Tom Yum

Marine tackles suspected jewelry thief at mall

By SCOTT DAUGHERTY, Staff Writer
May 13, 06

When a shabbily dressed man ran out of a Westfield Annapolis jewelry store followed by an employee screaming for help, Erik McInnis didn't think twice. "Anybody sprinting out of a store like that is guilty until proven innocent," the 39-year-old Marine major said. He immediately left his two children, ages 9 and 2, in the mall's play area and chased Timothy A. Laboard, 40, of Baltimore, through the back corridors of the mall.

Jonathan Neff, another father in the play area, said Maj. McInnis "hurdled the row of seats and hit the ground at an all out sprint behind the thief ... He was through the doors in hot pursuit before anyone else knew what was happening." Maj. McInnis followed Mr. Laboard back into the mall, grabbed his collar, and put him in a rear figure-four choke hold on the ground.

"It was kind of surreal. There I was laying on top of this guy and everyone just kept walking by like nothing had happened," said the Naval Academy math instructor. After a few moments, an off-duty FBI agent walked up and handcuffed Mr. Laboard. Mr. Laboard was charged with theft over $500 after the incident on Monday. Police allege he snatched a $28,000 diamond ring out of a person's hand inside the Helzberg Diamonds. After Mr. Laboard was arrested, police said he pulled the ring from his mouth and handed it over to an officer. "I'm a drug addict and I need help," Mr. Laboard said, according to a police report. Officials at Helzberg Diamonds were not available for comment.

While Maj. McInnis might teach calculus during the day, he's still a Marine. He said he also teaches martial arts at the academy and is the officer representative for the school's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu club. That, he said, is where he learned the submission and grappling moves he used at the mall. "I've been teaching the stuff to midshipmen for years. I had a better than average chance to catch him," said Maj. McInnis.

Of course, once he caught Mr. Laboard and found himself lying on top of the man, the major started wondering if he had done the right thing. "I was like 'I really hope he's guilty of something,' " he said, explaining at the time he didn't really know what happened or why he had tackled him. He just knew something bad had happened and he had to help.

When he found out the man was charged with stealing a ring that costs more than his Hyundai though, he was pretty shocked. "I had no idea you could buy a $28,000 ring at the mall," he said. That said, he's not expecting a reward. "As hokey as this sounds, I consider apprehending scum bags to be an unwritten statement in my general job description of being a Marine," he said.

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi...6/05_13-03/TOP

Why is this guy bad ass?

1. He's a marine.
2. He's a caclulus instructor.
3. He's also a martial arts instructor.
4. Oh yeah, he also used his skills to assist a person in need (no, not the calculs skills, allthough he has probably volunteered additional hours to explain the chain rule, newton-raphson's estimation, line integrals...etc).

7r14ngL3Ch0k3

5. He's a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner

kingoftheforest

Yep that's hardcore, tackling a guy from behind prove BJJ is the shit. NOT

Also numbers it proves even your beloved BJJ will squash your I'm running away in a fight.

It was a good deed and I commend the Maj. for it. But I think the only skill that really made this happen was that the Major was in good shape and could out run a 40 year old man. I'm not taking anything away from the Marines here.

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The actions one takes are answered by consequences waiting at their conclusion. There are no exceptions.

http://destructionscreation.deviantart.com/gallery/

7r14ngL3Ch0k3

Ok, i never said BJJ was the shit. Just stop calling me "numbers" and stop being all on the offensive side towards me with what i reply.

GQchris

F'ing great, Tom Yum... now you gave all the Gracie nuthuggers a rise LMAO, J/K..

sorry Gracie nuthuggers, please don't beat my ass sir or put me in a omoplata, lol

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Owner of a lonely heart.. much better than a owner of a broken heart...

7r14ngL3Ch0k3

Im not a Gracie nuthugger, on the street BJJ is your last resort, but in mma and grappling its awesome(but not the best ofcoarse), and thats how i feel.

Tom Yum

Yeah, I just focused on the fact that the guy was a martial artist. Sure he used a rear naked choke to subdue the guy after he tackled the thief. He was able to outrun him.

Hey man, there's a guy in your pic with a camcorder and a huge smile getting voyeur on the woman.....is that you....jj....

gregimotis

Maybe we should put some marines in the high schools... just thinkin' out loud here.

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gregimotis

He gets the funniest nickname on the board, and he complains about it. Sheez Numbers, thicken the 'ole skin a bit.




I been running around here for years, nobody ever gave me a funny nickname.... 'Cept Ole Spankerzzixcv... and all he wanted was to...um, well never mind about that.

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BoarSpear

Aw the hell with it, Marine DI's for school teachers, then soon as schools out its off to the sandbox!! I do believe the frog has an idea here...I'm sure Mr Bush and company will LOVE this idea!!

gregimotis

Oh, Oh, how about this one:


"You can't handle the proof!!!!!!"

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BoarSpear

How much of a nickname does a booger wearing boxing shorts need?

gregimotis

Don't make me get all Calculus on yer ass, son

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I am Tired. Tired. Tired.

BoarSpear

oh shit "numbers" is getting backup sheeeit i hope the alphabet doesnt come along and back him up too...oh no algebra

7r14ngL3Ch0k3

Just so you guys know, Gregmotis's icon is Keropi, which is from the same cartoon as Hello Kitty and Batz Maroo...........