Retired U.S. Army Colonel Shot Three Times Making Facebook Purchase
CULLMAN Ala
A 64-year-old retired U.S. Army colonel was shot three times during the purchase of a dump trailer brokered on Facebook Marketplace.
The shooting happened late Sunday afternoon in Cullman County, and the 21-year-old suspect entered the country illegally roughly two years ago, said Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry.
“I’m pissed off today,’’ Gentry said during a Wednesday press conference. “I’m pissed off that we’re even having to have this conversation.”
The suspect was identified as Abel Medardo Sacrab-Chen of Guatemala. Sacrab-Chen was shot by the victim during the incident.
Sacrab-Chen is charged with first-degree robbery and certain persons forbidden to possess a firearm. More charges are possible.
The victim – Glenn Gildon, who posted about his ordeal on Facebook – met with the suspect about 5:30 p.m. Sunday on Brunner Street.
Sacrab-Chen told Gildon the trailer was not actually on site, and they would have to drive to another location.
“The victim felt that something wasn’t right,’’ Gentry said. “Like good law-abiding citizens, he had his firearm with him, which is probably the only thing that save his life.”
As they were driving in Gildon’s truck, the sheriff said, Sacrab-Chen put a knife to the victim’s throat and said, “Give me your money or I’m going to kill you.”
The two struggled and Gildon fired his gun.
“But my pistol jammed, and I couldn’t get it to fire again so I threw it and exited the truck,’’ Gildon wrote. “He got my pistol and got it to work.”
“He came to execute me,’’ he wrote, “but God had a different plan.”
Gildon was shot in the stomach, shoulder and leg.
“Did I mention that I’m still here?” Gildon wrote. “God’s plan of a better testimony wouldn’t have worked if my pistol had continued to function. God’s plan is always better.”
Sheriff’s deputies received the call of the shooting in the area of County Road 463.
Good Samaritans had stopped to help Gildon. Deputies and Cullman police quickly found the suspect, who was still in Gildon’s truck.
The suspect, Gentry said, had been shot at least one time.
Both remain hospitalized.
The sheriff said Sacrab-Chen “crossed the border a couple of years ago, identified and let into the U.S. to become a violent criminal in our community.”
“That pisses me off that we allow an illegal alien into our country to make his way here to pose and sell something on the internet to then try to murder and rob a veteran,’’ Gentry said. “You see it in California. You see it in New York, and today we see it in Cullman Alabama which is ridiculous.”
AL.com
