Man Shoots Himself Inside Dick’s Sporting Goods
A man ended a standoff with police by killing himself inside Dick’s Sporting Goods at the Oxford Valley Shopping Center where he had barricaded himself, police say.
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A man who barricaded himself inside a Dicks Sporting Goods store shot himself after a more than three-hour standoff with police.
According to Falls Township police spokesman Lt. Henry Ward, the man entered the store at approximately 7 p.m. and asked a clerk if he could see a 12-gauge shotgun. He asked the employee to take the gun lock off the weapon.
When the clerk replied that is was against store policy, the man pointed a handgun at the employee, had him remove the gunlock and told him to leave the store and call the police, Ward said.
"He somehow got ahold of the ammunition for the shotgun, loaded it and wandered the store as employees cleared everybody out," Ward said. "When the first officers arrived on the scene, he ran to the male bathroom and shut himself in."
Employees at Dick's helped evacuate the store, and the entire complex, where there is also an Old Navy and Barnes & Noble, was evacuated at 8 p.m.
"This could have been a nightmare," Ward said. "He was walking around with two loaded weapons."
Police waited the man out for three hours, with no contact with the gunman. The response team used a robot to enter the bathroom and saw the man lying on the floor with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the body, Ward said.
According to Ward, the man, identified as 58-year-old Mark McCarty of Levittown, had a history of confrontations. In 2002, he was engaged in an armed standoff with Middletown police and was talked down, and in 2010 he was involuntary committed to a psychiatric facility.
McCarty died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest, according to Bucks County Coroner Joseph Campbell.
bill
12:41 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Would've ended much sooner if Dicks was more reasonable about allowing those who work the firearms counter to actually carry a firearm. There's a reason this stuff doesn't happen at Mikes' or Ready Aim Fire.
Terry Dittes
9:55 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Bill,
The solution to gun violence will never end in this country simply by providing the cashier, gas station attendant, supermarket clerk or even teacher a weapon. When military and police are issued weapons they have went through rigorous training and became certified to use these weapons. The right for individuals to carry firearms will not go away, nor have I heard of any pending legislation about eliminating those rights. I can only think how much worse the situation at Dick's sporting goods would have been had the sales clerk been given a weapon to use when he or she decided it was appropriate.
Tim
3:05 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
Terry,
Don't put so much faith in law enforcement. Their job is to take names and clean up the blood, as demonstrated quite nicely at Dick's. It's already been ruled that law enforcement has no duty to protect you or put their own life at risk. That's a SCOTUS ruling if I'm not mistaken.
Eric S
9:31 am on Sunday, March 24, 2013
@Terry......"rigorous training"? Just how much do you actually know about this rigorous training? I mean besides from movies.
While I agree with you on the general idea, an armed clerk at Dick's might have been the wrong response, your allusions about training are false. Most departments require an officer to fire 50 rounds a year to remain carry qualified. I shoot that much in my first five minutes on the range.
@Bill.......Yes, Mike's, RAF, CP......all of them, carry in their stores. It's the owner's perogative. The owner of Dick's isn't running around the stores with his weapon. Dick's isn't exactly a ripe target for armed robbers seeking easy to sell firearms. Dick's sells no handguns and the rifles tend to be hunting equipment. Not on the weapons menu down at your local gang hangout. RAF, Mike's...oh yeah, it's like a criminal's buffet. Except the chef is armed, trained and his mindset is solid.
bill
12:43 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
@Terry - you need to learn more about training, and what is involved. I can link you to several stories from around the country where an armed clerk stopped the bad -guys plans in its tracks. @Eric S- you're right, it is the owners prerogative. it is also on his conscience if someone at that store (other the idiot who shot himself) had gotten injured. Regardless if they sold handguns or not, they still sell firearms and ammo. His decision certanly worked out here didn't it?
The Vose Gargoyle
7:54 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
I agree with both of you.But all the more reason to allow people to carry in the store instead of posting signs that don't allow it. The guns at Mike's and Ready Aim Fire are less secure (meaning no trigger locks) than the ones at Dick's. However, the difference is that the store clerk IS armed. Makes perfect sense. And once again, we have a individual with a gun that should not have had one. Same story as all the others. Although, this time we didn't have any innocent people lost. And it looks like one less burden on society. Just makes it harder for the other 99% of people that do the right thing. I'm sure Dick's will end up like a Walmart or Kmart soon. No guns, just ammo.
bill
10:56 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
The bad guy was intent on doing what he had planned....He was going to get a gun either way, regardless of laws or bans. Same story with every person who does similar acts. If Dicks can't be bothered to allow their employees working that counter to carry, then they need to stop selling guns their...We can just as easily go to Mikes, RAF, Pistol People, etc. If a place is selling guns they need to be responsible for the access to them, legitimately or otherwise. I wasn't a fan of that place before, and I'm no bigger a fan now.
Silence Dogood
8:16 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
" in 2010 he was involuntary committed to a psychiatric facility."
After which he and firearms should have parted company! THIS is the problem folks!!
The Vose Gargoyle
9:35 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
@ Fred Camillucci It's incumbent upon Dick's and any other store to have their employees trained in whichever department they work in. I don't expect the guy in the golf department to know about ammo or vice-versa. Nor do I expect the guy at Home Depot to be armed (but wouldn't mind) and try an advise me what electrical outlet I need when he is from the roofing department.
I'm am glad you aren't against guns. But the amount of laws that are already on the books that are not enforced is tremendous. Why make more laws if we can't enforce the ones already there? Exactly correct, They should have parted company awhile ago. That is a law. So why were they still together? I'm sure there will be more findings of this clown. And let's not forget the Dick's employee. I'm sure he's not in his right state of mind and hopefully he's able to recover in a timely fashion.
ComedianChrisSmith
9:41 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
This isn't splitting an atom. Everyone wants to talk about the "right to bare arms" but if this man wanted to, he could have walked right into Dick's Sporting Goods or any other store and could have opened fire and killed as many as he wanted. Again, the right to bare arms is part of the right. If you are convicted of a felony, you lose the privilege of carrying a weapon. Why? You proved that your criminal past and potential in the future means that a gun only exacerbates a persons potential for perpetuating further criminal activity. I love the cowboy mentality that everyone brings; if the person running the gun counter had a gun, none of this would have gone down. How would the outcome been different? We are, after all, talking about the idea of a person having to take the life of another in a moment where we can only hope that a person has the wherewithal to act quickly and safely. The bottom line is the sophomoric argument that if everyone carried guns, none of this would ever happen is proof that there is in fact a gun problem in this country. I find it ironic that no one will ever argue with a "not less, more" mentality for anything except guns. "Did you hear Aunt June has cancer? I think we should give her MORE cancer! Doc says I have 60% blockage in all of my arteries? Not less burgers, MORE burgers." Until people can be honest about the solution, the problems will continue to escalate.
The Vose Gargoyle
9:53 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Simply put, If you knew that a particular person was carrying a firearm, would you choose them to rob or an unarmed person?
And why did he choose Dick's to get ANOTHER gun when he in fact had already armed himself with a handgun?
The Vose Gargoyle
9:58 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
And lets not give praise to the guy for NOT killing anyone else. You want to off yourself, do it at home and spare the innocent shoppers and employees. I'm sure this will have a negative effect on that particular stores business. That' a shame.
ChefB
10:08 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
OMG, at least get the correct spelling if you are going to rant about the right to "bear" arms!
Casey Topper
11:32 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Seems that spelling and grammar are the most important issues in this discussion....... Utterly pathetic !
Kris
10:54 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
@Bett sides ... If Spelling or grammar is such a big deal to you go proof read a dictionary! I would rather people comment and share their opinions, then criticize them for improper grammar!!!!
Steven Smith
10:55 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Having worked the Gun counter at the store for a few years (I no longer work there) I always wondered why they don't at least allow the people behind the gun counter to carry. This guy just proved how easy it is to walk into the store....get a gun, and cause serious damage (thankfully that wasn't the case).
I am not saying that everyone should be armed, but if you can sell a gun, I am pretty sure you should be able to carry a gun....
bill
11:02 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Yep. Dicks is ultimately the weak link in this chain. If one sells something dangerous, one is responsible for restricting access to said item. Either they only put responsible adults back at that counter, or leave the sale of guns to another store that has more common sense.
edward simmons
2:00 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Why are you thanking an invisible entity that lives in the sky....why not just thank santa clause....the easter bunny...or the tooth fairy???
Lisa
2:07 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013
What is the real problem is not Dick's or the selling of guns. It is that this guy should of been taken off the streets along time ago with his background and run ins with the law and his unstable mental condition. The police and psychiatric facility should be held responsible for letting him out on the streets. And everyone should be thankful he only took his life and not others.
debbie
1:49 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
It's everyones problem. Society is to blame not any single person.
William
7:51 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Lisa you are an idiot if you want to blame the police! It's not the police fault...that's the problem with this world it's always someone else's fault. No body wants to take responsibility and own up to there short comings. You can plan for months to shoot up a school or a movie theater then plead insanity. You can kill someone, admit to it and still have a trial so you don't get the death penalty. You can kill you kid and beat it with a good lawyer. So don't blame the police. Blame all you liberal idiots out there that think the rules are too strict. Last time I checked a gun never killed anyone. It's the idiot behind it.
bill
8:09 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Lisa
Police would be the LAST to be held to task for it. They can't bring the guy in for a psych eval (302 commitment) unless they witness him trying to harm himself (or the family gets the hosp to sign the commitment). Even if they do, it is still up to the Dr at Lenape to commit him. There are many times people get brought in, and are out before sunfall.
Want to get mad? Blame the guy, blame his family for not reporting his odd behavior or trying to get him 302'd, blame a psych doc if he recently evaluated the guy and released him....it was out of the Polices scope of responsibility. Perhaps next time you go flapping your gums you, I don't know...RESEARCH who is responsible for what. It will make you seem less idiotic.
William
9:27 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Bill you must be a brother in blue.. Well said!
bill
9:30 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013
I plead the 5th :)
Fred
10:40 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Trying to find a way to delete a picture. This is really pissing me off that there is no way a picture can be deleted. It was my fault to begin with uploading one, I was sure there was a way to delete it. If there is any one that can help me please let me know if there is a way to delete my picture. This is total bullshit.....
Julie
7:26 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
The guy could have walked in grabbed a bat from the baseball section. Walked over asked for a gun and asked the guy to unlock. When the trained employee said no. The guy could have used the bat and hit the employee in the head. No one would have noticed.. Guy then takes keys unlocks gun and as the report says... Somehow found the bullets . And he could have shot others. BUT he most Likely had a unload gun he got from someone else came in, got a gun. Told employee to call police. And waited it out then killed himself.... Sad story. Not saying he was right. Just saying it could have been worse. And no law would have prevented him from taking his life.
debbie
1:47 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
It's like ppl are turning crazier all of a sudden what the heck is going on.