Gun crime even in Britain [modified]

code_wiz

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20100603/tuk-police-may-never-know-motive-for-mas-dba1618.html[^] I can't believe this can happen in Britain. I have heard of mentally retarted twits like this in USA killing people at random for fun, but i cannot believe this can happen in Britain. There have never been random shooting rampage like this in the UK for a long time. Its a shame that this b*****d goes aroun dkilling people at random who are not connected to him in any way, just because he has had a family fued. I wonder if innocent people can even dare to walk in the streets in day light anymore. Such a non-sensical barbaric act.

modified on Thursday, June 3, 2010 4:20 PM

Nish Nishant · modified on Thursday, June 3, 2010 4:20 PM

There was absolutely no need to take a pot shot at the US by taking advantage of a tragedy. :|

Regards, Nish

Blog: blog.voidnish.com Most recent article: An MVVM friendly approach to adding system menu entries in a WPF application

jeron1 · modified on Thursday, June 3, 2010 4:20 PM

Would it have been more palatable if a knife was used?

Christian Graus

Well, to be fair, the US has such a huge rate of crimes like this compared to the rest of the world, that it's another thing where the rest of the world shakes their head sadly and says 'only in America'. They invented it, and they are the touchstone for it. That doesn't mean there are not lunatics in other parts of the world, of course.

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. Read my blog to find out how I've worked around bugs in Microsoft tools and frameworks.

thrakazog · modified on Thursday, June 3, 2010 4:20 PM

code_wiz wrote:

I have heard of mentally retarted twits like this in USA killing people at random for fun, but i cannot believe this can happen in Britain.

You don't think Britain has its own share of retards? Come on out of that cave there's a whole world out here.

Joe Simes · modified on Thursday, June 3, 2010 4:20 PM

Well you guys have Dunblane [^]to parallel our Columbine[^]. There are nutters everywhere. I believe that the availability of handguns makes these type of tragedies more plentiful. :((

Christian Graus

You know, I get your point, and Nishes. In a public, worldwide forum, that was perhaps not a smart thing to say. But, hate to break it to you, outside of the US, people do talk this way. I'm sure the news we get is skewed, but a lot of people have a mental picture of the US that's based on stories of school shootings, etc. I have no doubt that in Britain, a LOT of people are saying to each other, 'we are turning in to America'. Now, you are right, it only takes one moron. I live in Tasmania, a quiet island state off the coast of Australia, which still has an awesome, laid back lifestyle. We also have ( had ? ) the record for the most people killed by a random shooter. It only takes one person, and it could happen anywhere. It's just more likely to happen when people have easy access to guns.

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. Read my blog to find out how I've worked around bugs in Microsoft tools and frameworks.

Christian Graus

He would not have got as far with a knife.

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. Read my blog to find out how I've worked around bugs in Microsoft tools and frameworks.

Distind · modified on Thursday, June 3, 2010 4:20 PM

code_wiz wrote:

I wonder if innocent people can even dare to walk in the streets in day light anymore.

Check the odds of getting hit by something like this to the odds of dying in a car accident, or perhaps falling down your own stairs. It's a safe bet that someone like this won't find you, but you can lose even safe bets some of the time.

QuiJohn · modified on Thursday, June 3, 2010 4:20 PM

code_wiz wrote:

I can't believe this can happen in Britain. I have heard of mentally retarted twits like this in USA killing people at random for fun, but i cannot believe this can happen in Britain.

Here's a list you should maybe read.[^]

He said, "Boy I'm just old and lonely, But thank you for your concern, Here's wishing you a Happy New Year." I wished him one back in return.

Joe Simes

Christian Graus wrote:

I have no doubt that in Britain, a LOT of people are saying to each other, 'we are turning in to America'

I had a roommate back when I was in college that was from England. She was a hottie but that is besides the point. :-D She was amazed at the fact that the coppers over here in America all carried guns. She said that there were no guns in the UK (this was back in the early 90's). I am older now and I have quite a few friends in the UK and from what I understand guns are more prevalent than they were 15 or 20 years ago. So yes the UK is turning into America. Blair = Bush and all that! But it is always the bad stuff that gets noticed. No one wants Levi's anymore! :(

thrakazog

I have a fair understanding of the kettle of crazy the rest of world believes America to be. My comment was more about how he didn't think anyone in darling old Britain could ever be batshit crazy. Those people are everywhere. And yes, the US does take the prize for heavily arming as many as possible... myself included :-D

Lost User · modified on Thursday, June 3, 2010 4:20 PM

code_wiz wrote:

I wonder if innocent people can even dare to walk in the streets in day light anymore.

You may as well ask "why do people get out of bed in the morning if there is the slightest chance that they might stumble and fall down the stairs". Get it in proportions Code_Wiz and stop over-reacting, crime of this kind is not in any sense of the words a "normal occurrence"

ragnaroknrol

Funny, some guys got quite far with box cutters... It isn't about the weapon, it is about the circumstances allowing the weapon to be used for greatest effect.

If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.

Christian Graus

ragnaroknrol wrote:

Funny, some guys got quite far with box cutters...

People were stupid. That won't happen again. But, if those people had started to actually hurt folks with box cutters, they would not have lasted long.

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. Read my blog to find out how I've worked around bugs in Microsoft tools and frameworks.

Christian Graus

Australia is also turning into the US, to my disgust. Not because it's always a BAD thing, but because I wish we could just be Australian and not try to be the same as people elsewhere. The US is doing fine without our blind hero worship.

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. Read my blog to find out how I've worked around bugs in Microsoft tools and frameworks.

Pete OHanlon · modified on Thursday, June 3, 2010 4:20 PM

I was talking to somebody tonight who was friends with the solicitor that was murdered. He's, understandably, devastated about it.

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CaptainSeeSharp

Supposedly the world trade center was destroyed by a few terrorist with box cutters.

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CaptainSeeSharp · modified on Thursday, June 3, 2010 4:20 PM

Why don't you petition the government to ban guns?

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Lost User · modified on Thursday, June 3, 2010 4:20 PM

(The following is only partially tongue in cheek...) Hey, look at it this way - at least people in the US would be able to give accurate testimony regarding the weapon(s) used. Can't find the BBC story at the moment, but... one witness, widely quoted, described how the perp stalked his first victims around a taxi stand. The witness repeatedly described the weapon, which he saw up close, as a 'shotgun with a scope'. First, come on - a shotgun and a scope are kind of mutually exclusive concepts. The police said he had a .22 with a scope, and a shotgun. Anyone with the faintest knowledge of firearms would never mistake a .22 for a shotgun, especially when viewing the business end from up close. Admittedly, the witness was probably a little rattled, but still. A likely explanation is that the guy is only familiar with long guns in the context of skeet shooting clubs (that he would never belong to), so he had no idea what kind of weapon he was looking at and he called it the only type he was even vaguely familiar with. Now, an American would have been able to distinguish the guage or caliber of the weapon ... and a good American would have used his own large-caliber handgun to take the bastard down. I mean this guy drove around for how long (?) through rural areas, from town to town... while the radio broadcast warnings to all and sundry. Crowds were hiding in pubs... if that had been Wyoming, fucker would have had his head blown off within minutes of the alarm having been raised. ;P

L u n a t i c F r i n g e

modified on Thursday, June 3, 2010 8:23 PM