It Could Happen to You

Mike Brewer · 01-15-2008, 02:36 PM

An excerpt from an article graciously brought to my attention by Sun-Helmet. It bears reading by all here:

The full article can be read at - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/12/ny...=5070&emc=eta1

A New York City Transit worker walking home after a late shift, three suspected muggers armed with a curved knife and a bystander whose role was unclear converged on a rainy street in Upper Manhattan late Thursday in a blood-soaked encounter that left the bystander stabbed to death and two others — including the transit worker — hospitalized.

Hours after the midnight attack at 139th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue, detectives were still trying to reconstruct what had happened.

As of late Friday, investigators said, one thing was clear: It appeared that the transit worker, Maurice Parks, 39, a subway motorman, was a victim who decided to fight back. He told investigators he was attacked in 1994, and fought back that time, too.

JBolton · 01-15-2008, 02:48 PM

Ironic. I was just talking to my colleague in our NY office who was kidding me about how I carry knives. Then I logged on to defend.net to see this story.

Mike Brewer · 01-15-2008, 03:07 PM

If that's the case, you may want to read the thread in Urban Combatives about the Best Legal Weapon to Carry. There's a link in there with some outstanding overviews of various state laws, and the one for New York was surprising. Apparently, you need a license to purchase a handgun in New York, but that license to purchase also acts as your permit to carry. It's a pretty simple process, similar to most other states with a CCW law.

DickHardman · 01-15-2008, 03:23 PM

reading about this guy reminds me a lot about myself. i too am a strong, muscular, rugged construction worker who also posses martial arts skills and i also carry a knife on me so i can protect myself as i make my way home after a hard day of honest work.

Mike Brewer · 01-15-2008, 04:04 PM

Yeah. That's just what the rest of us were thinking. "Wonder if that was Dick Hardman?"

bigred389 · 01-15-2008, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Brewer

If that's the case, you may want to read the thread in Urban Combatives about the Best Legal Weapon to Carry. There's a link in there with some outstanding overviews of various state laws, and the one for New York was surprising. Apparently, you need a license to purchase a handgun in New York, but that license to purchase also acts as your permit to carry. It's a pretty simple process, similar to most other states with a CCW law.

However, in NYC, it's damn near impossible to get the NYPD to give you a CCW as you would understand it in...say VA.

They have many types of licenses, but they are very restrictive in what it allows you to do with it. You can pretty much only carry it if your job requires it or at home/work.

Mike Brewer · 01-15-2008, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigred389

However, in NYC, it's damn near impossible to get the NYPD to give you a CCW.

In the city itself, yes, you're right. You need a compelling reason. Knives, however, are not difficult.

Knuckles&Knees · 01-15-2008, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Police officials said it appeared that the bystander, Flonarza M. Byas, 28, who died less than an hour after the attack, had either tried to help Mr. Parks or had inadvertently gotten in the way of the mugging. But they also said he might have witnessed the mugging and joined in, or thought that Mr. Parks was the attacker and then unintentionally sought to help the real criminals.

Mr. Parks was attacked from behind, hit on the side of the head and knocked to the ground after he emerged from the subway at 135th Street and walked a few blocks, the police said. Once he was down, the assailants started beating Mr. Parks and took a denim bag packed with clothes and a $200 money order. One of the muggers pulled a knife, and Mr. Parks pulled one too, the police said.

Ooh - fuckin - rah.

Quote:

The police said that they believed Mr. Byas was a drifter with no fixed address and that he received a summons 20 minutes before the attack on a trespassing charge in a nearby park. But Mr. Byas’s brother and fiancée said he was not homeless and was employed as an accountant at a Manhattan wig store.

This sh*t would make a great movie. Not an action movie but a melancholy drama, focusing on converging lives, what prepares us, and how do we recover afterwards?

Knuckles&Knees · 01-15-2008, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Brewer

Yeah. That's just what the rest of us were thinking. "Wonder if that was Dick Hardman?"

LMAO!!!! That was a good one.

Garland · 01-15-2008, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knuckles&Knees

This sh*t would make a great movie. Not an action movie but a melancholy drama, focusing on converging lives, what prepares us, and how do we recover afterwards?

Sort of like CRASH, but with people getting shanked.

I dig it.

Mike Brewer · 01-15-2008, 05:38 PM

That would even be a good title. Shank.

Garland, you're my hero.

Tant01 · 01-16-2008, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garland

Sort of like CRASH, but with people getting shanked.

I dig it.

Dude.... you kill me! ROTFLMAO Where do you live again? You remind me of a Newyorker I know...LOL

Paco · 01-17-2008, 11:54 AM

Very interesting stuff. I used to live in the Jersey City, NYC area back in the 90's and it was easy to get knives in the city, shit, you could even get brass knuckles in Times Square (I had to go to Newark to get a switchblade, though). But it was hard for anybody to get a gun license. Even when I became an attorney, the cops in Jersey gave me the fucking runaround when it came to approving my request for a gun license. I remember you had to get some clearance from them, I went to the station and handed in the document... most likely it got filed straight to the trash bin. Mother fuckers didn't even send a letter. In the cities it seems such a hassle to get weapons, in Texas and other places it's a snap. I can understand the police wanting to control guns, but criminals will always have access to them. Where does that leave the law abiding citizen? The cops don't want you to be armed, yet the next bozo down the street is. He'll be more likely to jump you if he suspects you're unarmed. Then... where the **** are the police when you need them? My bad for the rant... just reading the news story brought back all these memories.
Also reminded of the incident where the Asian guy with the knife was charged for the killing of a bouncer in NYC right after the smoking ban started...

Hot_Wings · 01-18-2008, 04:55 AM

Thanks for bringing this story to us Mike. Another man saves his life against multiple attackers who have a weapon. Chalk one up for the Victims side.

I am also glad that it appears that someone tried to help other people defend against people getting knifed. It is tragic that he paid the ultimate price for this, but I am sure that God will take his deed into account. May God be with him.

Mike Brewer · 01-18-2008, 12:39 PM

I actually got it from another member - Sun Helmet. I wouldn't have tripped over it on my own, so he deserves the thanks and the credit.

01-15-2008, 02:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
Mike Brewer Moderate Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 8,284	It Could Happen to You An excerpt from an article graciously brought to my attention by Sun-Helmet. It bears reading by all here: The full article can be read at - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/12/ny...=5070&emc=eta1 A New York City Transit worker walking home after a late shift, three suspected muggers armed with a curved knife and a bystander whose role was unclear converged on a rainy street in Upper Manhattan late Thursday in a blood-soaked encounter that left the bystander stabbed to death and two others — including the transit worker — hospitalized. Hours after the midnight attack at 139th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue, detectives were still trying to reconstruct what had happened. As of late Friday, investigators said, one thing was clear: It appeared that the transit worker, Maurice Parks, 39, a subway motorman, was a victim who decided to fight back. He told investigators he was attacked in 1994, and fought back that time, too.

01-18-2008, 04:55 AM	#14 (permalink)
Hot_Wings Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 24	Score one for the victims Thanks for bringing this story to us Mike. Another man saves his life against multiple attackers who have a weapon. Chalk one up for the Victims side. I am also glad that it appears that someone tried to help other people defend against people getting knifed. It is tragic that he paid the ultimate price for this, but I am sure that God will take his deed into account. May God be with him.

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01-15-2008, 02:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
JBolton Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 106	Ironic. I was just talking to my colleague in our NY office who was kidding me about how I carry knives. Then I logged on to defend.net to see this story.

01-15-2008, 03:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
Mike Brewer Moderate Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 8,284	If that's the case, you may want to read the thread in Urban Combatives about the Best Legal Weapon to Carry. There's a link in there with some outstanding overviews of various state laws, and the one for New York was surprising. Apparently, you need a license to purchase a handgun in New York, but that license to purchase also acts as your permit to carry. It's a pretty simple process, similar to most other states with a CCW law.

01-15-2008, 03:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
DickHardman Master Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 4,055	reading about this guy reminds me a lot about myself. i too am a strong, muscular, rugged construction worker who also posses martial arts skills and i also carry a knife on me so i can protect myself as i make my way home after a hard day of honest work.

01-15-2008, 04:04 PM	#5 (permalink)
Mike Brewer Moderate Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 8,284	Yeah. That's just what the rest of us were thinking. "Wonder if that was Dick Hardman?"

01-15-2008, 05:38 PM	#11 (permalink)
Mike Brewer Moderate Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 8,284	That would even be a good title. Shank. Garland, you're my hero.

01-17-2008, 11:54 AM	#13 (permalink)
Paco Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico Posts: 169	Very interesting stuff. I used to live in the Jersey City, NYC area back in the 90's and it was easy to get knives in the city, shit, you could even get brass knuckles in Times Square (I had to go to Newark to get a switchblade, though). But it was hard for anybody to get a gun license. Even when I became an attorney, the cops in Jersey gave me the fucking runaround when it came to approving my request for a gun license. I remember you had to get some clearance from them, I went to the station and handed in the document... most likely it got filed straight to the trash bin. Mother fuckers didn't even send a letter. In the cities it seems such a hassle to get weapons, in Texas and other places it's a snap. I can understand the police wanting to control guns, but criminals will always have access to them. Where does that leave the law abiding citizen? The cops don't want you to be armed, yet the next bozo down the street is. He'll be more likely to jump you if he suspects you're unarmed. Then... where the **** are the police when you need them? My bad for the rant... just reading the news story brought back all these memories. Also reminded of the incident where the Asian guy with the knife was charged for the killing of a bouncer in NYC right after the smoking ban started...

01-18-2008, 12:39 PM	#15 (permalink)
Mike Brewer Moderate Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 8,284	I actually got it from another member - Sun Helmet. I wouldn't have tripped over it on my own, so he deserves the thanks and the credit.

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