Gas station robberies are an all too common occurrence that often goes unpunished. Unfortunately for these would-be robbers, they chose the wrong gas station, as a marine veteran made quick work disarming them.
Yuma Country Sheriff’s Office officials in Arizona state a Marine Corps veteran disarmed someone attempting to rob a gas station yesterday morning. A trio of robbers entered the facility before the veteran customer dispatches the one wielding a gun. His partners fled the scene immediately following the scuffle.
Fox 10 Phoenix reported the incident happened at a Chevron gas station near Fortuna Road around 4:30 a.m. Furthermore, they obtained a statement the police there released about the attempted robbery. “Upon arrival, Deputies learned of three suspects entering the Chevron, one of them armed with a handgun,” part of the statement reads. “The armed suspect walked next to a store customer while pointing the weapon toward the cashier when the customer acted immediately and disarmed him.”
YCSO officials identified the armed suspect as a juvenile who they booked into the Yuma County Juvenile Justice Center. They then charged him with armed robbery and aggravated assault. The suspect’s two accomplices remain at large and their identities are unknown. The police there say their investigation is still underway.
The customer, a United States Marine Corps veteran, told officials how he took control of the situation. “The Marine Corps taught me not to [mess] around,” he simply stated. As quickly as he deescalated the situation, I’m inclined to agree.
Utah Veteran Brings Closure and Joy to Others by Painting Missionary Portraits
While some veterans help with situations like gas station robberies, others help mentally with artistic endeavors. In one case, a Utah veteran paints portraits of missionaries who have died as a form of self-healing and to help their families cope.
JR Johansen lives in Huntsville, Utah, and experienced a lot of trauma serving in Vietnam. Discussing it with KSL-TV, he reveals how he began to deal with his emotional baggage.
“I came back from my military service in Vietnam and it was pretty tough,” Johansen told the outlet. “I spoke with a therapist and they asked me what I liked doing, if I had any hobbies, and I said, ‘I like to paint.'”
He’s been going ever since and beginning five years ago, he turned his subject matter to missionaries who lost their lives during their service. He’s painted 125 portraits as of now and they serve not only as therapy for him but the departed’s families as well.
Johansen calls his project “Angels Among Us,” and even has a Facebook page you can check out. If you or anyone you know has suffered a loss involving missionaries, he urges you to contact him.
