Bowling Center Deadly Robbery

[Mike Wilson]

Folks I have some real sad news.
I recieved a phone call tonight about this and want to pass it on.
Seems that at AMF East Carolina Lanes in Greenville, NC there was a robbery last Saturday night the 28th. In this robbery two employees were shot, one was shot fatally.
Elizebeth Damron who was a long time employee of the center who worked with the leagues and was very well liked was killed. She has left behind her husband, 2 sons, 1 daughter, 2 step children and 5 grand kids.
The second employee shot was Dustin O’neil. Apparently he was shot twice and is still in the hospital.

The robbery took place around 3:00 am, closing time. This person was not caught. Dustin was able to call 911 just after 3:00am. The person just came in and started shooting without warning.

The employees at the center have set up a memorial fund according to Gordon Phillips the head mechanic.
If anybody would like to help out you can contact the center at 252-355-5510. The GM is Steve Hamilton.
The address is

AMF East Carolina Lanes
700 Red Banks
Greenville, NC 27858


[This message has been edited by Mike Wilson (edited 12-03-2000).]

[Guest]

Re: Bowling Center Deadly Robbery

dang, that is really sad somthing like that would happen and some idiot would come in to do this into a business that is recreational with families and kids. did they have any kind of security mike? i dont know about everyone else but we have police on the weekends at night at our center, fights break out and stuff sometimes. just be safe everyone

[GRAMBO]

Re: Bowling Center Deadly Robbery

Hey Mike
This is terrible news but shows what our society has come too.
Living 15 minutes from DC I hear all the time of senseless murders for petty robberies.
I was at my center one day working on a machine and heard the control desk lady let out a high pitched scream.
I put down the masking unit and saw her and the manager running towards the door.
I told my assistant we have just been robbed.
We ran and opened the pit door and saw a white chevy impala cruising out of the parking lot.
The control desk got the license plate.
Even with this info the police never prosecuted anyone!!!
The lady stayed calm and got lucky.
I truely feel sorry for this family that has experienced a loss.
Remember if you are robbed to give them anything they want because it is not your money and money can be replaced.
Graham

[Mok]

Re: Bowling Center Deadly Robbery

Quote:]Originally posted by GRAMBO:
Remember if you are robbed to give them anything they want because it is not your money and money can be replaced.
[/QUOTE]

And what if they shoot you anyway? It's happened here before.

[Ron]

Re: Bowling Center Deadly Robbery

It's really terrible to things like that happen. We have silent alarms, but they would be of no use when someone comes in with guns a blazing. I really feel sorry for the families. I hope they catch these monsters and prosecute to the fullest.

[Steve Stafford (JBEES)]

Re: Bowling Center Deadly Robbery

This time of the year always seems to bring out these kind of problems. We have already had one armed robbery and one break-in. Luckily, the armed robbers were even kind enough to let one of the ladies take her heart medicine during the robbery. Could have been worse. We have taken extra precautions around closing and doing money drops throughout the night to keep the amount of cash at the desk as low as possible. Check restrooms before closing, opening stall doors to be sure nobody is hiding. Take different routes to the bank when doing deposits. Use different bags when carrying money. Sometimes use a Wal-Mart bag, then next day a Radio Shack bag...ect, ect. No patterns to clue criminals as to what you are doing. Be careful and be alert. Keep pit doors locked so nobody can sneak in. I'm sure there are even more ideas some of you may have. Let's hear some of them.

God bless all and please be very careful this holiday season...both at home and at work.

Steve

[This message has been edited by JBEES (edited 12-04-2000).]

[GPS]

Re: Bowling Center Deadly Robbery

JBEES you are right on with your comments. About 15 years ago at one of our other centers someone was hiding in the bathroom. He came out at closing time with a gun. The Mgr,Fred ran back into his office and shut his door. This guy fires his gun through the door and kills poor Fred. At the time there was a closing procedure that included a diligent check of the bathrooms. It was not followed and someone paid the ultimate price.

[kryley]

Re: Bowling Center Deadly Robbery

one of the managers where i work told me this story about one of the bowling centres here in queensland australia (can't remember which one, could've been caboolture??).

One busy night, some guy went into the toilets, jumped up on the toilet seat, pushed the ceiling "tile" up and hid in the ceiling until the centre was closed and everyone had left (luckily for the closing staff I spose) and he jumped down. He didn't get anything, the alarm scared him off, but it just shows that these crims are getting smarter by the minute, and I spose we are doubly getting smarter cos of what they have done. Our closing staff check the ceiling tiles in the toilets every day now.

Luckily in Australia we don't get many robberies of bowling centres (not sure why, just haven't really heard of them) and guns have been outlawed here, u have to have a licence to have one and even then the rules are very strict, so that has dropped the armed robberies down because guns are hard to obtain.

Anyway, nuff said...... be careful guys

[TheChaser]

Re: Bowling Center Deadly Robbery

Was the center a 24 hour center, use to work at one and hated the night shift.

[TheChaser]

Re: Bowling Center Deadly Robbery

The center I worked at back home had a double homocide insid ethe cente I recall. some tenneager got into it and one was shot in the center and another in the parkign lot with another location having the same thign happend in the pool hall of the center, both during the crowded friday night leagues, and yet our third location had a police officer nearlly shto inside the center with his own gun, but the bullet missed him and went trhough the approach. I think Mike knows the centers I am taling about.

[Guest]

Re: Bowling Center Deadly Robbery

As a bowler that has bolwed at the center at ECU and knows many that bowl there I would just like to say that I hope the famlies of the past and of the hurt will stay strong and remember the good times. Keep your head up and think positive....not much to say but to just becareful..Im sorry it happened

[Drillmn300]

Re: Bowling Center Deadly Robbery

It's sad but at times like this it helps a little to be aware of the community. In the summer months we run a Soul night on Sunday from 8pm until 11:30, the place could be dead at 7:59 but at 8:05 we would have 200 people in here. I walked around and talked to everyone and yes I pack when in crouds but good or bad I met with every gang leader in a tri-state area. We talked and all of them agreed this was a great meeting place and even with the differences within the gangs the leaders made sure everyone got along or they would be escorted out. Now keep in mind I was as nervous as you could emagine most of the time. It didn't matter who I called no one would work security and getting a cop over for anything was out of the question. Before the first summer was over I knew most of their names and they would solve a problem before it came one. We had a window broken and before the glass hit the floor 2 of the different leaders had the guy and the money to fix it. Later on they organized a group for gang interaction and proved to themselves that they could get along without killing one another. Since we have started this night things around here have really changed, now we do get some individuals every once in awile that get crazy but overall just knowing the community helps a little. Now I still feel like a sitting duck every time I throw someone out of the place and walk out alone at night and have had to shoot at several individuals (outside the building) before starting this night. We even had a night the power went out and my wife happened to park out back that night that she was held at gun point when she opened her car door, needless to say I was there inside making sure she got out ok and had to bust through the door and start shooting. Luckily only one kid was shot and he was just wounded but they have never been back. This was all before the Soul night. Get involved with the community and you would be surpriced at what you come up with. With all the crack heads and people that don't want to work for a living you are always going to have trouble but I think getting involved with the people around you narrow your chances of this problem.
My condolences to the families

Drill

[mech8270s]

Re: Bowling Center Deadly Robbery

I'm the mechanic at the center and I read some of the questions you were asking Mike,figured I could help him out and answer them. We have security, off duty police, on weekends that stay until closing. The officer and the girl from the snack bar had just walked out and left. Beth had told the officer he could go ahead and leave, which is nothing unusual. He walked the snackbar girl out and left, that was at 2:50a.m. at 3:08a.m. Dustin managed to call 911 even though he had been shot twice. The officer and my B-mech,who had left a little earlier,had done a perimeter check and bathroom check. To this day we have no idea where this person was hiding but the police are pretty sure he was already inside. The center is not located in a bad part of town, we're close to a mall,several prominent shops,and nice apartments. We are not open 24hrs. generally we close at 2 or 2:30a.m. on friday and saturday nites. I hope this answered some of the questions, if you have anymore feel free to e-mail me at mech8270s@yahoo.com. I'll let the families know your all thinking of them. BE CAREFUL AND BE SAFE!!!!!