School Shooting in Cold Springs, Minnasota 2 shot...breaking MSNBC

[ElsewheresDaughter]

in a high school gym......will post link as soon as one appears

[dflprincess]

1. More info here

http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_267131035.html


Sep 24, 2003 12:08 pm US/Central
Cold Spring, Minn. (WCCO-TV) WCCO-TV is on the scene of a school shooting at Rocori High School in Cold Spring, Minnesota.

Sources tell WCCO-TV that two people were shot at the school and that one person is in custody. The scene is secure at this time.

A spokesperson for St. Cloud Hospital says the hospital is expecting two patients airlifted from the school.

The shooting happened around 11:45 this morning. WCCO-TV has crews on the scene and will provide more information as it becomes available.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

2. dflprincess wow you're good....i need faster fingers...thanks

or broadband :7

[dflprincess]

3. I'm at work and sneak into the Underground on my lunch break

so I have excellent internet access right now. At home I have dial up.

[Lindacooks]

35. Shooter is 14 years old

A senior died, and another 14 year old freshman boy is in critical condition with gunshot wound to the head. Apparently, the shooter is a shy boy, quiet, who was being picked on in school, according to another student.

WHEN are we going to crack down on bullies in school? I am a fervent supporter of strict gun control; I also understand the immense frustration, rage and pain that these bullied kids feel when their school life is made a daily misery. And since they aren't old enough to be able to process the fact that their lives may get better, violent reactions are very appealing.

[headlouse]

36. Ahh school where harassment and abuse is considered a-ok.

the bully culture that is generally overlooked (if not encouraged) in schools has to be confronted or more and more geeks/nerds/dweebs/losers will confront it themselves. Bullies live off of seeing fear in their victims eyes; the victims realize that the only way to equalize the physical imbalence is with a gun.

[NickB79]

4. Very sad, only 15 min. from me!

I dated a girl who went to high school there, nice quiet little town of only 3000 or so. It really scares you when you see something like this happening in a rural area where crime is usually pretty rare and mild.

[lolly]

11. Is it really?

Most of these school shootings, if I recall correctly, have happened in suburban or rural small-medium sized, generally conservative areas where "things like this don't happen"

[NickB79]

18. Good point, rural isn't necessarily safer anymore

Just two days ago, a bank robbery was attempted in Bowlus, MN, only 7 miles from my parent's farm where I grew up. Bowlus is a town of MAYBE 200 people, if that! A few years ago, a meth lab was busted a couple miles down the road on a run-down farm. I still can't believe stuff like this is starting to hit so close to home, though.

[Lindacooks]

41. No place is safe

Wherever there are people there will be violence.

[kwolf68]

24. YOU are right

Go back and see where all these school shootings take place...I could expand, but I wont.

[Supply Side Jesus]

5. So, can we blame Bush for this?

Remember when that rash of school shootings happened under Clinton's watch, and ALL of the Hate Heads were somehow assesing the blame to Clinton and his wandering cock? Good for the goose is good for the gander.

Thoughts and hopes to those affected by this shooting.

[lebkuchen]

6. Minnesota has a new carry/conceal law

that was passed in the middle of the night.

[NickB79]

16. And the shooter was a high school freshman

Which means he has absolutely no chance to obtain a concealed carry permit as he was underage. I don't see the relevance of the new CCW law in regard to this shooting.

[lebkuchen]

19. As a result of the law, signs forbidding guns are everywhere

One can't enter a church or hospital without being reminded of the new gun culture in Minnesota.

Children are very impressionable. That's why some newspapers opt to print some front page news photos between the pages.

If I go into a church or hospital, I don't want to have to think about guns, but there it is, right there in your face, the constant reminder. As an adult, I'm affected by it. Imagine what it does to a child.

[Trek234]

32. Find out his age

I know of an 18 year old freshman in my high school.

[CO Liberal]

33. 18-Year-Old Freshman

Child of a Freeper????

:-)

[dflprincess]

39. 6 o'clock new reported

he is the child of a "high ranking" law enforcement official in the county (I assume they mean Sterns county). The name of the shooter or his family have not been released. It was reported that this has become a "multi jurisdictional" investigation to avoid a conflict of interest.

It was also reported that the 14 year old shooter had developed a severe case of acne. The reporter mentioned that he had it on his face, neck, shoulders and back. According to one student he was very self conscious about it and was teased unmercifully about it (though there was NO indication that either of his victims were in on this teasing - not that that would be an excuse.)

A neighbor also said that the kid had always been out in the neighborhood playing with the other kids. But this summer he had stayed inside the whole time. This little bit of information sounds like he's a kid whose behavior should have tipped someone off that he needed help. I have not heard it mentioned whether or not he was receiving any counseling.

on edit: I forgot to mention that the report also said that this was not a "law enforcement issued gun".

[prolesunited]

13. Welcome to DU, Supply Side Jesus

:hi:

I really like your cartoon.

[Catherine Vincent]

14. They'll still blame Clinton for this.

What he did in that WH was just oh so awful that it will take years to forget never mind what whistle ass Bush is doing. <sarcasm>

[dflprincess]

40. Oh please, how can Clinton be blamed

Bush* is the one who is teaching kids to take care of your problems with a preemptive strike.

We live in a culture that promotes violence as a solution. Why are we always so shocked when a kid picks up on that message?

[greenwow]

7. Yet another one of those "lawful" gun owners

When will our party get the backbone to put those people in jail? Those gun owners are endangering us and our children. The party is endangering us by not doing anything about those people.

[lebkuchen]

8. Martin Sheen: I always feel a bit more human when I come here (to Canada)

"You are not armed and dangerous. You do not shoot each other," Sheen said.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030922/ap_en_tv/martin_sheen_1

[NickB79]

15. Lawful gun owner? The shooter was a freshman

That means there was no legal way he could own a handgun, as he was only ~16 or so. Now, if his parents stored the firearm in an area where he had easy access to it, I would not object to bringing charges against his parents. Then again, he is of the age where he can be held responsible for his actions and tried as an adult, so ultimately the blame is still on him.

[Bandit]

23. What do you mean? You can hunt before you are sixteen

Sixteen is the age you have to purchase a hunting license. Before sixteen you get one for free. Many many sixteen year olds have guns. I guess it depends on the state you live in. And you say he can be tried as an adult because sixteen is legal age but cannot act as an adult? I don't get it.

[sybylla]

27. Yowsa, I see you know lots about guns.

I don't know of any state where a minor can own a gun or buy ammunition for a gun. Since you're implying that, I'd like to see some proof.

In my state, minors can only hunt with the permission of their parents and that of the people who's guns they use. Hence, they should be hunting under supervision to some degree. I'm not sure minors can even purchase a license without an adult present any more but that may be possible. A piece of paper stating that you can hunt does not give you the right to carry a weapon as a minor, as you cannot own a weapon.

It's sure nice to see everyone search out the facts before we rush to conclusions.

[slackmaster]

37. I agree that people who shoot up schools should go to jail

The only problem is most of the perpetrators don't survive.

[CO Liberal]

9. How Many Stories Will We See Like This......

...before America wakes up and realizes it has a BIG gun problem????

[MrBenchley]

10. Most of America knows it

The question is, when is our outrage going to overcome the gun industry's blood money?

[samsingh]

12. this is exactly what we are discussing in the other thread

the convenience of law-abiding gun owners is more important than the innocent lives that are lost.

[toopers]

20. Actually,

It is not a convenience but a right.

[kwolf68]

25. Then give me the RIGHT

to own a SAM or bazooka...

[slackmaster]

38. You can buy a SAM or a bazooka if you really want one

Both are regulated as "destructive devices". If your state allows it and you have a clean criminal record you can buy either or both.

[saigon68]

21. Too bad a teacher didn't have a gun

He could have shot the little perp-- No trial-- no crap

I guess the democrats solution is to put a metal detector and numerous national guardsmen with machine guns in every school and make them just like our airports. Yuk

Disarming the population will do that. Only criminals used to be allowed guns in Minn.

Now the people who qualify, can at least protect themselves from thugs and hoodlums.

[Zero Gravitas]

22. Guns don't kill people

People with guns kill people.

[Ashcroft Kutcher]

17. The NRA

is making travel plans right as we speak. I hope school shooting fever doesn't sweep the nation again.

[ErasureAcer]

26. GW's most likely respsonse...

"I think we ought to raise the age at which JUVENILES can have a gun"

He apparently said this at least once....bet that is EXACTLY what he is thinking today as well.

[northernsoul]

28. just hearing about it now, any updates?

obviously my hopes, thoughts and prayers go out to those who are impacted.

Once the dust settles, I think we Minnesotans need to sit down and have a very serious conversation about what is happening to our state.

[wellst0nev0ter]

30. Meanwhile, The Only Thing Good About The Zero-Tolerance "Solution"

Is that it's not worse than the problem

Toy gun backfires on Maple Grove junior
James Walsh, Star Tribune

Published September 20, 2003

. . .A week ago Wednesday, Jake and his friends were hanging out at another boy's house. A friend saw a cap gun and started playing with it. The friend took the cap gun with her when they went to another house. Then Jake drove home. The friend who was playing with the gun said she forgot she'd left it in Jake's car.

The next morning, on Sept. 11, Jake was on his way to a 6 a.m. Bible study group at school and cleaned some trash from his back seat. It was dark and the dome light on his 1987 Toyota doesn't work. He said he never saw the gun. He drove to school and went to class.

Later that day, a school employee saw the end of the toy poking out from the seat cushions in the back of Jake's car. Maple Grove Principal Conn McCartan had Jake removed from class. After some questions about the day before, McCartan asked Jake if he knew the school's weapons policy -- zero tolerance for bringing a weapon or a look-alike to school. Jake said he slapped his forehead, because he remembered his friend playing with the toy.

He was sent home.

[northernsoul]

29. one kid now dead

http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4116434.html

<snip>
COLD SPRING, Minn. - Two students were shot, one fatally, at Rocori High School today, and authorities were holding a freshman in the shootings. A teacher may have prevented more violence by convincing the boy to lay down a handgun, officials said.

Police Chief Phil Jones said one student was shot in the school's weight room and the other was shot in the gym.

Aaron Rollins, a senior, died at St. Cloud Hospital, spokeswoman Jeanine Nistler said.

The other wounded student was in critical condition at the hospital. Police declined to identify him or the suspected shooter.
</snip>

peace to Aaron Rollins and the people who loved him.

[northernsoul]

31. 5 year old shot dead in Duluth this morning too

gee, governor Timmy, why don't I feel safer yet?

http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4116696.html
<snip>
DULUTH -- The little boy named Marcus died with tears in his eyes, Mariel Gatzke said this afternoon, wringing her hands and crying on the sidewalk outside the apartment building where someone had shot him.

At least three people -- they were arrested later in the day -- tried to force their way through the door of the apartment where Marcus Gabriel Johnson lived with his parents and three brothers, about 4:30 a.m.

The boys were all on the fold-out couch where they slept, near the door. Their father, Cliff, tried to keep the people out. One of them fired a shot. The bullet hit Marcus, a 5-year-old who had just started kindergarten this month, in the left side of the head.
</snip>

[rl6214]

44. I think we need to worry about this type of behavior

http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/borderland/20030924-25123.shtml

This happens much more often and is much more alarming.

[Warren Stuart]

34. Guns don't kill people

Assholes with guns kill people.

[leesa]

42. Very sad, but every day we teach our kids that violence is an

appropriate response. What else can we possibly expect?

[koopie57]

43. I haven't read further down

so maybe this was addressed already, but I grew up in a small town near Cold Springs and if you were being bullied it was sort of a suck it up mentality. Now that I live in Mpls., here they take things like that more serious. I think the kids in smaller towns have to handle many of today's struggles on their own. Maybe that is why things like this happen in smaller towns. I don't know. I do think that the world has become a very hard place.