What does a hero look like? When you imagine heroes you might conjure up images of people who look like Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, Charles Bronson, etc. Tough guys who look the part. But looks can be deceiving. Take for instance one Joseph Bowling, 23.
He looks like a pretty nice, guy. An unassuming type. But he was a man so bad-ass that he threw himself in front of his mother who was being held up by two armed robbers to prevent her from being harmed. So they shot Bowling for it. But even though he was mortally wounded, he still managed to chase the pair of thugs out of the store.
Fatal shooting at Johnston convenience store linked to string of robberies
BENSON, N.C. — A man was shot and killed overnight at a convenience store in Johnston County in what authorities say was part of a string of robberies in the area.
Two men wearing masks entered the Scotchman convenience store, at 12320 N.C. Highway 210 near the McGee’s Crossroads community, at about 1:30 a.m., authorities said.
Here’s the two despicable pussy-ass thugs who allegedly killed this brave young man in an attempt to steal a few dollars.
Joseph Bowling, 23, was visiting his mother, who works at the store, and jumped between her and the armed robbers when they demanded her phone, according to his stepfather, Rex Bowling. After he was shot, Joseph Bowling chased the robbers out the door before he died, his stepfather said.
“I felt horrible for the mother and the son,” Benson resident Victoria Pittman said.
“That is really scary, it really is. But hopefully they will catch them soon so everybody can feel safe again,” nearby resident Cathy Jackson said.
“Not even a couple of months ago, there was something up here at the Hardee’s, too,” Benson resident Michell Mustian said. “It’s scary to think it’s happened twice in two months and is super-close like that.”
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office said they believe the two robbers held up Reedy Creek Gas Grocery & Grill, at 9891 N.C. 210, on Tuesday and a Han-Dee Hugo at 401 Benson Road in Garner about a half-hour before the Scotchman shooting.
Two other convenience store robberies occurred early Thursday, one in Raleigh and one in Wilson, that authorities in each jurisdiction are looking at to see if they are also connected to the crime spree.
I feel the word hero gets tossed around too much these days. But what else can you call this guy’s actions if not heroic? It’s a tragedy that such a fine young man had to be taken from this world so soon. We’ll never know the great things a man of his stature could have accomplished.
His family has set up a Gofunde site to pay for his burial expenses. If you were ever going to donate to something, it would be difficult to imagine a more worthy cause.
Rest in peace, Joseph. You were a brave and honorable man.
