US man 'kills four people' in New York
US man 'kills four people' in New York
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Lil' Joe

Original Poster:

1,548 posts

216 months

Sunday 13th February 2011
quotequote all
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12442100

Jesus, reading the story he just keeps on going and going, not only killing 4 but stabbing about eleven. frown

Chilling reading, these random murder sprees are happening more and more it seems. Thoughts on things like this it could ever be avoided in the future?

My deepest sympathies to those families involved. frown

Joe

Eric Mc

125,768 posts

295 months

Sunday 13th February 2011
quotequote all
"Happening more and more"?

Really?


Lil' Joe

Original Poster:

1,548 posts

216 months

Sunday 13th February 2011
quotequote all
Not a dig at the US Eric, relax winksmile

We have had several armed nutters on shooting spree's in the UK in the last 12 months, it just seems to me that these types of slaughters are on the increase and was wondering why that might be.

I think it links into a failing mental health system. A friend of mine is a mental health nurse who is forecasting a complete collapse of the system within ten years, with community care replacing much of the secure units we have now, resulting in more and more of these type's of things as unstable people are left unsupervised and supported.

To be fair, this story sounds like a combination of unstable mental health and drug abuse but the wider more underlying causes as to why theses events 'seem' to be happening more frequently (or is it just me???) I thought might be interesting to discuss.

Eric Mc

125,768 posts

295 months

Sunday 13th February 2011
quotequote all
I wasn't particularly aiming (no pun) my comment at the US either. I think if you trawled through news reports going back (say) 50 years, it would be interesting to see how common such incidents have been in the past - and whether they really are increasing. Or is it it just our perception of such events becuase of a more invasive media?

Lil' Joe

Original Poster:

1,548 posts

216 months

Sunday 13th February 2011
quotequote all
Interesting. To back up your point there is a program on BBC2 tonight about a British Paramedic who goes to work in Guatamala City for two weeks, a city where ten people a day are shot and are barely reported over there apparently, unless its a tourist. 9pm I think, might be worth a watch.
Same over here, a most stabbings/shootings are not reported with the same blanket coverage one gets if it's a Steven Lawrence type-thing. Sad, but true.

RemainAllHoof

80,124 posts

312 months

Sunday 13th February 2011
quotequote all
Perhaps, like the obesity problem, we need to look at the underlying causes. The Western approach is always to use a plaster to cure a severed artery.

off_again

13,917 posts

264 months

Sunday 13th February 2011
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
I wasn't particularly aiming (no pun) my comment at the US either. I think if you trawled through news reports going back (say) 50 years, it would be interesting to see how common such incidents have been in the past - and whether they really are increasing. Or is it it just our perception of such events becuase of a more invasive media?
In the modern world of 24 hour news and international coverage, its very easy to assume that the world is a dangerous place. It is of course, but its certainly NOT as dangerous as many of the media outlets would have us believe.

We hear it more because it is reported more - doesnt necessarily correlate that it is happening more.

Captain Cadillac

2,974 posts

217 months

Sunday 13th February 2011
quotequote all
The gentleman who was run over and killed, Steve Tannenbaum, was someone I knew. I did not know him well but he was an awfully nice guy and it's a terrible shame.

I work with rare and collectible coins and he was in a similar business. There's a big thread about it on a coin forum that I post on. Many people that I am friends with knew him well.

pokethepope

2,667 posts

218 months

Sunday 13th February 2011
quotequote all
off_again said:
In the modern world of 24 hour news and international coverage, its very easy to assume that the world is a dangerous place. It is of course, but its certainly NOT as dangerous as many of the media outlets would have us believe.

We hear it more because it is reported more - doesnt necessarily correlate that it is happening more.
And the more it is reported, the more people do it. It is well documented that for many serial killers/spree killers the 'infamy' and exposure their act will recieve is a contributory factor in their decision to do it.

grumbledoak

32,571 posts

263 months

Sunday 13th February 2011
quotequote all
off_again said:
We hear it more because it is reported more - doesnt necessarily correlate that it is happening more.
yes Life in the Dark or Middle Ages wasn't exactly a picnic. We seem to have had an optimum after WWII but it is reverting to a norm.

davepoth

29,395 posts

229 months

Sunday 13th February 2011
quotequote all
It's over-reporting, what with 24 hour news. They have to fill it up. Earlier in the week, David Beckham pushing a Nissan Primera was BREAKING NEWS on News 24.

DrTre

12,957 posts

262 months

Sunday 13th February 2011
quotequote all
davepoth said:
It's over-reporting, what with 24 hour news. They have to fill it up. Earlier in the week, David Beckham pushing a Nissan Primera was BREAKING NEWS on News 24.
To be fair, they are usually very reliable so it's quite a big story.

Jimbeaux

33,791 posts

261 months

Monday 14th February 2011
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
"Happening more and more"?

Really?
You are probably correct Eric. I will take the liberty to assume you are making reference to the fact that, with 24 hour news having to fill the voids, we hear about every human on human infraction that occurs. It always was there, just not reported. ETA: I see others beat me to that notion. smile

Edited by Jimbeaux on Monday 14th February 00:30