What happened to the guy that stole a tank?
Shawn Timothy Nelson (August 21, 1959 – May 17, 1995) was a U.S. Army veteran who stole an M60A3 Patton tank from a California Army National Guard armory in San Diego, California, and went on a rampage on May 17, 1995….Shawn Nelson (criminal)
Shawn Nelson | |
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Cause of death | Gunshot wound |
Spouse(s) | Suzy Hellman ( m. 1984; div. 1990) |
When did a guy steal a tank?
1995
Stolen tank in San Diego in 1995 Try watching this video on www.youtube.com, or enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser. It was unlike any other police chase in San Diego history. The man who stole the tank, plumber Shawn Nelson, eventually crashed it into a freeway divider.
Who shot Shawn Nelson?

When the tank got stuck on a road divider as Nelson drove it through town, Paxton and a few other officers opened the hatch of the tank and ordered Nelson to stop. When Nelson didn’t comply with commands, Officer Rick Piner fired one fatal shot.
Who drove the tank in San Diego?
Shawn Nelson
Shawn Nelson (San Diego Tank Rampage)
Shawn Nelson | |
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Born | Shawn Timothy Nelson (1959-08-21)August 21, 1959 Birdseye, Utah, U.S. |
Died | May 17, 1995(1995-05-17) (aged 35) San Diego, California, U.S. |
Known for | Rampage in San Diego, California |
Spouse(s) | Alexis Ranford (m. 1985-1991; divorced) [citation needed] |
Do tanks tear up roads?
Even a relatively light tank will chew up asphalt roads. Tanks have traditionally been banned from parades in the U.S. due to their use of asphalt-chewing metal tracks.

Why are there military tanks in San Diego?
PUBLISHED: May 22, 2021 at 8:56 a.m. | UPDATED: May 24, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. If you’ve been wondering why military tanks sitting on flatbed rail cars have been passing through Orange County, here’s your answer. The trains are transporting military equipment from Fort Bliss, Texas, to the Port of San Diego.
Has anyone ever pulled a tank?
‘Now I can say that I have won the first-ever tank pull event in the world. ‘ The win was nearly a whole 10 seconds ahead of the runner-up, American Trey Mitchell, who came second with a time of 46.16 seconds. The 195cm tall strongman said pulling the FV102 Striker tank was much harder than other events he’d done.
Who is the owner of Lovesac?
Shawn Nelson founded Lovesac in 1998 and is currently serving as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and as a member of the Board of Directors.
How much is the owner of Lovesac worth?
The estimated Net Worth of Shawn David Nelson is at least $9.57 Million dollars as of 18 October 2021. Mr. Nelson owns over 6,000 units of Lovesac stock worth over $3,277,586 and over the last 3 years he sold LOVE stock worth over $1,621,320.
When was the tank stolen in San Diego?
May 17, 1995
Luckily for San Diego, the tank’s weapons, a 105-millimeter cannon, a 12.7-millimeter antiaircraft gun, and a 7.62-millimeter machine gun, were not loaded. But, for around a half-hour on May 17, 1995, Shawn Nelson took his rage out on the city traffic of San Diego.
Do tracks damage roads?
No, quite to the contrary, the treads tend to distribute the load and put less pressure on the road than a wheeled vehicle of the same weight.
How long do tank treads last?
“On average, the segments of a steel track must be repaired or replaced after just 400 km (250 miles) of use.” The new rubber tracks last more than 3,000 km (1865 miles) before they need to be replaced.
Did you know a man stole a tank and go on rampage?
So that was the story of the time a man stole a tank and went on a rampage in San Diego, California. Though his actions cannot be condoned, it does shed light into how circumstances could lead to someone to commit a crime as well as prompt a discussion concerning mental health and awareness for mental health issues.
What did Richard Nelson say before his tank rampage?
According to San Diego police, in the week before his tank rampage, Nelson told a friend that he was thinking of committing suicide, and the following weekend, told a friend that “Oklahoma was good stuff,” in apparent reference to the Oklahoma City bombing which happened about a month before.
What was the 57-ton tank that plowed through San Diego?
The 57-ton tank easily plowed through road signs, traffic lights, utility poles, and fire hydrants, and crushed approximately forty parked vehicles, including an RV. The damage to utility poles knocked out power to at least 5,100 San Diego Gas & Electric customers in the Linda Vista neighborhood.
What really happened at the San Diego Armory?
At dusk, on Wednesday, May 17, 1995, Nelson drove to the California Army National Guard Armory. The armory, located in the Kearny Mesa neighborhood of San Diego, was coincidently left open instead of being locked after 5 p.m., as usual, that evening. The reason for this was due to employees reportedly working late at the time.