Gunman kills four in Northern California shooting spree

[Gerald]

(Reuters) - A gunman carrying a semi-automatic weapon and two handguns opened fire at multiple locations across a small Northern California community on Tuesday, killing four people before he was slain by police.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ca...-idUSKBN1DE2IL

[vienna]

There have been news reports in the last couple of hours the killer was on the way to entering an elementary school, but, fortunately, the school was advised of the gunman of the loose and initiated a lock-down and was able to lock and secure the doors just as he arrived, very likely saving the children and staff from harm...






<O>

[GoldenRivet]

thank God for all those strict gun laws in California

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by vienna

There have been news reports in the last couple of hours the killer was on the way to entering an elementary school, but, fortunately, the school was advised of the gunman of the loose and initiated a lock-down and was able to lock and secure the doors just as he arrived, very likely saving the children and staff from harm...

Glad to hear that.

[Méo]

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

thank God for all those strict gun laws in California

I don't think it's quite fair to condemn a whole legislation because of a single event.

As usual, it might sound boring, but we have to look at the statistics to see the big picture.



This picture include suicide, but you can take a look at the top 20 deadliest mass shootings if you wish.

And remember that California has by far the highest population in the U.S with 12.15% followed by Texas with 8.62%.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_s..._United_States

There are several factors that work together to create a fertile environment for mass murder the United States. Those factors include: relatively high accessibility of guns, acute copycat phenomenon, desire for fame, widespread chronic gap between people's expectations for themselves and their actual achievement, and individualistic culture. It is debated whether mental illness is a factor. Many of the mass shooters in the U.S. were mentally ill, but the estimated number of mental illness cases hasn't increased as significantly as the number of mass shootings, which tripled from year 2011 to 2014.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by vienna

There have been news reports in the last couple of hours the killer was on the way to entering an elementary school, but, fortunately, the school was advised of the gunman of the loose and initiated a lock-down and was able to lock and secure the doors just as he arrived, very likely saving the children and staff from harm...






<O>

Nice one.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Méo

I don't think it's quite fair to condemn a whole legislation because of a single event.

As usual, it might sound boring, but we have to look at the statistics to see the big picture.



This picture include suicide, but you can take a look at the top 20 deadliest mass shootings if you wish.

And remember that California has by far the highest population in the U.S with 12.15% followed by Texas with 8.62%.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_s..._United_States

Nice listed.

[vienna]

Elementary school's 'heroic' staff 'defeated evil' with 'flawless' lockdown, superintendent says --

http://abcnews.go.com/US/elementary-...ry?id=51165744






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[HW3]

Gunman's wife found dead under floorboards at home, most likely first victim, death total now 5.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Méo

I don't think it's quite fair to condemn a whole legislation because of a single event.

As usual, it might sound boring, but we have to look at the statistics to see the big picture.

This picture include suicide, but you can take a look at the top 20 deadliest mass shootings if you wish.

And remember that California has by far the highest population in the U.S with 12.15% followed by Texas with 8.62%.

Fair point, I truly think there is a culture shift that accounts for a lot of this mass shooting phenomena. The 24 hour news cycle and barrage of news-as-entertainment creates an attraction for distressed and unbalanced individuals. No doubt that the huge number of firearms in our country plays a part, but there were a lot of weapons available before Columbine and I don't recall mass shootings were this prominent in the news and media.

[Buddahaid]

This event WAS preventable and it doesn't take 20/20 hindsight to see that. The gunman had been stripped of his right to own guns based on previous weapons and assault charges, had his neighbors complaining of him shooting, and the Sheriff's Dept. failed to do more than knock on his door a couple of times which he didn't answer.