The mask worn by the attacker. (Photo: Holly Hill Police Department)
Police couldn’t help Heriberto Feliciano, 28, when he was attacked earlier this week by a man wearing a demon mask and wielding a 2X4 and a pair of scissors. Feliciano had just finished closing the Little Caesars’ pizza shop where he works in Holly Hill, Florida, when surveillance video shows Jesse Coggins, 53, attack him with a 2X4.
Coggins hit Feliciano until the 2X4 broke, which is when he began trying to stab the 28-year-old with a pair of scissors. That’s when Feliciano, who police say holds a valid concealed carry license, pulled out his handgun and shot Coggins four to five times, according to the police report.
“Please help me,” he sobbed to 911 dispatcher in the recently released tape. “I think he’s dying, please help! He tried to stab me with a pair of scissors. He hit me in the face with a big piece of wood. I’m bleeding all over the place.”
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“Ok, listen, you need to take a deep breath for me, ok?” the dispatcher tells Feliciano.
“Ma’am, I can’t. I’m going to go to jail for this!” Feliciano responds.
Police haven’t indicated whether any charges will be filed, but Holly Hill police Chief Steve Aldrich praised Feliciano for being able to effectively defend himself.
“As soon as he exited the building, he was immediately attacked by an individual that was wearing a scary clown mask and brandishing a wooden stick,” Aldrich told WFTV. “Even though he’s being attacked he’s able to pull out a concealed firearm he has and fires multiple rounds at the suspect. I’m glad that he was able to defend himself and that he’s OK. It’s just unfortunate that this whole episode occurred.”
Police say the attacker had circled the building a few times before attacking Feliciano and they suspect that he had known the restaurant was about to close. Deputies said that Coggins is from Greenville, North Carolina, and it isn’t clear how long he’s been in Florida. He doesn’t have a local arrest record.
Aldrich said these kinds of attacks don’t happen often in Holly Hill.
“This is very unusual for this area,” Aldrich said, “we’re obviously aggressively pursuing this to find out where this individual came from and why this attack occurred. Very unusual.”
Feliciano‘s father told WFTV Monday that his son has had trouble sleeping and appears to be deeply affected by the attack. He continues to recover at home and met with detectives Tuesday.
Good job just one less scumbag!
He did society a favor, this taxpayer thanks you.
It’s good and bad. The victim lives but also has to live with the mental anguish of taking a life. Good luck
U did good Mr. Felicando- U b dead right now- once U were on the ground I dont think he was there 2 cut ur hair
Beverly,
WRT Heriberto Feliciano, he did everything right that he could possibly do: He checked around the store before going out, and he was attacked viciously before he drew and fired. Hopefully, it being in Florida, there will be no problems for him. Other states would make him the victim.
But the school shooter issue has many problems that need to be resolved on a societal level: First, stop doping the kids to calm them down in school. Second, we have too many splintered families, including those with parents present, that have no time to teach children morality and emotional stability. Third, violence is epidemic in our entertainments, in computer games, television, and movies. Fourth, most children have little or no religious upbringing, and finally, fifth, children are not taught firearms, what they can and cannot do. Your solution will probably work, although there are methods to circumvent such security. In the meantime we need to work on rebuilding our sadly society-gone-schizophrenic.
Brian, I agree with you 100% and would like to add a sixth problem. Today’s generation prizes celebrity above all else. The movie “Natural Born Killers” predicts this type of behavior. Many today would rather live in infamy than obscurity. This slavish worship of celebrity is not good. Moreover, I don’t think these things happened randomly. Joe McCarthy warned us that enemies of America were infiltrating our media, education system, and government. Take a look at what kids are learning and watching nowadays and the way our government reacts and tell me he was wrong.
I feel so strongly about this topic I have to comment. These school shootings will continue until “the powers that be ” realize that no amount of legislation or gun control will affect these outcomes. What WILL affect the outcome is security. In Bobells, North Dakota no one gets into the school without stepping into a secured “box” and being buzzed in by the office. Sad to say the “bad guys” will ALWAYS get guns, concentrate on security AND not just security, but armed security!