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Demovictory9

(32,624 posts)
Wed May 22, 2024, 03:11 PM May 22

Tennessee Homeowner Opens Fire on Pizza Delivery Driver After He Parks in the Wrong Driveway

https://atlantablackstar.com/2024/05/21/tennessee-homeowner-opens-fire-on-pizza-delivery-driver/

Initially, Ryan Babcock, 32, only faced one charge of aggravated assault after he allegedly fired seven shots at 18-year-old high school student and Domino’s Pizza employee Caiden Wheeler on April 29, according to local reports.

But a week later, on May 6, a Cheatham County grand jury handed down new charges against Babcock, including attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault, three counts of reckless endangerment, and vandalism.


After pulling into the driveway, Wheeler proceeded to deliver the pizza, but before reaching the front door, he noticed the homeowner next door trying to flag him down, and that’s when he realized he was at the wrong place.

Wheeler quickly hustled over to the right house but left his truck in Babcock’s driveway for the time being.

After making the delivery, Wheeler walked back onto Babcock’s property to leave.


That’s when Babcock appeared with a gun, firing multiple times, police said.

Authorities said one bullet nearly hit Wheeler, who sped away and called police.
43 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Tennessee Homeowner Opens Fire on Pizza Delivery Driver After He Parks in the Wrong Driveway (Original Post) Demovictory9 May 22 OP
RW response/solution - Wheeler should have been carrying a gun FHRRK May 22 #1
Having a gun doesn't prevent one from catching bullets. Iggo May 22 #16
What a great point. In fact, carrying a gun may make you a lead magnet. erronis May 22 #19
An armed combatant at the least. littlemissmartypants May 22 #26
Fuck with our pizzas Babdong, er Babprong, er Babcock and you fuck with America, buster! GreenWave May 22 #2
"I swear to God, officer..the Ford truck was threatening me!" chouchou May 22 #3
"it's coming right for us!!!" ret5hd May 22 #5
"Stop Resisting" JoseBalow May 22 #22
Babcock's actions are becoming more and more a standard Torchlight May 22 #4
Shoot first, eat second. Or maybe bury the evidence depending. erronis May 22 #20
Why did it take a grand jury to charge him properly? Mosby May 22 #6
Yes, I also thought that was weird. mountain grammy May 22 #34
It's a paperwork thing. NanaCat May 22 #37
I'll say it: shooter white, victim big floppy afro lindysalsagal May 22 #7
Geeze, how does he react when they screw up his order? Xavier Breath May 22 #8
I'll bet he doesn't order pizza from them. No telling what special toppings will be added. erronis May 22 #21
Tennessee gun humper Skittles May 22 #9
MADGA B.See May 22 #10
Egads, scared of a pizza delivery driver. Emile May 22 #11
Yeah. When you're glued to some loudmouth on the radio yelling about how "they're coming to get everything you own!" peppertree May 22 #18
Is Tennessee a stand your ground state? If so, I have to wonder how the jury will rule. Jim__ May 22 #12
Even in stand your ground states you can't execute someone for breaking in your truck JohnnyRingo May 22 #25
Especially if it isnt even your vehicle.... getagrip_already May 22 #30
This guy shouldn't even be allowed to own a slingshot n/t JohnnyRingo May 22 #31
Give an idiot a gun, don't be surprised when they do something stupid with it. Initech May 22 #13
Gun nuts think society is a John Wayne movie. Oneironaut May 22 #14
The solution to this problem is more guns, obviously IronLionZion May 22 #15
Seven shots and the best he could do is one shot nearly hit Wheeler? keithbvadu2 May 22 #17
Yes NanaCat May 22 #38
He emptied the gun!!! JohnnyRingo May 22 #23
Tennessee has a stand your ground law Diraven May 22 #24
No one is more terrified than a white male gun owner Orrex May 22 #27
Are you sure of that? JohnnyRingo May 22 #28
In most cases the shooter has to claim that the "assailant" was terrifiyingly brown Orrex May 22 #32
More like a gang of thoughts. Dude sounds paranoid. littlemissmartypants May 22 #36
"his" car?? are you saying the owner did not know what his own car looked like before he riversedge May 22 #39
He had every opportunity to asses the situation but chose not to, and from that Torchlight May 22 #42
Guys like this spend a lot of time fantasizing about being able to shoot people with impunity. sop May 22 #29
I don't spend all that money on guitars just so I can look at 'em. Iggo May 22 #41
Our "well-regulated militia" again.... NM Grins May 22 #33
Thoughts now qualify as proof of fact? littlemissmartypants May 22 #35
Quick! Have the case tried in TX so Abbot can pardon you. keithbvadu2 May 22 #40
He feared for his life. budkin May 22 #43

Torchlight

(3,653 posts)
4. Babcock's actions are becoming more and more a standard
Wed May 22, 2024, 03:22 PM
May 22

And less and less a 'worst-case scenario.'

Later, when questioned by police, Babcock said he grabbed his gun when his Ring camera alerted him to a stranger on the property.

But instead of asking questions, Babcock said he assumed the delivery driver was breaking into his vehicle, so he opened fire.




Gonna guess this guy has often said, "but I eat everything afterwards, and never waste anything after I kill it for entertainment"
 

NanaCat

(2,332 posts)
37. It's a paperwork thing.
Wed May 22, 2024, 06:25 PM
May 22

First of all, the charges at time of arrest are often not the same as what grand juries indict for. The arrest charges are to get the accused into the system, get the paperwork going.

After that, the prosecuting attorney will usually wait for the police to finish an investigation before filing a full set of charges. If a prosecutor needs a grand jury to take a case to court, there's no sense doubling up on paperwork. Present what charges you think might fly for an indictment to the GJ, and let them decide what the trial will be about.

lindysalsagal

(20,983 posts)
7. I'll say it: shooter white, victim big floppy afro
Wed May 22, 2024, 03:56 PM
May 22

Last edited Wed May 22, 2024, 05:05 PM - Edit history (1)

Not sure how dark his skin is, or appeared at the time, but the afro might have been enough to spark the shooting on a racial basis.

Xavier Breath

(3,795 posts)
8. Geeze, how does he react when they screw up his order?
Wed May 22, 2024, 04:05 PM
May 22

You better not have forgotten the crazy bread this time, mother******!!!! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

erronis

(15,803 posts)
21. I'll bet he doesn't order pizza from them. No telling what special toppings will be added.
Wed May 22, 2024, 05:26 PM
May 22

I wouldn't want to suggest the specials such as "Microscopic Ground Tuscan Glass" or "Our own salmon sauce - Ella."

peppertree

(22,064 posts)
18. Yeah. When you're glued to some loudmouth on the radio yelling about how "they're coming to get everything you own!"
Wed May 22, 2024, 05:21 PM
May 22

You tend to get a little antsy.

Jim__

(14,152 posts)
12. Is Tennessee a stand your ground state? If so, I have to wonder how the jury will rule.
Wed May 22, 2024, 04:50 PM
May 22

Gun crime in the US is completely insane.

JohnnyRingo

(18,816 posts)
25. Even in stand your ground states you can't execute someone for breaking in your truck
Wed May 22, 2024, 05:53 PM
May 22

You yourself has to feel threatened. Otherwise, UPS drivers would have to wear body armor.

getagrip_already

(15,325 posts)
30. Especially if it isnt even your vehicle....
Wed May 22, 2024, 06:05 PM
May 22

What are the odds these two had the same make, model and color, and his wife took his without telling him?

I'd say about zero percent.

Plus that dominoes pizza sign on the roof kinda gave it away.

Oneironaut

(5,600 posts)
14. Gun nuts think society is a John Wayne movie.
Wed May 22, 2024, 05:02 PM
May 22

“You gotta be ready to draw yer pistol at a moments notice when marauders attack. Yeehaw!”

IronLionZion

(45,884 posts)
15. The solution to this problem is more guns, obviously
Wed May 22, 2024, 05:05 PM
May 22

The delivery guy was wearing a Domino's uniform and carrying the insulated pizza bag, which can appear threatening to someone who is very paranoid, possibly racist, and has a gun. Heavily armed and stupid is no way to go through life.

keithbvadu2

(37,554 posts)
17. Seven shots and the best he could do is one shot nearly hit Wheeler?
Wed May 22, 2024, 05:09 PM
May 22

Was he missing on purpose, drunk, or incompetent with a gun?

The lack of a sign on his truck is a valid complaint for the driver against Domino's.

JohnnyRingo

(18,816 posts)
23. He emptied the gun!!!
Wed May 22, 2024, 05:47 PM
May 22

He could see there was no threat, but wasn't going to quit until he was out of ammo.
"Asshole" doesn't even begin to describe this guy. Fortunately, he should never be allowed to own a gun again.

Don't think he'll be able to order pizza ever again either. haha

Diraven

(600 posts)
24. Tennessee has a stand your ground law
Wed May 22, 2024, 05:50 PM
May 22

Saying he was afraid his car was being broken into at his his home is enough to justify lethal force there. He won't be convicted.

Orrex

(63,429 posts)
27. No one is more terrified than a white male gun owner
Wed May 22, 2024, 05:57 PM
May 22

To preempt the inevitable "not all white male gun owners" responses, let's stipulate that I'm talking about KKKonservatives.

JohnnyRingo

(18,816 posts)
28. Are you sure of that?
Wed May 22, 2024, 05:58 PM
May 22

You'd think there'd be a lot of dead UPS drivers.
My understanding of SYG is that if you feel threatened you don't have to attempt escape.
The idea is if you're getting your ass kicked by a gang of toughs, you don't have to run away, even if they aren't armed. Stand your ground.

Of course this is Tennessee, so maybe it's like a 007 license to kill for any reason.

littlemissmartypants

(23,203 posts)
36. More like a gang of thoughts. Dude sounds paranoid.
Wed May 22, 2024, 06:24 PM
May 22

He's clearly a danger to others and to himself by default due to his reckless gunslinging.

Good grief.

riversedge

(70,954 posts)
39. "his" car?? are you saying the owner did not know what his own car looked like before he
Wed May 22, 2024, 06:28 PM
May 22

opened fire??

Reckless endangerment at the very least IMHO.

Torchlight

(3,653 posts)
42. He had every opportunity to asses the situation but chose not to, and from that
Wed May 22, 2024, 09:06 PM
May 22

based the entirety of his actions and those action's consequences on the phrase "I assumed..." Closed doors, electronic surveillance, not his truck, yet he still manages to responds with a magnitudinal fuck up far beyond any normal, reasonable, rational measure.

That pretty much shoots in the back any good-faith arguments he might otherwise make.

sop

(10,603 posts)
29. Guys like this spend a lot of time fantasizing about being able to shoot people with impunity.
Wed May 22, 2024, 06:03 PM
May 22

For many of them it's the real reason they own guns.

Iggo

(47,708 posts)
41. I don't spend all that money on guitars just so I can look at 'em.
Wed May 22, 2024, 09:00 PM
May 22

I imagine Gunfuckers are about the same.

littlemissmartypants

(23,203 posts)
35. Thoughts now qualify as proof of fact?
Wed May 22, 2024, 06:20 PM
May 22

I can think you are going to or are...and don't have to levy proof?

The pizza was not close to the perp's auto, I'll wager.

I wonder what the punishment will actually be for this gun nut?

Anyone willing to look up the charges?

They should throw a mandatory psychological assessment in there. The perpetrator sounds paranoid. Isn't mental health the going concern regarding gun violence these days?

Story with video of the victim here:
https://www.newschannel5.com/news/it-is-attempted-murder-in-my-opinion-young-pizza-delivery-driver-shot-at-7-times-after-driveway-mix-up

Information on the location here:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheatham_County,_Tennessee

Poor, kid! I hope he gets justice.

❤️pants

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