4 year old "power ranger" vs. armed robbers

[jks]

http://www.newsobserver.com/145/story/515756.html

DURHAM - The robber was holding a gun to 5-year-old Mary Long's head when a 3-foot-tall Mighty Morphin Power Ranger leapt into the room.

"Get away from my family," 4-year-old Stevie Long shouted, punctuating his screams with swipes of his plastic sword and hearty "yah, yahs."

The robber and his accomplice, who was waiting outside the apartment Friday night, fled with credit cards, jewelry, cash and other items that Stevie's mother, Jennifer Long, dumped from her purse.

"I scared the bad guys away," Stevie said Tuesday evening at the apartment at 901 Chalk Level Road in north Durham.

Two men had approached Jennifer Long's boyfriend and his son Friday night as they stood outside the apartments she helps manage, according to a police report. The strangers asked for pot, and then a cigarette, and as the son went to get one, both men pulled guns, police said.

One stayed with the boyfriend as the other forced the son back into the apartment, police said. Inside were Jennifer Long, a cousin, Stevie, Mary and two other children, police said.

They were forced on the floor. The robber pointed the gun at Mary and a 1-year-old girl named Sierra, said Stevie's uncle, Bernie Evans, 33, who lives above the Longs.

Enter Stevie.

"During the robbery, a ... boy snuck into his bedroom, dressed himself in a Power Ranger costume and armed himself with a plastic sword," police said. "The child then exited his room and approached the armed suspect, in an attempt to protect his family."

Relatives said the robber abandoned plans to take Stevie's mother to an ATM to withdraw cash when he saw Stevie.

"It tripped him out, and that's when they moved on," said Evans, who did not witness the incident. Jennifer Long declined to comment, saying her employers at the apartment complex would not allow it.

Stevie likes to think he cuts an intimidating figure in his red-and-black mask and foam suit that replicates the rippling muscles of the kiddie adventure show heroes. But Evans said the robber was more startled that Stevie was able to retreat to his bedroom and morph.

Fantasy, reality

Though the robbers wore no masks, victims could only give vague descriptions of them. Police have no suspects in this or the other 10 armed robberies reported in Durham in the past six days, said Kammie Michael, a spokeswoman.

Evans said family members are struggling to help their children understand their ordeal. A counselor said Stevie needs to improve his distinction between fantasy and reality, said Heather Evans, Stevie's aunt.

"He fully believed he morphed," she said.

Mary grasps her danger better. She stayed home from school Monday and Tuesday.

"My doctor said I get a day off," she said.

"My mommy said I was crying in my sleep because I had bad dreams."

 

[04nbod]

a day off after getting a gun to yourself and kids! what the hell is the world coming to?

 

[Kyalesyin]

Kids got guts. Not much sense, but guts.

 

[SoulManX]

http://www.newsobserver.com/145/story/515756.html

Ah my hometown God I hate Durham sometimes.

 

[The Amazing Lee]

AWESOME. t:

 

[Avangarde]

Thats just crazy, he thought he "morphed", jeez. Brave but stupid.

 

[DeFett]

Thats just crazy, he thought he "morphed", jeez. Brave but stupid.

Don't be too hard on li'l Stevie, he is only 4 ..and he did save his Mum getting kidnapped and taken to an ATM.

 

[Deep Thinkin'!]

At least he's not living in fear like the rest of us do every.single.moment.

Soon enough poor little Stevie will grow and live like the rest of us who fear that we might die the next day.

 

[Morg]

AWESOME. t:

Not really, the kid never thought if the crooks would had shot him.

 

[Matt]

Comeon, as crazy as this is you just gotta say...

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

I give the kid credit, "get away from my family". He already has a sense of nobility and bravery to defend his family and kept his mother from being kidnapped and forced to withdraw their savings from an ATM. It may have been stupid, he may have gotten hurt, but the fact is that kid has more guts than most.

 

[Matt]

Heres a picture of the kid from the News Observer.

Say it with me....awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

 

[Deep Thinkin'!]

Aww, cute kid

too bad i'm not a kid person

 

[Cmill216]

Ha! And people said Power Rangers weren't real!

This little mofo makes Jason look like a p***y!

 

[The_Dark_Knight]

wow. I really dont know what to say about that..

 

[El ASESINO]

Heres a picture of the kid from the News Observer.

Say it with me....awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

 

[Spidey-Bat]

Why couldn't this have been video taped?

 

[Ghostvirus]

Evans said family members are struggling to help their children understand their ordeal. A counselor said Stevie needs to improve his distinction between fantasy and reality, said Heather Evans, Stevie's aunt.

HE IS FOUR YEARS OLD!!! I guess we should just kill all sense of childhood wonder as early as possible. Tell him that Santa, & the Easter Bunny isn't real. Grandma didn't move away she is dead. I think then this couselor should show the little boy some videos of what happens when a person is shot in the face. That way next time a man pulls a gun. He will just crap, piss, & vomit, then pass out in a pool of it. Heck the smell may make the robbers run, but atleast the boy will be properly full of fear.

 

[WeaponZ2]

Heres a picture of the kid from the News Observer.

Say it with me....awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[The Amazing Lee]

I admit that when I was 4-5, I thought I was a power ranger and I'd try and get called up to the secret base, to Zordon by tapping my wrist as if I had one of them watches.

 

[Catman]

Go Go Power Rangers!

 

[Mr Jide]

Heres a picture of the kid from the News Observer.

Say it with me....awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

This kid is lucky he didn't get a bullet to the brain.

 

[Mr Jide]

Ha! And people said Power Rangers weren't real!

This little mofo makes Jason look like a p***y!

Dont call Jason a pu--y!

 

[Catman]

This kid is lucky he didn't get a bullet to the brain.

Power Rangers never die! And, this story would had been better had the kid dressed as my favorite Ranger.

 

[heypapajinx]

that whole article was a lie...

the family just made that up to get publicity.

 

[Mr Jide]

Power Rangers never die! And, this story would had been better had the kid dressed as my favorite Ranger.

Bah, Tommy was a pu--y.

He constantly kept on getting jumped by the puddy patrol and how many times was his dagger jacked from him? hm hm hm?