Another school shooting (In CA)

[ericrwalker]

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-...-classr/nMHdf/

OAKLAND, Calif. —

At least five people have been killed and others wounded after a student walked into a classroom at a small independent university located near the Oakland airport and opened fire.

Police confirmed that a suspect was taken in custody in the parking lot of a shopping mall in nearby Alameda.

"We do believe we have detained an individual responsible for the shooting at the college," Oakland police spokeswoman Johnna Watson said.

SWAT teams were also carefully searching the school to locate any more victims and also other possible suspects.

The shooting took place at Oikos University, located at 7850 Edgewater -- in an area of warehouses near the Oakland International Airport.

The Oakland Fire Department said it received the first call of the shooting around 10:50 a.m.

Sources have told KTVU that five people had been fatally shot and many others wounded. Several victims have been loaded into ambulances and at least one deceased victim was covered by a tarp on the sidewalk.

Officials at Oakland's Highland Hospital said four victims have arrived for treatment.

Police said eyewitnesses described the gunman as a male, Asian, heavy build and wearing khaki clothing.

[citizenzen]

Originally Posted by ericrwalker

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-...-classr/nMHdf/

[tongue firmly planted in cheek]

If only everybody in that classroom had a gun!

[/tongue firmly planted in cheek]

[ericrwalker]

Originally Posted by citizenzen

[tongue firmly planted in cheek]

If only everybody in that classroom had a gun!

[/tongue firmly planted in cheek]

I wonder what to make of this. Disarming law abiding citizens is never the way to go, because criminals will always have them.

I just don't know what's going through peoples minds when they are shooting up schools. This time a religious school. I am not going to jump to conclusions on what type of person would do such a thing. I am eager to hear what excuse this guy has.

[torbjoern]

What's with the month of April? The Columbine shooting happened on 4/20, Virginia Tech was on 4/16.

[Andeavor]

Originally Posted by torbjoern

What's with the month of April? The Columbine shooting happened on 4/20, Virginia Tech was on 4/16.

It's Springtime for Hitler... and Germany.

[eric/]

Originally Posted by citizenzen

[tongue firmly planted in cheek]

If only everybody in that classroom had a gun!

[/tongue firmly planted in cheek]

Well, it certainly is possible that 5 people would be alive today had that been the case, or perhaps the shooter never would have attempted such a disgusting act, knowing that he wouldnt e able to walk into one of the most vulnerable places in America and do what he wanted.

You say tongue in cheek, but it's unwarranted.

[torbjoern]

Originally Posted by citizenzen

[tongue firmly planted in cheek]

If only everybody in that classroom had a gun!

[/tongue firmly planted in cheek]

Oh, have you read the novel Battle Royale?

[lewis82]

Originally Posted by ericrwalker

I wonder what to make of this. Disarming law abiding citizens is never the way to go, because criminals will always have them.

Inb4 moving to PRSI...

Just put more restrictions on firearms. The last shooting in Canada was in 2010, and there were no deaths. In fact the USA's list on this article is ridiculously large.

[MacNut]

Well it is Oakland.

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by Macaroony

It's Springtime for Hitler... and Germany.

Still too soon.

[jnpy!$4g3cwk]

There is no single solution to this problem, but, reducing the availability of firearms clearly makes a huge difference in other countries. In addition, many (not all) of such cases involve people who have sought mental health services, which are difficult or impossible for marginally employed people to get access to.

----------

Originally Posted by MacNut

Well it is Oakland.

And your point is?

[MacNut]

Originally Posted by jnpy!$4g3cwk

And your point is?

There has been the worst gang violence in Oakland for the past 30 years. This is nothing new and should not surprise anyone.

[rovex]

Originally Posted by jnpy!$4g3cwk

There is no single solution to this problem.

Amending your constitution would be a good start.

[snberk103]

Originally Posted by ericrwalker

I wonder what to make of this. Disarming law abiding citizens is never the way to go, because criminals will always have them.
....

It might seem so... and yet in countries where they keep guns under very close control have far far fewer gun deaths. Funny that.

There is a very simple reason too. Most victims are shot by somebody who was not in fact a criminal - until in an uncharacteristic moment they shot that person/those people. Most victims are shot by somebody who "snapped" and already had access to a gun. Most victims are shot by somebody who is not thinking logically or dispassionately. What makes the shooters dangerous, at that moment, is that they already have easy access to a gun. They are not thinking clearly enough to care whether anyone else has one. They have one and they are going to use it. Period.

Take that gun access away and you buy time. Time for the shooter to get help, time for someone to notice they need help. Time for the shooter to reconsider. Time for riled emotions to settle.

In the USA there are shootings everyday that involve just one or two people. Just about half of those people shot are shot by a family member in their own home, by a gun kept in home (for protection), during a domestic dispute. And just about a quarter more by friends, during an argument.

These mass shootings - as common as they are in the US - are actually rare in relation to the vast number of domestic dispute shootings that are not picked up in the media.

The number of people shot in the US by a person committing another crime (i.e. a crime unrelated to the shooting) is very very small.

All of these statements can be backed up with stats. But I've had this debate enough times here on MR that I can't be bothered to go look them up. You want my stats.... look up gun threads in the MR archives.

[ericrwalker]

Originally Posted by lewis82

Inb4 moving to PRSI...

Just put more restrictions on firearms. The last shooting in Canada was in 2010, and there were no deaths. In fact the USA's list on this article is ridiculously large.

Gun ownership is quite high in Canada too, is it not?

[Don't panic]

Originally Posted by MacNut

There has been the worst gang violence in Oakland for the past 30 years. This is nothing new and should not surprise anyone.

a shooting at a religious school by a former student (according to early reports) has probably very little to do with gang violence.

honestly, until more is known about the specifics and the motivations of this guy, not much can be said.
one thing that can be said is that the excessively easy access to weapons together with the culture of violence that permeates this country has probably a lot to do with it (and with the rest of the 'vigilante' morons that scour our streets)

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by snberk103

-- Smart-ass quote --

Damn Canadian.

I wanna wear a side-arm.

Road-rage right now is no fun at all.

[ericrwalker]

Originally Posted by iJohnHenry

Damn Canadian.

I wanna wear a side-arm.

Road-rage right now is no fun at all.

Got a song for you. The Offspring - Bad Habit

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by ericrwalker

Gun ownership is quite high in Canada too, is it not?

Yes, long guns and shotguns, but handguns are tightly controlled.

I assume that a handgun(s) was used in this instance?

[ericrwalker]

Originally Posted by iJohnHenry

Yes, long guns and shotguns, but handguns are tightly controlled.

I assume that a handgun(s) was used in this instance?

Similar to here in NY at least. Some states are easy to get handguns and/or permits for them.

[eric/]

Originally Posted by rovex

Amending your constitution would be a good start.

In what way?

[snberk103]

Originally Posted by eric/

In what way?

The part about the right to bear arms, probably. Though perhaps re-interpretting that bit to merely make it permissible for the states to raise their own militias would probably work too.

[eric/]

Originally Posted by snberk103

The part about the right to bear arms, probably. Though perhaps re-interpretting that bit to merely make it permissible for the states to raise their own militias would probably work too.

What part about it? Are you suggesting removing the right to bear arms part?

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by eric/

What part about it? Are you suggesting removing the right to bear arms part?

We've been over this, time and again.

Everyone should be entitled to have a single-shot flintlock rifle in their hall closet.

OK??

[lewis82]

Originally Posted by ericrwalker

Gun ownership is quite high n Canada too, is it not?

As iJohnHenry said. Only rifles and shotguns. Handguns are near impossible to get, you have to go trough lots of paperwork and people having a police record are automatically denied the right. Also, you can't carry the handgun except at certain moments (driving to the shooting range or the gun shop, basically).