Man who foiled gunman uses experience to teach others

Justin Schnieders stands in front of the building on East Capitol Avenue where, in October 2009, he was accosted by an armed robber. Photo by Kelley McCall.

By Jeff Haldiman

Monday, April 2, 2012

It truly was a life changing experience for Justin Schnieders.

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The night of Oct. 13, 2009, saw him have to act to save his life as well as a group of friends.

It also led him to try and educate people how they can protect themselves and not have to go through what he did.

That night, Schnieders was shot during a robbery attempt.

Acting in self-defense, Schnieders shot the robber.

Schnieders was shot by Patrick Harris who had just pulled up Schnieders‘ coat and saw that he had an empty gun holster.

More like this story

Sequoia 1 year, 1 month ago

I read this story in the paper. Mr. Haldiman (or perhaps his editors) should look up the words "context" and "passive voice." I mean: "shots were exchanged" and "Schnieders was hit"??? The most exciting moment in this guy's life, and we get FIVE sentences, chock full of passive voice? No interviews with anyone else who was there?

This has to be the most bland, colorless depiction of a shoot-out I could imagine.

Maybe the editors are just on autopilot after all these years, but how about a REAL story about gun culture in Jefferson City with some national context. How about giving the story the space it needs, instead of filling up space with a one-source story that reads like it took 30 minutes total to report and write.

Sometimes the laziness and lack of ambition in the state capitol's daily newspaper astounds me.

Jeff City is growing and developing, but its daily paper still reads like some small-town volunteer-run shopper.

There is a deep, fascinating, action-packed story here guys. Go for it!

And for goodness sake: ACTIVE VOICE!

spelchek 1 year, 1 month ago

You are asking the paper to embellish details? Perhaps Mr. Schnieders doesn't care to share the "action-packed" details you day dream about. What do you find "action-packed" about law abiding citizens being victimized? This is "fascinating"? I find it disturbing. Your knowledge of firearms and "gun culture" ends at the movie theater and liberal blog posts.

Sequoia 1 year, 1 month ago

Good gravy... not embelish the details. FIND OUT THE DETAILS. ASK ABOUT THE DETAILS!! Report. Get the facts. Tell the story. WRITE the story. Put us in his head. Give us some sensory details. Put us in the room when it happened. So much opportunity for good reporting and writing here. Suspense, plot, characters... so many elements of a good story here.

If he doesn't care to share the details, why do the interview? If he's using his experience to teach classes, he obviously doesn't mind telling the story.

Are you saying that a life-and-death moment isn't fascinating? Are you serious?

You're right that I don't have a great knowledge of firearms and gun culture. THAT'S WHY I WANT A BETTER STORY!!!!

So much more here. Interview someone who takes his conceal and carry class. Why do they take the class? Get their perspective on his story and him as a teacher. Get some quotes about how this incident illustrates the awesome responsibility of gun ownership.

Interview someone whose life this guy might have been saved on that night. What was it like for them? If they don't want to talk, the reporter should at least tell the reader he tried to reach out to them.

My point is: either write the story or don't. This story is so half-hearted. One source. Bland writing. Totally weak.

spelchek 1 year, 1 month ago

"Are you saying that a life-and-death moment isn't fascinating? Are you serious?" -- I know this is a game of semantics; but no, I find "terrifying" and "angry" better descriptors when being violated (in this case). Terrified this was happening to me, angry because I didn't invite the perp to put me in such a horrific situation.

Do you feel the same way about rape cases? Do you miss the "action-packed" details? I think it's a fair question.

Sequoia 1 year, 1 month ago

I'm talking about "fascinating" from the reader's perspective. This is a situation most of us, thankfully, will never experience. This is why the reporter has an important job to do. PUT THE READER IN THE ROOM.

I'm sure the victims were terrified and angry. That's why the reporter should put us there. Show, don't tell: let the reader feel that terror and anger. This is writing, man!

As for rape cases, I would love to read an action-packed story of a potential victim who thwarted her attacker. That's not the typical rape case, however (which is WHY an action-packed story of escape would be awesome) and, reporters have a responsibility to protect the identity of crime victims.

In this case, Mr. Schnieders is obviously eager to tell the story. The reporter should have made the most of it. If the other victims don't want to talk or want to remain anonymous, then the reporter should respect that and quote them anonymously or explain to the readers why they didn't want to be quoted. Aren't you curious about their view?

But here, there's no evidence the reporter even reached out to them. The other victims may very well want to publicly praise Mr. Schnieders.

And, I've long had problems with the way the NT writes stories as if they exist in a vaccuum completely removed from any context. Gun control is a huge issue right now. The fact that many people do, as you said, get their views on gun control from bloviating bloggers is EXACTLY the reason why a longer, fact- and quote-filled local story about an incredibly interesting specific event would be worth working on and reading.

Sequoia 1 year, 1 month ago

To be fair, the reporter may very well have had a more ambitious vision for this story, and he may very well have the chops to write it. Most daily writers are actually much better writers than the standard daily format allows them to show.

I'd say Gary Castor, the news editor, missed the opportunity to let the writer loose for a great Sunday feature. I don't want to dis on the writer too much. A talented writer at an on-the-cheap, wire-heavy paper like the NT is in a tough position, because he's probably got so much "content" (that's what the business types call "writing") to produce that he doesn't have time to do anything but kick out one piece so he can get on to the next.

It's a shame the bosses at NT are too lazy or cheap to give the capitol city the newspaper it needs and deserves.

spelchek 1 year, 1 month ago

Sequoia, I would like to see every story of a crime not thwarted next to a story where the crime was thwarted. Media will not have it this way, Trayvon Martin being case in point. I would wager Mr. Martin's story is the only reason Mr. Schnieders made the paper. Not that he was eager to share his story. I understand your point, but giving "action-packed" details to the story would only perpetuate the perception that there is an epidemic of racist vigilante gun owners with blood lust (myself included). If you want more detail, perhaps Mr. Schnieders could write a book.

Sequoia 1 year, 1 month ago

If Martin's story is the only reason this story is in the paper, why shouldn't the reporter go ahead and make the connection? That's what I mean by "context." I'm not saying some strained analysis needs to be shoehorned in, but why pretend this story isn't connected to a larger story? That's the jumping off point to the story I'm begging for.

And I completely disagree about what would or would not be perpetuated by the story I'm envisioning.

My story might have painted a picture that contradicts the image you described. Maybe we would have gotten a real story about humans under pressure that is more complex than the simplistic characatures that TV news traffics in. We might have gotten a story about human beings in a real situation, with all the complexity and ambiguity that comes with that, so that the reader could FEEL what it's like to be in that situation and form an opinion based on what reality is really like, instead of talking heads with all opinion and no facts spoon feeding conventional, manufactured "left" and "right" abstract talking points that pretend there are no gray areas, and reporters who think their only job is to interview one talking head, then another, and go home (in case you can't tell, I HATE television news of any kind). I love a cup of coffee and a 3,000-word piece of writing. This had the makings of a great read. NT blew it.

There is absolutely nothing human in this story. That's its failing. Frankly, I don't know WHAT this story is trying to do. It has "space-filler" written all over it, which is shame because this story is an opportunity to see these people as real individual human beings, instead of "gun owners" and "crime victims," and an opportunity to discuss the complexity of the gun issue, instead of the stupid "left" and "right" "camps" that everyone is so quick to jump into.

I'm not saying JS went to the NT. I'm sure they came to him. I'm just saying I don't think he's shy about telling this story.

On that note, if Mr. Schnieders ever wants to do a book, I'm available for ghostwriting.

spelchek 1 year, 1 month ago

04.02.12 -- The day that Sequoia and I agree on something.

"Maybe we would have gotten a real story about humans under pressure that is more complex than the simplistic characatures that TV news traffics in. "

You've made your point clearer now."

John 1 year, 1 month ago

Not the reporters' nor the newspapers' jobs to "put you in the room" nor to write some kind of expose' or salasious piece. It is their job to report. Report does NOT mean to write a play-by-play nor anything of the sort.

Sequoia 1 year, 1 month ago

It is the reporter's job to tell a story. It absolutely IS his job to put us in the room. THAT'S WHAT REPORTING IS!!! Whether we're talking about some boring government meeting or a tense human situation, the reporter is supposed to REPORT WHAT HAPPENED. What the heck else is he suposed to "report"????

spelchek 1 year, 1 month ago

Facts. -- Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. That's all I need. The rest is for an exposé .

Sequoia 1 year, 1 month ago

Exactly!

Here are facts I would like to have known:

What was going through your head when the robber came through the door? What did he say? How did you make the decision to act? Have you ever been in this kind of situation before? Did you think he was going to hurt or kill you? Why? Were you scared? Shaky? Confident? Did you hesitate? Did you debate in your mind about whether you might make things worse? Did any of your friends give you a glance, as if to say "Go for it"?

The story jumps to "when Harris finally saw S's weapon, shots were exchanged." What? When did you take the gun out of the holster? Were you afraid you'd get caught? When Harris pulled you up, where was your gun? Did he have his gun out? Who showed first? Who shot first? What did he say? What did he do? What did you say? Did anyone else in the room say anything?

Did your conceal carry class prepare you for this? How does this experience influence what you teach in your classes?

The first line of the story says it changed your life. How?

The story says you tell people how to avoid this situation. What do you tell them?

Basically, I have a hard time forming an opinion on conceal carry laws. It would help me form an opinion to know the FACTS about exactly what it is like to be in this situation. These are FACTS that very, very, very few people know. JS has these FACTS. The NT missed the chance to give me these FACTS, which are sorely missing from the current gun debate.

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