[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3294]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             MARK ALAN WILSON, HERO OF SMITH COUNTY, TEXAS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Fortenberry). Under a previous order of 
the House, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, February 24, 2005, in the 
city of Tyler, Texas, gun fire erupted outside the Smith County 
courthouse. An estranged and enraged ex-husband, irate over a domestic 
hearing, lay in wait outside the courthouse for his ex-wife and one of 
his sons who was 23. The courthouse was well secured inside while also 
having a metal detector inside its entrance. Such security measures 
probably prevented the soon-to-be murderer from carrying his rifle 
inside the courthouse and shooting not only his ex-wife and son, but 
also the many witnesses, jurors, parties and personnel who would have 
been inside, as had occurred in another courthouse some years ago and 
miles away.
  As the ex-wife left the courthouse, the murderer opened fire hitting 
her and also her own son. Mark Wilson, a nearby Good Samaritan and 
hero, immediately without hesitation and without thought for his own 
safety went into action. He pulled his concealed weapon that he was 
lawfully carrying and accurately shot the murderer more than once. He 
could tell he was hitting the murderer, but what he did not know was 
that that murderer was wearing extensive body armor. That fact allowed 
the murderer to turn and fire fatal shots at our selfless hero Mark 
Wilson.
  In the process of Mark's firing such accurate shots, he not only hurt 
the murderer, he also distracted him from the many innocent bystanders 
in the area.
  When hearing the shorts being fired outside the courthouse, two 
deputies and a Tyler police detective responded by running to the 
source. Parenthetically, the Army teaches us that the only way to have 
a chance of surviving an ambush is to turn and run into the source of 
the ambush. As a trainee, sometimes we wondered if we would actually 
have the courage to do that when there were real bullets flying.
  We do not have to wonder about what Mark and our courageous law 
enforcement officers at the Smith County courthouse would do when faced 
with a life-threatening attack. They respond and they respond with 
courage and clear thinking for the safety of others.
  Mark Wilson's heroic actions disrupted the murderer's pattern and 
provided time for the protective law enforcement officers to respond. 
As Deputy Sherman Dollison attempted to intervene, he was also hit by 
the murderer and left for dead and he remains in critical condition at 
a local hospital.
  Smith County and other friends thought mighty highly of Deputy Marlin 
Suel and Tyler police detective Clay Perrett. They are personal friends 
and they were both wounded in the ensuing exchange that sent the 
murderer into his car and fleeing the scene. He was chased by extremely 
responsive law enforcement as he continued to shoot during the chase. 
However, the murderer was killed before he could yet kill again.
  There was an evil act of anger last Thursday, but there were heroes 
watching out, ready to act for the salvation of others. It is quite 
possible that Mark's actions prevented those in the area from becoming 
a trail of lifeless bodies in addition to saving the life of the 
murderer's own downed son.
  According to the investigation, the rifle the murderer used was not 
automatic so he had to consciously pull the trigger over and over again 
to inflict the death and violence that he did.
  Mark Wilson himself was able to apply for and receive his concealed 
handgun permit because the law allowing such was passed in Texas after 
a callous killer went into a cafeteria years ago and began firing 
randomly, hitting so many. Back at that time no civilians were there 
who were legally allowed to have a gun so the killer caused prolonged 
devastation. To receive a permit for carrying a concealed weapon in 
Texas, a person has to prove himself consummately law abiding. That 
described Mark. He was trained and he trained others in self-defensive 
weaponry. He was 52 years old. He had been a patriot who served all of 
us in the United States Navy. He was a community volunteer. He loved 
life to the maximum which included a deep abiding appreciation for 
Monty Python, all while he worked to make others' lives better in the 
process.
  Yes, he knew how to make friends laugh. He had overcome tough times. 
He had been entrepreneurial, and he had worked to create good times for 
himself and others. He had many friends because of his community 
involvement and his very can-do attitude.
  As a tribute to Mark and his courageous heroism, hundreds of people 
filled the downtown square in Smith County to commemorate his life, his 
times, and his goodness on Sunday, February 27.
  As a member of the United States Navy, he had sworn to defend the 
Nation against all enemies foreign and domestic. Last Thursday he gave 
his life while once again defending against an enemy, this time 
domestic.
  For many of us reflecting on Mark's death the words of Jesus of 
Nazareth capture Mark's spirit: ``Greater love hath no man than this; 
that a man lay down his life for his friend.''
  Those words came from someone who knew and Mark Wilson's love is what 
was praised. He stepped up that love a notch by going and laying down 
his life for people he did not even know. This country, this 
institution need a memorializing of such a courageous hero as Mark 
Wilson. His loving parents and dear friends deserve to hear his praises 
sung once more for the record, and may the retelling of Mark's bravery 
bring them comfort, bring them hope, and to the hopeless who think 
there is no one out there who cares. Mark cared and I would be willing 
to bet his caring will be perpetuated into posterity for others that he 
has touched.

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