School Bus Driver Shot, Child Taken Hostage

[moobu2]

Source: Local WKRG Alabama News

MIDLAND CITY, Ala. --
Police are investigating a shooting aboard a school bus in Midland City - about 10 miles northwest of Dothan.

The Dale County Sheriff says that an unidentified man boarded a school bus, shot a bus driver several times and left the bus with a 6-year-old passenger Tuesday afternoon.

Police say the incident unfolded after the bus driver refused the suspect's demand to let the child off of the bus. Authorities say the man took the child to an area behind a nearby church and police were negotiating with him Tuesday evening.

The condition of the bus driver is unclear.

Police in Midland City were not immediately available to comment, and a call to the Dale City Sheriff's office was not answered Tuesday evening.

Read more: http://www2.wkrg.com/news/2013/jan/29/school-bus-driver-shot-child-taken-hostage-ar-5474693/

[liberal N proud]

1. Now we will have to arm the bus driver too.

More guns, more guns!

[SummerSnow]

2. and don't forget, you have to arm the children as well.

Just expressing the NRA sentiments

[kestrel91316]

3. MOAR GUNZ!!!!

[southernyankeebelle]

4. Sick. Of course they blame the dems because we won't allow guns on buses.

[catchnrelease]

5. Article updated

The article at the link says that the bus driver was killed. Tried to do the right thing and dies for it.

[another_liberal]

6. Guns don't kill people . . .

Guns don't kill people, school buses kill people.

(sigh)

[Chorophyll]

7. How much you wanna bet this is a custody battle situation?

I'm so fucking sick of a culture that encourages people to solve all of their problems with guns. And I firmly believe that the NRA and all of their brainwashed minions (including a few right here at DU) are complicit in this shit.

I'm so sorry for the bus driver and his or her family.

[SunSeeker]

9. It does not appear so. The shooter was a 67-year-old local man per reports.

According to locals, the bus made regular stops by his house. Sounds like one of the kids caught his deranged eye.

[Chorophyll]

16. Oh shit.

Even worse.

[lunasun]

18. Told driver he needed 2 kids between the ages of 6-8. Driver refused and was shot

He took one boy. No one targeted for kidnap
at least that is what local papers say and that he is in a bunker
and folks around said he was .......odd

[Chorophyll]

23. Wow. I don't really pray but I'll pray for the best possible outcome here.

I can't even imagine what this child's family is going through right now.

[lunasun]

29. Ok for now

Law enforcement officials said the hostage, a 6-year-old boy who has not been identified, “is okay” and had recently been delivered some needed medication. Police continue to communicate with Dykes through a PVC pipe leading into the bunker.
Hopefully he just wants to school the boy in how terrible the govrnmt is, or that war is hell and then will let him go
That is the best scenario at this point
Since he may be a vet with PTSD then he may have some background with the VA + that knowledge could help end the stand off peacefully.
The background story is sort of unclear imo

[Chorophyll]

30. I really appreciate your updates. Thank you.

I really hope this is resolved today.

The larger story is that we are not doing right by our veterans AT ALL. This guy shouldn't have been blowing around on his own, freaking out his neighbors. There's just no reason for that.

[siligut]

34. Thanks

[triplepoint]

8. We've Now Made "GunNUT Action" Quota for the Week!

Last edited Wed Jan 30, 2013, 07:56 PM - Edit history (1)

and it's ONLY Tuesday!

[Fearless]

10. Guess we need armed students on the bus now too.

[csziggy]

11. The shooter is some kind of nut

Dykes was scheduled to be in court Wednesday for a bench trial on a menacing charge.

James Edward Davis Jr., who lives near Dykes on Private Road 1539, told the Dothan Eagle that Dykes pulled a gun on him and his daughter on Dec. 10 after Dykes believed Davis had driven in Dykes' yard. Davis said he reported Dykes to the Dale County Sheriff's Department. Dykes was arrested Dec. 22 and charged with menacing.

"It's the craziest thing. He will be outside in his yard digging dirt at 2:30 in the morning," Davis Jr. told the Eagle .

“He’s the type that thinks the government’s out to get him,” said Creel, who also said Dykes is a Vietnam veteran. “He’s not right in the head.”

http://www.dothaneagle.com/news/crime_court/article_0abb616c-6a5f-11e2-afc7-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=story

He threatens people with a gun, but he's permitted to keep his guns while waiting for court?

[AtheistCrusader]

12. I'm a little surprised they didn't collect his guns until the trial then.

This is where national registration would be useful. The police would know when to knock on the door, and what to collect when a person crosses that line from lawful, to criminal (or charged with a crime, a variety of criminal charges of which temporarily restrict firearm possession) or into adjudicated mental health care, involuntarily.

[Blandocyte]

14. thought the gov't was out to get him?

Well, now it really is out to get him.

Imagine being in charge of the hostage rescue knowing that the armed nut roll is being forced further into his delusional system by the reality that you truly are an agent of the government come to take him in.

[Ganja Ninja]

15. “He’s the type that thinks the government’s out to get him,” “He’s not right in the head.”

There's a lot of that going around.

Thanks Rush & Glenn & all you fuckers at FOX. This is another one of yours.

[They_Live]

19. Rush, Glenn, and Alex Jones

all own this, and have blood on their hands.

[dixiegrrrrl]

21. He will be outside in his yard digging dirt at 2:30 in the morning,

sounds like meth, to me.
Part of meth high is prolonged repetitive compulsive behavior, like re-arranging pebbles over and over for hours.

[Blue_Tires]

31. I guess he decided to "go down shooting" instead of showing up to court...

"The gunman, identified by neighbors as Jimmy Lee Dykes, a 65-year-old retired truck driver, was known around the neighborhood as a menacing figure who once beat a dog to death with a lead pipe, threatened to shoot children for setting foot on his property and patrolled his yard at night with a flashlight and a shotgun...."

http://www.dothaneagle.com/news/crime_court/article_ae76c69e-6b26-11e2-ae07-001a4bcf6878.html


How does a person live to 65 with that much fear and hate in his heart?

[Sunlei]

17. Bus driver has died, the man is holed up in his underground bunker /w stockpile of food.

time to fill that small space with anesthesia.

[csziggy]

22. Anesthesia could hurt the child

No law enforcement agency wants a repeat of the deaths in the Russian theater seige. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_theater_hostage_crisis

According to the news source the child needs medicine every day and so far the man has allowed the authorities to drop the medicine down the pipe they are using for communication. He's an older man - 67, I think - so all they have to do is figure out how to get access and wait for him to fall asleep.

[Sunlei]

24. I hope he sends out the child unharmed before he offs himself :(

more innocent children subjected to this insanity

[csziggy]

27. I'm with you - even if he wants to die, let the kid go!

From a message on a different forum site:

Just talked to a friend who just talked to their friend with the Dothan PD and according to that person - There has been no contact made with either the suspect or the child since 8 pm last night. The suspect warned the police that he has the bunker rigged with explosives that will detonate if they attempt entry and they are worried there may be even more explosives buried around the bunker. Also, the suspect made a statement to the police that he was NOT coming out alive.

Not sourced because it was a personal conversation related on the forum.

Other messages there say that the child is autistic. That can't help the situation in the bunker with this nut, though it sort of explains why that child was the one that couldn't run away.

[randome]

20. "Send...more...gunnnns!"

[riverwalker]

26. more on Dykes

The Southern Poverty Law Center said today that Dale County Sheriff’s Investigator Tim Byrd told SPLC’s “Hatewatch” that Dykes has “anti-America” views. They described him as a “survivalist” with ties to the antigovernment movement.

http://blog.al.com/montgomery/2013/01/midland_city_hostage_atf_explo.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[csziggy]

28. Here is a direct link to the SPLC message about this

http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2013/01/30/police-hostage-taker-in-alabama-standoff-has-anti-america-views/

[struggle4progress]

32. Police talk to Alabama captor through PVC pipe

Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 9:13 PM
There were signs the standoff in Midland City, Ala., could continue for some time: A state legislator said the shelter has electricity, food and TV.
By PHILLIP RAWLS
The Associated Press

MIDLAND CITY, Ala. — Hostage negotiators spoke into a 4-inch-wide ventilation pipe on Thursday, trying to talk a man into releasing a kindergartner and end a standoff that had stretched into its third day ...

James Arrington, police chief of the neighboring town of Pinckard, said the shelter was about 4 feet underground, with about 6-by-8 feet of floor space and a PVC pipe that negotiators were speaking through.

There were signs the standoff could continue for some time: A state legislator said the shelter has electricity, food and TV. Arrington said the captor has been sleeping and told negotiators he has spent long periods in the shelter before.

By Thursday night, no end was in sight. The FBI stayed in contact with Dykes by day and let him sleep at night, Arrington said. “They’re taking time and trying to wear him out,” he said. “He may do harm if they try to rush him. We don’t know how much ammunition or bombs he has.” ...

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2020260715_alastandoffxml.html

[Blue_Tires]

33. I'm curious to know what the bastard thinks he's going to negotiate for...

He's still going to prison for the rest of his life once he comes out...

[struggle4progress]

35. Authorities release photo of accused Ala. abductor

By MELISSA NELSON-GABRIEL and JAY REEVES, Associated Press
January 31, 2013 | Updated: February 1, 2013 9:21pm

... Neighbor Michael Creel said Dykes put the plastic pipe underground from the bunker to the end of his driveway so he can hear if anyone drives up to his gate. When Dykes finished the shelter a year or so ago, he in invited Creel to see it and he did.

"He was bragging about it. He said, 'Come check it out," Creel said.

He said he believes Dykes' goal with the standoff is a chance to publicize his political beliefs.

"I believe he wants to rant and rave about politics and government," Creel said. "He's very concerned about his property. He doesn't want his stuff messed with." ...

http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Authorities-release-photo-of-accused-Ala-abductor-4237995.php