Pass The Ammo

The 71-year-old retired Marine who opened fire on two robbers at a Plantation sub shop late Wednesday, killing one and critically wounding the other, is described as a former pilot for two presidents. ”He’s in great shape,” Wesley White said of his longtime friend, John Lovell. “He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, he works out every day.”

Lovell was a man of action Wednesday night. According to Plantation police, two masked gunmen came into the Subway at 1949 N. Pine Island Rd. just after 11 p.m. There was a lone diner — Lovell, who was finishing his meal. After robbing the cashier, the two men attempted to shove Lovell into a bathroom and rob him as well. They got his money. But then Lovell pulled his handgun, opened fire, shooting one of the thieves in the head and chest and the other in the head.

When police arrived, they found one of the men in the shop. K-9 units found the other in the bushes of a nearby business. They also found cash strewn around the front of the sandwich shop. ”There were fives and rolls of coins everywhere,” said Detective Robert Rettig of the Plantation Police Department.

Both men were taken to Broward General Medical Center, where one, Donicio Arrindell, 22, of North Lauderdale died. The other, 21-year-old Frederick Gadson of Fort Lauderdale, is in critical but stable condition. Lovell’s friend White was not surprised to hear what happened. ”He’d give you the shirt off his back and he’d be mad if someone tried to take the shirt off your back,” he said.

White said Lovell worked as a pilot for the Marines, flying former Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He later worked as a pilot for Pan Am and Delta. Lovell is not married and does not have children. He is not expected to be charged, authorities said. ”He was in fear for his life,” Rettig said.

The two young men were longtime friends and roommates in North Lauderdale, Arrindell’s grandfather, Meanwell Prince, said on Thursday. ”My grandson was a good child,” he said. Prince said Arrindell was born in St. Martin and had lived in New York before moving to South Florida. He lived with Gadson in an apartment next door to his mother’s house. Prince said his grandson did data entry for a living and was usually reserved. ”He told me to leave the door open for him because he was going to do something on his friend’s computer and would be home early,” Prince said. At 10:50 p.m. Prince called his grandson. Arrindell told him he would be home soon.

Prince described Gadson as “very quiet, very disciplined, very polite.” On Friday, Prince was upset. ”What could possess them to do this?” he asked.

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