Mr Jerry McEwen was killed on Tuesday, 18 December attempting to stop a purse snatcher. Mr McEwen was just a normal man, who saw someone robbing a elderly lady and didn't stand idly by and do nothing, he didn't break out his mobile phone and tape a video for YouTube. He did what true men do...he stepped up to the plate and tried to help. Unfortunately...he paid with his life. I didn't know the man...but he is what American men once were...and hopefully can be once again. It's not known if Mr McEwen ever saw the knife. We'll never know if that would have changed his mind. I doubt he would knowingly rush a thug armed with a knife..but he just might have.
Attempting to take on a robber/carjacker/mugger one on one isn't a good idea...even if you're armed. The best thing to do it to try to get a good description of the suspect, car and license plate number. That DOESN'T mean that you won't be seen trying to be a good witness. If that happens..you're in the same boat as Mr McEwen...now what do you do....you protect yourself. Like I posted on TGO( http://www.tngunowners.com/) I'm not going to stand by while some little old lady is getting jacked, but I'm not going to draw down and drop him either. I'll try the good witness thing...if he wants to stop me from doing that...well...he made his choice and so will I.
From the Metro Police website:
Ex-convict Robert Williams, who has a history of violent offenses, is being sought for Tuesday afternoon’s murder of Jerry J. McEwen outside the Kroger store at 61 E. Thompson Lane. Also being sought is Williams’ presumed girlfriend, Stephanie Lynn Hudson, who drove Williams away from the crime scene. Arrest warrants have been issued charging both with criminal homicide.
McEwen, 54, of Coarsey Drive, was fatally stabbed in the chest as he attempted to stop Williams, who had just robbed a 60-year-old woman of her purse in the Kroger parking lot. The robbery victim fell to the ground during a struggle with Williams. She was not seriously hurt. Williams and Hudson fled the scene in Hudson’s 1991 maroon and silver Ford Explorer.
Williams, 52, was paroled from the state prison system on May 15, 2007 and registered with the Metro police department as an ex-con on May 21, 2007. Williams was convicted in 1983 of assault with intent to murder, armed robbery, and two weapons offenses in Madison County. He was convicted in 1984 of assault with intent to murder in Hickman County. He was sentenced to 38 years and is on supervised parole until the year 2013. Williams had been paroled twice previously, in 1998 and 2000. Those releases were revoked in 1999 and 2001. He was convicted of weapon possession by a convicted felon in Shelby County in 2001.
Hudson, 36, registered with the Metro police department as an ex-convict in November 2006. She received a ten-year sentence for multiple forgery convictions in Marshall County in 1999.
Anyone seeing Robert Williams or Stephanie Hudson, or knowing their whereabouts, is urged to contact the Emergency Communications Center at 862-8600 or their local law enforcement agency. Williams has been known to use the names Roger Williams, Shaheed Rasta, and Rasta Shaheed.
Robert Williams
Stephanie Huson
