South Carolina Ping 
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Posted on 12/16/2018 2:00:55 PM PST by Gamecock
FORT MILL, SC The man who pleaded guilty to shooting and killing a Rock Hill teen at a Fort Mill store in January bought the gun an hour before the shooting — and had previously admitted having homicidal thoughts, prosecutors said.
Christopher Benjamin Mendez, 29, pleaded guilty Tuesday in York County court to shooting Karson Whitesell, 19, at The Peach Stand in Fort Mill on Jan. 23.
He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Sixteenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor Kevin Brackett said Mendez bought a .45-caliber gun at Cabela’s about an hour before he walked into the small store in Fort Mill.
Whitesell, whose family says she dedicated her life to service, was working there.
“He claims Ms. Whitesell looked at him funny, or gave him a look he didn’t appreciate,” Brackett said.
He said Mendez walked back out to the car, loaded his new handgun, walked back in and shot Whitesell five times.
Mendez’ lawyer, public defender Phil Smith, said Mendez had a history of mental health issues, and he never felt like he fit in. Mendez flunked out of 12th grade and got his G.E.D. after several tries, Smith said.
He was put on medication after he was committed to a mental institution for more than a week in June 2017. But before the shooting, Mendez wasn’t taking the medication – it made him feel worse, Smith said, and he didn’t have insurance.
Now show him how it feels to pay the penalty for killing!
When I was just a baby my mama told me, "Son Always be a good boy, don't ever play with guns" But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die When I hear that whistle blowing, I hang my head and cry
Turn him into soap.
Ping
Now show him how it feels to pay the penalty for killing!
Texas law Death by hanging!
Now show him how it feels to pay the penalty for killing!
South Carolina law Death by hanging!
Why was he allowed to buy guns and ammo with his history of mental illness and hospitalization? I thought the law said you could not do that. A friend of mine in California was turned down for that very reason.
The security video of his gun buy should be reviewed if it hasn’t been erased.
Shot her 5 times with a .45. Virtually no experience so he had to be at basically point blank range.
Ugh.
South Carolina Ping
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From things I’ve seen, real gun shop operators quiz and size up buyers and turn down nuts. This guy should not have passed the smell test. I’ve never been to a Cabela’s, but I think they are generally giant sporting goods stores. Whether the gun staff are as sharp, or as self-interested, as Mom & Pop shops, is a question.
People can easily lie on NFA forms, but if the buyers had been involuntarily committed to a mental institution, why did the Background Check system fail to stop the purchase? This needs to be investigated from a to z.
My first suspect would be HIPPA related. d;^)
This mental defective is the reason why libs want to take away our right to own guns.
All these shooting are done by whack jobs but the libs won’t reopen the mental institutions and change the laws regarding putting these people away before they kill. Need to be where they won’t see the light of day.
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