You ain't kidding.
Posted on 09/26/2007 5:05:40 PM PDT by peggybac
NEW YORK -- A St. John's University freshman was arrested on the Queens campus with a rifle and President Bush, police said Wednesday.
Police sources said the suspect, Omesh Hiraman, 22, told police that he was acting alone and walked across campus with the gun. Hiraman did not give any reason why, police said.
St. John's University was locked down and classes were cancelled as a result.
A campus security officer, a student and an NYPD cadet taking courses at Queens’s campus tackled Hiraman.
Police said the NYPD cadet, Christopher Benson, was sitting on a bench on campus when he saw Hiraman walking by, wearing the Bush mask and carrying the rifle in a black garbage bag.
Police said Benson followed Hiraman until he saw a campus security officer. Benson then tacked Hiraman, and security managed to get the gun away, police said.
Police sources said Hiraman was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, camouflage pants, and the mask.
Campus-security video shows the Hiraman was on campus for a short time before being captured.
Nobody was hurt in the incident but the campus went into lockdown in mid afternoon as students furiously sent text messages to each other and their parents about the gunman, law enforcement sources said.
Hiraman had been carrying the weapon in a bag, according to a posting on the St. John's University website. Police sources said the gun was a front-loading, .40-or .50-caliber Wolf rifle.
Police want to know whether Hiraman was on any medications, according to a law enforcement source, and whether he had stopped taking them.
Police said Hiraman was wearing a costume mask that appeared to be of President Bush. Officials said he cut the mask off below the eyes.
Police launched a massive response, sending in heavily armed emergency service units and flying a police helicopter overhead the campus of the Catholic University on Union Turnpike in Jamaica, Queens.
St. John's had recently upgraded its security and communications systems and was sending warning messages about the gunman at 2:30 p.m.
The St. John's University Web site issued this advisory:
"A male with a rifle in a bag was apprehended on St. John's Queens campus today. Public Safety officers quickly disarmed the suspect and have turned him over to NYPD. Additional information will be forthcoming as it becomes available."
Wednesday afternoon, a press release from St. John's read: "At this time, the NYPD has a heavy presence on the Queens campus and are conducting an extensive and thorough search of all buildings and facilities. Students have been instructed to stay inside their classrooms and buildings until further notice."
Investigators searched Hirman’s parents’ East Elmhurst home Wednesday and found a case that the gun was kept in and black powder residue.
It’s unclear if the weapon was loaded or in working order.
Hiraman was questioned by police at the 107th Precinct in Queens. There is no word yet on any charges.
There is a Wolf .50 muzzle loader. "Front-loading" and mention of black powder seems to indicate a muzzle loader. Not my idea of an assault weapon. Maybe a real reporter will be able to tell us.
For a muzzle loader they already had in possession of the campus cops? What a bunch of wusses. (Probably a better Yiddish word for what they are, but I don't know much Yiddish).
Note that the Professional Journalists at WNBC misspelled "canceled". :)
I believe both first and last names are India type Indian, possibly from the region around Bombay/Mumbai. That area does have a large Muslim Population, but I think those are Hindu names. Maybe he wanted to shoot Ahamanutjob while he was in town? If so, it was a poor choice of tool for the job, although it would do the job if he did his part.
That's not to say that he isn't from Guyana. I knew a guy that was third generation from somewhere in that area that had an Indian name and was as Indian in appearance as another guy I knew with the same first name (Kumar) who was from India.
St. John’s appeared to be a great school to me. Their B-ball program has been great for years. It is very Roman Catholic and it is obviously proud of its Roman Catholic roots.
The long and the short of it is that I would be proud of any kid of mine who went there and graduated. It’s Roman Catholic roots are much more conservative in the parts of life that matter than 90% of colleges in the USA.
Good man. Who knows what he prevented with his courage and initiative. I hope someone at NYPD gave him a promotion (or at least bought him a beer.)
The school administration there is definatly not lefty, though members of the faculty are, but the administration is a bit more conservative then most schools.
Side Joke, the president of the University, Father Harrington is a dead ringer for Dick Cheney, he even talks like him.
Had he taken Bush hostage or was the President carrying the rifle. This is hugh and series all at the same time.
Think Columbine, as in more then one shooter.
So, yea, you lock down the campus, you have to be concerned that there might be more then one shooter.
Sidenote: Most, if not all of campus security, is former cops (mostly retired). One of my friends whose dad was one of the guards, told me that his dad always carried a gun (concealed), I don't know what the rules are, and they probably aren't allowed to, but I have no doubt that a few of those guys are packing heat.
Big theological span between St. Johns and Baylor.
Was President Bush in the bag too?
I got that he was from Guyana because a student at the school posted on a BBB that he was...but the Bush mask cut in half is weird!
You ain't kidding.
Free Republic had a thread describing a gun as a "45 Auto Revolver" which was correct. It was a revolver chambered for 45 Auto cartridges. We had such a good time on the thread that it convinced me to buy a real semi-automatic revolver. Betty is holding one on my profile page. It would have been funny if they were chambered for 45's. Then it would be a 45 Auto semi-automatic revolver.
My personal favorite is the 40mm semi automatic pistol. I don’t care if I have to pay a $200 tax, I want one of those. I’m not sure who I will get to fire it for me, though.
http://www.stjohns.edu/emergency.
What did he do that was illegal? is carrying a rifle on campus now a no no?
I remember that I used to bring my Shotgun to school in the back window of my truck. Sometimes I carried it in a case or bag to my dorm. Sometimes I wore the knights of busch on my head as well, much like these good students. 
But that was a long time ago.
(Goethals & 168th St.)
Ping.
You have to see him in a suit and tie.
To be honest, I don't think 95% of folks would know the differance.
That said, he is a pretty nice guy, though my fraternity and him had a few problems.
LOL.
He is also a strong pro-lifer, and pretty conservative. I used to chuckle when he gave speeches, he has all of Cheneys mannerisms down, and almost seems like he is impersonating him (and doing a darn good job to boot).
Probably, it is NYC.
That said, only an idiot would assume no one is armed on campus.
They do have ROTC, they do have police cadets as students, and campus security is made up of mostly retired or former cops (some of whom I know for a fact, regardless of school rules or laws) carry firearms.
The odds of a "columbine" type attack, are slim, mostly because "some folks" look the other way which does make for a safer campus.
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