• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

20 People Shot Dead on Virginia Tech Campus

Marquis de Carabas said:
I know if any of my loved ones ever die in a horrible tragedy, I will draw so much comfort from the fact that a group of anonymous internet strangers kept themselves from discussing the political aspects of the situation in the same thread as the condolences I'll never see.
Click to expand...

What he said.
 
Katana said:
Couldn't he have had more than one clip per gun and changed them at some point? How long would replacing an empty clip with a full one take on a gun like this?
Click to expand...


Sure. You still have to chamber the first rounds, though. It would make more sense if he was using a Tech 9.
 
Katana said:
Couldn't he have had more than one clip per gun and changed them at some point? How long would replacing an empty clip with a full one take on a gun like this?
Click to expand...

For a semi-auto, a second, if that. He wold not need to have multiple clips per gun. Just several for one. From what I am hearing, the victims were lined up and he walked done the line firing. Easy to pull a new clip out at victim 10 and have it ready to reload after shooting victim 15.
 
BPSCG said:
Washington, DC has a couple of hundred gun homicides every year, where gun ownership is almost completely forbidden. Somehow, the guys committing those murders have figured out how to plug someone. Are you claiming this is a skill beyond the capabilities of a college student?
Click to expand...

How hard is it for a DC citizen to legally purchase a gun in another city or state and then take it home? Please excuse my ignorance on US gun law.
 
azazal said:
For a semi-auto, a second, if that. He wold not need to have multiple clips per gun. Just several for one. From what I am hearing, the victims were lined up and he walked done the line firing. Easy to pull a new clip out at victim 10 and have it ready to reload after shooting victim 15.
Click to expand...

That's what's so unbelievable. He could only shoot one at at time. Why didn't someone rush him? Of course, thinking what we would do is not the same as if it was happening to us.
 
Reeco said:
How hard is it for a DC citizen to legally purchase a gun in another city or state and then take it home? Please excuse my ignorance on US gun law.
Click to expand...

It varies from state to state. Of course if you buy on the street, it's very easy if you have the dosh.
 
The Vampire said:
That's what's so unbelievable. He could only shoot one at at time. Why didn't someone rush him? Of course, thinking what we would do is not the same as if it was happening to us.
Click to expand...

Shock, seeing some one alive one moment and then laying on the ground, blood and brain matter everywhere is going to send the vast majority of people into deep shock and denial. Also if he walked down the line quickly, they might not have registered what was happening until it was too late.
 
azazal said:
From what I am hearing, the victims were lined up and he walked done the line firing.
Click to expand...
I cannot fathom this. What kind of mass mindset is at work here where people watch someone going down a line gunning down one person after another, and nobody rushes him? :confused:

The only similar situation I can think of is where a couple of Nazis with rifles were able to herd hundreds of people onto railroad cars to be exterminated. Even that doesn't compare to this (assuming this account of today's murders is accurate), because the Jews being herded into railroad cars were told they were being relocated, and probably preferred to comfort themselves with that thought, than face the possibility of getting shot.
 
Reeco said:
How hard is it for a DC citizen to legally purchase a gun in another city or state and then take it home? Please excuse my ignorance on US gun law.
Click to expand...

If we're talking about handguns, you need a DC license in order to take it into DC. Traveling with firearms is difficult.
 
Reeco said:
How hard is it for a DC citizen to legally purchase a gun in another city or state and then take it home? Please excuse my ignorance on US gun law.
Click to expand...

From my understanding they can not do that legally. Handgun ownership is illegal in DC proper. Guns legal purchased outside of DC can not be brought in, doing so constitutes a felony, though I may be recalling incorrectly.
 
BPSCG said:
I cannot fathom this. What kind of mass mindset is at work here where people watch someone going down a line gunning down one person after another, and nobody rushes him? :confused:

The only similar situation I can think of is where a couple of Nazis with rifles were able to herd hundreds of people onto railroad cars to be exterminated. Even that doesn't compare to this (assuming this account of today's murders is accurate), because the Jews being herded into railroad cars were told they were being relocated, and probably preferred to comfort themselves with that thought, than face the possibility of getting shot.
Click to expand...

Well obviously because they were stupid. What a bunch of idiots. How dumb do you have to be to let someone kill you with a gun?
 
hgc said:
I have no problem with BP bringing up the gun control subject. But when the delightful Dana Perino, Bush's acting Press Secretary, weighs in likewise, it sticks in my craw.




Does the president's first statement on this have to score political points for the NRA? He couldn't wait even a few hours before he starts to flog this point? I guess he can't help himself.

Oh, and did you know that shooting people at school is against the law and someone ought to be held accountable? Ya think!?!?

Oh, and where would we get the idea that Bush thinks all laws have to be followed? His words and deeds leave a lot of wiggle room.

Ass-hatism at its highest.
Click to expand...


Where's your source? Was this an outright statement or an answer to a question?
 
Katana said:
Couldn't he have had more than one clip per gun and changed them at some point? How long would replacing an empty clip with a full one take on a gun like this?
Click to expand...

It would take almost no time at all if the shooter had plenty of practice and had the magazines in easliy accessible locations. Reports say he was wearing extra magazines on his vest, so the latter appears to be true.

Reloading is as easy as pushing a button (and removing the spent magazine if it doesn't fall out on its own), putting a full magazine in, and pushing another button.

He had two pistols, which meant that he could alternate reloading. So even if he couldn't reload quickly, he could make sure that he had one loaded at all times. This could be done to keep people from rushing him while he reloaded.

Also, and this is a very minor point but it is a pet peeve of mine, they were not clips. While the word clip is used often to describe a magazine, it is technically incorrect. Clips are used to quickly load multiple rounds into a magazine (either internal or external), while magazines hold rounds and load them into a firearm's chamber. I am unaware of any modern 9mm handgun that uses clips to load rounds directly into the gun itself.

My condolences to anyone who is touched by this tragedy.
 
azazal said:
Shock, seeing some one alive one moment and then laying on the ground, blood and brain matter everywhere is going to send the vast majority of people into deep shock and denial. Also if he walked down the line quickly, they might not have registered what was happening until it was too late.
Click to expand...

I guess then. For me personally, when I hear guns go off, I either hit the deck or start running.
 
BPSCG said:
I cannot fathom this. What kind of mass mindset is at work here where people watch someone going down a line gunning down one person after another, and nobody rushes him? :confused:

{snip}
Click to expand...

I'm with azazal on this one. They may have been paralyzed with fear, shock. It is hard to (to borrow your word) fathom, though, but so is just about all of it.
 
The Vampire said:
I guess then. For me personally, when I hear guns go off, I either hit the deck or start running.
Click to expand...

Yeah you would have been too smart for him; he never would have been able to kill you. Unlike those idiot stupid virginia tech. students!
 
Reeco said:
How hard is it for a DC citizen to legally purchase a gun in another city or state and then take it home? Please excuse my ignorance on US gun law.
Click to expand...
You don't need to go to another state to get a gun; they're easily available on the street in DC, even though they're illegal. It's not just the sale of guns that's illegal in DC - mere possession, even in your own home is illegal.

DC has hundreds of gun murders every year, despite the most restrictive gun laws in the country. Why? Because laws are useless if not enforced.

Virginia has what's called an "exile" program. Crimes committed with a firearm are punished much more harshly than crimes committed without one. Not the least of the punishments is that you'll be sent to a prison at the other end of the state, or even sent to a prison out of state, so your friends and family aren't going to come visiting every weekend. The program is credited with having reduced Richmond's murder rate by 40%.
 
Almo said:
And, why not make another thread for the gun control discussion when this one was clearly a condolences/news type thread. Depressing that these shootings keep happening. :(
Click to expand...

I didn't see "condolence thread" in the OP. In defense of BPSCG, his post had direct relevance to this incident. Legislation was passed to help prevent what happened before at the same place and now it's happening again, This time it's much worse. :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom