Man" survives sixth encounter with gunmen

Press, 28 October 1981, Page 9

Man" survives sixth encounter with gunmen

NZPA Miami Fred Dallas, a fast-food restaurant manager in Miami, has been robbed five times and shot it out with bandits. But after his latest experience at the wrong side of a gun, the police say it is a wonder he is still alive. In his latest brush with death, a gunman pointed a revolver at Mr Dallas through the window of the young restaurant manager’s car and squeezed three times. It did not go off. Mr Dallas, aged 23, was the only survivor of the shooting. His date, Bridgette Andrea Bradshaw, aged 19, was killed, and the police said the man who shot her later killed himself.

Eighteen months ago, Mr Dallas, the manager of a fried chicken restaurant in Miami, saved the life of a customer struggling with two bandits during a robbery at the restaurant.

Mr Dallas had been held up three times before, so he bought a gun and taught himself to shoot in his back yard.

Five months later, he shot it out with another pair of robbers at the restaurant.

On Saturday, Mr Dallas and Miss Bradshaw were sitting in his car near a park.

They were talking when her old boyfriend, Michael Beckford, aged 22. showed up. and reached through the car window and grabbed Mr Dallas by the throat. The police said Beckford pointed the gun at Mr Dallas and pulled the trigger several times. When it did not go off. Beckford pointed it away, again squeezing the trigger. It discharged several times.

Mr Dallas told his date to run. She did and then he struggled with the gunman who broke away. -Mr Dallas scrambled out the passenger side of his car and ran.

He called the police who found Miss Bradshaw shot inr the head near the car. A short time later, a patrolman found Beckford slumped inside his car. dead from a self-inflicted bullet wound.