When a neighbor screamed she'd been shot, Colin Bruley grabbed his shotgun, found the victim and began treating her bloodied right leg.

Tonnetta Lee survived Tuesday's pre-dawn shooting at her Jacksonville apartment, and her sister and a neighbor praised Bruley's actions. But his employers, the same people who own the Arlington complex where Bruley lives, reacted differently. They fired him.

A shotgun? Why that's something that could've proved useful had the attacker still been nearby. Couldn't he have picked something safer for everyone involved? Like a banana or perhaps some sort of cuddly teddy bear.

Bruley, a leasing agent at the Oaks at Mill Creek, said he lost his job after being told that brandishing the weapon was a workplace violation, as was failing to notify supervisors after the incident occurred. He'd worked at the Monument Road complex since December and for the owner, Village Green Cos., since 2005.

Ahh yes, the workplace. Also known as "that place he lives."

Bruley said he was too shaken to call his supervisor immediately after the incident, which occurred just before 2 a.m., but planned to eventually do so. He also said he was acting as a citizen, not an employee, and shouldn't have been punished for trying to protect himself and others. He never fired the shotgun.

A complaint Bruley said was given to him by his supervisor Tuesday said he violated several company policies found in an employee handbook. Those procedures were also explained in a recent meeting and an e-mail, the complaint said. One policy prohibits any type of weapons being used in the workplace. The complaint cited him for "gross misconduct."

I think any decent person, upon hearing the screams of a woman who's been shot, would choose to brush up on their employee manual before offering help of any kind. I know I'd feel better if that were a situation I was in. "Precious seconds to act," be damned, do it by the book. The "Oaks at Mill Creek Employee Handbook," that is.

"Colin demonstrated extremely poor judgment in responding to this situation," the complaint said. "Colin's failure to immediately report this incident ... could have serious ramifications to the property, its associates and residents."

"Failure to immediatelly report this incident." Why, I can think of dozens of catastrophic ramifications that would have ensued, had his misconduct been allowed to continue.

A police report said the shooting followed a domestic quarrel involving Lee, 24, and her boyfriend. Bruley said he was dozing off in his apartment when he heard Lee's screams. He said he then grabbed a 12-gauge shotgun he uses for protection and hunting.

Bruley said he found the woman bleeding heavily. He handed the shotgun to a neighbor, tied a tourniquet around her right leg and waited for police and rescue to arrive.

Hmm, they let it slip, so I will too. However, for future reference, before applying a tourniquet, you'll need to fill out two forms, show valid ID, register and await your certificate by mail, get verbal and written permission from the victim (wake them if blood loss has caused them to lapse into unconsciousness) and then proceed with the tourniquet.

After emergency officials took Lee to the hospital, Bruley returned to his apartment and tried to settle down, eventually falling asleep. He said he could have called his supervisor but didn't think she could do anything at the time. He said he was called into the office about 9:30 a.m., gave his account and then left. He said he was called back that afternoon and told he was fired.

I can't believe he didn't immediatelly inform the douchebag in charge of showing off and renting the new apartments, what had gone down...

Erica Jenkins, Lee's sister, said Bruley should still have a job. Lee couldn't be reached to comment despite several messages left with her sister and mother.

"If it wasn't for him ... she could have lost her leg or died," said Jenkins, 19. "He put his life in jeopardy for someone else."

"If I'd lose my job again for helping some girl's life ... I'd do it over and over," Bruley said.

Don't worry, Colin, I'm sure in no time at all there will be a series of laws, rules, regulations and mandates that will not only ensure you won't be able to do anything like this ever again, but will make it so you regret having done so in the first place.

Motega

Virginia Beach, VA

October 2006

JUN 19, 2007 08:09 PM

Congrats to him and it sucks that he lost his job...what a bunch of fuckers.

WADO

Brooklyn, NY

March 2006

JUN 19, 2007 08:17 PM

The first lesson in gun safety to have the requisite forms, releases, and a notary handy in case of any and all incidents, events, happenings, and occurrences. The fact that he did not have a proper license to eat cereal within 75 yards of or to sleep within 200 feet of the shotgun made him more than deserving of his termination. That fucker.

Vestril

Coronado, CA

February 2003

JUN 19, 2007 08:18 PM

Hahaha, what a pack of assholes.

SnakePlissken

Corvallis, OR

December 2002

JUN 19, 2007 08:23 PM

You're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't.

shapeshifter23

San Francisco, CA

September 2005

JUN 19, 2007 08:23 PM

I'd have you know that such rules 'n regulations not to mention policies, codes of conduct, official protocol & legal stipulations are there for a reason. Without such laws there'd be COMPLETE ANARCHY!

And that'd be Un-American!

Thalan

Orlando, FL

June 2007

JUN 19, 2007 08:26 PM

What really sucks is that Florida law makes his actions completely legal and the crown of douchebaggery rests solely on the employer. Also it sounds like he wasn't even on the clock when this happened.

Skywisdom

Portland, OR

December 2005

JUN 19, 2007 08:40 PM

shapeshifter23 said:
I'd have you know that such rules 'n regulations not to mention policies, codes of conduct, official protocol & legal stipulations are there for a reason. Without such laws there'd be COMPLETE ANARCHY!

And that'd be Un-American!

Hilarious!

aldoushuxley

USA

November 2005

JUN 19, 2007 08:43 PM

Once again heroic people are getting corned in the ass for, good god no, saving some ones life. This shit pisses me off, fucking Florida and its back hills laws.

Davidle1

Hammond, IN

October 2005

JUN 19, 2007 08:56 PM

Sue the fuckers! thats what i say nothing like a classic law suit for wrongful termination..it will bring all kinds of attention to the company! fuck em sue them!

even if you dont get your job back I would still sue them. I would go first thing in the am to the court house and not just sue but sue big....100 million or something like that

who knows he may need some help for emotional distress caused by the unjust

firing. They would go what the fuck were being sued! and the asshole that fired him

might just get fired himself.