Firearm prevents carjacking

[Tom Yum]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl...ws/3630033.html

Holly Mong was just six months into her career as a police officer when she shot two armed men who tried to hijack her car outside her Jersey Village apartment.

Police said Mong, 22, a Richmond Police Department rookie, was wearing civilian clothes about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday when two suspects climbed into her Jeep Liberty and pointed guns at her head as she was starting the vehicle.

"It was her training that helped her react in that situation," said detective Sgt. C.J. Harper of the Jersey Village Police Department.

On her off day, she was about to drive to Richmond to attend an in-service training class.

"The suspects had no way of knowing she was an officer," said Jersey Village Police Chief Charles N. Wedemeyer.

When the men ordered her to move to the passenger seat, she grabbed her gun from her purse and fired several times, killing one man and striking another.

Police later found a third suspect hiding nearby in a getaway car.

Wedemeyer said police do not think the suspects fired their weapons.

The two surviving suspects were charged Wednesday with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.

Wedemeyer said investigators think the men may have been involved in other carjackings and robberies in the Houston area.

Cordale Stubblefield, 19, of Cypress, was killed in the shooting.

Christopher Wayne Yell, 19, of the 31600 block of Cypress Circle in Waller, was in critical condition at a local hospital. His bail was set at $200,000.

Yell had been sentenced to four years of probation in June for a residential burglary charge.

The third suspect, Marcus Marquis Holmes, 20, of the 16500 block of Cypress Thicket in Cypress, is being held in the Harris County Jail on $150,000 bail.

Investigators said Mong spent Wednesday with family and counselors away from her apartment.

"She was shaken up at the time, but I think she's holding up pretty well, considering there was a life-and-death struggle in that car," Wedemeyer said.

Mong declined repeated requests for interviews.

Her fiance, Shawn Horton, is an officer in Jersey Village.

"Many of us know her through her fiance," Harper said. "She's a very dedicated and conscientious individual."

Richmond police would not comment on the incident other than to confirm that Mong is an officer there.

[Hardball]

She was either lucky or very very well trained. Sounds like the Thugs got the drop on her and she survived anyway.

[SamuraiGuy]

My question is how many times has this situation happened.. where the cop ended up dead?

As a probably future police officer.. this is whats in my mind... sure its nice to get rid of some thugs, but I could have a wife and kids...

Worth your car?

[SamuraiGuy]

Two guys with guns pointed at you though, and you have to draw and then fire your gun, at ONE of them.. and the other would still have his gun pointed at you..

That would be like asking a fire fighter to run into a burning building completely engulfed in flames with the roof about to collapse, and smoke so thick you cant see anything, to get ur 52" plasma tv out.

It's material objects.. I dont see how its worth that risk.

I understand with law enforcement it's different, because if your tv burns down its not going to go out and shoot someone or something like that.

BUT, I think you misunderstood my post, it wasnt a lack of action I would give so I didnt get hurt, wife and kids man, (not from this post from a bunch of things) I'm considering not entering the law enforcement field because of the risk to potential wife and kids. I know my biggest fear right now involves something bad happening to my girlfriend, don't know if I could take that chance.

Edit, (as some of you may know im 18, but I've had this girlfriend for 3 years... I'm not some douchebag kid who thinks hes in love after a week)

[gregimotis]

Parallel to Mr. Brewers point; If these guys were willing to threaten somebodies life over a car, how long was it going to be before they started killing? It's not just the car, these ARE the bad guys we all need to get rid of.


Thank you Mrs. Officer for taking care of them before my mother or sister has too.

[SamuraiGuy]

I think you misunderstood my post. The car isn't the issue. It's what might happen with your car because you didn't act. To you, it's a car. To a professional, it's a means to commit more crimes, and the fact that the bad guys got away with it and possibly ran over some kids or committed a drive-by with your car strikes a nerve. It's the public that they're sworn to protect that's to be considered, and giving them the tools to commit more crimes by not taking action is not acceptable.

I really think If you read my post thoroughly you would have seen I understand the point....

I will quote aline from it..

"I understand with law enforcement it's different, because if your tv burns down its not going to go out and shoot someone or something like that."

that demonstrates the knowledge of the difference... because letting your car fall victim to the robbers, or letting your tv burn, has different consequences.

With that said I see your point, I saw your point from the beginning, not sure If I agree with it though.

[BoarSpear]

I would like to know more about the incident. I think the officer was certainly on the spot to react as a proffessional, it seems either the story is wrong in the details or the officer is an excellent warrior. Two armed men got in her jeep liberty, pointed guns at her head and said move over....she then reached in her pocket book pulled her weapon...aimed and fired at the men BEHIND her in the car...BEFORE either man pointing guns at her head from behind could react... either we are missing some key details or this isnt what happened... Unless these were the 2 dumbest criminals ever, then they would be looking at you while pointing guns at your head eh? no one notices the hands of the person they are car jacking while guns are to your head? SOMETHING occured that created lag time/space for her "free" moves...if a 22 yr old cop had that level sleight of hand /weapons skills under stress i would be highly impressed.

[SamuraiGuy]

Boarspear's post somewhat helps my point.

That is partly what my problem is with it... if you noticed in my fire fighting metaphor the whole building was engulfed in flames (one bad thing) the roof was gonna cave in (another bad thing)... and the whole building was filled with so much smoke you couldnt see (another bad point).

That was part of my problem with this situation, as I think I commented on it. When does it become "stupid" to try... I mean if your a cop and some person pushes you over from behind and puts a gun to your head are you gonna try to get your gun out and shoot them, or roll over and start groundfighting?.... Even if that guy could go out and kill someone later... are you going to do that... a gun to the back of the head is just about the same as TWO guns pointed at your head, confined space, two targets, (the increased time) it would take to get your gun out as your in a car, the fact that she wasnt on duty so she probably wouldnt have had her gone out in the open ready to draw.

And why if this is true did the second criminal just say... "well... she just shot my friend in the face, I think ill get out of the car now... see ya later.."

First of all.... hes going to want to shoot her for killing his friend... and second... the risk to himself... wats to stop her from shooting him in the back/leg/back of the head when he runs away.

After all of that... the thing I dont think I would risk is not my life, but my influence on the life of my family/people I care about.

[Nemesis]

Once you are a cop you develope a more aggressive attitude against crime. Also depending were you work you become accustomed to high risk situations. For example a guy with a knife, standing in a corner, to a rookie or civilian may be enough to send them right to the edge of panic. To a senior officer it just may be enough to raise the heart rate a little.