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Mark Katchem, 25, walked into a Wells Fargo Branch in Cobb County, Georgia, last Tuesday with the intent to rob it. He would have succeeded if it wasn’t for a law-abiding veteran armed with a handgun.
See, while Katchem slipped the note to the bank teller, instructing the teller to hand over money, the veteran, who was also in the bank at the time, noticed. As Katchem left the bank with the cash, the veteran followed. When the veteran exited, he quickly ran to his car to grab his handgun (Wells Fargo is a Gun-Free Zone, which may explain why he didn’t have it on him while he was in the bank).
Now armed, the veteran confronted Katchem. He would hold Katchem at gunpoint until police arrived.
A photo of the veteran holding the suspect at gunpoint. (Photo: Fox 5)
Nick Daley, a bystander, observed the situation from afar.
“I immediately knew by the way the man was standing, his stance, he was in control of the situation,” Daley said of the armed veteran, in an interview with Fox 5.
Katchem was arrested and charged with robbery by intimidation. His bail was set at $15,000.
Charise Debarros, a resident of the neighborhood, was very grateful for the actions of the veteran, who has not yet been identified.
“It’s wonderful that someone is willing to take action and show the bad people out there, you can’t do this and we’re going to stand up for what’s ours,” said Debarros.
The sheep sleep well at night, only because there are those who are not afraid to get their hands dirty, and do what others are afraid to do. Fight, disarm, shoot to survive, disable evil.
Here lies one of our fundamental rights (or should be) as an American. To be able to police yourself (and others in public) without having to involve the “actual” police. Teddy Roosevelt (my hero) once took it upon himself to chase down and capture a couple of cattle or horse thieves and bring them to justice. That alone took several weeks. He felt he had a duty to help serve the public. In the Gabby Gifford shooting one of the bystanders had a Glock and later told a reporter that “he wasn’t going to get me, I had a gun” . This guy could have stopped the whole thing when it started! Less people would have died and gun carriers would have looked like heroes. What a gutless piece of sh** that guy was.
Anon Ymous I like that.
There are a lot of comments here about the “stupid” and “unconstitutional” signs and gun-free zones at banks.
Assuming that most here are mindful of the Bill of Rights and somewhat knowledgeable about the Constitution, I must remind all that a bank is -in most cases- NOT a “governmental” or o public area. Banks are private institutions and have the right to prohibit anything they object to, whether it be a Bible, a gun, or girl-scout cookies, in their premises. If you don’t like it, do as many others do and go somewhere else, but please don’t infringe in their right to prohibit stuff. Doing so diminishes all of our rights too!
Are there any banks in US that do not post that?
Amazing reminder here. We must always be prepared for stupidity squared.
I agree with everything the vet did except for walking into that bank unarmed. Gun free zone, my ass. No bank or other entity with fools in charge who post those ridiculous killing zone signs up will be respected by me or my wife. I’m retired LE & my wife used to be middle management at a bank with those stupid signs on the entrance doors. We do not obey unlawful, anti Constitutional demands & that is exactly what that sign is. Punch up Lubby’s Restaurant on your computer for the reason why.
There is two banks in my town that won’t let a CHL holder carry their gun in the bank. There are two dozen other banks that do, so I do business with the ones that do allow us to carry our guns on us in their establishment. Wells Fargo sucks big time anyway!
What if?? It’s never wrong to do the right thing and this vet did the right thing without hesitation. Quit lawyering the situation around and laud the actions of a good citizen to act upon what his training, morals and conscience led him to do.
excellent job…..even if he had the weapon on him, it would have been prudent to wait until he left the bank and approach him where less people would be involved. i commend him on his willingness to act and accept the risks involved. maybe the next wannabe bank robber will reconsider knowing an armed citizen might be in the area. they are harder to spot than a uniformed police officer.
I would like to see a test for expectant mothers that could identify a LIBERAL still in the mothers womb, this way they could treat the birth defect early. What a world!
1) The bank robber wasn’t armed. Most of them aren’t (it only greatly increases their sentence if caught – and I’m pretty sure every bank teller hands over the money with out having to see a weapon.).
2) If I am a concealed carry citizen (which I am), I’m going to a bank that does not forbid it (which I do).
3) Each situation is different; Each citizen takes a risk when he draws his firearm, The question to each person is; ‘Is it worth the risks?’ What if this guy had an accomplice waiting near by (that the Vet did not see), and when the Vet pulled his firearm out on the criminal, the other guy then shoots the Vet in the back (for a bag of money)?
You remember the shooting out West where the guy and his girlfriend shot & killed the two Police officers in McDonalds, then went into Walmart; A Citizen drew his weapon on the murder when he saw his gun & behavior – then the girlfriend (who he didn’t see) shot and killed the Citizen.
It’s noble to be a hero, but there are many things that could go against what we hope the outcome would be. Everybody has to weigh the risks.
In many cases bank robbers (and other criminals) Do check out their intended target before they move in, and YES, they prefer so called gun free zones to avoid what just happened above. Banks don’t want guns inside their building for LIABILITY, and they would rather rather lose the drawer (maybe the teller,too) than face the litigation that would surely follow a death inside their bank. The tellers are trained to just give it up and the execs preach safety for their people but it’s really all about the bottom line. Spelled $$$$. And for all you so-called law abiding citizens who leave your firearms inda car…..Why do you think your permit says CONCEALED?? All the bank can do is ask you to leave if you don’t conceal good enough. The police only get involved with you if you refuse to leave after being “caught”. Would you rather be tried by twelve or carried by six?
Have you geniuses considered what happens when the perp declines the request from the good samaritan gunman? It goes south from there. The perp gets less time than the gunman. Justice would be better served by providing good team intel to the folks that can legally shoot him.
“Have you geniuses considered what happens when the perp declines the request from the good samaritan gunman?”
Yes. One dead perp. Period.
And you have brand new boyfriends in prison, really really. Even if you don’t kill the perp.
Give it a think, wait until you are threatened and then solve the problem with a thought process. Don’t hesitate to point out his new flat tire, etc. By this time any accomplices have made their presence know because their stupid partner has the money. Most stupid people will not hesitate to threaten you. Double tap.
The first thing out of your mouth when they roll up is “I felt threatened”. You may get to go home, eventually. Your way you won’t…
Believe it or not some people know what they’re doing, and aren’t afraid of the consequences of being righteous.
Step aside pussy and let the willing take care.
Fucking boyfriends in prison, what a fucking joker.
You have no idea who your talking to.
The sad part about this article is that the guy had to run back to his car to get his weapon. How states can infringe on one’s right to bear is disgusting and grotesque to me. Sooooo many states blatantly wipe their backsides with the very Constitution that is the Supreme Law of this land. It’s like every damn body in government (state, local or federal) has a room temperature IQ and lost their ability to read or comprehend “SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED” and we…as a nation of sheep, just ‘abide’ by our “rulers” rules, rather than following Article 6 paragraph 2 of the Constitution or just plainly saying ‘screw you’ to people that would endeavor to impose their will and rule over us…a nation of FREE Americans. Sure, it’s nice the robber got stopped in this case (and screw the bank, to me it’s about what a bank robber does to the community at large) but if the robber would have had a gun and been all keyed up…the guy that stopped this wouldn’t have had much of a chance to do much w/out his weapon on him. Running back to the parking lot/car to get your weapon can mean that someone that’s got a gun in a bank (or shooting their way out of said bank) gives the robber more opportunity to kill more people. I personally think we should ALL just plainly and blatantly ignore ANY and ALL unconstitutional ‘laws’ the bozos running the show impose upon us…show them they are NOT our freakin “RULERS” and that we, as a Nation of FREE Americans will damn well do WHAT WE WANT!!! (as long as your not damaging or harming person or property). I think we should ignore all NFA laws, I think everything the Brady Bill does is horrific to our rights!! Case in point…Regan was shot with a .38 snubby, yet look at what the Brady Bill did to further destroy our rights!! But, I digress.
This too is the fault of the bank ….a gun free zone for the good guy….but the criminal doesn’t seem to read that sign anyway.
The thugs DO read the “gun free zone” signs. They would rather try robbing one of these banks than worry about the guy behind him having a CCW at a bank without a gun free zone.
Rob, you give armed robbers far too much credit for being able to read and think logically. Thugs rob banks because they wrongly believe they are going to get a lot of cash as opposed to robbing a gas station or a convenience store. Think about it, banks are generally staffed by a lot of female employees. Again less concern for the robbers that they will be confronted by an employee in any manner and they will not. The robber wants to get in and out quickly drawing as little attention to himself as possible so he approaches 1 teller and robs her. How much money is he really going to obtain from 1 teller’s drawer? Maybe a couple grand?? (that’s probably a little on the high side) So in the end, do you think an irrational bank robber really reads those gun free zone signs and that becomes the deciding factor on whether or not he decides to rob a bank???
What if he thought the bank personnel were all armed and trained in the use of forearms– would he have even considered going into the bank–I don’t think soo. The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun, you jackazz liberals could never talk anyone that is intent on committing a crime into not doing it!!!
Richard, first of all, even if he knew that all the bank personnel were trained in the use of “FOREARMS” I don’t think it would have deterred him from committing the armed robbery because he had a “FIREARM” and would have figured out he had the advantage because bank personnel would have to get awfully close to him to use their “FOREARMS” while he could shoot from a greater distance with his “FIREARM”.
Having said that, criminals don’t think logically. They rob banks knowing full well they will be recorded on surveillance equipment as they walk in the door, while they are at the counter and when they leave through the door they came in. They also rob banks thinking they will get a lot of money but how much will they really get from 1 teller’s drawer in the end? A couple thousand maybe?? They rarely rob multiple tellers because they try to get in and out quickly drawing as little attention to themselves as possible. Therefore your concept that if criminals knew bank employees armed and trained does not hold water because even if it were remotely possible this could happen the criminal doesn’t think logically and thus would still attempt to rob the bank.
You sir are rude.
I know what you meant to write Richard, but your typo in cracking me the hell up!
I’m picturing Bank Personel trained in forearms.
Sorry, I’m still laughing.
He did what he had to do – well done. However, its a bank – so fukem. Let who ever it is roll out – its not like defending a natural person from being robbed.
Carl, don’t forget that the victim wasn’t just the bank but the teller also. Having been on the business end of one of these situations, I can assure anyone that there is a very human element involved. Glad to hear that the Vet was there and controlled the situation till the cops arrived.
Carl your comment shows you have very little intelligence. Banks don’t get robbed, the tellers in the bank are the ones who get robbed. The very definition of an armed robbery the felonious taking of the property of another from his or her person or in his or her immediate presence, against his or her will, by violence or intimidation should provide at least a clue to you that this is a crime against a person not a building. My guess is that you are bitter towards banks because you are a deadbeat who didn’t make your mortgage payments and had to be foreclosed on.
W.T.F. IS WRONG WITH YOU (WAITFORIT) YOU MUST BE ONE OF THOSE LIBERIALS THAT WAIT FOR IT LET EVERYONE ROB KILL AND DO WHAT EVERTHE FRACK THEY WANT UNTILL THE COPS CATCH THEM MAYBE THIS GUY GOT AWAY AND NEXT TIME DECIEDES WHEN HE GOES IN THE BANK AND TAKES IT OVER AND KILLS A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THEN WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WHEN HE COULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED BY AN ARMED CITIZEN ,, NO BETTER THAN THAT WHAT IF IY WAS ONE OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WAS IN THAT BANK AND WAS KILLED I BET YOU WOULD NOT BE TALKING ABOUT OH LET HIM GO AND HE WILL BE CAUGHT SOONER OR LATER ,YOU WOULD BE SCREAMING YOUR LILLY BLUE LUNGS OUT ABOUT WHY SOMEONE DIDN’T STOP HIM EARLIER
THE ONLY THING THAT EVIL NEEDS TO THRIVE IS FOR GOOD PEOPLE TO DO NOTHING ! ! !
MY 2 CENTS Semper Fi
If this happened here in Connecticut they would have found something to arrest the Vet for.
I have to agree, That we are seeing a Increase in punishing Crime Blockers or “Heros”. The reality is this was a bad time to do this, It saved police and the bank a little time/money, but left alot on the side of luck and quick thinking. The bank is insured against robbery, So that is why its a Gun-Free Zone, Aside from the fact a large/busy bank could be a target for hostage taking/robbery of customers. It is to try to keep innocent bystanders from drawing on criminals and killing someone in a Bank by accident, That way the bank and shooter don’t face multiple lawsuits. What IF knowing he was busted and going to jail when police arrives(on Camera too) perp. flips and risks taking a bullet but disarms would-be citizen, Takes him hostage and now uses a firearm he legally could not obtain to take the rest of the bank hostage. He forces his way in and effectively takes over the bank. Now he will most likely Rape/Murder as he pleases given his life is pretty much over. So how do you stop this? Eliminate the way we do banking, OR hire a licensed security team not just a guard but a group of experienced shooters that would be located in a secret back room in the bank. Well…or we could just let the perp. walk with the drawer cash that is no more then $3-5k of insured money, So what IF he strikes 3 other banks before they get enough video to catch him…No one dies, No customers get Robbed, The bank gets a insurance claim followed by a sweeping upgrade of some sort, and LE gets their man. I just noticed his bail was only $15k, He probably had a very minor criminal record if any. Criminals can be like Freedom, The more you tie them down and box them in, the more likely you are to make violent change inevitable.
To “Waitforit”
What if, what if, what if. Shut the fuck up amd be glad good people are doing the right thing amd not letting some shithead get away with a crime. Youre the kind of cunt that just cowards down to these thugs amd lets them be brazen enough to try and pull this crap. Man the fuck up and quit being a sex toy for evil.
Bravo and I agree completely. Yet another twit that over-thinks everything and sounds like one of the countless sheep that roam around the planet.
Are you a little sissy girl or a gay boy. Do you not use your brain. So what if the bank is insured and will get the money back. They will of course have to pay an increase in insurance as a result which in turn will be passed on to the bank customer. But of course if nothing was done the scum bag monkey could have had a field day going from bank to bank until he actually did something other than rob it. I say good for the man with the gun. It’s too bad the perp did not have a gun or knife as it seems the man was ready to pop a cap in that monkeys ass.
Wow! Monkey? I agree with “wolfhunter”, but “monkey”??? WTF! I’m a veteran, a concealed carry license holder and armed whenever possible, but I happen to be one of those “monkeys ” you so eloquently spoke of. Not all black people are thugs or drug dealers just like not all white people are racist pieces of shit. That shoe does fit you, I hope you use what’s left of your meth eaten brain and don’t just go blindly into a situation thinking all black guys are thugs. I’m a helluva shot and would love to prove you wrong. Eat shit… No wait. do the world a huge favor and make sure your gun is “always” loaded. It’s just a matter of time before you get your very own Darwin Award. .
Hear, Hear my Brother Vet! It’s not the color of ones skin that matters, it is the color of ones heart. FYI I am also a Vietnam Vet, retired LEO and CCW all the time. If confronted with a robbery in progress you always make sure the suspect is in an area where he cannot obtain a hostage and if at all possible where there are no citizens that might be injured if the capture goes south and gunfire happens to erupt. THIS Vet did everything right and that is why he was able to catch this POS and hold him for LE and to face justice!
Wow how sensitive, I took Monkey as a person who was a knuckle dragger and lacks basic intelligence not to be associated with any one given race. I must be thinking wrong . DR maybe should have picked a different analogy but I don’t necessarily think he was being racist oh, by the way I’m also a disabled vet and medically retired Police officer but that has little bearing on this situation. The criminal was followed into a parking lot away from the customer inside the bank so much for hostages! Come on people lets be adults and not let us be sidetracked from the real story.
You have wasted your time as well as other people’s time who participate here with the ignorant rambling nonsense you wrote here. This Veteran did everything right here. He was aware of his surroundings and what was going on around him in the bank recognizing it was being robbed. Being a law abiding citizen, he did not carry his weapon into the bank with him knowing it was a gun-free zone. He quickly retrieved his weapon from his vehicle and shall we say, got the drop on the robber holding him until police arrived without firing a shot. He did not put anyone in danger at all except perhaps the perp if he would have been stupid enough to try to attack him. At that point he would have had to use deadly force to take him out. Being a law abiding citizen and an intelligent man he would know his target and what is beyond and would not have shot wildly endangering anyone else. All in all a text book example of how to handle this type of situation. Well done by this veteran!! We need to thank him not only for his service to his country but also his service to his community for capturing this bank robber!!
You have more what-ifs than what happens. Do you really think all this through. What if the robber got away and showed up at your house to hide, and killed you and your loved ones so you couldn’t put up a fuss. What-if is a waste of time. What happened isn’t. Truth is truth learn to live in it.
Spoken like a true liberal. Give him the money and an apology for his being afraid to work for it. More political correctness.
What if he did this or if he did that or … it’s that kind of fear,yes fear,that allows the criminals run the streets. So what if the bail was only $15K? The message had been sent. There are others out there, honest folks, who have guns too. There is risk to doing anything today, including crossing the streets. If every law abiding citizen carried a weapon the predators would give greater consideration before committing crimes.
The bank is a gun free zone, all banks and credit unions on US soil are gun free zones by federal law. It has nothing to do with the rationale you bespoke.
The bank is only a gun free zone, to law biding people. The bad guys , never pay attention to the law, so they’re one up on us. Every thing I’ve learned from my father and the United States Marine Corps tell me that’s a bad position to be in. Bad and stupid by my standard.
Pastor Young
Sgt. USMC 69-78
WaitforIt
WTF kind of pussy are you, and why the hell are you here on this firearm forum?
Such a huge pussy you couldn’t use your name in front of a keyboard.
Did you come here with you asinine liberal/socialist/democratic views, so you could spout from your pie hole, and see how many of us would rip you a new asshole?
Now that you have a new one, slip your thumb up into it and move to France where you can be appreciated.
I hate that you made me have to scorn you.
Your so full of $hit…. Think your logical… well logically NO ONE SHOULD ROB A BANK. Kudos to the brave private ARMED citizen. People like him Keep you safe. Facts are Armed Honest citizens are any Criminals NightMare. They are also the NightMare of Facist, Treasnous govt. control freaks like yourself.
The reason for gun free is not to stop law abiding citizens legally carrying a firearm from stopping a crime; the anti gun people actually think it will stop criminals from bringing a gun into the area and therefore making it safer. Yet all us with common sense know this is not gonna happen. It only arm’s criminals!
I applaud the good man with the gun. The old saying about evil prevails when good people do nothing. This man did know what he was doing.
The response before mine is a concern. That comment is from a respondent who knows his limitations and would not respond. I also applaud him as he knows he would cause a problem so would opt out and let the gun man decide his future. Thank god we do not all think like him.
When was the last time you heard a news report OR read an article about a police officer actually stopping a crime in progress? The fact is they DO…occasionally . My point is the police have been and shall continue to be the revenue generating branch of the judicial system. And simply put…there isn’t any financial gain (for the police or courts) involved in interdicting crime.
Ya and some.when they lern