[Paul Atreides]

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.

I hope he's not tenured.

[cmsgop]

Just another Anti-War PUNK!

[Spok]

"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."

Shades of Blazing Saddles-the man's taken himself hostage!

[Shermy]

"Gunman" is "Harold Kilpatrick, Jr. of Memphis."

http://www.wreg.com/global/story.asp?s=1446608

[witnesstothefall]

authorities have no reason to believe the claim.

Why don't they just give the perp the benefit of the doubt and send this fellow to meet his virgins?

[steplock]

No Pictures? Why?

[dhuffman@awod.com]

Again dis-armed victims. Just as at Columbine H. S., if just one responsible adult had been armed then this might be over already and heaven's population one higher.

[dozer7]

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

No bias here. Yees. Moving on.

[Jabba the Nutt]

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

Huh? And the connection is .....???

The word from Iraq is that the boys want their .45's back, the 9mm doesn't have enough stopping power on crazed jihadists. If I recall, the Army switched from .38's (the 9mm equivalent) during our last battle with crazed jihadists in the Phillipines a hundred years ago.

[in the Arena]

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

So what was the purpose of that trivia ?

[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?

[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.

[TADSLOS]

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

The perp claims to be a member of Al Qaeda and this guy thinks he'll surrender?! Where's this guy been for the past two years, in a cave? Hey, Andy Taylor, this ain't some moonshiner holed up in a farmhouse. KILL the SOB before he kills innocent people and martyrs himself anyway!

[Calpernia]

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

September 18???

[mjp]

military 9 mm baretta

[TXnMA]

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

Let's hope they don't burn the whole shcool down "for the children"...