The U.S.A. Mass Shootings Thread

[jdw100]

I have a mate in Houston.

By March last year they had more murders than London and by end of year more than the whole of the UK.

Houston, in global scheme of things, is a tiny city. Couple of million maybe?

He meets people that have plans on how to kill robbers or the dreaded home-invaders. It’s a normal conversation.

A point he made that stuck with me is that he is told; well there are thousands of schools and its only a few a year so the chances are very very low, near zero that your kids will be involved.

What they fail, he says, to take into account is the number of people each death affects: parents, extended relatives, teachers, schoolmates, emergency service personnel, doctors, neighbours…..it could be hundreds impacted by each kid in these school shootings.

Plus the anxiety felt by school children and teachers and parents: its there at a low level constantly. Not something experienced in any other country when your child goes to school.

Imagine that in the back of your mind every day even at a very very low level and heightened after each incident.

Murder rate per 100,000 in USA is 6.4.

UK 1 like most of Europe.

Where I live 0.4. (For every one person murdered thats 16 in the USA)

Was in Japan recently and just checked: it’s 0.2.

[dvs_dave]

Nuances worth noting within that overall rate number:

“The most recent race-specific age-adjusted homicide rates are 33.6 per 100,000 for African American persons, 12.9 for American Indian and Alaska Native persons, 6.9 per 100,000 for Hispanic persons, 3.3 per 100,000 for White persons, and 1.7 for Asian and Pacific Islander persons.’

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10849...

And bringing poverty rates into the mix….there’s a clear correlation. This shouldn’t surprise anyone, but it essentially explains the consistent lack of action from those in power, rich white folk.

[croyde]

dvs_dave said:

That describes suburban vs urban life in literally every western city, American, European, wherever. It’s not in any way shape or form any sort of sensible justification for lax gun control and enforcement.

It’s just suburbs are often nicer places to live and with less crime than in cities….well no st!

Edited by dvs_dave on Thursday 18th April 23:50

Was thinking exactly that.

I currently live in a lovely area on the fringes of SW London. No rubbish anywhere, beautiful parks, any lads loitering are discussing history or maths.

Webchat discussions are about lost cats and dogs.

Where I was brought up, Sarf London, is very different. Edgy, dirty and you cross the road to avoid lads loitering.

But, unlike our Dallas friend who sees violence every time he visits London, I've seen maybe 3 fights in the 60 odd years I've lived in Bad and Good parts of London.

Never had a gun pointed at me though. Been on 6 holiday trips to the US and have had a gun pointed at me once.

[Gary C]

alabbasi said:

Gary C said:

Do you not recognize that the US has a serious problem ?

I've spent equal time living in the US and living in the UK. By far, I feel safer living here. Seeing violence is a rare site where I live. I just don't see it. Break ins are rare, but when they happen, it's usually during the day while people are out and not while they're asleep in the house The statistics everyone here talks about are usually related to gang crime on the other side of town and have nothing to do with where I live. It does not come anywhere close to where i live.

By contrast, every time I go home to London (4 times last year), I've witnessed a violent incident at a pub or on the street. Two people I know very well in London who are now in their late 80's were mugged last year. I lived in a nice neighborhood in London, the house I grew up in is probably worth 4x what mine is worth here yet this is what the people who live there have to put up with. So yes, the US has serious problems but you think you have it better because it's all you hear in the news and you're desensitized to your own enviroment.

The safest place I've ever lived in was in the Middle East. You'd never think so if all you did was watch the news.

How many shootings have we had in schools where children have been killed in the last 30 years ?

We had 16 then promptly changed the rules on gun ownership, none since.

How many in the US ?

[bigandclever]

Gary C said:

How many shootings have we had in schools where children have been killed in the last 30 years ?

We had 16 then promptly changed the rules on gun ownership, none since.

How many in the US ?

I know it was a rhetorical question but this page updates frequently .. https://edition.cnn.com/us/school-shootings-fast-f...

(according to CNN as of April 18 '24.. 18 shootings, 9 dead, at least 25 injured)

[FourWheelDrift]

What happened in 2013 to see the big rise and continued rise? Other than 2020 where schools were closed due to covid I assume.

[Byker28i]

FourWheelDrift said:

What happened in 2013 to see the big rise and continued rise? Other than 2020 where schools were closed due to covid I assume.

14 dec 2012 was the Sandy Hook shooting, NRA blamed violent video games

Obama tried to enforce gun controls but it didn't go through
https://www.britannica.com/event/Sandy-Hook-Elemen...

[Gary C]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-wales-68890153

If only everyone was armed, that would have stopped the lad with the knife

Oh wait...

[jdw100]

bigandclever said:

Gary C said:

How many shootings have we had in schools where children have been killed in the last 30 years ?

We had 16 then promptly changed the rules on gun ownership, none since.

How many in the US ?

I know it was a rhetorical question but this page updates frequently .. https://edition.cnn.com/us/school-shootings-fast-f...

(according to CNN as of April 18 '24.. 18 shootings, 9 dead, at least 25 injured)

Shocking!

They really should arm the teachers.

That’s the only possible solution.

Schools are all ‘no gun zones’ that’s the issue here.

Maybe arm the students as well, just in case one of the teachers goes mad?

[dvs_dave]

croyde said:

Was thinking exactly that.

I currently live in a lovely area on the fringes of SW London. No rubbish anywhere, beautiful parks, any lads loitering are discussing history or maths.

Webchat discussions are about lost cats and dogs.

Where I was brought up, Sarf London, is very different. Edgy, dirty and you cross the road to avoid lads loitering.

But, unlike our Dallas friend who sees violence every time he visits London, I've seen maybe 3 fights in the 60 odd years I've lived in Bad and Good parts of London.

Never had a gun pointed at me though. Been on 6 holiday trips to the US and have had a gun pointed at me once.

You have had a gun pointed at you in the US, or you accidentally missed out the word “not”? If so very interested as to what those circumstances were? Where were you, what were you doing? Incredibly unusual for that to happen to a tourist.

[jimmyjimjim]

Yeah, I've been here 18 years and never had that happen, so I'm wondering what you did.

[vaud]

I had one raised at me at a traffic stop but that was my error as I forgot that you stay in the driver seat with hands visible and don't get out of the car to apologise to the officer for speeding...

[The Moose]

I had a gun pointed at me.

By my 5 year old kid.

Yes, I got the bugger back.

(Nerf)

Edited by The Moose on Friday 26th April 23:18

[captain_cynic]

The Moose said:

I had a gun pointed at me.

By my 5 year old kid.

Yes, I got the bugger back.

(Nerf)

Edited by The Moose on Friday 26th April 23:18

I hope that's a joke, I'd st my pants because a kid wouldn't know what they're doing. At least with an adult you have a good chance they're aware of the danger.

I'd st my pants again as a self-defence practitioner because I'd never want to use what I know against a kid.

I've had a law enforcement official (Nevada highway patrol) draw his weapon approaching me, but not point it at me. Unlike Vaud I had the good sense to stay inside my car. His first words to me were "you're on the way back from the race track aren't you" and yes, I drove away without a ticket.

I guess I can understand why US law enforcement are so paranoid, I know an ex-CHP guy here in the UK, he's got horror stories that'll make the hairs on your pubes stand on end and that's just the st he tells you down the pub, hate to see inside the fella's nightmares. You get injured out on an American highway and you've almost no chance of making it to hospital, be it from a car crash or gun shot.

[dvs_dave]

captain_cynic said:

The Moose said:

I had a gun pointed at me.

By my 5 year old kid.

Yes, I got the bugger back.

(Nerf)

Edited by The Moose on Friday 26th April 23:18

I hope that's a joke, I'd st my pants because a kid wouldn't know what they're doing. At least with an adult you have a good chance they're aware of the danger.

I'd st my pants again as a self-defence practitioner because I'd never want to use what I know against a kid.

I've had a law enforcement official (Nevada highway patrol) draw his weapon approaching me, but not point it at me. Unlike Vaud I had the good sense to stay inside my car. His first words to me were "you're on the way back from the race track aren't you" and yes, I drove away without a ticket.

I guess I can understand why US law enforcement are so paranoid, I know an ex-CHP guy here in the UK, he's got horror stories that'll make the hairs on your pubes stand on end and that's just the st he tells you down the pub, hate to see inside the fella's nightmares. You get injured out on an American highway and you've almost no chance of making it to hospital, be it from a car crash or gun shot.

A 5yr old with a Nerf gun

Edited by dvs_dave on Saturday 27th April 00:24

[captain_cynic]

dvs_dave said:

captain_cynic said:

The Moose said:

I had a gun pointed at me.

By my 5 year old kid.

Yes, I got the bugger back.

(Nerf)

Edited by The Moose on Friday 26th April 23:18

I hope that's a joke, I'd st my pants because a kid wouldn't know what they're doing. At least with an adult you have a good chance they're aware of the danger.

I'd st my pants again as a self-defence practitioner because I'd never want to use what I know against a kid.

I've had a law enforcement official (Nevada highway patrol) draw his weapon approaching me, but not point it at me. Unlike Vaud I had the good sense to stay inside my car. His first words to me were "you're on the way back from the race track aren't you" and yes, I drove away without a ticket.

I guess I can understand why US law enforcement are so paranoid, I know an ex-CHP guy here in the UK, he's got horror stories that'll make the hairs on your pubes stand on end and that's just the st he tells you down the pub, hate to see inside the fella's nightmares. You get injured out on an American highway and you've almost no chance of making it to hospital, be it from a car crash or gun shot.

A 5yr old with a Nerf gun

As I said, I hope its a joke.

[The Moose]

dvs_dave said:

A 5yr old with a Nerf gun

Edited by dvs_dave on Saturday 27th April 00:24

My daughter is blonde, but otherwise that's pretty accurate.

[dvs_dave]

captain_cynic said:

As I said, I hope its a joke.

OP said Nerf in his post…so rather obvious, no?

[high pitched mocking voice] But how am I supposed to know what a nerf gun is….blah blah? [/high pitched mocking voice]

[jdw100]

dvs_dave said:

captain_cynic said:

As I said, I hope its a joke.

OP said Nerf in his post…so rather obvious, no?

[high pitched mocking voice] But how am I supposed to know what a nerf gun is….blah blah? [/high pitched mocking voice]

I don’t care, any gun pointed at me in my own house counts as a home invasion.

I would have taken her down as I always carry a .359 25 round pistol, with armour piercing bullets at all times.

Not because I’m scared of my fellow citizens but because you limeys let The Crown take all your guns from you without a fight.

(Based on a discussion with an American a couple of years back)

[hidetheelephants]

I see Tennessee lawmakers are well indoctrinated in the worship of the gun, AKA taking money from gun makers to ignore facts and make st up; their response to 6 dead in a school shooting is that teachers will be armed, but it'll be ok as they will be trained! These fkers care more about their stipend than kids being educated without risk of getting shot.