Minnesota man guns down teen girl after she asks him to stop riding lawnmower in her yard

[geardaddy]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/24/minnesota-man-guns-down-teen-girl-after-she-asks-him-to-stop-riding-lawnmower-in-her-yard/

A Minnesota man who admitted shooting a 17-year-old girl multiple times because she asked him to stop trespassing on his riding lawnmower has been charged with attempted first-degree murder.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by The Associated Press, 40-year-old Chad Pickering shot the 17-year-old girl in the chest, right thigh and left ankle while she was standing on the deck of her Bemidji home on Monday night.

“The victim herself was able to describe what had happened and talk to us and tell us that she’d simply been shot when she stepped out of her house to check on her dogs,” Sheriff Phil Hodapp explained to WCCO.


The teen told investigators that she had asked Pickering not to ride his lawnmower through her yard. She also said that he often carried a pistol with him on the lawnmower.

When the girl later went outside to tie up her barking dog, she saw someone crouching, and then felt three bullets strike her. She said that she could not walk, but was able to pull herself into the house to call 911.

Neighbors saw Pickering run through the teen’s yard, and he was quickly identified to police after the shooting.

Officers who searched his home found a .45-calibre semi-automatic pistol hidden in an air vent, which matched bullet casings found at the crime scene. Officers also noticed fresh grass stains on Pickering’s jeans.

The suspect, however, insisted that he had not seen the gun in about a week. When officers confronted him with the evidence, Pickering reportedly admitted to the shooting.

The criminal complaint said that Pickering told officers he had taken his daughters for a ride on the mower, and then the girl came to his house to ask him to stop trespassing.

Pickering said that he “went to her house, knelt by a pine tree and shot her twice after she came out the front door,” the AP reported.

The victim was stabilized at Bemidji Sanford Hospital, and then was taken to Duluth for additional treatment. She was expected to recover from her wounds.

Pickering was charged with premeditated attempted first-degree murder. He was being held at Beltrami County Jail in lieu of $300,000 bond.

WCCO reported that Pickering had been employed at the Northwestern Minnesota Juvenile Center as a corrections worker until June 9 of this year.

Video at link.

[onehandle]

1. Guns are handy.

What Domestic Terrorists Are Teaching Our Children

[lunasun]

144. yes!!!

[dhill926]

2. put this asshole away….

for a long, long time.

[11 Bravo]

113. Relax, he was just standing someone else's ground.

[Fawke Em]

134. While I agree that he was a coward, please consider another term

Technically, if were "acting like a pussy," he be tougher.

[Enthusiast]

147. You just don't understand how frightening 17 year old girls are.

[chervilant]

155. Sexism?!?

How unoriginal...

[sarisataka]

165. Standard fare

When it comes to guns. Usually any and all terms are fair game.
The bigger surprise was the vote actually was hide, though it was close.

[div class="excerpt"JURY RESULTS

A randomly-selected Jury of DU members completed their review of this alert at Thu Jul 24, 2014, 05:45 PM, and voted 4-3 to HIDE IT.

Juror #1 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: I appreciate the poster's disgust about this incident, but they could have used another, more appropriate and non-sexist word than "pussy" to express that sentiment.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Sigh.
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: too much political correctness. Leave it be.
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: I must agree with the alerting member, this could have been worded much better.
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: haven't folks learned that this kind of sexism is unacceptable?
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given

[chervilant]

166. Thanks,

my IL is chockablock full of sexists and misogynists.

[yuiyoshida]

143. I agree...

You said it all.

[SummerSnow]

151. He shouldn't have bail either.

[Archae]

3. You think "Open Carry" will support this guy?

"It's his 2nd amendment RIGHT to shoot anyone who won't let him drive his lawnmower where-ever he wants!"

[samsingh]

228. as long as he supports guns millions will support whatever he does

[d_r]

4. damn 3 shots with a .45

She is lucky she survived.

Dude has crazy eye.

[Aerows]

149. Unfortunately

I thought that myself. Good grief.

[d_r]

174. sorry

I was working on lyrics for my new country song.

[Aerows]

175. I shot the lawn and the lawn won

I shot the lawn and the lawn won.

I shouldn't have gone there.

[valerief]

200. Very McCainish! nt

[TorchTheWitch]

187. first thing that came to my mind as soon as as saw the photo

What he did sounds like crazy mind had everything to do with it. That he has kids of his own it terrifying.

[malthaussen]

5. Obviously got into that line of work because of his love of children. n/t

[petronius]

16. Anyone wishing to use dark humor on DU should

first be required to attend your seminar...


(It would be interesting to know why he no longer works at the juvenile center, whether it's a for-profit correctional facility, and what the process of his original hiring looked like.)

[Beaverhausen]

6. Wonder why he left (or was fired) from his job in June?

what a sick fuck. So glad the victim is going to survive.

[KurtNYC]

19. Looks like he was in treatment for PTSD

and he REALLY likes that gun:

http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2014/07/alleged_bemidji_shooter_chad_pickering_posted_pics_of_himself_toting_gun_on_facebook.php?page=2

[HooptieWagon]

7. Thank goodness she survived.

The asshole should be imprisoned for life.

[StevieM]

168. Isn't it strange to feel relief, in a way, after reading an article like this?

It should be mortifying, and nothing else. But when you get to the part where the 17 year old girl survived this time, instead of dying senselessly, like so many others in these types of stories, you actually feel like there is a "good" ending and breath of a sigh of relief.

I know...it's crazy.

[Swede Atlanta]

8. This case is indicative of the gun mentality......

First of all this guy apparently sees nothing wrong with shooting someone because they asked him to stop driving his lawnmower across her property (property of her parents or whoever she lives with). Secondly he worked at a correctional facility?

That also concerns me. Correctional officers are (should be) subject to rules of engagement. If this guy is willing to shoot an unarmed teenager over a lawnmower dispute I shudder to think how he would react if an inmate crossed him.

We don't know the circumstances of his departure from the correctional facility but hopefully if he is convicted of the charges against him he would never be a candidate for employment with any police department, correctional facility, etc. ...i.e. any job that requires the ability to maintain your composure or a job that requires carrying a weapon.

[IronGate]

13. This case is NOT indicative of the gun mentality.

99.9% of gun owners would never even think of doing this shit.

If he's convicted of this crime, he'll be ineligible to ever own a gun again after he gets out of prison, much less any job in LE.

[blueamy66]

21. So he'll just buy a gun from a private owner....

like most of the COs that I know....

[IronGate]

25. And if he gets caught,

he'll go back to prison for violating federal law.

[mikeysnot]

38. Funny

if he gets caught....

[Skittles]

129. there shouldn't be an organization pimping for gun humpers

[Skittles]

133. LOL "SOME PEOPLE"

stop watching Fox News!

[MythosMaster]

140. Are you saying guns

are the same as living breathing humans? And they deserve the same rights?

interesting...

[Skittles]

141. oh but of course!

in the conservative world, "labor and minority" rights equate with.......gun humping rights.........oh ABSOLUTELY

[IronGate]

53. Yeah Mikey, if he gets caught,

like every other crime committed.

[gcomeau]

128. Except with every other crime committed...

...you generally don't have a massive lobby trying to make sure the laws remain porous enough to ensure nobody ever gets caught unless they commit some other additional crime to call attention to themselves.

[lark]

68. So what?

He may be in jail and maybe not, but someone else could be dead.

[IronGate]

72. So what's your solution?

Within the confines of the Constitution?
Make it double illegal?

[lark]

76. 1 - the constitution does not say what the felonious five claim it does.

2 - Get new SCOTUS and throw out the previously partisan and wrong interpretation of the law. Yeah, I know, that would take some time, but talking long term best solution here.
3 - Short term - no sales without background checks, limit magazine size, eliminate open carry, gun locks required, limit to purchases of guns. It's a start and will stop some unnecessary deaths.

[sendero]

125. Don't expect an answer..

... some people just cannot accept that for some problems there IS no solution.

But it makes them feel sanctimonious and proud to proclaim that there are.

Now me, I'm FOR background checks, no so much the other ideas here. But make no mistake, NONE of those will stop unhinged people from committing heinous crimes, not AT ALL.

[JimDandy]

163. The background check. He has PTSD and was being treated at the VA

[LiberalArkie]

170. And track the serial numbers of the guns, so that when a owner sells his firearm privately

but does not transfer ownership of the weapon. The last owner of that serial number is also held responsible

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

116. The solution is a major attitude change

on the need to own a gun.
I've been around for 73 years now and can honestly say that I have never needed a gun, what the hell is everyone afraid of?
I'm surrounded by hundreds of square miles of road-less wilderness area here in Oregon, lots of bears, mountain lions and other critters, I still don't need a gun, but then I not paranoid.
A gun won't protect your home from theft when you aren't there, probably get it stolen.
Yeah, I know it's your right to have one, my advice is to get a dog, better company too.

[blueamy66]

117. This^^

nt

[IronGate]

119. DING-DING-DING!

We have a winner.
As far as I can see, that's the only way we're going to reduce the proliferation of guns in this country.

The only time I've ever had to defend myself with a firearm is while I was an active duty Marine during 2 combat tours, otherwise, I use my wits, common sense and knowledge to stay out of harms way.
And, like you, I have a couple of BIG dogs as our first line of defense.

As a Oregonian, hello.

[Skittles]

130. lots of cowards in the "home of the brave"

yup

[demwing]

195. Are they cowards, or just paranoid?

maybe we should stop treating gun nuts like evil bad guys, and start treating them like they are mentally ill?

[Skittles]

217. both

[demwing]

218. No. Not both.

If they're suffering from paranoia, then they have a mental disorder, and should be treated by a psychiatrist.

If they're cowards, then they're just lousy people, and should be treated accordingly.

[Jenoch]

136. I own several guns and none of them were acquired out of fear.

[Ineeda]

120. You seem to be fighting really hard

to defend your (and the NRA) position here. I'm making an assumption, I know, but based on what I've been reading from you, I doubt you are doing anything at all to make our world safer from gun violence. Any rational person would agree that incidents like these are totally unacceptable: this young girl whose life is changed forever, a dead dad in movie theater, a dead kid who listened to loud music in his own car, 26 slaughtered little kids and caregivers in an elementary school, and other hundreds or thousands of maimed or dead people suffering firearm accidents and deliberate acts. Families and friends and survivors horrifically damaged. So....what are you doing? Are you working toward better/more thorough background checks, or to limit magazine size, or gun lock requirements? Anything? Bueller? Bueller? Or are you too busy defending the indefensible with Right Wing/NRA talking points?

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

196. How about repealing the STUPID SECOND AMENDMENT!

Given that all too many gun lovers place guns above the health and safety of others.

[IronGate]

205. Fine,

but you are aware that it takes only 13 states to defeat a repeal don't you? Given that, what do you think the chances are of repealing the 2A?
And even if the 2A was repealed, the states can still set their own gun laws.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

215. Oh, I know it's not going to happen

Since the gun nut lobby is too strong.

The gun law that I like is the Swiss one: Only if you can prove that you need a handgun, then you can get a license.

[IronGate]

216. The best way to address the proliferation of firearms

is to change the culture and attitudes of the American population.
Another way to slow down the gun violence is to end the war on drugs, which so far is a massive failure, this will take the illegal profits away from the dealers and I'll wager that in the inner cities, the violence would dramatically drop, and the added benefit would be, (hopefully) the money saved could be invested in the education system in those cities, along with rebuilding the infrastructure.

[heaven05]

56. oh really

right.

[IronGate]

62. Yeah, really.

Prove me wrong!!!

[heaven05]

75. Idiots with legal

weapons prove you wrong. And this is an everyday fact in america. Not buying the garbage you're selling. Go sell it to the 'open carry, bundy bunch' they'll buy and quickly.

[IronGate]

80. IOW, you can't disprove me with facts, but thanks for proving my point.

[heaven05]

84. you're

whistling in the wind because you know the facts are present everyday on news, in forums like this and others I might read. I don't have to prove anything to you. You're not that important to me. I know I'm right. Nothing you spout will change that. You have a fine day.

[IronGate]

85. You have a nice day also.

[savalez]

81. Pulling stats out of your ass don't make it so.

[IronGate]

83. Instead of posting nonsensical insults,

prove me wrong.

[savalez]

90. Nonsensical? Ha!

prove me wrong.

Do your own research.

[IronGate]

92. I have, but apparently,

you haven't.
But you have a nice day anyways.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

198. It would appear that IronGate's mind is made up

And mere reality will not sway him from his desire to have guns, and let other gun nuts carry on.

[IronGate]

207. Believe what you will, it makes no difference to me.

[Bortman33]

135. How many people

in any society would die of gunshot wounds IF no one in that society owned a gun.

I now, "they'd be killing each other with forks."

[IronGate]

138. Well, that's pretty easy, none.

Now, how do you remove firearms from our society within the confines of the Constitution?

[Bortman33]

222. The framers did not have minds closed

by an iron gate, they combined the individual ownership of single shot muzzle loaded guns within the constraints of a WELL REGULATED MILITIA.

Instead of keeping your mind locked shut by the iron gate created by the NRA and other right wing propagandists, why don't you use your mind, the one that you seem to hold in such high regard, to make some suggestions that might help alleviate the disastrous consequences of our insane gun culture?

[IronGate]

223. That's really cute, using my username as a sort of insult.

But you still didn't answer my question.

[Bortman33]

224. Either you are feigning

helplessness, or you truly are helpless. Which is it?

Oh, my god, the constitution, a document written by some very astute yet very flawed men seems to have paralyzed your gated mind. You sound like a child who has not yet learned that the word no/know has multiple meanings.

Try

three round clips

as an example of improving the system, it does seem good enough for ducks, why not people?

That wasn't that hard, now was it? Now you give it a try.

[IronGate]

225. I have given it a try, many times,

just do a search and you'll see what I would support.

Still with the silly snark.

[Fred Sanders]

96. Anger issues plus a handy gun equals gun violence,the leading cause of death in 16 states, but you

will want to be denying all that?

Good for you, run along and play with your guns.

[IronGate]

97. 1, I don't play with guns, that's a good way to get myself or someone else hurt.

2. The fact remains that 99.9% of gun owners would never do what this fucking moron did.

[Fred Sanders]

103. Oh wow, now he gets no gun, awesome, tell that to the thrice shot with a gun teen. 99.9% of

gun owners would disagree with you....making up stuff is fun and easy, 99.9% of the time.

[IronGate]

104. I don't need to, the justice system will. nt.

[Enthusiast]

148. But many gun nuts would.

I own several guns. But I'm not a Ted Nugent type of enthusiast. Gun nuts are entirely out of control.

[demigoddess]

157. and he will obey that law just like

he obeyed the one about shooting people!!!!!!!?

[GeorgeGist]

162. How precious.

[niyad]

178. keep trying, someone might actually believe what is in your post.

[IronGate]

184. I could care less if people believe it or not,

but it's a fact that 99.9% of gun owners are nothing like this idiot.

[Pholus]

203. Yeah but that moronic one in a thousand makes the other 999 look really, really bad.

Personally, I'd think some restrictions on gun ownership -- that reasonably that last crazy guy really shouldn't have one -- would be something rational that the other 999 would agree to.

But, somehow some really well paid lobbyists work real hard to make sure the crazy guy can have every gun he wants.

Surely the crazy guy is not the only one paying these rich lobbyists -- they don't come cheap you know...

[Spitfire of ATJ]

183. However "She also said that he often carried a pistol with him on the lawnmower." is though....

Right?

I mean, you're really vulnerable out there in the open like that going back and forth in a straight line. There might be a sniper out there getting a bead on you.

Right?

Oh,....and FORGET this shit:



You're a sitting duck.

[Eleanors38]

22. Your post is indicative of a smear. You can do that...

...in GD. But please be advised that broad-brush smears anywhere are based on prejudice and animosity toward a whole class of people.

That is not very liberal, though increasingly acceptable in DU.

[HERVEPA]

58. You don't get to define what is liberal.

I'd love to see hand guns be illegal in this country. Yeh, I'm one of those.

[Eleanors38]

78. You don't get a free pass for your notion of "liberalism."

Again, the broad-based smear I referenced is founded and nurtured by prejudice and animosity. If you want to sell that as "liberal," go ahead. But it Is Not. And it will be pointed out early and often.

[HERVEPA]

121. Guns deserve all the animosity and prejudice they can garner.

Fucking sick, sick culture.

[Eleanors38]

190. Is it the "guns" or the "culture" which are deserving of animosity?

A physical object as a focus of hatred matters little to me. But when it comes to a culture, this can involve tens of millions of Americans. That's what concerns me about an increasingly loud strain of "liberal" rhetoric: It relies on the very corrosive emotions and intolerance "we" condemn in the far right. This in turn is why the "gun-control" side of things is seen as less mainstream (if it ever was), and more of an extreme fringe.

[HERVEPA]

193. To be clear, fuck guns and gun culture.

[mindwalker_i]

36. I think it's more indicative of lawn-mower mentality

He should not be allowed to own a lawnmower ever again, or at least restrict him to non-powered, push mowers. The gun was just an innocent bystander.

[lark]

71. Lawn mower wouldn't kill her

A nut with a gun almost did. Take away the gun, he's not nearly so much of a threat.

[mindwalker_i]

126. If he were angry enough

he could have crushes the lawnmower betwee his hands to the point where its constituent atoms fused. Had he done that, it could have been more lethal than the gun.

[Inkfreak]

55. Wrong. It's indicative of a horrible human being. (nt)

[ecstatic]

63. I would narrow that down to the open carry, pro NRA mentality

The desire to open carry indicates a temporary or ongoing mental illness (IMO).

[freebrew]

99. It is rampant stupidity.

This stupidity is being encouraged by the media/government every day through lies from the idiot box.

Making guns illegal doesn't seem to help(Chicago). By making them illegal, you will create a police state.

Get rid of the idiots. Problem solved.

If the answer were that easy, it would have been done, maybe, already.

Making laws against an item is prohibition. No real liberal should sponsor prohibition of any sort.

IMHO

[abelenkpe]

95. Good points! nt

[sakabatou]

9. WTF?!

[liberalhistorian]

10. WT FUCK would he have needed

a gun while mowing his fucking lawn? To shoot any errant blades of grass that defied the mower blades??? Jesus F. Christ, I'm so SICK of this fucking bullshit. Now we can't even ask people to stop trespassing on our own property without fear of being shot for it? We already can't even go to the damned movies, or anywhere else anymore, without that fear thanks to the NRA and the RKBA nutballs.

[Roy Serohz]

11. GET OFF HER LAWN, Asshole!

I hope you get the max, you fucking piece of shit!

[riderinthestorm]

12. Just another good guy with a gun.... oh wait.

Err, if only SHE'D been armed THAT would have stopped him!



I am soooo glad she will survive.

[obxhead]

48. Beat me to it.

I'm getting sick of this shit. It's the one real fear I have moving from VA, a place full of gun nuts, to FL a place full of nuts with guns.

I'll keep my head up though and try to stick to the ghettos. I should be fairly safe there.

[KG]

14. remember kids - an armed society is a polite society!

no need to assume a goofball with a gun is going to shoot you!

[Shrike47]

15. Sounds to me like substance abuse problems are involved. This guy needs a prison quiet time.

I wonder when he's going to realize that now his kids will grow up without their father.

[Laffy Kat]

20. Um, IMO his kids growing up w/o him would be a GOOD thing.

Why do I get the feeling that his kids may be relieved to have their father locked up for the remainder of their childhood?

[Nay]

87. Indeed. His kids are probably breathing a sigh of relief right now, even if

they consciously don't even know why.

[WinkyDink]

17. He stood her ground.

[mindwalker_i]

33. Ouch, that was terrible!

[geardaddy]

42. DUzy n/t

[jberryhill]

57. Sounds like he mowed it

[Dustlawyer]

60. You beat me to it!

[RebelOne]

91. Stop already with the sick humor. n/t

[WinkyDink]

100. Actually, a pun is not necessarily intended to be humorous. That's on you.

[liberal N proud]

102. I was trying to put it that way

[leftyohiolib]

18. the nra and the gunfreaks will fight for his right to keep on carrying

[IronGate]

27. That's a fucking lie.

That NRA has come out in favor of convicted felons not being able to possess firearms.

[jeff47]

32. Which is why the NRA comes out against any attempt to limit private sales

in order to actually make it so convicted felons can't possess firearms.

Oh wait, that makes no sense.

[riqster]

35. And tried to block many of the mechanisms needed to enforce such laws.

You know, expanded background checks, closing the gun show loophole, etc.

[IronGate]

49. Those are states issues.

A fed. UBC would probably be overturned by the courts as it violates the Commerce Clause, states are within their rights to impose UBC's, as several states have already done.

It's already federally illegal for a resident of one state to cross border and buy a gun in another state without an FFL background check, but it's not illegal for in state transfers without a B/C, which needs to be addressed by the states.

[HERVEPA]

61. Shouldn't be a state issue.

get rid of the fucking handguns.

[IronGate]

65. Get rid of the fucking handguns?

How do you propose to do that within the confines of the Constitution?

[HERVEPA]

73. Amend the constitution if necessary

And who the hell needs hand guns for a well-regulated militia.
Total bullshit
Fuck all the gun cheerleading on this site.

[IronGate]

77. That's the correct way, but you do know that it would take only 13 states to reject

any Amendment, and at present, there is no apetite for a Constitutional Convention to amend the Constitution to abolish handguns, especially when the American people oppose a handgun ban by appox. 75%.

Americans Broadly Oppose Banning Handguns

The new poll also finds public opposition to banning handgun ownership holding at a record-high 74%, identical to a year ago. One in four Americans think the law should limit possession to police and other authorized persons.

Recent attitudes on this are markedly different from the 1980s, when barely half of Americans opposed a ban on civilian handgun ownership. It is also a major turnaround from a half century ago, when only 36% opposed such a ban. Opposition to banning citizens' possession of handguns mounted in the 1990s and 2000s, and first crossed the 70% threshold in 2009.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/165563/remains-divided-passing-stricter-gun-laws.aspx

So, given that, banning handguns isn't possible for the foreseeable future.

[HERVEPA]

114. I know.

Maybe sometime if enough people are murdered people will come to their senses.

Yeh, I know that won't happen.

Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.
H. L. Mencken
US editor (1880 - 1956)

[IronGate]

115. LOL.

Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.

Can't argue with that.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

152. "The strongest argument for gun control is found in the 2nd amendment itself, which reads

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

What does "well regulated" mean? In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the U.S. Supreme Court stated that
the adjective 'well-regulated' implies nothing more than the imposition of proper discipline and training.

What is the mechanism by which "proper discipline and training" is provided to members of this militia? How well disciplined was Adam Lanza? James Holmes? Jared Loughner? Cho Seung Hui?

Until this so-called militia is being adequately regulated, the purported right of the people to keep and bear arms MUST be infringed. If it is not regulated (or infringed upon), such a militia actually undermines and threatens the security of the state."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/25/1173770/-What-IS-a-well-regulated-militia

[Jenoch]

109. What is you plan to "...get rid of the fucking handguns."?

Also, what have you done to implement your plan, other than posting in an internet message board?

[riqster]

107. And the NRA is zealously working at the state level to enact those checks?

Ermmmmmm... No.

[IronGate]

108. As far as I know, the NRA is opposed to a federal UBC,

but not on the state level.

I personally favor every firearm sale/transfer having to go through an FFL B/C.

[jeff47]

177. Must not read much.

http://vacps.org/index.php/component/content/article?id=77:nra-seeks-to-weaken-background-check-system-in-virginia

The NRA opposes background checks. At both the state and federal level.

[IronGate]

180. As I said, I wasn't sure. nt.

[riqster]

199. Sure enough to say things like "fucking lie" upthread, though.

Your statement has been thoroughly debunked and disproven. Repudiation would be a much more credible response than waffling.

[IronGate]

206. What I said upthread is true, it's a fucking lie

The NRA has supported the banning of felons from possessing weapons.

[riqster]

208. Bollocks. You responded to this general statement:

"18. the nra and the gunfreaks will fight for his right to keep on carrying"

Which does not say what you now claim it does. Furthermore, you responded with a generalized claim of your own, so your claim fails on multiple counts.

[IronGate]

209. Bollocks.

The NRA will not fight for the right of a convicted felon to keep on carrying, but if that's what you want to believe, have at it.
You have a nice day.

[riqster]

210. Again, you are tripping over your own words.

You said before that that the NRA was AGAINST such a right, and when it was pointed out that their actions do not match the motivation you ascribe to them, you started using rhetorical tricks instead of directly refuting my counterclaim.

If the NRA were indeed against felons having certain weaponry, they would support better background checks. The NRA has opposed any and all attempts to create such. That is the reality you are attempting to ignore.

[IronGate]

211. Maybe you missed the part where I said

if that's what you want to believe, have at it.
Again, have a good day.

[riqster]

212. It isn't a question of "belief". It's reality, and you cannot refute it.

Cops across the country say they don't want certain felons to have certain types of guns, and they show their support of that position by advocating for better criminal background checks. This is a self-consistent combination of rhetoric and action.

The NRA, according to you, agrees with the cops, but works against those same checks. That is a case of rhetoric and action NOT matching.

Belief is irrelevant. Facts rule.

[mikeysnot]

39. fail...

reality catch it.

[IronGate]

44. Such a brilliant reply. nt.

[lark]

74. Yeah, the NRA cares so much about people getting shot!

NOT!!! Fuck, they don't even care if small children are shot in mass - see their response to all schoolyard shootings.

[Ikonoklast]

214. But vehemently opposes closing the "gun show loophole".

So, bullshit.

If the NRA was actually against felons purchasing firearms, they would be all for a universal background checks for every purchaser, including all private sales or transfers.


The NRA's own research shows that one out of five weapons used by criminals was legally obtained.

[AlinPA]

156. and shooting.

[Cal Carpenter]

23. Pickering had been employed at the Northwestern Minnesota Juvenile Center as a corrections worker..

Holy shit. Sick fuck was in an authority position over teens.

[Trillo]

40. Gotta wonder about that Juvenile "rehabilitation".

Just what kind of rehab is possible when this guy's one of the role models?

[Eric J in MN]

24. Good police work.

They found the gun "hidden in an air vent."

I wonder how they knew to look there.

[IronGate]

30. Cops are pretty smart, they've probably seen this before. nt.

[Arugula Latte]

26. Well, the most important thing is that his gun rights were not infringed...

[IronGate]

28. Fun rights? nt.

[Arugula Latte]

29. Oops. Now that was a typo. Will fix.

[arcane1]

31. If she had been armed, he wouldn't have been able to sneak up on her and shoot her

Or something.

[madinmaryland]

34. Another responsible gun owner....,

[FlyByNight]

37. I wonder how he'll "stand his ground" in prison?

Do I even want to know why the fuck this psychopath would carry while on the goddamn lawnmower?

I can only imagine the standard, boilerplate litany of right-wing, NRA-approved talking points spilling out of his mouth.

I hope the girl recovers quickly - both physically and mentally.

[Tetris_Iguana]

41. Teen gets shot, daughters lose their father.

What a 'victory' for gun nut rights.

[progressoid]

79. Actually, I think it might be a good thing for his daughter to be distanced from him.

[redqueen]

86. +1

[Nay]

94. Yup. That fact that this gun-toting lawnmower-riding male thought it was

fine to shoot some damn female who asked him to get off HER lawn is indicative of more than a gun problem -- methinks he has a misogyny problem as well. His daughters will be better off without his august presence.

[Tetris_Iguana]

106. Yep

I blame the patriarchy for this one.

[davidpdx]

221. +2

He's no father figure to them if he goes around shooting other girls. He is a suck fuck.

[IdaBriggs]

98. With a father like this, their lives might now be safer.

What kind of a lunatic does this stuff? Lock him up and throw away the keys.

Better yet, give *HER* family a little time in a room with him first. No guns. Maybe baseball bats.

Grrr...

[Blecht]

43. Nice flag @ 25 seconds into the video

WTF is is that Confederate flag all about?

It looks like the victim's family has issues, too.

I think I'll be staying the hell away from Bemidji.

[geardaddy]

54. Yeah, I saw that.

Disturbing.

[Jenoch]

70. Bemidji is a great town and a great place to live.

There are assholes in all parts of the country.

Not to mention that the shooting did not take place in Bemidji.

[Gormy Cuss]

93. What "issues" do the victim's family have and how is that relevant?

The guy lives four houses away and he shot her for telling him not to trespass on the property again. Is that one of the relevant family issues?

[Blecht]

124. The symbol of racism is always relevant

Do I want to go to Bemidji?

Things to consider:
1. Former correctional facility employee riding a mower with a gun who shoots girl.
2. Family proudly flying that disgusting flag.

Two strikes.

[Jenoch]

150. Where do ypu live and what do you really know about Bemidji?

Bemidji is a nice small town, espe ially this time of year. It can get real cold in the winter however.

You seem to be blaming Bemidji for what happened rather than the perp. This incident did not even happen in Bemidji by the way.

[sarisataka]

161. Do you always

Judge a town or area based on the actions of one person/family?

The other 99.992% of the people did not try to murder any one. Likely the number of those 12,000+ people in town who display confederate flags is also quite low.

[blackspade]

46. WTF?!

I have no words...

[Enrique]

47. at least he had a good reason

[MythosMaster]

50. 2nd Amendment

[heaven05]

51. geez!!!

Last edited Sun Jul 27, 2014, 03:57 PM - Edit history (1)

and someone on here told me only 'urban' areas have a gun problem. I'm glad the young woman will live. I'm getting to the point where I think guns are a real problem. This jerk was/is a corrections worker among juveniles. He'll probably get a slap on the wrist and be free again in a few months.

[magical thyme]

52. This is why I *never* directly confront trespassing neighbors

Mine have gone after my animals, and fortunately failed. Luckily my horses are smarter than the asshole across the street.

Instead, I posted big ugly signs every 50'. And I filed a trespassing complaint with the police, to which they added harassment when I added the attempt to drive my horses out of their pasture into a busy road (and frame me for it by leaving the pasture gate wide open so I'd be charged with negligance).

[ecstatic]

66. In a few years, shows like "What Would You Do" won't be possible

Nobody will ever speak up from fear of being gunned down by a concealed or open carry gun owner.

[Inkfreak]

59. Good Lord, that poor girl!

This guys a 1st class shit stain. Hope he rots in jail.

[LW1977]

64. As if Michele Bachmann wasn't an embarrassment enough to this state..

[lark]

67. Yeah, tell me again how guns protect folks.

For every one person protected, hundreds (thousands?) are killied and wounded every day for totally stupid reasons like this.

Thank God he's a bad shot or she'd be dead. Hope he has a long fun time in jail, it won't be nearly long enough.

[onethatcares]

69. on top of all that

who will be responsible for the medical bills?

I have a feeling it won't be that asshole Pickering.

Gaud, her life and her parents are going to change drastically.

[negoldie]

82. yea we need to teach our kids to keep away from guns and other things

?rel=0

[geardaddy]

118. Yeah, dildos kill people. n/t

[catchnrelease]

88. Bemidji

Maybe Lorne Malvo needs to pay this guy a visit.

(The hit man from the Fargo series.)

[joeybee12]

89. Freedom! He was just standing his ground...he felt threatened!

If only the girl had also been armed, this never would have happened.

There's already enough laws on the books!

[Botany]

101. thanx NRA!

[Rex]

105. Another responsible gun owner, until he decided not to be anymore.

[myrna minx]

110. Yet another "good guy with a gun" exercising his freedumb!11!!

[Thinkingabout]

112. Guns may not kill but idiots with guns sure can.

[calimary]

186. And people kill people. WITH GUNS.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

122. What the fuckity fuck!

What a miserable excuse for a person.

I'm glad that the victim lived. I hope she's there to face him (unlike he did since he's a fucking coward) when they sentence him. I hope she sues the ever-fucking shit out of him as icing on the cake. I hope she destroys what's left of a poor excuse of life he has.

[tabasco]

127. That's why we have a "well-regulated militia" folks.

Teach those complainin' people a lesson!

Just what the drafters of the Second Amendment intended.

[WI_DEM]

131. What an asshole

[Doctor_J]

139. See? His right to carry his gun protected his right to tresspass

I have heard the 2A is needed to protect the other rights. Well, there you have it!

[lunasun]

145. post at link said his facebook was big Rw anti Obama and 2A stuff . NOT surprised if true

(looks like removed now so can not confirm) sounds about right for profile of someone who would do this .

[Enthusiast]

146. Gun rights nut?

I bet. Or just plain nuts?

[paleotn]

154. There's a difference? (nt)

[demigoddess]

153. let me guess--

he was standing his ground? defending his right to trespass?? or just plain misogynist idiot???

[randys1]

158. Obviously we need more guns...in this case the woman needed one and now that the NRA

wants to train 6 yr olds to use guns, all the neighbor adolescents should have had semi automatic machine guns so they could shoot too

[paleotn]

159. I bet he was.....

a "responsible gun owner" ®, until he wasn't.

[TBF]

160. Forget about jail for these guys -

just ship them directly to NRA headquarters. Let them deal with the mess they've created.

[AlinPA]

176. They would probably be treated like VIPs at NRA HQ.

[Renew Deal]

164. This wouldn't have happened if he didn't have a gun

But that's obvious.

[Bartlet]

167. Yet another

"Law abiding gun owner", until of course he's not and is charged with attempted 1st degree murder.

Surprised she survived a 45 cal chest shot, she is one lucky girl.

[SummerSnow]

169. We don't need any gun control laws, no way no how

[valerief]

171. If only he'd had an automatic, this would never have happened. Gungeoneer logic. nt

[czarjak]

172. Or as Sheriff Joe would say

"Besides, I've got a gun.˝

[nikto]

173. The man is a registered Republican and a dedicated Conservative

I'd bet money on it.






But hey, he's...

Just exercising his freedom.

[dflprincess]

179. We don't have party registration in Minnesota so that can't be checked

but I'll bet you're right about who he votes for.

[nikto]

220. Not hard to guess...

[C Moon]

181. I love DU, but will never understand the unforgiving love of guns that crops up.

The folks that pop in (almost like they are here for just that reason) when these horrid acts occur, and defend metal and gunpowder is strange.

[Jamaal510]

182. Sick weirdo. nt

[supercats]

185. It's Nice To See...

Responsible, stable, well adjusted people with their guns...OK if this isn't a billboard story for real responsible gun ownership I don't know what is... This guy should be no where near allowed to own a gun, just look at his decision process: trespassing on his lawn mower, asked to leave her property, feels omnipotent and decides to kill the girl, though he was clearly at fault. We need to ban all guns from our society! That's the only solution, otherwise it's going to continue being the wild wild west, which is what the republicans want.

[raccoon]

188. I hope she brings a civil suit against the creep, and sues his drawers off.

Also, hope he goes to prison for a longgggggggggggggg time.

[TBF]

194. There have been a lot of families

who have lost people in the past couple of years to mass and individual shootings. It would be interesting to see a class action suit filed against the NRA - to see if they would be held responsible as the inciting terrorist organization that they are (any proceeds could be earmarked for a non-violent ad campaign).

[vlyons]

189. That a$$hole laid in wait for her!

He didn't just lose his temper in the moment and go off in a fit of rage. He laid in wait for her. That's why he's charged with 1st degree, not 2nd degree attempted murder. Laying in wait is heinous and he deserves a long, long stay in the pokey.

[Scootaloo]

191. An armed society is a polite society, you know!

[Chemisse]

192. Have gun - will shoot. n/t

[PowerToThePeople]

197. ban all guns. n/t

[valerief]

201. I'm afraid to leave Massachusetts. nt

[bulloney]

202. I can understand Mr. Pickering packing a firearm while mowing lawn.

You never know when you need to "stand your ground" against some rogue crabgrass.

[PatrickforO]

204. Wow! Another gun doing its job keeping us all safe.

Gosh I know I feel better now!

[cascadiance]

213. This incident along with a lot of other stuff lately has me thinking about this 70's song now!

buy of course crazee in the negative sense now...

[AngryOldDem]

219. No kidding.

A few weeks ago seven people were shot in a popular nightlife area in my city. Why? Because someone accidentally bumped into someone else when standing in line outside a club.

The next weekend the police chief actually got on the teevee to say that accidentally bumping someone while standing in line is not a reason to start shooting.

Christ in a sidecar. Have we come to this as a society?

[philip.chinery]

226. Typical gun owner

Seriously, why are all of these people like this?

[samsingh]

227. another gun loving asshole who i hope rots in jail or gets the death penalty