Reports are sketchy right now but it looks like a student went on a shooting spree in either a high school or a group of high schools in Broward County, Florida today. Some fatalities as well as additional injuries reported. Suspect in police custody.

Very sad news. As a parent myself (both children grown but one is married to a public school teacher so I <sort of> have 'someone' in public school in the US), I cannot imagine the anguish of all the parents that have had to go through this ordeal, and of course, the far worse ordeal for some of that that will continue on after today.

I think at this point in our history, about the only effective thing we can do that will have rapid, effective results will be to restrict access to public schools and screen ALL personnel entering via metal detector. Not airport security, just a metal detector that everyone must go through. It is the only thing I can think of that would work immediately and with enough reliability to be worth doing.

If there is anyone on this forum who has anyone involved in this tragedy, my very deepest and sincerest condolences. These things should not happen but they do, and I think we have to now take more stringent measures to try and prevent future instances of this happening.

Brian

The BBC is reporting at least 17 fatalities.


What's also sad is that its only the 7th week of the year and this is already the sixth school shooting incident in 2018 that has either wounded or killed students.


Edit: Another news site I've read it on (The Guardian) says its at least the 8th this year

So incredibly sad.

Civil but I'm unable to find any alter with a gun on it.

This is a hot button subject. I must remind everyone to be civil in you replies, and think twice before you hit the "post" button.

Rick

Very sound advice...

My bad. I thought an altar with guns was mandatory for gun enthusiasts. Look in your man cave, if you have one.

So what do you put on the alter in your batcave?  Maybe it's where you worship at the alter of global warming?
...or where you strive for Nirvana or a socialist utopia maybe. Or are we now both being a bit ridiculous?

Controlled entrances and metal detectors alone would have kept not only the firearm but even the magazines and ammunition from ever having entered the school. While it is unfortunate, I do think it is time we do this at all public schools.

As much as I don't like it, it would be one of the few things that could be done that would have any effectiveness at all.  Uncontrolled "gun free" zones are the most dangerous zones anywhere because bad people carry anyway, and good people usually don't.  Controlled "gun free" zones are a different matter- those are where there is a hard perimeter, has armed guards, and everyone going into the zone is meaningfully searched.  It is very draconian, but that is the trade-off.  Doing such a thing at all public schools would be extremely expensive (and oppressive)...  And it is likely such a perpetrator of violence would just target a different zone.

Oddly enough that's the sort of thing you saw in Mad Max: Beyond the Thunderdome as well as other films of the genre.


Everyone has to hand their weapons in at the door except for the official "security" people

As much as I don't like it, it would be one of the few things that could be done that would have any effectiveness at all.  Uncontrolled "gun free" zones are the most dangerous zones anywhere because bad people carry anyway, and good people usually don't.  Controlled "gun free" zones are a different matter- those are where there is a hard perimeter, has armed guards, and everyone going into the zone is meaningfully searched.  It is very draconian, but that is the trade-off.  Doing such a thing at all public schools would be extremely expensive (and oppressive)...  And it is likely such a perpetrator of violence would just target a different zone.