Seattle Pacific University shooting: 1 dead, multiple victims

KIRO-TV ^ | 6/5/14 | KIRO 7 STAFF

[Yossarian]

Quick Facts: - At least six people shot at Seattle Pacific University. - At least one suspect in custody. Police initially said two. - School is about 10 min. from downtown Seattle with about 4,000 students. - This is the first Seattle school shooting since April 2007.

At least six people were shot Thursday afternoon at Seattle Pacific University in Seattle and police have at least one person in custody.

The shooting happened about 3:30 p.m. in Otto Miller Hall, 3rd Avenue West and West Nickerson Street. The campus was on lockdown and traffic around the school was blocked.

It was not immediately clear if one of the six wonded was a suspect. The people shot were taken to Harborview Medical Center.

Police initially said there was a second suspect in custody, but later said there was only one. KIRO 7 reporter Gary Horcher also was told a second person was arrested.

Police said they were looking for a white man with a long-sleeved blue shirt with long vertical stripes. Police said he's armed with a handgun.

[lightman]

I just snagged the url from someone else’s FReep post many moons ago....saved on a word processing cheat sheet of favorite graphics urls.

[Spktyr]

I’m going to assume you’re female from your comment. Automatics are actually a better choice for women as they allow the use of a larger and more effective projectile for the same level of felt recoil (’kickback’). Or it can fire the same class projectile as the revolver for reduced felt recoil.

I have an almost-elderly female friend who has arthritis in her hands. She cannot fire a small .38 revolver without great pain but she can comfortably shoot a 9mm automatic (same power and general size class.)

Of course, the trick is to not buy the larger caliber autos (.40, .45, .50) if you’re not comfortable shooting them. :P And there are both autos and revolvers that are more than a handful for even large men to hang on to. :P

[paristexas]

When I was a young man, you never heard of this sort of thing happening. Now it seems like it is a weekly occurrence. Why is this going on, and why does it seem to happen more in America than anywhere else? Breakdown of families?

[Seattle Conservative]

Yes, you’re correct, I am a female. Thanks for the info.
Years ago I shot a variety of guns with my former finance and his friends (target shooting in an area away from people and animals). Some of the automatics almost landed me on my backside because of the recoil (was probably the magnum ;-). I don’t recall, and may be wrong, but I seem to remember there wasn’t a safety on an auto but there is on a revolver (I can see it in my mind even now) and that was something that made me more comfortable.

Interesting about your female friend. There are shooting ranges in the area, I’ll check out going to one to see if I can do some ‘testing’.

Appreciate your responses and advice.

Best,
SC

[Seattle Conservative]

I really don’t know anything about the church, but will look it up. I’ve had many family and friends that were Methodists and they were very good people.

When I heard the SPU President at the presser he invoked Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior at appropriate times. The kids gathered in prayer after they got outside of the shooting and at the church service last night as well as outside of the church service (because the church was overflowing) and formed prayer groups.

I’m a Christian (Catholic actually) and, unless they prove otherwise, I tend to believe the good in the people that believe in and love our Lord, which these kids seem to do.

I give a lot of credit to these kids that acted quickly to help others - - in addition to what I and others have reported up thread, I heard an interview with a student in a room when another student came in and told him to lock the door. They did and then the student that was in the room ripped the First Aid Kit off the wall to help the kid that came into the room that was bleeding (neck)then thinking about what he could do to go help others (the audio was cut off on the ratio, so I didn’t hear the rest).

I guess the bottom line for me is, believing in our Lord is great, saying prayers to him is great, and helping others is great; so, if these kids were instilled with that at home and are practicing it at school, I’m all for it. IMHO it sure beats school dropouts, you owe me, music that I don’t want my pre-teen nephew to hear, etc.

All the above is just my humble opinion and thoughts at this time. I understand that others may have different views and I accpet that (we have the 1st Amendment!).

Best,
SC

[Foundahardheadedwoman]

Most all Methodists are good people but they are not aware of what the hierarchy has been up to. When my pastor asked me not to speak he said if they knew what you and I do they would knock down the doors to get out.

I weighted it in my mind after my pastor was forcibly retired and decided that in that small rural church the Lord was present and it was better if I not say anything. So I did not. I hope I made the right decision. I left shortly after my pastor was retired.

There is a long backstory to this.

[21twelve]

Some of the twitter responses by kids:

It is incredible to be apart of a community & a school that when faced with pain, tragedy & confusion, we RUN to God. #prayforSPU

**********

So proud to be apart of a community that immediately responds to something this tragic in prayer and love #PrayForSPU #FalconStrong

***************

The kids really do form a “family” there. Really odd to see guys hugging each other and saying a quick prayer before leaving on Spring Break! Visited my son and his group of buddies having lunch last fall. The big problem they had for the weekend was where to go to church so they could get back in time to watch the Seahawks game!

I wasn't so sure about his choice of college before. Now I am absolutely positive that is where God wants him to be. He says “Dad - it is so nice to be around other conservatives for once!”

“found”: My Presbyterian church is the same way. The national council or whatever they call it is very liberal. The church we go to is very conservative. Sometimes it is hard to reconcile the two. We left a previous church as it was becoming less biblical. A friend views it as fighting it and maintaining strong biblical beliefs to influence the larger group, rather than running away. I have mixed feelings.

[21twelve]

http://falconstrong.wordpress.com/

Sorry - but had to post the link to the school’s blog. A letter to the gunman written by a student.

excerpt:

“I’d be lying if I said all of this made sense or I thought that this was a part of God’s plan. Yet, I want you to know that through this all…I still have faith.

My flesh may be shaken, but my faith is not. My flesh may feel anger, but my faith gives me peace. My home has been compromised, but His kingdom will never be. You took a life yesterday, but not a soul. I find great comfort in knowing that the soul of the young life you took yesterday is resting with our Savior today.”

[Repeat Offender]

Notice how these liberal mecca’s are now becoming the hot killing zones for the whacked out crazed murderous lunatics among them. Or as democrats would call them, "the constituency," or "the party base."

[Seattle Conservative]

Thanks for sharing! That’s beautiful - sounds like a great young person - - gives me hope for the future of our country.

[BeadCounter]

Basques come from the Pyrenees area bordering on Spain and France. It’s a Basque name.

[pollywog]

Seattle Pacific University is one of the finest Christian schools on the West Coast.
Had members of my family graduate from there. May God protect this campus.

[Spktyr]

Other way around, generally. Revolvers do not have a safety catch while automatics/self-loaders generally do. You may be remembering the cylinder release on the revolver, which allows the cylinder to swing out for loading/unloading.

[Eleutheria5]

Gosh. Didn’t they ban assault handguns yet?/s

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for the feed back.

[OldNewYork]

I think that’s the most visible cause too. But multiple factors could be pointed to for that, feminism, no-fault divorce and the reduction of meaning in oaths, promises, a man’s word, drugs, sexual license, schizophrenically violent media culture, dissolution of communities - the list goes on.