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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA Black pastor who called 911 after alleged attack was arrested. The sheriff apologized.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/black-pastor-who-called-911-after-alleged-attack-was-arrested-n1231005
June 13, 2020, 4:03 PM EDT / Updated June 13, 2020, 4:34 PM EDT
By Nicole Acevedo
<snip>
Pastor Leon McCray was at his home on June 1 when he saw two people trying to dump a refrigerator on his property, he recounted during a church service Sunday. When McCray told them to stop, one person proceeded to verbally attack him and the other one went to get three other people.
McCray said that all five people started attacking him verbally and physically. They were "threatening to kill me... telling me that my Black life didn't matter," he said. That's when he felt the need to pull his concealed firearm to save his life, he said. The group of people then left and McCray proceeded to call 9-1-1 for help.
But when authorities arrived, they didn't ask McCray what happened, he said. They spoke to the white family of five who had just attacked him, he said.
"I was not given an opportunity to speak," said McCray, adding that officers told him they had to arrest him for brandishing a gun. "And I said, what about the trespassing and the assault?"
Instead, McCray "was handcuffed in front of my assaulters" by an officer who has known him from the community for over 20 years, he said, adding "they waved at me as I go down the road... . Do you know how disturbing that is?"
It was "a day that changed my life," the pastor said.
</snip>
June 13, 2020, 4:03 PM EDT / Updated June 13, 2020, 4:34 PM EDT
By Nicole Acevedo
<snip>
Pastor Leon McCray was at his home on June 1 when he saw two people trying to dump a refrigerator on his property, he recounted during a church service Sunday. When McCray told them to stop, one person proceeded to verbally attack him and the other one went to get three other people.
McCray said that all five people started attacking him verbally and physically. They were "threatening to kill me... telling me that my Black life didn't matter," he said. That's when he felt the need to pull his concealed firearm to save his life, he said. The group of people then left and McCray proceeded to call 9-1-1 for help.
But when authorities arrived, they didn't ask McCray what happened, he said. They spoke to the white family of five who had just attacked him, he said.
"I was not given an opportunity to speak," said McCray, adding that officers told him they had to arrest him for brandishing a gun. "And I said, what about the trespassing and the assault?"
Instead, McCray "was handcuffed in front of my assaulters" by an officer who has known him from the community for over 20 years, he said, adding "they waved at me as I go down the road... . Do you know how disturbing that is?"
It was "a day that changed my life," the pastor said.
</snip>
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A Black pastor who called 911 after alleged attack was arrested. The sheriff apologized. (Original Post)
Dennis Donovan
Jun 2020
OP
You can only defend yourself with a gun if you are confronted with deadly force
Jersey Devil
Jun 2020
#11
GreenPartyVoter
(72,377 posts)1. I can only imagine how that felt.
Snake Plissken
(4,103 posts)2. The mugshots look like the audience of a Trump Klan rally.
Native
(5,936 posts)5. Straight out of central casting.
chwaliszewski
(1,514 posts)3. Good gravy, where's the banjo and meth trailer in that police photo?
perfessor
(265 posts)4. Surely the NRA
is leaping to his defense??
JI7
(89,239 posts)6. guns are for white supremacists
futureliveshere
(1,412 posts)7. WTF Indeed
dalton99a
(81,391 posts)8. What LBJ said about the lowest white man vs. the best colored man
gordianot
(15,233 posts)9. Brandish a gun the pastor had every right to defend himself.
Why I do not brandish a gun, you see one in my hand I intend to use it. My assumption works when the situation is reversed
Jersey Devil
(9,874 posts)11. You can only defend yourself with a gun if you are confronted with deadly force
If someone takes a swing at you it would not justify pulling a gun. If you do the charge would be assault with a deadly weapon.
skypilot
(8,851 posts)13. Five people against one...
...sounds like deadly force to me.
gordianot
(15,233 posts)16. The Pastor was in his rights with Virginia's Castle Law.
I do realize that is not how it works if you are African American.
yardwork
(61,538 posts)10. Good to see that felony charges - including hate crimes - have been brought against the mob.
I hope that the county gets convictions.
Joinfortmill
(14,387 posts)12. Time to re-educate cops and cull the one's who refuse to learn
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,488 posts)14. Video interview of the pastor and county sheriff here....
5 people charged with hate crimes in Shenandoah County Attack
WHSV Ch. 3 TV Harrisonburg, VA
Link: https://www.whsv.com/video?vid=571243092
Being a pastor, Mr. McCray had the verbal and writing skills to help him get out of this pickle. As he says in this interview, had this happened to a person without those skills or perhaps not carrying a weapon, the outcome would likely be very different.
I admire his strength and perseverance..........
WHSV Ch. 3 TV Harrisonburg, VA
Link: https://www.whsv.com/video?vid=571243092
Being a pastor, Mr. McCray had the verbal and writing skills to help him get out of this pickle. As he says in this interview, had this happened to a person without those skills or perhaps not carrying a weapon, the outcome would likely be very different.
I admire his strength and perseverance..........
Ligyron
(7,616 posts)15. At least the right people were finally arrested.
Is it my imagination or does the right thing seems to be happening more and more lately?
All the people I went to school with who became cops were all asshole to the man (and woman) and the last ones who should have been given the power of arrest ... never mind life and death over their fellow countrymen.
dewsgirl
(14,961 posts)17. I am so sick of this crap.