Active Shooter

A few days back, my Facebook and Twitter feeds lit up with the words "active shooter" in Antioch - a part of Nashville not too far from me. As the facts of the situation became known, some things became immediately clear to me.

 PoliceOne.com  has analysis on the situation for review. Their facts are sorely lacking, as is their analysis. This is what most of the rest of the media is reporting.

The assailant was 29 and armed with an air soft pellet gun, pepper spray, and a hatchet. Of those, the hatchet worries me the most, but the air soft gun will likely look real. At this time, police are also saying "he had a backpack strapped to his body," as if it was intended to look like a bomb or something. Unless and until I see video of that, I don't know I buy that. If you are convinced - please look again at all the discrepancies in the PoliceOne.com "report."

Some real takeaways -
It is my opinion that this man wanted to die via "suicide by cop." Only in America is this an option. Cops in other countries do not kill as often, so people have to commit suicide the old fashioned way.

The assailant was 29, yet had been committed four times in the last 10 or so years. That's why I think he wanted to commit suicide.

What's up with the "active shooter" cries? Only one news source even claims the guy shot a round or two, and airsoft guns sound much different than firearms. I think he was simply trying to intimidate people with the fake handgun. It should have been "man with a gun" calls, not "active shooter."

The three immediately responding officers ran away when they saw the pellet gun. Granted, it likely looks real. But spare me any notion of "bravery" or heroism. They did not try to save lives, they ran and hid. They did not advance towards fire, they retreated.

When the SWAT team arrived, they attacked. Make note of that. Maybe this situation might have been justified, but to a hammer, all the world's problems look like nails. Be mindful that hammers are not used when pliers are needed!

The assailant did not critically injure anyone. There are no reports of him firing the pellet gun (he probably didn't want to, as then people would know it was not a real gun). He pepper sprayed a couple of people and bruised one person with the hatchet. Bruised - not chopped. He didn't want to permanently hurt anyone, he wanted to die at the hands of police.

Last but not least...
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET RID OF GUN-FREE ZONES?!?