‘Lucky he wasn’t shot’: Victim fights off gunman before carjacking
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKR) – Not one, but two victims found themselves face to face with a carjacking suspect in West Nashville. In the first case, the victim fought back and the teen suspect ran off to his second victim.
“It’s a tough situation. This town has gotten evil. I hate to say that, but it happens everywhere. Whether it’s Green Hills, Bellevue, Brentwood, it just doesn’t matter,” self defense expert Michael “Moose” Moore explained.
On Tuesday afternoon, it was West Nashville. The first victim was sitting in his car at Planet Fitness on Charlotte Pike when police said he was approached by 18-year-old Corye Stone, who reportedly reached for a gun after knocking on the man’s window. The driver jumped out of the car and the two got in a fight before the suspect ran off, according to a police report.
PREVIOUS: Teen free on bond arrested for armed carjacking outside Nashville Kroger
“I would say he is pretty lucky that he wasn’t shot. In today’s environment, guns are everywhere and I don’t even honk my horn on the interstate anymore. You don’t know whose going to shoot you,” Moore said.
As the president and founder of The Vigilance Group, Moore said he teaches people how to live safely in a dangerous world.
“Carjackings are horrible. They are just such a breach. What I teach is how to prevent that from coming. The gentleman in the car, I’d have to look at the details – was the car engine started, was he followed outside the building – those are things I would try to teach,” said Moore.
There is one thing he teaches that always remains the same despite the circumstances.
“You never trade your life for things and everybody has car insurance, it’s a requirement. So you know, you lose your car, you lose your car. It would be a terrible tragedy to lose your life over a car,” he said.
Shortly after the attempted carjacking, Metro police said Stone robbed a 66-year-old woman of her SUV across the way in a Kroger parking lot.
Parents charged after child found near ‘copious’ amounts of drugs, loaded handguns in East Nashville
“The carjacker obviously realized by the confrontation that he was going after someone that might fight back. So then the carjacker went across the street and found someone that wouldn’t fight back, which is generally someone of lesser strength, generally female. So she obviously complied which is what she should have done in those circumstances,” Moore said.
Getting ahead of those circumstances is what Moore masters in. He said staying vigilant is a learned behavior that could save your life.
“I don’t confront carjackers. I try not to allow that to happen. Hopefully my car’s running, my doors are locked, and I can put it in gear and move very quickly,” Moore explained.
The vigilance group is offering two free workshops in January. For more information, click here.
Stone was out on bond after two arrests earlier this year, both gun theft cases. Authorities said he tossed a pistol while leading law enforcement on a pursuit Tuesday. He was taken into custody and charged with two counts of felony carjacking, evading arrest, and driving without a license.
Teen charged with 14 vehicle burglaries in Clarksville
He remains in the Metro Jail on a $86,000 bond.
Metro police told News 2 that 40% of the more than 17,000 people arrested by their officers through the end of September were on bond for other offenses or in some other pre-trial status.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
