The Real Gun Guys

CCW Saves Lives, Again!

It’s happened again, this time in Winnemucca, NV. A murderer walked into a local bar there and opened fire, killing two and injuring two more, before he was shot and killed by a private citizen carrying a concealed handgun. The hero who took the killer out has a valid concealed carry permit from the state of Nevada, which doesn’t disallow carrying concealed weapons in bars, lucky for them.

“I was there. I saw everything,” said Hayes, who lay stomach down on the floor just six feet away from shooter Ernesto Fuentes Villagomez, 30, of Winnemucca. “(Villagomez) looked very determined. You could see it in his eyes. He wasn’t just shooting random people. He was focused on those two.”

The two were Winnemucca residents and brothers Jose Torres, 20, and Margarito Torres, 19, who Villagomez shot with a high-capacity handgun about 2:30 a.m. Sunday, police said. Residents of Winnemucca, a town of 8,000 people about 160 miles northeast of Reno, still were reacting Monday to the shooting, saying they couldn’t believe this could happen in their town.

“I’m just sad that something like this could happen in a little town like Winnemucca,” said resident Heather Huerta, 22. “I probably would feel different if someone from out of town did it. But having local residents involved makes it scary.”

At first, Hayes thought someone set off a firecracker in the bar; no warning or fight preceded the shooting. But once it became clear what was going on, everyone hit the floor, Hayes said. Including employees, about 40 people were in the bar, Hayes said, disputing police reports that about 300 patrons were in and around the bar.

“I saw (Villagomez) shoot one guy, come back around and shoot the other guy,” Hayes said.

Villagomez then started walking toward the middle of the bar before suddenly collapsing to the floor. Hayes later found out that Villagomez was shot by a 48-year-old customer from Reno who was carrying a concealed handgun. Authorities declined to release the Reno man’s name, only saying that the man had a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon. The man was released after authorities ruled the death a justifiable homicide.

“He was just some random guy in jeans and a shirt who happened to be there,” Hayes said. “I was just glad that there was somebody there who was able to help us out.”

(h/t) Say Uncle and Dustin’s Gun Blog.

Share/Save