Damn! Breaking...shooting in Memphis,TN

DC

Moderator Emeritus
Just in: Firemen responding to housefire...a man comes out of the garage shooting a rifle...5 people hit

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"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!
 

Spectre

Staff Alumnus
It's a shame when those dedicated to preserving life are in fear for their own. I see this as almost as bad as hurting children...
 

DC

Moderator Emeritus
http://abcnews.go.com/

Shootings at Memphis Fire
Police Say Three People Killed

March 8 — Police say a man opened fire on
firefighters responding to a house fire in
Memphis, Tenn., today. At least three people
were killed and as many as three others injured.
Those shot include
two firefighters, one
sheriff’s deputy, a
civilian and the gunman.
Memphis Police
Inspector Richard
Sojourner says the dead include a firefighter, a Shelby
County sheriff’s deputy and a woman, whose body was
found inside a burning house.
Police say the firemen had just arrived at the site of a
house fire when the shots rang out.
The home was still burning after the shootings.

ABC affiliate WPTY in Memphis contributed to this
report

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"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!
 

DorGunR

New member
Damn, what was the shooter thinking? What did he accomplish? :(

greyfox....can you provide any more details?

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"Lead, follow or get the HELL out of the way."
 

jimmy

New member
I'm very sorry to hear about this. Firefighters as well as LEOs risk their lives for us every day and do not deserve this. I would not want to go through what the families of the victims must be going through right now.

BTW, Clinton will probably be unable to resist exploiting this tragic incident to further his political agenda. So, the families may have to begin packing their bags for a trip to Washington--as if they didn't have enough of a burden to bear already. :(

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"The eye of television is drawn to violence as the normal eye is drawn to the light in a jewel."--Larry McMurtry.

[This message has been edited by jimmy (edited March 08, 2000).]
 

Gwinnydapooh

Retired Screen Name
I know this is wrong. I know I posted about this kind of thing before. Maybe I'll edit it later.


But AT LEAST THAT BASTARD IS DEAD.
 

Grayfox

New member
I'm watching this unfold on live TV.
Details are sketchy. Rumors running wild.

Known facts as of this time:
Deputy Sheriff and firefighters were responding to a house fire in an affluent neighborhood of S.E. Memphis. Upon arrival they were fired upon by an unknown man inside the house. Approx. 1:00pm

One Deputy Sheriff dead
One Memphis Fire fighter dead
Unknown woman found dead inside the house.
One firefighter wounded- critical
One passer-by wounded- non-critical
Gunman wounded by MPD officers and in custody, non-critical.

This appears to have started as a domestic violence call, quickly followed by a fire call.

Weapon used is reported to be a shotgun.

More details as I get them.
Dammit all!
 

Grayfox

New member
UPDATE:
Bad news I'm afraid. The wounded firefighter has died. Death toll now four.

No other new info as police have clamped down.

Lots of rumors, but I'll not report on them unless confirmed.
No known motive for this tragedy.
 

John Overbey

New member
Nope, the perp is not dead. Three Firefighters and a Sherrifs Deputy have been killed. The lunatic who caused this was shot by a Sherrifs Deputy, but his wounds aren't "life threatening". Apparaently a bystander was also hit, but his injuries aren't critical either. This whole situation is disgusting, and although Firefighters and Law Enforcement Officers know that their chosen profession is hazardous, this is simply unacceptable. What was he thinking!! Our thoughts and prayers should be with the families of these folks, as they have probably just heard the news themselves. There are many unanswered questions regarding the womans body found inside the burning building as well. I hate to admitt it, but I almost wish Gwinny was right.
-John

[This message has been edited by John Overbey (edited March 08, 2000).]
 

DC

Moderator Emeritus
My TV news(local NBC affiliate) just said that the perp is an ex-fireman, fired last week.

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"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!
 

Jeff OTMG

New member
Trigger locks, background checks at gun shows, registration, and a blanket ban on handguns would have prevented this. The antis have gotten to me. IBELIEVEIBELIEVEIBELIEVE

Using this logic making a pack of matches harder to open would prevent arson. What a bunch of total idiots.
Pardon me while I go puke.
 

HankL

New member
My read was that the shooter was the ex husband of the woman in the burning house.
Divorce was final yesterday. NBC reported that the shooter was an off duty fireman.

Looks like he was trying to destroy evidence, got bummed out when the FD showed up and went off.

Hank
 

Grayfox

New member
LATEST FACTS:
Gunman identified as Fred Williams. He is a Memphis firefighter himself. Report says he has been on extended "Leave of Absence" until last Monday. No reason given for why he was on leave. Reports surfacing that he either was or would be fired today.

The Deputy was ambushed as he came around the corner answering the call. Poor guy never even made it out of the car. Car ended up crashing through a fence.

All else is just rumor, nothing confirmed.
 

Gwinnydapooh

Retired Screen Name
Makes it hard to blame the sheeple who yell that we have to do SOMETHING no matter what it is. No wonder they're willing to toss us overboard.

I kind of regret that last post but I'm going to leave it there to remind me that I let my emotins get the best of me too. Let's just say that I regret saying I was happy he was dead but I don't feel any happier now that I know he's alive. I'm pretty neutral on the whole alive/dead issue for that THING.
 

DorGunR

New member
Grayfox:
Thanks for the link to the paper.

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"Lead, follow or get the HELL out of the way."
 

Jeff Thomas

New member
I am sorry to hear of this tragedy, and this needless loss of life.

It will be interesting, shall we say, to hear how Clinton and his cronies twist this incident. After all, it is even a bit earlier for the anti-self defense crowd to suggest we ban shotguns.

As an aside, I honestly wonder at this point if one of the major problems in such situations is the 'victimization' of America. That is, for so long we have seen people learn to blame their spouse, their society, their employer, their children ... anything or anyone else, other than themselves for their problems. We see this played out on a seemingly endless series of TV shows, books, articles, etc.

Have we perhaps so warped peoples' perspective that instead of looking within themselves for the reasons for their failure, they look to the others around them, with rage, to explain the problems in their own lives?

Couple that distorted view of 'blame' with psycho-active drugs, and ... ? I wonder.
 

kjm

New member
I guess this is the most shocking to me because why would ANYBODY have anything against firemen? Everyone has heard of dirty cops, but firemen? They are truly the guys in the white hats.
I trust firemen and paramedics above all other public servants. This is truly a shame for the families, and I hope memphis has a swift death penalty. I know in Texas it is bad voodoo to mess with cops, firefighters, or paramedics. I can assure you that I wouldn't want to be the defense attorney picking a sympathetic jury for that guy.
 
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