'Al-Qaeda' gunman in college siege (Dyersburg State Community College, Tennessee)

Associated Press ^ | 09-17-03

[Brian S]

HOME > BREAKING NEWS > STORY

'Al-Qaeda' gunman in college siege From correspondents in Dyersburg, Tennessee September 18, 2003

A MAN with a gun and a knife claiming to be a member of al-Qaeda took a classroom of US college students hostage this afternoon.

Four people were released several hours into the standoff, authorities said.

Because the gunman claimed to be a member of an international terrorist organisation, the FBI has been called in, but Police Chief Bobby Williamson said authorities have no reason to believe the claim.

A SWAT team and about five hostage negotiators were among the officers called to the scene.

No injuries or gunshots were reported in the standoff at Dyersburg State Community College, about 120 km north-east of Memphis, Tennessee.

The gunman, believed to have a 9mm pistol - the calibre now used by US armed forces - had made no demands but said he would kill himself, Williamson said.

Williamson said About 12 to 16 people were in the classroom when the standoff began.

Officers were communicating to the gunman through student hostages on their mobile phones, "but he won't talk directly to us," Williamson said.

Police refused to identify the gunman but said he was not a student or college employee. They are talking to his sister on the scene, but the gunman won't talk to her, Williamson said.

"I think eventually he'll surrender," Williamson said.

Athletic director Alan Barnett said that authorities cleared the campus of other students.

The Associated Press

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

[The hostage taker is identified as 26-year-old Harold Kilpatrick, Jr. of Memphis. He left a suicide note with his sister who lives in Dyersburg before taking the classroom hostage. In the note he says he hates America.]

Another successful product of modern government schools.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

I'm surprised the reporter didn't also mention something like: "In a related development, members of US armed forces were seen carrying 9mm firearms nearby".

[in the Arena]

Now that's what I call Economy of Force...less than a buck, problem solved.

[Husker24]

The gunman, believed to have a 9mm pistol - the calibre now used by US armed forces - had made no demands but said he would kill himself, Williamson said.

What does that little sentance have to do with anything?

[cavtrooper21]

If you don't pay attention to history, it will sneak up behind you and bite your A$$...
I have a buddy in Iraq (he's due to be home next week.. YAHOOO!!!)
He says the same thing, 9mm is fine for target practice and if you use hollow points it packs a good punch.
Hollow points are BANNED per the Geneva convention. You can get COURT MARTIALED if you are found with them or using them. Hollow points include all the "wonder nine" rounds that were devloped to make up for the 115 grn NATO ball's anemic stopping power due to over penitration.
(yes kids, your local cop is carrying BANNED BULLETS)
We were both around before the switch.
He misses his .45 (actually he doesn't, he brought his own... A Para Ord P14/45) but many of the guys in his platoon ain't real happy with the 9mm.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Not to mention that a puny community college in Tennessee is highly improbable al-Qaeda choice for a target.

[KantianBurke]

"where the white women at??"

[Plutarch]

In the note he says he hates America.

Sounds like a good Howard Dean supporter to me.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Help me here: why the need to mention this?

And why spell Calibre in the Euro-trash manner? Answer that question, and your initial question will be answered, I'm thinking. Oh, and as an aside, isn't it also the caliber used by many European Forces, too?

[adamyoshida]

Indeed.

My best guess is an anti-war activist or something along those lines. Perhaps an American convert with some loose affiliations with al-Qaeda.

Does anyone know if this fellow is black or white? He could be either by that name.

In any case, he's not regular al-Qaeda. If he was, he'd have just shot everyone or blown everyone up. This is sloppy.

[Chad Fairbanks]

In the note he says he hates America.

Yup. It's officially confirmed - he's a Democrat.

[slimer]

but Police Chief Bobby Williamson said authorities have no reason to believe the claim.

Perhaps there is a reason for this statement but why would they not believe this man's claim? It seems that the Chief is concerned about PR. Is he worried that the sheeple might freak out and stampede off a cliff or something?

[Unknowing]

This scenario was always running in the back of my mind when I was in school. One can't bring a pistol into school, in my state, so it sits in the car hundreds of yards away. If I mention such a scenario of vulnerability, I'm called 'paranoid.'

So, one solution in a Columbine-type scenario or a gunman holding an unarmed classroom hostage, has to be for a brave and physically large male student to distract the gunman, maybe take a 9mm round or two in the process, while others attack and smash the gunman over the head with a desk. All of this must happen in about two or three seconds. The student, or teacher, could also try to disarm the gunman or disassemble the weapon on the spot, if it's a Beretta.

I don't want to see anybody hurt, and I certainly don't claim to be brave enough to take the bullet, point-blank. But there comes a time for Utilitarian ethics. Just like at Columbine, perhaps someone has to say, "I'll take your 9mm bullet, but you'll not kill and maim this whole group!"

That's where courage takes us, I think, after our hoplophobic lawmakers have insisted on our disarmed vulnerability. Remember Flight 93.

[Damagro]

Only thing I can think of: Is there a military base nearby?

---

None close at all.

[tet68]

Time for someone to say, "Let's Roll."
God grant them the strength to do what is right.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Maybe he is a member of the IRA.

[Unknowing]

Yes, that's the signal -- "Let's Roll!"

Everyone should understand exactly what that means, so that if we're ever in such a grim situation, and someone says "Let's Roll," we get up immediately and do what has to be done. We pray for strength and courage.

And May God Defend the Right!

[BenLurkin]

It's "The Buzz".

It is a continuing low key brain washing that spins everything into the left wing argument.

[basil]

That was my first thought---if just one "victim" had been allowed to arm himself for self defense, this could have been over almost before it began--and the world would be a better place for it.

[Newbomb Turk]

"The gunman, believed to have a 9mm pistol - the calibre now used by US armed forces"

Blame NATO we would still be usinging the 45 Caliber if it wasen't for the metric system!