Florida Marine Lt. Col. Karl Trenker and his fiancee will probably think twice before posting jewelry for sale on Craigslist again. (Actually, they will probably never use Craigslist again to post a sale – at least, we wouldn’t.) It all started when his fiancee posted a gold chain for sale on Craigslist. And ended with Trenker being shot three times, and plugging the bullet holes with his fingers while waiting for help to arrive.
According to Trenker, four days before Christmas he and four of his seven children drove to the pre-arranged meeting place, to meet with “Galven”, who said that he wanted to buy the necklace that had been listed on Craigslist for sale.
Trenker got out to meet with Galven, while his children stayed in the car.
Galven, and another man, were there, and when Trenker showed them the necklace, Galven grabbed it and started running.
Trenker says that he called after Galven, yelling something to the effect of “‘Listen, we can just drop this now. You set that thing on the ground, walk away, we’re done. Police are going to be on their way in a minute.”
The Internet Patrol is completely free, and reader-supported. Your tips via CashApp, Venmo, or Paypal are appreciated! Receipts will come from ISIPP.
CashApp us
Venmo us
Paypal us
When Galven didn’t stop, Trenker gave chase.
Explains Trenker, who was in the Marines for 29 years, and served in, among other places, Afghanistan and Iraq, “I’m a Marine and I’m not going to run from a fight. You wouldn’t want a Marine to run from a fight.”
Trenker chased the men for several blocks, at which point one of the men turned and started shooting at him.
“Call me crazy, call me stupid,” said Trenker, “I got shot once and it just angered me more. I wanted to get this guy. I got shot twice, and I re-evaluated that decision. I decided I need to stay alive.”
At this point he wasn’t actually sure how many times he had been shot.
“I felt the one go into my chest and then one through my abdomen. I put my finger in the bullet holes, the big ones, and then I ran back to the car and I made sure the kids were OK and I told them, ‘Listen, Dad’s been shot. There’s an ambulance already on the way.”
(How the ambulance was called isn’t clear.)
He adds, of his quick thinking to plug the bullet holes with his fingers, for which he credits his Marine training, “Running with bullet holes wasn’t working out well, so I plugged them up with my fingers.”
Broward County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Dani Moschella, says that three suspects were arrested within hours of the shooting. She also advised that crime victims should not give chase like Trenker did.
“Don’t chase them – call 911 immediately and let law enforcement handle it; gather detail to be a good witness.”
But she also makes an observation about such transactions in general: “If you are showing up somewhere with your valuables, you are going to be a target.”
The Internet Patrol is completely free, and reader-supported. Your tips via CashApp, Venmo, or Paypal are appreciated! Receipts will come from ISIPP.
CashApp us
Venmo us
Paypal us
