16 killed in N.Y. rampage

[BrandonLucas]

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - A gunman walked into an immigrant services center and opened fire on Friday, killing 15 people before he killed himself, law enforcement sources told NBC News.

Earlier, Gov. David Paterson put the number of dead at 12 to 13.
A federal law enforcement official said the suspected gunman was found dead in the building of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The man carried identification with the name of 42-year-old Jiverly Voong of nearby Johnson City, N.Y., a law enforcement official said.

"I speak for all of New York when I offer my prayers for the victims and families of this tragedy," Paterson said hours after the gunman shot several people and took dozens hostage. The gunman first blocked the back door with his car, authorities said.

I have no words.

 

[Sukerkin]

Oh my sweet lord .

I don't want to make a political comment on such a tragedy but even from this far away I can see the weight of horrible, gun related, events rising (or at least rising in their rate of reporting).

Oddly, my reaction is not for ever tighter restrictions on gun ownership, as that clearly is not working. I know that there would be more civilian blue-on-blue incidents if more people were trained in and carried firearms but surely the tolls would be less than these repeated massacres?

 

[Andy Moynihan]

First of all, I must of course raise my glass to the memory of those who perished.

Second, I must castigate the memory of the murderer who lacked even the courage to live with his decision. Coward.

Third, I don't know of any way to bring this up without it seeming outlandish, and some may perhaps feel it out of place in such a thread, and I can understand that.

But I can't help but wonder.

Is it just that with the change in administrations from right to left, that coverage of events such as this increases or is it something more?

Someone desperate enough, who already may have some form of hatred towards a group in society( for isn't it always a hot button place that gets hit, from abortion clinics to this today with immigrants and so on)....If they had any repressed rage of some kind, someone wanting a news story could send round someone to talk to them.....a posthypnotic suggestion to do something they may subconsciously already have wanted to applied just so, and..........:idunno:


Yeah, out there, I know, but what about the world ISN'T right now.

 

[MA-Caver]

But I can't help but wonder.

Is it just that with the change in administrations from right to left, that coverage of events such as this increases or is it something more?

No, it's called manipulation via the media.

 

[Lynne]

This happened 25 minutes from where I live. I live in an agricultural area dotted with rolling hills and dairy farms. We are all in shock.

 

[arnisador]

This is my wife's home town and we too feel affected.

 

[Flea]

Is it just that with the change in administrations from right to left, that coverage of events such as this increases or is it something more?

Speaking as a former journalist ... I see this as a nonsequitur. Stories like these will always get major coverage because they're major stories. They have the shock value of "entertainment" that drive ratings. People in blue and red states watch television, and I don't think one party cares more or less than the other when this stuff happens.

More to the point, these stories are relevant. They're relevant to the local communities, and they're relevant to the nation in general because each incident offers the opportunity to study the issue to better prevent the next one. I don't think this guy in NY decided to wait until Obama took office before flipping out. I doubt Seng Hui Cho had November 4th in mind either. Tragically, this stuff is becoming part of the human condition and it's crucial to all of us to figure out why, the sooner the better.

 

[Tez3]

It seems this could be a terrorist attack according to the BBC "Pakistani Taleban leader Baitullah Mehsud called the BBC in Islamabad to claim responsibility for the attack."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7982444.stm

It could be an opportunistic claim by the Taleban leader though.

 

[terryl965]

All I know is this has touched so many and my prayeds go out to all of them.