The Paul Joyal Shooting

The most dramatic account I’ve ever seen about the shooting of Paul Joyal (he did survive, and often shows up at Washington DC-area events on Russia), who was a producer on NBC Dateline’s story to report on the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.  Looks like the local police are not pursuing the right leads.

It was raining when Paul Joyal pulled into his driveway in this suburb 10 miles from the White House. As he stepped out of his car, nothing seemed amiss. He did not see two men lurking in the darkness.

But suddenly, he was under attack, cold-cocked on the side of his head. The 55-year-old Joyal fought back. He elbowed one of the attackers in the gut and bowled into him. He and the assailant tumbled to the ground.

“Shoot him!” barked the man he struggled with — and Joyal instinctively folded his arms across his chest and rolled to the side as the other attacker fired.

The bullet ripped through his intestines. Thenthe shooter moved in for a second shot at close range — and pulled thetrigger.

But the gun jammed.

By now,Joyal’s dogs were barking because of the commotion and gunshot, and hisfamily and neighbors were stirring.

Without a word more, the attackers ran, possibly through the sprawling cemetery behind Joyal’s backyard.