COLORADO SPRINGS — A gun battle erupted inside a Planned Parenthood center here on Friday when a man armed with an assault-style rifle opened fire at the clinic and began shooting at officers as they rushed to the scene. The authorities reported that three people were killed, a police officer and two civilians, and nine were wounded before the suspect finally surrendered more than five hours after the first shots were fired.
“The perpetrator is in custody,” Mayor John Suthers said at an evening news conference. “There is a huge crime scene that has to be processed,” he said, “and we have to determine how many victims there are.”
Before the authorities announced the deaths, the police were going room to room to clear the Planned Parenthood clinic on Friday night and the conditions of those wounded were not immediately known. Lieutenant Buckley said the gunman had brought several suspicious items to the clinic, and investigators were trying to determine whether they were explosives. Later in the evening the Colorado attorney general referred to a “tragic loss of life” and the police union said that one officer had died.
The encounter could be heard in transfixing detail on the police scanner, with authorities describing how they had driven a BearCat armored vehicle into the Planned Parenthood building, smashing through two sets of doors into the lobby and rescuing some of those inside.
“We’re exchanging gunfire,” one officer said on the radio, “We are trying to keep him pinned down.
Safety is a continual fear at clinics that provide abortion services. Most protestors are harmless, God-fearing people, except the ones who aren’t harmless. Every once in a while one of these domestic terrorists slips through and someone gets hurt or killed.
Zealots don’t sort out reality. Killing sentient human beings in the name or pro-life just makes no sense. Yet that is the rationale behind many of these clinic killings. Injuring clinic workers and volunteers is also justified. Most of the bad behavior isn’t done in front of the police. Much of law enforcement has gone blind to these kinds of atrocities because they have been called out so many time for penny-ante annoyances.
Three people have been killed–2 civilians and one police officer. 9 were injured, 5 of those being police officers. There is simply no excuse or reason for this kind of domestic terrorism. Make no mistake–this incident was domestic terrorism, regardless of government claims.
I am very, very sad!
So am I. I find the situation very disturbing. It is terrorism.
All terrorists don’t holler Allah Akbar.
Insanity and killing seem to have become “growth industries” in this country.
Not surprising given the lies and hate being spewed by the hard right in this country. And I thought Syrian refugees were supposed to be terrorists. Fat middle aged white guys seem to be the problem.
A guy who shot a waitress in the head yesterday morning at a Waffle House. She told him it was a non smoking restaurant and he pulled out his 9mm from under his shirt and shot her.
Where did this happen?
Holy cow. Smokers are now killing over the right to smoke. Did she survive?
Why am I not surprised?
Civility is out the window.
Violence and coarse langugage is becoming more and more accepted.
Quotation:
“Get him the hell out of here!”
“Maybe we should rough him up a bit.”
What is the difference between this dude and the Mali hotel attackers?
And yet, with the Mali hotel attackers there are those that want to bomb countries.
I don’t know. Point taken.
And if he had sad Allou Akbar before he shot, the Presidential Candidates would be calling for airstrikes. How is it any different.
Allahu Akbar.
Sorry, my Arabic isn’t very good.
She died.
Idiotic. Too many people are just out of control.
Friday’s Planned Parenthood shooting, a man was seen brandishing a rifle while walking down the streets of Colorado Springs on Halloween morning. A concerned citizen called the 911 Emergency Line to notify the police, but was told by the operator: “Well, it is an open carry state, so he can have a weapon with him or walking around with it,” referencing state laws that allow the brandishing of a firearm in public.
Shortly after the call the man shot and killed three people before being shot dead by police.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/28/colorado-springs-a-playground-for-pro-life-pro-gun-evangelical-christians
Colorado Springs is an open carry city. This is the result.
Perhaps we should star surveiling Christian churches and keep a Christian database. If only 10 percent of Christians are terrorists, that could number in the thousands!
Silly comment.
Is it silly because Christianity is the majority religion in the United States? From a practical point of view, I feel it is a foolish suggestion. From a logic point of view, I am not sure Starry hasn’t hit on the heart of the matter.
What is a Christian? I expect we could find a variety of opinions right on this blog.
What is a Muslim? We might also have a variety of opinions except probably not as honed in on real reasons and accuracy. We just aren’t as familiar. I expect there are as many flavors of Muslim as there are Christians.
Yes and is just as silly when applied to Muslims.
By all accounts the shooter was a whack-job. Several interactions with law enforcement. Domestic disputes and nuisance behavior with neighbors. Not known to have strong political or religious beliefs. Likely mentally ill. Many questions need to be answered, before we start pointing fingers at this or that group, or calling for gun control. Why was he in Colorado Springs? Where and how did he obtain the weapon used? Why target that clinic, and not one closer to his reported home? Was this an impulse act, or did he plan it? I suspect we’ll find his mental state was deteriorating and no one close to him chose to do anything about it.
First off, its almost impossible to do anything about mental illness unless that person agrees to seek intervention for services.
He was anti government, anti-Obama, anti Planned Parenthood and anti social. He owned property in NC and Colorado. Sort of a squatter type except he owned the land and put up shacks or cheapo trailers.
Mentally ill…by most people’s definition. That doesn’t make him legally mentally ill. I expect his gun was purchased legally.
He also was cruel to animals.
I just described about a million people in this country. That’s a problem. Most don’t go kill a bunch of people…until they do.
I have no answers. Until a whole bunch of people blink, this behavior will continue.
It would number in the millions. Fortunately, neither Jesus nor the apostles ever directed believers to engage in jihad.
However, Judaism and Christianity are rife with violence, including the very events that gave birth to Christianity–the crucifixion and resurrection.
I don’t believe this killer was associated with a church. In fairness, I understand that the Pro-life community has strongly denounced this killer and his behavior.
If I had to blame a bad influence, I would probably choose Congress and of course, the killer himself. That’s what happens when misinformation gets ramped up to a frenzy.
I barely batted an eye when I read the first reports. It was so predictable.
My guess is the main difference is we will learn that he had a history of mental illness.
I read from interviews with people in the old neighborhood that he used to speed on his ATV with sticks to attack dogs. I think people who go out of their way to abuse animals are nearly always mentally ill.
The old neighbors said that he was eyed suspiciously by nearly everyone and that people made their kids stay in when he was around. He also would go off for long periods of time and not leave food or water for his dogs. They would become aggressive and feral.
(that begs the question–where was animal control?)
I know I sound like a broken record, but a certain portion of the population is mentally ill…to the point of being dangerous to themselves or others. It seems like nothing can be done until after “something happens.”
This issue needs to be addressed as a nation if people really are serious about gun control. It seems that everyone squares off into their own corner. This junction (guns and mental illness) is where serious reform is needed.
Point goes to Starry!
@Starryflights
How come moderate Christians don’t condemn these actions?
I think they do. I think unmoderated Christians do too, for the most part. Only the real outliers serve as cheerleaders for this kind of behavior.
@Starryflights
Can’t speak for other Christians, but I condemn this shooter’s murder of these people.
I believe that people of all faiths have condemned this senseless shooting. So have people that probably have no faith at all. It was a heinous act. So was killing at a political rally in a shopping center, killing people in a theater, killing people in a classroom, a university classroom, killing someone on TV, killing people in a church praying or killing an abortion provider while attending services.
Its all heinous and evil.
That’s just the domestic terrorism part…then there is the international terrorism killing which is also evil and heinous.
“This issue needs to be addressed as a nation if people really are serious about gun control. It seems that everyone squares off into their own corner. This junction (guns and mental illness) is where serious reform is needed.”
I agree, and have advocated for this as well. Senator Cornyn’s bill is supported by NAMI and the NRA. If the largest advocacy groups advocating for the rights of the mentally ill and for the 2nd amendment are supporting this legislation, that speaks volumes. Instead, there will be calls for “Universal backgound checks” closing the “gun show loophole” and bans on certain classes of semi-auto firearms and standard capacity magazines.
I make no secret of thinking open carry of long guns is just wrong. This toad, Dear, was doing that from what I have read. I don’t have any problem with a hunting rifle in a truck or car, in a case or on a rack. I do have a problem walking around an urban area like that. That to me is brandishing.
@Steve Thomas
why is there no traction here? It seems to me that something is better than nothing.
It is politically stupid for any “side” to wait until they get everything they want. It will never happen, therefore nothing gets done.
Even if the Cornyn bill saves 10 lives, Hell, 1 life, we are better off than without it.
Having said that, now I forget the gist of the bill. Steve, would you refresh my memory, in layman’s terms?
@Moon-howler
Here’s NAMI’s press release. Essentially, it provides for a much more proactive approach to identifying and treating the mentally-ill within the community, as well as streamlining and improving the adjudication process. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nami-applauds-us-senator-cornyns-bill-to-reduce-incarceration-of-people-with-mental-illness-300124553.html
The NRA supports the bill because it strengthens reporting requirements in the background check system. To date, this is the only piece of proposed legislation that actually addresses the stated goal of keeping those who shouldn’t have guns, from being able to obtain them, ad felons and those subject to a protective order are forbidden by law from possessing firearms.
Here is an opinion piece from Politico on this mental health bill:
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/mental-health-gun-control-nra-216221
BS.
Another silly comment. Verging on the Christophobic, I would say.
Wolve, I think Starry was substituting the words “moderate Christians” for “moderate Muslims.”
I have heard that asked for years. I would answer the same way. People who aren’t terrorists would condemn it. A few outliers would cheer. Those are the zealots and people outside even the most extremes.
It is sad to see that some people simply do not understand that true Christians who adhere faithfully to the Ten Commandments and the teachings of Christ condemn all acts of murder regardless of motive. Is there some kind of rule now that we have to satisfy the likes of Starry with the quality and frequency of our denunciations? Or is that just a sly effort by some in this case to try to shame genuine Christian believers into shutting up about abortion?
Are you justifying this shooting because of your personal beliefs about abortion? I certainly hope not.
I am also not sure what a “true Christian” is. who here on earth gets to decide that?
Murder is decided by a political body. Murder in one country might not be considered murder in another.
I think most human beings here in America few the killing at Planned Parenthood not just murder but also terrorism.
Please read my post again. A “true Christian” is one who always condemns murder as a mortal sin. That covers every murder, including the one at Colorado Springs. The denominational “flavor”should matter not. The Ten Commandments rule. I cannot believe you would so misunderstand my first sentence.
That’s the reason I questioned. Perhaps it was clearer to you because you wrote it. I wasn’t sure.
I didn’t mention denomination. I meant the definition of murder. For example, is war murder? No, its war. Killing vs murder.
I have never gotten into mortal sin or venial sin—not my flavor.
I feel that the issue of abortion is lurking beneath this discussion. 800 pound gorilla in the room.
There is a great deal of ambiguity out there and if we are discussing abortion, I am certainly not willing to declare who is or is not a Christian.
Yes, it is lurking, Moon. But not quite in the way you seem to be looking at it. Even though the prosecutors have yet to announce a definitive motive for the killings in Colorado Springs, Planned Parenthood appears to be trying already to place blame on those of us who vociferously and visibly oppose abortion and the PP modus operandi with regard to the infant remains. If only we would shut up and stop expressing our views on these things with which we mostly strongly disagree, the lunatic killers in our society will vanish like magic. Or so some seem to think.
Although the case is still pending, it does seem thus far to me that the fellow in Colorado Springs is a loner with mental problems in a society which has fallen down badly on the identification of and attention to possibly violent mental cases, including access to weapons. But I refuse to let that failure silence me on issues of concern, while at the same time I most certainly condemn absolutely the Colorado Springs kind of violence. I condemn all murder no matter the cause. And I know of no genuine Christian pro-life person who would ever advocate such violence against anyone for any reason.
I would agree that there are few Christians who would advocate violence. Some 20 years ago I ran into a couple of those people. who advocated violence. They are out there. Fortunately, there aren’t many of them.
I don’t think you are supposed to be quiet about your beliefs. I do think that political rhetoric is incendiary is very dangerous, especially on this subject. The entire business about selling “parts” has been discredited. I just don’t think things like that should be used for political gain. There will never be a punishment for the guy who spliced footage to bend to his own political point of view.
Americans have to decide if they want the medical benefits of stem cell research or not. Even the Reagans support its research benefits. People are mighty quiet when you start telling them some of the medical breakthroughs that are a result of stem cell research. That has to be a discussion that is incorporated into mix but maybe not at this time.
I think using the word “murder” for a procedure that is legal is a slippery slope. It isn’t murder because murder is illegal killing. Those definitions are established by society.
I would have very little compunction about washing a fertilized ovum in a petrie dish down the sink. An 8 month old fetus being stabbed or aborted without medical justification is quite another matter. I don’t equate the two situations because the 8 month old fetus can live on its own. I might even use the M word here, in certain situations.
Not everyone believes as I do. Furthermore, I just shared a personal feeling…not a political one. My personal feelings don’t always jive with my political ones.
Finally, there are Christians who are pro choice. Lots and lots of them. There are Christians who are not pro choice. I don’t think that makes or breaks you on being “Christian.” In fact, people are what they say they are. As to the “good” part, I am a firm believer that is determined at the Pearly Gates, not here on earth.
Although I do make one exception: I have told Elena Schlossberg that she is the best Christian woman I know (based on her behavior and how she treats others) the irony of that statement is, Elena is Jewish.
@Moon-howler
If I read this politico article correctly, those opposing the bill are doing so, because it seeks to address mentally-ill people getting guns, while protecting the due – process rights of those who seek voluntary treatment? They’d rather pass a bill that doesn’t address guns, and then try to pass a separate gun-control bill? NAMI and the NRA support the Cornyn bill.
I couldn’t make sense of it. I thought it was just me though.
Take a very expansive view that the 2A allows citizens to arm themselves and take violent action when government does not address a threat. Mix in an apocalyptic view of some social issue (abortion, gay rights, immigration) and you have a recipe for domestic terrorism.
@Moon-howler
“Finally, there are Christians who are pro choice. Lots and lots of them. There are Christians who are not pro choice. I don’t think that makes or breaks you on being “Christian.”
And Jesus loves them all.
@Ed Myers
Good thing that you are the only one thinking like that, huh?
Well stated
Does that include threatening to assassinate white students and faculty on an urban campus, when you don’t believe a 1st degree murder charge is sufficient government actions?
I don’t support any action that uses the threat of loss of life as leverage to force others to change behavior.
Does that include someone who is in the midst of being physically assaulted, drawing a firearm to stop the attack?