Jump to content

Another day. Another mass shooting in America.


Recommended Posts

Guest CzarnaWisnia

About the Dayton shooter:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/05/us/connor-betts-dayton-shooting-profile/index.html

(CNN)A Twitter account that appears to belong to Dayton mass shooter Connor Betts retweeted extreme left-wing and anti-police posts, as well as tweets supporting Antifa, or anti-fascist, protesters.

The most recent tweet on the @iamthespookster account was on August 3, the day of the shooting, when he retweeted a post saying, "Millenials have a message for the Joe Biden generation: hurry up and die." He also retweeted messages supporting Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
The user's Twitter bio reads: "he/him / anime fan / metalhead / leftist / I'm going to hell and I'm not coming back." One tweet used the hashtag #HailSatan.
Police are still trying to determine what motivated Betts to kill nine people early Sunday morning in a popular nightlife district in downtown Dayton. He was killed by police officers on patrol nearby 30 seconds after he opened fire.
 
 
    In the hours before the Dayton shooting, the Twitter account "liked" several tweets about a shooting in El Paso, Texas, that left 22 dead, including one supporting gun control and others that called the El Paso shooting suspect a "terrorist," and a "white supremacist."
    The account also retweeted posts against ICE agents, including one that said, "these people are monsters," and multiple posts condemning police, and supporting Antifa protesters, who often use violent tactics. There were also many tweets of selfies, photos with a friend and ordinary memes and nonpolitical content.
     
    The account was suspended by Twitter on Sunday evening. A Twitter spokesperson would not comment on the account, only saying in a statement, "We're proactively removing content that violates our policies and will be engaged with law enforcement, as appropriate."

    Former classmates say gunman had a 'hit list' in high school

    As a high school student, the gunman had a "hit list" of classmates he wanted to "kill" or "rape," said former students who said they were told by school officials they were on the list.
    Spencer Brickler said a counselor at Bellbrook High School in Ohio told him he and his sister were on Connor Betts' hit list.
    Brickler recalled sitting on a school bus about nine years ago when he saw Betts getting escorted away by officers investigating the threats.
    "He was kind of dark and depressive in high school," said Brickler, who was a freshman when the school counselor told him about the hit list. He said he had no idea what prompted Betts, then a sophomore, to put him or his sister on the list.
     
    Authorities searched the Betts' family home in Bellbrook, a suburb southeast of Dayton, and uncovered writings that expressed an interest in killing people, two law enforcement sources told CNN.
    But the writings did not indicate any racial or political motive, sources said.

    Former classmate said he called police

    A former high school classmate of the shooter said he and another classmate called police years ago to warn them that Betts had a "kill list."
    David Partridge said a friend had showed him text messages she received from Betts referencing his "kill list," and that one of Partridge's relatives was on it. Partridge told his friend he was going to call police and said he convinced her to do the same.
    "I said, 'Hey, I don't want to drag you into this, but we have to go to the police. This guy could go to the school, he could kill people, he could hurt my family, he could hurt you,'" Partridge recalled telling his friend.
    In an interview with CNN, Partridge said he believed the incident occurred about 10 years ago, when he was a sophomore at Bellbrook High School. He said police took his friend's cell phone as part of their investigation.
    After calling police, Partridge said he confronted Betts over the phone.
     
    "(I) said, 'Hey ... I hear there is this hit list, and you've got my family on there. What is this about? Why have you written these things?' He was really avoidant about me confronting him about this, denying it, and not angry, but just shocked that someone had gone up to him and said, 'What is this, Connor?'" Partridge recalled.
    Partridge said he witnessed Betts being detained by police at school the following day.
    CNN has repeatedly requested records pertaining to Betts from the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek school district.
    Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools Superintendent Douglas A. Cozad confirmed that Betts was a student who graduated in 2013. In a statement, the superintendent said they need to get approval from their legal counsel or a court before releasing records. Although Betts is deceased, Ohio law offers broader protections for students' records and "we have no official documentation of the student's death at this time," the statement said.
    CNN requested records from the Sugarcreek Police Department, and they responded with a file on Betts that showed "sealed records" had been expunged.

    A 'kill list' for boys and a 'rape list' for girls

    Another former high school classmate, who asked not to be identified out of concerns for his privacy, also recalled being summoned to a school administrator's office and being told he was "number one" on the list of students Betts wanted to kill.
    He said the list was separated into two columns: a "kill list" for boys and a "rape list" for girls.
     
    Another source, who also asked not to be named for privacy reasons, told CNN that Betts sent messages about the list to one of his classmates, who told her mother. Her mother then notified the police, who came to the school and interviewed people on the list individually in the school's office.
    "Personally, it freaked me out," said the classmate who was told she was on the list. "I started having panic attacks in the school building."
    A fourth person, who also asked not to be named for privacy reasons, said, "All I know is there was a list of violent actions and a list of names including mine."
    She said some of the names were female students who, like her, turned him down for dates. She said Betts often simulated shooting other students and threatened to kill himself and others on several occasions.
    "He loved to look at you and pretend to shoot with guns, guns with his hands," she said.
    Another former classmate, who was not on the list, said he met Betts through a "friend of a friend." He said whenever they hung out, Betts would talk about violence and use harsh language about women, like calling them "sluts."
    Betts' former classmates told CNN that they recalled Betts being removed from the school for at least a year, but that he later returned to Bellbrook High.
    The shooter later attended Sinclair Community College in Dayton but was not enrolled in the summer term, the school's president Steve Johnson said.
    Not everyone remembered Betts as a troubled teen.
    Betts' friend Brad Howard described the gunman as "a really nice kid" who was quiet and kept to himself.
    Howard said he grew up with Betts and knew him for over 20 years.
    He said news of Betts' final act was "a kick in the teeth" to the community.

     

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    The only time I can see anything changing is if someone ever shoots up congress or kills a number of politicians, THEN they might consider making some changes. Until then the rest of the plebs just need to hope that their next visit to a mall or church or nightclub isn't their last. What a fucked up society,

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Guest eroticerotic
    On 8/5/2019 at 11:37 AM, Voguerista said:

    I agree on everything you wrote. It's a problem caused by many issues not just one. What's sad is both parties agree on so many things that would help (from stricter gun laws and helping the mentally ill)and yet, it's all talk and mouth after every shooting and nothing gets done. Also there are existing laws now that aren't enforced. You really do have to wonder how much the NRA controls and owns everyone from both parties and the entire system. It's just sad. 😑😪

    U do have a point. Y is it so common in USA? I can only think that we prioritize media and fame  differently.  Different values.

    before the net it was always the entertainment industry. I mean there’s def room for reform in those areas too.

    As far as crime in the USA, it’s always been pretty violent. I found vintage articles with the headline “is America getting more violent?” In each decade I looked into.

    I think when u revolve life around superficial things this cray shit happens.

    In the 70s it was serial killers, 90s it was fatal attractions, 10s it’s mass shootings. For example. And romanticizing these things won’t help I don’t think.

    This need to be famous to feel loved creates intense delusion and isolation,  and it’s a priority in USA to be famous.

     

     

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    8 hours ago, eroticerotic said:

    U do have a point. Y is it so common in USA? I can only think that we prioritize media and fame  differently.  Different values.

    before the net it was always the entertainment industry. I mean there’s def room for reform in those areas too.

    As far as crime in the USA, it’s always been pretty violent. I found vintage articles with the headline “is America getting more violent?” In each decade I looked into.

    I think when u revolve life around superficial things this cray shit happens.

    In the 70s it was serial killers, 90s it was fatal attractions, 10s it’s mass shootings. For example. And romanticizing these things won’t help I don’t think.

    This need to be famous to feel loved creates intense delusion and isolation,  and it’s a priority in USA to be famous.

     

     

    Couldn't agree more again! So very true on everything you wrote. It's a harder and colder society. Also, kids have to raise themselves. They aren't taught about what to do when the worst happens. They aren't taught what to do when they get challenged, what to do when they lose, and/or are bullied. Then there are the alcohol and drug issues in this society and how everything is laced with THC or something to get you addicted quickly. They get angry when they are doing these things. They hallucinate. They can't think right. They just know they are angry in that state and want to make someone else pay. It's endless. It's sad.  

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Guest eroticerotic
    27 minutes ago, Voguerista said:

    Couldn't agree more again! So very true on everything you wrote. It's a harder and colder society. Also, kids have to raise themselves. They aren't taught about what to do when the worst happens. They aren't taught what to do when they get challenged, what to do when they lose, and/or are bullied. Then there are the alcohol and drug issues in this society and how everything is laced with THC or something to get you addicted quickly. They get angry when they are doing these things. They hallucinate. They can't think right. They just know they are angry in that state and want to make someone else pay. It's endless. It's sad.  

    Thank u dear.  sharing actual convos I had with people about this w my m fam. It just seems like people like to skip around the elephants in the rooms. If nothing changes it’s time to look at what is happening from a different POV. The more the better. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    2 hours ago, eroticerotic said:

    Thank u dear.  sharing actual convos I had with people about this w my m fam. It just seems like people like to skip around the elephants in the rooms. If nothing changes it’s time to look at what is happening from a different POV. The more the better. 

    This!!!! Well said on everything! Adding: I think everyone in this topic has it figured out in many ways for things that could seriously help this issue, so why can't our leaders do so? 🤦‍♀️😑

    Edited by Voguerista
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Serious question for American members. See all the time where leaders, NRA, parents, religious groups, citizens all look for causes of mass gun massacres and blame media, drugs, mental illness,  dysfunctional families and violent video games. ALL of these issues are huge problems world wide yet no other country in the entire world has such huge amounts of continual shooting massacres.  What does that tell people ?  Gun massacres are caused because of gun culture and the ability for people to get easier assess to automatic rifles. Compare the gun shooting deaths to all other countries in the world and the answer is obvious. 

    Feel so sorry that so many innocent Americans die by senseless gun violence. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    As someone not from the U.S., I have the Feeling that the attitude in Europe towards those mass Shootings ín the U.S. has changed. Back in the past, there were discussions (of Course, it is very very vey hard to find anyone who understands the Obsession with guns in the U.S. and the lack of Control.) and People were sorry for the victims. With those recent Shootings it seems like an "okay, another one. what's new?". People do not care anymore. And quite frankly, why should they if the U.S. do not really care and get the issue solved. 

    But it's not only with this issue. It's also with military operations. Most of Europe (well, not the UK of Course) no longer joins the U.S. military. Example: Iran - street of Hormuz. They have all learned their lesson and Trump with his lies about military spending and the lies about the U.S. army protecting Europe has burned so many bridges that the U.S. is so isolated like they have never been before. Obama had a  hard time rebuilding trust after Bush jr. and his illegal invasion in Iraq. I feel sorry for any democrat president that comes after Trump. The amount of shit he or she needs to clean up is so huge, it's a Herculian task and requires something that U.S. politics is not really familar with: humility. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    7 hours ago, Raider of the lost Ark said:

    As someone not from the U.S., I have the Feeling that the attitude in Europe towards those mass Shootings ín the U.S. has changed. Back in the past, there were discussions (of Course, it is very very vey hard to find anyone who understands the Obsession with guns in the U.S. and the lack of Control.) and People were sorry for the victims. With those recent Shootings it seems like an "okay, another one. what's new?". People do not care anymore. And quite frankly, why should they if the U.S. do not really care and get the issue solved. 

    But it's not only with this issue. It's also with military operations. Most of Europe (well, not the UK of Course) no longer joins the U.S. military. Example: Iran - street of Hormuz. They have all learned their lesson and Trump with his lies about military spending and the lies about the U.S. army protecting Europe has burned so many bridges that the U.S. is so isolated like they have never been before. Obama had a  hard time rebuilding trust after Bush jr. and his illegal invasion in Iraq. I feel sorry for any democrat president that comes after Trump. The amount of shit he or she needs to clean up is so huge, it's a Herculian task and requires something that U.S. politics is not really familar with: humility. 

     

    Absolutely

    For a country that has given so much to the world it is also a country that is culturally backwards in more than one sense. And the ridiculous God Bless America mantra, tragic and ignorant, it is time some people realised that the United States is not the be all and end all of the world. Assuming the existence of a God and given the definition of the concept and word why would God favour any country over another?  :lmao: beyond dumb, it reminds me of those footballers doing the cross sign before hitting the ball, pathetic

    The first thing that countries like the US, the UK, Israel, France, Italy, Germany etc should start doing is to finally stop antagonising moderate and secular Muslim countries while ironically they keep pumping gazillions worth of arms sales into the hands of Saudi Arabia and the likes, that are actually the ones fostering violence and extremism among Islam.

    It just makes no sense whatsoever, if not that feeding instability serves the elites in their little petty geopolitical chess play. From before 9/11 to all that much more after it

    And they have the nerve to call out China, Russia and Iran (or Syria) for that matter, all countries that have not attacked (illegally too, I might add) any other country in 200 years of history, which is not exactly the same for the US, the EU and NATO is it now? But of course so many people actually do revel in the ignorant and self serving democracy exportation false ideology they love selling to the sheep

    Truth is Washington knows the clock is ticking and they resort to their usual pathetic book of tricks. See constant and decades long interference with South American countries, see Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela etc

    Never mind China holds so much of the US debt they could pull the plug any time would they wish too. Twenty trillion dollars worth of debt resulting from decades long excessive military spending rather than putting money into the education of its citizens.

    Instead you have a university system where you pay $200k a year and still have not learned a thing, then again for those who can afford such a ridiculous fee they don't need to learn a thing because they are already elite born and elite serving individuals. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    And by the way, violence, racism, sexism, religious fundamentalism (of any creed and persuasion), aggression are all interconnected aspects of the same root problem. What the US does externally, whether a Democrat or Republican is sitting in the White House makes little difference in substance, is a reflection of those very internal problems they have

    What Madonna highlighted 29 years ago in this rather peculiar Nightline interview is as valid now as it was then, so current, the cultural hypocrisy of the entire American system is quite staggering

    Why does violence gets to be glorified at all times, yet it is not possible to display two consenting adults showing affection to each other (among other things), says it all really, the paradox indeed

     

     

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Just another day in Walmart. Luckily he was apprehended him before he could’ve done something. :scared:

    Man carrying weapons, wearing body armor arrested at Missouri Walmart

    By DAVID MATTHEWS

    NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

    AUG 08, 2019 | 9:07 PM

    Police in Springfield, Mo., responded to a possible mass shooter event at a Walmart after witnesses reported an armed man wearing body armor pushing a cart in the store.

    According to police, the man was filming other customers’ reactions to him on his cellphone.

    The store’s manager pulled a fire alarm to encourage customers to escape.

    The man, described as being white and in his 20s, left the store through an emergency exit where he was detained by an off-duty firefighter who had a conceal-carry permit.

    Officers arrived at the scene within three minutes of the call and arrested the man.

    Police confirmed the man was armed and had more than 100 rounds on ammunition.

    “His intent was not to cause peace or comfort ... He’s lucky he’s alive still, to be honest," Springfield Police Lieutenant Mike Lucas said.

    Police said however that no motive had been determined yet.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    On Facebook and Twitter a bunch of pro-gun people say he shouldn’t have been arrested because Missouri is an open carry state and Walmart allows people to go into their stores with their legally purchased guns. Um, he had a BIG rifle out, was wearing body armor, and had 100 rounds of ammunition! :wacko:

    ETA: Here’s a pic 

     

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    This is very heartbreaking, and it must be so scary to everyone living there.

    I'm not a father, but I can imagine how anyone with children must be feeling. Scary..

    But also, I have to say one thing. Americans have had the right to carry guns for a long time now. I don't understand why this is happening so much all of a sudden. It is confusing. To be quite honest, it reeks of a political agenda.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    20 hours ago, I Don’t Search I Find said:

    On Facebook and Twitter a bunch of pro-gun people say he shouldn’t have been arrested because Missouri is an open carry state and Walmart allows people to go into their stores with their legally purchased guns. Um, he had a BIG rifle out, was wearing body armor, and had 100 rounds of ammunition! :wacko:

    ETA: Here’s a pic 

     

    Says it all.  So crazy that is is beyond comprehension. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    • 3 weeks later...

    It’s not getting a ton of press coverage in the U.S. because “only” 5 people died. And some stupid college football game in Texas today is getting much much more tweets than this Texas shooting. :wacko: 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    On 2 September 2019 at 4:23 AM, I Don’t Search I Find said:

    “God-given rights”? 😑

     

    God given rights ? :manson:

    I watched a report yesterday that said in Texas they have actually relaxed the gun laws even further.   Making it easier to carry guns in schools, churches etc. Too weird and brutal to even contemplate and sadly, no body is even remotely shocked anymore at American gun massacres. 

     

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Reply to this topic...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

    ×
    ×
    • Create New...