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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMother of Oregon Gunman Wrote of Keeping Firearms
In a series of online postings over a decade, the mother of the gunman who opened fire on classmates at Umpqua Community College in Oregon said she kept numerous firearms in her home and opened up about her difficulties raising a troubled son who used to bang his head against the wall.
All the while the mother, Laurel Margaret Harper, expressed hope that her son, Christopher Harper-Mercer, could lead a successful life in finance or as a filmmaker. Instead, Mr. Harper-Mercer, 26, took his own life after shooting nine others to death and wounding several others during a campus rampage last week.
Answering a question about state gun laws several years ago, Ms. Harper, a registered nurse, took a jab at lame states that impose limits on keeping loaded firearms in the home, and noted that she had AR-15 and AK-47 semiautomatic rifles, along with a Glock handgun. She also indicated that her son, who lived with her, was well versed in guns, citing him as her source of information on gun laws, saying he has much knowledge in this field.
I keep two full mags in my Glock case. And the ARs & AKs all have loaded mags, Ms. Harper wrote. No one will be dropping by my house uninvited without acknowledgement.
The posts were found on Yahoo Answers, a site where Ms. Harper spent hours over the last 10 years, mostly answering medical questions from strangers, occasionally citing her own difficulties raising a troubled child. Her Yahoo profile had a user name of TweetyBird, accompanied by a cartoon image of a nurse. In many of her postings, she included her email address, which public records link to Ms. Harper.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/06/us/mother-of-oregon-gunman-wrote-of-keeping-firearms.html
http://dailyentertainmentnews.com/breaking-news/ian-mercer-and-laurel-harper-chris-harper-mercers-parents/
kelliekat44
(7,759 posts)SoCalMusicLover
(3,194 posts)She is entitled to as many guns as she wants. Especially now that her mentally ill son is no longer around.
Don't expect the Asshole Sheriff to charge her with anything though, he supports her right to own as many guns as she wants.
Snobblevitch
(1,958 posts)She knew about his mental state. She should not have allowed access to those guns by her son.
I do not know what law could have prevented this tragedy from happening.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Crunchy Frog
(26,579 posts)I'm guessing it wouldn't have happened in Canada, the UK, or Japan. Maybe there's something I'm their system of laws that's different from ours.
Snobblevitch
(1,958 posts)Crunchy Frog
(26,579 posts)Snobblevitch
(1,958 posts)There are enough guns in the U.S. that if a crazed persons wants to get one to do something as insane as a mass shooting, well, they will find a way.
We could maybe make it more difficult with a UBC nationwide. The guns used in this situation were purchased legally, but a UBC might stop other situations.
My point is that laws alone won't stop a lone gunman. We have to do other things like psych screenings and family intervention.
Historic NY
(37,449 posts)hope she realized her f--king son killed innocent people.