Law Newz-
This week, the King County Prosecutor’s Office released dramatic surveillance video from a 2014 shooting at Pacific University that shows a male student disarm the shooter and hold him down until help arrived.
According to KING 5 News, several local media outlets filed a court order to obtain materials related to the ongoing investigation into the shooter, Aaron Ybarra. He is currently awaiting trial for the 2014 shooting. Ybarra is alleged to have shot and killed one student and injured two others at Pacific University in Seattle.
In the video, a man who police say is Ybarra enters the lobby of a building on SPU’s campus holding a shotgun. Two students appear to be studying at different tables in the room, but neither reacts suggesting they did not know the gunman was in the building. A female student is then seen coming down a set of stairs and the gunman shoots her when she reaches the ground floor, but she is able to run out of the room. She survived her wounds.
Unbeknownst to the shooter, SPU student Jon Meis is then seen on the video coming up behind him as he attempts to reload. Meis, who is barefoot, charges at the shooter, sprays him with pepper spray, disarms him and takes the weapon into another room. Meis then returns to the room and fights to hold the shooter down until another male student arrives to help him.
The KING 5 report notes that Meis was selected by the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation in 2015 as one of three Citizens Honors Program honorees for his actions on that day.
In response to the release of the video, Pacific University issued the following statement:
We are disappointed by the release of the surveillance videos of the June 5, 2014, shooting on our campus. We, along with others, have pursued legal action to stop the videos’ release in order to protect individual privacy and prevent the emotional distress these images will have on our community. Seattle Pacific University remains strong and resilient as a result of God’s faithfulness to us. Our foremost concern continues to be the welfare and safety of not only our students, faculty, and staff, but of the victims and witnesses of the tragedy.
Watching that, I blurted out:
“Snap his neck!”
(Seattle native)
To the administrators of Pacific U – YOU are a bunch of PUSSIES! Wish the “hero” would have reloaded and shot the MFer.
I’m glad that Meis was able to hold onto Ybarra, but from what I could see, I would not have suggested pinning his arms by wrapping yours around his chest. Too easy to break loose.
I would have gone for a chokehold around the neck. No breaking loose, and easier to control the perp.
Other then that, well done, young Meis, well done.
why were they disappointed? because of their lack of security. stopping the release of the video wont protect anyone but it will show what brave people can do.
The young man he killed had just accepted Christ and been baptized by his fellow campus kids about three months prior. He went to the church we attend. SPU is in our neighborhood. It’s a lovely, old school.
Agreed. Why did they try to stop the release of the video? Kudos to Meis, although I think I would have beaten Ybarra into submission with his own shotgun rather than put it in another room.
After Mei dropped him another student ran away?????
Meis. Brave guy.
There, right there is a man with some blood in his veins.
I would have played Tooth Fairy Collection Agency on his ass, but only after I maced him some more.
And maybe a little bit more, just because I don’t want to waste any.
Aaron Ybarra: What kind of name is that? Anyone? Anyone?
Ybarra is a Spanish name. I don’t recall ever hearing Aaron as a first name in the three years I lived in a Spanish speaking country, but that only mildly suggests his family has been in the U.S. since before he was born. Iffy, that.
School didn’t want it released because it shows the absolute incompetence of school security.
Personally, after getting the rifle away from Ybarra, I would have used it to beat his ass to a bloody, quivering, pulp on the floor, but that’s just me.