Don't get between a Marine and his food.

**Blakeman** · 04-15-09, 01:40 PM

http://www.truveo.com/ExMarine-71-Sh.../id/1485128965

April 4, 2009, 3:08 PM The 71-year-old retired Marine who opened fire on two robbers

Pan Am/Delta pilot involved in shooting. Plantation, FL -- Last week police were called to investigate an attempted armed robbery:

The 71-year-old retired Marine who opened fire on two robbers at a Plantation, FL, Subway shop late Wednesday, killing one and critically wounding the other, is described as John Lovell, a former helicopter Pilot for two presidents. He doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke, and he works out everyday. Mr. Lovell was a man of action Wednesday night.

According to Plantation police, two masked gunmen came into the Subway at
1949 N. Pine Rd. Just after 11 p.m. There was a lone diner, Mr. Lovell, who was finishing his meal.. After robbing the cashier, the two men attempted to shove Mr. Lovell into a bathroom and rob him as well. They got his money, but then Mr. Lovell pulled his handgun and opened fire. He shot one of the thieves in the head and chest and the other in the head.

When police arrived, they found one of the men in the shop, K-9 Units found the other in the bushes of a nearby business.. They also found cash strewn around the front of the sandwich shop according to Detective Robert Rettig of the Plantation Police Department.

Both men were taken to the Broward General Medical Center , where one, Donicio Arrindell, 22, of North Lauderdale died. The other, 21-year-old Frederick Gadson of Fort Lauderdale is in critical but stable condition. A longtime friend of Lovell was not surprised to hear what happened. The friend said, ''He'd give you the shirt off his back, but He'd be mad as hell if someone tried to take the shirt off your back'' Mr. Lovell was a pilot in the Marine Corps, flying former Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He later worked as a pilot for Pan Am and Delta.

He is not expected to be charged authorities said. ''He was in fear for his life,'' Detective Rettig said, "These criminals ought to realize that most men in their 70's have military backgrounds and aren't intimidated by idiots."

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Old story but I still find it interesting.

**Toker** · 04-15-09, 01:48 PM

Good read. Love self defense stories! :9

**jason_jinx** · 04-15-09, 02:09 PM

awesome

**Anti-Squeaker** · 04-15-09, 02:22 PM

damn. What a badass, I wish my grandpa could do that!

**DJ Ms. White** · 04-15-09, 03:45 PM

Awesome guy, he is.

**BruceBloodMaster** · 04-15-09, 03:55 PM

This is just Another in a growing list of incidents and makes the case for the Florida gun laws ! Criminals need to Learn (sometimes the Hard Way) that you never know who in this state is "packing" and who isn't ! Kudos to this Marine ! Its just too bad that one of them lived............but I can say with certainty that I doubt he will be holding up anybody else from here on ! I have a bumper sticker on my truck that says " I'm not a Tourist ..... I'm an Armed Native". The Second Amendment is Our friend

**~~hawgballs~~** · 04-15-09, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by BruceBloodMaster

Its just too bad that one of them lived............

Because robbery is punishable by death.....

Now I'm not saying anything is wrong here, and I'm not saying he shouldn't have shot to kill (I prolly would have, if I were in the same predicament), but to say, basically, that they deserved death for robbery doesn't sound too American to me.

Good for the old man though.

**deathgodusmc** · 04-15-09, 05:58 PM

All I'll say is i would of done the same thing. Why give them the chance to retaliate. Kudos to him for a job well done.

**Whiskey_dod** · 04-15-09, 06:08 PM

Snap!

**dex71** · 04-15-09, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by hawgballs

Originally Posted by BruceBloodMaster

Its just too bad that one of them lived............

Because robbery is punishable by death.....

Now I'm not saying anything is wrong here, and I'm not saying he shouldn't have shot to kill (I prolly would have, if I were in the same predicament), but to say, basically, that they deserved death for robbery doesn't sound too American to me.

Good for the old man though.

What they did was more than robbery. When you pull a gun on someone,it gets a bit more serious. I was in his situation when I was in high school. Gunman,.45 to my face,2A.M.,by myself at the convenience store I worked at.In fact,after I gave him the money out of the register,he grabbed me by my collar,and dragged me outside....pretty much thought he was going to execute me. Turned out that he thought I would be locked out of the store(we had a buzzer entry system). These days,I would not hesitate to blow both of their heads off. It is more than a simple robbery when you threaten someones life,and if you die in the process,its their own damn fault. Good for the old man...too bad he didn't kill them both,they were asking for it.