Student, 13, fires AK-47 in Missouri school

[SnakeEye]

OPLIN, Missouri (AP) -- A 13-year-old student fired an AK-47 inside his middle school Monday morning after confronting two others students and his principal, but no one was injured, authorities said.

The student was wearing a mask and pointed the assault rifle at Principal Steve Gilbreth, Assistant Superintendent Steve Doerr and two students, saying, "not to make me do this," Superintendent Jim Simpson said.

Simpson said the teen then fired a shot into the ceiling, breaking a water pipe, and said again, "Please don't make me do this."

"It was a very close call," Simpson said.

Doerr and Gilbreth persuaded the student to leave the building, where he was confronted by two police officers with weapons drawn. The student dropped the rifle and was taken into custody, Simpson said. The student's identity was not released.

Joplin police Officer Curt Farmer said officers found a note in the student's backpack indicating that he had placed an explosive in the school, which has about 700 students. Students in the school were moved to nearby Joplin Memorial Hall, and the school was closed while officers searched the building.

The student was wearing a mask and apparently had been planning an attack for a "long time," Simpson said. He didn't elaborate and said authorities did not know whether others were involved.

Joplin, which has about 40,900 residents, is in southwest Missouri, on the Kansas border about 140 miles south of Kansas City.

Schools across the country have been on alert after three deadly school shootings in three states in the span of a week, and several schools have been locked down or closed entirely during the past two weeks because of threats.

I guess having armed individuals on school grounds CAN actually SAVE lives..Hmmmmm

 

[Jose]

WTF is wrong with kids today?

Does anyone want to argue that the proliferation of violent movies and even more violent video games have absolutely nothing to do with this?

 

[LORD of WAR]

not what is wrong with kids...what is wrong with parents???


i play all those violent video games and watch all those movies and never had an urge to go out and do as i see simulated...the kid should have never been allowed access to the weapon...not like he could have gone into a store and bought it himself...he had to have gotten it from somewhere that he knew there was easy access...think about it...had there been a trigger or cable lock...or no loaded magazines...the kid cant shoot anyone

 

[dwarven1]

I wonder if the increasing population has something to do with it. Could be one of two things:

1 - more tightly packed populations tend to go whacko - too many rats crowded in a box will try to EAT their way out. Humans are the only species that voluntarily does this to themselves...

2 - given that a small percentage of the population will turn out to be a psychopath (or just plain nuts), as the population increases, so will the raw numbers of nut jobs.

My sister warned me 25 years ago that owning guns was "opening [my]self to the path of violence"; haven't shot anyone yet, so maybe I'm just not a psychopath.

 

[Jose]

1 - more tightly packed populations tend to go whacko - too many rats crowded in a box will try to EAT their way out. Humans are the only species that voluntarily does this to themselves....

Joplin doesn't fit that mold....

 

[Jose]

not what is wrong with kids...what is wrong with parents???


i play all those violent video games and watch all those movies and never had an urge to go out and do as i see simulated...the kid should have never been allowed access to the weapon...not like he could have gone into a store and bought it himself...he had to have gotten it from somewhere that he knew there was easy access...think about it...had there been a trigger or cable lock...or no loaded magazines...the kid cant shoot anyone

True. But there is an inherent lack of morality in many people today.

 

[Scrivener]

IMy sister warned me 25 years ago that owning guns was "opening [my]self to the path of violence"; haven't shot anyone yet, so maybe I'm just not a psychopath.

Yeah, that whole unarmed/pacifist/peaceful co-existent approach has worked SO well in the past.................

Does she know ANYTHING about her history? Start with the Kristallnacht, the Warsaw Ghetto and the 1967 War.

 

[highlander]

parentss working to get ahead and keeping upwith the jones don't want to be "mean' and actually do their jobs to make sure little johnny/sue dont become trhe next Norman Bates. This would mean that they would actually have to teach the child that it's wrong to steal,lie.chaet and or kill. it means that we have to teach,do I dare say the word.........MORALS

 

[vellnueve]

WTF is wrong with kids today?

Does anyone want to argue that the proliferation of violent movies and even more violent video games have absolutely nothing to do with this?

I disagree. I play all sorts of violent video games and haven't ever had even a thought of doing something like this.

 

[Kurtz]

I'm sick of hearing of all these school shootings, these assclowns are hurting law abiding citizens. If we lose the whitehouse, senate and house, we're in trouble! I feel for the families and friends of the victims but these shootings could end up hurting all of us. The govt could take extreme measures to try to remedy the situation, even though it wouldn't help. Gun control doesn't control idiots.

 

[SnakeEye]

its not violent video game and movies.. however i will say that it probobly does provide people with a predisposition for violence a pallete upon which to base their acts..Where as normal well adjusted individuals know where the line is.
Most 18 to 35 year olds have chalked up millions of virtual kills and witnessed many more million deaths both simulated and real on the television and internet. if that were the only requisite for violence, the streets would be running red.

Its an accessbility issue, plain and simple..
the guns were not properly secured. and if they were, then the means to access them was not . And thats the same as leaving the door open.

 

[Jose]

Its an accessbility issue, plain and simple..
the guns were not properly secured. and if they were, then the means to access them was not . And thats the same as leaving the door open.

Now it's my turn to call bullshit.

Accessible guns are not the issue either. Someone with morals and who values human life will NOT go on a shooting spree, even if guns are readily available, just because he is being bullied in school or to settle some beef with the school system.

A 13 year old SHOULD know right from wrong. That this punk doesn't means to me that he grew up in a moral vaccum.

Access to gun has absolutely f***ing nothing to do with it. If it did, school shooting would have been a hell of lot more common in the 50s and 60s when no one gave a second thought to loaded, unsecured guns in a house.

 

[Admin]

Access to gun has absolutely f*&^$% nothing to do with it. If it did, school shootings would have been a hell of lot more common in the 50s and 60s when no one gave a second thought to loaded, unsecured guns in a house.

I have to agree with Jose. Just because this state mandates secure firearms doesn't mean it prevents this type of shooting in any way.

 

[highlander]

I have to agree with Jose. Just because this state mandates secure firearms doesn't mean it prevents this type of shooting in any way.

I have to put my.02 in here again i have people in work come after me on this subject more gun control yada yada yada.
I simply look them in the face 'Would you feel better if little Johnny went on the internet and got instructions on how to make a bomb and kill or maim hundres of kids?' to which the answer is "NOOO" I try to explain that if someone wants to kill there is no limit on how and if HE wants to die with with them it makes him nearly unstopable.

 

[Admin]

I have to put my.02 in here again i have people in work come after me on this subject more gun control yada yada yada.
I simply look them in the face 'Would you feel better if little Johnny went on the internet and got instructions on how to make a bomb and kill or maim hundres of kids?' to which the answer is "NOOO" I try to explain that if someone wants to kill there is no limit on how and if HE wants to die with with them it makes him nearly unstopable.

Exactly. Which always comes back to, you can't stop someone from being crazy...

 

[daceman63]

Just like in England, they'll ban the guns and people will just start using knives or sticks or rocks or hammers or chainsaws or rope...I know...how about a good old fashioned box cutter.....everyone knows you go for the weapon of convenience....right now, because of stupid poeple who leave their guns lying around, the guns happen to be more convenient. When one is not available, the knife on the kitchen counter will be looking pretty good to these psychpaths.....just wait and see....

 

[highlander]

Speaking of box cutters and the like back in the 80's there was a murder in Lynn using a katana. ex boyfriend sliced up new boyfriend and forced ex girl friend to veiw remains

 

[daceman63]

yup...seems they'll use whatever is available...they need to put a ban on psychopaths....

 

[SnakeEye]

Now it's my turn to call bullshit.

Accessible guns are not the issue either. Someone with morals and who values human life will NOT go on a shooting spree, even if guns are readily available, just because he is being bullied in school or to settle some beef with the school system.

A 13 year old SHOULD know right from wrong. That this punk doesn't means to me that he grew up in a moral vaccum.

Access to gun has absolutely f***ing nothing to do with it. If it did, school shooting would have been a hell of lot more common in the 50s and 60s when no one gave a second thought to loaded, unsecured guns in a house.

i think you only read what you wanted to out of my post.
someone with a predisposition for violence will commit said act reagardless if firearms are available or not.
However, their lack of basic coping skills shows their inability to think creatively and solve simple social problems. As a result of this deficiency they tend to simply emulate the same acts that they see in media and popular culture. that most likely being a firearms based offense.
Locks discriminate against everyone equally,from the most morally grounded to the darkest of psychpaths and is the only way to keep your otherwise safe and inanimate objects from becoming a mentally diseased persons instrument of death.
im in no way pushing this as a gun control issue as you imply, its a gun owners responsibility issue. and keeping those firearms in your hands and out of the hands of unauthorized users.
like it or not the shores of morality "have" eroded and the result demands increased diligence on our part.

 

[drgrant]

WTF is wrong with kids today?

Does anyone want to argue that the proliferation of violent movies and even more violent video games have absolutely nothing to do with this?

While some of these attackers have played the games, there are millions
of kids that have that have made it through high school without shooting
anyone, or even getting into a fight, for that matter. So we should ban
a media type because 1% of the nutjobs are going to get an idea from
images in media and video games? I guess we should ban all news now,
that the guy that shot those girls in the Amish school was a virtual copycat
of the attack in CO not that long ago.

IMO a bigger problem with videogames/tv is not the violence, but the fact
that kids don't get outside as much anymore and intereact with other kids
and the like. This destroys opportunities for social interaction for these
kids... and the end result is a kid like this that barely knows who he is
and how to interact with other people.

-Mike

 

[drgrant]

Its an accessbility issue, plain and simple..
the guns were not properly secured. and if they were, then the means to access them was not . And thats the same as leaving the door open.

At 13 I knew how to use various power tools, a propane torch, and the
like. If you think you're going to keep a 13 year old kid from cutting off a
lock from a gun or busting open dad's gun cabinet, I have a bridge brooklyn to sell you.


-Mike

 

[drgrant]

im in no way pushing this as a gun control issue as you imply, its a gun owners responsibility issue. and keeping those firearms in your hands and out of the hands of unauthorized users.

Yeah but how far do you want to extend that liability? Should the law
state that every person must have a UL TL-30 burglar rated safe in their house?
Sure sounds like gun control to me, considering a lot of older
houses and certainly many apartments couldn't even support the weight of
such a safe, and in many cases, you're adding an economic discrimination
factor to the mix, too, because many gun owners on fixed or limited income
couldn't even fathom affording such an installation.

And further, just because we keep our guns secure, doesn't mean that the
psycho kid isnt going to be able to buy/borrow a gun off the street, or
steal guns from that one person that -doesn't- keep them secure.



-Mike

 

[KMaurer]

I have to put my.02 in here again i have people in work come after me on this subject more gun control yada yada yada.
I simply look them in the face 'Would you feel better if little Johnny went on the internet and got instructions on how to make a bomb and kill or maim hundres of kids?' to which the answer is "NOOO" I try to explain that if someone wants to kill there is no limit on how and if HE wants to die with with them it makes him nearly unstopable.

I must deal with a worse class of idiots, because half of them would smile, nod agree, which is one of the reasons they're in favor of regulating the internet in libraries and schools particularly, but everywhere in general.

Ken

 

[drgrant]

I wonder if the increasing population has something to do with it. Could be one of two things:

1 - more tightly packed populations tend to go whacko - too many rats crowded in a box will try to EAT their way out. Humans are the only species that voluntarily does this to themselves...

2 - given that a small percentage of the population will turn out to be a psychopath (or just plain nuts), as the population increases, so will the raw numbers of nut jobs.

I've been telling people this for awhile but nobody believes me. I honestly
believe that the world in general, and even the US, is overpopulated. We
have this problem where eventually the supply of the people pool outstrips
the demand. So as a result we have a society where a significant
percentage of the population really has nothing to do with themselves. Most
of them might be employed, but a large percentage probably would have
different jobs if they had the choice.



-Mike

 

[highlander]

At 13 I knew how to use various power tools, a propane torch, and the
like. If you think you're going to keep a 13 year old kid from cutting off a
lock from a gun or busting open dad's gun cabinet, I have a bridge brooklyn to sell you.


-Mike

Locks are for HONEST people

 

[drgrant]

Locks are for HONEST people

One can argue if the person is -really- honest or not of ill intent that
a lock wouldn't be necessary to begin with. My point was that
such devices do very little to keep psychopaths away from getting what
they seek. The average <$200 security solutions people use for guns
are really only a speed bump for a psychopath. In some cases those solutions
may prevent opportunistic theft but thats about it. (And thats only because
the goals are different... the psycho wants a weapon, the thief generally
is in it for making money quickly and nothing else.)


-Mike

 

[daceman63]

So we should ban
a media type because 1% of the nutjobs are going to get an idea from
images in media and video games? I guess we should ban all news now,
that the guy that shot those girls in the Amish school was a virtual copycat
of the attack in CO not that long ago.-Mike

I'd say given the population as compare to the number if instances with these schools of late it is way less than 1%. In addition, the Amish incident was supposedly not a copycat of Columbine, however this most recent attempt most definately was as the kid admitted as much.

No reason for a ban in either case.

 

[drgrant]

I'd say given the population as compare to the number if instances with these schools of late it is way less than 1%. In addition, the Amish incident was supposedly not a copycat of Columbine, however this most recent attempt most definately was as the kid admitted as much.

I wasnt referring to columbine... I was talking this one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platte_Canyon_High_School_shooting

53 year old guy goes into school, kicks the boys out of the room, keeps
the girls there molests them, and ends up shooting one of them when the
authorities stormed the place.

And indeed, it probably is less than 1%.

And when I was talking about a ban.... I should have used the .... the idea
of banning media forms because someone might mimick them or get an idea from them
is pretty rediculous. People can come up with crazy ways to kill or harm others all
on their own without the media.

-Mike

 

[daceman63]

I wasnt referring to columbine... I was talking this one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platte_Canyon_High_School_shooting

53 year old guy goes into school, kicks the boys out of the room, keeps
the girls there molests them, and ends up shooting one of them when the
authorities stormed the place.

And indeed, it probably is less than 1%.

And when I was talking about a ban.... I should have used the .... the idea
of banning media forms because someone might mimick them or get an idea from them
is pretty rediculous. People can come up with crazy ways to kill or harm others all
on their own without the media.

-Mike

Either way, less than 1% or 1%, copycat or not, these incidents are tragic. Not much compfort to eht parents and families of these children. But you are right, if a person is determined they don't need a gun or even the media. The world isn't as safe as we all would like it to be and if a bad person wants to do something bad there isn't a lot anyomne can do about it unless the right people are in the right place at the right time.

 

[M1966]

The problem, in my opinion, is that advances in science and medicine etc. have the world so much safer and doctors that much better. As a result, more stupid people are being protected from themselves and living longer...thereby upsetting the Law of Natural Selection.
Unfortunately, what we're left with is an overabundance of idiots....