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COLLEGE PARK, Ga. -- A group of college students said they are lucky to be alive and they’re thanking the quick-thinking of one of their own. Police said a fellow student shot and killed one of two masked me who burst into an apartment.

Channel 2 Action News reporter Tom Jones met with one of the students to talk about the incident.

“Apparently, his intent was to rape and murder us all,” said student Charles Bailey.

Bailey said he thought it was the end of his life and the lives of the 10 people inside his apartment for a birthday party after two masked men with guns burst in through a patio door.

“They just came in and separated the men from the women and said, ‘Give me your wallets and cell phones,’” said George Williams of the College Park Police Department.

Bailey said the gunmen started counting bullets. “The other guy asked how many (bullets) he had. He said he had enough,” said Bailey.

That’s when one student grabbed a gun out of a backpack and shot at the invader who was watching the men. The gunman ran out of the apartment.

The student then ran to the room where the second gunman, identified by police as 23-year-old Calvin Lavant, was holding the women.

“Apparently the guy was getting ready to rape his girlfriend. So he told the girls to get down and he started shooting. The guy jumped out of the window,” said Bailey.

A neighbor heard the shots and heard someone running nearby.

“And I heard someone say, ‘Someone help me. Call the police. Somebody call the police,’” said a neighbor.

The neighbor said she believes it was Lavant, who was found dead near his apartment, only one building away.

Bailey said he is just thankful one student risked his life to keep others alive.

“I think all of us are really cognizant of the fact that we could have all been killed,” said Bailey.

One female student was shot several times during the crossfire. She is expected to make a full recovery.

Police said they are close to making the arrest of the second suspect.

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Originally posted by freelancertex:
(though i'm kind of wondering why he was carrying a gun in his backpack at a party...?

things like this make me want my permit that much sooner.

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I'm always amazed at the crap I leave in my backpack after a range day, so it's certainly possible.

As to your permit, get it as soon as you can. Hopefully you'll never need it.

BTW: You're a Texan, right? If so, the proficiency test is a piece of cake if you practice even a little.

Mercy is the mark of a great man.
Guess I'm just a good man.
Well, I'm alright.

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Bailey said the gunmen started counting bullets. “The other guy asked how many (bullets) he had. He said he had enough,” said Bailey.

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Originally posted by AnthonyT:

When a self-defense shooting goes well, people always say the defenders were merely 'lucky' and that things could have gone much worse.

But when someone is slaughtered by a maniac gunman, no one ever says the victims were merely 'unlucky.'

The double standard has always troubled me.

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He is not only taking his own life into his hands, but that of his fellow victims. NOT everyone can and will handle that power as responsibly as it should be, which is why people are often using cautioning words when it comes to this issue.

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There are people who will want to play the hero without using their brains, and methinks people are afraid of encouraging that by paying blind praise to all acts of self-defense.

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The good guy had a gun, as well, knew how to use it and did it with courage and insight.

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Originally posted by AnthonyT:
If someone is murdered by a criminal shooter, they are generally the victim of gun proliferation. Not bad luck. Luck implies some random thing outside of your control. But when someone is shot by a criminal, it seems as though everyone can point to specific, controllable circumstances that would have prevented the tragedy (gun control, usually.)


Yet if someone defends against that same shooter, they are 'lucky.' Things could have gone much worse. They probably endangered other innocents. It almost would have been better for them not to do anything at all. Sure, it worked out THIS time, but what about NEXT time? They're really just a lucky dumbass. And the conclusion drawn ends up being the same as the prior scenario.

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