School board meeting shooting - FL

[swatpup102]

This was on the news yesterday, and re-affirms absolutely the importance of self defense capability - anytime, anywhere. I am glad the life taken was the gunman's. Stay safe out there!

[tombogan03884]

Heard about it, nothing about motive yet.

[Marshal Halloway]

Here's another one:

Embedding not allowed on this one.

(((I hijacked Marshals post and it CAN be embedded..
you just have to be the "smart one" in the family.. ))
Its a tough tough position to be in ~~but I manage.. )) 

[MikeBjerum]

I have chaired many public meetings, and some of those included public hearings on "hot" topics.  Every time I prepared for the meeting I thought about "what if I need to."  And, every time I took my seat behind the table I reviewed my options.  As I watch this all I can think of is "What if just one member of that board had been prepared?"  I know it all worked out in the end, but only because Mr. Duke was a horrible shot.

[kmitch200]

The gal that snuck up behind him was brave but woefully under-equipped.  She would have been better off with a fire extinguisher than a purse.
*Any* firearm in her hands would have sealed this cowards fate.

[Sponsor]

[Solus]

Couple of observations.

Not one of the seated board members acted to help the woman who had the courage to risk her life to try to end the situation even though they saw her with enough time to prepare to move.

Either the security guard at the rear of the room was not present for the whole incident and just entered before he opened fire, perhaps prompted to do so by the first shots of the gunman or he waited way to long to respond.   If he was outside the room he must have been made aware of the situation by those allowed to leave.  In any case, his failure to act sooner did not result in the deaths of those he was to protect only due to the poor ability of the gunman.

And yes, had the courageous woman been armed and capable, it would have been a much shorter story.  If anyone in that room had been armed besides the gunman, it would have been much shorter.

[tt11758]

I can't help but wonder why the 3+ second delay between the time this guy fired his first round and the Chief of Security firing HIS first round?  Did he not have his gun ready as soon as the BG produced his?  And if not, WHY the hell not?

I'm reminded of a shooting incident at a City Council meeting in a town here in Iowa several years ago.  When TSHTF, the city's Police Chief, who had been at the meeting, realized that he had left his sidearm in the car.  He ran to the car to retrieve it, only to realize that his car keys were still in the pocket of his jacket, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.  Sadly, THAT particular looney toon gunman was a better shot than the one in Florida yesterday.  Something tells me that Police Chief carries his gun in the SHOWER these days.

[Hazcat]

I think the board chairman handled it as well as could be.  He kept the guy talking, tried to calm him, tried to protect the others.  All well done (IMHO) considering the circumstances.

[tt11758]

I think the board chairman handled it as well as could be.  He kept the guy talking, tried to calm him, tried to protect the others.  All well done (IMHO) considering the circumstances.

Absolutely.

[tombogan03884]

Mitch, most women carry enough crap in their purse to brain an Ox.