Brance Wilson, the mall Santa, said he heard gunshots and dove for the floor. By the time he looked up, seconds later, everyone around him had cleared out. Merchandise was scattered in some stores as he made his way to the door.
"Santa will be back," Wilson said. "It's not going to keep Santa away from the mall."
December 12, 2012
In Portland: "He heard the gunman say, 'I am the shooter,' as if announcing himself."
"A series of rapid-fire shots in short succession followed as Christmas music played..."
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23 comments:
It would be a lot better if these losers would reverse the firing order and shoot themselves first.
What are we calling this 12/12/12 anyway? Dozens Day? Dirty Dozens Day? And what are the odds on The Dirty Dozen showing somewhere on the cable channels today?
I read that first as Poland, not Portland, and was a little confused.
It sure seems like we're slowly eroding into a barbarian society.
Trust no one, and go armed everywhere.
Otherwise we deploy armed paramilitary police everywhere.
Depressing.
Concealed carry, Pogo.
The supreme court has said that Illinois laws against concealed carry are unconstitutional.
Illinois will get concealed carry. The process will be so draconian and cumbersome as to make it meaningless. Like California.
"It's been my experience that when they give you that Santa suit there's a bottle already in the pocket."
-- Freddy Rumson (Mad Men, 4:2, "Christmas Comes But Once a Year")
It sure seems like we're slowly eroding into a barbarian society.
I think that these sort of isolated incidents have always been part of human society. There will always be a few isolated crazy people out there, almost always men, who want to take revenge on the world that has cast them out into loneliness and isolation.
This is a mean old world to try to live in all by yourself.
The vast majority tolerate the meanness and loneliness. A tiny few can't. Consider the fierce desire for scapegoats evidenced by the last few years of the political scene.
Concealed carry?
Rules for white people.
I have a CHL (concealed handgun license) and yep, in the holiday season Herr Glock is packed everywhere, but then Herr Glock is packed quite a bit unless it's a hot day in Texas, then Herr S&W Centennial is packed.
Never needed it but then rarely do I need a spare tire and fire extinguisher, and I carry them in the car all them time.
Sad so many people abdicate their security to the state yet are shocked when the state is not there to protect them.
BTW.... that mall had the 'no guns allowed' that bannes CCW in the mall. So no one with a CCW had a gun there.
Sure kept people safe!
I hope the victims famlies SUE for the malls failure to protect them since the banned them from their own protection.
Aack! I just realized this wasn't in Portland, but in Clackamas near Portland, near my wife's family.
I've been to that mall many times.
...he heard three shots. He heard a man he believes was the gunman shout, "Get down!" but Wik and his girlfriend ran. He heard seven or eight more shots. He didn't turn around.
"If I had looked back, I might not be standing here," Wik said. "I might have been one of the ones who got hit."
"If I had looked back..." Magical thinking.
I remember reading somewhere that hitting the floor is the safest response and running is the response most likely to get you hit.
"I remember reading somewhere that hitting the floor is the safest response and running is the response most likely to get you hit."
DoD advice for a shooting incident recommend flight if it can be done quickly, otherwise, get down. Hide if possible. Crouch rather than lie flat as ricochets tend to follow the floor. Grenades go up so lie flat if it is a grenade attack.
"I am the shooter"
2012 version of "All right, Mr. De Mille, I'm ready for my close up."
It being OR, nobody had a little protection of their own - they were in a gun-free zone and thought they were safe.
If you are a man, the only honorable response in such a situation is to run towards the gunfire, in hope of getting to grips with the shooter. You may die, but in so doing you may save someone else. One may not be granted the courage and self control to do this when called to such a duty, but we should all hope that we receive such grace.
Death is lighter than a feather.
Some guy who wanted to "Keep Portland Weird".
Quirky, whimsical holiday fun. Tony Manero is alive and well and living in Portlandia.
Wrong movie, Tony!
And it's not even a movie, it's TV.
Well, premium cable, but still.
How shabby.
It's the most wonderful time of the year, BLAM BLAM BLAM!!!
Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock, BLAM BLAM BLAM!!!
I think after this Portland shooting, it's going to be metal detectors on every shopping mall from now on.
Paul,
"BTW.... that mall had the 'no guns allowed' that bannes CCW in the mall."
And?
"So no one with a CCW had a gun there."
That is NOT a good assumption. Such signs have no force of law in OR (or most other places, e.g. WA is similar.) That means that carrying a concealed pistol in such places is merely rude, not actually illegal. You have to be specifically and individually asked to leave the premises before you can be guilty, NOT of carrying where it's prohibited, but of trespassing where you're not wanted.
edutcher,
You're quite wrong about Oregon--it's so carry-friendly that permit-holders can even carry on K-12 school property!
"think after this Portland shooting, it's going to be metal detectors on every shopping mall from now on"
Yup. Well, maybe not on 2nd thought. Gov is more interested in protecting itself behind metal detectors. Courthouses, other gov buildings have metal detectors. Airports have metal detectors to protect the government. (They're not for us, yannow.) But does gov really care about protecting the great unwashed masses? Nope.
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