LOUISVILLE — Winston County Coroner Scott Gregory said he wasn’t trying to drum up business with a Facebook post Saturday, but he’s fed up with a rash of burglaries around Louisville.
He said he believes people should protect their homes and families, and says someone shooting a burglar would probably be a good deterrent.
His post was making the rounds on social media on Monday. In the post, he writes, “I say shoot the idiots and call the coroner.”
Gregory told The Clarion-Ledger he wasn’t encouraging anyone to kill a burglar.
But, he said everyone should own a handgun and know how to use it.
The 40-year-old Gregory said the response from his post has been overwhelmingly positive, with more than 245 likes as of Monday morning.
Despite his prediction of angering people, comments on his post included “Amen,” “Tell it” and “Couldn’t have said it better myself brother.”
Gregory gave his Facebook followers a warning post before letting loose. “I’m about to make a few of you mad and probably think a lot less of me with this post, so you might want to eat something and sit down before you read this.” He also included a disclaimer. “I’m not encouraging anyone to go on a killing spree.”
But, he warned burglars and other bad guys “just know that the right amount of pressure applied to any one of my smoke wagons’ triggers combined with the accurate amount of gunpowder and lead will cause extreme pain and sadness to any human.”
Gregory also is the morning show host for classic rock station WLSM and has been a disc-jockey 20 years. He was elected coroner in 2003.
Gregory said his post came in part from disgust over home and auto break-ins in the area.
“If more folks would handle their own business, I think we would stop getting these calls of houses being broken into,” Gregory said.
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