27 dead in Connecticut school shooting: reports

[chris.ph]

this is a terrible thing to happen.

ive said this before its not guns that kill people, people kill people, proper phyc screening should be done on people before they are allowed to own a weapon of any kind, i dont know why this always recently seems to happen in the states, you just dont hear of this sort of this thing happening in israel or switzerland which both have an enormous amount of private gun ownership

[Selkie]

I just don't have the words to express how horrified and saddened I am about this event. I really feel for the families of the victims, and all the children who went through this terrifying ordeal. It's just so shocking. I somehow doubt that anything will be done about gun control still - although I wish something would be.

[Catch-up]

Absolutely heartbreaking.

[Who's Wee Dug]

And at this time of year, when all the Christmas presents have been bought for the kids.

[Broccolee]

Oh thepoor,poor mothers.How very very sad and terrible.It's horrible and frightening to realize how vulnerable our 'safety' and that of our children is ,the next nutter to come does the same and then Its too late.

I agree,America needs stricter laws but it doesnt necessarily have something to do with freedom to access weapons.Here in Germany we have very strict rules and laws respecting the possesion of weapons and we have had gun raids in schools just like that as well.
It's rather been like 'if they want to get a gun they do'.
Here they blamed the ego shooter games but although I despise these games and Absolutely banned them in our family I don't really think it's that easy.

I think it has more to do with the way people are pressured in different ways today,the way people are treated generally,the way our pace of life has changed and with it a difference in respect towards life and each other.No matter how ill that man was,if he had been living in a happy,caring family,no matter the income,I am certain he would not have done it,because a happy,secure and contented individual with respect towards others would never act that way.

I think it is essential that children know about things like this,not only to talk aboit what to do when in such a situation themselves,but also to become aware of others more.If we would all care more for others,like those lovely teachers did,then we might be able to stop things before they happen,not deplore them when its too late.
I think so,anyway.

[Bouncy Castle]

Breaking News from BBC :

Church in Connecticut town of Newtown evacuated over unspecified threat


Just a headline at the moment. No actual report as yet.



Also just read that they probably won't open the school as a school ever again.

[simmonds91]

A real shame for children that young to die like that, such a shame but I do wonder how an autistic child had the weapon to begin with. What I mean is, surely the mother would have made sure guns and whatnot are stored properly out of the way of children? Thus I blame this incident on the mother (who the hell buys a gun in the first place!?) though I suspect the child was bullied, I mean the kid was autistic, children are mean little so and so's when it comes to other children that have problems, social and physical etc. (you know how children are) I am really worried about america though, these incidents keep happening more frequently and I don't just mean school shootings, remember the shooting of those sihks a while back?

[Quatermass]

He wasn't a kid! He was 20!

[simmonds91]

REALLY! ....what the hell is a 20 year old doing at a school!?...

[Del]

One of the children recounted today how after their teacher locked them in a closet they heard him repeatedly knocking and saying "Open up. Let me in" then he went to the next room.. Strange.. after he had shot his way in in the first place.

I don't think there IS any understanding this.

On another note.. America has had one of the highest ever day for sales of guns... how can a nation live like this. Heartbreaking

Simmons... he used to go there... he shot his way in.

[Quatermass]

REALLY! ....what the hell is a 20 year old doing at a school!?...

Shooting everyone he could, in his case.

[simmonds91]

I suppose those knife and gun checks and whatnot are only done in highschools then? or has that stopped now? Only it's a very good idea considering the danger school children are in these days, there is list of school shootings after all, a LIST... that's not right...

[Quatermass]

On another note.. America has had one of the highest ever day for sales of guns... how can a nation live like this. Heartbreaking.

No. Insane. The gun hobbyists are making sure they have a good supply of guns before Barack Obama cracks down on them.

...In theory, at least. Quite frankly, I doubt Obama is going to make a dent in the gun laws. Too many vested interests back the gun lobby. And if he pushes the issue, I'll bet any money that one gun-toting nutter or another will take a pot shot at him. Presidential assassination seems to be an American past-time. Four were successfully killed, and the list of other attempts are as long as my arm. Any madman with a grudge and a gun can take a life. Or several.

I don't think even Barack Obama, as promising a president as he is, can make any headway against the NRA and associated nutters, not without major consequences. I wish he could, don't get me wrong. I wish he could. But any attempt on curbing gun rights is seen always as a threat towards freedom by people like these.

Guns don't kill people. But they make killing far too easy. After all, what other tool has so singular a purpose as a gun?

[Jack Remillard]

I suppose those knife and gun checks and whatnot are only done in highschools then? or has that stopped now? Only it's a very good idea considering the danger school children are in these days, there is list of school shootings after all, a LIST... that's not right...

The story of how it happened was a bit muddled at first, but the BBC news website currently says that he 'shot his way in' contrary to earlier reports that he was let in.

[simmonds91]

I haven't read enough of the story it would seem, i'll say no more on the matter.