PICAYUNE, MISSISSIPPI — The owner of a gun store and his son were both brutally shot to death by two irate customers in a gun store about 130 miles south of Jackson, Mississippi. The wife of the gun store owner was working behind the counter when a customer and his son entered the store looking to retrieve a firearm they were having repaired. When the customers became aggravated, she texted her husband asking for help.
“Firearms were produced,” explained a dumbfounded deputy still trying to piece together the situation. “And they started firing rounds. The owner and his son were both killed at the scene and the two customers were also shot and sustained life threatening injuries.”
Chief Deputy Shane Tucker, at the scene when the news arrived, described this community as tight knit and these sorts of occurrences were not at all normal.
According to the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office, an argument begin over a $25 service fee and the fact the firearm wouldn’t be available. When the owner and his son arrived, they came into an already hostile situation. It is unclear at this point who drew first or exchanged rounds with whom, but parties exchanged a number of rounds before the owner and his son were killed. The customer and his son were seriously injured and evacuated to a nearby hospital where they are both listed in severe condition. The sheriff told NBC NEWS that him and his deputies are still investigating the cause and whether or not any charges would be filed. The wife of the owner hid behind the desk when shots rang out and authorities are still waiting for her to recover from the psychological trauma of seeing her husband and son killed in close quarters.
This is just plain tragic. We’re not pointing any fingers or saying who’s right and who’s wrong — but we all know this isn’t how it’s supposed to be handled. While we’re unsure if any of the parties were concealed carriers, it’s generally understood that opening fire in a gun shop isn’t a wise choice.
Sometimes people don’t want to back down in an argument. Tensions get riled, emotions get involved, and it takes a calm, collected mind to piece it all together. When firearms are involved, it’s the responsible decision to be the peacemaker. It’s likely impossible to know if there was a bad actor in that scene that accelerated or pushed that situation to conflagration. It certainly has happened and likely will occur in the future as not all people have the mindset necessary to act responsibly. Like we often repeat, what leaves the barrel of a gun cannot be undone. Let’s make sure it’s always for the right reasons — defending our lives, family, and property from a clear and present threat.