Gun Nut Kills Two Innocent Neighbors On Their Own Property

[onehandle]

BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The Cabell County Sheriff's office has released the names of two men killed in a shooting, Saturday afternoon.

Sheriff Tom McComas says Garrick Hopkins, 60, from Milton and his brother Carl Hopkins Jr., 61, from Oak Hill both died when they were shot on Lane Drive in Barboursville.

Rodney Bruce Black has been charged with two counts of 1st degree murder. Deputies say he admitted to shooting the two men because he thought they were trespassing on his property.

Sheriff McComas says the land actually belonged to Garrick Hopkins. He had just purchased it and was showing his brother where he and his family were planning to build their new home in the coming weeks.

Inside Black's home, deputies seized many weapons and ammunition.

http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/UPDATE-Two-Men-Shot-to-Death-by-Homeowner-in-Barboursville-241973841.html

[Bjorn Against]

1. Gun nuts have tried to stretch the definition of "self defense" to absurd proportions

Even if these guys had been on his property there is no reason tresspassing should carry the death penalty.

[gtar100]

7. This is the problem with how faux news and all the right-wing talkers fill up these people's minds

with delusional, paranoid thoughts about the state of the world.

[RKP5637]

36. Exactly, they beat the drums of delusions and paranoia non-stop. It's enough to drive

even a well balanced person off the edge if they listen to it enough. Frankly, I think all of this RW crapola is highly dangerous to the preservation of the US. It is a strong form of brainwashing working to undermine the stability of the nation.

[Tumbulu]

213. I so agree with you so !

And this is why I want this hate speack to stop on the public airwaves!

[AAO]

157. Hey cut the guy some slack!

He was only "standing what he thought was his ground".

[Enthusiast]

176. Right. And people that trespass are up to no good.

[AAO]

177. Especially if they trespass on their own land!

WV is another state I won't be setting foot in anytime soon.

[Enthusiast]

179. Just don't drink the water and don't do a bunch of other stuff or you might get shot.

[AlbertCat]

194. WV is another state I won't be setting foot in anytime soon.

Why would anyone? What's there? Mountain Mama can keep her crappy country roads! (and I like the boonies!)

Quality means something.... to thinking people anyway. Not Teabaggers. They can't even be bothered to spell their signs correctly, they care so much about their cause.

Ever if there WERE something there to see (that you can't see elsewhere.... unless you're into mountain top removal) Why go? I'd love to see the Gand Canyon, but AZ sounds dreadful and I don't want to support its sorry ass.

[RKP5637]

206. I've written some states off my list to ever be in. I've been in most of the US and

have lived in a number of states. In some states I now feel uncomfortable. Some states have gotten some very bad press, deserved or not, but for some states it is the SOS over and over again.

I've know a number of people that have moved from states, they could not tolerate what was happening. There are always some good people IMO in all states, but the consistently negative rhetoric from some states is rather chilling basically to me at least saying stay out.

[RKP5637]

202. I had some relatives that moved there. The people in the remote area

were very nice to me when we went to visit once, but I felt out of place, uncomfortable.

[tblue]

207. Just judging by the pics, shooter looks white, victims are black.

I could be wrong. Take a look and see what you think.

Doesn't change anything, but it may well have been a factor. The man saw two black men next door and thought, "Gotta shoot that."

[Tumbulu]

214. I thought that as well nt

[sulphurdunn]

221. And the state of the law.

I don't believe it's legal to shoot someone just for crossing a private property boundary.

[AtheistCrusader]

67. Of course.

And that's why he's in a jail cell right now.

Could use some PSA's though, because this sort of misconception does seem to happen often enough to warrant it. Deadly force in self defense is a LAST resort, and wholly inappropriate to defend mere property. (Except in Texas under some circumstances, apparently. Not in most states)

[Bjorn Against]

73. The big problem is that many gun advocates encourage "self defense" shootings

We even see it right here on this site, there are people here who justify all kinds of "self defense" shootings even when it does not look like there was any need to use a gun in the situation. The sick assholes who defended George Zimmerman are a prime example of this.

There are some people who actually cheer these shootings when they happen, I see very little from gun nuts educating people on how to avoid using a gun for self defense instead it seems like they are focused on what they think people should be able to get by with.

There are rare circumstances in which deadly force is justified, but they are rare. It is an extremely dangerous mentality that tries to claim self defense in cases where it is not at all justified, but the NRA and their gun nut friends have worked hard to justify "self defense" in cases like the Zimmerman case which were clearly murder in the eyes of all reasonable people.

This is why gun nuts should not be allowed to own guns.

[AtheistCrusader]

82. But, how to tell the difference, before hand?

Most of the posters that 'defended' Zimmerman, are long since tombstoned. Personally I urged caution, WRT public conviction early on, because these things have ways of shaking out differently in courtrooms. (But I did specifically call out getting out of his car and following Trayvon as profiling, and highly unwise, and problematic to a claim of self defense, and that Trayvon himself likely had full justification to use force in self defense, given the facts.)

I'm not sure the gungeon is a good place to expect firearms safety training/legal use analysis. It could be, I guess, but similar non-firearms-public-policy issues tend to get crapped on a lot.

Certainly I've worked hard to make sure friends, family, etc, that I know carry/own firearms, are aware of legal issues using force in self defense, as well as safe storage. Two critical issues these days. Almost every tragedy we see in the news these days, involving a firearm boils down to one of two critical failures: 1. An overreaction/non-self-defense use of firearm/deadly force in 'self defense' that was not warranted, or 2. Someone acquired possession of a firearm when they should never have been able to lay hands on it. Anything from a child injuring self or others, up to felons/or otherwise disqualified people going on a rampage with a firearm that was stolen or otherwise acquired from someone who didn't secure the weapon.


I personally support safe storage laws, but in the meantime, PSA's aren't a bad way to go. Hard for the NRA to argue against them, since they kinda sorta support such safety training on the side, through their non-political sport/use wing.

[BrotherIvan]

137. You just pointed out the two main reasons people want very strict gun control

1. An overreaction/non-self-defense use of firearm/deadly force in 'self defense' that was not warranted, or 2. Someone acquired possession of a firearm when they should never have been able to lay hands on it. Anything from a child injuring self or others, up to felons/or otherwise disqualified people going on a rampage with a firearm that was stolen or otherwise acquired from someone who didn't secure the weapon.

These are EXACTLY the reasons why I argue for very strict gun control. The arguments are plain and simple.

Example 1: Overreaction/misuse of a firearm.
People cannot be trusted to make proper decisions under stress. Adding a gun into a stressful situation leads to harm. Whether that is stress from paranoid delusion as in this case, the stress of fear, the stress of an argument. Except for perhaps fighter pilots, most people's ability to make a good decision under stress goes out the window. Not to mention those who are just goddamned idiots playing with guns.

Example 2: Someone acquired a firearm because the weapon wasn't secured properly
Also falling under the idiot category. If you can't secure your gun, it should be confiscated immediately.

I don't believe people can be trusted to make life and death decisions because their abilities are impaired by the stress of the moment or because they are too stupid. Either way, they should not be trusted with a gun. Unfortunately, that applies to the majority of people on this planet. As evidenced by the above story. Instead of asking the men what they were doing there and clearing that up, he just got incredibly scared and shot them.

[AtheistCrusader]

140. I don't think he was scared at all.

And I firmly believe the prosecution will suss that out, and convince a jury of it.

So, would you accept safe storage requirements, and perhaps registration, plus perhaps some mandatory training that includes legal analysis/justification of firing a weapon in self defense as adequate additional regulation on firearms ownership?

Personally, I find it troubling that my state issues concealed pistol licenses without a scrap of training/education requirement around the legal implications of firing a gun in self defense, and what self defense means.

[Bjorn Against]

141. I would agree with everything you said in this post except the word "adequate"

I don't think what you suggest is adequate, but I do think it is a big step in the right direction.

[AtheistCrusader]

149. I am a strong proponent of those as a workable solution to most of our problems with

firearms in the wrong hands, or being used for the wrong (read: criminal) purposes.

What other enforcement or regulation tools would you like to see?
(Genuinely curious, not trying to bait you into a trap or anything.)

[Bjorn Against]

151. I think stand your ground laws need to go away and concealed carry needs to be more limited

I think limits should be placed on the manufacture of new weapons and the number of guns a person can own.

I do not support confiscation except in cases in which criminal wrongdoing or misuse of a firearm occurs, but I would support some sort of gun buy back program to reduce the number of guns on the street.

[bkanderson76]

161. I Think a Man Should Be Able to

stand for himself, stand by his virtue, which is so lost in today's society. And concealed carry needs to be promoted.

[Bjorn Against]

169. Stand by his virtue? What the hell does that even mean?

Last edited Mon Jan 27, 2014, 09:04 PM - Edit history (1)

There is nothing virtuous about carrying a gun to the grocery store with you, and there sure as hell is nothing virtuous about what the guy who this article references did.

[billh58]

186. Notice that this

train of thought only applies to "a Man." Guns can do that for you I guess...

[Bjorn Against]

189. I know, it is pathetic isn't it?

I am a guy and never once did I think that carrying a gun would give me more manly virtue.

[RKP5637]

209. I guess the gun makes the man, the bigger the gun, the bigger the man, the bigger his dick.

Pathetic logic and reasoning, I have a big gun, I'm a big virtuous man.

[BrotherIvan]

187. I had a very good discussion on another thread

About securing weapons and how gun owners should be held accountable for how their guns are used. It was the first time I felt like I was having an actual, productive discussion with a pro-gun person. So often, it's just shouting about "rights" and the digging in and not wanting to have any restrictions. Or arguing over gun design details. That kind of hard line defense makes me even more militant and anti-gun.

Gun owners are going to have to admit that guns are dangerous. They are deadly weapons. They kill people. That is the very first step. No more of this guns don't kill people crap, that's just mind-bending bullshit out of the winger playbook. Any gun can kill someone and that's the just a fact. It is maddening and would be a good start in bridging the great divide between pro-guns and gun-control.

Second, gun owners are going to have to get on board with the "responsible" part, meaning everyone must be held accountable which unfortunately includes agreeing to strict safety laws because there are a bunch of idiots out there. The biggest piece of meat you could throw me right now is security. Guns must be locked in a safe or some kind of enclosure that meets safety standards. For single weapons, some here have advocated for a cable to secure the gun. I'll listen to that. Safety locks on triggers. Storing of ammunition in safe places. Etc., etc. None of this need be cheap. It's not discrimination against the poor by any means. If it's too expensive to secure your weapons, then you can't afford them. Don't tell me a person can afford upwards of $500 for a gun but can't afford to keep it from killing someone.

And the gun owner will be charged whenever their gun is used in a crime or harms another person. No more, "Oops!" my gun went off and shot the guy upstairs. No, oops, my kid found my loaded gun and shot his little brother. No more of that. Guns are treated too lackadaisically in this country. It's that kind of thinking that makes control-freaks like me very angry.

Background checks and training, yes, of course. I don't think teenagers should be allowed to have a weapon unless they are accompanied by an adult and it cannot be a hand gun, can't be semi-automatic, and it must have a low number of rounds. I'm sure there are many logical, sane restrictions that could be agreed upon. Again, it is up to gun owners to be willing to compromise. None of these things should be a hardship to a "responsible" gun owner. That's why so many on here who argue against those restrictions are so suspect, putting up the car deaths or knives kill too bullshit. This country is awash in guns and blood and SOMETHING needs to be done. With each passing day that a child is killed or another mass shooting, the pro-gun argument becomes more and more callous. It would be great, a major relief, to see progress.

[tblue]

208. Shooter allegedly used a scoped rifle to fire the shots out a window of his home.

Innocent people are not even safe on their OWN PROPERTY!!!

[jtuck004]

158. In Florida you do not have to do anything except pull your gun and kill.

It specifically states, in the ordinance,

"...justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat:...".

So you do not have to turn or take any other evasive action or engage in a behavior that would lessen the tensions.

It's a law made for people who want to take a handgun up and accost someone for a perceived wrong, and sometimes to protect yourself (though that works out a lot less often than they would have you believe), let them kill, and walk away.

[AtheistCrusader]

162. But you should still have to show reasonable fear.

Those guys weren't even on his property. He can't demonstrate reasonable fear that his life was in imminent danger.

Duty to retreat was not in question anyway, SYG or no, because he wasn't in a position to have to consider retreating FROM anything.

[jtuck004]

171. No suggesting he did, that's just the law. But it doesn't specify that you have to be or not

be anywhere, just say you were in fear for your life. That is a state of mind, and it doesn't reflect on whether others should second-guess that judgment.

I agree with you, but they wrote this law in such a way that an overly aggressive person can take a pistol, go accost someone like this guy did, and be let off. I'm not sure they didn't do it on purpose.

Interesting. I saw two of my neighbors in a dispute over property lines a couple of years ago, renter and an owner, and it ended up with the 85 year old guy, (the couple was younger and both cops, tried to bully him. They work in another town, however, so they lost. Wound up with the old guy who was legally on his own property swinging a running chain saw at the neighbor lady, a bunch of yelling, cops, orders of protection, etc.

Killing ourselves over stupid shit, while Jamie Dimon gets a raise from the taxpayer money the company has profited from all these years. We shouldn't be shooting our neighbors. Aim higher.

[ManiacJoe]

170. The killing does need to be justified.

Where it happens should not matter. Tactics used (including fleeing) should not be dictated by law but by the situation.

[jtuck004]

173. What doesn't matter are the opinions. The person will be tried, or

or not, based on their laws. And the tactics are dictated by law, whether they should be or not.

The only justification they need is to say they believed they were in fear of their life. After that the burden to prosecute, in Florida in particular, is much higher than it is any other jurisdiction. And it is precisely that prescription of tactics in the law that make it so.

It's a law written for bullies who need the power over life and death a gun gives them. It could have given people the power to carry weapons, and required a higher standard for killing someone. It specifically does not. That's likely because it was written by a bunch of white bigots who, as groups are wont to do, believe the world thinks as they do. They think they are threatened by all the multi-colored skin they see around them, and so, naturally, one would want to carry a gun around and not be "forced to retreat". That wouldn't show backbone in the face of the marauding hordes against which they must protect everyone and themselves.

It's bad law.

[ManiacJoe]

174. Well, that is one opinion.

[lsewpershad]

79. Ditto

[Major Nikon]

90. "Give a small boy a hammer, and he will find that everything he encounters needs pounding."

-- Abraham Kaplan

[FreakinDJ]

115. Just following the example set by Law Enforcement

[Bjorn Against]

118. I agree that law enforcement stretches that definition as well

I have been quite vocal in my belief that cops who commit unnecessary acts of violence need to be held accountable, in fact the sentences they receive should be stiffer than those of ordinary citizens because they are in a position of power.

I have noticed lately however that a lot of gun advocates have been using police violence as an excuse for gun violence among ordinary citizens and this bothers me. Just because the cops abuse their power that does not mean that we need more guns on our streets.

[Blue_Tires]

184. I'm pretty sure even the shooter knew they weren't "tresspassing"

And that shed wasn't on his land...Like Zimmerman, the shooter saw "criminals" doing "suspicious activity" and decided to act...

[FarPoint]

2. This "should" go on national news....

The message that one can shoot first and ask questions later certainly has been the national theme, ie, Zimmerman.

This won't get any real national traction though....

[RKP5637]

42. Sadly, it will get buried and forgotten along with the victims, no lessons learned, and the

gun lobbyists and the rest of the wackos will march on. And some damn fools will come along and say, well, if they were well armed they could have taken care of themselves. In short, it is all fucked up as are many Americans, as well as many laws and policies. It is a recipe to bring on disasters such as this one. And it will be sadly far from the last one.

[kelliekat44]

48. Maybe we can help keep it out front in the news by forwarding the story to FB, TWitter, and other

places?

[RKP5637]

52. Definitely! On another note, I just heard a statistic - no links, that every hour of the

day, everyday, a teenager is shot by a gun. Just, what type of country are we trying to have, just, what are we trying to make our future. This may sound on the edge, but I'm convinced there are some in this country that would love to ride around with guns mounted on the bed of their pickup trucks pointing at whomever they wished.

[7962]

84. Back in school in the early 80s, it was pretty normal to see rifles in truck gunracks in the school

parking lot during hunting season! Yet nobody ever took one out and shot anyone. We have a culture problem these days. I think there are several places to put blame, but nobody will do anything about it anyway. Guns have always been easy to get.
You also rarely heard of idiots like this guy killing anyone. Why didnt he ASK them what they were doing on "his" land?? Give him life or the needle.

[RKP5637]

98. Yep, much as when I grew up, hunters had guns with them, racks in the truck, etc. I can't

recall one incident like this in my youth, I'm sure there might have been, but as you say, we have a culture problem today, and way too many incidents. I have no idea either how it will be resolved.

[hollowdweller]

200. gun culture has changed

Those guns in gunracks were shotguns and bolt actions, squirrel rifles.

Now nobody hunts so to sell more guns we have to promote fear, push concealed carry and sell assault weapons. We are selling guns to people for a different reason now.

It is true that with the loosening of gun laws we've seen no spike in homicide rates. However by the same token the crime rate in the 70's when people had those gun racks was higher and yet people were less paranoid.

I think if you don't do something about the gun culture, the way they are not marketed to people and the NRA and gun magazines need to dial back the self defense stuff a little you are going to see more of this stuff;

[RKP5637]

201. Well said, agree so much! n/t

[geek tragedy]

3. how many of these ignorant gun humpers know they're not allowed to kill

someone just because that person set foot on their property.

This guy will have no legal defense. Life in prison, no parole, force him to watch his guns get melted down.

[Capt. Obvious]

4. Be careful

Some people here would rather skip these news stories.

[seveneyes]

19. And these news stories too

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/01/27/3-killed-14-wounded-in-weekend-shootings/

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/south-baltimore/bs-md-city-shootings-fatality-0909-20130908,0,5462296.story

http://guncrisis.org/2013/10/27/five-north-philadelphia-shooting-victims-bring-citys-weekend-toll-to-16/

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_york&id=9180454

[Capt. Obvious]

23. Feel free to start threads for those stories

They'll make certain members want to skip over them as well.

[Bjorn Against]

26. Yes, isn't it disgusting how many deaths guns cause?

Even states that try to have gun control are screwed over by the states who will sell to anyone who walks in the door, a short drive from Chicago to Indiana and a criminal will have no problems finding a gun nut willing to sell him a gun. This is why we need stricter federal gun laws.

[seveneyes]

27. This shooter would have likely failed any gun ownership test

Shooting someone who is not out to harm you is just insane.

[Bjorn Against]

28. Well then they need to start administering these tests so people like him can't get guns

There are so many gun nuts that think they can shoot anyone who looks at them funny, we need restrictions to ensure these gun nuts can't get guns.

[seveneyes]

40. Agree 100 percent

And I have to admit...my views on tighter control on just who can own weapons has changed dramatically in recent years. There are just too many angry and unstable people to have all these guns slipping through back channels.

[RKP5637]

46. Same here, as demonstrated over and over again, the US is full of wackos that should

be no where near guns. They have demonstrated there are fewer responsible gun owners than the NRA would like to brainwash the population to believe. I lean more and more toward harsh gun controls all the time, and once I was pretty open to it all.

[RKP5637]

95. It's a very good question. Often, I think, a lot of people are on the edge for

many reasons and the possession of a gun(s) gives to them a feeling of being empowered. That, in itself is probably not bad, but some go the next step. It's far too easy with a gun to take a non-reversible action in a split second without really thinking about what one is actually doing. However, there are millions of responsible gun owners IMO.

[Swede Atlanta]

5. Throughout most of the 20th century the law permitted the use of deadly force

only if you reasonably believed your life or that of another person were in imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death. Further there was an affirmative duty in most cases to retreat if you could safely to diffuse the situation and call law enforcement.

But deadly force could not be used, for example in this situation, simply for trespass. There are laws against trespass and the landowner should call law enforcement and press charges for trespass.

The new laws did away with the duty to retreat and became "stand your ground" - i.e. confrontational. While it can be argued that you should be able to feel safe in your home or business and should not have to run from a wood-be burglar, rapist, etc., we have created a population of gun nuts that believe that in every case they should stand your ground.

I hope Mr. Black goes to prison for the rest of his life and that MSM will pick this up. According to what I have read Mr. Black did not feel physically threatened and would therefore only be defending his property. I suggest that human life is worth more than a piece of land. The ironic thing here is that the land actually belonged to one of the victims and not by the killer.

[Rex]

6. What a gun humping wacko, I hope he never sees the daylight of freedom again.

Why do some people like the idea of killing other people for no good reason?

[bonniebgood]

13. They have a 'reason'. Same reason why they hunt and kill animals. they like to

kill for the thrill, the need to see what it feels like, the need to see something or someone bleed. They
can't see the difference between their dick and their gun. They use both to hurt someone and watch them suffer.
ie the brain dead woman in Texas.

[magical thyme]

32. Power. The power of life and death over another living being.

That is what "sport" hunting is about. And that is what this is about.

[RKP5637]

50. Quite true IMO. I think if pschological profiles were done for some cases it is clearly

a form of sadomasochism. I think a number of hunters fall right into that category too.

[RKP5637]

47. Because it's a form of sexual excitement for them, seriously. n/t

[Mr Dixon]

8. SMH

Madness

[get the red out]

9. You have to be really deranged

to think "I see some people nearby, I need to go KILL THEM"?

That mentality is becoming more widespread as the NRA does more and more to promote the "need" for guns to protect yourself. They are conjuring boogie men for people to go attack, and they are doing just that.

[kcr]

14. That's what it's about. Selling more guns

And stand your ground laws were enacted to further that end. The victims of these laws are just collateral damage. In fact, they're willing to spend money to defend the murderers and help get them acquitted. See Zimmerman, and likely the recent theater shooter. Wouldn't want people scared to buy their product.

[get the red out]

70. Yes and it is devistating

These tactics by the NRA are only making people far more likely to take lives than they would have been otherwise.

[Tom Ripley]

120. Exactly. It is not bloodlust or penis compensation or whatever driving this, it is money

Firearms manufacturers have their lobby boy Wayne LaPierre screaming "FREEDOM" and the rubes eat it up

[A Simple Game]

22. The NRA is indeed a big part of the problem. They promote guns as a cure,

not as the problem. So far they seem to be winning, we need to turn that around.

Without a gun? This murderer would find out he didn't own the land and the other two men would be alive and have a bad neighbor.

With the courage given by a gun, a bad person is made into a murderer and two men are dead.

[billh58]

10. There are a few million

George Zimmermans out there just waiting for an opportunity to be a vigilante hero and "stand their ground." The obscene SYG laws and expanded Castle Doctrine laws have allowed gun nuts to commit murder with impunity. The Second Amendment absolutists applaud these atrocities as "victories" for the gun lobby.

We can thank ALEC, who wrote the laws, and the Koch Brothers who have funded the bribery of politicians which allowed the NRA to sponsor the laws, for these deaths. The death merchant gun manufacturers certainly thank them with a percentage of the blood money they rake in as a result of this Axis of Evil.

[FarPoint]

15. The Zimmerman case has made this insane concept "acceptable".

The interruption of law can be so manipulated that murder becomes a common social norm.

[RKP5637]

210. I was thinking that earlier today, it's getting so murder is no big deal, I even notice it

on MSM sometimes. The shock of it all seems over for some, it's just another social norm. This culture is damn spooky.

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. Just another wonderful day in Gun World.

What a sick society we live in.

[Dash87]

12. 'Merica!

[exboyfil]

16. Just across the river

in Ohio my dad owned a farm. We could not live on the farm because it did not have a liveable house. He kept a bunch of stuff stored there (fencing, sprayers, tools, my toy tractor). We had several thefts of property. My dad caught two young men riding down the hill on my toy tractor. He confronted them holding his shotgun. He let them go without calling the police. In my six year old mind, I always wondered why he didn't pull the trigger. I am glad he didn't since I am not sure he could have lived with the guilt. It is frustrating when someone commits a property crime against you. On the other hand I would have been sure that the police were involved (making them surrender their ids to me). My dad was a much nicer man than me.

[PotatoChip]

41. Yes, but in this case no property crime had been committed.

And even if hypothetically these 2 men had been trespassing, that is no reason to use deadly force.

Just as an aside, it is perfectly legal in my state to access (on foot) another person's property as long as the landowner has not expressly forbidden it. (ie posted a no trespassing sign). People use our land quite a bit during hunting season.

[exboyfil]

113. I am not trying to justify it

Gosh no. A property crime should never lead to callously shooting someone. In this case the nutcase needs to spend the rest of his life behind bars. I was just speculating in my dad's case. He probably could have made up a story about shooting them. He was a pretty conservative guy, but he was also a kind and compassionate person.

[geek tragedy]

45. "not sure he could have lived with the guilt."

he would have lived with the guilt in a penitentiary for committing murder had he shot some kids for riding your toy tractor

[Hoyt]

57. Not necessarily, all you gotta do is claim they threatened you. Ask Zimmerman how it works.

[exboyfil]

114. Ohio at the time he might have gotten away with it

Whether he did or not - I was more commenting on his character than the legal ramifications of the shooting. Two older teenagers on your property stealing with no one else around for at least 1/2 a mile in the woods. Good chance a reasonable story would get you off. Each one was larger than my dad.

[seveneyes]

17. Stupid shooter but how is it more news worthy than the average weekend in Chicago?

3 Killed, 14 Wounded In Weekend Shootings

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/01/27/3-killed-14-wounded-in-weekend-shootings/

[Laxman]

21. Because This Was A Person...

who lawfully owned the gun used (and many others) and believed he had the right to summarily administer the death penalty to two innocent people under color of the 2nd amendment. It goes to the heart of what the 2nd amendment really means. It doesn't mean this.

It is a far different situation from criminals who have illegally obtained weapons and are using them in an illegal manner. This is what the NRA has wrought. The fantasy of private armed citizens enforcing the peace leading to a more civil society.

[Paladin]

24. +1000. Thanks. (nt)

[lunasun]

31. Thank you - even criminals know it is a crime .This guy thought he had the right to kill no ?s asked

very different

[RVN VET]

61. I'll 3rd that "thanks"

Thanks for clarifying an issue that, honestly, seems to confuse a lot of people. When the gun culture -- the NRA culture -- convinces it's denizens that it's OK to kill unarmed people who you think have stepped across your property line (as in this case) or who you think look scary while walking along a public sidewalk (as with Trayvon), the deaths are NOT the same as gang killings or killings in the act of committing a crime. A criminal/gang-member knows what they are doing is wrong but do it, anyway. The NRA minions do it because they think they have the right to do it.

And George Z. found out that, at least in the State of Florida, you do.

[druidity33]

166. Laxman... i've been seeing you around here lately

and i've been liking it. Welcome to DU. Live long and prosper!

[Laxman]

175. Thank You...

unfortunately I've had some time on my hands lately. I'm trying to put some of it to good use. I enjoy the discussion of issues here and I learn something new every day!

[Zenlitened]

188. Excellent post. -n/t

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

192. Right. The Chicago shooters, if they admitted to their killing, would be sent to jail,

wouldn't you think?

[Laxman]

195. It's A Little More Than That...

both behaviors are wrong. One, street shootings, is clearly categorized as illegal and outside the accepted norm. The West Virgina shooting, while it still may be deemed ultimately illegal, was performed under the veil of some sort of legitimacy. The right to own the weapon implicitly carries the right to use it at the discretion of the owner. This creates the situation where the individual becomes the judge, jury and summary executioner, and oops, sometimes mistakes are made. This is problematic and is largely ignored by the NRA proponents of a modern day interpretation of the 2nd amendment.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

197. Or course. I thought I acknowledged that by replying to your post noting that starting with

"Right." My point was to be in addition to and in support of what you already said.

[Renew Deal]

63. It's not. They are all equally bad

So if you think it's important, post your own thread.

[etherealtruth]

160. Not more news worthy ... gun violence in the US is out of control

Virtually all guns start out as "legal guns" (the case at hand vs the gang gun violence in Chicago).

The proliferation of guns among some segments of Americas youth is a national tragedy ... each and every death a horror.

[seveneyes]

165. On a personal level, one incident is way out of control

As for the risk to the average American citizen, there may be more chances of getting killed by other means. 66% of gun deaths are from suicide, so that reduces the risk even more. Any idea where on the chart one is at risk from gun violence compared to other dangers?

[etherealtruth]

167. I consider the threat as a danger to self and others

I am not completely sure we should separate suicide out. I realize a person very intent on ending their life will find a way ... but do we have to make it so damned easy (on a personal note my closest friend in the world killed herself a year and a half ago ... had implements of death not been so readily available I can't help but think, even a few more hours or a few more steps needed may have made a difference).

Unlike some, I do not cheer the really stupid accidental deaths of gun enthusiasts (I am horror stricken by them), I tie death by suicide in ...

[billh58]

182. The NRA talking point "suicides don't count"

argument is disingenuous for several reasons, but mainly because suicide-by-gun is almost always fatal, whereas other methods (cutting wrists, hanging, jumping) don't always succeed, or the person can't go through with it.

[etherealtruth]

183. ALL gun deaths involve tragedy

[awoke_in_2003]

190. In a city of several million people...

with lots of gang activity, as opposed to some Podunk town of 500.

[Heather MC]

18. Nothing to see here folks, GUNS DON'T KILL PEOPLE!!

Only the bullets. And hey these men could have just easily been stabbed to death from far away. Let's not forget knives can be thrown.

This is not the fault of the high powered rifle owned by a moron who lived in a safe neighborhood, and no reason to fear for his life.

Ok let's be clear. Not the guns fault



Really getting sick and tired of these stories, what a dipshit. And even if these men where trustpassing, who in there right mind would think the death penilty is the proper answer for stand in a damn field????

[joshdawg]

20. Another "responsible" gun nut.............er owner.

The NRA will likely pay for his "defense." Yeah, right.

[Aldo Leopold]

25. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like

there have been a LOT of shootings in this country so far this year? Jesus!

[B Calm]

34. Another day, another shooting. . .

With the cowards in Washington, I don't see anything changing either.

[catbyte]

39. I've become numb to it and that alone terrifies me.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

29. I don't understand how anyone can occupy this headspace

Assholes use my front yard as one big urinal, men and women, young and old mere minutes away from several public washrooms. I have yelled at them, I have sworn at them, I have thrown things at them. I have used the sprinkler on them. My girlfriend has confronted them with a camcorder and told them she is putting it on YouTube.

As fucking angry as these people have made me, at no point has it even crossed my mind I would like to harm them for violating my sacred land.

It is the "She's touching me" mentality of kids in the backseat taken to its most ridiculous end,

[valerief]

30. Why have guns if you can't kill people, er, defend yourself, with them? Gungeoneer logic. nt

[mountain grammy]

33. It's way beyond owning a pistol for target shooting or a rifle for hunting.

It's about the right of every single American to own a weapon and to use it as he/she feels necessary which is justified in many parts of the country. The second amendment guarantees these rights. There is nothing in the constitution that guarantees the right to go shopping, or to school, or to church, or to the theater, without being gunned down by someone exercising their second amendment rights. Isn't that right? Aren't we talking about rights?

[Berlum]

35. Gun Nuttery (R) lives and breathes FEAR

[Lex]

44. That's the entire reason

for it though the gun nuts will never admit otherwise.

[SCVDem]

37. This happened in West Virginia?

How much do you want to bet they will use the tainted water defense?

[groundloop]

38. Nobody's going to jump in with something about "if existing gun laws had been enforced....." ?????

I'm guessing maybe this particular asshole met all the criteria to legally own his guns, therefore gun nuts want to sweep this one under the carpet.

[lunasun]

43. WTF 'gave no warning, and just pulled the trigger'.

Regina Lafferty lives across the street. She stood on her front porch as gunfire rang out, and the victims fell to the ground.

"It wasn't even his building,” she said. “If you have a concern, you call 911 first. You don’t shoot, then call."

Her kids passed through the empty lot just hours before the shooting.

Even before the weekend's violence, Lafferty said she was afraid of her neighbor and told her kids not to go near Black's house.

"He was rude,” she said. “Just cold! A very cold person."
http://www.wchstv.com/newsroom/eyewitness/140126_22751.shtml

taking the " get off my lawn" ( though Not his) to new extremes
2 victims and murderer all in their 60's

[Rozlee]

49. I was afraid to take a letter I found on the ground to a person that lives down the street from us.

When I was going toward their house, I couldn't see their mailbox anywhere and I was scared to go up and ring their doorbell or even leave it on their stoop. I'm the only minority that I'm aware of that lives in that area and I'm 50 and made it a point not to wear a hoodie. I just went back home and stuck the letter in my mailbox with a Post-It saying "wrong delivery." I grew up around prejudiced rural hicks in a small Texas town in my youth, but I remember never having to worry about one of them shooting me. We used to peddle stuff in white neighborhoods and the worst they'd say was, "Get off my lawn!" And these poor men, I assume, weren't even shot because of race. Because some jerk had an itchy trigger finger and hoped he could scratch it.

[RKP5637]

211. I often feel the same way. I told one of my friends recently when real estate hunting, we have to

be careful not to step on the property of a vacant house, some nut is likely to shoot us for some delusional reason. I would never go knock on someones door today for something like a wrongly delivered letter. There are just way too many gun nuts in this country. It is a horrible way to have to live.

[Aristus]

51. Fuckin' West Virginia, man. Fucking Hatfields and McCoys mindset.

"Way-ell, he wuz traipsin' on m'propitty. So Ah blasted him."

[onehandle]

55. Not just WV. There is a gun nut with this potential in every neighborhood in America. nt

[RKP5637]

59. I know people get PO'ed on DU if one mentions states/regions, but there are many

areas of the US I have absolutely no interest in ever being - visiting, driving, living or working. My job use to take me to many parts of the US, but today I would not want to be back in some of those areas.

I use to do a lot of crossing country driving, just stopping at some of the rest stops for gas/food use to be a bit spooky, and I'm not exaggerating. Some places I use to get a lot of stares, apparently because I did not fit the image of the local folk. It was very creepy.

[Bjorn Against]

69. I agree, I think many fail to recognize the difference between judging individuals and a region

I certainly don't think we should judge individuals based on what region of the country they come from, but that does not mean we can not acknowledge that some regions do have more problems with racism, gun nuttery, homophobia, etc. There is a difference between judging individuals based on where they live and judging a region based on objective data which shows that there are serious injustices happening in the region.

[lunasun]

97. Right and these same folks have enough sense to not walk around the west side of chitown at night

Certain blocks only really have the biggest problem, and plenty of good people live there but if you do not know those blocks you would stay out of the whole area

But if the shoe is on the other foot and folks mention areas that have more problems with racism, gun nuttery, homophobia, etc. then it is wrong to say you would not go there and broadbrush the whole area as not a safe place to visit .

[Aristus]

76. Don't get on my case.

If you feel that strongly about it, get the people of your state in line. Try to change their minds. If they shape up, I'll change my mind...

[TBF]

148. This is really out of line -

how in the fuck do you "get the people of your state in line". You want us to line up and start shooting them?

Seriously dude.

[Vashta Nerada]

80. Yep.

But don't mention that it happened in the South or you'll get attacked.

[DrDan]

111. and rightfully so

[theHandpuppet]

139. Your post is offensive

Unfortunately, these kinds of senseless gun crimes happen everywhere.

[PotatoChip]

147. I agree. Poster may want to look at the stats for

his/her own state before throwing stones.

-Just saying

[theHandpuppet]

142. Perhaps a few statistics might burst your bubble of bigotry

http://www.census.gov/statab/ranks/rank21.html

[In_The_Wind]

144. There were signs all over for the Hatfields and McCoys when I was down that way.

Restaurants ... things like that.

[ileus]

193. It's the ATV trail system in that part of WV.

[In_The_Wind]

152. On Mon Jan 27, 2014, 10:41 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

1:51 PM
Automated Message

AUTOMATED MESSAGE: Results of your Jury Service

On Mon Jan 27, 2014, 10:41 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

Fuckin' West Virginia, man. Fucking Hatfields and McCoys mindset.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4394783

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

This post uses bigoted stereotyping and is inappropriate for DU.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Mon Jan 27, 2014, 10:51 AM, and the Jury voted 2-4 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Bigoted stereotyping? I don't see that here. Is it because the poster is trying to show talk with a Southern drawl? Because he mentioned WV? No, I don't see bigoted stereotyping here.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Lighten up right the fuck now!
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: As a descendent of the McCoys, I disagree. He's not stereotyping, he's using the feud to group the offenders into a separate category.

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[theHandpuppet]

153. Since I was the poster who alerted

I will say that I disagree with the jury. I find this post to be highly offensive. As was getting cursed at by a jury member for alerting on this post. There was nothing disrespectful in my alert that warranted that kind of response. The other message I received loud and clear is that it is still acceptable here to stereotype and demean the people of Appalachia, of which I am one.

[PotatoChip]

155. ...

[theHandpuppet]

156. Thanks, Potato Chip

Back atcha.

[maindawg]

53. they love their guns

and they want to use them. They like to shoot them and they dream of an opportunity to use the gun. They are angry and they want to make their point. Whats the yse of having a really cool gun if you never get to shoot someone?

[Laxman]

54. There Is A Long List...

of infamous people who committed heinous crimes and were sentenced to death or life in prison after being afforded due process. Here you can add two more names to the list of innocent people summarily executed by someone who believed it was within their right as a gun owner to "keep the peace". That ability to end someone else's life based on the subjective perception of an untrained individual without proper justification is a serious problem in this country and it is linked to a gross misinterpretation of what the 2nd amendment meant when it was written. Morphing it into the form that the NRA and their supporters claim it takes today is almost laughable since so many of them are for the "strict interpretation" of the Constitution and threaten to use 2nd amendment remedies to return "constitutional" government to the U.S. I say "almost" laughable because this incident is yet another example of the consequences of that thinking and there is nothing here to laugh about.

[groundloop]

58. Good points.... and as for the 2nd amendment, what 'well regulated militia'....

What 'well regulated militia' was this moron a part of?

[MisterP]

181. a semiauto on every streetcorner doesn't prevent a police state, it's the defintion of police state

[CBGLuthier]

56. Even more cowardly than most gun lugging cowards. Shot them with a scope.

Did not engage. These guys were gunned down without even a fucking clue there was a madman out to kill them.

[brett_jv]

71. Yup ... it's despicable ...

How much ya wanna bet he sits around all day watching Faux and listening to Beck and Limpballs?

Probably espouses hate for 'the government', and esp. those commies Pelosi and Obammie ... whilst availing himself of all manner of government assistance.

[7962]

86. No way he can say 'self defense" if thats the case. He's obviously got a screw loose. nt

[lunasun]

101. Finally got chance to use that scope!- a real sick subculture that encourages paranoid cowards

to play with the toys marketed to them

A local grocery store in our area now has a rack with about 10 diferrent gun mags - the covers themselves should make it be a behind the counter item
but no - it is there at checkout as an impulsive buy
turned me off to the store - went to corp chain because after a few times
I personally felt it was impacting my psyche to have those mags in my face and I am not even necessarily anti gun - they were just over the top and not a grocery store item for general public
Wonder what inspiration they have offered unstables in the area???

[riderinthestorm]

60. Just another responsible gun owner...

... until he wasn't.

[toby jo]

62. Enforce the 2nd amendment.

Make sure everyone who owns a weapon is given a single shot rifle in place of what is currently under their roof.

[Lost_Count]

105. I must have missed the phrase "single shot rifle "

... In the 2nd.

[awoke_in_2003]

191. Oh, you didn't miss it...

because it isn't there. But I bet you missed the phrase "well-regulated militia"

[Duckhunter935]

204. yep, well equiped

[Lost_Count]

205. I saw it and then continued to read...

Give it a go...

[awoke_in_2003]

225. Since you are, evidently, wiser than I...

please tell me how a bunch of rednecks with guns is well regulated? What regulation exists? Oh, background checks if you buy from a dealer, but not from private individuals.

[Lost_Count]

226. Fun fact...

Words in different orders mean different things.

In this case, the militia is a smaller subset of the people at large.The same people, who are mentioned specifically, shall not have their rights to arms infringed. There is no mention of only active members of a militia gaining this right.

In short, you can't just pick the words you like. Read the whole thing.

2nd fun fact...

Words have multiple meanings and their common usage can change over time. Regulated , in addition to the meaning of having rules , and in this context means orderly.

[Javaman]

64. Gun nuts and the nra are trying to redefine what murder is. nt

[packman]

65. Used to have a cabin in WV

Last edited Mon Jan 27, 2014, 02:01 PM - Edit history (1)

and there were a lot of break-in's to the week-enders cabins. The cabins were deserted for the most part during the week and it would be open season for the locals who would break the door or card-open the cheap locks, steal crap such as food or blankets or the tools being used to make the cabins more livable. Police could care less and nothing was being done.

However the thieves became embodied and started breaking into the local's sheds. Well, this was something different. A few locals formed a group of vigilante squads and hid out near the sheds and sure enough they spotted three guys breaking into a shed and stealing arms full of oil cans. The local squad confronted them (it was reported) but they ran and were all shot dead from behind. When they investigated their homes they found them brimming with stolen cabin loot - generators, blankets, tools, lumber, crates of food. Nothing came of it. Justice served. EDIT- see comment below on "Justice served" sentence.
Sold my cabin a few weeks later.

[brett_jv]

77. Wouldn't be surprised at all if Mr. Black was fully aware of those happenings ...

And figured nothing would happen to him either, on accounta these were thieves just like the other three.

And really, justice was NOT served in that case. If the authorities really did nothing to this 'hit squad', then they just gave everyone in the state reason to believe that it's okay to take the law into your hands when dealing with property thieves, and just shoot 'em yourself.

[PotatoChip]

85. "Justice served"

[packman]

100. Of course

You all know that I was just repeating what the locals were saying about the entire incident that they got what they deserved for stealing "stuff" and shouldn't have been trying to escape. Myself, I was disgusted over the whole thing to take lives over some stolen oil.

[PotatoChip]

102. Thanks for clarifying. (nt)

[geek tragedy]

125. may want to edit the post to clarify. nt

[Marr]

66. Bet you $5 that shooter has a head full of Fox News paranoia.

I find it bizarre that we regularly discuss the effects of violent video games on children in this country, when we're so regularly confronted with the effects of violent, paranoid propaganda on adults.

[brett_jv]

72. I would not take that bet ... in fact I would bet $100 you're right ...

[LeftinOH]

75. Shot for "trespassing"? F*ck that. This is murder in cold blood; the shooter

did not warn the men, did not speak to them or try to find out what they were up to... he just shot them dead. Hope he rots in jail.

[aikoaiko]

78. Banz teh Gunz!1!!!

[Bjorn Against]

83. A tragic killing happens and your response is to mock the people who are upset by it

Real classy, your mocking attitude after a tragedy shows why people like you should not own guns.

[aikoaiko]

88. There is a lot of mocking in this thread that you have overlooked.

It starts with the OP.

And very little concern about the victims of what appears to me to be two murders.

[Bjorn Against]

89. I don't see any mocking from the OP, he posted a news story

I do see many people showing concern for the people who were shot, you are one of the only people in this thread who does not appear to be outraged over their killings.

What part of the OP do you believe is mocking?

[aikoaiko]

92. Everyone, even target shooters, are gun nuts to Onehandle.

Even me.

[Bjorn Against]

93. So are you suggesting the guy who shot those people was not a gun nut?

If you are upset that onehandle would call a murderer a gun nut I think that says more about you than it does about onehandle. That murdering asshole is about as clear cut of a case of gun nuttery as you can get.

[aikoaiko]

94. I don't know what he was except an apparent murderer.

This is a discussion board where it can get a little edgy in the give and take of discussion.

[Bjorn Against]

96. He was a nutty guy with a gun who thought it was OK to shoot two people that posed him no threat

[billh58]

103. If he didn't have a gun

he would have most likely just stabbed them to death, or thrown them into his swimming pool and drowned them.

[Iggo]

108. ...or accidentally run them over with his car.

[aikoaiko]

109. or run them over with his car.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

110. It should be noted the person you are responding to is host of GD voting to lock this thread.

[Bjorn Against]

112. It is quite interesting that the person who responded to these deaths with mockery is a host

They tell us the reason we can't discuss these things in GD is because the discussion gets too heated, but it seems like the ones calling loudest for the debate to be shut down are often the same people who make the most insensitive remarks.

[pintobean]

117. I think the mockery

was of the "MOAR GUNZ" type of posts. I don't think it's a mockery of the OP.

I don't understand why people think that anyone who thinks a thread is an SOP violation shouldn't participate in the thread.

"It should be noted" that HBS only entered this thread to take a cheap shot at a fellow GD host.

[Bjorn Against]

122. I never said he shouldn't participate, I said he should not mock people upset over a tragedy

I do think it is ridiculous that so many of the people who are constantly talking about guns want to shut down discussion about guns in GD however.

I have no problem with Hassin Bin Sober informing us of what is happening in the hosts forum, I think there should be some transparancy.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

138. Yep. DU3 is about transparency. Nothing in HOSTS is confidential or off limits to discuss.

Any DUer with a star can sign up to be a host and there are several positions available at any given time.

[Capt. Obvious]

143. I'm sure I'm not the only one who was wondering

about the fight going on behind the scenes about this thread.

[aikoaiko]

145. No fighting about this OP.

Several votes. Mine was the first vote and I voted to lock based on it not being big news.

The other hosts voted to leave for various reasons.

[pintobean]

150. I would say it's interesting and out of the ordinary.

The story of the cold blooded murder of two innocent men, and the reasons given, should be allowed in GD. It's the use of the term 'gun nut" in the subject line. The way that term is used on DU, it's just begging for the usual gun battle. The first reply picked up on that, added something ridiculous, and away we went.


'Gun nut" on DU can mean anything from the shooter in the OP to anyone who supports the RTKBA in any way. It's thrown around here like candy at a parade. It's not a good way to start a reasonable discussion.

[RetroLounge]

203. "not being big news"

Nice try.

RL

[LanternWaste]

131. Less or more concern regarding the victims than you yourself have expressed

"And very little concern about the victims of what appears to me to be two murders. "

Would that amount be less concern or more concern regarding the victims than you yourself have expressed?



(I realize the ethical convenience of holding others to a higher standard than we hold ourselves...)

[TheCowsCameHome]

99. BTW, if you think this helps your pro-gun stance,

you're delusional.

[billh58]

106. The pro-gun

lobby, and its proponents don't need any help from anyone except ALEC and the Koch Brothers, while disclaiming any association with the NRA (yeah, right...).

With enough corrupt right-wing politicians towing the ALEC line, the goal of more guns for everyone is like shooting ducks in a barrel.

[aikoaiko]

107. you like to dish it out. enjoy it yourself.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4316809

[RetroLounge]

116. Now there is exactly what I expected from you

RL

[aikoaiko]

121. You should because your use of Moar Gunz inspired it.

[RetroLounge]

123. Glad to help.

Getting lonely outside of the gungeon, huh?

RL

[Bjorn Against]

124. Two people are dead and you find it just hilarious that you can mock the people upset over it

[pintobean]

126. RetroLounge doesn't appear to be upset.

He's just doing what he does, regardless of the subject.

[Bjorn Against]

127. I don't think you speak for Retro Lounge

The puke emoticon Retro Lounge used in post 116 however does not seem to me to suggest approval.

[pintobean]

130. I don't think I do either.

Neither do you. "Doesn't appear" and "does not seem to me to suggest" are pretty much the same thing.

The puke emoticon may as well be in his sig line, he uses it so often.

Did someone appoint you as the thought enforcer for this thread?

[Bjorn Against]

133. Speaking my opinion does not make me a thought enforcer

I never said I spoke for Retro Lounge, but you told me he or she was not upset and I was not going to let you say that without pointing out the puke emoticon as a puke emoticon is usually not a sign of approval.

[pintobean]

134. The puke emoticon was directed at aikoaiko, not the OP.

nt

[Bjorn Against]

136. I know that, my post was also directed at aikoaiko

I was disgusted by aikoaiko's mockery, I am not disgusted by the person who posted the OP.

[Tippy]

87. NRA...Your Gun Righs SUCK

[Iggo]

104. An armed society is a polite society.

MORE GUNS NOW!!!

[RetroLounge]

119. Just more porn to the gun humpers

RIP to these poor gentlemen killed for the sake of the gun humpers and their precious 2nd fucking amendment..

RL

[ecstatic]

128. Disgusting. Nt

[dchill]

129. Country road, take me home to the place I belong...

Stand your ground.

[Baitball Blogger]

132. I wonder if that idiot was trying to take ownership of that shed by adverse possession?

Somewhere in his head he thought that shed belonged to him, when it clearly didn't. Where did he get that idea?

[Cali_Democrat]

146. At least his Second Amendment rights weren't violated!

[Liberal_in_LA]

159. even if it was his property, he felt deadly force was necessary?

[rocktivity]

163. Correction: RACIST Gun Nut Kills Two Innocent Neighbors On Their Own Property

Last edited Mon Jan 27, 2014, 06:26 PM - Edit history (1)

The Hopkins Brothers:


Rodney Bruce Black:


So much for Black's story of not knowing who owned the shed or the property it was on -- this is more likely a hate crime.


rocktivity

[Hassin Bin Sober]

168. In my experience, that goes without saying. But yes, wow.

I didn't think this story could get worse. But it did.

[raccoon]

164. The killer has been charged with 2 counts of first degree murder.

I hope he gets life.


http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/UPDATE-Two-Men-Shot-to-Death-by-Homeowner-in-Barboursville-241973841.html

[TNNurse]

172. Sad, but not surprised

Every time someone touts the 2nd Amendment, I want to know the name of their militia and what it's regulations are.

If the man who murdered these two men is a member of the NRA, can there be a class action suit against them? Everyone else in the country who is not a member? We want to know about their militia and just who the Hell "regulates them and put them in charge".

Anyone who voted for a Stand your Ground Law and encouraged this mentality, is guilty in every crime like this.

[Enthusiast]

178. Rodney Bruce Black's actions are indefensible.

He's a fucking idiot!

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

180. I'm sure FOX will give this incident equal coverage to what they gave "the knockout game"

and their concern of a supposed epidemic of "black-on-white" violence

[Doctor_J]

185. Wha's the big deal. Mr. Black just Stood His Ground

That dude in FL shot some kids sitting in a car. I see little difference.

NRA members: Let us know when Loony LaPete turns this into another ad campaign

[hollowdweller]

196. This is similar to the Henry Louis Gates episode

Except it would be like if the neighbors just shot the guys trying to get into the building instead of calling the police.


Guy saw two black guys trying to get into a building and thought he'd take them out.

Figured he could get away with it. Milton and Barborsville are pretty white areas. More Mexican people than blacks.

[mdbl]

198. Maybe Ted Nugent will do a benefit concert for the shooter

[onehandle]

199. And the NRA will set up a convention down the road like they did for Columbine. nt

[Catherine Vincent]

212. God this is terrible

Two innocent lives lost because of some f*cking coward with a gun. Excuse my language but this just breaks my heart.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

217. The new owner was dreaming of the perfect placement of a new home for his family ....

[brewens]

215. As a kid, I almost for sure would have been killed for a Halloween prank or something like that

if it had been like it is today. The people we harrassed probably had guns but they would never have shot a kid. Some of them sure as shit would now!

[jsr]

216. Cowardly assassin.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

218. Hey gun degenerates, this one's for you!

[OldRedneck]

219. And another thing:

The guy who killed the other two men was white.

Guess what color the two dead guys were.






That's right. Black.

[MsPithy]

220. I grew up in the country, I live in the country, now.

If you think someone is on your property, you stick your head out the window and shout, "Can I help you?"

If they are too far away, you put on your coat and boots, take the dogs and walk over to where they are and ask, "Can I help you?"

Where I live, it is most likely they say, "I love your house, can I see the inside?"

Being used to this by now, I say, "Sure, do you want a cup of coffee?"

This is how countryfolk act, no guns, no shooting anyone.

[B Calm]

222. Same here, but down the road we do have one old cranky

bastard that raises hell from time to time. Everyone just stays their distance from him.

[PowerToThePeople]

223. rescind the 2nd amendment, now! n/t

[SmittynMo]

224. It's time to do something

This idiot should be given the chair, plain and simple. And now because of his actions, Garrick's family must go on without him, simply because of stupidity. These two death's cannot go unpunished. Excuses like " I thought this...., and Gee I'm stupid" are not a defense. This was cold blooded murder and he should be punished with his own life. We have no need for people like this on this planet.