Congressman Shot and Others Shot

[Labbug]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/06/14/virginia-gop-baseball-practice-shooting-multiple-people-shot.html

[bob48]

Looks like the gunman was the only fatality.

[JasonPratt]

I was hearing both that the gunman was dead, and that he was in custody, when I left home from work...  :(

Fitting that he was shot rounding home base heading for the dugout. Though I'll be tactically curious why, with some security in the area, it took ten minutes to contain him.

Interesting that before he started, he evidently(?) approached one of the Reps leaving the area and asked if Dems or Repubs were practicing. (However, they don't seem to have confirmed yet that this was the shooter, or for that matter an accomplice.)

[JasonPratt]

Current reports say custody, not dead.

Live report I'm hearing is that the shooter was in cover (with rifle per eyewitness) until he brought a pistol out of cover approaching the dugout.

[JasonPratt]

10 year old Senator's son was present, dragged into the dugout.

[Gusington]

One of my work buddies told me about this an hour ago but I can't find a link anywhere.

[JasonPratt]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/06/14/virginia-gop-baseball-practice-shooting-multiple-people-shot.html

Link from op? -- I was streaming live news from there earlier, too.

[SirAndrewD]

It's really horrifying and telling on the state of American politics that I know a significant number of people, a few who are friends, that are supportive of the gunman's actions.

[Sir Slash]

Doesn't really surprise me. The political 'Left' has always been more reactive, violent, and rabid than the 'Right'. And I thought they hated guns?  :o

[bobarossa]

wrong forum for that kind of comment.

[Gusington]

Let's attempt to stay away from politics on this if possible.

[SirAndrewD]

Let's attempt to stay away from politics on this if possible.

Sorry.  Didn't mean to track it that way.

[Bison]

Let's attempt to stay away from politics on this if possible.

How?  It was motivated by politics. 

[Gusington]

By not laying blame at one group or another and by not calling each other out.

[SirAndrewD]

By not laying blame at one group or another and by not calling each other out.

I'll clarify my original comment then by saying that if blame is to be laid anywhere other than the gunman, it should be on the increasing erosion of the middle and tribalism that is leading people on both sides to start to think that these kinds of responses are appropriate.

I really hope that if some good comes of this, it will be for reasonable people to step back and try to start disavowing violent action over disagreements, actively, rather than try to establish lines and goals where violence in support of politics is appropriate. 

Not trying to be political, my own personal politics are usually my own.   I just hear so much noise from both sides on this, daily, from friends and family that I have strong feelings when things like this happen. 

That's the last I will say on it.