University student fights off a gun with sword

An MTSU student with the help of his roommate Wednesday night defended himself with a samurai sword after a gun-wielding robber forced his way inside their apartment.

Tyler Michaels, of Wenlon Drive, told WSMV-TV that a man with a gun approached him as he smoked a cigarette outside his off-campus apartment at about 11:30 p.m.

The suspect, Dedrick Gaines, allegedly asked Michaels to empty his pockets before entering the apartment, where Michaels gave him $20 before wrestling the gun away from Gaines.

Michael’s roommate, Andrew Perez, assisted by breaking the wooden sheath of a samurai sword over Gaines’ head before Murfreesboro Police arrived.

Gaines faces multiple assault, burglary and weapons charges, according to WSMV.

Michaels sustained two black eyes and received stitches.

“He was hitting me and everything,” Michaels told WSMV. “I’m not going to lie; I took a beating in order to get that gun.”

Perez told WSMV the sword was an effective weapon to help his roommate.

“It’s pretty intimidating,” Perez said. “I would be scared of it, and that’s when he [Gaines] calmed down.”

Sgt. Kyle Evans, of the Murfreesboro police, told WSMV the gun Gaines used was “stolen out of Memphis.”