When a gunman threatened Ben Carson, Carson told him to target a Popeyes clerk instead

[joeybee12]

On Tuesday, Ben Carson said he would react to a mass shooting like the one in Oregon by attacking the gunman: "I would not just stand there and let him shoot me. I would say, 'Hey, guys, everybody attack him! He may shoot me, but he can't get us all.'" Until now, there didn't seem to be a way to verify the Republican presidential candidate's claim. Would he really react that way in such a tense situation?

On Wednesday, Carson told SiriusXM radio host Karen Hunter that he had been held at gunpoint before. But in his telling, he did not react as he said he would, and he definitely did not attack the gunman:

I have had a gun held on me when I was in a Popeyes [in Baltimore]. … A guy comes in, puts the gun in my ribs, and I just said, "I believe that you want the guy behind the counter." … He said, "Oh, okay."

Twitter quickly mocked the anecdote, noting that Carson's story suggests he put someone else's life in danger to protect himself.

BEN CARSON AT THE OREGON SHOOTING: "I believe you want the principal."
— Drew Magary (@drewmagary) October 8, 2015


@drewmagary Ben Carson at Ford's Theater: "HE'S the President Mr. Booth"

http://www.vox.com/2015/10/8/9480797/ben-carson-gunman-popeyes

[riversedge]

1. If Carson had a gun stuck into his ribs this must have been filed in police report

I would think. I do not trust this man to be truthful.

[roguevalley]

10. agreed, riversedge

[Joe Chi Minh]

12. I do think he has a good point about rushing the nutjob. There should be

a simple war cry, whatever it might be. 'Banzai!' 'Coward!' 'Shazam!' 'Go!' Anything up to two syllables.

[deutsey]

2. What an idiot

[montanacowboy]

3. And if you notice, he says everything

with a shitty grin on his face. I really think this guy is demented. There is truly something wrong with him.

[shenmue]

8. I think you've got it

[valerief]

11. I agree. He's soft as a sneakerful of shit. nt

[Scuba]

4. What a (cl)ass act.

[Initech]

5. So long Ben Carson! Thanks for playing the presidential campaign!

We have some lovely parting gifts for you at at the door! Bye!

[Rex]

6. Sounds like grade-A bullshit to me. Can this be verified by anything but Carsons

rotted brain stem?

[jberryhill]

9. LOL

That's not even the kind of story that is meant to be "fact checked".

It's just bullshit.

[marym625]

7. this is one for the record books

True or not, this is so out there it needs to be put right next to bushisms and quayleisms.

Wow

[cwydro]

13. Too funny!

No one knows what they would do in that situation.

And he should shut up.

[MoonRiver]

14. Hero, NOT!

But hey, he's alive, that's all that matters to the POS.

[maindawg]

15. False bravado , keep talking Ben

This is the issue that Ben bows out on. False bravado is a serious character flaw. He is saying that the 9 victims killed in Oregon have themselves to blame!
His complete lack of compassion has revealed who and what he is.

The truth is that when you are in a situation such as these 9 people. You are so afraid, that you freeze. You cannot move ,you cannot speak. Now when a person joins the service, they train you not to freeze up. They have techniques. Even well trained soldiers sometimes get so afraid they are frozen and cannot defend themselves. That is the truth. Thats why what Ben Carson said is so offensive. He is an idiot. And he just the type of person to sacrifice someone else to save his own sorry ass.

[immoderate]

16. He is a wacko.

--imm