Wise Old Owl
05-21-2014, 22:29
.A Massachusetts man was fatally shot and his hiking partner was wounded in a robbery on a Northern California trail, authorities said Saturday.
Francis "Pat" Gregory, 69, of West Tisbury, and a 76-year-old man from Manton, California, were hiking a trail north of Red Bluff on Friday when they were confronted by a gunman, said Tehama County Sheriff's Lt. Dave Greer.
The robber shot the men after taking their money and belongings, and left the victims for dead on a remote part of the trail until another hiker came upon them about three hours later.
Gregory died at the scene; the surviving victim was hospitalized with critical injuries. A doctor told investigators he was expected to pull through, Greer said.
Greer said the trail is a popular trekking destination on weekends but can be desolate during the week.
Gregory was the owner of the EduComp computer store on Martha's Vineyard and was a longtime town moderator in West Tisbury.
The two men were only about 200 yards from the trail’s entrance when approached by the gun-wielding robber, Tehama County Sheriff Dave Hencratt told KRCR.The thug shot both men before ransacking their pockets and bags and taking off, according to Tehama County Sheriff's Lt. Dave Greer. Both victims were left for dead until they were found three hours later by another hiker, he continued. The grandfather was pronounced dead at the scene, his friend was airlifted to the hospital, the Chico Enterprise-Record reported. Authorities have ruled the shooting suspicious but have not named any suspects. They searched the area with aircraft and came up empty. That is of little solace to Gregory’s loved ones, who posted messages of remembrance on the former school teacher’s Facebook page.
The shooter was described to the Red Bluff Daily News as a thin white male, about six-feet-tall, with short black hair and a black mustache. He was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt, said police.
Gregory is survived by his wife, two children at least one grandchild and his 93-year-old mother
Francis "Pat" Gregory, 69, of West Tisbury, and a 76-year-old man from Manton, California, were hiking a trail north of Red Bluff on Friday when they were confronted by a gunman, said Tehama County Sheriff's Lt. Dave Greer.
The robber shot the men after taking their money and belongings, and left the victims for dead on a remote part of the trail until another hiker came upon them about three hours later.
Gregory died at the scene; the surviving victim was hospitalized with critical injuries. A doctor told investigators he was expected to pull through, Greer said.
Greer said the trail is a popular trekking destination on weekends but can be desolate during the week.
Gregory was the owner of the EduComp computer store on Martha's Vineyard and was a longtime town moderator in West Tisbury.
The two men were only about 200 yards from the trail’s entrance when approached by the gun-wielding robber, Tehama County Sheriff Dave Hencratt told KRCR.The thug shot both men before ransacking their pockets and bags and taking off, according to Tehama County Sheriff's Lt. Dave Greer. Both victims were left for dead until they were found three hours later by another hiker, he continued. The grandfather was pronounced dead at the scene, his friend was airlifted to the hospital, the Chico Enterprise-Record reported. Authorities have ruled the shooting suspicious but have not named any suspects. They searched the area with aircraft and came up empty. That is of little solace to Gregory’s loved ones, who posted messages of remembrance on the former school teacher’s Facebook page.
The shooter was described to the Red Bluff Daily News as a thin white male, about six-feet-tall, with short black hair and a black mustache. He was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt, said police.
Gregory is survived by his wife, two children at least one grandchild and his 93-year-old mother