Initial media reports of the shooting at Chabad of Poway were somewhat confused with reports describing the Border Patrol officer who opened fire on the Neo-Nazi terrorist as working security. This makes a certain amount of sense as synagogue security personnel often are off duty officers. But an off duty Border Patrol officer would be more unusual. The latest stories provide more background on what really happened.
The rabbi wounded in Saturday’s deadly shooting at his Southern California synagogue praised an off-duty U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent who fired at the fleeing suspect.
“I had spoken to him in the past about coming to the synagogue armed because he’s trained, and I want trained security as much as possible,” Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein told CNN, speaking from a local hospital. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t afford to have an armed security officer at every service, so whenever we had extra help, we were grateful for it.”
The agent, named by the rabbi as Jonathan Morales, had recently discovered his Jewish heritage and traveled more than 100 miles (160 km) each way to visit the synagogue from his home in El Centro, a city on the border with Mexico, the rabbi said.
The sheriff of San Diego County, Bill Gore, told reporters on Saturday the officer fired as the gunman was fleeing, missing the suspect but hitting his car.
Police said on Sunday that Oscar Stewart, a 51-year-old worshipper from nearby Rancho Bernardo, saved lives by rushing at the gunman and chasing him to his car outside.
“While Mr. Stewart was near the vehicle, (the) off-duty Border Patrol Agent caught up to the vehicle and yelled for Mr. Stewart to get out of the way,” Gore said in a statement.
“Stewart risked his life to stop the shooter and saved lives in the process.”
Stewart wasn't armed. Morales was.
When Jonathan Morales and Oscar Stewart heard the gunshots, they ran toward them.
The off-duty Border Patrol agent and an Iraq War Army veteran helped stop a suspected gunman who had opened fire at Chabad of Poway on Saturday in what authorities praised as an "act of courage."
Stewart, 51, was in the back of the room when the shots rang out, he told reporters. The veteran said his military training kicked in.
"I ran to fire. That's what I did. I didn't plan it. I didn't think about it. It's just what I did," he said.
Stewart said he started yelling expletives at the gunmen, who stopped shooting when he heard Stewart's voice.
“Get down!” and “I’m going to kill you,” Stewart said he yelled.
According to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, the suspected gunman fled the synagogue to a nearby vehicle. Stewart was in close pursuit.
"Stewart caught up to the vehicle as the suspect was about to drive away," the department said in a statement.
Stewart said he began punching the shooter's window when Morales told him to get out of the way.
"He yelled, 'Clear back, I have a gun,'" Stewart said. Then, Morales began firing.
Actual military and law enforcement experienced trumped Earnest's experience playing Halo.
The media has spent a lot of time demonizing the Border Patrol and military veterans. Now it's forced to recognize them as heroes.
