Aurora shooting: Colorado gun sales up after cinema killings

[Igurisu]

BBC News - Aurora shooting: Colorado gun sales up after cinema killings

**** Rutan, owner of Gunners Den in the Colorado town of Arvada, said sales were "off the hook".
"What they're saying is, 'they want to have a chance'," he told the Denver Post. "They want to have the ability to protect themselves and their families if they are in a situation like what happened in the movie theatre."

Beggars belief, imagine what would/could have happened with 10 or 20 trigger happy people responding/retaliating to the lone gunman?

 

[Palfrem]

Colorado was the "Wild West" at one time. Gone full circle by the looks of it.

 

[neilrr]

BBC News - Aurora shooting: Colorado gun sales up after cinema killings



Beggars belief, imagine what would/could have happened with 10 or 20 trigger happy people responding/retaliating to the lone gunman?

They might have killed him?

 

[Igurisu]

They might have killed him?

Killed who? If your the 6th or 7th person opening fire in a patch black cinema who are you shooting at? How many bullets hit more innocent people?

 

[brucemillar]

To those who live there and who have lost loved ones. This reaction should be of no surprise. This is a Gun Culture and in a State where Guns are seen as a real part of their heritage and way of life (and death).

This is very raw. Let them have time and space and we will see a more considered reaction.

 

[moonloops]

Ah well one benefit is that they have fewer stabbing deaths per capita than the UK.

 

[neilrr]

Killed who? If your the 6th or 7th person opening fire in a patch black cinema who are you shooting at? How many bullets hit more innocent people?

Why do you assume it was pitch black? If it was how could the gunman see to kill people?

If I was in a cinema and there was some lunatic walking around casually & randomly executing people I would be delighted if one or several people opened fire on him. I'd hope they hit him & kill him. At the very the least they'd make him keep his head down so I & others could make a run for it & get the **** out of there.

Would you rather cower under your chair, take your chances & await your fate?

 

[markjay]

I am not sure if you have ever fired a handgun, or realise how difficult it is to fire it accurately, pitch dark or bright daylight.

Of course, if the armed people in the cinema didn't just buy a gun for a rainy day, but instead were all skilled marksmen, who, like our own armed police, train frequently, then I would have to agree that it would have prevented some of the injuries. But until then....

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

Why do you assume it was pitch black? If it was how could the gunman see to kill people?

If I was in a cinema and there was some lunatic walking around casually & randomly executing people I would be delighted if one or several people opened fire on him. I'd hope they hit him & kill him. At the very the least they'd make him keep his head down so I & others could make a run for it & get the **** out of there.

Would you rather cower under your chair, take your chances & await your fate?

If you are a lone gunman, and your intent is to shoot as many people as possible, it matters not if you can see clearly or not, anyone and anything in that place is a target. a fully auto or semi auto will be of help to you, you just fire in any direction and the chances are you will hit someone.
I would like to think, that like most people would that I would be the hero, the same as ...if anyone broke into my house I would.........if anyone did....I would do....... In reality you do not know how you would react until you are faced with the problem/scenario. Firing a weapon at someone, someone who can also fire at you is something not many people experience, especially when using hand guns.
I am not against private ownership of firearms, far from it.

 

[Bellow]

Why do you assume it was pitch black? If it was how could the gunman see to kill people?

He could have killed plenty while blindfolded...

If I was in a cinema and there was some lunatic walking around casually & randomly executing people I would be delighted if one or several people opened fire on him. I'd hope they hit him & kill him. At the very the least they'd make him keep his head down so I & others could make a run for it & get the **** out of there.

Would you rather cower under your chair, take your chances & await your fate?

but he made sure to pick off those trying to leave via the emergency exits - which are (short of the screen) the most illuminated parts of an auditorium.


Also, as alluded to elsewhere, when the police arrived - how would they tell the 'defenders' from the aggresssor? Cue more tears shed as the vigilante takes a police bullet.

 

[markjay]

...Also, as alluded to elsewhere, when the police arrived - how would they tell the 'defenders' from the aggresssor? Cue more tears shed as the vigilante takes a police bullet.

Indeed.

You do not want to be the person in civilian clothing holding a handgun when American cops arrive at the scene of a reported shooting....

 

[This is Pete]

The cinema in question had designated itself as a "gun free zone", so all law-abiding citizens would have given up their firearms upon entry (even those with a concealed carry license).

The irony is that there were some serving forces guys in the audience (and among the victims) who may well have been able to limit the carnage had they been able.

The states have various laws in place that are designed to protect the public as well as allowing them to protect themselves. However, there are always those who choose to act outside the law.

There's no simple solution here.

 

[bernie driscoll]

There's no simple solution here.

Simple solution - sensible gun control.

 

[neilrr]

If you are a lone gunman, and your intent is to shoot as many people as possible, it matters not if you can see clearly or not, anyone and anything in that place is a target. a fully auto or semi auto will be of help to you, you just fire in any direction and the chances are you will hit someone.
I would like to think, that like most people would that I would be the hero, the same as ...if anyone broke into my house I would.........if anyone did....I would do....... In reality you do not know how you would react until you are faced with the problem/scenario. Firing a weapon at someone, someone who can also fire at you is something not many people experience, especially when using hand guns.
I am not against private ownership of firearms, far from it.

According to one of the survivors he made his victims stand up before shooting them, so it would appear he wasn't spraying the crowd - James Holmes: Colorado Batman shooting witness says Aurora killer handpicked victims | Mail Online

According to wiki the fire alarm went off which I'm pretty sure would include turning on the lights in a venue such as a cinema - 2012 Aurora shooting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I am not sure if you have ever fired a handgun, or realise how difficult it is to fire it accurately, pitch dark or bright daylight.

Of course, if the armed people in the cinema didn't just buy a gun for a rainy day, but instead were all skilled marksmen, who, like our own armed police, train frequently, then I would have to agree that it would have prevented some of the injuries. But until then....

I lived in the USA for many years, owned revolvers & semi-automatic hand guns, shotguns and rifles, including some of the assault type weapons that get people here so excited. I've fired tens of thousands of rounds at targets, at game & just for fun. I'm a pretty good shot with a hand gun.

I reckon that bloke would have been dead long before he killed all those people if a couple of the film goers had been armed.

Unless you've lived in a society like the USA where everybody has a gun it's hard to understand it. They will never get rid of the guns there so perhaps logically the way to go is for everyone to carry. Generally, it does make for a very polite society until someone starts blazing. IMO the best way to handle a desperate situation such as Aurora is by fighting fire with fire. I know I'd rather take my chances that way than hoping I was lucky not to be picked on for execution by some nut case.

 

[Bellow]

According to one of the survivors he made his victims stand up before shooting them, so it would appear he wasn't spraying the crowd - James Holmes: Colorado Batman shooting witness says Aurora killer handpicked victims | Mail Online

According to wiki the fire alarm went off which I'm pretty sure would include turning on the lights in a venue such as a cinema - 2012 Aurora shooting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are also reports of people being injured in the adjacent auditoria from his stray bullets penetrating the dividing walls. Random shooting or lousy aim then.

They will never get rid of the guns there so perhaps logically the way to go is for everyone to carry. Generally, it does make for a very polite society until someone starts blazing. IMO the best way to handle a desperate situation such as Aurora is by fighting fire with fire. I know I'd rather take my chances that way than hoping I was lucky not to be picked on for execution by some nut case.

I agree that the US will never abandon gun ownership as absolute prohibition is all but un-enforceable.
However, the ability to legally buy repeat fire assault rifles and a stock of 6000 ammunition rounds is ridiculous. In this country we are denied more than two packets of paracetemol per purchase!
There is scope for tighter gun control in the US without denying those who feel in need of the protection (frequently as a deterrent) that arms can provide.

 

[neilrr]

Simple solution - sensible gun control.

Jeez, I wonder why that idea has never occurred to our American cousins?

Notice how quiet the politicians have been on the question of gun control in the wake of Aurora? Possibly something to do with an election coming up fairly soon?

The simple fact is most Americans outside of major cities on the NE & W coast (i.e the majority of people) do not want gun control tightened.

 

[Bellow]

The simple fact is most Americans outside of major cities on the NE & W coast (i.e the majority of people) do not want gun control tightened.

Then they will have to accept the massacres and quit the whingeing.

 

[neilrr]

There are also reports of people being injured in the adjacent auditoria from his stray bullets penetrating the dividing walls. Random shooting or lousy aim then.

All the more reason to shoot the bloke dead surely?

I agree that the US will never abandon gun ownership as absolute prohibition is all but un-enforceable.
However, the ability to legally buy repeat fire assault rifles and a stock of 6000 ammunition rounds is ridiculous. In this country we are denied more than two packets of paracetemol per purchase!
There is scope for tighter gun control in the US without denying those who feel in need of the protection (frequently as a deterrent) that arms can provide.

Automatic weapons are illegal as all get out in the USA & will get you many years in prison. Whether it's a brand new gnarly military style assault rifle, a WWII carbine or a bolt action rifle they all do the same thing & they all require you to pull the trigger each time to fire.

Then they will have to accept the massacres and quit the whingeing.

They do. I think they regard these unfortunate events as the price of freedom.

 

[markjay]

Then they will have to accept the massacres and quit the whingeing.

As said on another thread... we have massacres over here as well, and at surprisingly similar rate to the US (proportional to the size of the population).

Looks like there's nothing to stop a madman with a grudge to get hold of firearms (legally or otherwise) and go around killing people.

I think that this or that type of gun control has little affect on the massacre phenomenon as such.

There is a valid argument however in saying the armed civilians would have been able to prevent some of these massacres. I am not sure I agree, but as said this is a different discussion and one worth having.

 

[wilsodg]

Would you rather cower under your chair, take your chances & await your fate?

Statistically, if someone is letting loose with a firearm, your chances improve the closer you get to the floor. Hiding on the floor under a seat in that situation is probably the best idea!