School Shooting:Multiple Deaths in Lancaster, PA Amish School, Shooter Kills Self

Fox News Alert ^ | 02 OCT 06

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Again, just conflicting reports. I have also just 'heard' (radio again) that the killer had been in a 'dark' mood the last several weeks. Waiting for the explanation of 'dark.' Depression? Bipolar? Wrong meds?

[bonfire]

Yep....here come the excuses.

[dirtboy]

They will probably recognize it as the aberration it was, pray to God, including a prayer for mercy for the soul of the murderer, and then go back to leading their lives as they were.

[Deguello]

"it was a hostage situation "

Times have changed. Just as the result of the events of 9/11 that aircraft hijackings are now considered terrorist attacks, any take-over of a school or university will not be considered a hostage situation but rather a killing field.

I only lurked this thread yesterday, but the references of hostages in these school take-overs shows naivete towards the current criminal elements in our midst.

[CindyDawg]

Maybe, but they won't forget. Parents will look around. Teachers will be on guard. Dads may just drop in to see how things are going. Maybe another school, in a different location?

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Very well put.

[Joe Brower]

The fact that the perp was local is irrelevant. Anyone in my proximity gets scanned -- no exceptions. As for "easily taken out", well, that's been tried. Awareness is key.

"He could have just as easily driven his milk truck through the school and killed even more people"

Sssshh! Don't give the crazies any more ideas! $;-)

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Tacky behavior on this thread will be noticed by the moderators.

Valid statement. Some people have VERY long memories.

[TNdandelion]

I'm not disagreeing with you in general. But my response was to BubbaHeel who insisted on criticizing the Amish and suggested they called the police to fight their battles for them.

At the time the teacher sought help from the police, it WAS a hostage situation and there was hope for dialogue between the police and the perp. The average citizen (Amish or otherwise) doesn't have the tools (phone tracers, loudspeakers, hostage negotiators, etc) needed to contact a perp holed up behind barricades and "walk him out."

While there was a chance the situation could escalate to violence, I imagine the Amish community was hoping for everyone to come out alive. I don't believe they called the police expecting mercenaries for hire.

That was my point. ;)

[metmom]

I'm not saying I agree with it. I'm a defend yourself type person. I was just thinking that that might be the rationalization.

If one chooses not to defend oneself, that's one thing but for the life of me I could not see standing by and watching it happen. (Now, I don't want to sound like I'm condemning those women and boys who left. What could a pregnant woman and others with small babies who have been brought up all their lives not to retaliate in any way, shape, or form, do?)

Anyway, I certainly see your point. I don't get it either.

[ZULU]

I agree with your analysis.

You will see the trolls smoked out of the woodwork on this subject.

[BykrBayb]

I don't feel so good about my guns today. I no longer think they're big enough, and I don't think I have enough of them. Time for another shopping spree.

[all4one]

Thanks EBH for the legwork and the update, it is greatly appreciated!

[hoosiermama]

Update here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1712784/posts

[Sisku Hanne]

The public schools are open. I didn't hear of private schools, but it's hardto say. All the Amish schools are of course private and would not announce if they were closed. In this county we probably have a higher percentage of private schools and home schoolers than any other county, perhaps in the country. There's enough homeschoolers alone to make up a good-sized school district.

It's times like these that make me thankful to live here amongst so many conservatives with strong faith. Everyone is stunned and devastated, but there's not much liberal-style finger-pointing and hand-wringing. We're all "family", and will see that the families and friends of these victims want for nothing, spiritually or physically.

[BykrBayb]

Maybe drug abuse? He was scheduled for a random drug test the day of the shootings.

[theFIRMbss]

> I would put my soul in God's hands at that time, but I would not, could not leave them

I pray I wouldn't
leave the kids, also. I think
at a nightmare time

like that, one could say
to the hostage taker, "Please,
in the name of Christ,

let me stay and pray
with the kids, for the kids, and
for you." It could be

that evoking Christ
would touch something deep in him
and somehow defuse

some of his madness.
This is the only recourse
I can conceive of

for people without
martial arts training, or if
in the madman's sights.

[SE Mom]

This is completely over the top.

Please. Start a thread on the Second Amendment and guns in or out of schools...

[Sisku Hanne]

This is just speculation, and I'm not able to research this at the moment, but several weeks ago a young Amish girl was stopped along the road by a man who tried to get her into his pick-up truck. I don't know if they caught him. I can't remember ever hearing of something like that happening before. When this news came out yesterday I immediately wondered if this man was the same one. Or if the girl was a student in that school.