2 Slain, Including Abortion Activist

(CBS/AP)  A Michigan prosecutor says a man has been charged in the shooting deaths of an anti-abortion activist and a business owner and that he planned to kill a third man.

Shiawassee County Prosecutor Randy Colbry says Harlan James Drake is accused of shooting 63-year-old James Pouillon and 61-year-old Mike Fuoss Friday morning. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney.

Pouillon was protesting outside a high school about 70 miles northwest of Detroit when he was gunned down in front of horrified students and parents. Authorities say Drake then drove to a gravel pit company and killed Fuoss.

Colbry says Drake intended to kill a third man, but was arrested before Drake could do so.

Officials found Fuoss' body in the office of his gravel production company, Sheriff George Braidwood said. Fuoss and the gunman reportedly knew each other.

Owosso Police Chief Michael Compeau said authorities did not know whether the suspect knew anti-abortion activist Jim Pouillon, 63, who was shot while protesting across the street from the school in the town about 70 miles northwest of Detroit.

No motive was given for the shootings, but Compeau said he believed Pouillon appeared to be a target.

"I would speculate it was ... intended," Compeau said. "He was out protesting right across the street from the high school ... and there (were) multiple people around there and that person was targeted."

Hours after the shootings, authorities working behind yellow crime tape near the school removed Pouillon's oxygen tank and the sign he held - it had a graphic image of an aborted fetus.

Students said Pouillon was a fixture outside the high school and regularly held graphic signs of aborted fetuses.

"I can see someone spitting on him or punching him, but shooting him is pretty stupid. It's not something you expect in Owosso," said 16-year-old Curtis Wisterman.

After the shooting all schools in the district were locked down, but opened up again after the suspect was arrested, said Julie Omer, business manager for Owosso Public Schools.

Troy Newman, president of the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, said he wept when he received word that Pouillon, his friend and colleague, had been killed.

"He was just a kind, gentle man who loved life and endeavored to save other people's lives," Newman said.

Residents who live near the gravel pit company were trying to come to grips with what happened.

Fuoss was very business-oriented, but cordial, said 61-year-old Linda Strieff, a longtime neighbor who stood outside the gravel pit.

[checkthefacts]

No disrespect for the dead, and I fully appreciate the tragic and morally bankrupt nature of Mr. Pouillon's murder, but let's be clear about something: he was anything but "a kind, gentle man." Mr. Pouillon was a cautic, aggressive and violent man who was allegedly divorced by his former (and now deceased) wife due to his frequent drunken beatings of her. He is also reported to have been involved in numerous physical altercations. My fellow members of the pro-life movement would do well to distance ourselves from this man and repel any attempt to hold him out as a hero or martyr for our cause.

[amberviolet75]

hi you all. I have read all of the comments posted. I just wanted to say, many times I saw people say christian's are "this" or "that", this is what they get.. I feel that just because someone practices thier religion, it does not put all in a catergorie. I mean, it is really sad to see people write hateful things about anti abortion people or people that have a core belief system...not all christians want to always be right, or carry guns.I have never met anyone that ever talked about bombs. I know many, that believe that one is free in this country to have thier own beliefs.I thought liberals were open minded enough to see that all should be able to have faith in what is right to them.. I feel hatred, and I just want to get along...kinda scares me... why would you want to talk bad about someones given right here. and the percentage of christians that do the things you hear on the news are minute compared to the amount of christians in the u.s.a. lefts can choose to do right or wrong also.so donthate, when it all comes down, it all comes out to do you Love? do you treat others how you want to be treated? -peace and love

[chitown639]

The ages of all the men involved were about the same, maybe the killer knew both of the victims personally, maybe they all were even friends at one time, and one of the victims just happened to be a anti-abortion activist.

[woeisme1]

This crap is so common anymore the headline could have simply read:

"Lunatic On the Loose Again"

[Lawyers-Guns-n-Money]

To brianbwb-2009

The story is misleading in more ways than one. It presupposes the guy was murdered because of his ideals. From what I understand, after Drake shot and killed Pouillon, he travelled to another location and killed one more person and apparently was planning to kill a third person. The headlines, deliberately or not, suggest the first victim was indeed killed because of his views on abortion. The story possibly suggests this as a motive when the 16 year old interviewed seems to draw the same conclusion based on his reaction.

In all actuality, no motive was given. The headline could have just as easily read 'Gunman Kills Two, Possible Third Victim Targeted.'

[brianbwb-2009]

Agreed, CBS should be paying us for this proofreading and editing.

It does make one wonder why the reporter slanted it thusly, perhaps because the shooting happened in front of a school full of witnesses, and there might have been a desire to explain what the guy was doing there anyway.

At any rate I see no reasonable attempt in the story to suggest that it nay very well have been for other motives, or even just random, as a deeper read suggests.

In light of the dichotomy that most "abortion advocates" tend to be anti gun, just as most anti abortions also tend to be "pro-gun" there is a disconnect in this story, probability suggests a "pro gun" advocate killing a fellow "anti abortion" advocate.

How about it CBS,? We, "Lawyers-Guns-n-Money" and I can help raise the stndard of journalism for your website, giving yuo a one-up on the competition, and for myself, I can work cheaper than the outsourcing you currently use...; )

[brianbwb-2009]

Agreed, CBS should be paying us for this proofreading and editing.

It does make one wonder why the reporter slanted it thusly, perhaps because the shooting happened in front of a school full of witnesses, and there might have been a desire to explain what the guy was doing there anyway.

At any rate I see no reasonable attempt in the story to suggest that it nay very well have been for other motives, or even just random, as a deeper read suggests.

In light of the dichotomy that most "abortion advocates" tend to be anti gun, just as most anti abortions also tend to be "pro-gun" there is a disconnect in this story, probability suggests a "pro gun" advocate killing a fellow "anti abortion" advocate.

How about it CBS,? We, "Lawyers-Guns-n-Money" and I can help raise the stndard of journalism for your website, giving yuo a one-up on the competition, and for myself, I can work cheaper than the outsourcing you currently use...; )

[alanrobisch]

Isn't the guy who is against abortion a hero because he was against abortion and got murdered protesting it peacefully. Nah a liberal obviously won't see it this way. He's a bad man because he opposed abortion so his death is meaningless

[brianbwb-2009]

Your post would make sense if the abortion issue was the only issue to consider, but as we all know, the vast majority of anti-abortionists also share views that can be at best called sociopathic in nature. Most support unnecessary war, and advocate conflict for reasons of ethnicity, political persuasion, religion, or even in the case of people like Beck, something as harmless and trivial as his concept of "culture".

Of a truth, it is the loss of the other aspects of the typical anti abortionist's agenda that benefits society. It is not hic opposition to abortion that makes such people bad, it is the hypocrisy.

[amberviolet75]

brianbwb "we all know" "vast majority" "most" you really should educate yourself on this...what you see is the small amount of weirdos that show up on the news...there is a great-number of people that just want to believe in thier God...(sosciopaths???)why complicate that simple thing, and make judgement:freedom is necisary even for you to believe what you belive. most people as human nature deems, err. we all make mistakes, christians do too, of course. even in the area of judging...but you are also judging. "judge not lest ye be judged" despite differences we NEED to learn to get along

[truth-b-toll]

too bad Joe Wilson was'nt there...

[ljl765]

When Dr Tillman was murdered inside his church people on the anti abortion side bought the murderer an a attorney and have made him some (sick) hero. Glorifying murderers caused this. Abortion is still legal, people forget this fact. Women still have a right to get help and it's no ones business. How is killing a doctor to save a fetus different then this? One is already a person, one isn't. The police didn't help Dr. Tillman did they. Watch Tillmans killer walk and this guy get time. Neither is right, but then the police don't protect women going to their doctor do they. If they did this violence would stop.

[brianbwb-2009]

You have many valid points, but miss the most important, morals cannot stand in the face of materialism, and since eroticism (for lack of a non censor-able word) is actually the coin of the materialism realm, and modern society is inextricably bonded with materialism, then no matter what you teach your kids at home, once they are "out there on their own" they will use whatever means possible to participate in "the realm".

It cannot be avoided, and it works both ways. Abortion is a way of mitigating unwanted side effects that result in more long-term human misery.

So change the concept of materialism, and the need to use eroticism for gain will also change, but it is a currently impossible concept.

[amberviolet75]

I agree, but that is not your typical church. Most pro lifers dont beleive in any sort of murder.....there are definately a few nut jobs out there on both sides...thank God we are not one of them!I really believe they are bipolar, or have some other mental illness. because on a general scale humanity has love in them.

[beachbug1vw]

Abortion is no different than murder! If you kill a baby 1 day after it is born, you are charged with murder. If you kill the same baby a few weeks earlier, it is considered protecting a womans right.
I also do not believe abortion should be illegal. I still feel it is murder, just santioned murder in a secular society. I wish women would not choose it.
But it is a right!

[ljl765]

That is medically not correct. IF these fetus were viable they'd live. No one kills babies.If a woman needs help that far along, ALL measures are taken to save both, but the mother is already a person and must come first.. Abortion is legal, murder is not.You have no business making choices for other people, period. Not even to murder the Dr that helps them while he is in church. Maybe your God understands this murder, most peoples God calls it murder period. Maybe if teens were taught morals at home no abortions would be necessary.

[tmittelstaed]

A fetus in the womb a few weeks earlier than it's birth date is in the 3rd trimester. And Roe v Wade does not prohibit states from restricting abortion in the third trimester - only in the first 2. If your state allows abortions up to 2 weeks before a normal birth then perhaps you should move to a state that does not.

[tmittelstaed]

I am sure that Pouillon would make the claim that what Drake did to him is no different than what an abortion doctor does to an unborn baby. From the sound of it, Pouillon would have also been proud to have died for his cause.

You people who say things like "chalk one up for the other side" don't know what you are talking about. If Drake really did shoot Pouillon for protesting abortion, then today is a black day in the annals of protecting a woman's right to make choices for what happens to her own body. Why? Because someone who claims to be pro-abortion rights has obviously accepted the anti-abortionist's point of view that the Abortion debate is all about killing, and so if it is about killing, then killing abortion protesters is OK.

Abortion is not about killing. It is about protecting people, specifically women. It is about allowing men, and some women, be able to tell a woman what to do with one of the most intimate experiences a woman experiences - pregnancy.

An abortion protester is no different than a rapist. Worse, even, because while the s e x act is a very intimate and personal experience for a woman, and it is a terrible crime for a rapist to take control of a womans body to rape, it is only a short time, it is temporary. Birth is permanent - anti-abortion people want to take control of a woman's body for 9 months then take control of her life for the rest of her life. It has nothing to do with killing, it is all about men wanting to control women.

[cbs_tom]

"Abortion is not about killing". by tmittelstaed September 11, 2009 6:15 PM EDT
? The termination of life of a baby from within a mothers' womb is not killing? But if I destroy eagle eggs I go to prison! The eagle in your wisdom is more important than a human life.

"An abortion protester is no different than a rapist". by tmittelstaed September 11, 2009 6:15 PM EDT

Who in the world dimented your mind? Please take a seat and think about what you wrote. If you still think that your statements are reasonable, you truly need mental support.

[tmittelstaed]

I see you are ignorant of basic biology but I'll try. When a sperm and an egg unite in the womb it creates a fertilized egg. For the first trimester it's not recognizable as anything more than a mass of cells. There is no brain activity until the end of the second trimester. That is why Roe v Wade allowed Abortion to be restricted in the third trimester. Until this mass of cells is born, it is NOT a "baby" It is a fetus. And the majority of time the fetus is in the womb there is no brain activity, thus no consciousness.

You are typical of the anti-abortionists. The anti-abortionists say that a cell mass in a womb is a "baby" which is false - you believe them. They say that removing that fetus is "baby killing" which is also false - you believe them. Both of these presumptions are lies, and you are operating under lies. Simple as that.