My next door neighbor got shot!
 

If you think there is less violence in small towns, think again. Brenda, my next door neighbor in my four plex had taken in her son. The son was a wierd ass kid who spooked me from day one. He also started having very loud arguments with his Mom from day one.

I guess he wasn't happy about getting to live rent free with all his meals provided by his hard working Mom who has a demanding job cleaning and sterilizing operating rooms at the local hospital.

Well, last night they had the loudest argument yet. Then I heard some sounds that I thought were late 4th of July fireworkers, and everything next door went dead quiet - until the ambulance and the police showed up.

It turns out that the "firecrackers" were the sounds of the boy shooting Brenda. He shot her in the back and then tried to shoot her in the head, but lucky for Brenda, the gun misfired, and she was able to crawl to the phone and dial 911. She is now in the hospital up in Grand Junction, Colorado.

And I thought I had gotten away from all that big city violence by moving to a town of 10,000 souls. Whatever is this world coming to? :thepain:

You can't get away from violence without getting away from people...
and animals...
and carnivorous plants.

The best you can do is try to keep yourself safe... I hope you will. :thumb:

Troubled kids SUCK !!!!!
I hope he is in Jail and stays there for a Good Long time !!!
thoughts and prayers for you And Yer neighbor !!

It's sad and startling when something like that happens so close to home.
Our neighbor too.

But it is going to happen more and more often here in the US.

Why do you think that, Lamplighter?

the coming new world of the 2nd Amendment, of course

Oh - how awful!!

Keep us updated on her, Sam. How terrible for her!!

Hmmmm... To the best of my recollection, the second amendment has been around for a while. I don't see why it would cause a sudden increase in the rate of domestic violence now.

That damn kid would have probably hit Brenda in the head with a rock if a gun had not been available.

As a matter of fact, the courts have just issued a ruling affirming that its a felony for a person convicted of domestic violence to own a gun.

Somehow, I'd bet that this incident was just a new high in violent behavior by junior. I doubt if he'd be very impressed by the court's ruling making it illegal for him to own a firearm. :eyebrow:

The debate over guns is like religion... it can divide the best of friends.

I suspect the general public and both sides believe the recent SC decision will change (increase) gun ownership throughout the US.
But people differ on whether that's a good thing or not.

I think it's a simple extrapolation that the higher the prevalence of guns, the higher the number incidents of gun violence will occur.
A link to Harvard's research center on prevalence and incidents is here

The US has always promoted efficiency.

That is the logical assumption I would make as well. I recall reading something that concluded just the opposite. Damned if I can find it now though.

John Lott, More Guns, Less Crime

lol

Interesting overview. Thank you. I have always felt that if someone is compelled to violence then s/he would simply resort to whatever is handy - be it a knife, a rock, or a gun. Your link makes me feel that I may have to rethink this stance.

However, I remain a firm believer in the right to bear arms. And there are countries where the link between weapons ownership and violence are not especially related. Switzerland, for one. And I'm sure there are others.

Because in countries where that relationship exists, the 'gun control' that politics so fear is required in places such as Switzerland. In Switzerland gun ownership is heavily regulated that includes constant military training, guns that are always traceable, and consequences for using a gun without that training.