Shooting at NYC City Hall. 2 dead, including Concilman James Davis

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Reporters diving for cover at City Hall.

Shots are coming from second floor.

[PoisedWoman]

who blamed his actions on additives in hot dogs?<<<

Nah, White used the famous Twinkie defense. Blamed his mental state on overdose of sugar-laden Twinkies and got off with, as I recall, seven years in the slammer. Today, a similar perp might invoke the Oreo defense and get off scott free because trans-fatty acids had blocked his brain. It never ends CA.

[hellinahandcart]

Plus, I will always believe there was a conspiracy behind Fortuyn's assassination, no matter what they say.

I can't say that about Davis. He got taken off some cultural committee as revenge for voting against the tax increase, or so he claimed, but that was months ago and it seems to have been the extent of the punishment (Gifford Miller is a very petty man, as is Bloomberg). He made some enemies getting elected, and one of them killed him today, but I really think it's about more than the campaign. Call it a hunch.

[michigander]

Oh, I thought you knew.
I don't know squat about NYC local politics.

I'd peg him as a regular Democrat.
Thanks for the insight... I think. :)

[hellinahandcart]

I thought it was common knowledge that NYC conservatives have absolutely no representation at any level. Especially local. :-(

[michigander]

He made some enemies getting elected, and one of them killed him today, but I really think it's about more than the campaign. Call it a hunch.

Thanks again.

I guess I should feel fortunate that all we have here (locally) are riots where folks only burn their own neighborhoods down. I'm just curious about the attitude that leads to the next step in the escalation.

[Cap'n Crunch]

Shucks, guy left the party before SWAT got on scene.

Got my hands on that night vision scope today. I'm disapointed, not what I thought it was going to be at all. I've got it upstairs, some UNVS 441, or something like that. It'd be OK for body shots but not any real precision shooting. 3x magnification and a very small luminated cross hair.

Sarge said the view is crystal clear though. I'm going to check it out tonight. I'm also already trying to talk them into trading it for something I can use.

[Travis McGee]

LOL, NYPD SWAT must be very disappointed!

[livius]

It was a stupid defense, but it worked because many folks in SF had some sympathy for White. (I was living there when this happened.) Harvey Milk was a jerk, and the best thing that ever happened to him was getting killed. He relentlessly provoked the straight council members - and particularly Dan White - but he was not even popular in the gay world until his death, which made him a saint among them.

BTW, I'm not supporting what Dan White did. Obviously, there are better ways of handling things like this. However, there were more things involved than Twinkies.

[mountaineer]

From MSNBC:

.... A friend of Davis’, Rafael Collazo, former president of the New York chapter of the National Latino Officers Association, said he was shocked by the killing and demanded to know how an armed man could enter City Hall, which is less than a mile from the site of the World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. “Not my James, not my Davis,” Callazo told MSNBC television. “He was a fighter. ... He fought police brutality, for social justice.”

Davis’ brother, Geoffrey Davis, said as he emerged from the hospital about 4:45 p.m.: “The system killed my brother. They knew that he would fight.” [Huh? Is he alleging 'the system' hired Askew to snuff Davis?]

“We’re going to keep fighting and do the right thing,” Davis said, according to The Associated Press. full story

[Cap'n Crunch]

When I went to Phil Singleton's school (former SAS if you've never heard of him) he told us about the operation he was on. There was a dead terrorist on the deck and everybody put two into his body as they passed by.

I don't think the mayor would have approved if they did that in NY.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Kendall Stewart (D-Brooklyn) said. "He was brandishing the gun and when I heard the shots I hit the deck, I laid down there and played like I was dead. I heard about eight shots and people started running but I didn't move until I was told to."

Great mentality for an elected representative < /s>

[GovernmentShrinker]

Anybody else notice the mysterious disappearance of earlier reports that Davis had pulled a gun of his own, and either shot or attempted to shoot Askew? Knowing how the press likes to censor reports of defensive gun use, I suspect it isn't because the report turned out not be correct. More likely the press can't bear to report that Davis the "anti-violence" crusader packed heat and was prepared to use it in self defense.

[Fearless Flyers]

Solo's just a whining brained washed liberal You Norker suffering from identity crisis.

We gave them to much attention after 911, too much money and not enough credit for the insulting overseers, they continued to send to D.C. Now that they've used all the 911 funding to build up their precious N.Y. Times he's trying to play on our heart strings for more compassion.

I didn't even have to go back and check McGee's post, I knew Solo was talking out his ass and begging for more undeserved compassion.

Cry Napolean, it is good for a laugh.

[hellinahandcart]

Anybody else notice the mysterious disappearance of earlier reports that Davis had pulled a gun of his own, and either shot or attempted to shoot Askew?

Police commissioner said Davis was carrying, but didn't have time to draw his own weapon. He was taken totally by surprise.

[PoisedWoman]

Harvey Milk was a jerk, and the best thing that ever happened to him was getting killed. He relentlessly provoked the straight council members -

I doubt there are any straight members of that august body today... WE moved to SF jut a couple of months prior to the City Hall shootings and knew nothing of the background. We did benefit in a small way, however, by getting Mayor Mosconi's table in the bar at North BEach Restaurant, where we frequently went for lunch. I guess none of the regulars wanted it. As crazed as SF is, I wish I'd never left. Other places are just as crazy without all that scenery and charm to balance it.

Didn't Dan White commit suicide after he left jail? Or was that a rumor?

[GovernmentShrinker]

He obviously didn't have a chance to draw it in time to save himself, but earlier eyewitness reports had him drawing it, and per some reports even getting off a shot of two. How did those witnesses know he had it, if he didn't draw it? Did they stick around to watch the paramedics ripping his clothes off?

[OldFriend]

Yes the brother was on an hysterical rant and said that his brother was killed just like Malcolm X........that the system killed him.

Guess it was the grief cause the man made no sense at all. Hopefully he will see reason before there is more violence.

[OldFriend]

CNN reported that BOTH men carried concealed weapons into City Hall.

[hellinahandcart]

Jacket fell open when he fell to the ground? I don't know. If he did manage to fire the gun I'm sure they'll tell us, if only to try to prove that carrying a gun won't save your life, no, not at all...

[hellinahandcart]

Plus I think most of the witnesses were under their chairs with their eyes shut as tight as they could shut 'em...this is the city council we're talking about...