Mass shootings and gun violence are happening way too often

[GrumpyGran]

As time rolls on in the aftermath of this latest horror, I continue, hour after hour, to hear more stories of how our government, people in the area and people close to this guy ignored very clear signs that this guy was ticking time bomb. Actually, a time bomb would not tick as long as this guy did. Very bad events, one after another, acquaintances and close friends told the Air Force and others that he was deranged. He showed the military and law enforcement that he was deranged.

He beat children, shot dogs, threatened people, took weapons on to a military base, escaped from a mental health facility. Yes, I do think that at some point someone in that town should have suggested to law enforcement that they pay him a visit and check into his background. This isn't a person falling through the cracks, this is a person driving a semi through gaps the size of buildings.

[apple1]

1 hour ago, GrumpyGran said:

As time rolls on in the aftermath of this latest horror, I continue, hour after hour, to hear more stories of how our government, people in the area and people close to this guy ignored very clear signs that this guy was ticking time bomb. Actually, a time bomb would not tick as long as this guy did. Very bad events, one after another, acquaintances and close friends told the Air Force and others that he was deranged. He showed the military and law enforcement that he was deranged.

He beat children, shot dogs, threatened people, took weapons on to a military base, escaped from a mental health facility. Yes, I do think that at some point someone in that town should have suggested to law enforcement that they pay him a visit and check into his background. This isn't a person falling through the cracks, this is a person driving a semi through gaps the size of buildings.

This is the exact conversation I had with my husband about this tragedy.

I am not for a blame-the-victim mentality. However - It sure seems to me that this tragedy could have been prevented at any one of NUMEROUS points along the way, up to and including the mother-in-law receiving a text that morning that (seemingly) indicated that he may have intended to do this, and such that she stayed home instead of going to church. One report also indicated that the people at the Valero gas station saw him with body armor and a face mask prior to his going to the church. These seem to me to be the final two of the MANY points at which this could have been either prevented or stopped before these people were killed.

Then the whole long line of the more egregious failures... :-(

[Rachel333]

The latest thing I've seen about that guy is that he claimed to buy animals on Craigslist for target practice and he praised Dylann Roof.

He's kind of the opposite of the Vegas shooter, who had absolutely no history to suggest he would do something like that. I'm not sure if there's a red flag that the Texas shooter didn't exhibit.

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

15 hours ago, Ali said:

Which state should I move to to hopefully keep kids safer if this passes? 

Not here.  We have concealed carry with no permit. And @formergothardite's example of government inspections of cars doesn't apply here. The only inspection for personal cars here is an emissions inspection every other year and even that is only in 2 counties.

We do have NRA safety programs in our public schools. Ask the mother whose toddler shot her in the middle of a Walmart with the gun they pulled out of her purse how much that helped.

There are so many things I love about where I live, but so many other things that are just fucked up.

[Ali]

It's quite different for concealed carry being allowed for everyone in a small church than it is allowed in a large church. If thousands of people attend the church, how are you supposed to know in the heat of the moment that this is a good guy with a gun and not an accomplice? How are you supposed to know that this person is a decent shot and is storing the guns properly? Are nursery workers allowed to concealed carry? If so, I fear repeats of what @WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo? described. My one and a half year old seems to have a six sense for trouble. He would instinctively know that there was a gun in the room and immediately try to get it. He is too young to be taught gun safety.

[GrumpyGran]

5 hours ago, Ali said:

He is too young to be taught gun safety.

All children are too young to be taught gun safety. Children play with toys. We make sure toys are safe. Guns are not safe. A child sees the things you put in their hands as toys. You don't let them play with the stove or in the oven, but if you give them a gun, they instinctively think it's safe. Because you have let them "play" with it. You can tell them the gun is not a toy but they don't understand that. As with many other things, drugs, alcohol, driving, your child believes you are full of shit and they can handle it. Children do not understand the permanence of death until they experience it, year after year, usually with the absence of an older relative who dies.

Here's a personal example of how a child sees this. My sweet step-granddaughter has other grandparents who felt it was important to "teach" her how to shoot a gun. At six. Nothing to be done to prevent it, but she would return from her summer at grandma and grandpa's thrilled about the gun. She could destroy something at a distance. Powerful. At eight she was very angry that her mother would not buy her a gun to shoot. Such is the mind of a child.

[laPapessaGiovanna]

53 minutes ago, GrumpyGran said:

Children play with toys. We make sure toys are safe. Guns are not safe.

That kinder eggs are unsafe enough to be banned while firearms are fine bugs me a lot.

[AmericanRose]

On ‎11‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 11:25 AM, laPapessaGiovanna said:

That kinder eggs are unsafe enough to be banned while firearms are fine bugs me a lot.

I just had that thought at work a few days ago!!

[fraurosena]

Here's one of the 3% who owns the most guns in America.

 

I don't think I've ever said so many WTF's as I did watching this. 

[RosyDaisy]

I just got cold chills. That is so disturbing. What the actual fuck?

[VixenToast]

I had to click out once I got to the mannequins. Effing creepy ass dude. I feel very uncomfortable with his "registered democrat" no trespassing car. Ugh.

[OtterRuletheWorld]

On 11/10/2017 at 10:30 AM, GrumpyGran said:

All children are too young to be taught gun safety. Children play with toys. We make sure toys are safe. Guns are not safe. A child sees the things you put in their hands as toys. You don't let them play with the stove or in the oven, but if you give them a gun, they instinctively think it's safe. Because you have let them "play" with it. You can tell them the gun is not a toy but they don't understand that. As with many other things, drugs, alcohol, driving, your child believes you are full of shit and they can handle it. Children do not understand the permanence of death until they experience it, year after year, usually with the absence of an older relative who dies.

Here's a personal example of how a child sees this. My sweet step-granddaughter has other grandparents who felt it was important to "teach" her how to shoot a gun. At six. Nothing to be done to prevent it, but she would return from her summer at grandma and grandpa's thrilled about the gun. She could destroy something at a distance. Powerful. At eight she was very angry that her mother would not buy her a gun to shoot. Such is the mind of a child.

I am not suggesting that you teach a child gun safety by having them learn how to USE a gun. Kids need to be taught to not touch the gun, get away from the gun as quickly as possible and tell an adult right away.  There is absolutely no way "all children are too young" to be told this.

[GrumpyGran]

On 11/11/2017 at 5:15 PM, fraurosena said:

Here's one of the 3% who owns the most guns in America.

 

I don't think I've ever said so many WTF's as I did watching this. 

Colorado Springs. Yep. No surprise. Land of the Loons. Dangerous Loons.

[formergothardite]

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-norcal-elementary-school-shooting-20171114-story.html

Quote

 

Johnston did not have a total number of victims, but said that “a number” of students had been medically evacuated from the scene.

“We have about 100 law enforcement personnel in Rancho Tehama right now with multiple, multiple scenes,” Johnston said.

“I know that we have [airlifted] a number of students,” he told reporters. “I know that we have children that were attending school in a safe location at this time.”

Officials said the Rancho Tehama area remains on lockdown.

“We have had an active shooter incident at Rancho Tehama Elementary this morning,” read a statement from the Corning Union Elementary School District website. “There are confirmed injuries. We are cooperating with law enforcement during this investigation but do not have specific details at this time.”

 

Let us offer up thoughts and prayers and claim we can do nothing while we wait for the next shooting to happen. 

[GrumpyGran]

I suspect this will also be a domestic situation. There are several scenes, so he or she went on a rampage around the town. So tired of this. How will Donny Dumpy respond? I'm betting with nothing.

[SilverBeach]

19 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-norcal-elementary-school-shooting-20171114-story.html

Let us offer up thoughts and prayers and claim we can do nothing while we wait for the next shooting to happen. 

I was just coming here to post an NPR article about this.

Peace on earth, goodwill to man? Nah. It's hopeless. 

11 minutes ago, GrumpyGran said:

I suspect this will also be a domestic situation. There are several scenes, so he or she went on a rampage around the town. So tired of this. How will Donny Dumpy respond? I'm betting with nothing.

The orange twatface will blame mental illness of course. Thoughts and prayers my ass. America is a sad and violent place.

 

[laPapessaGiovanna]

There are at least 4 fatalities, 5 counting the shooter

Quote

At least five people are dead, including the gunman, after a shooting Tuesday in Northern California's Tehama County, Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston said.

Police fatally shot the attacker after reports of at least seven shooting scenes, including an elementary school, Johnston said.

The violence started with an apparent domestic dispute, according to neighbors, and spread out with the suspect "randomly picking targets," Johnston said.

The Corning Union Elementary School District said part of the shooting spree occurred at Rancho Tehama Elementary School.

Some students were transported to hospitals by helicopter, and others were moved to safe locations, the assistant sheriff's said.

At least one student was shot at the elementary school, and another child was shot in a truck along with an adult female, Johnston said.

Three children and an adult are being treated at Enloe Medical Center in Chico, officials said. Their conditions were not available.

Police were still trying to get an accurate count of the injured, Johnston said.

A semi-automatic rifle and two handguns believed to be used by the gunman, who engaged police in a shootout, have been recovered, according to Johnston.

 

[Rachel333]

And apparently he was another felon who shouldn't have been able to get a gun.

From one article I read about it:

Quote

 

Flint said he and his roommate told authorities that their neighbor was acting "crazy" and threatening them.

Flint said the neighbor had been shooting "hundreds of rounds" from large magazines.

 

 

[kacarlton]

4 hours ago, formergothardite said:

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-norcal-elementary-school-shooting-20171114-story.html

Quote

 
Johnston did not have a total number of victims, but said that “a number” of students had been medically evacuated from the scene.
“We have about 100 law enforcement personnel in Rancho Tehama right now with multiple, multiple scenes,” Johnston said.
“I know that we have [airlifted] a number of students,” he told reporters. “I know that we have children that were attending school in a safe location at this time.”
Officials said the Rancho Tehama area remains on lockdown.
“We have had an active shooter incident at Rancho Tehama Elementary this morning,” read a statement from the Corning Union Elementary School District website. “There are confirmed injuries. We are cooperating with law enforcement during this investigation but do not have specific details at this time.”
 

Let us offer up thoughts and prayers and claim we can do nothing while we wait for the next shooting to happen. 

Exactly. I’m about to lose my mind my heart is so sick over this.
 

I just tweeted this in response to one of those gun nuts who is saying this shooting means we can’t
Keep guns out of criminals’ hands therefore we need more guns. Now I’ll just sit back and wait for the attacks. #bringit

And yet they do in all the other developed nations. So what’s different about us, aside from our insane access to guns?

[candygirl200413]

So this is what he tweeted

Spoiler

 

 

Also read the gunman wanted to kill more kids but since they were on lockdown it saved so many young lives. Forever disgusted.

[fraurosena]

13 hours ago, GrumpyGran said:

How will Donny Dumpy respond? I'm betting with nothing

Well, @GrumpyGran, surprise! He did respond. With this:

Yes, you read that right. He's commiserating with Sutherland Springs, Texas. 

[Howl]

So many things happened that made this not be the next Sandy Hook.  A mom drove to the school and honked her horn and made sure the school was alerted.  The school was able to lock doors.  The kids were drilled to get under their desks.  Beyond all reason, an unarmed man who saw the shooter at the school said something like, Hey, why, why don't you shoot over here? and was grazed by a bullet, but it drew the shooter's attention away from the kids. 

But this was SO CLOSE to being the next Sandy Hook.  And will anything happen?  No, no it won't.  If these were "terrorist" attacks......wait, WAIT A DAMN MINUTE.  These ARE terrorist attacks.  We're being terrorized.  And not one damn thing will change. 

Last week, on the same weekend as Sutherland Springs, a drunk guy was driving up and down the Interstate and on nearby streets randomly shooting out the window of his car at other cars, with an automatic weapon.  One place that reported shots is less than a mile from my house.  He wounded four people, including a child before being found by police, who took him into custody. This somehow was not deemed particularly newsworthy, and didn't get a lot of coverage in the paper. 

 

[GrumpyGran]

14 hours ago, candygirl200413 said:

So this is what he tweeted

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

Also read the gunman wanted to kill more kids but since they were on lockdown it saved so many young lives. Forever disgusted.

*shaking my head* He's insensitive and stupid. I wonder how the people of Tehama county feel about him now. They voted 2 to 1 for him and he doesn't even know who they are. Mr LaMalfa is probably in his office in DC cursing up a storm since he'd like to hold on to that Congressional seat next year.

I know how and why he missed this but, seriously, is anyone around him awake?

[kacarlton]

Just saw a report that police were called out to his place Monday for domestic violence. Will look for link and add.

I can’t even with this bs. How about if the military and law enforcement just did their jobs?

ETA link and quote.

Quote

Authorities confirmed that Neal was out on bail for allegedly stabbing one of his neighbors in January and that they responded to his home the day before the deadly rampage on a domestic violence call.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/11/15/california-gunmans-mother-says-was-frustrated-by-ongoing-feud-with-neighbors.html

[fraurosena]

 

56 minutes ago, kacarlton said:

[...] and that they responded to his home the day before the deadly rampage on a domestic violence call.

And after that domestic violence call, he went and killed his wife and put her under the floorboards before going out on his shooting spree. 

Northern California Gunman Killed Wife Before Shooting Spree

Quote

The death toll in a Northern California shooting rampage rose to five on Wednesday after the authorities said they found the body of the gunman’s wife hidden under the floor of the couple’s house.

The gunman, identified by the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office as Kevin Janson Neal, killed his wife, shot neighbors, attacked an elementary school and drove through the small rural community, firing at motorists early on Tuesday morning. He killed a total of five people and injured 10, including seven children, before he was killed by the police. One child who was shot at the school was in critical condition on Wednesday.

The shooting spree lasted around 25 minutes and took place at different locations across the unincorporated community of Rancho Tehama Reserve, Phil Johnston, assistant sheriff of Tehama County, told reporters on Wednesday.

Mr. Johnston said investigators believed that the killing of Mr. Neal’s wife was what started the rampage.

“I really don’t know what his motive was,” Mr. Johnston said. “I think he was just on a rampage. I think he had a desire to kill as many people as he could.”

Mr. Neal’s sister told The Associated Press that her brother had a history of mental illness.

The police said the school’s decision to order a lockdown prevented many more children from being killed. A statement by the Corning Elementary School District said the Rancho Tehama Elementary School “was able to go on lockdown very quickly and effectively, which prevented any further injury or violence.”

Mr. Johnston said that investigators had reviewed video from the school’s security system that showed the gunman walking the hallways and entering a restroom, but appearing to get frustrated that the classroom doors were locked.

Mr. Johnston said that before the shooting, the sheriff’s office had received complaints from neighbors that Mr. Neal would fire weapons at his home, often at odd hours. He was on bail on charges of stabbing a neighbor in January.

Mr. Johnston said Mr. Neal was under surveillance by deputies, but that they had never witnessed previous incidents of gunfire.

This is what you get if you allow people with a history of mental illness to legally buy guns. So thanks, GOP. Thanks NRA.  For the sake of making a buck, you are willing to taint your hands with the blood of all these innocent victims.