Memorial Funds Established

It’s old news on the Internet, but Sunday morning Joseph Wilcox-a concealed-carry permit holder-died as he confronted an armed criminal in a Las Vegas Walmart. A fund has been set up to help pay for his funeral expenses at Wells Fargo bank. To donate to the Joseph R. Wilcox Memorial Fund, the Las Vegas Review-Journalreports you use account number 8485852688 at any Wells Fargo bank. Sheriff Doug Gillespie calls Wilcox’s actions heroic in this CNN report.

Moments before entering the store, the pair of criminals killed Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers Igor Soldo (31) and Alyn Beck (41) while they were having lunch. Beck, who joined the police force in 2001, is survived by his wife and three children. Soldo started his job in 2006, and leaves behind his wife and infant child. A fund has also been set up for their families at Wells Fargo bank and via PayPal, according to this Las Vegas Fox news affiliate report. They paid the ultimate price in their efforts to “Protect and Serve”-let’s not forget their sacrifice.

Wilcox was between jobs and returning a modem on Sunday morning after remedying an Internet connection problem at his mother’s trailer. If you’ve ever been in a Walmart, you know there’s a crying infant at register 3, at least one physically challenged person somewhere, toddlers throwing temper tantrums down the candy aisle and it’s less orderly than the mosh pits at a heavy-metal concert. I’m exaggerating, and really don’t know for sure-nor do the Internet armchair quarterbacks second-guessing the incident and his actions. His sister, C.J. Foster, told CNN, “He did a very brave thing and I’m very proud of him.”

Yes, the perpetrators also have funerals scheduled, but they don’t count in my book.  One of them had a criminal record long enough to preclude his gun ownership, much less handling. I only wish the pair of officers who died caught him with a firearm a week ago. Then I’d be writing about something much more pleasant.