Hero officer recounts facing NC nursing home mass shooter
GO AND GREEN-LIGHTED FOR THAT
EVENT THIS WEEKEND. BACK TO
YOU. ALL RIGHT, MARK, THANK
YOU. THE FEW PEOPLE WILL COME
FACE-TO-FACE WITH A MASS
MURDER.
>> ONE PERSON WHO DID IS DUSTIN
GARDINER. HE WAS A YOUNG POLICE
OFFICER IN THE MOORE COUNTY
TOWN OF CARTHAGE IN 2009 WHEN
HE BROUGHT AN END TO A GUNMAN'S
RAMPAGE THROUGH THIS NURSING
HOME. IT REMAINS THE DEADLIEST
MASS SHOOTING IN NORTH
CAROLINA. ONLY ON WRAL. GARNER
TALKS WITH OUR MATT TALHELM
ABOUT THE DECISIONS OFFICERS
MAKE WHEN ENCOUNTERING AN
ACTIVE SHOOTER.
JUSTIN GARNER IS NOW IN HIS
DREAM CAREER AS A MASTER
TROOPER HERE WITH THE STATE
HIGHWAY PATROL.
>> IT'S BEEN 13 YEARS SINCE HE
BECAME A HERO IN THIS COMMUNITY
AFTER GOING INTO THAT NURSING
HOME ALONE AND ENDING A MASS
SHOOTING EVERY DAY I WALK HOME,
I MAY NOT SEE MY KIDS AND I'M
THANKFUL TO BE THERE WITH THEM.
JUST IN GARNER GOES HOME, AN
EVERYDAY HERO TO HIS FAMILY.
BUT EVEN A MASTER TROOPER WITH
THE HIGHWAY PATROL CAN'T ESCAPE
THE THREAT. THAT SEEMS SO
CONSTANT THESE DAYS AS MIKE IS
GOING TO BE SAFE. THIS SCHOOL
IS THERE ENOUGH. THEY KNOW
ENOUGH TO TAKE CENTER SECURITY
AT THEIR SCHOOL THEY DEFINITELY
IT DEFINITELY CROSSES YOUR MIND
EVERY DAY. A MASS SHOOTING IN
UVALDE, TEXAS OR THE ONE 10
DAYS BEFORE IT. IN BUFFALO,
NEW YORK. SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING
THAT HAPPENS SOMEWHERE ELSE
UNTIL IT DOESN'T. YOU MAY SIT
BACK AND SAY, WELL, THAT MAY
NEVER HAPPEN HERE WILL HAVE TO
WORRY ABOUT AROUND HERE.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE. IT WAS A
SUNDAY IN MARCH 2009 FOR
GARNER. THE YOUNG POLICE
OFFICER WAS THE ONLY ONE ON
DUTY IN THE TOWN OF CARTHAGE
WHEN A GUNMAN STORMED INTO PINE
LAKE, NURSING AND REHAB
SHOOTING AND KILLING A NURSE
AND 7 RESIDENTS. THE YOUNGEST
75? YEAH. HEAR THE KIND OF HAVE
AN IDEA WHERE THEY COME FROM.
SO MAKE YOUR WAY TOWARDS THE
SOUND OF THE GUNSHOTS. GARNER
FOUND THE SHOOTER AT THE END OF
A HALLWAY AND IN AN EXCHANGE
OF GUNFIRE THAT WOUNDED THEM
BOTH. HE BROUGHT THE MASSACRE
TO AN END TO GET IN THERE, STOP
THE THREAT, EVEN IF
>> YOU GET IN THERE AND YOU
BARRICADE INTO A ROOM IN HIS
NEARBY SAN FERMIN, YOU STOP AND
THE INFIRM.
>> KILLING OTHER PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT TEXAS AUTHORITIES
SAY. THE GUNMAN AT DUVAL DAY
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DID BEFORE A
BORDER PATROL OFFICER GOT
INSIDE THE BARRICADED
CLASSROOM. THERE ARE
CONFLICTING TIMELINES FOR HOW
LONG IT TOOK OFFICERS TO ENGAGE
THE SHOOTER. PEOPLE CAN SIT
BACK AND SAY WHAT THEY SHOULD
HAVE DONE THIS AND DONE THAT.
YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU
WOULD DO UNTIL YOU PUT IN A
SITUATION. GARNER WISHES.
NO OTHER OFFICERS HAD TO FACE
THAT LIFE OR DEATH DECISION.
THEN TO GET A LITTLE GOT ME
>> HE'S NOW THINK HE'S HE'S
DONE WITH THE DOWN WITH ME IT
BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE.
GARNER TELLS US IT WILL BE A
LENGTHY INVESTIGATION TO PIECE
TOGETHER THE TIMELINE OF WHAT
HAPPENS INSIDE A MASS SHOOTING
SCENE. MATT TALHELM WRAL NEWS,
MOORE COUNTY.
>> I REMEMBER THAT DAY VERY
WELL. GARNER SAYS THE HIGHWAY
PATROL ROUTINELY TRAINS FOR
ACTIVE SHOOTER THREATS. HE
TELLS US TROOPERS ARE OUT IN