2 days ago
Man shot while delivering ice cream in Columbia neighborhood
COLUMBIA, Tenn. (WKRN) — A man shot while serving ice cream in a Columbia neighborhood shared his story with News 2.
Byron Childers has been accused of fatally shooting two of his neighbors before turning the gun on ice cream truck driver Mandu Johnson.
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Johnson said that he runs the ice cream truck as a side business. It had been a good Saturday until he saw something that terrified him.
'He had a pistol in one hand and a rifle in the other hand,' Mandu said. 'I thought, 'Man, that's weird.''
Childers allegedly shot and killed 46-year-old and 51-year-old
'I feel a round go through the truck and hit me,' Mandu said. 'It tears into my body.'
Although Johnson was hurt, he drove to his house before parking on his lawn and jumping out of the truck. His wife, Adrienne Johnson, and his children were there when Johnson arrived.
'I heard the music from the truck pull in the yard and thought, 'Wow, he must have had a great day selling ice cream. He's home early,'' Adrienne said. 'That was not the case.'
Mandu was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. Though he's been able to start recovering from his injuries, the Johnsons recognized that not all of their neighbors were so lucky.
'He took lives and he's changed ours and it's horrible. It's absolutely horrific,' Adrienne said. 'I am so sad for what those families have gone through.'
When News 2 spoke with Childers, he did not provide any motive for the shootings. As of publication, he's being held without bond.
Mandu told News 2 that he's a former Marine.
'I survived two war zones — Iraq and Afghanistan — to get shot in a neighborhood, a residential neighborhood, back home,' Mandu said. 'It's kind of ironic.'
Mandu said that as soon as he's recovered, he plans to be back in his truck selling ice cream.
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'I am going to keep the bullet holes in there just to let the guy know he couldn't stop me,' Mandu said.
Mandu has an upcoming surgery to get a second bullet removed. It's taken an emotional and financial toll on the family.
If you want to donate to a GoFundMe to support Mandu, you can
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