We are now averaging more than one mass shooting per day in 2015
Business InsiderAs of August 26th, the US has had 247 mass shootings in the 238 days of 2015.
For those keeping track, that's an average of more than one shooting per day.
Actually that's 1.038 per day. 1.038 per day in a nation of 330 Million? Are you serious? If this is viewed as a legitimate safety threat I don't have any answers for you.
We are now averaging more than one mass shooting per day in 2015
Business InsiderAs of August 26th, the US has had 247 mass shootings in the 238 days of 2015.
For those keeping track, that's an average of more than one shooting per day.
Actually that's 1.038 per day. 1.038 per day in a nation of 330 Million? Are you serious? If this is viewed as a legitimate safety threat I don't have any answers for you.
This is mass shooting incidents per day, not number of people shot. I would have to say that in my opinion that qualifies as a safety threat. Your mileage my differ.
I'm pretty sure I heard the cameraman, Adam, was engaged to a Melissa Ott.
please tell me no relation...
I'm pretty sure I heard the cameraman, Adam, was engaged to a Melissa Ott.
please tell me no relation...
I thought that too and looked, doesn't overtly appear so, but not sure.
“living in a squalor amid publicity photos of himself, porn and sex toys”
Inside Vester Lee Flanagan's life
Published August 27, 2015 - FoxNews.com
Journalists' killer leaves social media 'manifesto'
Vester Lee Flanagan, the crazed gunman who executed on live morning TV two local journalists who worked at his former station, was told before being fired by the station to seek help for possible mental health issues -- then lingered in Roanoke, Va., for more than two years, living in a squalor amid publicity photos of himself, porn and sex toys.
Vester Lee Flanagan, 41, who went by the professional name Bryce Williams, was ordered by his bosses at local TV station WDBJ to seek help for his frequent problems with coworkers, according to a July 30, 2012 company memo obtained by The Guardian.
"You are required to contact Health Advocate, the employee assistance program," the memo, from then-station director Dan Dennison, said. Williams was given four days to make the call. "This is a mandatory referral requiring your compliance. Failure to comply will result in termination of employment."
It's unclear if Williams did indeed follow up with Health Advocate, but he wasn't terminated from WDBJ until February 2013. Yet even after his firing, he continued living in Roanoke, Va., something that had an unsettling affect on former co-workers.
"A couple of months ago, somebody told me, 'Bryce is still in town,'" former WDBJ reported Justin McLeod told the Roanoke Times. "Several former colleagues were bothered by the fact that he still lived in town."
And when police entered his third-floor apartment on Wednesday, they reportedly found a Spartan living space supplemented by a small computer desk, leather couch, lots of candles and tea lights and plenty of pictures of Flanagan, according to the Daily Mirror.
At least nine photos taken throughout his career adorned Flanagan’s fridge with another publicity shot taped to a wall beside it.
The self-obsessed killer was apparently planning to get away with his murder of Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27. Cops who searched Flanagan's car found a Glock pistol with multiple magazines and ammunition, a white iPhone, letters, notes, a to-do list and a briefcase that contained three license plates, a wig, shawl, umbrella, sunglasses and black hat, according to the Associated Press. Flanagan never got to use any of the disguises, as cops tracked him down on I-66 around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Flanagan shot himself. He later died of the injury.
That Flanagan thought he could get away with murder is less surprising in light of the "arrogant" description of the gunman provided by the neighbor. Someone who lived in Flanigan's apartment complex told the Mirror that Flanagan was “rude and arrogant to everyone and anyone” and would sometimes throw cat feces at the dwellings of neighbors he was in disputes with.
Flanagan had posted a video of a cat to his now-suspended Facebook page on Aug. 20, with the description “I miss my cats!” Police found no sign of the felines at Flanagan’s apartment, according to the Mirror. The manifesto Flanagan sent to ABC News shortly after he committed the murders suggests that he killed the cats.
But cops did find gay porn and sex toys. In a lengthy manifesto he sent to ABC News after the killings, Flanagan said he was bullied at work because he was black and gay.
Flanagan seemingly registered for his Facebook and Twitter accounts just a little over a week ago. The earliest Facebook post dates to Aug. 18 and the earliest tweet to Aug. 19, according to USA Today. His Twitter account was initially littered with baby photos and glamour head shots, interspersed with a picture of his empty bed. Flanagan would later post first-person perspective videos of the killings of former coworkers Parker and Ward to these accounts.
Little is known about what Flanagan did after he was fired from WDBJ-7 in 2013. Pictures shared to Twitter may provide a clue. One photo was taken at what he described as “a worker’s comp company” and Flanagan also posted a selfie at what he said was United Healthcare.
A short video posted to YouTube shows what has been described as a "road rage" encounter with a man who appears to be Flanagan, dressed in a football jersey, camouflage pants and boots. In the video, the man is standing next to a car that matches the description and bears the same license plate as Flanagan's silver Mustang. The person who took the video said he criticized Flanagan's driving while they were stopped at a light on July 6. Flanagan then followed the man to his destination, got out of the car and confronted him. It appears Flanagan is also holding a cell phone and looks to be recording the confrontation, too.
"So are we finished here?" Flanagan says. When the person taking the video again insults Flanagan's driving, Flanagan replies: "Okay, and you need to lose some weight, sir."
A representative for Flanagan's family issued a statement expressing "condolences" for the loved ones of the dead.
“It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we express our deepest condolences to the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward,” the statement said. “We are also praying for the recovery of Vicky Gardner. Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the victims’ families and the WDBJ7 NEWS family. Words cannot express the hurt that we feel for the victims. Our family is asking that the media respect our privacy.”
Flanagan said he was bullied at work because he was black and gay
That would never happen in...America! 😮 He probably brought all of it on himself and deserved it. Shoulda' been born white, straight and conservative like Timothy McVeigh, and he wouldn't have been so angry....
He/She/It was a textbook example of a narcissist.
And could legally buy a gun just like the little Charleston turd murderer. Even The FBI admitted they blew it.
I say we do nothing. This is a free country.
Flanagan said he was bullied at work because he was black and gay
That would never happen in...America! 😮 He probably brought all of it on himself and deserved it. Shoulda' been born white, straight and conservative like Timothy McVeigh, and he wouldn't have been so angry....
Apparently he felt that when his colleagues said they were going "in the field" that was a racist attack. Apparently when a colleague brought in a watermelon to share with everyone he thought it was a racist attack. The man was clearly deranged and I wonder how he got hired int he first place. But if we can speak about the "racist atmosphere" created by the conferate flag we can cetainly speak of the atmosphere of grievance that has been driven in this country for years and which I believe the president has helped foster. The kind of thing that can set off a deranged nut to kill two completely and entirely innocent people no?
So sad that some see this as political, rather than basic human morality. If you tie this to Obama, or any politician, you are not anywhere close to helping anything, and only create more problems that we don't need around this particular issue.
Flanagan said he was bullied at work because he was black and gay
That would never happen in...America! 😮 He probably brought all of it on himself and deserved it. Shoulda' been born white, straight and conservative like Timothy McVeigh, and he wouldn't have been so angry....
Apparently he felt that when his colleagues said they were going "in the field" that was a racist attack. Apparently when a colleague brought in a watermelon to share with everyone he thought it was a racist attack. The man was clearly deranged and I wonder how he got hired int he first place. But if we can speak about the "racist atmosphere" created by the conferate flag we can cetainly speak of the atmosphere of grievance that has been driven in this country for years and which I believe the president has helped foster. The kind of thing that can set off a deranged nut to kill two completely and entirely innocent people no?
I was with you in agreement until you found a misguided way to bring in Obama with your "which I believe the president has helped foster" line. Look, we all know you don't like the President, but clearly he is not to blame here & everywhere else where people like you want to go. I would think you're too intelligent to go there. I'm guessing it's your consistently negative posts & bitterness speaking.
The reality is there were deranged individuals and societal ills long before Obama was President, and these will exist long after he is gone. Will you shamelessly blame the next Presidents for these types of individuals, actions, and the evolution of problematic issues - many of which can't be solved by Presidential speeches, Presidential actions, and governmental policy?
Flanagan said he was bullied at work because he was black and gay
That would never happen in...America! 😮 He probably brought all of it on himself and deserved it. Shoulda' been born white, straight and conservative like Timothy McVeigh, and he wouldn't have been so angry....
Apparently he felt that when his colleagues said they were going "in the field" that was a racist attack. Apparently when a colleague brought in a watermelon to share with everyone he thought it was a racist attack. The man was clearly deranged and I wonder how he got hired int he first place. But if we can speak about the "racist atmosphere" created by the conferate flag we can cetainly speak of the atmosphere of grievance that has been driven in this country for years and which I believe the president has helped foster. The kind of thing that can set off a deranged nut to kill two completely and entirely innocent people no?
I was with you in agreement until you found a misguided way to bring in Obama with your "which I believe the president has helped foster" line. Look, we all know you don't like the President, but clearly he is not to blame here & everywhere else where people like you want to go. I would think you're too intelligent to go there. I'm guessing it's your consistently negative posts & bitterness speaking.
The reality is there were deranged individuals and societal ills long before Obama was President, and these will exist long after he is gone. Will you shamelessly blame the next Presidents for these types of individuals, actions, and the evolution of problematic issues - many of which can't be solved by Presidential speeches, Presidential actions, and governmental policy?
________________________________________________________________________
Wrong.
Obama himself as he ran to the TV cameras after the Sandy Hook massacre and stated this was a mental health issue and he would “go all in” to fix this problem.
This is of course as he “called on Congress” to pass gun control legislation which is his way of dumping the issue onto his political adversaries while he never offers any legislation, never is specific as to what the legislation should cover.
His home town of Chicago has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the nation yet black people are being slaughtered by their own people by gun violence.
However, in typical Obama manner, he did nothing but run off to another fund raising event.
Obama’s empty speeches are much akin to his drawing red line and, when those red lines he drew are crossed, he wimps out and does nothing.
This is a failure of leadership, the common theme or Obama’s presidency.
Wrong.
One in four adults across the United States suffers from a mental illness — including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder — according to the National Alliance on Mental lllness (NAMI). Among that group, less than 40 percent receive professional treatment, choosing instead to battle their ailment in silence, often to their detriment and that of others.
But in the months and years after a young man opened fire on students and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, President Obama has helped elevate the conversation about mental health to the national stage.
The current administration has taken several significant steps forward in this area, potentially ensuring that President Obama has found his place as the most progressive executive on mental health issues in the last 30 years. Some of the desired results, however, have not yet come to fruition.
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Obama has expanded access to mental health treatment for afflicted Americans as part of an effort to destigmatize this silent killer and prevent future massacres. In February, the president signed into law the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act — legislation that would improve veterans’ access to mental health treatment — after it passed through the House and Senate. And earlier this month, First Lady Michelle Obama announced the launch of “The Campaign to Change Direction,” her attempt to raise mental health awareness among Americans.
“With President Obama being a prolific figure in our society, this act of stepping out and advocating equal access for all is crucial,” Lanada Williams, licensed psychotherapist and CEO of Alliance Family Solutions Counseling, told ThinkProgress. “I don’t think that I’ve seen that in other administrations.”
Williams said that while conversations about the lack of access of mental health services have taken place among practitioners, Obama taking the lead on the issue has brought awareness to the stigma of mental illness to a new federal level that will shift national conversation of behavioral health; hopefully, the president’s successor can keep up the momentum.
“His actions highlight the need for more mental health research and affordability of professional mental health services. Those are two things that we need to keep at the forefront because even with the Affordable Care Act, the stigma is still there in some communities,” she said.
Under the ACA, mental illness is no longer treated as a preexisting condition, allowing people to receive coverage as they would for treatment for physical ailments. That change has allowed some young people — many whom were able to remain on their parents’ insurance plan a bit longer under the health care law — to seek treatment. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the number of people receiving mental health and substance abuse treatment services rose by seven percentage points within a two-year period.
However, issues still remain, particularly when one takes access to treatment into account. Many states haven’t been able to keep up with the influx in demand among the mentally ill for treatment. A Mental Health America report released earlier this year designated Arizona, Mississippi, Nevada, and Washington as the lowest ranking states for access to care. In January, nearly 2,600 mental health practitioners went on a week-long strike to combat what they described as Kaiser Permanente’s refusal to hire more psychiatrists, social workers, and therapists.
Lisa Ferentz, a licensed clinical social worker, said that the low coverage also remains a hurdle for people who need mental health services. Ferentz, a practitioner with 30 years of experience, told ThinkProgress that solving this particular issue may be out of President Obama’s hands. The current insurance reimbursement system, according to Ferentz, places patients at a disadvantage.
“Many insurance plans are restrictive. There are many people who deserve mental health care resources but who don’t get it because they can’t access them,” Ferentz said. “Even if people want to see me, the level of reimbursement is so low it ultimately discourages them. This has been an issue for years. Many of us who have been frustrated with the insurance companies opt out so what’s left for patients is a small pool of professionals limited in experience.”
Farentz recounted instances when she had to lobby insurance companies to cover her clients’ additional sessions once they reached the threshold outlined in their insurance plan. She said those experiences made her realize why it’s important that insurance providers let those who suffer from mental ailments — regardless of income level — choose their therapists and duration of care without worrying about financial burden.
New York-based attorney Carolyn Reinach Wolf, the director of her firm’s mental health law practice, added that federal laws need to change so that families can have more of an input in how their loved ones with mental illnesses receive treatment. She also called on the mental health care system to be more proactive rather than reactive, stating the need for involuntary commitment of those who pose an imminent danger to themselves and others. “We have misplaced ideas about how to treat the mentally ill. I’ve seen this through my own clients,” she told ThinkProgress.
Katrina Gay, NAMI’s national spokesperson, places much of the onus on Congress, which has struggled to pass bill that would comprehensively reform the mental health care system since the Sandy Hook massacre.
Lawmakers haven’t built consensus around two pieces of legislation that tackle various aspects of mental health treatment problem: Rep. Tim Murphy’s (R-PA) Helping Families in Mental Crisis Act and Rep. Ron Barber’s (D-AZ) Strengthening Mental Health in Our Communities Act. Last year, thousands of NAMI representatives converged on Capitol Hill to lobby their representatives to pass mental healthcare reform to no avail.
“It’s great that the Obama administration has taken action, but Congress as a body has failed to pass legislation and that’s a huge part of this issue,” Gay told ThinkProgress. “Pulling one lever in the executive branch is not enough. The administration’s actions have not been replicated in other policy circles on the scale that it should have been. There has been some good attention and that’s meaningful especially when it comes to veterans and young adults. However, health care reform and increasing coverage doesn’t translate into better access.”
During his time in office, President Obama has urged Americans to “bring mental illness out of the shadows.” While he’s arguably taken some important steps in that direction, he can’t do it without other lawmakers on the state and national level.
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/03/13/3633203/obama-mental-health-care-legacy/
Wait for it......... 😛
Wrong.
One in four adults across the United States suffers from a mental illness — including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder — according to the National Alliance on Mental lllness (NAMI). Among that group, less than 40 percent receive professional treatment, choosing instead to battle their ailment in silence, often to their detriment and that of others.
But in the months and years after a young man opened fire on students and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, President Obama has helped elevate the conversation about mental health to the national stage.The current administration has taken several significant steps forward in this area, potentially ensuring that President Obama has found his place as the most progressive executive on mental health issues in the last 30 years. Some of the desired results, however, have not yet come to fruition.
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Obama has expanded access to mental health treatment for afflicted Americans as part of an effort to destigmatize this silent killer and prevent future massacres. In February, the president signed into law the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act — legislation that would improve veterans’ access to mental health treatment — after it passed through the House and Senate. And earlier this month, First Lady Michelle Obama announced the launch of “The Campaign to Change Direction,” her attempt to raise mental health awareness among Americans.
“With President Obama being a prolific figure in our society, this act of stepping out and advocating equal access for all is crucial,” Lanada Williams, licensed psychotherapist and CEO of Alliance Family Solutions Counseling, told ThinkProgress. “I don’t think that I’ve seen that in other administrations.”Williams said that while conversations about the lack of access of mental health services have taken place among practitioners, Obama taking the lead on the issue has brought awareness to the stigma of mental illness to a new federal level that will shift national conversation of behavioral health; hopefully, the president’s successor can keep up the momentum.
“His actions highlight the need for more mental health research and affordability of professional mental health services. Those are two things that we need to keep at the forefront because even with the Affordable Care Act, the stigma is still there in some communities,” she said.
Under the ACA, mental illness is no longer treated as a preexisting condition, allowing people to receive coverage as they would for treatment for physical ailments. That change has allowed some young people — many whom were able to remain on their parents’ insurance plan a bit longer under the health care law — to seek treatment. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the number of people receiving mental health and substance abuse treatment services rose by seven percentage points within a two-year period.
However, issues still remain, particularly when one takes access to treatment into account. Many states haven’t been able to keep up with the influx in demand among the mentally ill for treatment. A Mental Health America report released earlier this year designated Arizona, Mississippi, Nevada, and Washington as the lowest ranking states for access to care. In January, nearly 2,600 mental health practitioners went on a week-long strike to combat what they described as Kaiser Permanente’s refusal to hire more psychiatrists, social workers, and therapists.
Lisa Ferentz, a licensed clinical social worker, said that the low coverage also remains a hurdle for people who need mental health services. Ferentz, a practitioner with 30 years of experience, told ThinkProgress that solving this particular issue may be out of President Obama’s hands. The current insurance reimbursement system, according to Ferentz, places patients at a disadvantage.
“Many insurance plans are restrictive. There are many people who deserve mental health care resources but who don’t get it because they can’t access them,” Ferentz said. “Even if people want to see me, the level of reimbursement is so low it ultimately discourages them. This has been an issue for years. Many of us who have been frustrated with the insurance companies opt out so what’s left for patients is a small pool of professionals limited in experience.”
Farentz recounted instances when she had to lobby insurance companies to cover her clients’ additional sessions once they reached the threshold outlined in their insurance plan. She said those experiences made her realize why it’s important that insurance providers let those who suffer from mental ailments — regardless of income level — choose their therapists and duration of care without worrying about financial burden.
New York-based attorney Carolyn Reinach Wolf, the director of her firm’s mental health law practice, added that federal laws need to change so that families can have more of an input in how their loved ones with mental illnesses receive treatment. She also called on the mental health care system to be more proactive rather than reactive, stating the need for involuntary commitment of those who pose an imminent danger to themselves and others. “We have misplaced ideas about how to treat the mentally ill. I’ve seen this through my own clients,” she told ThinkProgress.
Katrina Gay, NAMI’s national spokesperson, places much of the onus on Congress, which has struggled to pass bill that would comprehensively reform the mental health care system since the Sandy Hook massacre.
Lawmakers haven’t built consensus around two pieces of legislation that tackle various aspects of mental health treatment problem: Rep. Tim Murphy’s (R-PA) Helping Families in Mental Crisis Act and Rep. Ron Barber’s (D-AZ) Strengthening Mental Health in Our Communities Act. Last year, thousands of NAMI representatives converged on Capitol Hill to lobby their representatives to pass mental healthcare reform to no avail.
“It’s great that the Obama administration has taken action, but Congress as a body has failed to pass legislation and that’s a huge part of this issue,” Gay told ThinkProgress. “Pulling one lever in the executive branch is not enough. The administration’s actions have not been replicated in other policy circles on the scale that it should have been. There has been some good attention and that’s meaningful especially when it comes to veterans and young adults. However, health care reform and increasing coverage doesn’t translate into better access.”
During his time in office, President Obama has urged Americans to “bring mental illness out of the shadows.” While he’s arguably taken some important steps in that direction, he can’t do it without other lawmakers on the state and national level.
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/03/13/3633203/obama-mental-health-care-legacy/
Wait for it......... 😛
________________________________________________________________________
Wrong again.
Obama himself said he would make it his administration's s "top priority" to fix the nation's deplorable mental heath system
He then did nothing.
Another empty speech while Americans continue to be killed by mentally unstable people.
Their blood is on Obama's hands and those who blindly support his failed presidency.
Their blood is on Obama's hands ...
Blaming Obama for everything solves nothing.........and means nothing, especially coming from you.... 
Their blood is on Obama's hands ...
Blaming Obama for everything solves nothing.........and means nothing, especially coming from you....
________________________-_________________________________________________
Okay, then explain to us how the American Citizen’s can tell when Obama says he is going to make whatever issue “his administration’s top priority” and then does nothing is he just lying again or just trying to make himself look good?
It is not a matter of blaming Obama for everything.
When Obama tells the American People he is going to do something he is then accountable for actually doing what he says he will do.
The liberals tried to hold President Bush accountable for everything. Why doesn’t the same standard apply to Obama?
Please explain your double standard.
muledouche is butthurt that Obama isn't banning guns after the latest shooting.
If Obama banned guns muledouche would be outraged over Obama banning guns.
Must suck to be muledouche.
You must not have read the article I posted about what he has been doing about it.............
muledouche is butthurt that Obama isn't banning guns after the latest shooting.
If Obama banned guns muledouche would be outraged over Obama banning guns.
Must suck to be muledouche.
__________________________________________________________________________
Welfare ron tries again and yet again fails.
Must suck to be such an idiot.
The left always screams “ban guns” but never have the guts to say the actual words, what they really want: Revoke the 2nd Amendment.
Not surprisingly the loudest mouthpieces on banning guns are they themselves surrounded by armed security.
I will not out source my personal protection to the government.
You must not have read the article I posted about what he has been doing about it.............
________________________________________________________________________
I did read your post and as usual, it was an empty, liberal opinion piece devoted to propping up the failed Obama presidency and published on a site that is an arm of George Soros’s Media Matters.
Apart from doing the least he can do with his “elevate the conversation”, “raise mental health awareness”, and “bring mental illness out of the shadows” word salads, Obama has done nothing to fix the problems.
Criminal background checks and mental health records do not talk to each other.
A good review of the matter can be found here:
http://smartgunlaws.org/mental-health-reporting-policy-summary/
President Bush, after the Virginia Tech massacre called on Congress to fix that exact problem and, unlike Obama, his administration drafted proposed legislation for Congress to consider.
Pelosi and Reid both refused to even let the proposed legislation be discussed in Congress.
Now, Republican leaders in the US Senate, along with the National Rifle Association are pushing for tougher background checks on people looking to buy guns. The Democrats in the Senate have been walking out of the discussions.
Obama has fail, yet again, to do what he told the American Citizens he would do; fix the problem.
So, the republicans own the house and senate - what bill have they passed and sent to the president?
I guess 'pushing for' is another word salad?
So, the republicans own the house and senate - what bill have they passed and sent to the president?
I guess 'pushing for' is another word salad?
_________________________________________________________________________
The Republicans do not “own” the house and senate. If you have a clue you would know that they do not have a veto proof majority. Did you skip you basic government class in high school?
With nothing coming from the Obama administration, the Republicans are moving forward on the issue and the Democrats continue to obstruct.
Obama continues to fail at actually doing what he told the American Citizens he would do.
Again, a failure of leadership by Obama.
In keeping with the liberals quest to ban any “symbol” they don’t like:
In Texas, I would imagine a large percentage of the population are gun-owners, and believe in arming all citizens as a way to stop the psychos out there. Well what happened with the Texas deputy in Houston? He was not only armed, he was a trained police officer in uniform...but it wasn't enough to stop a lunatic from executing an innocent man for no reason. But conservatives would rather just "clean up the mess" rather than prevent the mess from happening in the first place. Sad.
In Texas, I would imagine a large percentage of the population are gun-owners, and believe in arming all citizens as a way to stop the psychos out there. Well what happened with the Texas deputy in Houston? He was not only armed, he was a trained police officer in uniform...but it wasn't enough to stop a lunatic from executing an innocent man for no reason. But conservatives would rather just "clean up the mess" rather than prevent the mess from happening in the first place. Sad.
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Conservatives had nothing to do with the execution of the Sheriff. They will certainly make sure he is executed.
Texas Deputy Executed Days After Black Radical Group Calls for Killing Cops
August 28, 2015
HOUSTON, Texas — A Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy was shot execution style at a gas station while reportedly in full uniform. The deputy was filling up his patrol car. Witnesses said the shooter shot the deputy in the back of the head and then three times in the back. This tragedy comes within days of a group of Black radicals calling for “lynching whites and killing cops,” as recently reported. Witnesses also said that the shooter was a black male.
The shooting occurred late Friday evening in Northwest Harris County just outside of Houston. One witness who spoke to this writer said he knew the deputy personally and had just spoken with him about five minutes before the shooting.
He said he saw the man shoot his friend and speed off in a red pickup truck. He said he followed the truck for about two miles until he lost it at a major highway intersection. The truck turned onto Highway 6 from West Road and disappeared.
Deputies in the area confirmed they were indeed searching for a red Ford Ranger pickup truck.
Two teenage girls said they saw the shooter fire one shot into the back of the head of the deputy who was simply getting gas for his vehicle. After the deputy fell, they heard three or four other shots. According to the first witness, those shots were fired into the deputy’s back.
The execution of the deputy came just days after black radicals went on an internet radio show hosted from Texas and called for the lynching of white people and the killing of cops to “turn the tide” against blacks being killed by cops. It was reported on Friday morning the details of the radio show and the comments that were made.
One black man spoke up saying they needed to kill “cops that are killing us. The other black male on the show said, “That will be the best method right there.”
The shooter is described as male, dark complexion, five-foot-ten to six-foot. He was said to be wearing a white t-shirt and red shorts.
Witnesses said a LifeFlight helicopter came and picked up the deputy to take him to the hospital, but they believe he was dead at the scene.
The first witness showed this reporter a photo of the deputy with his children. He was highly emotional as he was speaking. “He was the best guy you can imagine as a friend,” the witness said. “He was always coming to me and asking if he could do anything for me.”
President Reagan gutted mental health funds in the '80's, and several states, including Texas, followed suit. These cuts decimated the community mental health/mental retardation system here in Texas, including hospital beds for the mentally ill and substance abuse treatment facilities. These people more often than not wind up on the fringes of society and in the legal system instead, with little to no monitoring until they do something illegal. Unless you are chronically mentally ill and mostly incapacitated there are no services for you in the state of Texas.
President Reagan gutted mental health funds in the '80's, and several states, including Texas, followed suit. These cuts decimated the community mental health/mental retardation system here in Texas, including hospital beds for the mentally ill and substance abuse treatment facilities. These people more often than not wind up on the fringes of society and in the legal system instead, with little to no monitoring until they do something illegal. Unless you are chronically mentally ill and mostly incapacitated there are no services for you in the state of Texas.
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“President Reagan gutted mental health funds in the '80's” because the people were demanding that the government stop institutionalizing the mentally ill and adopt a mainstreaming approach.
Woops.
At that time the whole focus of the community mental health system was to keep people in the community and treat them there. Hospitalizations were used for stabilization and return to the community,whether for mental health issues or drug treatment. That is what was de-funded and taken away. Now there are no such services or programs. All out patient services were provided on a sliding scale fee based on one's income.
