Couple talks gun out of suspect's hand at Tim Hortons in Wyandotte
WYANDOTTE, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - The Wyandotte Police Department showed gratitude for a couple who helped talk a gun out of a man's hand at a Tim Hortons last week.
On Wednesday, Jan. 25, Anita Stinson and Brian Gottschalk walked into the Tim Hortons and noticed a man acting irrationally.
The couple thought the man was experiencing a mental health crisis, but what they didn't know was that the man was under the influence of crystal methamphetamines and had a loaded gun in his pocket.
As they were trying to calm him down, he pulled the gun out of his pocket, placed it down on the table in front of himself, and continued to behave irrationally.
"Somehow, Anita and Brian were able to suppress their fear. Anita quickly pulled the man's attention toward her by speaking to him in a soothing tone attempting to distract his attention away from the firearm," the Wyandotte Police Department said in a Facebook post. "As Anita provided a distraction, Brian slowly reached toward the firearm. He was able to remove the gun away from the table without the man noticing. Brian then calmly walked toward the front door just as the first police officer was arriving."
Police say the man stole the gun earlier that day and had acquired the ammunition from another unknown place.
He was arraigned on the following charges of felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, carrying a concealed weapon, felony firearm and habitual offender-second notice.
"We will never know what would have happened that day, but what we do know is that the brave actions displayed by Anita and Brian ensured the safety of everyone there, said Wyandotte police on Facebook. "And, our agency is extremely grateful for their actions!"