Father protects one-year-old daughter while fighting off armed robbers in Memphis
When Martavious Conner took his one-year-old out to an Orange Mound McDonald’s on Tuesday, May 15, he had no idea that he would soon be fighting four people to protect his child.
The 21-year-old was jumped by four robbers who put him in a chokehold while he was holding his daughter, according to a report by FOX13.
"As I'm leaving out someone asked me for a lighter," Conner explained.
Without any warning, Conner found himself being attacked by the group of four, apparently with the intent of robbing him. His first instinct at the time was to try and protect his little daughter Malaysia from harm.
"I had to throw her in the car," Conner said. "I end up reaching for my gun that was under the seat."
The young father said that one of the alleged attackers was also armed. Despite being choked and pistol-whipped by his attackers, Conner managed to let off a shot into both legs of one of the robbers.
One of the robbers managed to wrest the weapon away from Conner and pointed it at his head. That should have meant the end for the Memphis man. In an unbelievable stroke of luck, the gun jammed in the hands of the attacker and Conner’s life was saved.
After that, the would-be robbers decided that the jig was up.
The attackers escaped and managed to drive off. They stopped two miles away at a fire station where they were quickly picked up by cops. Police have arrested Cortez Cole, Ladarius Pugues, Quinton Webb and Terrell Pullen for the attack. Three of the suspects share the same listed home address.
In a sickening twist, it turns out Pullen and Conner were friends from school. A man claiming to be Webb’s father told WREG that the incident was not a random robbery because all the people involved knew each other.
The attackers allegedly only intended to talk to Conner, and it is not clear why they resorted to violence.
The four men are all facing robbery charges while Cole is facing an additional charge on account of his being a convicted felon in possession of a gun.
"That's the world we are living in now," Martavious' father Bobby Hester told FOX13. "It could have been anybody. I'm just thankful they are okay. It could have been much worse."
Conner credits his lucky survival to his daughter. He believes that it was the knowledge that she was in danger that pushed him to fight back.
"I was to the ground losing consciousness, but hearing my baby holler – that's what kept me up," Conner said.
The police moved quickly after they were informed of the incident by a witness who placed a prompt 911 call. Pugues had to be taken to a hospital for his gunshot wound. He is expected to make a full recovery. It is not yet clear if the police will push charges against the victim for shooting his attacker.