Tae Lovelace, a concealed carry permit holder, held the 21-year-old flasher at gunpoint until police arrived. (Photo: Fox 5 Atlanta)
A Sunday afternoon trip to the park for an Atlanta-area father turned into quite the harrowing experience after an alleged pervert began exposing himself to children at the playground.
Tae Lovelace, a Georgia concealed carry permit holder, talked with local media Fox 5 Atlanta and Channel 2 Action News about the July 22 incident.
Lovelace said his family was at the basketball courts at Trailblazer Park in Covington feeding the homeless, along with other members of his church, when a strange man showed up.
“…in his underwear and he proceeds to not act normal and it seemed like he was under the influence of something,” said Lovelace to Fox 5.
The man, identified as 21-year-old Josten Meeler, proceeded to drop his pants in front of the children. Lovelace and the other adults chased him off.
“It’s a family event, so everybody out here was pretty much frightened,” Lovelace told Channel 2. “So at that point and time, I go and get my firearm.”
Meeler would return. Although this time, he was completely naked.
“He was already touching people before he was naked so when he came up running directly toward the kids, that’s a problem. It could’ve went south if I didn’t have anything to defend myself. I didn’t know what he was capable of doing,” said Lovelace.
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Lovelace held Meeler at gunpoint and recorded the encounter on his smartphone.
“It was a life-changing experience to be put in a situation like that. I don’t wish no one to be put in a situation like that,” said Lovelace.
Police arrived at the scene and took Meeler into custody at Newton County Jail. He was charged with child molestation, public indecency and being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
As for Lovelace, he was thankful that he had the means to defend his family.
“I’m a family man. I had to protect my family by all means. Having my firearm and being licensed to carry definitely came in handy that day,” said Lovelace
How would you respond if you were at a park and a naked man started to harass your family?
The article pointed out that this f’n perv was “touching people” the 1st time he came around while dressed only in his underwear. A repeat visit while naked…..he’s lucky he didn’t get the brakes beat off his ass or worse. Some touchy-feely degenerate approaches me and wants to play “grab-ass“ he’s gonna have a problem, but my wife ? Kids ? Someone else’s ? Oh, hell no. It’s on.
BLANNELBERRY is the best. You never see these kind of articles anywhere. Whatever you are paying this guy it is not enough.
Great stuff. Please keep reporting on gun ownership stories that help the community.
I applaud the citizen for detaining the pervert. However, I cannot see any situation in which the citizen could claim ‘fear for his life’ in the event he actually shot the perv. ……. What ever happened to the old adage of not pulling your weapon unless you are prepared to shoot?
What happened to the part where it reads watch the video and the so called picture that shows the perp. Never showed anything
Maybe J is a super bad ass and would have grabbed naked guy by his dick and held him till the police showed up.
Pcp
Just shoot the crazy mother F*#ker
There are things in life that baffle me. The antics of this man, for example. What could he possibly be thinking about?
At first, I thought a gun might be a bit of overkill for this situation. Then I realized that I certainly would not want to tackle him.
Why is it always drugs or alcohol. Why not just drugs. Alcool is a drug .
Way to be a good citizen and great father your family is very fortunate to have someone like you as the patriarch. And since your from ATL go DAWGS! I just no someone as intelligent as you would never root for GT the name is so vile I couldn’t spell it out take care and God Bless.
Comment on the story, not people’s grammar. Idiots.
Shoot it off!
Whack it off and stubby won’t have anything to flash.
So he pulled a gun on an unarmed/unclothed man?
Had this been the other way it would be all over the news as white man pulls gun on unarmed black man. Guaranteed.
And the cops come up on an armed black guy and don’t shoot him? Wow…what a concept.
Tom – the sentence as written is correct.
“Lovelace said his family was…”. The subject is family, a singular noun, so the verb “was” is correct.
If it said, “Lovelace AND his family…” then “were” would be approriate because the two subjects (joined by AND) would be plural.
Agree, we want to set a good example to our youth.
There were PLENTY of grammatical errors to be found.
That’s probably the best way this situation could’ve been handled. Nice job Tae!
Good grief, man. Get a grip on yourself and shut up. You’re making a fool of yourself.
Well done, Sir!
Thank God their was a law abiding citizen with a concealed carry permit on sight to stop that progressive liberal drug infused child molester from abusing the children any further !!!
An unarmed man with mental issues, how could he be a threat to anyone and why would you need to point a gun at him? I’d be interested to hear what Armed dad has to say about that. And if he’s running away, why would you chase him down with a gun?
“An unarmed man with mental issues, how could he be a threat?” Really? He couldn’t have choked or attacked a child, mother or adult male? How about the killer on bath salts who, while naked with drug mental issues killed a man in California and ate his face? Jeeze, pathetic bleating sheep and leftist…”And if he’s running away, why would you chase him down with a gun?”….really, just because you have him away from your family, you don’t care about anyone else’s children?
Amazing…just amazing.
I would give him the address to your house “J” and then let him go…then you could determine if he’s a threat to your family
J you moron
J you and your comment just prove the stupidity and self centeredness of imbeciles like you. I agree that maybe you should take him in when he gets released. Your stupidity is unbelievable. I personally thank this concealed carry holder and am glad he was there. I am also thankful that J was nowhere near there, he is a definition of a sheep.
The use of a gun was appropriate. The drug-addled Hillary voter was an immediate threat to children, and he’s lucky he’s not singing soprano. Good job, good citizen!
Sounds like you’re on the wrong website snowflake. Too bad he couldn’t have shot the son of a bitch. If you don’t agree with that, then maybe you need a check up!
Total agreement this is a gun enthusiast site not anti gun put down the bong J you’ve had enough.
?? How could he pose a threat? ———–Talk about stupid questions!
“Lovelace said his family was…”
Should be “were…”
It’s all about setting a great example for our youth.
Do you teach “Swamp English” somewhere, boy?
Lol. Tom, let’s try some examples- for the sake of our children. When referring to your family, would you say “my family were enjoying the picnic”, or would you say “my family was enjoying the picnic”? Please don’t teach if you are lacking in this capacity.