Gamer shot while saving robbery victim
by John Bardinelli 
{ May 29th 2007 at 11:45AM }
24-year old Adam Mapleson is an IT consultant, a fan of heavy metal music, an avid video gamer, and a hero. At a rail station just yesterday, Adam came to the aid of a terrified female security guard being robbed by two armed thugs. As he went to tackle the assailants, he was shot in the chest, close-range. According to a witness, blood was "all over the floor and all over the wall" as Adam lay on the ground calling for help.The robbers managed to escape, but Adam's heroism ensured no one else was injured, including the intended victim. Adam is still in the hospital listed as "serious but stable". Here's to a speedy recovery for an all-around hero and fellow gamer.
Oh, and in your face, Jack Thompson.
[Via GamePolitics]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Fernando Rocker @ May 29th 2007 11:49AM
In your face, fucking Jack Thompson...
Tweak @ May 29th 2007 11:50AM
The man's got balls. I'll give him that much! Now if we can only get at least a news story a day on good gamers... That would be heaven.
(IYF Jack!)
TheChaz @ May 29th 2007 11:52AM
Great story. The community's thoughts are with this guy and his family.
Michael @ May 29th 2007 1:09PM
Heavy metal and video games are they sure that this guy wasnt in on the robbery?
JodyAnthony @ May 29th 2007 11:55AM
"In your face, fucking Jack Thompson"
until he comes out with "see what video games do! they make people think they are invincible! he was probably going to go all gta on the girl after getting rid of the other people!! i have a tiny dick and make no goddamn sense!"
on topic, kudos to this guy and heres to a speedy recovery.
Rare Hare @ May 29th 2007 11:57AM
Thought he was gonna go all Mortal Kombat on their asses, but they had guns lol. But seriously, that took balls. Can't say I would have tried to tackle an armed man.
Did anyone else find it ironic that he was trying to protect a security guard?
Jshock @ May 29th 2007 11:58AM
He trained on Mario, saving Peach all those times...
Trio @ May 29th 2007 12:00PM
....................???
ANt @ May 29th 2007 12:01PM
WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE THIS GUY!! WAY TO GO!!
vadermaggot @ May 29th 2007 12:01PM
So say we all
shivr @ May 29th 2007 12:02PM
hmm... but I guess we can't say video games effected his behaviors positivly, becuase to do so would say they can also effect people negativly, thus sorta agreeing with ol' JT.
Ahh well, still a brave act. Personally, I would have just called the cops >_>
kingofwale @ May 29th 2007 12:03PM
great story, the guy's a hero, gamer or not.
too bad he probably doesn't own a Wii, or else he'd pound those guys down with his Wii-arm. ;)
training @ May 29th 2007 6:26PM
I hope he drops good loot.
Erwos @ May 29th 2007 12:14PM
"but I guess we can't say video games effected his behaviors positivly, becuase to do so would say they can also effect people negativly, thus sorta agreeing with ol' JT."
Exactly. You guys are just playing his game.
OhJustSomeRandomGuy @ May 29th 2007 12:14PM
Kudos, man.
Hope getting shot ends up helping you get some. That should help ease the pain a bit.
Alex @ May 29th 2007 12:18PM
Yeah, um, honestly, I don't think it's too farfetched to say that this guy is acting exactly like somebody who's played too many videogames - heroism doesn't always work so well, especially when you get shot in the chest, etc. Hell, I'd like to think I'd do the exact same thing; I just don't think he's acting in spite of generalizations, per se.
Jshock @ May 29th 2007 12:20PM
Nobody is saying the video games made him a hero. The reason this is in JT's face is that he is a hero, and happens to also play video games -- that's enough to deflate Jack's argument...
HotShotX @ May 29th 2007 12:25PM
This man has earned my utmost respect.
~HotShotX
Jonathan Tran @ May 29th 2007 12:25PM
The real question is:
How much, if any, EXP did this guy get?
polly @ May 29th 2007 12:28PM
There's a fine line between courage and stupidity. Props for trying to do the right thing, but the guy got shot in the chest for money that wasn't even his. Robbers generally don't want to shoot anyone.
kingofwale @ May 29th 2007 12:31PM
>6. He trained on Mario, saving Peach all those times...
I personally blame Nintendo for this. Only if he hasn't been brainwashed into believing the way to defend a enemy is to jump on top of him/her.
*sighs*. WHy couldn't he be a Gears of War fan? Hide and Shoot would be MUCH more useful in this situation. ;)
Jonny McCormack @ May 29th 2007 12:33PM
Legend, a true legend.
Good choice of headset too ;) I have that
MasterInsan0 @ May 29th 2007 12:35PM
Although I do think he's a pretty good man, and probably a better one than me at that, what kind of mindset does it take to try to tackle a man with a gun? I mean, seriously, unless he was hoping he wouldn't be noticed or that he could move fast enough to escape reaction, the only option there was "get shot".
Even if he had been successful, it was still likely that he, or the security guard, would have been shot.
If anything, this makes me wish that law enforcement in the UK would carry firearms on standard duty.
Still, though, he's a good man for standing up to a couple of thugs like that.
kostaki @ May 29th 2007 12:46PM
its things like this that the public does not see...good ol jack is a fucking moran and so is dr. phil...i love how people pass judgement before they know the facts about people and their lifestyles....fuck em all
p.s. way to go man...you are a true hero and there should be more people out there just like you
zwarrior @ May 29th 2007 12:46PM
Is this beingf reported in nation wide news stations just as videogame violence has been? I'm guessing not. He's a hero, I would now do the same thing if I were in such a situation, but isnt it ironic that its a civilian who ended up saving a Security guard from robbers?
Matthew @ May 29th 2007 12:49PM
It might just be me, but it generally seems like jumping at an assailant is a better way to get people killed than it is to keep them from getting killed. Then again, I wasn't there, so I can't say what was going on in this particular situation.
Lion @ May 29th 2007 12:49PM
No offense, but this was a stupid thing to do.
You think this is a slap to Jack Thompson? Think again! It is fuel for his fire. Jack's going to spin this around an point out that this stupid guy thought he was a hero and got himself shot. I can hear it now: "If he wasn't influenced and desensitized by violent video games, he would not have been shot."
This guy didn't alter anything. The lady still got robbed, the robbers still got away. The only thing he did was manage to get himself shot.
They guy should have called the cops, and that should have been the end of his involvement. The lady should have just given the armed robbers what they wanted, and then reported the incident. There are no superheroes. This is real life. People often die when they are shot.
Grant @ May 29th 2007 12:50PM
"what kind of mindset does it take to try to tackle a man with a gun"
if you saw someone being held at gunpoint and hand the opportunity to surprise them you wouldn't?
I'm sorry to say this, but that makes you a coward.
Unless you have had unarmed combat training, a tackle would be the best way to disarm someone. He did exactly what someone acting out of their best judgement would have, unless your only concerned with yourself.
the guys a hero, his efforts were valient, and you should be ashamed to try and paint him as anything else.
JP @ May 29th 2007 12:52PM
I would bet those guys hadn't shot if he had not made his "one man
nerd hero gets in the way of two heavyly armed guys manga style"
show…
Srry but in my eyes: guy + atack + (2*robberer+guns) = dumbass != hero
I'm shure his intention was not to lie blooding on the floor
calling for help…
Poor guy hope he will get up again (this time
without thinking godmode=1) otherwise it would be a waste of time for the medics.
Courage is good, but think twice!
Have a nice day.
zwarrior @ May 29th 2007 12:50PM
LOOL #17
how come he didnt use his health potion
Tuatara @ May 29th 2007 12:52PM
I'm a little surprised no fanboys are jumping in and trying to claim him.
"HE'S AN HERO!!! HE MUST LEIK PLAYSTATION 3!!!"
;P This guy is awesome, too bad he'll probably never get the media exposure he (and of course, the act he performed) rightfully deserve. Don't worry though, Jack Thompson will know about this, I'm going to call him up myself and fill him in. :D
Ricslick @ May 30th 2007 10:14PM
Level up.
Walking Contradiction @ May 29th 2007 12:57PM
This guy must be either a "PS3 Man or 360 Man", because a "Wii Man" wouldn't have the balls or courage to help.
Great guy. Im glad he stands up for what is right.
Huricos @ May 29th 2007 12:58PM
Brave guy, too bad he got shot.
However, let's not lower ourselves to Jack's level and make a martyr out of every gamer that could help our "cause".
Rob Accomando @ May 29th 2007 1:03PM
I guess his hand-to-hand skills weren't leveled enough. But seriously, maybe the heavy metal music made him do it.
kingofwale @ May 29th 2007 1:04PM
>because a "Wii Man" wouldn't have the balls or courage to help.
Now, I don't doubt Wii Man's courage or the presence of "balls", but we all know they are either too young or too old to do much about it. ;)
Cr33pingParanoia @ May 29th 2007 1:05PM
Looks like his STR wasn't high enough.
Syko360 @ May 29th 2007 1:15PM
Achievement Unlocked:
250G Security guard rescued.
This is the downfall of the Achievement system. You do things you normally would never do for meaningless points.
Walking Contradiction @ May 29th 2007 1:12PM
Michael
You have Heavy Metal mixed up with Rap.
keepitsimple @ May 29th 2007 1:19PM
good thing nobody had to use a phoenix down.....
all jokes aside, hope you get well quick and they catch those bastards
ThornedVenom @ May 29th 2007 1:19PM
@#18 prolly
Doing the right thing is never easy. It doesn't really matter what type of mindset he had, as long as he did what he deemed to be right.
Oh, and I hope that the dude gets beter soon: we need more heroes like him in this world.
superandyluvsu @ May 29th 2007 1:42PM
If someone has a gun and wants your money you give them your money. DUH! They take your money and they leave. Life>money. What if they shot him in the head? Maybe if the lady was being raped and he stopped them he might be called a hero, but getting shot in the chest for 5 bucks probably just makes him a dumbass.
JK @ May 29th 2007 1:43PM
Here's to hoping he gets well soon, and they catch the guys who hurt him. That takes guts, gamer or not.
fragglefart @ May 29th 2007 1:54PM
Kudos dude,
you got balls.
Leggo @ May 29th 2007 1:55PM
The guy is an idiot. He's lucky he didn't get himself killed.
Here's a tip: Unless you're a trained law enforcement professional with BODY ARMOR, do NOT surprise people holding guns.
Gamer XoverY @ May 29th 2007 2:05PM
Nice job.....Fucking Sad world....Hope those morons are caught.....God help you Heroe DUDE!!!!
Tom @ May 29th 2007 2:05PM
This is either evidence that playing video games lowers inhibitions and impairs judgement...
OR it actually has nothing at all to do with the fact that he's a gamer. It depends on weather you, the person reading this article, choose to go through life seeing everything through a filter.
Erik @ May 29th 2007 2:08PM
God speed on your recovery, Adam.
Jonathan Tran @ May 29th 2007 2:08PM
I was gonna say, I think the story doesn't really matter that he's a gamer. I mean, what's his religion or background? If he's a devout white supremicist, does that mean something good about that group? no.
Thus, "gamer hero" does not mean anything more than "man hero" or "guy without facial hair hero" or "person who once stepped on a mouse accidentally hero", at least unless he makes some statement that he did it because Reggie Fils-Aime told him to.
Also I don't know how this happened. How could someone with a gun shoot when they are being surprised? I smell hax.
Jake @ May 29th 2007 2:13PM
This guy is obviously a hero because he risked his life to do what he thought was the right thing at the time. With that said, you should not go after two armed assailants with your bare hands. He's lucky to be alive and he is lucky nobody else got shot due to his foolishness. It is unlikely the assailants would have shot the security guard after robbing her, especially seeing that they just shot him once and fled.
I mean, I respect the man for his bravery. But, you shouldn't do what he did if confronted with that situation. You are better off yelling "POLICE, FREEZE!" from a safe distance than running in there and putting yourself and others into danger by forcing the assailants to open fire on you.