Reply #14: The shooter, while he may plan to die... [View All]

[spin]

wants to take as many people with him as possible before he dies. If he merely wanted to get killed he would commit "suicide by cop".

For example:

Cops were called to St. Mary's Ave. in Rosebank about 6:55 a.m. after witnesses saw Aiello outside his home screaming and waving a gun.

"Jason, drop the gun!" at least one of the responding officers hollered.

Aiello was warned a second and third time. When he failed to comply, he was shot in the head.

"He was a cop," a police source said. "He knew what to do when ordered to drop his weapon. It looks like suicide by cop."
http://www.policeone.com/suicide-by-cop/articles/1717818-Retired-NY-Sgt-killed-in-apparent-suicide-by-cop/

So I believe you are correct when you say that

a large majority of the people who commit these acts are intending to die.

However, they don't merely take their own life or lacking the courage to do that, prompt an encounter with the police.

"These killers are not necessarily loners, but turn to murder when something happens to shatter their world," forensic psychologist Dr Keith Ashcroft said.

"They want to appear to be superhuman and controlling and powerful, to go out in a hail of bullets... The whole thing is a suicide even though you are killing people in the process.

"Suicidal people often internalise their anger, but with murder/suicides, the anger is turned outwards as well as inwards."

Virginia Tech killer Cho Seung-Hui does appear to have fallen into the loner category, with his murderous ramage set off by some real or imagined slight.

And he has traits common with other high school killers; a lack of self-worth, a desire to be recognised, a macabre drive for the biggest body count and, crucially, premeditation, the killing sprees are planned in advance. underlining mine

True, the likelihood of a armed worshiper in the congregation might be slim but there was the incident of the "security guard" in the Colorado Springs church. Jeanne Assam faced an intruder with two handguns, a semi-auto rifle and 1000 rounds of ammunition. Had she not stopped this shooter, many more people would have died.

But while she was called a security guard, she appears to be a volunteer with a concealed carry permit:

Boyd said there are 15 to 20 security people at the church. All are volunteers but the only ones armed are those who are licensed to carry weapons.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/14817480/detail.html

_______

Assam has been treated respectfully by the media, but she hasn't been praised enough. In a more common-sense world, she'd have been the cover of every mainstream magazine under the banner headline "hero." Instead, Assam has been characterized thousands of times in media stories as a "security guard," and a former big city cop who performed well under pressure. This portrayal, while technically accurate, can be counterproductive.

Assam was a "security guard" only in the loosest sense the phrase. She wasn't paid. She didn't have a badge. She wasn't wearing a uniform. If she was a "security guard," so is any citizen who's licensed to carry a gun.

**********snip**********

When remembering the tragedy of Dec. 9, 2007, remember it like this: A year ago, a private citizen with a gun saved the lives of hundreds of people a deranged gunman planned to kill. The woman, with only a small-caliber handgun and a few rounds, stopped a heavily-armed maniac. A year ago, an ordinary person put her life on the line so that others might live.

Jeanne Assam did what any level-headed, responsible citizen could do with the proper preparation and motivation. Do not remember her actions as the work of just some "security guard."

We don't need more cops and security guards to keep us safe. We need more responsible, ordinary, average citizens to take responsibility for the safety of themselves and others - as Jeanne Assam did.
http://www.gazette.com/opinion/assam_44596___article.html/security_guard.html