Thoughts and prayers...

[dgies9156]

Forget the thoughts and prayers for a minute. I have a great deal of compassion, but it's time we started asking some real questions, such as:

1) What is the civilian use of an AR-15 rifle? I don't think people deer hunt with it and it's ineffective on birds. I don't get why we need these things in civilian hands. These are military grade weapons and should be used for military purposes. We don't allow people to own other types of military grade weapons, such as nuclear weapons, hand grenades, mortars, F16s and B52s, so someone please explain why we allow AR-15s in civilian hands. It's not a Second Amendment issue and if it is, pass me an atom bomb!

2) Do we have a child welfare system or don't we? Oh, and I don't mean passing out money. I mean a mental health system that acknowledges that some children need more help than their parents can handle. And, deal with it! Of course, it costs money. But how much is it going to cost to incarcerate this young man for what likely will be the rest of his life. Georgia needs a pound of flesh, so he'll be charged in adult court with murder and convicted. Unless the jury votes to make the young man a crispy critter (and I wouldn't put that one past Georgia either), they'll be paying far more to house, feed, medicate and hospitalize this young man than it will to treat him for mental illness. And, perhaps, four people walking the earth on Monday might still be alive today.

3) School Security Needs an Overhaul. Metal detectors might not be a bad idea as would be screening of all bags coming into a school. Communities need to begin to understand the police are not the enemy and there needs to be resource officers at schools. The principal at my school thought of the police as barbaric enemies. They aren't. And in Georgia, it might give the police something to do other than enforce trivial traffic violations.

Just a thought!

[Uncle Rico]

Forget the thoughts and prayers for a minute. I have a great deal of compassion, but it's time we started asking some real questions, such as:

1) What is the civilian use of an AR-15 rifle? I don't think people deer hunt with it and it's ineffective on birds. I don't get why we need these things in civilian hands. These are military grade weapons and should be used for military purposes. We don't allow people to own other types of military grade weapons, such as nuclear weapons, hand grenades, mortars, F16s and B52s, so someone please explain why we allow AR-15s in civilian hands. It's not a Second Amendment issue and if it is, pass me an atom bomb!

2) Do we have a child welfare system or don't we? Oh, and I don't mean passing out money. I mean a mental health system that acknowledges that some children need more help than their parents can handle. And, deal with it! Of course, it costs money. But how much is it going to cost to incarcerate this young man for what likely will be the rest of his life. Georgia needs a pound of flesh, so he'll be charged in adult court with murder and convicted. Unless the jury votes to make the young man a crispy critter (and I wouldn't put that one past Georgia either), they'll be paying far more to house, feed, medicate and hospitalize this young man than it will to treat him for mental illness. And, perhaps, four people walking the earth on Monday might still be alive today.

3) School Security Needs an Overhaul. Metal detectors might not be a bad idea as would be screening of all bags coming into a school. Communities need to begin to understand the police are not the enemy and there needs to be resource officers at schools. The principal at my school thought of the police as barbaric enemies. They aren't. And in Georgia, it might give the police something to do other than enforce trivial traffic violations.

Just a thought!

I need my AR-15 for when the dumbocraps make me commie

[rocky_warrior]

1) What is the civilian use of an AR-15 rifle? I don't think people deer hunt with it and it's ineffective on birds. I don't get why we need these things in civilian hands. These are military grade weapons and should be used for military purposes. We don't allow people to own other types of military grade weapons, such as nuclear weapons, hand grenades, mortars, F16s and B52s, so someone please explain why we allow AR-15s in civilian hands. It's not a Second Amendment issue and if it is, pass me an atom bomb!

Not an answer to your question.  I am friends with an number of gun geeks.  Really, geeks (engineers) that like guns.  Many of them think the AR-15 is cool, and fun.  I guess it's akin to using an iPhone vs a flip phone.  The "tech" makes it good.

But no, most of them hunt, and not with an AR-15 style rifle.

[Jockey]

Yes, if there's probable cause kids who threaten school shootings should face some kind of consequence in the juvenile system.


Possibly.
What do you mean by allow?
What do you mean by access?
Is the mere presence of a gun access? Does the presence of a gun confer upon a minor permission to possess it? If the gun is put away, but the kid knows where to find it, qualify as allowing access?

Thanks for the reply. I'm not disagreeing with you even though it may sound that way when just reading someone's posts.

As far as access - Because of threats the kid made and his requests for mental help, all guns should have been removed from the home. If the parents want to sue, let them.

[lawdog77]

Thanks for the reply. I'm not disagreeing with you even though it may sound that way when just reading someone's posts.

As far as access - Because of threats the kid made and his requests for mental help, all guns should have been removed from the home. If the parents want to sue, let them.

Especially if the dad called them hunting guns to the police. Have them stored off-site and use them during hunting season, and drop them back off-site at the end of the hunting trip.

[Pakuni]

As far as access - Because of threats the kid made and his requests for mental help, all guns should have been removed from the home. If the parents want to sue, let them.

Problem is, there's no legal mechanism to take the guns away. There should be, but there isn't. Blaming the cops here because they didn't break the law seems unfair. That's why I see this as more of a political problem than a law enforcement one.

If the cops seized their guns unlawfully and the parents sued, they'd have them back in a matter of weeks, if not days.

[Hards Alumni]

Not an answer to your question.  I am friends with an number of gun geeks.  Really, geeks (engineers) that like guns.  Many of them think the AR-15 is cool, and fun.  I guess it's akin to using an iPhone vs a flip phone.  The "tech" makes it good.

But no, most of them hunt, and not with an AR-15 style rifle.

Yeah, they're fun to shoot.  They're highly moddable.  Personally, I think any gun that isn't a hunting gun (to a reasonable person) nor a handgun should be fired at ranges only and be stored at the place they're fired. 

As always, "time and place".

[wadesworld]

Problem is, there's no legal mechanism to take the guns away. There should be, but there isn't. Blaming the cops here because they didn't break the law seems unfair. That's why I see this as more of a political problem than a law enforcement one.

Yup.

[Pakuni]

Especially if the dad called them hunting guns to the police. Have them stored off-site and use them during hunting season, and drop them back off-site at the end of the hunting trip.

What's the legal mechanism to accomplish this, counselor?

[dgies9156]

Not an answer to your question.  I am friends with an number of gun geeks.  Really, geeks (engineers) that like guns.  Many of them think the AR-15 is cool, and fun.  I guess it's akin to using an iPhone vs a flip phone.  The "tech" makes it good.

But no, most of them hunt, and not with an AR-15 style rifle.

Brother Rocky:

There's a lot of things that I think are cool and fun! An Indy Car in my driveway might be one. But the notion of allowing an Indy Car on the street for a trip to, say, church or the grocer, is absurd. And, many like to collect cars and use them occasionally. But are they really going to take an Indy Car down A1A on a Sunday morning? Doubtful.

As a country, we regulate weapons. The military grade AR-15 should be in the same category with hand grenades, mortars and cruise missiles. Owned by the military. Period!

[Hards Alumni]

Brother Rocky:

There's a lot of things that I think are cool and fun! An Indy Car in my driveway might be one. But the notion of allowing an Indy Car on the street for a trip to, say, church or the grocer, is absurd. And, many like to collect cars and use them occasionally. But are they really going to take an Indy Car down A1A on a Sunday morning? Doubtful.

As a country, we regulate weapons. The military grade AR-15 should be in the same category with hand grenades, mortars and cruise missiles. Owned by the military. Period!

If you ban AR's, gun owners will just find the closest analog... and there are a lot.  Like, a whole lot.

[jesmu84]

We are an unserious country that has no real interest in solving this problem.

We need to stop calling June, July and August "summer break" and start calling it "school shooting break"

[Jockey]

Problem is, there's no legal mechanism to take the guns away. There should be, but there isn't. Blaming the cops here because they didn't break the law seems unfair. That's why I see this as more of a political problem than a law enforcement one.

If the cops seized their guns unlawfully and the parents sued, they'd have them back in a matter of weeks, if not days.

"Promote the general welfare".

Making an effort to stop a mentally unstable person who has threatened mass murder is definitely an attempt to promote general welfare.

We complicate things way too much.

[jficke13]

"Promote the general welfare".

Making an effort to stop a mentally unstable person who has threatened mass murder is definitely an attempt to promote general welfare.

We complicate things way too much.

Not trying to be a jerk, but where does this expression come from? Did I miss it somewhere?

[Jockey]

Not trying to be a jerk, but where does this expression come from? Did I miss it somewhere?

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

[The Sultan]

Not trying to be a jerk, but where does this expression come from? Did I miss it somewhere?

From the preamble of the Constitution I guess. Not sure how that is relevant here.

I don't really want law enforcement to act under a mandate that broad anyway.

[jficke13]

Ah, I guess I thought it was tethered to some actual expression of police powers or the practical standards by which police powers are governed/executed. It was more of an aspirational thing. Roger.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Did everyone else read through that with School House Rock playing in the back of their brain?

[ATL MU Warrior]

Forget the thoughts and prayers for a minute. I have a great deal of compassion, but it's time we started asking some real questions, such as:

1) What is the civilian use of an AR-15 rifle? I don't think people deer hunt with it and it's ineffective on birds. I don't get why we need these things in civilian hands. These are military grade weapons and should be used for military purposes. We don't allow people to own other types of military grade weapons, such as nuclear weapons, hand grenades, mortars, F16s and B52s, so someone please explain why we allow AR-15s in civilian hands. It's not a Second Amendment issue and if it is, pass me an atom bomb!

2) Do we have a child welfare system or don't we? Oh, and I don't mean passing out money. I mean a mental health system that acknowledges that some children need more help than their parents can handle. And, deal with it! Of course, it costs money. But how much is it going to cost to incarcerate this young man for what likely will be the rest of his life. Georgia needs a pound of flesh, so he'll be charged in adult court with murder and convicted. Unless the jury votes to make the young man a crispy critter (and I wouldn't put that one past Georgia either), they'll be paying far more to house, feed, medicate and hospitalize this young man than it will to treat him for mental illness. And, perhaps, four people walking the earth on Monday might still be alive today.

3) School Security Needs an Overhaul. Metal detectors might not be a bad idea as would be screening of all bags coming into a school. Communities need to begin to understand the police are not the enemy and there needs to be resource officers at schools. The principal at my school thought of the police as barbaric enemies. They aren't. And in Georgia, it might give the police something to do other than enforce trivial traffic violations.

Just a thought!

Regarding #3, I live maybe 30 miles from where this shooting occurred.  In the county I live in, there are sheriff deputies in each and every school. They have also hardened the entries to the schools so that someone has to buzz visitors in through a second set of doors after you enter a vestibule and enter your ID into a computer. Not perfect I'm sure, but efforts have been made to deal with non-student intruders. 

To my knowledge, bags are not screened nor are there metal detectors where the majority of students enter the buildings so that would be a vulnerability. 

I can't speak to what safety measures have been established by the county where the shooting occurred (if any). 

[dgies9156]

Regarding #3, I live maybe 30 miles from where this shooting occurred.  In the county I live in, there are sheriff deputies in each and every school. They have also hardened the entries to the schools so that someone has to buzz visitors in through a second set of doors after you enter a vestibule and enter your ID into a computer. Not perfect I'm sure, but efforts have been made to deal with non-student intruders. 

To my knowledge, bags are not screened nor are there metal detectors where the majority of students enter the buildings so that would be a vulnerability. 

I can't speak to what safety measures have been established by the county where the shooting occurred (if any).

Our schools here just installed metal detectors. Was a big fuss but we did to ensure something like this doesn't happen in the school. We also have hardened entries and a school resource officer from the IRC Sheriff's Patrol on-site.

Local School Councils for CPD in Chicago wanted the police OUT of the schools as soon as Mayor Lightfoot was elected. Dumb, dumb and dumber.

[Jockey]

The father of the mass shooting suspect accused of killing four people at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, told investigators this week he had purchased the gun used in the killings as a holiday present for his son last Christmas.

[Uncle Rico]

The father of the mass shooting suspect accused of killing four people at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, told investigators this week he had purchased the gun used in the killings as a holiday present for his son last Christmas.

That's a heartwarming story.  Always good when fathers are involved with their children's lives

[tower912]

Hallmark movie level of heartwarming.

[lawdog77]

The father of the mass shooting suspect accused of killing four people at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, told investigators this week he had purchased the gun used in the killings as a holiday present for his son last Christmas.

Nothing signifies the Christmas spirit more than a killing machine.

[tower912]

The father has been charged with manslaughter and second degree murder.  Good.