Ex-Marine fights off robbers, kills one

Pregnant attacker pronounced dead at hospital

Associated Press

Published on: 05/30/06

Atlanta police say a former Marine turned the tables on his attackers ? killing one and wounding another with a knife as they tried to rob him.

Det. Danny Stephens says Thomas Autry was walking to his girlfriend's home from his job waiting tables at a restaurant in Midtown Atlanta around 11 p.m. Monday when five people in a car approached him.

Autry began running down the street yelling for help as four got out and chased him. Stephens says one of the attackers had a shotgun and another had a pistol.

The suspects eventually caught up with Autry. But Autry ? who managed to pull a knife out of his backpack ? kicked the shotgun out of one of the attacker's hands. He stabbed a teenage girl who jumped on him and a man who attacked him.

The suspects ran back to their car and drove off.

Police found them later at a hospital, where the teenage girl, who was pregnant, was pronounced dead. Stephens says another man remains in critical condition.

Stephens credited Autry's military training with helping him fend off his attackers, who are suspected of having committed other robberies in the area over the last week.

He says the suspects will face robbery and aggravated assault charges.

Police expect to solve other recent robberies now that the suspects are in custody.

Stephens says Autry ? who sustained a cut to his and a bruise on his chest ? will not be charged. Stephens says Autry is very remorseful.


good thing he was trained in fighting!

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/0530marine.html?cxntnid=amn053006e