Gunman Kills 12 People in Colorado Movie Theater During 'Dark Knight Rises' Screening: Can Tragedy Happen Anywhere?

I wouldn't call it "tragedy", though. It completely made my day - I haven't laughed so hard in ages!

Wake up people!! How do you think a 24 yr old un-employed kid could get access to all that weaponry---hmmm do you think perhaps those who are trying so hard to un-arm Americans might have had something to do with it? This story was not even believeable--first of all--anyone and everyone knows any emergency door opens from inside out--so how could a tennis-shoed kid kick in an emergency door from the OUTSIDE??? Also, don't you know how many things have been staged to make us all believe violence is everywhere --fear porn. Yes there are some severely disturbed people in the world, (most of them are in high-ranking government offices) and yes, it is always sad when people are killed for sensless reasons---but don't you see that if this group was willing and able to create the 911 disaster--they will do anything--AND I DO MEAN ANYTHING--to try to get their goals accomplished?? I don't believe for one minute this kid acted on his own---I believe if he did this--he was drugged or somehow manipulated.

You sound like one of those that should never be near a gun. Or are you trying out the story line for some fiction you are writing.

Some people just don't get it. This couldn't be prevented by passing some gun law or movie theater law. The ONLY way tragidies like this can be prevented is if someone noticed the warning signs this guy was showing and acted on them by reporting this guy. These kind of incedents like the batman massacre and Columbine are about fame. Its not about getting back at bullies or something they absorbed. Its about the quickest way to fame. And the media gives it to them without even noticing.

I answered no, because I think major gun shootings like this predominatly happen in the USA. They do happen elsewhere, but far less commonly.

Not so. And not even the worst incidences. Check Norway. Check Mexico, they have some of the toughest gun laws anywhere and yet the violence and gun deaths can't even be counted.

You can' take single isolated incidences to excuse the availability of guns. IThey can be counted and here is a result of the counting. Note the small black bars and large white ones on page 6.
http://ije.oxfordjournals.org...

Not less commonly but vary rarely. But, there again in other countries there are not guns at hand for so many people. Maybe that has something to do with it?

There is one small island in the south pacific where absolutely no tragedy could never occur. Of course, anywhere people or nature can be found, tragedies may occur.

Yes, tragedy can happen anywhere. But, we should not live our lives in fear, simply because anything 'could' go wrong.

You put nuts together with a gun culture, and yeah, it could happen anywhere. Throwing more guns into the mix only makes it more likely that these nuts will have guns.

People can kill with their bare hands....wanna ban them from having hands?

Is there a reasonable chance of defense against that? Not everyone can wear full kevlar and riot helmet every day--but they CAN defend against hand to hand attacks.

My wife attacked me on a number of occasions with a knife. But I was able to defend myself from that. Not so if she had had a gun. Which is a primary reason I won't own one--why give her access?

Silly comparison.

It will happen again... More then likely, somewhere where people are not allowed to have guns to defend themselves.

If people in the cinema had had and used guns in defence the death toll would have been far higher. Who would have known who was defending and who was attacking. The police chief said using guns for defence would have ceated mayhem.

WRONG... your way off base... You far underestimate the skills of the average CCW holder. The CCW Armageddon never happens. In ever case where CCW holders defended themselves, there was no shootout. Antigunners always throw that one out there for some reason - even though it never happens. It is the same argument the conservictives use against nudity - - that no man can control himself in front of a nude woman and all hell breaks loose anytime a topless girl walks by.

There is a story of a guy recently walked into a church shooting people.. and a CCW holder took him out with one shot. End of subject... no Armageddon. No Western Style Shootout. How disappointing that story must be to over-reactive people like you!

If it is THAT difficult to figure out who the offender is - - maybe cops should not have guns either!

The only shootouts that happen, are when cops get involved with "Suicide by Cop". mental flakes and when two drug lords or gang bangers are having a territorial dispute.

I get so aggravated when someone tosses up the "They will be shooting everything in sight" argument. It is just so obviously stupid, I can't believe they go there!

Thanks for the SANE and TRUTHFUL answer. I'm so sick of people treating all law abiding gun owners like they are trigger happy nuts... It's... Disturbing.

Thanks for the sound rebuttal to the lunacy being perpetrated by gun haters.

Foolish answer. The Police chief's comment was real and appropriate. People in the cinema said they thought it was part of the movie. So, your so smart, you would have known. Then got shot by one of those that did not. Even you are not expendable.

violence holds no boundries must mourns the fallen here and comdemn the killer bring him to justice and get him the death penatly

And so can Genocide... Don't Elect Dictators...!

well yes, duh

Sadly these days, yes it can.

While there are countless "gun control" laws already on the books at federal, state and local levels, most of them as we see time after time are next to useless. We don't need more gun laws, rather newer laws that actually do something.

Example: As anyone that has a sinus problem knows you now have to jump through hoops to buy certain over-the-counter meds that help unstuff nasal passages BECAUSE one of the active ingredients can be used to make Meth, the highly adictive street drug. I am such a person, need to show my driver's license, my purchase get tracked, if I or anyone else attemptd to buy more than a month's supply or so you are flagged because purchases are tracked in a computerized database.

However some psycho in the recent Colorado shooting was able to purchase over 6,000 rounds of ammunition from multiple sources, buy at least four high powered guns, at least one semi-automatic high power rifle and all legally. When we we stop the insanity?

Your last paragraph raises my question too about HOW was he able to get away with buying all of this ammunition without question.? This stuff should have been 1 big red flag to the recipients of these outlandish orders. Shouldn't they also be reprimanded and fired AND brought to justice? (If there is any!)

The local NBC affiliate had a piece on tonight's local news where they interviewed some high ranking DEA agent and he basically said he wasn't surprised at all, it actually is routine, when they raid drug dealers and heads of gangs in cites like Chicago and Detroit to often run into huge piles of AMO and to find the place booby trapped. They also did a trace with UPS and Fed-X, the 6,000 rounds, guns, tear gas and the most of the rest of the stuffg came in 50 seperate shipments to both his apartment and where he worked.

To bad I didn't see that news. Well then I should not be surprised that the practice is routine with this ammunition and stuff. Yes, it's out there.
I'll bet too it's mostly all about the money!!!!
Some years ago some guy's house in Escondido was found booby trapped the same way and all sorts of homemade bombs inside. Eventually the Gov't cleaned it all up and burned down that house.
The other question and it was on CNN yesterday a comment about how Holmes would have that kind of money to buy all of that gear he did. The mention was about $8 Grand. !!!!!!!! =O

He comes from San Diego and his family is suppose to be well off according to news reports. So maybe just phoning home and saying like all college age kids do, hey mom or dad, I need some cash. ;-) Then again if he bought a lot of it off the Internet it probably was purchased with plastic.

OMG, it's too easy for anybody to get their hands on any limit of things no matter how dangerous! It's all too sad.

I was just listening to a doctor on CNN saying it isn't known just yet if this Holmes has issues with mental illness. I think that is the most stupid thing I ever heard! Of course it IS an issue of mental illness stemming from all that he did!!! Who in their "right mind" is going to go on a killing rampage like he did, no criminal background or otherwise?

He could simply be an evil minded individual. Just because you or I conform to the lawful rules of society, does not mean an individual can't willfully and sanely reject those morals and choose the route of evil. Dictators and murderers in the past have been found to be quite sane before. They simply have a different moral compass... One that is not compatible with society.

He may indeed NOT have a mental illness. I could just be evil.

It really is inevitable tragedy is everywhere even in the country my best friends dad shot his wife then himself no one would have ever thought that would happen in such a small town.

It can, but always remember, “chance favors the prepared mind,”

That is so true. The mind is often prepared for things that are not so good, then reason or lack of chance remove the plan. If the gun is at hand........

Insanity happens ...

So does travesty disguised as tragedy to cover the reasons as no one wants to address them.

So sad so really sad.

Yes, of course. Get used to it. As long as we have no real gun laws and society crumbles it will continue to happen.

Obviously it can. I am sick though of gun haters trying to use these tragedies to take away gun rights from law abiding citizens. They are not the problem. It is the sicko that abuses the laws. They will always find a way to carry out their crime, especially if they know people cannot defend themselves.

So you are quite willing to condone these acts so as to keep guns. Is that an acceptable attitude.

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