Conn. shooter told 911 he 'handled the problem'

ap ^ | Aug 5 | STEPHEN SINGER

[JoeProBono]

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- The man who went on a shooting rampage at a beer distributor calmly told a 911 operator that it was "a racist place" and that he had taken matters into his own hands and "handled the problem."

Omar Thornton, 34, called 911 after shooting 10 co-workers - eight fatally - on Tuesday morning at Hartford Distributors. He introduced himself as "the shooter over in Manchester" and said he was hiding in the building, but would not say where......

[sportutegrl]

In Jena, LA, 6 black men beat up a white student so badly that he is hospitalized, then claim that it was justified because of RACISM.

A gunman kills 5 on the Long Island RR and blames RACISM.

After 9/11 the D.C. beltway snipers kill innocent citizens and blame RACISM.

In Conneticut, a murderer's family and friends, in an act that goes beyond evil, blames innocent victims as racists' just to protect the reputation of their dead brother. What's the matter, was the families of the victims not suffering enough for you blacks? We don't know if they were racists are not, they are no longer here to defend themselves, but given previous events, I no longer instantly believe the cries of racism.

Do you see a pattern here? When can we start blaming black liberation theology and the phony black 'preachers' that preach nothing but hate whitey?

[FrdmLvr]

Yeah, it was a horrible place to work. He could barely stand it as he showed up every day to steal beer and sell it to da homies. He didn’t seem to mind the racists until they fired him. Then he suddenly couldn’t take it anymore.

[Maverick68]

Perhaps he “perceived” whitey as being racist due to his guilty conscience.
He was a hate filled thief and made up enemies where none existed.
Personally I don’t CARE if the guy was in a “hostile” work environment seeing as how HE probably made it that way.

[WeatherGuy]

In the times we’re living in, any white person in this country that doesn’t own (and carry) a firearm for self-defense is crazy.

[RobRoy]

>>And the very fact you are giving credence to a murdering lunatic’s claim implies you are excusing his actions.<<

That is your inference. It is also incorrect.

All people think their actions are justified - even someone committing suicide. That’s why they do them. But often their position is purely their own and no reasonable person, based on the body of evidence, would agree with them.

That said, when I read about this sort of thing it reminds me of what the main character in “A Christmas Story” finally did to the bully. It happens. I’ve seen it happen. I’m not saying it is what happened here. I am saying it is possible, based on what those of us not directly involved actually know.

It in no way justifies what this guy did.

[RobRoy]

>>That right there makes me think he was (1) a liar, (2) delusional, or (3) both.<<

I actually agree. That is probably the case. All I am saying in my posts is that it is also possible that there is more to the story. I’m sure time will tell.

[2nd amendment mama]

I by no means think his actions were justified, but I would not be a bit surprised to find out his claims are true. I’ve seen it myself. One really does need to consider how far one pushes other people. You never know...

I've known the family that owns Hartford Distributors for almost 30 years and they've never been racist! You are speaking about something you have ABSOLUTELY NO knowledge of!!!

[skeeter]

It in no way justifies what this guy did.

You may believe otherwise, but in reality thats exactly what you are doing.

This kind of worthless pop psychology was a dangerous road to start down, the justice system currently stinks with it, and while we contemplate feelings and motives real people are suffering & dying as a consequence.

I'm surprised everyone - criminals and defense attornies aside - doesn't see that by now.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The biggest racists these days are the ones running around calling other people racists.

This guy simply took it one step further than Barack Obama himself.

[RobRoy]

>>You are speaking about something you have ABSOLUTELY NO knowledge of!!!<<

Exactly! I am speaking as someone who only read the news articles. If you have more perfect information, that gives you a more perfect perspective. And as such information is released to the general public, “informed” people can home in on a belief regarding the events that is closer to the actual truth of what type of environment really preceded this.

[RobRoy]

>>You may believe otherwise, but in reality thats exactly what you are doing.<<

Nope. I am bringing up the concept of “mitigating circumstances”. That is not justifying the actions.

I am also only bringing up the concept of these mitigating circumstances. I am not saying they actually existed. I’m saying that, barring new information, it is within the realm of possibility that they existed.

I think the main disconnect many of the posters and I are having is that I am using this case to address the general concepts that this case brings up, as opposed to whether they actually apply in this case.

[cherry]

why does the headline read “Shooter”???...it should read “Killer”....

[cripplecreek]

Its those damn herring shuckers (Norwegians) I worry about.

[RobRoy]

>>This kind of worthless pop psychology was a dangerous road to start down, the justice system currently stinks with it, and while we contemplate feelings and motives real people are suffering & dying as a consequence.<<

I disagree. Human beings are dangerous. A person does well to learn at an early age to not antagonize other people. You may not deserve their over-reaction but, like the old defensive driving commercials from the 1960’s: Yeah, he was right. Dead right.

I’m speaking generally here. Not about this particular case.

[Maverick68]

“Exactly! I am speaking as someone who only read the news articles. “

---

And the only FACTS we have from the articles is that a thief MURDERED innocent people in cold blood.
Everything else is speculation.
Perhaps you could spend some time speculating that Omar might have been the CAUSE of any workplace racism due to his boorish and/or thug-like behaviour.
We also know from experience that often times black people are the CAUSE of the stereotypes that some whites have about them
...Hell, there’s as much evidence to support THAT theory as any other....

[Ammo Republic 15]

Whenever I read your comments concerning Hollywood and TV I always smile.

You are 100% correct.

(btw, I have no cable or satelite either)

[skeeter]

In a court of law mitigating circumstances usually are brought up in an effort to reduce the level of responsibility for the offense.

Why are you bringing it up?

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

“Handled the problem” makes me think of the insanity spoken between Jack Nicholson and the “caretaker” in the movie The Shining. Problem is that was a only a movie. This is not.

[Maverick68]

good catch...

[RobRoy]

>>Why are you bringing it up?<<

Because, in this case, I consider it an interesting mental exercise. A hint of my own interest in this sort of thing is in my post regarding the movie “A Christmas Story”.

Regarding this specific case, I only know what is in the news reports. That means this guy’s “reason” for killing 8 people in cold blood is nothing but a big fat claim and, frankly, even if true, in no way justifies what he did.

I will say this though, if I were a judge in two cases of women killing their husbands and the evidence in each case proved beyond a reasonable doubt:

Case one was a woman who killed her husband because she wanted the insurance money.

Case two was a woman who was beaten for years by her husband resulting in reconstructive surgery on multiple occasions and near death on one occasions. One day she snapped and in “future self defence”, plotted and carried out his execution (1st degree murder).

I’d go softer on the second woman.