Shooting Today in Orlando

[kilgoretrout]

I just about got my arm broken once by an officer while I was in my car.
Got pulled over, and I couldn't find my insurance card. I reached into a pouch on the back of the seat and the cop grabbed my arm (my OTHER arm...lol), pulled it out the window and pinned it against the side of the car. Then he grabbed his gun and pointed it right at my fricken' head.
I understand his reasoning, I guess...but DAM! He coulda just yelled at me to show him my hands...
His name was actually Officer "Looney"... no joke.
He didn't last long, because apparently he got into a LOT of chit for doing dumb stuff.


Anyway, let us know any updates you have, chuck/wsideshow....

[wsideshow]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/07/...rss_topstories

[Kuroshio]

Originally Posted by Shadow

I was in a car in New York, years ago, and made a lane change without signalling - was pulled over...Here in SA, you exit your vehicle and go back and talk to the Cops - so I did........GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZZ !!! Next thing they were behind the doors of their cruiser, and I had two weapons trained on me...........nearly wet my pants........fortunately they had the restraint to realise I wasn't a local, but only once I had "assumed the position" - when I opened my mouth they realised I was a tourist
and were very helpful but were quite specific about remaining IN MY VEHICLE.
There are two schools of thought on this - if you stay in the vehicle the Cop is exposed all the way up to your window - I think our system is actually safer................

What I was taught by a cop friend to put her at ease on stops:

1. Turn off your car
2. Take the keys out the ignition and place them on the roof of your vehicle
3. Take both hands and stick them out the window until the officer says otherwise
4. ANNOUNCE any movements that will require your hands to leave open view before doing them and wait for permission to do so

Yeah, I know. Sounds a bit over the top. But her beat was the 4th Ward of Houston in the mid-late 90s. Strangely enough, I've gotten away with more crap when I did what she said than any other time (98 mph in a 35 mph zone )

As for the Orlando shooting, the guy is just broken. Some people are. Anyone want to bet their CBR that any lawyer that represents him goes for an insanity plea? And prolly would get it

[Shadow]

Insanity won't fly , I suspect. He might be able to get somewhere with the "blackout defence" - not remembering anything.....it's a faint hope at best, and I think he'll still go down for life....................consider the innocent victims here - not their fault he was deranged due to personal difficulties.
Very sad for all concerned.
Notice he didn't go and shoot his ex-boss or the welfare officer, which would be understandable...........

[freakyb]

I don't work downtown - luckily. I didn't hear about it until later on that day - friend asked me "did you hear?" It's a shame...I don't know how he got away...I sorta hoped someone would try and jump him before he drove off.

[bambam]

this thread is a real life "why i carry a gun" issue . if one person had a gun on em , this could have a different ending. I feel for the poor peeps that got shot, but i do not feel bad for the shooter, ive been at the bottem before and never did i blame anyone but my self, hard times are hard times, sad to say this but....TAP TAP, PROBLEM ELIMINATED. sorry to hijack, but this is what it is all about...defense...glad u pulled thru chuckbear...

[Kuroshio]

Originally Posted by bambam

this thread is a real life "why i carry a gun" issue . if one person had a gun on em , this could have a different ending. I feel for the poor peeps that got shot, but i do not feel bad for the shooter, ive been at the bottem before and never did i blame anyone but my self, hard times are hard times, sad to say this but....TAP TAP, PROBLEM ELIMINATED. sorry to hijack, but this is what it is all about...defense...glad u pulled thru chuckbear...

Problem is that so many places prohibit weapons even when licensed. In the Orlando incident, his workplace probably prohibited weapons regardless of CCW license. My job, for example, prohibits it. Even though we've had one tech shot, numerous technicians robbed and our trucks shot. Banks, bars and stores at the owner's discretion are no gun zones as well.

I do like that most govt facilities have to provide gun storage. It's always funny to see their faces when you go to turn in your weapon . Just don't enter the building with it locked and loaded

[chuckbear]

Not really much to tell that hasn't been already said I guess.

To sum up, the guy went nuts because, in his words, the company "left him to rot." The news got that quote from him on his way to booking outside the OPD. The fact that the guy was that aware and deliberate about his actions, to me, rules out an insanity plea. Then again I'm no lawyer so what do I know.

As this was all going on, I4 (the major highway through downtown here) was empty... something I've never seen in my life. It was very eerie.

A couple of co-workers and I were down eating sushi a few blocks from the old Traveler's building where this went down and we started getting calls from friends, family and co-workers that there was a gunman downtown and no one seemed to know anything other than her was on Orange Ave. somewhere (the street that my building is on and the street this sushi restaurant is on) and one tidbit of information was that a friend had heard it was a sniper in an office building. That turned out to be inaccurate, but needless to say it kept us indoors until we got more info. Walking back to our building being wary of a guy in a blue polo shirt and jeans (this is casual friday, easily the most common outfit) was pretty nerve-wracking.

In the end, 1 dead and 6 shot... it was a pretty surreal experience for me and it's such a terrible thing to think that this guy decided he needed to end someone's life over a lost job. I can't imagine how someone could be so selfish and could decide that killing someone is going to somehow make things better for them. Very sad..