged with a misdemeanor assault for that offense, Tate said.

Besides Evans, five other men and an unnamed juvenile were charged with third-degree felony assault. The five are Derry D. Evans, 19, Minneapolis; Devondre Evans-Lewis, 18, of Columbia Heights; Terry L. Arnold, 22, Brooklyn Park; Andrew D. Shannon, 19, of Minneapolis, and Anthony C. Gildersleeve, 20, Edina.

Bail was set at $40,000 to $60,000 each and all the suspects posted bail bonds, a jail official said.

A check of state records show that two of the suspects have prior felony charges. Arnold and Evans-Lewis were arrested in an Eagan prostitution sting and charged in April with promoting prostitution in Dakota County. Arnold pleaded guilty in May. Arnold also was convicted of two misdemeanor assaults in 2005 and 2006.

Gildersleeve was convicted in March 2008 of carrying a pistol without a permit in a public place, a misdemeanor. Derry Evans was convicted of escaping from custody in January 2008. He was also convicted in May 2008 of disorderly conduct, a gross misdemeanor.

[davej48]

If you look at the pics in the original article, it is easy to see that this is societies fault. These fine young men have obviously been discriminated against and oppressed.

Ya Right!

[memphismason]

Cases like this is what gives me a reason to carry.

I might ought to carrying two firearms.

[Shima]

What if this guy would've had a HCP, it wouldn't have been legal to carry in an amusement park would it? I haven't done the research for myself yet. What do you think?

[Shima]

You don't need 2 guns, just 1 that has capacity of at least 8 rds.

[TGO David]

What if this guy would've had a HCP, it wouldn't have been legal to carry in an amusement park would it? I haven't done the research for myself yet. What do you think?

Signs never seem to stop the criminals so I have a hard time letting them stop me anymore. What this guy needed was a wife who was carrying also.

[Guest jth_3s]

Even if he did have an HCP could he legally shoot any of the people since they were unarmed? If he had defended himself no one would have know how this was going to turn out and the papers would have acted like he was a murderer.

[TGO David]

Even if he did have an HCP could he legally shoot any of the people since they were unarmed? If he had defended himself no one would have know how this was going to turn out and the papers would have acted like he was a murderer.

Yes, he definitely could have shot any / all of them and it been a justifiable shooting. The guy ended up with a fractured eye socket and multiple head injuries! This was clearly a fear of imminent loss of life or serious injury situation.

[canadienmike]

Yes, he definitely could have shot any / all of them and it been a justifiable shooting. The guy ended up with a fractured eye socket and multiple head injuries! This was clearly a fear of imminent loss of life or serious injury situation.

+1

[Guest jackdog]

When more than one thug is attacking you, I think fear for your life easily falls into the equation. I'd take my chances with a jury before I'd take a a** whipping from multiple thug type pieces of S**t.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

When more than one thug is attacking you, I think fear for your life easily falls into the equation. I'd take my chances with a jury before I'd take a a** whipping from multiple thug type pieces of S**t.

+1

[Guest jackdog]

Lucky for me my wife carries so in a similar situation I would have a back up gun to count on.

[Guest pjblurton]

This is typical chickens**t thug mentality, where the one guy made a phone call to his boyz to join in before starting anything.

I think 180 grains would have leveled the playing field just about right...

[memphismason]

You don't need 2 guns, just 1 that has capacity of at least 8 rds.

I know....but when I would have been finished running through all 21 Rounds of 230gr Golden Sabers, I am not sure if I would have felt safe enough to stop pulling a trigger... I might have issues.

[Guest justaman30]

Yep, a concealed handgun would have broken up that situation nicely. Usually just showing it to a pack of punks with confidence in using it is enough, but if not, that's why automatics hold at least 10 rounds! One more reason to carry.....

[memphismason]

Signs never seem to stop the criminals so I have a hard time letting them stop me anymore. What this guy needed was a wife who was carrying also.

I feel the same way. When my wife sees a sign, she always ask me "Are you carrying?", and my reply to her is "Do I have my pants on?".....Next I usually hear "I didn't ask for a smart a$$ remark", and I say "Well I thought you would know better than to keep asking me."....now it is more or less a running joke, between us.

Some places I don't carry because of clothing restrictions, but if we go to an outdoor event/location, I always make sure I have proper attire so that I can conceal my G30. Especially the Mid-South Fair.

[Magiccarpetrides]

I have been to that amusement park quite a few times (mom lives in MN) and security was always very good there....however the twin cities (minneapolis/st.paul) do have their fair share of criminals and thugs....think somewhere between nashville and memphis.

[creeky]

I think the fact that the assaulters were able to use cellphones to

summon more attackers is very serious.

It also makes a case (IMHO) that capacity should be considered

more these days. Not just the "I carry a spare mag".

[BrasilNuts]

This entire situation pisses me off...

"His office was told Monday that doctors were waiting for the man's swelling to subside before checking for permanent injuries, which could justify more serious charges."

"Eight young men are accused of taking turns stomping on and kicking the head..."

...the way I look at it if you are "stomping" a mans head when he is down on the ground, you are trying to kill him!

I think attempted murder charges should have been filed from the start.

I haven't looked at the mug shots of these guys yet, but I think I know what I'll see.

[Guest jth_3s]

This entire situation pisses me off...

"His office was told Monday that doctors were waiting for the man's swelling to subside before checking for permanent injuries, which could justify more serious charges."

"Eight young men are accused of taking turns stomping on and kicking the head..."

...the way I look at it if you are "stomping" a mans head when he is down on the ground, you are trying to kill him!

I think attempted murder charges should have been filed from the start.

I haven't looked at the mug shots of these guys yet, but I think I know what I'll see.

+1

[TGO David]

I have been to that amusement park quite a few times (mom lives in MN) and security was always very good there....however the twin cities (minneapolis/st.paul) do have their fair share of criminals and thugs....think somewhere between nashville and memphis.

I'm not picking on you here but I am using this quote as an example of a trap that I think we allow ourselves to fall into too frequently.

Criminals travel to work just the same as you and I travel to work. We absolutely MUST get past the false sense of security that we assign to certain areas just because those areas are predominantly upper class, or predominantly crime free, or predominantly white, or black, or red, or whatever. If you are outside the four walls of your own home, you cannot guarantee what sort of element you are going to interact with. PERIOD.

In my past, I have been very guilty of choosing when I would or would not go armed based on what sort of situation I thought I might encounter at whatever place I was going. This sort of thinking will get you hurt or killed.

If we all knew when and where we would need our sidearms for self defense, wouldn't we all just avoid being there in the first place???

The fact is you never know. Ever. The wolf prowls seeking those whom he might devour. You do not ever know when or where the wolf will surface. It's your duty to be vigilant and to be armed to protect yourself and those you love.

/end rant

[memphismason]

This entire situation pisses me off...

"His office was told Monday that doctors were waiting for the man's swelling to subside before checking for permanent injuries, which could justify more serious charges."

"Eight young men are accused of taking turns stomping on and kicking the head..."

...the way I look at it if you are "stomping" a mans head when he is down on the ground, you are trying to kill him!

I think attempted murder charges should have been filed from the start.

I haven't looked at the mug shots of these guys yet, but I think I know what I'll see.

I am with you on this.

This should at least be Attempted 2nd degree murder, possibly 1st, with the right lawyers.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

I haven't looked at the mug shots of these guys yet, but I think I know what I'll see.

{PAGING REV JESSE JACKSON & AL SHARPTON}

[memphismason]

I'm not picking on you here but I am using this quote as an example of a trap that I think we allow ourselves to fall into too frequently.

Criminals travel to work just the same as you and I travel to work. We absolutely MUST get past the false sense of security that we assign to certain areas just because those areas are predominantly upper class, or predominantly crime free, or predominantly white, or black, or red, or whatever. If you are outside the four walls of your own home, you cannot guarantee what sort of element you are going to interact with. PERIOD.

In my past, I have been very guilty of choosing when I would or would not go armed based on what sort of situation I thought I might encounter at whatever place I was going. This sort of thinking will get you hurt or killed.

If we all knew when and where we would need our sidearms for self defense, wouldn't we all just avoid being there in the first place???

The fact is you never know. Ever. The wolf prowls seeking those whom he might devour. You do not ever know when or where the wolf will surface. It's your duty to be vigilant and to be armed to protect yourself and those you love.

/end rant

Very Good Point Tungsten!!!!

[Guest jth_3s]

Mugs shots are in the link in the OP

Edited July 17, 2008 by jth_3s