Via NYPD presser: 9:03 this morning... disgruntled employee, in front of office, shot and killed former coworker, shooter aged 53 fled east on w 33rd to 5th aven, went north with 45 caliber handgun in black bag under arm. Construction worker followed him, alerted two cops, who were at Empire State. As cops approached shooter he pulled gun and fired on them, who retired fire and killed him. An additional 9 people were wounded during exchange. No children were shot (because in America, that's kind of expected).
UPDATE: GOP Convention to hold incredibly inappropriately named NRA-sponsored "shoot-out" event days after shoot-out at Empire State Building, week after shoot-out at Family Research Council, one month after Aurora shooting. "Stars and Stripes Republican Convention Shoot-Out" - seriously? A shoot-out is when multiple people pick up guns and kill each other in a mass spray of bullets. What a creepy idea for an event in the middle of all these mass shootings, and what a creepy name - it sounds like a terrorist attack against the convention, how inappropriate can you be? (Source: I have the entire GOP convention schedule, and copied this from it.)
If I were a member of Congress I wouldn't want to be caught at this event if yet another "shoot out" happens somewhere in America next week. And at the rate we're going, about one a week lately, odds are high.
_______________
It's time to bump Chris Andoe's post about how important it is that we not take political advantage of [insert shooting here]:
It's time to have a somber national discussion about the [insert shooting tragedy here] tragedy.Up to five people were reportedly shot. Info just coming in. Stay tuned.
Before we get started, let's go over a few basic ground rules.
1. In the wake of the __________ tragedy it's time for us all to come together as a nation and not assign blame. This is not the time, for example, to talk about how it's easier to purchase a gun in America than it is to vote (or buy French cheese).
2. And we won't tolerate any second guessing of the Second Amendment right to carry assault weapons, or questions about how the Framers could have possibly envisaged an assault rifle over 200 years ago, or why a "hunter" needs six thousand rounds of ammunition, or kevlar, or smoke grenades to kill a pheasant.
Details coming in. Gunman randomly opened fire on pedestrians.
ABC says it was a workplace dispute that spilled out on to the street.
CNN: Ten shot, several killed including shooter.
