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Bjorn Against

(12,041 posts)
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 12:21 AM Mar 2013

Another day in the (gun crazy) U.S.A.

Another day in the (gun crazy) U.S.A.

by Tom BegnalFollow

March 20, 2013 edition

Baltimore, Md. -- Three people -- two 20-year-old women and a 21-year-old man -- were found fatally shot at a home about 9:15 a.m. yesterday. Police are looking for at least one suspect.

Allentown, Penn. -- About 1 p.m. yesterday, on the hospice floor of a hospital, a man shot and killed his wife and then used the gun to kill himself.

Manokotak, Alaska -- The Village Public Safety Officer, a 54-year-old man, was shot and killed Tuesday. A 42-year-old man is in custody.

DeSoto, Tex. -- A 40-year-old man shot and killed his 37-year-old estranged wife while she was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher and then fatally shot himself after breaking into her mother’s home about 5:30 p.m. yesterday. The couple’s divorce had just been finalized. The wife had filed a restraining order against the man in October.

Lake Los Angeles, Calif. -- A man in his 40s was shot and killed by a 58-year-old next-door neighbor last night after the two had been drinking in the victim’s garage and then got into an argument. The victim’s 14-year-old daughter and another daughter of unknown age were at home at the time.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- A man in his 20s was found fatally shot outside an apartment complex about 4:15 p.m. yesterday. The gunman fled. The victim was having a dispute with the gunman just before shots were fired.

Houston, Tex. -- A 32-year-old man was shot and killed when he surprised three teenagers in his garage trying to steal his car just after midnight Monday. Two of the three have been caught.

Cleveland, Ohio -- A 25-year-old man was fatally shot in the chest about 12:30 a.m. yesterday when at least four masked men burst into a house and demanded money. Five children and three other adults were at home at the time. No one else was injured. The invaders fled. No arrests yet.

Seattle, Wash. -- About 1:30 a.m. today, police found a man fatally shot and a second man wounded in a car with the engine running while in the front yard of a house. A vehicle was spotted leaving the scene about the time of the shooting. The wounded man was listed in critical condition.

Monument, Colo. -- A 58-year-old man was shot and killed when he answered the front door of his home about 8:30 p.m. yesterday. Police were searching for the gunman.

Pine Hills, Fla. -- A 4-year-old boy is in the hospital after he accidentally shot himself in the face while at home about 9:30 a.m. today. The child was listed in critical but stable condition and was expected to survive.

Morgantown, Ind. -- A 3-year-old boy is in the hospital after accidentally shooting himself in the stomach with a handgun he found at the home of a relative about 6 p.m. Sunday. No word on his condition.

Greensboro, N.C. -- Police responding to a call about 5 p.m. yesterday found two victims -- a father and son -- injured in an apparent accidental shooting. Their injuries were reported as non life-threatening.

Cedar Falls, Iowa -- A 22-year-old male convenience-store clerk accidentally shot himself in the hand while pulling a gun from his pants while at work Monday night. No customers were in the store at the time and no one else was injured.

Akron, Ohio -- A 41-year-old man was in his house playing cards with friends about 1:30 a.m. Monday when a masked man burst in and opened fire at him. He was struck in the leg. The gunman fled. The victim’s injuries were reported as non life-threatening.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 25-year-old man was shot in the shoulder yesterday about 9:45 p.m. after he answered a doorbell and got into a struggle with three people trying to push their way inside. No word on his condition.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 17-year-old boy showed up at a hospital about 2:40 a.m. today after suffering a graze wound to the neck while sitting in a vehicle. Police say shots were fired from a vehicle that pulled up to the victim’s vehicle. No word on his condition.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 33-year-old man showed up at a hospital about 5:15 a.m. today with a gunshot wound to the thigh. His condition was listed as stabilized.

Berwyn, Ill. -- A man in his 30s was shot in the face after two men broke into his apartment about 10 a.m. yesterday. The intruder fled. Police think the victim might have known them. No word on the victim’s condition.

Pittsburgh, Penn. -- A 22-year-old man sitting in a vehicle was wounded Monday when a shot fired through the rear window of the vehicle struck him in the back of his head. A 55-year-old man has been arrested. No word on the victim’s condition.

Dallas, Tex. -- Someone was shot at a pool hall about 2:30 a.m. yesterday. The victim’s injuries were considered not-serious. Police have arrested a suspect.

Washington, D.C. -- Two intruders got into an apartment and shot a man and woman during an attempted burglary early Tuesday. No word on their condition.

Philadelphia, Penn. -- As they struggled to shut a restaurant door that a gunman was trying to open, three men -- ages 22, 21, and 19 -- were shot when the gunman fired through the door about 10:30 p.m. yesterday. The shooter fled. All three victims were reported in stable condition.

Memphis, Tenn. -- A man was grazed by a bullet while on a street this afternoon. No word on the victim’s condition.

Dallas, Tex. -- When a car almost backed into another vehicle at a convenience store, the two occupants of the vehicle tossed a brick through the driver-side window of the car. The two assailants then followed the car and fired twice at the car’s occupants when they stopped at an elementary school. Police arrested the assailants.

Today’s sources: Akron Beacon Journal, Albuquerque Journal,
Anchorage Daily News, Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News, Florida Times-Union, Houston Chronicle, KABC-TV Los Angeles, News & Record (Greensboro), Orlando Sentinel, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Philadelphia Inquirer, Seattle Times, Washington Post, WBAL-TV Baltimore, WHO-TV Des Moines, WMC-TV Memphis

March 19, 2013 edition
No report filed

March 18, 2013 edition

Calumet City, Ill. -- A 15-year-old girl was fatally shot about 8:50 p.m. yesterday. She was hit several times. No other information was available.

Sterling, Va. -- A teenager who had been drinking and was relatively new to a neighborhood apparently entered a house two-doors down from his own by mistake about 2:30 a.m. today and was shot and killed by the startled homeowner. Friends had dropped the victim off at the wrong home as it looked similar to the teenager’s residence. Police are not yet sure how he got into the neighbor’s house.

Baltimore, Md. -- A 46-year-old man lying on a first-floor couch while visiting a home was killed when the homeowner, who was upstairs and handling a gun, accidentally fired the weapon and the bullet went through the floor and struck the victim about 11:45 a.m. Saturday.

Cleveland, Ohio -- A 20-year-old man was found in a car fatally shot in the chest about 4:30 a.m. today.

Daytona Beach, Fla. -- A 30-year-old man was fatally shot while riding his bicycle about a block from his apartment complex about 5:30 a.m. yesterday.

Orlando, Fla. -- Police arriving at a university dorm-room about 12:20 a.m. today found a man dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Also found were an assault weapon, a handgun, and improvised explosive devices. The school said there was no immediate threat, however, as a precaution, 500 students were evacuated from the dorm and all classes at the school were canceled until noon today.

Williston, N.D. -- A 28-year-old man was fatally shot outside a bar about 1 a.m. Saturday. Police have issued an arrest warrant for a suspect.

Houston, Tex. -- When police pulled over a man who had been driving erratically about midnight last night, the man shot and wounded an officer. The officer’s partner returned fire, killing the man. The wounded officer’s injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Los Angeles, Calif. -- A 35-year-old man walking on a street near his residence was fatally shot about 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Vallejo, Calif. -- Police responding to reports of gunfire at a house about 5:20 p.m. yesterday found an elderly man fatally shot inside a detached garage. The shooting is being investigated as a homicide.

New Orleans, La. -- A 47-year-old man was found fatally shot in the head about 7:25 p.m. yesterday.

New Orleans, La. -- A 27-year-old man was found shot to death and lying in the middle of a street about 10 p.m. yesterday. He had several bullet wounds.

New Orleans, La. -- A 19-year-old male was found shot to death inside his home about 3 a.m. today.

Baltimore, Md. -- A 27-year-old man was found fatally shot in a vehicle around 11:15 a.m. yesterday. He had multiple bullet wounds.

Baltimore, Md. -- A 29-year-old man was found fatally shot in a vehicle around 9:30 p.m. yesterday. He had bullet wounds to the face and neck.

Opelika, Ala. -- A 29-year-old man was fatally shot about 9 p.m. yesterday. He was struck in the abdomen. Witnesses saw a vehicle speed from the area.

Crystal Township, Mich. -- Two men, ages 23 and 18, were disassembling their guns at a home Saturday evening when the older man’s handgun he thought was unloaded accidentally discharged and struck the younger man in the leg. No word on the victim’s condition.

Albuquerque, N.M. -- A police officer was shot in the lower back while responding to an alleged assault last night. The officer was reported in good condition. Police are looking for the shooter.

Los Angeles, Calif. -- Two men were wounded while standing with a group of people in a front yard of a home about 9 p.m. last night when a car pulled up and 18 shots were fired from the car. The suspects then fled the scene. One of the victims suffered a gunshot wound to the back and in critical condition but expected to survive. The other victim had three graze wounds to his back and one to the posterior.

Birmingham, Ala. -- Police say a young male was shot at a busy park about 7 p.m. yesterday. At this point they are unsure if the victim was a target or an innocent bystander. No word on his condition.

Anderson, Ind. -- A male was found shot in the head about 3:30 p.m. yesterday. No word on his condition.

Chicago, Ill. -- About 11:30 p.m. yesterday, two male teenagers, ages 18 and 17, were shot and wounded while driving in a car with two others after a vehicle pulled alongside and shots were fired at them from the vehicle. Both victims were listed as stabilized.

Oakland, Calif. -- A man showed up at a hospital with a gunshot wound about 6:50 p.m. yesterday. He was expected to recover.

Oakland, Calif. -- A man was shot about 5:30 p.m. yesterday by a gunman who fled on foot. The victim was in stable condition and expected to recover.

Memphis, Tenn. -- A male was shot and wounded while walking along a highway about 4 a.m. today when someone inside a passing car shot at him. The victim was listed in critical condition.

Charlotte, N.C. -- A man was shot during an attempted robbery at a busy park about 4 p.m. yesterday. No word on his condition.

Today’s sources: Albuquerque Journal, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Birmingham News, Chicago Tribune, Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Houston Chronicle, Idaho Statesman, KABC-TV Los Angeles, Oakland Tribune, Times-Picayune, WBAL-TV Baltimore, WISH-TV Indianapolis, WMC-TV Memphis, WSFA-TV Montgomery, WSOC-TV Charlotte, WXMI-TV Grand Rapids

Addendum for March 18, 2013

The NRA never sleeps. They make sure their members bore in on lawmakers day after day with their message. They’ve been doing it successfully for many decades.

But we have one thing they don’t -- a majority. A recent Pew Research/USA Today poll showed that more than 83 percent of Americans want background checks for all gun buyers, 56 percent support a ban on assault-style weapons, and 53 percent want a ban on high-capacity magazines.

But it won’t mean much if lawmakers hear only from NRA members. So call, write, email, or FAX your representatives in Washington, D.C. and let them know you support common sense gun control. And also tell them “I DON’T support the NRA, and I vote.”

Do it today. And do it again next week. And do it again every week after that until they get OUR message.

Here’s the contact information:

www.contactingthecongress.org

March 17, 2013 edition

Fairless Hills, Penn. -- After a man went into a sporting goods store last night and asked a clerk to show him a shotgun and ammunition, he pulled out a handgun and ordered the clerk to undo the lock on the shotgun. The man then barricaded himself in the store’s bathroom and, after a four-hour standoff with police, shot himself to death.

Montebello, Calif. -- A 29-year-old man allegedly argued with his estranged wife in the parking lot of her workplace before shooting her several times in the upper body and killing her. The two were getting a divorced and she had a restraining order against him.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot in the back and shoulder at a park about 7 p.m. yesterday.

Dow City, Iowa -- A 29-year-old man driving his car was shot and killed early yesterday by a 28-year-old man after the two had argued earlier in a bar.

Indianapolis, Ind. -- Police say a man fatality shot an armed man trying to rob him at his residence about 1:30 a.m. today. A second robber escaped.

Lubbock, Tex. -- A 25-year-old man was fatally shot at a residence about 2 a.m. last Wednesday. Police believe it was a homicide.

Kannapolis, N.C. -- A man was found fatally shot at an apartment complex
yesterday evening. Police are looking for two suspects.

Baton Rouge, La. -- A 46-year-old man standing in his driveway late Friday was fatally shot in the face during an attempted robbery.

Galt, Calif. -- Seven people leaving a family gathering at a home were shot and wounded about 10:30 p.m. yesterday when the occupants of a passing car opened fire on them. None of the victim’s were thought to have life-threatening injuries.

Fullerton, Calif. -- A police officer was shot multiple times after he pulled over a car on a routine traffic stop shortly after midnight last night. The vehicle fled the scene and was later found abandoned. The officer was expected to survive.

Anchorage, Alaska -- A 45-year-old man driving a motorized shopping cart in a big-box discount department store shot the store’s 33-year-old assistant manager during a dispute over an unleashed dog the shopper brought with him into the store. The victim was struck once in the mid-section. He was in stable condition.

Springfield, Mass. -- An 11-year-old girl was shot in the leg while standing in line outside a store to buy sneakers. Police believe the girl was accidentally hit by a bullet after an altercation began between others when two men tried to cut in front of the line.

Springfield, Mass. -- A man showed up at a hospital about 1 a.m. this morning with a gunshot wound. No word on his condition.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 15-year-old boy showed up at a hospital with a gunshot wound to the shoulder about 1:15 p.m. yesterday. He was listed in good condition.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 22-year-old man was shot during a robbery while on a street about 2:30 p.m.. He was listed in good condition.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 27-year-old man was shot in the leg during a robbery attempt while on a street about 9:15 p.m. He was listed in good condition.

Chicago, Ill. -- About 7:20 p.m. Friday, a 17-year-old boy in a vehicle with female friends accidentally shot himself in the groin while handling a gun. The victim’s injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Detroit, Mich. -- A 54-year-old man delivering pizza was approached by a gunman who shot and robbed him of his property and car Saturday afternoon. The victim was listed in stable condition.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- An 18- to 20-year old male was shot in a parking lot as hundreds of young people were leaving a teen club party about 10:40 p.m. yesterday. The victim was listed in critical condition.

Milwaukee, Wis. -- A 17-year-old boy was shot in the leg about 2 p.m. yesterday when an argument among several males led to gunfire.

Philadelphia, Penn. -- A 43-year-old man was shot and grazed in the head and a 28-year-old man was shot and wounded in the leg at a bar about 1:15 a.m. today. A gunman entered through a side door and shot the older man. The younger man, who police say might have been the intruder, was found on a street outside the bar. Both men were listed in critical condition.

New Orleans, La. -- A man was shot in the leg while on a street about 5:45 p.m. yesterday.

Today’s sources: Anchorage Daily News, Chicago Tribune, Des Moines Register, Detroit Free Press, Florida Times-Union, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Philadelphia Inquirer, The (Springfield, Mass) Republican, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Times-Picayune

Addendum for March 17, 2013

If you want to help reduce this daily carnage, take a few minutes and make a telephone call. You can find more information here:

http://www.bradycampaign.org/...

March 16, 2013 edition

Hermitage, Tenn. -- A 10-month-old baby boy was shot in the chest and killed Thursday night when his 30-year-old father was handling a semi-automatic pistol and it accidentally discharged.

Galesburg, Ill. -- While attending a small party at a home about 2 a.m. Thursday, a 20-year-old man fatally shot an 18-year-old male when a gun he was handling accidentally discharge and struck the victim in the chest.

Templeton, Calif. -- A 48-year-old man was shot and killed on March 6 just after 9 p.m. when his rifle accidentally discharged while he was placing it on a ranch utility-vehicle.

Puryear, Tenn. -- A 72-year-old man shot and killed his 66-year-old wife and the couple's 46-year-old daughter before fatally shooting himself about 2 p.m. Monday. The couple had been arguing over who would keep a car after their pending divorce.

Casey County, Ky. -- After getting into an argument late yesterday, a 61-year-old man used his rifle to shoot and kill his 52-year-old girlfriend before shooting and killing himself.

Bessemer, Ala. -- A man, possibly in his late teens, was found fatally shot on a street about 8:55 p.m. yesterday.

Columbus, Ohio -- A 20-year-old man was fatally shot at a food market about 11 a.m. yesterday.

Memphis, Tenn. -- A 49-year-old man was shot and killed while sitting in a car parked in a driveway about 8 p.m. Thursday. A suspect has been arrested.

Washington, D.C. -- A 31-year-old man walking home from a train-stop after work was fatally shot outside his apartment building about 11:40 p.m. Thursday.

Montgomery, Ala. -- A 23-year-old man was found fatally shot inside a home
late yesterday.

Indianapolis, Ind. -- A 23-year-old man was found fatally shot in an alley just before midnight Thursday night.

Fort Wayne, Ind. -- A 23-year-old man was fatally shot while sitting in a parked vehicle about 8 p.m. Thursday. Police say another vehicle pulled up next to the victim’s and someone opened fire.

Pasadena, Calif. -- A 4-year-old boy and two men, ages 55 and 32, were shot about 9 p.m. yesterday. Police are looking for three suspects in their late teens or early 20s spotted fleeing the scene. The three victims were expected to survive.

Charleston, W.V. -- About 12:30 p.m. this past Sunday, a man showing his girlfriend how to safely handle a gun shot himself in the leg when the weapon accidentally discharged. He is expected to survive.

Detroit, Mich. -- After an argument led to a 28-year-old woman getting shot in the forehead by her 47-year-old step-brother, the woman managed to drive a car and crush him against a house, killing him. The woman was listed in temporary serious condition.

Philadelphia, Penn. -- A 13-year-old boy was shot in the leg about 9 p.m. last night. No word on his condition.

Lisbon, Ohio -- After receiving a 911 call, police found a woman shot, apparently accidentally, in her home Thursday afternoon. Police say the doors were locked and there was no sign of forced entry. The incident is under investigation. No word on her condition.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 17-year-old boy was shot in the leg while on a street about 8:30 p.m. yesterday. No word on his condition.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 45-year-old man was shot in the leg while on a street about 12:15 a.m. today. No word on his condition.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 26-year-old man was shot in the leg while on a street about 1:45 a.m. today. His condition was listed as stabilized.

Little Rock, Ark. -- A driver pulled into a shopping center last night and asked for help for a man in the backseat who had been shot. No word on the victim’s condition.

Little Rock, Ark. -- A 21-year-old man robbing a store about 8:30 p.m. Thursday was shot in the leg when an employee of the store pulled out a gun and the two exchanged gunfire.

Canton, Mass. -- A shot fired through a door hit a man in the neck early yesterday morning. The shooter fled the scene. Police do not believe the shooting was a random act. His injuries were considered non life-threatening.

Hopkins, Minn. -- A 19-year-old man was shot and wounded outside an apartment complex about 4 a.m. today. He was treated and released from a local hospital.

New York, N.Y. -- A man was shot in the leg at a playground about 10:45 p.m. yesterday. Police are looking for the shooter. The victim is in stable condition.

Berkeley, Calif. -- Two employees were shot and wounded after two armed robbers entered a crowded dance hall around 12:05 a.m. today and demanded cash from employees. One of the gunmen was arrested.

Oakland, Calif. -- Someone was shot near a park about 12:40 a.m. today. The victim’s injuries were considered non life-threatening.

Pittsburgh, Penn. -- An 18-year-old man was found shot four times and lying in front of a bus stop on Thursday night. He was listed in critical but stable condition.

Wimauma, Fla. -- Shortly after midnight this morning, a 20-year-old man was wounded when he and some friends were driving along a street and a man standing on a corner began shooting at them. No word on his condition.

Baltimore, Md. -- A 19-year-old man was shot in the chest and a 26-year-old man was shot in the back of his legs about 12:50 a.m. today. Both victims were in stable condition.

Harrison Township, Ohio -- Two man, ages 20 and 19, were shot and wounded at an apartment complex about 1:15 a.m. today. The 20-year-old was reported to have life-threatening injuries. The 19-year-old is expected to survive.

Today’s sources: Arkansasmatters.com, Birmingham News, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Dayton Daily News, ABC-TV Los Angeles, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Morning Journal (Lisbon, Ohio), Oakland Tribune, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Tampa Bay Times, The Tribune (San Luis Obispo), WCHS-TV Charleston, WISH-TV Indianapolis, WMC-TV Memphis, WSFA-TV Montgomery, WTVF-TV Nashville, Detroit Free Press

Addendum for March 16, 2013

A lobbyist for an NRA chartered organization in Wisconsin recently said gun-rights proponents need only wait-out the “Connecticut effect” before they can once again start passing laws to loosen restrictions on guns. The lobbyist thinks, as has always been the case in the past, that we will soon forget what happened at Sandy Hook, and that those of us who want common sense gun laws will eventually lose interest and fade away. Then the NRA will have our elected representatives all to themselves, just the way they like it.

I think that lobbyist and the NRA need to know that this time is different. This time we are not going away.

Please help. Call, write, email, or FAX your representatives in Washington, D.C. and tell them to support common sense gun controls. Do it today. And do it again next week. And then every week after that until they get the message.

You can get contact information here:

www.contactingthecongress.org

March 15, 2013
No report filed

March 14, 2013 edition

Mesquite, Tex. --Four family members -- the father, mother, 21-year-old daughter, and 18-year-old son -- were found fatally shot in a house Wednesday in an apparent murder-suicide.

Oceanside, Calif. -- A 14-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy were shot and killed and two other teenagers were shot and wounded at a park about 9 p.m. yesterday. Someone walked up and opened fire on the four as they sat on a couch near a memorial for two other teens murdered in 2011.

Belleview, Wash. -- On Sunday, a 50-year-old man committed suicide during a gun-safety class at a shooting range. The range was offering an entry-level handgun course that provided three hours of instruction on how to load and use pistols and revolvers.

Nashville, Tenn. -- When a 29-year-old man pulled out a gun on his 31-year-old estranged wife while they argued at his house after she dropped off their 5- and 7-year-old sons, the woman wrestled away the gun and fatally shot him in the back.

Boley, Okla. -- A 54-year-old man and his 53-year-old wife were found dead Monday. Both had multiple gunshot wounds.

Jackson, Miss. -- Someone was found fatally shot in a driveway this morning. Police discovered about 20 shell casings at the scene.

Philadelphia, Penn. -- A man in his 20s or 30s was found shot to death on a street about 4:30 a.m. today.

Jackson, Miss. -- A man was shot and wounded this morning. He had been struck three times. No word on his condition.

Clark, Wyo. -- A 19-year-old man was shot in the abdomen by a friend who was cleaning a handgun and it accidentally discharged about 8:30 p.m. Monday. His condition was upgraded from critical to serious.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 36-year-old man suffered graze wounds to his head when he was shot while driving on a street about 10:30 p.m. yesterday.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 27-year-old man was shot in the thigh while standing on a sidewalk about 4:30 a.m. today. No word on his condition.

Denver, Colo. -- A verbal dispute ended when a man was shot in the ankle. The shooter fled in a car. The victim’s injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Three people were wounded when a gunman opened the doors to a bar and began shooting about 3 a.m. today. More than a dozen people were inside the bar at the time. All the victims were expected to survive.

Houston, Tex. -- After he was awakened by banging noises downstairs, a homeowner shot a burglary suspect climbing through a window about 8:30 p.m. yesterday. The burglar was listed in critical condition.

Minneapolis, Minn. -- Two men were shot and wounded when someone in a passing car open fire on about 30 people gathered on a sidewalk for a memorial about 7 p.m. Tuesday. The victim’s injuries were considered non-critical.

Oakland, Calif. -- A 46-year-old man was shot twice in the legs during an attempted robbery while he was in the drive-through lane of a fast-food restaurant about 11:55 p.m. yesterday. Police say a man with a rifle walked up and broke out the driver's side window in the victim’s truck before pointing the gun at him and demanding his wallet. The gunman shot when the victim tried escape by backing up the truck.

Sheldon, Wash. -- A 46-year-old state trooper was accidentally shot in the leg yesterday afternoon during a training exercise. The trooper was listed in stable condition.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Three people were shot and wounded inside a gentleman’s club about 3:30 a.m. today when someone opened the back door and opened fire. The victim’s injuries were considered non life-threatening.

Plainfield, N.J. -- A 47-year-old man was shot once in the stomach and once in the arm while on a street about 3:45 p.m. yesterday. He was listed in stable condition.

Des Moines, Iowa -- An elementary school student walking home after classes found a loaded gun in the snow by the sidewalk. The student called her father who contacted school officials.

Today’s sources: Billings Gazette, Chicago Tribune, Clarion-Ledger, Denver Post, Des Moines Register, Florida Times-Union, Houston Chronicle, KXAS-TV Dallas, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Nashville Tennessean, Oakland Tribune, The Oregonian, Philadelphia Inquirer, San Diego Union Tribune, Seattle Times, The Star-Ledger, WTLV-TV Jacksonville

March 13, 2013 edition

Herkimer, N.Y. -- Two people were shot and killed this morning at a quick oil-change business and another two people were shot and killed about a mile away at a barber shop in a nearby town. Another two people were wounded. A manhunt was underway.

Floyd County, Ky. -- Two assailants -- a 50-year-old woman and her husband -- entered a home yesterday and shot a 54-year-old man and his 50-year-old wife. The 54-year-old man was killed and his wife was wounded. During the shooting, the male assailant was also wounded.

Milton, Ga. -- A 19-year-old man was found fatally shot in a driveway at a home about 7:30 p.m. yesterday. He had been struck once in the head.

Houston, Texas -- About 5:30 p.m. yesterday, a man was fatally shot in his car as he arrived at the parking lot of his apartment complex with his fiancée and 8-month-old son. Two gunmen reportedly walked up to the car and started shooting. The woman and child were not injured. Police believe the man returned fire because two other people, possibly the gunmen, also were shot at the scene. One of them died at the hospital; a second was wounded.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 28-year-old man was shot and seriously wounded about 2:40 p.m. yesterday. The victim was struck while in the back seat of a vehicle when someone in another vehicle pulled up and opened fire.

Dallas, Tex. --A 27-year-old man was shot and wounded about 2:15 a.m. today during a street fight that involved about 13 people.

Des Moines, Iowa -- A 25-year-old man was shot in the chest about 5 p.m. Monday after three men forced their way into his residence when he opened the front door. The intruders proceeded to search the house, looking through kitchen drawers and garbage bags. Police say it does not appear to be a random act. A woman and child in the home were not injured. No word on the condition of the victim.

Milwaukee, Wis. -- A 41-year-old man was shot in the head about 10 p.m. yesterday. He was listed in critical condition.

San Diego, Calif. -- After a car came to a stop, an assailant got out and shot a 44-year-old man as he walked on a street about 1:10 a.m. today. The victim was hit three times. No word on his condition.

South Strabane Township, Penn. -- About 8:45 p.m. yesterday, a husband was shot twice by his 26-year-old wife -- once while inside their apartment and once while outside the building. Two children, ages 5 and 7, were at home at the time. No word on the victim’s condition.

Today’s sources: Atlanta Journal Constitution, Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News, Des Moines Register, Houston Chronicle, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, San Diego Union Tribune

Addendum for March 13, 2013

Yesterday, by a 10 to 8 vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a measure designed to expand the use of background checks on private gun sales. The 10 votes supporting the bill came from Democrats; the 8 votes opposing the bill came from Republicans. It is now expected that the bill will go to the Senate floor for a full vote.

Here are the names of the Democrats that supported the bill. I sent each of them an email this morning to thank them for their vote.

DEMOCRATS
Patrick J. Leahy, Vermont
Dianne Feinstein, California
Chuck Schumer, New York
Dick Durbin, Illinois
Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island
Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota
Al Franken, Minnesota
Christopher A. Coons, Delaware
Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
Mazie Hirono, Hawaii

And here below are the names of the Republicans that opposed the bill. I sent each of them the following email this morning:

Senator XXXXX,

I’m disappointed you voted yesterday against the bill that would expand the use of background checks on gun sales. Here’s why I‘m disappointed:

-- More than 86 percent of Americans support such a bill. And they support it because they know it will help save lives.

-- About 100,000 people in our country are shot by guns every year. This bill will reduce that number.

-- About 30,000 people in our country are killed by guns every year. This bill will reduce that number.

-- The physical and emotional pain-and-suffering caused by gun carnage can’t be calculated. But this bill can help reduce it.

-- Gun injuries and deaths cost U.S. taxpayers about $12 billion each year. This bill will reduce that number.

I know you feel you must do what the NRA tells you to do. And I know it’s not easy to escape their talons. But maybe it’s time to try.

It can’t feel good to know that for little more than a promise of some votes and perhaps a little campaign cash, you happily become the dummy on the knee of the NRA, mouthing the words they speak with a pleasant smile.

And it also can’t feel good to know you must vote against even modest gun control legislation like this -- legislation that can save lives each year, perhaps thousands of lives -- simple because the NRA says so.

If ever there was a time to step back from the NRA, this is it. Americans want this bill. Do the right thing. Support the bill when it comes to a floor vote.

Best regards.

Tom Begnal

REPUBLICANS
Chuck Grassley, Iowa
Orrin G. Hatch, Utah
Jeff Sessions, Alabama
Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
John Cornyn, Texas
Michael S. Lee, Utah
Ted Cruz, Texas
Jeff Flake, Arizona

If you’d also like to contact any of these senators, you can reach them here:

http://www.contactingthecongress.org/

March 12, 2013 edition

Chicago, Ill. -- A 6-month-old girl died this morning from wounds suffered when she and her 29-year-old father were shot as he stood outside the open door of a minivan and changed her diaper while she lay on the front seat. The father was listed in serious-to-critical condition. Police said a gunman emerged from an open area between two houses about 1 p.m. yesterday and began shooting before fleeing in a vehicle.

Pulaski County, Ky. -- On February 24, about 9:30 a.m., a 19-year old male at home picked up a shotgun and it accidentally discharged, killing his 24-year-old brother who was asleep in the room. The distraught and grief-stricken younger brother then shot and killed himself.

Newark, N.J. -- A 31-year-old man was fatally shot while on a street about 4:20 p.m. yesterday. He was hit multiple times.

New Orleans, La. -- A 28-year-old man was found fatally shot in the driveway of a home about 8 p.m. yesterday. He was struck multiple times.

Bradenton, Fla. -- A 3-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the knee outside his home. The boy's mother and five other adults were inside the house at the time of the shooting. Police are trying to determine who owned the gun. The child is expected to recover.

Santa Maria, Calif. -- Someone was shot in the chest yesterday when they were cleaning a handgun and it accidentally discharged. No word on the victim’s condition.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- A 20-year-old man was playing with a gun at a home late this morning when he accidentally shot himself. His injuries were considered life-threatening.

St. Louis, Mo. -- A man was wounded about 12:45 p.m. yesterday when a gunman opened fire at a hair salon. A suspect has been arrested. The victim was listed in critical condition.

Dayton, Ohio -- A 22-year-old man was shot in the neck about 10 p.m. yesterday in what police described as a domestic dispute. The victim was expected to recover.

Akron, Ohio -- Two men, ages 21 and 24, were shot outside an apartment complex about 2 a.m. today. Their injuries were considered non life-threatening.

Springdale, Ark. -- A man suffered a gunshot wound to his leg while at a home.

Chicago, Ill. -- A man in his 20s showed up at a hospital about 4:30 a.m. today with a gunshot wound to the ankle.

Chicago, Ill. -- A 20-year-old man was shot in the buttocks and grazed in the arm about 9 p.m. yesterday. His condition was listed as stabilized.

New Orleans, La. -- A car with four passengers crashed into a light pole about 6:30 p.m. yesterday after two men in the car were shot and wounded when someone inside another vehicle opened fire on them. One man was struck in the leg; the other in the hand. The injuries were not considered life- threatening.

Charlotte, N.C. -- A man was shot and wounded overnight during an apparent robbery. He was hit three times. Police reported the victim was awake and alert during transport to a hospital.

San Diego, Calif. -- About 4:10 p.m. yesterday, when a roommate became involved in the argument between a husband and wife, the husband proceeded to beat up the roommate and then fired a shot at him. The shot missed and the husband fled the scene in a minivan.

Miami, Fla. -- After going into a restaurant at a busy open-air mall, a man in a wheelchair had a disagreement with a waitress on where to sit, so he grabbed a pistol from under his shirt and waived it around before firing two shot in the air. One of the bullets when through the ceiling and into a second floor office. No one was hurt. The shooter was arrested.

Today’s sources: Associated Press, Akron Beacon Journal, Arkansasmatters.com, Chicago Tribune, Dayton Daily News, KSBY-TV San Luis Obispo, San Diego Union Tribune, The Star-Ledger, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Times-Picayune, WSOC-TV Charlotte, WSVN-TV Miami, WTLV-TV Jacksonville

Addendum for March 12, 2013

Support common sense gun control. Add your voice here:

http://richardblumenthal.com/...

Originally posted to Tom Begnal on Wed Mar 20, 2013 at 04:26 PM PDT.


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/03/20/1195665/-Another-day-in-the-gun-crazy-U-S-A

© Kos Media, LLC Site content may be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified
28 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Another day in the (gun crazy) U.S.A. (Original Post) Bjorn Against Mar 2013 OP
I drove by the vehicle procession today for the VPSO killed. Arctic Dave Mar 2013 #1
This is the country we live in ellisonz Mar 2013 #2
Christ on a cracker! What is wrong with this country? jeffrey_pdx Mar 2013 #3
Damn! Hoyt Mar 2013 #4
Guns make us safer, remember? SheilaT Mar 2013 #5
Guns only make you "safer" if you have one in your time of need. ManiacJoe Mar 2013 #8
Do you have any evidence to actually back that up? ellisonz Mar 2013 #9
Lots of real-world evidence being reported by the mass media all the time. ManiacJoe Mar 2013 #10
So in short ellisonz Mar 2013 #11
You have been here long enough to have adequate ... ManiacJoe Mar 2013 #12
And there's lots of real world evidence to support the opposite conclusion ellisonz Mar 2013 #13
At this point I have to ask: ManiacJoe Mar 2013 #14
That a gun even in "a time of need" may very well make you less safe... ellisonz Mar 2013 #15
When you say ManiacJoe Mar 2013 #16
Maniac Joe is a gun nut abelenkpe Mar 2013 #18
Why are you arguing with someone abelenkpe Mar 2013 #19
Practice. ellisonz Mar 2013 #26
OK :) You're doing good. abelenkpe Mar 2013 #27
I would expect gun advocates to post a daily list, too nonoyes Mar 2013 #20
As a group at DU, we don't find the media listings that useful. ManiacJoe Mar 2013 #21
You speak for the entire group? What "group"? nonoyes Mar 2013 #22
My interpretation of the group behavior and posts. ManiacJoe Mar 2013 #23
^^^^ ellisonz Mar 2013 #28
Wrong. DanTex Mar 2013 #24
Sure, and the bad guys won't train because Progressive dog Mar 2013 #25
Thanks, gun toting death fetishists. mwrguy Mar 2013 #6
More than 1 million Americans have been killed by guns BainsBane Mar 2013 #7
'Now, don't go all emotional hyperbole on us - that only leads to feel-good laws'. jmg257 Mar 2013 #17
 

Arctic Dave

(13,812 posts)
1. I drove by the vehicle procession today for the VPSO killed.
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 12:25 AM
Mar 2013

There was about thirty patrol cars with the Medical Examiner's Van in the center.

 

SheilaT

(23,156 posts)
5. Guns make us safer, remember?
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 01:39 AM
Mar 2013

Just imagine how many more people might have died if no one had guns.

Wait, that doesn't quite sound right, does it? Guns make us safer, right? So how did all those people get shot? (Walks away, shaking head, not quite figuring this out.)

ManiacJoe

(10,136 posts)
8. Guns only make you "safer" if you have one in your time of need.
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 02:12 AM
Mar 2013

Guns do not reduce your risk of bad things happening to you. Being prepared by having a gun just increases your odds of surviving while those odds may not be that great in the first place.

ellisonz

(27,711 posts)
9. Do you have any evidence to actually back that up?
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 02:29 AM
Mar 2013

Or is that just the presumption on average that a panicked person will be able to wield and effectively use their weapon before they have it taken from them?

ManiacJoe

(10,136 posts)
10. Lots of real-world evidence being reported by the mass media all the time.
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 02:53 AM
Mar 2013

The OP quoting Kos probably has a few.

Each person will perform to their level of ability and training. Whether this improves their odds marginally or largely will depend on the user and the circumstances.

ManiacJoe

(10,136 posts)
12. You have been here long enough to have adequate ...
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 03:32 AM
Mar 2013

google skills to do your own homework if you don't read the news on a regular basis.

You don't strike me as being a Lott supporter.

ellisonz

(27,711 posts)
13. And there's lots of real world evidence to support the opposite conclusion
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 03:35 AM
Mar 2013

We frankly don't have adequate study to make a correct determination. Thanks NRA

ManiacJoe

(10,136 posts)
16. When you say
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 04:42 AM
Mar 2013

"less safe", do you mean
(1) More likely to be in a bad situation, or
(2) Less likely to survive the bad situation?

abelenkpe

(9,933 posts)
19. Why are you arguing with someone
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 05:50 AM
Mar 2013

Who clearly insane? Faced with a huge list of the daily death and damge guns do in this country they just told you it's best to walk around with a loaded weapon at all times. This gun nut is that scared and paranoid. People like that don't need a weapon. They need to be in a mental institution.

 

nonoyes

(261 posts)
20. I would expect gun advocates to post a daily list, too
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 07:22 AM
Mar 2013

of all those one or two incidents in the USA where a person with a gun was made safer and kept alive and well by his/her gun.

Unfortunately, I doubt they want to go that far, and find out those incidents are probably in the dozens per year, versus the dozens of murders and suicides by gun each and every week in this nation.

But I sure would like to see the raw numbers of people per year whose lives were saved because they had a gun, used a gun, showed a gun, or even just claimed they had a gun. I'm willing to bet that number is comparatively tiny compared to the number of suicides by gunshot each and every year.

ManiacJoe

(10,136 posts)
21. As a group at DU, we don't find the media listings that useful.
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 07:43 AM
Mar 2013

Every now and then someone will post a compilation of self defense reports just to offset the criminal and "accident" compilations.

The pro-gun folks tend to be more interested in the details of the events so that lessons can be learned:
What signals (if any) were given that something bad was going to happen?
What tactics worked and did not work?
How long did it take for the cops to arrive?

The numbers you seek don't exist. The ones capable of collecting the data are the cops, but they don't do it because it does not help them with their job. And that would only cover the ones reported to the cops. Estimates on self-defense gun uses (shot and not shot) per year run around 1.4 million give or take a few 100K depending on which side does the estimating.

 

nonoyes

(261 posts)
22. You speak for the entire group? What "group"?
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 08:03 AM
Mar 2013

I am a rational guy who likes facts and arguments which employ facts to influence my decision-making.

I would think most progressive people on DU feel the same way when it comes to making decisions about issues, but you are claiming that would NOT apply to the use of guns? Gun use and regulating gun use and ownership gets a free pass? Not so for drunk driving, not so for speeding, not so for driving an unregistered car, driving without a license. But gun owners can get away with "the numbers you seek don't exist". But you have "estimates" based upon what?

I could say 100,000,000 people don't get hit by cars crossing the street each day. That's an estimate, based upon the number of people crossing the street in any one day, if you ask a randomly chosed cross section sample of them if they crossed a street, or if you observe people crossing streets.

So how are your "estimates" arrived at, (estimates that are over 100 times more than the murder rate in nation), without any numbers that actually exist?

ManiacJoe

(10,136 posts)
23. My interpretation of the group behavior and posts.
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 08:31 AM
Mar 2013

In this case, the group is the frequent pro-gun posters of the Guns forum.

If you like facts and numbers, you will fit in well at the Guns forum.

> I would think most progressive people on DU feel the same way when it comes to
> making decisions about issues, but you are claiming that would NOT apply to the use of guns?

No, I am not claiming that.

> Gun use and regulating gun use and ownership gets a free pass?
> Not so for drunk driving, not so for speeding, not so for driving an
> unregistered car, driving without a license.

Only if you give it a free pass.

> But gun owners can get away with "the numbers you seek don't exist". But you have "estimates" based upon what?
> So how are your "estimates" arrived at?

You will need to ask the NRA, Brady/VPC, and the other estimators how they arrive at their estimates.
Since the two sides arrive at numbers that are not wildly different, I am willing to accept them as reasonably accurate without knowing the details of how the numbers were derived by each side.

DanTex

(20,709 posts)
24. Wrong.
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 09:07 AM
Mar 2013
Estimates on self-defense gun uses (shot and not shot) per year run around 1.4 million give or take a few 100K depending on which side does the estimating.

The estimate of 1.4 million comes from a pro-gun study that has been refuted many times over. It gets repeated in the NRA echo chamber, but has lost all scientific credibility. The fact that you would even repeat this number is an indication that you care little about the facts and are willing to repeat any NRA talking point that suits your agenda.

In fact, the number of "on paper" defensive gun uses is around 100K per year, but even that overestimates the amount of "good" that comes from guns, because just the fact that a person claims to have used a gun in self-defense doesn't mean that (a) it was actually an act of self-defense (i.e. the Trayvon Martin incident would be counted in that total) and that (b) using the gun actually made the situation better.

There is, in fact, no credible evidence that owning or carrying a gun makes a person any safer. On the contrary, the studies done have found the opposite conclusion: that owning and/or carrying a gun results in a higher, not a lower risk of being murdered.

BainsBane

(53,041 posts)
7. More than 1 million Americans have been killed by guns
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 02:03 AM
Mar 2013

since John Lennon's death, according to Yoko Ono on Piers Morgan last night.

jmg257

(11,996 posts)
17. 'Now, don't go all emotional hyperbole on us - that only leads to feel-good laws'.
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 05:21 AM
Mar 2013

Basically what some gun fuckers are posting here recently.

Sick fucks whose only display of emotion, even after a mass shooting, is excitement over the prospect of one more excuse to buy another AW or 3.


And the bodies just keep coming.

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