A heroic 75-year-old Army veteran who fought off a knife-wielding teenager threatening to kill children in a library has spoken of the moment he confronted the attacker.
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Vernon was instructing 16 children when authorities say Brown entered the room with two knives.
Showing incredible bravery, James Vernon inched toward Brown as the two talked, which caused the knife-wielding teen to take a few steps back.
Brown may have liked those odds, but what he didn’t know was that Vernon was a retired soldier who had been trained in knife combat five decades ago.
He was injured in the scuffle. Seeing a mass of women and children in the conference room with a singular elderly male present, he considered the group an easy target. But thanks to Vernon, he didn’t get a chance to hurt them. “I hit him on the (right) collarbone with my closed hand” until Mr. Brown dropped that knife. He is now recovering at home. “I tried to settle him down”, Vernon stated. Attorney information for Brown was not available Saturday and it is not known if he has a lawyer who could comment on his behalf. Vernon tells the Washington Post that one thought went through his mind: “This can’t happen here and I’m not going to let it happen”.
Vernon got in front of Brown while the kids hid under tables behind him.
Vernon, “bleeding pretty good”, held him until a library employee arrived to remove the knives and help keep Brown pinned until police officers and paramedics arrived.. Brown had been planning to kill children and then himself for weeks according to the report.
Police also say Brown, who was out on bail in connection with child pornography charges, admitted to specifically targeting the children.
Brown was arrested, and later released on $800,000 bond, on charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery to a person over age 60, burglary and armed violence.
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After the attack Vernon received medical attention at a nearby hospital. Despite his cuts, Vernon contended he won his 90 seconds of combat with Brown, but I felt like I lost the war. He suffered two cut arteries and a tendon in his left hand as he blocked Browns knife swipe.
