12 killed, 25 wounded in UK shooting rampage

[Canada 02]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1589134/

A gunman killed at least 12 people in a rampage through quiet towns in and around the scenic Lake District of northwest England on Wednesday in Britain’s worst shooting spree for 14 years.

Terrified locals and walkers were told to stay indoors as 52-year-old taxi driver Derrick Bird opened fire on people in towns across the predominantly rural and sparsely populated county of Cumbria, one of Britain’s top tourist destinations.

In addition to the 12 dead, 25 others were wounded, including three whose condition was said to be critical, in shootings in 30 separate locations.

[puckluck]

Derrick Berd? But wasn't he a taxi driver? Weird name for a East Indian or Arab.

Sad story none the less.

[VladtheImpaler]

Has the UN condemned Israel for this outrage yet?

[puckluck]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Has the UN condemned Israel for this outrage yet?

Azure will thank this post in 5...4...3...2

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by puckluck

Derrick Berd? But wasn't he a taxi driver? Weird name for a East Indian or Arab.

Sad story none the less.

congrats for having the craptastic post of the day!

[Azure]

How is this possible?

I thought they banned guns in the UK?

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by puckluck

Derrick Berd? But wasn't he a taxi driver? Weird name for a East Indian or Arab.

Sad story none the less.

Are you really that stupid?

[puckluck]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Are you really that stupid?

Yes.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Azure

How is this possible?

I thought they banned guns in the UK?

He brought guns through the tunnel from France?

[Canada 02]

he inherited the guns from his father

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/ju...e-derrick-bird

One relative reported that Bird had been bequeathed "a load of guns" in his father's will.

[Jayems]

Very sad. Here's an interview from a guy who saw the gunman, who he said had a very big sniper rifle with a huge scope.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/10220732.stm

[Azure]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

He brought guns through the tunnel from France?

Clearly the only option is to ban tunnels.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Azure

Clearly the only option is to ban tunnels.

I think there are many in Britain who would agree, for, as you know, WOGs begin at Calais...

[Ozy_Flame]

My roommate when I lived in New Zealand was from Cumbria, and moved back there last year. I hope to god he wasn't in the middle of that. Crossing my fingers.

[NBC]

I wonder how long it took the Tactical Support Group (Workington) to get to Whitehaven? Whenever there is a situation like this here and they have to send out the TSG, the window for apprehending the criminal substantially decreases. Where I live, the nearest TSG is 15 miles away and couldn't arrive in under 30 minutes. By then, as in most cases, it is far too late to do much good.

The real concern here is not that there needs to be more firearms control as it is very difficult to own most types of firearms, but one of having adequately trained and equipped first-responder police officers. You can typically get the police out to a situation in a few minutes here in SE England, but they are of little use if there are any sort of weapons (including knives) involved. SOP is to call out the TSG. So instead of having adequately trained and equipped police officers capable of responding to a multitude of situations, local police detachments are completely incapable of responding to anything of consequence.

If local detachments here were trained and armed, then it is unlikely that these sorts of protracted situations would happen. By the time anyone heard any sirens in Whitehaven, Bird was long gone and off to another location to kill indiscriminately. The Cumbria Constabulary had no idea where this guy was - they only found out after there were reports of shots fired in these small towns and villages.

I can only think that if the police forces across the UK were properly trained and armed, they would be far more capable in dealing with horrible situations like this one. But unfortunately the bleeding hearts of the masses here won't even consider asking these questions. They will demand government action in restricting legal firearm ownership that much more.

It is a sad and tragic day in the UK and I for one would like to see a more robust debate on this, instead of the hoplophobic fears of a society absolutely terrified of weapons and a political system that enables this behaviour.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Azure

How is this possible?

I thought they banned guns in the UK?

I was pretty shocked this happened in England, actually. It could happen anywhere, of course, but it really is more surprising when it happens in a nation without that culture of glorification of firearms.

[zuluking]

Originally Posted by Azure

How is this possible?

I thought they banned guns in the UK?

Apparently the guns recently arrived in port on the Freedom Flotilla.

[Mike F]

Originally Posted by Azure

How is this possible?

I thought they banned guns in the UK?

If you believe this site, which purports to use stats from a UN study on crime, in the US there are .028 murders by firearms per 1,000, while in Great Britain there are .0010 murders by firearms per 1,000.

You would think that, given that they're both highly populated, highly developed countries, the UK's stricter laws on guns can account for a lot of that difference.

[puckluck]

Originally Posted by Mike F

If you believe this site, which purports to use stats from a UN study on crime, in the US there are .028 murders by firearms per 1,000, while in Great Britain there are .0010 murders by firearms per 1,000.

You would think that, given that they're both highly populated, highly developed countries, the UK's stricter laws on guns can account for a lot of that difference.

I'm not trying to sound racist or anything.......

[Mike F]

Originally Posted by puckluck

I'm not trying to sound racist or anything.......

You're clearly failing. Repeatedly.