Don’t bring pruning shears to a stapler fight
Chief Tango sends us a link to an AP story about David Kassner, a retired Army staff sergeant and veteran of the war against terror who was running a service station in Bellingham, WA when he was confronted by an unnamed 6 foot-tall man in a ski mask using pruning shears as a weapon;
The robber demanded money, but Kassner refused. When the masked man grabbed the cash register and tried to take the whole thing, the clerk grabbed a nearby hammer-style stapler and swung it at the man’s head. Kassner missed that target but said he must have made contact because the man ran off empty-handed, clutching his wrist.
We here at TAH love the fact that veterans are saving the world from itself a little bit at a time and we commend SSG Kassner for securing his area of operations in America.
Category: Veterans Issues
An Army veteran I knew many years ago told me something I’ve always tried to remember. He said that a weapon is not always a gun or a knife; it’s whatever you have at hand that you can use. Since then, I’ve always tried to be aware of what is around me, and what I can use.
I think Mr. Kassner is a living example of what I was told all those years ago.
JP, I have found that batteries for your old school small format video camera in a tube sock make a nice deterrent as well…
I got a metal sign hanging above my desk that I’ve made sure is easy to get to if needed.
Being the gun-loving state that Virginia is, why wasn’t he armed with more than a stapler? Kudos for coming out on top of this but I hope he’d have better sense if he was staring at the business end of a pistol
@4: Maybe his employer doesn’t allow firearms?
It’s Washington State, not Virginia.
The guy had shears! Why escalate any higher? Ya baet a dumbass down with a dumbass weapon and a smart ass down with a smart ass weapon! Cudos SSG!
Now our Sergeant Major in Iraq would have asked: “Was that SSG qualified on that weapon?” if not, Art 15.
I say: “he should have fired 2 rounds center mass…then one round to the brain housing group”
I told Einstein, and I keep telling you guys, you don’t need a gun. You just need brains and quick reflexes.
If you ever watched “Office Space”, you know the significance of the red Swingline stapler. I have one from my last job.
Maybe we could send a red Swingline to SSG Kassner?
P.S.: Swingline carries it. It’s the legendary Swingline 747 Rio Red #S7074736 for $37.61
Whatever is within reach can be the most effective weapon. A bazooka out of reach is useless if you need it right now.
Is Bloomie going to call for greater stapler control now??
OWB, LMAO!!!!
I thought that said VA, not WA
Since it happened in my home town here is an expanded article with a picture of the dirtbag.
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/08/30/2668782/bellingham-clerk-uses-stapler.html