Chilling Gun Man Shooting in Virginia

[Tia]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/08/26/two-dead-virginia-shooting-live-tv-social-media/32401101/

 

Vester Lee Flanagan II, identified as the suspect in the WDBJ7-TV shooting Wednesday, posted chilling videos on Facebook and Twitter that appear to show the shooting from the shooter's perspective.

Reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were shot and killed during a live TV broadcast at 6:45 a.m. ET near Roanoke, Va. Parker was interviewing local official Vicki Gardner on air. Gardner was shot but not killed. Flanagan, who was once employed by WDBJ7, was confirmed as the shooting suspect by the Augusta County (Va.) Sheriff's Office.

 

 

Although it does not appear he was one of witnessess - it is reported that he mentioned in his

long fax to ABC news that he heard voices from Jehovah. 

[E_B]

I've also read a few stories that cited his Twitter feed, where he apparently referenced the fact that he was raised a Jehovah's Witness, or raised by his mother who was.

 

No indication that he was an active witness today.  In fact, based on media reports, he also felt as though he had been discriminated against as a gay man.

[shali]

Just when you think you've seen it all - now people are killing in full national view for everyone to see - video recording it as they kill and posting it on social media for all to see as they are fleeing from their heinous crime.  I shutter to think what comes after this.  I really don't see how anyone in their right mind could possibly believe the saying "Peace and Security" when it finally comes around with stuff like this happening on a daily/weekly basis.  You'd have to be truly blinded by Satan and this system to believe there is any type of security with this happening all around us all the time. 

 

Such a shame that Jehovah's name was in that fax, I hope and pray he was not, nor ever was a baptized witness.  Probably some crack pot that studied at one time or read some of our literature.

Edited August 26, 2015 by shali

[Ahuvah]

It is certainly very near the time for Jehovah's name to be sanctified - may it come soon.^

[Shawnster]

I've also read a few stories that cited his Twitter feed, where he apparently referenced the fact that he was raised a Jehovah's Witness, or raised by his mother who was.

 

No indication that he was an active witness today.  In fact, based on media reports, he also felt as though he had been discriminated against as a gay man.

 

1.  Why was this even mentioned in the news?  It has no bearing on the situation.

 

2.  It's sad the Truth did not remain in him, if it ever reached his heart in the first place (many raised as Witnesses do not embrace the Truth).  Had he lived by Bible standards he would not have committed such a heinous crime.  

[mwhite1983]

My in-laws knew his mother from when they were serving in an east bay congregation. They remember the mother as being a kind and honest hearted woman. They were only temporarily serving over there, so lost touch (it's a different circuit to where we are) 

 

It has no bearing on what happened - he was not balanced - however, the media like to give a history to these things. Hopefully it will be glossed over by many. 

[shali]

Unfortunately, there will probably be another mass murder within the week that will take the spotlight off of this situation. But because this killing is very different than most in that the killer wanted EVERYONE to see when and how it happened, it will probably get a lot of discussion and scrutiny for a while.

[bobby]

I was looking a CBSnews

 The US has more shooting then the rest of the world

I will try to find the link

[4th Generation]

I was looking a CBSnews

 The US has more shooting then the rest of the world

I will try to find the link

It's all the guns they are allowed to have. No guns would mean no shootings.

[Luezette]

The United States has more of a lot of things. That's why people come here to stay. Then once they're here, they realize that one of the things that the United States has more of are lies. I mean, I think it's a great place to live in this system regardless of its past, present and limited future in regard to biblical prophecy for the entire world. Yet the United States too is just another of Satan's pawns.

Edited August 27, 2015 by Luezette

[E_B]

1.  Why was this even mentioned in the news?  It has no bearing on the situation.

 

 

I'm guessing it's because HE made a point to include it in some of recent rantings/postings.  I assume the journalists who cite his mention of "Jehovah", or as being raised as a witness are following the line of reasoning that "...if it was important enough to HIM to mention, it must be important enough for US to mention as we try to provide some context to his personality, past, and actions."

[Stavro]

I'm guessing it's because HE made a point to include it in some of recent rantings/postings.  I assume the journalists who cite his mention of "Jehovah", or as being raised as a witness are following the line of reasoning that "...if it was important enough to HIM to mention, it must be important enough for US to mention as we try to provide some context to his personality, past, and actions."

 

In this particular case, that could be true.

 

But in past cases, criminals have been initially reported as "Jehovah's Witness leader" even after the elders gave statements stating that the criminal was an irregular attendee who never even became an unbaptized publisher.

[Tortuga]

According to the news, his father and some of his family lives in Vallejo, which is the city next to us. The report mentioned the father lived alone and one report mentioned the shooters late mother. One of my brother-in-laws lives in Vallejo and he doesn't know of any Flanagans in the truth there. 

 

So, no confirmation that any of the shooters family are in the truth. I'm not saying they aren't, I just can't confirm they are.

[Shawnster]

It's all the guns they are allowed to have. No guns would mean no shootings.

 

How effective was that in France?

[Tortuga]

It's all the guns they are allowed to have. No guns would mean no shootings.

I read the article about all of the guns confiscated in Australia and how it reduced murders and suicides, unfortunately just eliminating guns isn't the answer. They will use bombs, knives and chemicals to kill.

[mwhite1983]

How effective was that in France?

 

Very....considering the terrorist in France was alleged to have been provided with his arsenal by people who got them by illegal means. 

 

Mass shootings, or shootings in general are extremely rare in Europe. The country I grew up in has a 100% unarmed uniformed police force - there was not the assumption that people had guns. 

[E_B]

In this particular case, that could be true.

 

But in past cases, criminals have been initially reported as "Jehovah's Witness leader" even after the elders gave statements stating that the criminal was an irregular attendee who never even became an unbaptized publisher.

 

Very much agree.

[shali]

I'm not sure what is considered a "mass" shooting, but my husband was doing some online research and found an article that says there has been over 800 mass killings in the last year alone! (I assume this means all over the world collectively). I think it left war torn areas too - which makes that number even worse.

[Shawnster]

Very....considering the terrorist in France was alleged to have been provided with his arsenal by people who got them by illegal means. 

 

Mass shootings, or shootings in general are extremely rare in Europe. The country I grew up in has a 100% unarmed uniformed police force - there was not the assumption that people had guns. 

 

Ireland was in the midst of terrible terrorist activity just a few decades ago.  Has the law changed since the days of the IRA?  

 

France had a mass shooting in January and just this past week or so another gunman was subdued on a train.  This gunman was carrying a military assault rifle and a handgun.

 

Many of the shootings in the United States are performed by individuals who obtained their guns illegally.  Simply creating stricter gun control laws is not the answer.  Criminals, by definition, are people who disobey the law.  Obviously as we've seen this past year in France, if someone wants to get a gun and go on a spree, they will.  

 

If you take away their guns evil people will find other means to spread destruction.  A knife wielding assailant killed 33 people in China last year and injured 130 more in a spree.  

 

It's not quite an equal comparison to compare the United States to any one country in Europe (or anywhere else).  A more equal comparison would be the United States to all of Europe.  While guns play a terrible role in murders in the United States, and while the United States has a very liberal stand on gun control, simply eliminating guns is not enough.  

 

This link is interesting  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2012/12/14/schoo-shooting-how-do-u-s-gun-homicides-compare-with-the-rest-of-the-world/

 

These terrible tragedies only underscore the need for the Kingdom.  

[mwhite1983]

Ireland was in the midst of terrible terrorist activity just a few decades ago.  Has the law changed since the days of the IRA?  

 

France had a mass shooting in January and just this past week or so another gunman was subdued on a train.  This gunman was carrying a military assault rifle and a handgun.

 

Many of the shootings in the United States are performed by individuals who obtained their guns illegally.  Simply creating stricter gun control laws is not the answer.  Criminals, by definition, are people who disobey the law.  Obviously as we've seen this past year in France, if someone wants to get a gun and go on a spree, they will.  

 

If you take away their guns evil people will find other means to spread destruction.  A knife wielding assailant killed 33 people in China last year and injured 130 more in a spree.  

 

It's not quite an equal comparison to compare the United States to any one country in Europe (or anywhere else).  A more equal comparison would be the United States to all of Europe.  While guns play a terrible role in murders in the United States, and while the United States has a very liberal stand on gun control, simply eliminating guns is not enough.  

 

This link is interesting  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2012/12/14/schoo-shooting-how-do-u-s-gun-homicides-compare-with-the-rest-of-the-world/

 

These terrible tragedies only underscore the need for the Kingdom.  

Ireland wasn't 

 

Northern Ireland was - the republic (the South) was relatively unscathed by "the troubles". In the entire time there were 2 bombings that affected the republic of Ireland.  The police have been unarmed since their creation (under the republic) in the 20's. 

 

And I agree...only the kingdom is the remedy for what is going on - anything else is just a band-aid. 

[carlos]

Shawn, you are right that stricter laws against firearms are not the solution. Criminals will always find a way to get hold of guns and bombs. But IMO the wide availability of guns does contribute to the problem.

 

Yes, in Europe there are terrorist attacks and people are shot by criminals. But thankfully a wacko here cannot go to Walmart, buy a rifle and start killing people on the spot. An experienced criminal will know where to buy a gun in the black market, but a hung-up teenager cannot buy a firearm and start shooting his schoolmates.

 

I know this is a hot political issue in the America and I don't wish to go into politics. There may be legitimate reasons why someone owns a fiream. Besides, king George's troops could come back at any time . But with all the unstable people around us, it seems a logical reasoning that, the easier it is to acquire firearms, the more people will be shot.

[Tortuga]

Shawn, you are right that stricter laws against firearms are not the solution. Criminals will always find a way to get hold of guns and bombs. But IMO the wide availability of guns does contribute to the problem.

 

I'm waiting for Ava to give us a Texas point of view.

[Stavro]

But with all the unstable people around us, it seems a logical reasoning that, the easier it is to acquire firearms, the more people will be shot.

 

And that's the problem, as a culture the United States simply doesn't believe in mental disease.

 

In Europe, if someone hears voices, they would be placed in a mental institution to receive help. But in the US, claiming to hear voices is practically a necessity to becoming a religious leader or politician. And those who carry out the violent acts are either thrown into a concrete cell for a couple decades and released with no attempt to treat the underlying mental disease, or they'll get a cursory psychiatric examination, declared unfit to stand trial, and sent back on the streets with an acquittal.