What would you do about Virginia Tech?

[iron81]

If you haven't heard, a lone gunman killed 20+ people at Virginia Tech University. As much as I would like to wait to do this until tomorrow, they've already started arguing in BBV4Life and OOT. So, what would you do about this kind of thing?

[MasterLJ]

Let's make some fair assumptions first.

1. Gunmen had firearms illegally (due to age or bringing them onto campus, or storing them on campus).
2. Gunmen would have had firearms illegally if firearms were banned in the US.
3. Armed maniac + unarmed victims = mass murder.

[onthebutton]

This was a "gun free zone", btw.

[whiskeytown]

until the facts are in, I don't know what kind of meaningful discussion we can contribute but that's never stopped this forum before.

that is an unreal number of fatalities even for an assault rifle - and what, two seperate incidents over two hrs?

I PRAY it wasn't a returning Army/Marine Veteran, but to be totally blunt/frank, you don't get that kind of casuality rate from jim bob and his 9mm ruger in the glovebox - that sounds like an assault rifle and someone with some serious training/planning and about 4 banana clips - wonder what the wounded numbers are?

I'm worried it's going to be a vet with PTSD who had a breakdown - that would be about the worst possible scenario I can imagine,

but packing a Glock to Physics 101 isn't the answer.

rb

[Johnny Drama]

I think they're saying he had two 9MMs and lots of clips of ammo.

[whiskeytown]

[ QUOTE ]
I think they're saying he had two 9MMs and lots of clips of ammo.

[/ QUOTE ]

well, we already have laws that limit the number of shells for some of the high capacity automatics, so he probably had some from before the bill was passed which I believe were still legal.

so I doubt more laws will make a difference.

rb

[onthebutton]

[ QUOTE ]
you don't get that kind of casuality rate from jim bob and his 9mm ruger in the glovebox - that sounds like an assault rifle and someone with some serious training/planning and about 4 banana clips - wonder what the wounded numbers are?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't agree. I think this would be pretty easy to do in this setting for someone with any sort of background with guns---even something as benign as hunting or target shooting. Think about it: crowded buildings with few exits and herds of panicked people.

Personally, I don't think it's out of the question at all that this was someone with two handguns or something.

[MasterLJ]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I think they're saying he had two 9MMs and lots of clips of ammo.

[/ QUOTE ]

well, we already have laws that limit the number of shells for some of the high capacity automatics, so he probably had some from before the bill was passed which I believe were still legal.

so I doubt more laws will make a difference.

rb

[/ QUOTE ]

If you possess high caps purchased before 2000, they are legal. That being said, no college-aged kid today can own those legally.

Dids said it best in another thread, that no amount of gun control could have stopped this.

IMO, this situation highlights why a 100% ban on firearms doesn't work. Criminals don't care.

How would this story be changed if a gun-toting responsible student put an end to the gunman's life?

[whiskeytown]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
you don't get that kind of casuality rate from jim bob and his 9mm ruger in the glovebox - that sounds like an assault rifle and someone with some serious training/planning and about 4 banana clips - wonder what the wounded numbers are?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't agree. I think this would be pretty easy to do in this setting for someone with any sort of background with guns---even something as benign as hunting or target shooting. Think about it: crowded buildings with few exits.

Personally, I don't think it's out of the question at all that this was someone with two handguns or something.

[/ QUOTE ]

but it seems to me the experience in these incidents has been a high wound rate/lower kill rate. It's not like Bruce Willis or Chow Yun-Fat in the real world - (usually) -

with 20 wounded and 20+ killed, he must have had a lot of students cornered off and went in there with both guns blazing -

it would explain how he could go from one shooting to the next without setting off a panic - it makes concealing the weapons easier.

at the least, I'd imagine he's had handgun training.

rb

[Metric]

Well the dorm system there is already treated like a prison -- "gun free" and it goes into "lockdown" during trouble. Maybe the frontrunning presidential canditates can get some publicity pushing for guard towers, spotlights, and german sheperds at every dorm.