A Tale of Two Victims in Chicago 4/29/2005

It was reported in the Chicago Sun-Times (April 27) that Thomas Perry knew the pregnant 28-year-old woman he shot.  She was five month pregnant, but the two bullets directed at the woman’s baby  killed neither her nor her womb child.  The anonymous mom and her child were rescued by her husband who wrestled the gun from Mr. Perry and shot the aggressor twice – fatally.

Jo Napolitano reported for the Chicago Tribune, “The wounded assailant fled the store, crossed the street and collapsed 100 feet away in a parking lot. He was pronounced dead at about 11:25 p.m. Monday in St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields” (26 April).

This historic event occurred on Monday, 26 April, just before 9 p.m. in the Family Dollar, a discount store in Dolton, outside of Chicago.

Charles Thomas, reporting for ABC 7 television, said, “Her husband, who was waiting for his wife to leave work, entered amid the commotion and began another struggle with the gunman. The revolver went off again [?] and struck the offender.”

Jo Napolitano’s assessment seemed to be more forthcoming (The subject of the shooting was the defending husband, not the gun): “The husband struggled with the assailant for the pistol, wrangled it away and shot the gunman twice.”  Similarly, Marcus Garner quoted Police chief Ronald Burge: “The husband said there was a commotion, and he went into the back of the store. There appeared to be a struggle. The husband was able to grab the gun, and shot the suspect” Southtown Daily April 27).  (Yes!  The gun didn’t just “go off”!  The husband shot the bum!)

Garner notes that police “wouldn’t elaborate about how the woman knew the alleged robber. Police believe the apparent robbery and shootings were fueled by a domestic dispute.”

A fair assumption.  And what ramifications!  Imagine fathers defending their children!  Imagine husbands protecting their families from assailants.

Was the husband a fanatic taking the law into his own hands?  Or was he simply defending the life of an unborn child by the only means necessary?

The hearts of fathers may be turning toward their children (Malachi 4:6).  Maybe the use of force, even lethal force, to protect the womb children isn’t so bad after all.

Michael Bray, 29 April, 2005