Wow.
Over on Xavier Thoughts, the author is always de-constructing scenarios where criminals shoot the good guys, and analysing how these outcomes may have been avoided. I'd like to see his take on this one.
In Dallas at 2:05 Sunday morning, a motorist had a car wreck and was on the side of the road. Two people stopped to help him, and the driver of the wrecked vehicle shot and killed both of them. A second vehicle pulled over to help, and the shooter shot and seriously wounded the third Good Samaritan.
A Dallas Police patrol car then pulled over to render aid to what appeared to be two car accident victims lying on the road, and the shooter shot one of the officers in the face, leg and hand.
Finally, the 20 year old gunman turned the gun on himself and did the world a favor.
It's freaky to have to think twice about helping someone who seems to have been in an accident. The fact is that pretty much at no time in public can one afford to be casual about the threat level when dealing with other people, particularly when things have gone all wobbly on the roadway at 2:05 on a Sunday morning.
Thoughts and prayers are with Senior Cpl Jerry Poston, a good guy who works the CBD in Dallas.
9 comments:
It's easy just to hate the individual concerned but these events almost always occur when the mind is out of balance either because of drink, drugs, mental disorders of emotional trauma. Unfortunately, U.S. gun laws mean that such people, may be armed and extremely dangerous.
Actually, tickers, a lot of folks here would say "Fortunately, US gun laws and particularly Texas' right-to-carry laws allow the average citizen to be as well-armed as the ne'er-do-well outlaw." Guns being outlawed have not eradicated gun violence in any country where this has been enacted. In fact, if you read the story in the link, you'll see that one of the would-be Good Samaritans who survived had a licensed handgun and fired back at the bastard. Too bad he didn't get a better shot at the guy.
In Oakland CA which is a city completely devoid of gunshops, there is a sizable and active criminal element who are very well armed, yet share no legal interest in obtaining guns lawfully. They get their guns the old fashioned way, by stealing them and from the black market.
Meanwhile lawful inhabitants of the city are pretty much disarmed and legally unable to defend themselves under California law which allows for criminal prosecutions if they behave untowardly to the likes of the criminals - who enjoy a revolving-door sentencing policy that is in place in order for Liberals to feel good about themselves. You cannot defend yourself, yet the government will not enforce its own rules in order to appear magnanimous.
I know it's a tired old aphorism, but the more I study the ballistic martial arts, the more I find it to be true: There are no dangerous weapons, there are only dangerous people.
The victims in this case were completely oblivious to their impending peril. The mutant could have just as easily busted their melons with a tire iron as shot them.
It's a dangerous world out there, folks. Ya gotta keep your head in the game! When your primitive lizard brain starts sending you warning signals, please heed them.
dirtcrashr - I HAD to stop for gas in Oakland a few years back, and actually felt not-so-good about doing so, this violent reputation having preceded it. Fortunately, we were back on the freeway in a flash, but sitting in the passenger side as Husband pumped gas, I was eyes-on-stalks and cell-phone at the ready, watching all mirrors and general surroundings. It's too bad that a community like that will screw the people paying for the infrastructure in the name of political correctness. California is exceedingly beautiful in some places, but unless you have a staggering degree of wealth to insulate yourself from this crap somewhat, I'm not sure the beauty and mild weather are worth it.
pdb - I agree - there are some ruthless, vicious people out there. What a lunatic. I listen to my lizard brain, and I'm rarely wrong about that instinct.
One thing that really bums me out about this is this will make other people think twice about helping someone on the roadway. That is one of the great things about Texas--particularly if you are female. I can change my own tire -my dad made sure of that before he set me loose with a car - but I have never made it through jacking up my vehicle before one or more men stop and silently go about the business of changing my tire for me. And not a single one of these men have ever accepted any cash for the favor. Just men being gentleman. I'll bet that doesn't happen for a lady in New Jersey.
The draconian gun laws are the main reason I hesitate to plan a future relocation to San Diego, even though I love it there!
When Silver and I were there a few weeks ago we had an encounter with a bizarre fella, who wanted to find Billy Bob Thornton and suck the blood out of his neckLACE. I told him good luck with that. He also kept asking us if he were bald, that he felt bald, when he actually had long dreadlocks.
I've told Silver, now that she's driving, never to stop to help anyone, because it's sometimes a trick. I told her to call 911 and keep driving. Sad, I know, but unfortunately necessary.
Lord above. There doesn't seem to be any shortage of loonies, does there. Well, one less now, the bastard. Yep, I'm sure it'll make a lot of people think again rather than stop and help someone.
I feel unable to argue my case strongly as I haven't done the research. It may be that if I did, my point of view would change.
I do know, from the UK experience, that gun control in the form of licensing etc is worse than nothing, as those most likely to abuse gun ownership are going to have guns anyway, leaving the responsible citizens with no protection. Following the last round of gun control, whereby guns have to be kept at a club, gun crime in the UK actually increased.
christina - there are some right nutters in California. ANd Silver is a teenage girl - HER safety should always be her first concern. It's another thing entirely for savvy adult women to stop and render aid - we have a little more finely honed instinct for danger and risk, but a girl that age needs to get to a safe place and call authorities. There are just too many predators out there looking for someone exactly like her.
fhb - I'm all for more good people carrying their own licensed handguns, and then cautiously continuing to render aid when possible.
tickersoid - I believe your law is what is at fault for a vulnerable citizenry. No matter what legislation is enacted, the criminal element will ALWAYS have guns - there is simply no way to eradicate that. The only hope is to level the playing field and allow the good decent people to have guns for self-protection. Then I believe thugs in England will be less likely to break into occupied homes to rob the residents.
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