Gary Francois Opens Fire On Shoppers Killing James Vaughn, 24, At The Cash Register

[Whisper]

Suspect: Gary M. Francois (pictured) is the suspect in the shooting of 24-year-old James Vaughn, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office has said
[...]
had just bought something at a suburban New Orleans shopping mall on Christmas Eve was shot to death at close range and a suspect was in custody
[...]
The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office has said that the victim was James Vaughn, 24, and the suspect is 25-year-old Gary M. Francois.

Vaughn purchased a present for his mother right before the deadly shooting, his grandmother told
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It happened about 4:21 p.m. Wednesday, less than two hours before the Oakwood Center mall in Gretna was scheduled to close for the holiday, d.
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The victim had just purchased something from Foot Locker and had turned from the cash register when a man walked to within three or four feet of him and began shooting
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No one else was injured.

'Obviously, based on witness accounts, he walked in with purpose of shooting this particular individual,' Normand said when asked if the victim was targeted.
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said at least three shots were fired and Vaughn was pronounced dead on the scene.

'In the aftermath of the shooting, there was bedlam in the mall,'
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Witness Glenda Hulbert told
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'We were in the mall purchasing the iPhone 6 for my niece, then you heard the shots.'

Another person in the mall, Paul Horton, told the television station 'I've seen a lot of people running and policeman coming in like it was in Cambodia or something, like a war.'

'Clerks say they've seen the victim and perpetrator shop at this store before,' Normand said
[..]
Mall security, deputies and Gretna police calmed everyone to make for an orderly evacuation
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Normand said the shooter was apprehended several blocks from the mall and is being questioned by authorities. No charges were immediately filed.
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authorities were still questioning the man and that he likely would face a charge of second-degree murder.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman John Fortunato said in a release that both Vaughn and Francois have been arrested multiple times.
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said that 'François has a prior criminal history with arrests for aggravated battery, resisting arrest, disturbing the peace, simple criminal damage, simple battery, numerous counts of unruly and uncontrollable along with a number of traffic attachments.

'Vaughn has a prior criminal history with arrests for numerous counts of parole violation, illegal carrying a concealed weapon, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of cocaine, aggravated battery, resisting arrest, simple assault, aggravated criminal damage, simple battery, theft and numerous counts of contempt of court.'
SOURCES
http://www.wwltv.com/story/news/crime/2014/12/24/person-shot-at-oakwood-mall-in-gretna/20880033/
&
http://www.wdsu.com/news/local-news/new-orleans/shooting-reported-at-oakwood-center-mall/30390778

 

[Malodorous]

So one prolific criminal took out another, injured no bystanders and got himself arrested shortly thereafter? Merry Christmas!

 

[Kathy]

QUOTE: So one prolific criminal took out another, injured no bystanders and got himself arrested shortly thereafter? Merry Christmas!

The only thing that would have made it a "VERY" MERRY CHRISTMAS if the shooter would have turned the gun on himself. After all he is now going to cost tax payers thousands of dollars a month to keep him in the prison he's going to and if he ever leaves alive he will most likely repeat his offense again. Eventually he will get shot himself which will possibly render him disabled then he will receive SSI checks which means he has never put any working money in to the tax system. He then will be eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and receive better medical care and benefits that you and I never would be eligible for because we actually worked and supposedly able to support ourselves. Like I said he could have just turned the gun on himself and done us all a favor.

 

[GenericUser123]

From 2015:

Oakwood mall Christmas Eve murder suspect declared mentally incompetent

Gary Francois, who is accused of gunning down a Harvey man outside at the Oakwood Center mall Christmas Eve 2014, has been found mentally incompetent to stand trial. Judge Lee Faulkner of the 24th Judicial District Court made the ruling following a competency hearing Wednesday (Dec. 16).

Court-appointed analysts Drs. Rafael Salcedo and Richard Richoux evaluated Francois and filed a report Dec. 2, according to court records. They found Francois, of Hahnville, did not have the mental capacity to understand the proceedings against him or help in his defense.

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2015/12/oakwood_mall_christmas_eve_mur.html

 

[lithiumgirl]

SCARY...for us...for him. The next inevitable victim.

 

[jaggedpoppy]

to be fair at least 90% of us have imagined doing this after a 20 minute wait in a check out line only to have the cashier look at you like YOURE the one holding HER up, godamnit Bernice this is your only job!! Then she don't double bag the milk and the bag rips and you remember you have that baseball bat in the trunk....only difference is is that we don't go through with it, no matter how hard it may be

 

[LurkinLion]

to be fair at least 90% of us have imagined doing this after a 20 minute wait in a check out line only to have the cashier look at you like YOURE the one holding HER up, godamnit Bernice this is your only job!! Then she don't double bag the milk and the bag rips and you remember you have that baseball bat in the trunk....only difference is is that we don't go through with it, no matter how hard it may be

You have imagined walking into a store and killing a customer at the register? Don't count me in with your "90%."

 

[jaggedpoppy]

You have imagined walking into a store and killing a customer at the register? Don't count me in with your "90%."

. Customers, no. Well maybe, when I worked as a cashier. Do you actually read posts or just peruse through looking for something to get mad about? And you're a liar if you say you've never contemplated homicide, humans are innately savage, with a dash of morality It's in our dna. we just don't act on it because of said morality, but you can't honestly say that the thought hasn't EVER crossed your mind. We are monkeys with money and guns,come on.

 

[mynameiskat]

I dunno. Some dudes just look crazy. This guy looks normal. I am not doubting he killed a dude but if he approached me at a store I would not get that creepy vibe I so often get....

 

[LurkinLion]

. Customers, no. Well maybe, when I worked as a cashier. Do you actually read posts or just peruse through looking for something to get mad about? And you're a liar if you say you've never contemplated homicide, humans are innately savage, with a dash of morality It's in our dna. we just don't act on it because of said morality, but you can't honestly say that the thought hasn't EVER crossed your mind. We are monkeys with money and guns,come on.

Did you seriously just ask me whether I actually read posts? When you obviously didn't read the opening post for this thread?

It was about a man who shot a customer as he left the checkout stand. You responded with a post about 90% of the population imagining killing a slow cashier.

Of course I have thought about killing someone. I haven't thought about going into a store and killing a random customer, though.

Your assertions about human nature are a matter of great debate among scholars. However, there is not enough actual evidence to say for sure whether we are by nature savage or the extent of that savage nature if we are. Traits like aggressiveness, including warring between groups, vary widely across different types of primates. It's hard to figure out which ones we resembled most in our pre-agricultural stage.

 

[jaggedpoppy]

Oh ok, I get it now. You were born without a sense of humor. Sad. Maybe talk to your doctor about humor replacement therapy. Customer, cashiers, it was a light try at humor on an obviously horrible story. And quite frankly I don't give two shits on your opinion of humanity. I just wanted to drop a Tom Waits quote.

 

[LurkinLion]

Oh ok, I get it now. You were born without a sense of humor. Sad. Maybe talk to your doctor about humor replacement therapy. Customer, cashiers, it was a light try at humor on an obviously horrible story. And quite frankly I don't give two shits on your opinion of humanity. I just wanted to drop a Tom Waits quote.

Oh, ok. My bad. Next time you try humor, just make a little note somewhere in the post so we'll know.

 

[mynameiskat]

I need popcorn STAT!