‘Hero’ recalls tackling shooter at VFW bingo night in Evansville
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT/AP)- It was a terrifying moment for hundreds as shots rang out at the Evansville Veterans of Foreign Wars post during bingo night on Sunday.
Police are crediting heroic bystanders for their quick action to take down the shooter.
“I don’t feel like I’m a hero,” said Murray Wilson Jr., who has attended bingo night at the VFW for years.
But, he said, “Something happened that shouldn’t have happened.”
Evansville Police say the an 70-year-old gunman, John Michael Burghardt, shot 48-year-old Paul Glover in the abdomen Sunday evening after Glover barred him from entering through a back door. Police say the gunman then came through a front door and fired a shot at a woman who pushed him back with a grill scraper before others in the post tackled and disarmed him and held him down until officers arrived.
Authorities say Glover underwent surgery and is expected to survive. Police say the gunman is being treated for injuries at a hospital and will face charges, including attempted murder, once he’s released.
Wilson said, “Heard a pop and no one knew what it was. Next thing you know, everyone is getting on the floor like something you see in a movie.”
As Wilson was helping people out of the building, he saw the shooter.
“I reacted instantly right there and just jumped on his legs and helped take him down and then the other guy came and got him in a headlock. Between me and the other guy, we wrestled the gun out of his hand.”
It was fight or flight actions from Wilson and others that police are saying saved lives
“I didn’t have time to think. It’s just one of those things that I acted instantly,” Wilson said.
After police arrived, Wilson said, emotions and reality kicked in.
“When I called my wife last night and told her what happened, I told her I was coming home. I had tears in my eyes and I told her I hope I never have to do that again and she said do what and I said wrestle a gun out of someone’s hand that’s loaded. If something happens to me what’s gonna happen to her? I don’t care what happens to me, it’s her I care about.”
He won’t admit it, but he’s a hero walking away with just a scratch.
“I’m just a man and I did what I had to do. I know my mom and dad are up in heaven looking down saying ‘That’s my boy.’”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.