Oscar Pistorius shoots girlfriend

[Camillus]

Jeff Cooper was a legendary US firearms trainer (the UK couldn't produce such a person).

Really that is an idiotic thing to say. Messrs Fairbairn and Sykes would like a word with you.

 

[Colin from France]

LOL! If you live in urban South Africa, panic buttons are a fact of life. I have 3 in my home which all summon armed response in under 5 minutes and I live in a safe neighbourhood. In Gauteng not having a panic button in your home would be sheer folly.

ETA: My point is that she would have known that there were panic buttons in the house and almost certainly knew exactly where they were.

Then in that case why didn't he push the button if there was such an intruder !

 

[Bob001]

Really that is an idiotic thing to say. Messrs Fairbairn and Sykes would like a word with you.

Fair point. Please don't tell them where to find me. But I note that both men derived much of their training and experience as police officers in Shanghai and later in World War II combat. What I meant was that the UK doesn't have anything like the American gun culture that would promote civilian firearms expertise. If I recall correctly, the UK Olympic shooting team was required at one time to practice abroad because firearms restrictions in the UK were so onerous.

 

[Skwinty]

Then in that case why didn't he push the button if there was such an intruder !

Because there was no intruder.

 

[Bob001]

LOL! If you live in urban South Africa, panic buttons are a fact of life. I have 3 in my home which all summon armed response in under 5 minutes and I live in a safe neighbourhood. In Gauteng not having a panic button in your home would be sheer folly.

ETA: My point is that she would have known that there were panic buttons in the house and almost certainly knew exactly where they were.

Just curious, how often do you actually hit a panic button, and how often does that result in the discovery of a real threat? Pistorius is a guy who was smug about going into "combat mode" at the sound of his washing machine. He lived in an exclusive, heavily guarded compound. It was inherently unreasonable for him to think "intruder" instead of "girlfriend" at a sound in the bathroom, especially when his previous panicked responses to sounds turned out to be nothing.
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Afri...s-lived-in-elite-gated-alternate-South-Africa

 

[Skwinty]

Besides, how many times do armed response arrive within 5 minutes only to find the intruders have done the deed and left already.

 

[newyorkguy]

Same reason I lock the door when I go to the toilet. Privacy and habit. <snip>

Do you normally take your cell phone with you, too? In the middle of the night?

Sorry I'm not buying it.

 

[Skwinty]

I take my phone to the toilet every time so I do not wake my wife. Nothing strange about that. Of course if my wife is up and fetching the fans from the balcony I switch the light on and still take my phone so I can have a look at the latest JREF update on Pistorius.

 

[MontagK505]

LOL! If you live in urban South Africa, panic buttons are a fact of life. I have 3 in my home which all summon armed response in under 5 minutes and I live in a safe neighbourhood. In Gauteng not having a panic button in your home would be sheer folly.

ETA: My point is that she would have known that there were panic buttons in the house and almost certainly knew exactly where they were.

If Oscar is waving his cannon around her first instinct would be to get out of his line of fire.

 

[MontagK505]

Because there was no intruder.

Then who was he shooting at? ...........................oh.

 

[icerat]

Do you normally take your cell phone with you, too? In the middle of the night?

Yup, sure do.

I also don't turn on the lights, even if my wife was awake doing something like getting fans.

Sorry I'm not buying it.

I better hope you're not on the jury if my wife accidentally shoots me then!

 

[Colin from France]

Yup, sure do.

I also don't turn on the lights, even if my wife was awake doing something like getting fans.



I better hope you're not on the jury if my wife accidentally shoots me then!

You would usually get dressed before going to the toilet as well, i imagine, all that in the dark, not bad;

 

[Skwinty]

I also don't turn on the lights, even if my wife was awake doing something like getting fans.

How inconsiderate of you. Allowing your wife to work in the dark because she didn't want to wake you.

 

[Bob001]

Besides, how many times do armed response arrive within 5 minutes only to find the intruders have done the deed and left already.

Do you mean that five minutes would be fast enough to catch intruders or slow enough for them to get away? I would assume that hitting a panic button would also set off an alarm siren, and somebody tampering with a window or door would generally just run the instant he heard the alarm -- which would be all the more reason not to be shooting at random sounds.

 

[Skwinty]

Burglars in South Africa can get into your house, steal your stuff and be out in minutes. It is folly to believe that a panic button will save your life in a intrusion situation.

People are killed in this country for as little as a cell phone. Be responsible for your own safety, just do it within the ambit of the law.

I am not saying that one shouldn't have security with armed response and a panic button, just don't place your trust in that alone.

 

[newyorkguy]

I better hope you're not on the jury if my wife accidentally shoots me then!

Presuming of course, that it was an accident.

 

[icerat]

You would usually get dressed before going to the toilet as well, i imagine, all that in the dark, not bad;

It's sweden, didn't you know we all walk around naked all the time?

but no, I usually keep whatever status I have (pyjamas or nothing or somewhere in between)

 

[Samson]

Presuming of course, that it was an accident.

If he knew it was an unarmed Reeva to confront it would be face on to the door. If it is an intruder he fires from a more distant point at an angle, and he is not thinking kill, but let the bastard know I'm on his case. Partial accident. After all she nearly survived absent the head shot.

 

[newyorkguy]

I said previously if were possible for Reeva to come back from the netherworld long enough to tell people: "He was in a violent rage and I was in fear of my life. I grabbed my phone and ran to the bathroom. I locked myself in but he shot me before I could call police."

If that WAS possible I very much expect some posters would reply:

I'm sorry I don't believe her.

 

[Samson]

That's fine but I find it credible to shoot at an intruder from a distant angle, but a ridiculous notion if he knew it was Reeva. A simple reason I am wrong would be fine.