Mass Shooting at NY Immigration Center

[Flyboy]

4 People Shot, 41 Hostages Taken at Immigration Center in Upstate New York
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512441,00.html

DEVELOPING: At least four people have been shot and 41 hostages have been taken at an immigration center in upstate New York.

Binghamton, N.Y., Mayor Matthew Ryan told the local Press & Sun Bulletin newspaper that the gunman had a high-powered rifle at the American Civic Association.

The shooter was described as an Asian male in a green jacket, according to local reports.

Apartments and schools in the area have been evacuated or were on lockdown.

The mayhem began about 10:30 a.m. EDT Friday.

Four people were taken from the building on stretchers and moved to hospitals. The Binghamton SWAT team is on the scene.

At least four people have been shot and several people taken hostage at an immigration services center in Binghamton, N.Y.

Mayor Matthew Ryan tells The Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin on Friday that the gunman has a high-powered rifle.

The newspaper reports there are 41 hostages in the building of the American Civic Association. It says apartments are being evacuated.

Four people have been taken from the building on stretchers and moved to hospitals. The Binghamton SWAT team is on the scene.

The incident started about 10:30 a.m.

Legal topic: with the push (from Mexico and SecState Clinton) to restrict "assault weapons," what effect will this have on their ability to push such laws through? The timing of this, and the fact that it specifically targeted immigrants/foreigners, couldn't be more convenient for them.

 

[Animal Mother]

None. I'll go out on a limb and state that while tragic, one foreigner shooting a few people in one of the most oppressive states for gun rights will not increase the public's appetite for more gun control by any measurable degree.

 

[The_Shootist]

Whats wrong with this picture??? ONE shooter and 41 hostages???
I mean - were the rest of them sheep or something?

 

[Zundfolge]

That's IT, I'm picking up some more aluminum foil on the way home from work.


It just strikes me odd that the only time we have a lot of these mass shootings is when there's new gun control on the table.


Rebecca Peters must be cutting checks left and right.

 

[dmazur]

I know the press has an obligation to report, but I wonder how much the "off the track" shooter feeds on the attention the media provides?

If this type of thing only got SWAT response, and a page 10 write up the day after with no nationwide TV, there would be far less motivation, I would think.

The victims and their families have my sympathy, of course.

Another question - Is there any way to find out if this building complex is one of the "gun free zones" we read about? Or is it simply that NY State is one large "gun free zone"?

 

[Dan Crocker]

Time to ban Asians and green jackets.

 

[Flyboy]

None. I'll go out on a limb and state that while tragic, one foreigner shooting a few people in one of the most oppressive states for gun rights will not increase the public's appetite for more gun control by any measurable degree.

I don't think it will increase the public's appetite, but remember that the "stimulus" bills were passed over substantial public outcry (particularly the one in September). Don't mistake public support for politicians' support.

Especially given Hillary's connection to New York, I expect to see her on the news by the end of the day saying "see, we need to ban more stuff."

 

[Tommygunn]

Whats wrong with this picture??? ONE shooter and 41 hostages???
I mean - were the rest of them sheep or something?

Yeah, you'd think they'd gang up on the shooter.
Sounds good.
But no individual wants to be the guy that "takes one for the crowd."
So it isn't going to happen that way.
Most times.....

 

[cbrgator]

I always thought people were crazy when they thought it was no coincidence that shootings happen during attempts at passing gun control legislation. I gotta be honest, I'm not so sure anymore.

 

[Flyboy]

It's a cause-and-effect thing: the would-be mass murder, being logical and rational, knows his window to slaughter a bunch of people might be closing, so he needs to get it done soon before it becomes illegal.

It's just like ammo hoarding, really: massacre hoarding.

 

[snipe300]

It's gonna be interesting to see what kind of "high powered rifle" he actually has. We all know what the proper solution to this guy is. It's the same one that would have helped Virginia Tech.

I've noticed an increase in shootings in TN, especially in Nashville in the last couple of weeks too. Could be a coincidence, but maybe not.

 

[SpecialKalltheway]

to bad it happened in a Federal building(I'm assuming all INS buildings are since all the ones I have been in have been.) Otherwise it would be a good argument for shall issue in NY.

yeah now a days no one wants to be the guy that "takes one fo the crowd" for sure. Everyone is only thinking about themselves. It's a shame. If people would rush these guys and hang em up before the cops even got involved I'd like to think we'd see less people willing to try this sort of thing.

 

[lesterg3]

Yes, they are sheep as are the vast majority of US Citizens, they want to be taken care of and protected and do not have a clue on how to defend themselves.

They are afraid of everything, and that is why we are in the position we are today, having to defend a GOD given right, a bunch of wimps raising a whole new bunch of wimps and they want "Big Brother" to take care of them.

They have forgotten that someone will be the winner and someone will be the loser, they don't even keep score in some athletic endeavors, telling the kids winning is not important, BS. And, to help them are all the NUTS, out there who have just been waiting for an excuse to attack the defenseless.

What is most troubling to me are the numbers of recent headlines of attacks with weapons and assault weapon attacks. I know it's not mentioned in this one, but there have been plenty of others. If I were paranoid I might think that some anti-gunner is behind all of this just to make more gun related headlines, and the liberal media is more than happy to comply. But, I am not paranoid so that is just a thought that passed through.

Sorry, I had to rant. But, what ever happened to US Citizens that could take care of themselves, did I miss something, were they ever really there?

I think they were, but it is a quickly dying breed.

 

[Dark Skies]

If anything this would be a perfect example of why people SHOULD be empowered to protect themselves. If America is anything like Britain I'm sure the politicians will be clamouring that this is the perfect example of why more people should be made even more defenceless.

EDIT. Strangely I can't think of any top level politician demanding that his or her armed bodyguard hand over their guns. Why is that do you suppose?

 

[solareclipse]

None. I'll go out on a limb and state that while tragic, one foreigner shooting a few people in one of the most oppressive states for gun rights will not increase the public's appetite for more gun control by any measurable degree.

and you know he is a "foreigner" how? Are you his accomplice by any chance?

 

[Hk91-762mm]

SAD- I too wonder why these shootings just magically happen when the liberals are pushing gun control ..
I Betting-Make note--The HI -POWER rifle will be a LOW power SKS that they call an assault rifle.. Reason for an sks -- Low cost and lots of them were sold !!

 

[dfunde01]

Some reports are upping the death toll to 12 and that the shooter only had a "short" gun.

 

[.cheese.]

supposedly now 15 confirmed dead, but reports are conflicting.

Very sad. As a member I suggest that we keep it high road, and for the moment just focus on the incoming news and how tragic this is.

ETA: Some stations are also reporting that at least one weapon was a "high powered rifle". No details exactly on what that actually means in this case as it does tend to be a generic term in the news. All that can probably be extrapolated is that it wasn't a rim-fire. (I'm not trying to be funny and no offense is meant to anybody)

 

[Nick_007]

I bet these reports are exaggerated intentionally. They want to plant the seed among the lemmings to pass more gun control. Just like with the Mexican drug thing: that 90% of the guns were from US. I bet most people still believe that.

 

[WoofersInc]

Unfortunately for us I believe will be seeing more and more of these type stories. As the economy worsens and more and more people lose everything, those that feel there is no hope will do some desperate things. I expect to see a substantial rise in the crime rates because of this also.
Both of these things will definitely be used against legal gun owners.

 

[cbrgator]

EDIT. Strangely I can't think of any top level politician demanding that his or her armed bodyguard hand over their guns. Why is that do you suppose?

Isn't also funny that politicians are exempt from the Chicago and DC handgun bans???? Hmmm....... Interesting politicians feel the need to be protected from us, but don't believe we should be protected from them, or each other. Mother****ers.

(Yes I obviously know DC's ban is gone but they WERE exempt.)

 

[Deanimator]

It just strikes me odd that the only time we have a lot of these mass shootings is when there's new gun control on the table.

It's not odd at all that when one freak of nature is made a media superstar by committing cold blooded murder, that others will draw the appropriate lesson.

I'll bet bloody fish guts don't make good shark repellent either...

 

[KBintheSLC]

There goes the "high-powered rifle" fallacy again. If it is an M16, AK, or even a .308 battle rifle, it should be called a mid-powered rifle. High-powered rifles start around the 30-06 range. IMO

 

[Dark Skies]

I don't see why they always feel the need to report the supposed power of a weapon as if this has any relevance other than sensationalism. Any rifle is going to do damage - even a .22 when fired at soft tissue. It's the creep squeezing the trigger that they should focus on.

 

[Jeff White]

You all can take this break I'm giving you from this topic to go out to your local big box store and restock your tinfoil supply.

We can talk about what actually happened (which we don't know yet) or we can talk about actions to take to avoid this happening in S&T. But we're not going to speculate about vast conspiracies to commit mass murder in order to further a political agenda.