Shooting in Atlanta Courthouse

[armoredman]

I pray a legally armed, CCW equipped, civilian takes this guy down, on live TV, a totally justifiable shooting. I also hope he gets a pelvis shot, destroying this guys ability to run, but he lives, and gets life behind bars. Why? Because cripples are easy targets inside the walls....

 

[CZ-100]

just herd one of the reporters ask police chief how many rounds does the gun that was taken away held....

 

[c_yeager]

I just watched the news conferrence from the Atlanta Chief of police. It would appear that the perpetrator overpowered the female deputy while she was riding ALONE with the unshackled defendant. She was VERY badly injured but did not appear to be shot. The gunman then WENT TO THE COURTROOM to shoot and kill the Judge and court reporter. He then exited the building and shot and killed the deputy outside the building. He excaped in a car that he "carjacked" from a citizen outside. All of this is, of course, subject to change.

What is particularly odd is that this guy seems to have shot only three people and killed each and every one of them with a handgun. That is a level of marksmanship that is VASTLY beyond that which is commonly expected from the badguys. The fact that a deputy was placed in a position where she singlehandedly had to escort an unrestrained violent felon in a closed envirnonment like an elevator is rather upsetting.

 

[bill2]

"just watched the news conferrence from the Atlanta Chief of police. It would appear that the perpetrator overpowered the female deputy while riding ALONE with the unshackled defendant. "
________________________

isn't it normal for someone like this to be brought handcuffed? and why was she along with this guy?
also, once the shots started, isn't there some sort of lockdown or something similar that would happen in the court building?

 

[c_yeager]

"just watched the news conferrence from the Atlanta Chief of police. It would appear that the perpetrator overpowered the female deputy while riding ALONE with the unshackled defendant. "

Let me correct my crappy writting. Reading that again makes it sound like there were three people in the elevator.

It SHOULD read.

"It would appear that the perpetrator overpowered the female deputy while SHE WAS riding ALONE with him, the unshackled defendant.

 

[Rico567]

I just listened to an interview with one of Fox News' experts, Judge Andrew Napolitano, and he said the Feds have had the right idea, and for a number of years- the Marshals who are responsible for courtroom security are like sky marshals. In civilian clothes, carrying concealed, so anyone who is inclined to pull something can never know who's going to be stopping them, or where it's coming from. This tends to counteract, at least somewhat, the idea that the bad guy is the one who always knows when there's going to be trouble.

 

[TheFederalistWeasel]

Ever wanted to look into the eyes of a dead man?

 

[El Tejon]

c_yeager, that reminds me of the shooting at the federal courthouse in Chicago where the alleged bank robber (IIRC) overpowered a female US Marshal and took her weapon.

Anyone else remember this?

 

[garrettwc]

Man on the street interview with one of the neighbors said police had been to his residence before over weapons. Said they heard he had a "machine gun".

Of course the TV news talking heads have repeated that unverified remark repeatedly as fact. Here we go.

 

[petrel800]

I was watching the local atlanta ABC affiliate at Lunch and the female anchor said something to the effect that this is mind boggling to her because most people don't go to work in a safe zone like a court house. What an idiot! If someone remembers exactly what she said please post it because it was one of the most ignorant statements I've ever heard. Talk about sheeple.

My real question is, it seems the female deputy was the one who lost her weapon to the suspect. Why was a 6'1'' 210lb man who was charged with rape (obviously in the past has shown no respect for the female gender) left alone in the custody of a female deputy? It seems like that was a disaster waiting to happen. I hope I don't offend any females out there, but thats just my opinion.

 

[fiVe]

petrel800: I'm with you. I don't want to sound sexist or offend any female officers, but I don't understand why 1 female officer was with this guy. From what I hear, he should've been escorted by 2 male officers. This one fact was the beginning of a day of tragedy in Atlanta.

My prayers to all.

R/fiVe

 

[wingman]

Why was a 6'1'' 210lb man who was charged with rape (obviously in the past has shown no respect for the female gender) left alone in the custody of a female deputy? It seems like that was a disaster waiting to happen. I hope I don't offend any females out there, but thats just my opinion.

Also my opinion. Lots of errors here and I feel very sorry for all and the loss of
life.

 

[Standing Wolf]

If we only had more gun laws, this terrible tragedy would have been prevented.

 

[cookekdjr]

I'm sure the facts will clear up over the weekend.

 

[garrettwc]

Am I hearing things or did ABC news just try to blame this on Bush?!

They had some Phd on there talking about the shooter, lamenting that the legal system has become the "court of last resort" for mentally ill people who can't get the treatment they deserve due to budget cuts in services. :banghead:

 

[Old NFO]

All I gotta say is I wish he had tried this 30 years ago in Texas, the JUDGE would have shot him dead in most courtrooms out there. Sadly good people have died and more may die because of complacency. :banghead:

 

[El Rojo]

Yeah I am thinking complacency and not retaining the weapon. However, I was just reading where just because he was at his own trial, doesn't mean he was cuffed and being transported as a prisoner. He could have had on civilian clothes and not been cuffed. Remember, we don't want to a jury to see a defendant in shackles and jump suit orange, it will look bad to the jury. It might not be this deputies fault per say, but more of a general complacency on behalf of everyone. Afterall, another deputy was shot outside of the courtroom. He/she obviously wasn't ready for battle. Or rather than armchair quarterback this one, sometimes you just might lose no matter how prepared you are.

 

[jeff-10]

He was accused of binding his ex-girlfriend -- an executive at a Fortune 500 company -- with duct tape and assaulting her over a three-day period last fall.

That was taken from CNN's web site. A very methodical and cold blooded man, probably not your average gang-banger/drug dealer thug. Probably why he has managed to elude police this long. Anyways his minutes are slowly ticking away, this isn't the Old West, in the end a guy like that has no where to go.

 

[Dan Morris]

Again, the Bell Tolls.....my prayers and condolances.

Buckshot sure would close a lot of loopholes.......................at this point!

Dan

 

[Dannyboy]

God forbid we violate someone's civil right by bringing violent criminals to court in chains.

 

[c_yeager]

God forbid we violate someone's civil right by bringing violent criminals to court in chains.

Thats the catch, they arent a criminal untill they are convicted.

 

[nico]

Couldn't the whole "we don't want the rapist to look bad in front of the jury" thing be solved pretty easily? Wouldn't it work if they brought the defendant into the court room in shackles before the jury was allowed to enter, sit him at the defendant's table, which would be secured to the floor, chain his feet to the floor and his hands to the underside of the defendant's table (desk?). And just to be safe, bolt the defendant's chair to the floor (and make it out of solid steel or something equally strong) and give them a kevlar belt that attaches to the chair.

 

[Bigfoot]

So this guy was charged with an extended violent assault and possesion of a machinegun and drugs. And then yesterday he was caught trying to smuggle a knife into the courtroom in his shoe. And they STILL didn't get a clue that this guy just MIGHT be dangerous?

 

[Alan Fud]

... we know that 41mm is a heavier gun, a serious kill weapon ...

:banghead: A 41mm would have a diameter in excess of 1.5" -- yep, that would definitely be a serious kill weapon wonder what the recoil is like

It's amazing that these people are on the air talking about stuff they know nothing about :banghead:

 

[nico]

next thing you'll know, they'll be calling for a 41mm ban


edit: On CNN right now they're talking about why anyone is allowed to be armed in the courthouse. These people are absolutely unbelievable. Their only solution to people using guns in crime is to expand the number of people who are disarmed. They just implied that the female guard who was with nichols shouldn't have been armed. I don't remember the exact words, but it was along the lines of "there are some situations where it's ok to have armed guards, but this woman was that close to this man and she had a gun right there." Am I completely insane because I think it's absolutely absurd to leave a person on trial for rape (or any violent crime) without any restraints with only one guard (regardless of their sex) assigned to control them? They should be restrained at all times and there should be at least two ARMED guards (who know how to use their weapons) with them at all times.