Another killing spree in the USA

<p class="first">MILWAUKEE, United States (AFP)</p><p class="first">A sheriff's deputy went on a <font color="#003399">shooting</font> rampage Sunday, killing his ex-girlfriend and five other youths at a house party in a small town in Wisconsin, authorities said. </p>

The 20-year-old deputy and all those shot were all part of a close-knit group of friends, sources said.</p>

Two of those killed were seniors at Crandon High School, which had just celebrated a homecoming victory Friday night. Another girl was just 14 years old, sources said.</p>

Police have confirmed that a 19-year-old was also shot and in critical condition.</p>

Sources identified the gunman as Forest County Sheriff's Department Deputy Tyler Peterson.</p>

The shooting began just before three o'clock in the morning and within hours the deputy was also dead after an intensive manhunt.</p>

&quot;He was brought down by a sniper,&quot; said Crandon Mayor Gary Bradley.</p>

The 2,000 or so people who live in the town near the Canadian border spent much of Sunday in &quot;lockdown,&quot; with residents forbidden from venturing out on the streets.</p>

&quot;This is affecting everybody in this small community,&quot; said Tom Vollmar, a Forest County supervisor who has lived in Crandon 57 years. &quot;There's no family that hasn't been touched in one way or another.&quot;</p>

The deputy &quot;was a good kid, likes to hunt and fish, just a normal kid and they were all real good friends,&quot; said Fay Statezny, who was friends with the families of both the suspect and some of the victims.</p>

Kelly Flanery, 15, knew all of the victims and said the ex-girlfriend of the shooter &quot;was like the nicest person. She was friends with everyone.&quot;</p>

Cody Hanson, 17, knew the deputy casually and is in the same grade as two girls who were shot to death.</p>

&quot;I've seen him, I've talked to him. He just doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would do that,&quot; Hanson said.</p>

About 200 people came to the Praise Chapel Community Church to search for news and comfort.</p>

&quot;This is going to take a long time for a community like this to get over,&quot; Pastor Bill Farr said as he prayed with three church members who held hands in the parking lot.</p>

He began to cry as he said: &quot;we just really need everyone's prayers right now.&quot;</p>

Authorities did not release details of the killings or names of the victims, but sources identified them as Jordann Murray, 18, the suspect's former longtime girlfriend; Katrina McCorkle, 18; Leanna Thomas, 18; Lindsey Stahl, 14; Bradley Schultz, 20, and Aaron Smith, called &quot;Chunk&quot; by his friends.</p>

Crandon is known for logging, and fishing, hunting and snowmobiling. It is also home to the World Championship Off-Road Races.</p>

The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported last month that more than 1.4 million murders, rapes, robberies and assaults were committed around the United States last year, or a violent <font color="#003399">crime</font> every 22 seconds.</p>

The number of victims of violent crime in the United States last year was the equivalent of the entire population of <font color="#003399">European Union</font> member Estonia or the African state of Gabon falling victim to murder, rape, robbery or assault.</p>

The rate of violent crime was up by 1.9 percent compared with 2005, with murders climbing by 1.8 percent to nearly 15,000 cases last year.</p>

 

I'm starting to see a connection

between a nation of gun owners and massive numbers of deaths by guns.

Is it just me?

Having said that, there is a similar level of gun ownership in Canada but a far lower level of gun crime, so maybe its also to do with the mental stability of the gun owners.

 

RE: I'm starting to see a connection

Or it may be that your nearest neighbour in Canada is over 10 miles away. </p>

Seriously though, this guy was a Deputy and carried a firearm as part of his uniform.</p>

 

Maybe he was just 'protecting his home'

As that's why they own guns I believe.

 

RE: Maybe he was just 'protecting his home'

They own guns to keep the English out of their country and the native Indians from raiding their homes.

But that was all well and good in the 1790, its just spiralled out of control now.

There are more children killed by other children in the USA each year where they accidentally play with their parents guns than murders in the UK.

 

Rosco in serious post alert

I hope you spotted my irony. Bill Hicks summed it up best in his comparison of the murder rates in the US compared to the UK. Can't be arsed to find the quote but I'm sure you'll know it.

 

If only one of the other kids had had a gun on them.

wouldnt have been a problem then as he would have been shot before he killed everyone.

 

RE: If only one of the other kids had had a gun on them.

Tee hee. I can't believe someone really thought that after Virginia Tech. Priceless (or brainless) you decide.

 

That was the Fox News response,

they blamed the colleges no gun policy for the fact that no one could &quot;cap&quot; the killer.</p>

Not to worry they will be going into Iran soon.</p>