McDonald's Workers Rescue Marine From Hungry Thug
We assume that the typical, well-prepared, parking-lot kidnapper eats lunch before deciding to look for a victim. But Anthony Gibson clearly wasn't well-prepared, and that's a good thing. According to police reports, Gibson kidnapped a Marine from a Georgia Walmart parking lot, and after failing to get any money from him, decided the best thing to do would be to have his would-be victim drive him to McDonald's. Where the staff recognized him as a frequent customer. And where the Marine was able to ask the drive-through attendant to call the police. Oops.
The incident began when a gun-toting Gibson confronted the Marine, Lance Cpl. Richard Grimes, and demanded that Grimes drive him to a nearby ATM and withdraw some money. Grimes instead checked his balance, and told Gibson he didn't have enough money in his account to do a withdrawal. That's when Gibson's stomach apparently began to rumble. As reported by WTOC in Savannah:
"He started freaking out and demanded that I take him to McDonalds to get food," said Grimes. "I took him through the drive through and ordered him a Big Mac, fries, and a Hi-C drink and then I drove up to the next window."
Grimes mouthed "911" to the drive-through attendant, and the assistant manager recognized Gibson as a guy who "usually comes in the restaurant and causes problems for us." McDonald's staff told Grimes and Gibson to pull up to the next window and wait for their order. Instead of getting a burger and fries, Gibson was greeted by police, who arrived within three minutes. Grimes credits the McDonald's staff with saving his life. "If it weren't for them, I'd probably be dead right now," he told reporters.
We're thrilled for Grimes, and have no sympathy for Gibson. But we can't help wondering about two things. First, what ever happened to the meal Gibson ordered? Grimes paid for it, afterall. And second, Hi-C? What's that all about?
McDonald's employees help save a Beaufort Marine's life [WTOC]
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Comments:
Hi-C 4 lyfe. Well, maybe when I was 6 years old.
@GitEmSteveDave_WillingToBeTased: The orange flavored drink is HI-C. It comes in the ginormous McSizes, too, and if I recall correctly, is the most calorie packed drink of them all.
Perhaps the Marine was hoping to kill his kidnapper slowly with a myocardial infarction. They do know 1,000 ways to kill you, after all.
I will not lie - I like Hi-C (or an actual orange soda) mixed with Coke. Cola Orange FTW.
I for one always get the Hi C AKA Orange drink
And secondly...A Marine???? Those guys are literaly trained killers. I suppose without the rifle they are less effective but still.
I can't imagine the amount of flack that Marine is getting from his buddies right now.
Just idle speculation, but it might have been an addict of some sort - does HiC have more sugar than soda?
I guess the marine did the right thing, but I expected this story to end with the bad guy getting a beat-down for picking the wrong victim. What are they teaching our marines today? Must be some different stuff than what my uncle was taught back in the day.
Almost forgot, good thing the drive thru people could read lips and were paying attention. When I go to mcD's they even have trouble hearing the spoken word.
@layton59: Even for a Marine, he needs to have opportunity. When you got a nut case with a gun, sometimes just being quiet until you find the right time (oddly enough, at a McD's window) to take action.
But yeah, I kind-of expected to hear that the Marine called the Medics to have the gun surgically removed from the guys posterior.
Why didn't the drive-through people just give the Marine the special bags?
You know, the ones with the gun and pot inside?
TLG
@layton59: I think they are teaching them what bullets do to flesh. All that macho disarm stuff is risky and something to avoid if at all possible.
This is in no way scientific but based only one my short time as a fast food worker. The Hi-C and other fruit flavored drinks are not there for kids but for another segment of the population. I'm just sayin that a certain group orders the fruit sodas more than any other group. This is not intended to be derogatory in any way.
@yasth: Yep. Well said.
I think he handle the situation very well considering how much control he had to begin with.
@JessMeNU: Agreed. I think "Marine Shot to Death Whilst Being Macho" sounds far worse than "McDonald's Workers Rescue Marine."
I have some Navy friends who'd smirk and say Navy guys wouldn't have had this happen to them.
Whenever they say this sort of thing in earshot of Marines (and oh yes, they do), I clear the room. Quickly.
@Trai_Dep: You know what Marine stands for, right? My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment.
(I'm impartial when it comes to branches of the military...I heard that from some Navy guys and thought it was pretty funny. But we ladies know that the Navy is the best because hot damn, their officers look fine in dress whites! Ahaha.)
@katstermonster: Bullshit. Airforce ftw.
(Former paramilitary airforce cadet here)
("former" "paramilitary" and "cadet" thats 3 levels of suck. Some smartass coming in and calling "airforce" the fourth level of suck in 3... 2... 1...)
This guy is a Marine?
Glad they are no marines in the SGC.
I could have taken out in one seconds, with my zat gun.
But seriously, aren't they trained for hand to hand combat, and stuff like that.
@Shaftoe: I suppose there's an element of disappointment in this story, as most of us would assume that a Marine in this situation would have done something more dramatic. True, I am glad he is safe, and anything that prevents any harm or danger to others is always a good thing.
Still, when we hear of 70 year old Marines fighting back against thugs and the like, this is a bit, umm, anticlimactic.
It never said in the story if the guy ACTUALLY had a gun. Or did I miss it?
Aren't they also trained in common sense? The other guy had a gun pointed at him.
"He had a gun and if I didn't do what he wanted to do, he was going to shoot me," said Lance Cpl. Grimes.
however, according to this story, he was charged with one count of kidnapping. --> [beauforttribune.com]
i would think there would be a few other charges in there if he actually did have a firearm. perhaps the gun story was just a way for grimes to save a little face.
Yo dawg, can i get two MacChickens with dat cheese and an orange drank?
'preciate homie
*drives off*
Hi-C huh? The perp was definately black.
I'm a Marine wife, so Marines are at the top of my list by default. Its more because I'm more familiar with them (and some of the Navy guys, duh) than a 'Marines are the best' thing. I was never one for school pride or whatnot.
And as much as I hate the idea of uniforms, my husband looks damn good in his dress blues.
@layton59:
Excuse me!!! How dare you question what Marines are thought today. Haven you watched NCIS? LOL
@zjgz: lol, everyone probably thinks of the adage, 'every Marine is a rifleman,' but even amongst Marines they differentiate themselves between the hard core infantry types and the rear echelon types.
@layton59:
I dunno--the Marines I know have been taught to evaluate the tactical situation, adapt and improvise. The Marine is alive and the bad guy got taken down. Sounds like he was taught fine to me.
Wow, I'm surprised nobody's blamed the marine for shopping at Walmart yet.
I emailed this to my husband (who is a Marine), and he told me he knows Lance Cpl. Grimes. Lance Cpl. Grimes works on the same base my husband is stationed at.
To think a Marine was kidnapped in broad day light at the Walmart I go to by myself, sometimes at 3:00 am or whatnot, is kind of scary.
@JessMeNU: Agreed too. It takes far more control to keep calm and look for your moment. Just think if John McLean had done that in Die Hard? It would have been a 5 minute movie and no sequels!
The Marine did the smart thing and what most trained professionals would do. Bide your time until your opponent is at his/her weakest. Then take the person down with minimal effort and the least amount of violence.
@Xerloq wants to...: Actually, the most calorie packed is the shake. It was Morgan Spurloks secret to weight gain. Even better than Dr. Nick's secret.
@TinkishDelight: I can't remember who or exactly how it was phrased, but bravery is knowing when to NOT engage a superior enemy.
As Idi Amin Dada said: "You cannot run faster than a bullet."
"Do you have any training?"
"I was in the Merchant Marines..."
"Marines? Yeah, that's good."
"I was an accountant!"
"Nah, you won't be held accountable."
(from memory, don't hate me if I got it wrong)
100% Vitamin C! That's what that's about!
@sir_pantsalot: As another fast food worker, I have noticed this as well. I will say it is more of a demographic than a specific skin tone, though.
@Aisley: NCIS? Is that the show that insists on interrupting Pauley Perrette with all those other actors?
Should have given him the Hi-C. It's impossible to get the straw into the box with only one hand. He would have had to put down the gun, then Judo Chop!