Shooting in Delaware U

[Walsingham]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7006505.stm

 

Let me get this straight. There's been another shooting, and the reaction of the authorities has been to do PRECISELY the same as they did at Virginia Tech. It makes me sick to see how academic institutions simply refuse to act responsibly towards their students. I said last time that there should have been a national, even international, review of how large campuses cope with crises.

[Sand]

At our local campus they are arming the campus police, and there is no reason why they shouldn't. They have the same training and have to have the same certification as normal police officers. Also the campus uses e-mail, text messaging services for alerts, as well the local bus system. Each bus has a digital sign that scrolls messages and since the city bus system is practically owned by the university...

 

Of course we have had a body on the shore of the campus lake for over a month and they couldn't find it.

[Walsingham]

Arming the campus police isn't the whole solution. Universities need a comprehensive plan for handling emergencies, including mustering points, and information channels. Mustering opints can be screened and guarded by police, and information is crucial to keeping people informed and calm.

[Gfted1]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7006505.stm

 

Let me get this straight. There's been another shooting, and the reaction of the authorities has been to do PRECISELY the same as they did at Virginia Tech. It makes me sick to see how academic institutions simply refuse to act responsibly towards their students. I said last time that there should have been a national, even international, review of how large campuses cope with crises.

 

 

Um, not quite PRECISELY. The second paragraph reads:

 

The school has been locked down, with students and staff on campus told to remain inside buildings and classes cancelled for the day.

 

Not one of those things were done at VT.

[Walsingham]

Right. I'll check that when I get back.

[Aram]

The school has been locked down, with students and staff on campus told to remain inside buildings and classes cancelled for the day.

 

Not one of those things were done at VT.

 

Either way, the students are caged in in mass numbers, practically undefended and totally defenseless themselves, with an armed lunatic somewhere among them.

 

I think that by the college level, students have reached a state where the possession of personal defense systems ought to be allowed. Cramming all these people into rooms and buildings with few exits, with threats of destroying their lives if they even think about defending themselves no less, is the reason they're targeted most by the one person in a million that invariably goes wrong.

Edited September 21, 2007 by Aram

[Gorgon]

There should be one ringtone for fire and another one for crazed gunman, that way people will know whether to run or barricade themselves.

 

Maybe a weapons cache next to the fire extinguishers, 'break in case of maniac'

Edited September 21, 2007 by Gorgon

[tripleRRR]

At this point an armed on call swat team on campus is starting to sound like a good idea.

[Calax]

in highschool they used the european siren as a way to say that theres an intruder while the regular fire alarm was used to signify evacuation... only problem is that a half way intelligent shooter could use the fire alarm to inflict the most damage (pointing this out in a letter lead to me nearly being prosecuted for terrorist threats. admittedly the point it out was attached to a letter that was suicidal but hey that second part is what got me off.

[Fenghuang]

If I am ever involved in a shooting scenario like this I'll be rushing the bastard with my knife. I don't care if I get shot, I still stab the **** if he's only as far away from me as the other side of a classroom.

 

This is not nerd rage, I've inherited epic levels of grit and orneriness from my father, and I'm probably dead either way. This way I die fighting, and maybe save the lives of a few of my peers, my death won't be meaningless. Five inches of steel should at least slow a shooter down enough that somebody else can completely incapacitate him.

Edited September 22, 2007 by Fenghuang

[tripleRRR]

If I am ever involved in a shooting scenario like this I'll be rushing the bastard with my knife. I don't care if I get shot, I still stab the **** if he's only as far away from me as the other side of a classroom.

 

This is not nerd rage, I've inherited epic levels of grit and orneriness from my father, and I'm probably dead either way. This way I die fighting, and maybe save the lives of a few of my peers, my death won't be meaningless. Five inches of steel should at least slow a shooter down enough that somebody else can completely incapacitate him.

 

Man what state allows you to carry a 5 inch knife around in a school?

[Walsingham]

If I am ever involved in a shooting scenario like this I'll be rushing the bastard with my knife. I don't care if I get shot, I still stab the **** if he's only as far away from me as the other side of a classroom.

 

This is not nerd rage, I've inherited epic levels of grit and orneriness from my father, and I'm probably dead either way. This way I die fighting, and maybe save the lives of a few of my peers, my death won't be meaningless. Five inches of steel should at least slow a shooter down enough that somebody else can completely incapacitate him.

 

I applaud your instincts. However, if you must attempt to draw fire, surely it would make more sense to abuse him at a distance he is likely to shoot you over than point blank? Besides how cool would it sound if it said on the news that you saved the day by hurling nuts and shrieking "Go for the eyes, Boo! Go for the eyes! Raaaagh!" While the gunman ran after you blazing inefectively away with his overcompensation .44 magnum.

[Tigranes]

But then he'd have to spend the rest of his days befriending white walls.

[Sand]

You say that like its a bad thing.

 

What?

 

Why are you looking at me like that?!?!?!?

[Xard]

I could use some soft and white walls.

 

Everything would be so much more easier and funnier if I was completely crazy

Edited September 25, 2007 by Xard

[Walsingham]

I could use some soft and white walls.

 

Everything would be so much more easier and funnier if I was completely crazy

 

One of my professors once observed that if you want to know what it is like to be crazy imagine everyone else is crazy instead. Because mostly you don't realise you are the one who is mad. I reckon it would be bloody awful.

[Walsingham]

Right. I'll check that when I get back.

 

You were right, Gfted1!

 

The university here did as suggested in the Virginia Tech review panel report. they cancelled classes and initiated a lockdown. Still not good enough, though in my opinion.

 

I think it's important to compare the contingency planning that corporations have for crises and these universities. Modern univesrsities are to most intents and purposes big companies, yet they refuse to behave with even a corporate degree of care! Which is surely a damning indictment! i mean, if you aren't even as 'nice' as Enron.

[Tale]

I could use some soft and white walls.

 

Everything would be so much more easier and funnier if I was completely crazy

 

One of my professors once observed that if you want to know what it is like to be crazy imagine everyone else is crazy instead. Because mostly you don't realise you are the one who is mad. I reckon it would be bloody awful.

It all depends upon what you mean by crazy. A disjunction in thought processes that prohibits the ability to cognitively identify with others can also remove the need to even try.

 

Though the ones like you mention are certainly the most tragic.

[Walsingham]

When i was checking the background and response I found THIS

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenda_Ann_Spencer

 

How freaking weird. Two people killed because she was 'bored'.

 

In fact

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_schoo...chool_incidents

 

Man, it's been years since I looked into true 'regular' crime. HOw depressing is all this? Death after death...

[Gfted1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_schoo...chool_incidents

 

 

Fascinating. I didnt know guns were only banned in the UK in 1997. I had assumed guns were always banned there.

 

Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997

[Walsingham]

I don't think there was a serious problem with them. Interestingly handgun crime has shown no tendency to decrease in spite of the increased restrictions. Not that I can pretend I'm surprised.

[Tale]

I don't think there was a serious problem with them. Interestingly handgun crime has shown no tendency to decrease in spite of the increased restrictions. Not that I can pretend I'm surprised.

At the very least you have the corralation that there are no more United Kingdom entries on that list past 1996.

[Walsingham]

True. But we've had a lot of youth knife crime. My feeling is that one just sees a shift in methodology. On the other hand, a murderous spree with a knife is less lethal than one with a handgun or rifle. It also takes longer, permitting authorities to intervene.

 

What is even more interesting is the number of foiled attacks citing Columbine as an inspiration. What kind of pathetic mind finds Columbine inspiring?