Shots Fired At Couple Picking Up Cans Along Highway 164

January 30, 2013

The search for a suspect is underway after someone opened fire near an older couple alongside a highway in the Christian Home community Tuesday afternoon. The incident happened just before 4 p.m. on Highway 164 just a few yards east of the North Pine Barren Road intersection.

Escambia  County Sheriff’s Office investigators said a husband and wife were picking up cans from the shoulder of the road when a white pickup truck stopped and a black male exited  armed with a semi automatic rifle.

The unidentified black male then confronted the couple, demanding that they return his property. He then fired multiple shots into the ground near the couple with the semi-automatic rifle before fleeing the scene in the white pickup truck. No one was struck by the gunfire, and there were no injuries.

The couple then drove about six miles to their home before calling for help. Deputies recovered multiple shell casings alongside Highway 164, consistent with the couple’s story.

Sgt. Mike Ward, spokesman for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, said the incident is believed to be drug related.

The the older couple was not suspected of any crime. Further details have not been released.

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.

Pictured: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigator at the scene of a shots fired incident along Highway 164 near Pine Barren Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

25 Responses to “Shots Fired At Couple Picking Up Cans Along Highway 164”

  1. David Huie Green on January 30th, 2013 11:05 pm

    CONTEMPLATING:
    “Dear Oh please, so you advocate gun fights in the middle of roadways?”

    If two sides are armed, a gun fight is possible.
    If only the crazy fellow is armed, a massacre is possible.
    As soon as you convince the crazies and the criminals to disarm, I imagine the sane and law abiding will feel no reason to defend themselves and will voluntarily leave all killing tools at home.

    Until that time, wouldn’t it be silly to only disarm the ones who aren’t bothering anyone while having no control over the lawless and insane?

    David for better people
    better lives

  2. William on January 30th, 2013 9:26 pm

    “Worried Resident” wrote — “I’ve heard this type of story before. Did the deputy find any rounds?”

    From the story:
    “Deputies recovered multiple shell casings alongside Highway 164, consistent with the couple’s story.”

  3. Worried Resident on January 30th, 2013 9:24 pm

    I’ve heard this type of story before. Did the deputy find any rounds?

  4. Henry on January 30th, 2013 5:04 pm

    Kathy…don’t worry about all of these Dirty Harry wannabes that post here. My guess is that if they were faced with an armed attacker and they also had a gun, they probably would pee their pants and shoot themselves in the foot, in that order. The attacker would be laughing so hard he/she would forget about shooting them.

  5. William on January 30th, 2013 3:19 pm

    >>> I wonder if there is a description of truck so that neighbors can be on lookout. (make,model,etc)

    No. Just white pickup.

  6. Kathy on January 30th, 2013 2:39 pm

    Yes, I suppose those who know all things and are appointed sharp shooter do know all things. God pity you the day you shoot someone and find out what it is really like.

  7. lindsay on January 30th, 2013 2:03 pm

    Kathy, the people I know personally who owns guns LEGALLY and carry them with a LEGAL PERMIT do practice shooting and could shoot a person from a few feet away WITHOUT hiting someone they are not aiming for…the very first time I shot my gun I hit an 8×11 piece of paper 8 times without missing, I think I could hit the person who is putting me and my family in danger.

  8. curious on January 30th, 2013 1:55 pm

    I wonder if there is a description of truck so that neighbors can be on lookout. (make,model,etc)

  9. bob hudson on January 30th, 2013 1:29 pm

    Well Kathy, seems you do not like guns, so be it, but a lot of us have no problem with owning them or using them. Know what the secret is? practice and lots of it, The harder the shot, the better you get. I do not believe in wasting ammo, get it done in one shot. because some times that is all you have. But really Kathy had you been driving by at this time what would you have done.? If you are unarmed , nothing. Call 911, but if you are armed, and some one is shooting at unarmed people on the road then they must be stopped. In the real world , no offence , but you are either a shepherd or a sheep. Just really depends on your own personal make up.But I will say this , the sheep do not need to dictate to the shepherd on gun control, The liberals(wolves in sheep clothing, only thinking that they are the one’s who should be protected by arm guards . or have the right to own guns) Are committed to destroying the 2nd amendment.But we will not allow this to happen,And that is what congress is for. To stop the wolves.

  10. Patriot on January 30th, 2013 1:10 pm

    Kathy,

    Private citizens stop crime by using a firearm 2.5 million times a year, so your well used but based in fantasy “you’ll only hurt yourself” argument falls on deaf ears with me.
    You are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.

  11. Kathy on January 30th, 2013 12:20 pm

    CW, there was a gentleman with a gun at the shooting of Gabbie GIffords in Tucson,AZ, he shot and missed the shooter, almost killed the guy that actually tackled
    the shooter. You most likely shoot as bad as he did, which means innocent people more likely your family, your wife/husband, children will be struck and killed by your hand and gun. Stupid is still stupid and thinking you will stop a crime with a gun is more likely as stupid as the guy with the gun trying to do whatever..

  12. pm on January 30th, 2013 10:31 am

    The question is – did this thug have a legal gun and a permit. I think probably not. Of course this is just and assumption and perhaps he did but i don’t think he had a right to use it as he did. I can only say that YES there will be a gunfight in the middle of the street if someone approaches me or mine with an assault rifle and begins firing. Too many good people have permits to carry concealed for this thug to think he can get by with this very many times. If he continues this criminal behavior a law abiding citizen will take him out and then we won’t have to worry about him any more.

  13. CW on January 30th, 2013 10:19 am

    “The unidentified black male then confronted the couple, demanding that they return his property”

    Was he mad because they picked up his cans? Very strange.

  14. bob hudson on January 30th, 2013 10:18 am

    Boy Scouts motto, Be Prepared, and no there will always be bad people, and bad people do bad things. Sounds to me he might have been high, oh wait , that’s illegal to. Good people have ever right to defend them selves. When they do catch him, I hope he is charged with attempted murder. Had they been armed would they have had the right to shoot him, I would say yes.

  15. PLEASE FIND THIS NUT JOB!!! on January 30th, 2013 9:52 am

    All this talk about “young people” and guns…..was this man identified as a “young person”??? Regardless the age of this person,,,,he needs to be found ASAP!!!!!!!!!!

  16. Patriot on January 30th, 2013 9:21 am

    Kathy….. No one is demanding that you arm yourself, or even defend yourself for that matter.
    You want to stand there and be a good victim…fine with me. Run? Again, not my concern. Have at it.
    But when you want to prevent ME from defending MYSELF, based on YOUR misguided belief that guns are somehow…bad…. No thanks, I don’t need a nanny.

  17. lindsay on January 30th, 2013 9:18 am

    Kathy, its called protectiong yourself! I would have pulled my gun out if he stopped and got out his car and came at me, no doubt in my mind I would have PROTECTED myself! Its not a pointless gun fight if an older couple is minding their own business and a man confronts them with gun fire! There is no reason BAD PEOPLE should have access to guns, legal or illegal, and I have to be scared to pick up cans on the side of the road or go to Wal-Mart after dark!

  18. Kathy on January 30th, 2013 8:57 am

    Dear Oh please, so you advocate gun fights in the middle of roadways? What is this country coming to when people think it is okay to just shoot it out? That’s like back in the 1800’s in the wild west of America. Haven’t we progressed at all as a people with maturity? Some common sense of what is right and wrong? One does a wrong so another should commit the same wrong and it makes ALL RIGHT. I personally don’t want to be driving down a roadway and be shot by idiots taking part in a pointless gun fight.

  19. Moe on January 30th, 2013 8:27 am

    Guns are not the problem, it is the people. Young adults and teens behave the way they do because this country has forgotten God and parents have forgotten how to decipline and teach their children right from wrong.

  20. Condemned on January 30th, 2013 7:57 am

    Good to hear thier ok.Now if that couple had been armed with an assault rifle each I’m willing to bet he wouldn’t have stopped in the first place!!

  21. Ohplease on January 30th, 2013 7:54 am

    This is rediculous, some young immature trash too lazy to get a job much less pick up their own cans for money! What is this community coming to, yes I feel as everyone should own a gun, if this couple would have had one they could have put a stop to the garbage who did this & will most likely do again. I am glad the couple is safe & pray authorities catch these rouges and they get the maximum penalty for this crime with no probation or parole…locked up!

  22. MLW on January 30th, 2013 6:34 am

    We passed the couple on 164 picking up cans about 3:30 yesterday. It is getting to be a scary world we live in.

  23. PLEASE FIND THIS NUT JOB!!! on January 30th, 2013 6:32 am

    This is ENTIRELY TOO close to home!!!!
    PLEASE FIND THIS GUY BEFORE HE HURTS SOMEONE!!!

  24. curley on January 30th, 2013 6:29 am

    See, GUNS ARE GREAT and no one should be stopped from owning one or two or more and all should have an assault weapon for sure.

  25. Too close on January 30th, 2013 5:52 am

    Wow, this is only 2 miles from my house. Scary when things like this happen close to home. So thankful the couple didn’t get hurt, thank God!