Laurie Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 This is going to sound really strange, but does anyone else find this a creepy coincidence.. My son watches "The Regular Show" on Cartoon Network. After hearing on the news about the killer in Virginia, my son told me that it sounded kind of like the new episode of "The Regular Show" that aired last week where a local tv news cameraman gets killed. I watched the episode this morning to see what it was about. The episode is called "Local News Legends". There's a new female reporter who's trying to find a story that she can use for an audition piece. The winner will get to do a weekly segment on the local news . Another reporter who has been there longer feels that she has already earned that segment, and she sets out to sabotage the young reporter. It ends with a high speed chase carried live on tv. The villain reporter turns out to be a robot who has come to destroy the local news...she kills the cameraman but isn't able to kill the young reporter. (Back at the tv station, the anchor man comments that he and the young reporter used to date.) From what I've read about the Virginia murders, the killer had made some ridiculous claims about the young reporter...her use of words like "swinging by" an address or being out in the "field" on a story were supposedly racist remarks aimed at him, and he filed a complaint against her. She started as an intern at the station when he was there, and perhaps he saw her as a threat to his career and was trying to sabotage her career advancement? And she was also the girlfriend of one of the anchors. It seems weird to me that the killer waited so long after being fired to come back and seek revenge. It makes me wonder if he was watching the cartoon last week... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Interesting. I also wondered about that two year gap. It's a horrible, tragic thing to have happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Did you see the news story with photos of his apartment?? No blankets or sheets, very little furniture and multiple photos of himself on the fridge. Crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 The story makes me wonder whether there is anything to be learned about mental health and legal gun ownership. I think most people would agree that the guy was off his rocker AND that mentally ill angry people shouldn't have access to guns. But is there an opportunity to prevent this? And I don't mean taking guns away from the many millions of responsible gun owners. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 It does sound eerily similar, however, from what I understand, the reason he waited so long is that he was suing the TV station and that lawsuit was just recently (last month?) thrown out by the judge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candicane Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 It's also why Mr Robot (which is set to have a similar episode and has actually had things in it come true) had their finale postponed. TV relating to reality is getting all too common now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Pretty upsetting. My home town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 It's also why Mr Robot (which is set to have a similar episode and has actually had things in it come true) had their finale postponed. TV relating to reality is getting all too common now. I hadn't heard about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 The story makes me wonder whether there is anything to be learned about mental health and legal gun ownership. I think most people would agree that the guy was off his rocker AND that mentally ill angry people shouldn't have access to guns. But is there an opportunity to prevent this? Mentally ill people shouldn't own guns, but maybe they should have their tvs taken away as well. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 Did you see the news story with photos of his apartment?? No blankets or sheets, very little furniture and multiple photos of himself on the fridge. Crazy. I also saw an interview with a pawn shop owner who had received a 9 page letter signed by "Vesper Flanagan". He bought a tv from the pawn shop and was angry that the store clerk didn't thank him for making the purchase but only told him to have a nice day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 Pretty upsetting. My home town. Very much so. I'm sorry. I was reminded of one of our local news reporters who committed suicide a few years ago. He didn't take anyone else with him, thank God, but while he worked at the station he wasn't allowed to use his real first name because the anchorman had the same name and it would supposedly confuse the viewers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 That is very creepy and so very sad....my parents moved away from SML a couple of years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I talk to the trees Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Pretty upsetting. My home town. I cannot "like" your post, but I agree. It is sickening, isn't it? I grew up here. I had friends whose parents worked for the station when we were kids. I still can't wrap my head around something like this happening here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albeto. Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Mentally ill people shouldn't own guns, but maybe they should have their tvs taken away as well. That's mean. Maybe they should have their shoes taken away too, so they can't easily go out in public. But first we'd have to identify what it is to be mentally ill. And we'd have to be able to distinguish it from conditions that can and sometimes do negatively affect behavior like cancerous tumors, sleep deprivation, depression, or even devout religious belief. Or maybe, I dunno, we should have comprehensive health care and tools to conduct early screening so those who need help can learn how to function in society by adapting with learned skills and an infrastructure of support based on facts and information. Sorry, I get touchy when throwing mentally ill people under the bus. Society wants to do something productive, and will do anything so long as it doesn't have to give up its deeply held beliefs about behavior being simply a matter of intent and subsequent action. [ETA: sorry if you're being sarcastic to make a point, I didn't think of that] 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooCow Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 I hadn't heard about this. Me either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candicane Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 I hadn't heard about this. Yeah the episode was due to air the day it happened, now it'll air next week. See here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Not all shooters are mentally ill (in fact most seem to be deemed legally sane enough to stand trial). Most mentally ill people are not shooters or inclined towards violence in any way. I too am tired of everyone blaming gun violence on mental illness. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Not all shooters are mentally ill (in fact most seem to be deemed legally sane enough to stand trial). Most mentally ill people are not shooters or inclined towards violence in any way. I too am tired of everyone blaming gun violence on mental illness. Many of the random shootings and mass shootings involve a mentally ill person behind the gun - and we often hear later that the shooter obtained the gun legally. Also a lot of shootings are suicides, which are often associated with mental health issues. There are of course other kinds of gun violence, but I think we already have laws against convicted criminals legally owning guns. Since certain people want to make this incident a gun rights issue (vs. a mental health issue or a race issue), it seems logical to take a focused approach IMO. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albeto. Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Many of the random shootings and mass shootings involve a mentally ill person behind the gun What's the percentage of this, I wonder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 My children's school was locked down. They didn't talk to them about it, so I had to tell them when I picked them up. They said it was sad and tragic but didn't understand why everyone was so upset. "People get shot every day, Mom." My 10 and 11 year olds live in a world in which they expect there to be a mass shooting EVERY SINGLE DAY. What the heck is wrong with this??? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 What's the percentage of mentally healthy mass shooters? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 This is an interesting article re: violence, gun control laws and mental illness http://www.propublica.org/article/myth-vs-fact-violence-and-mental-health A 2001 study looked specifically at 34 adolescent mass murderers, all male. 70 percent were described as a loner. 61.5 percent had problems with substance abuse. 48 percent had preoccupations with weapons. 43.5 percent had been victims of bullying. Only 23 percent had a documented psychiatric history of any kind ― which means 3 out of 4 did not. If we were able to magically cure schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression, that would be wonderful, but overall violence would go down by only about 4 percent. The whole thing is really interesting, particularly in light of this event. I didn't check the studies the author mentions. I really doubt this event had to do with TV. It sounds like the court case was the more likely cause of the timing. Such a horrible thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 The story makes me wonder whether there is anything to be learned about mental health and legal gun ownership. I think most people would agree that the guy was off his rocker AND that mentally ill angry people shouldn't have access to guns. But is there an opportunity to prevent this? And I don't mean taking guns away from the many millions of responsible gun owners. "Responsible gun owners" is a red herring and irrelevant to the rampant and disastrous gun laws in the US. So are those arguments pointing fingers at mentally ill people having guns. No civilian -- sane or mentally ill -- has any need whatsoever for a handgun. I am sure I will hear some fellow country dweller argue that they are necessary for dispatching predatory wildlife and to that I say "bullshit." Handguns are never necessary for a civilian. Period. I believe that the US does not want to and never will wake up from its gun-lust drunkenness to reform gun ownership laws in a way significant enough to thwart the spiraling increase in gun violence in that country. IMO, it's beyond a lost cause any more. People don't really want change. They just want to appear appropriately saddened and ashamed at yet another shooting, yet keep the status quo per gun laws. Here is a great example of satire hitting the nail on the head. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Over 57 million Americans have a diagnosable mental disorder each year. This is more than 1/4 adults over 18. I reckon many posters on this board have mental health illnesses or have had them in the past. I am including myself in the number, having had severe PPD, PTSD and anxiety. Even with the U.S. averaging 1 mass shooting per day (http://www.businessinsider.com/us-averages-one-mass-shooting-per-day-2015-8), a very small percentage of mentally ill people ever pick up a gun and kill someone. Focusing on restricting mentally ill people from owning guns is a red herring that distracts from the actual issue. We have more mass shootings than anywhere else because we have more guns and gun owners have fewer legal responsibilities than they do elsewhere. Additionally, many mentally unwell people who are involved in shootings don't legally own that gun anyways. It's a question of access and prevalence, not feel good, do nothing regulations. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Some reading: http://depts.washington.edu/mhreport/facts_violence.php https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/12/26/stop-blaming-mental-health-for-gun-violence-the-problem-is-guns/ http://www.salon.com/2015/06/18/its_not_about_mental_illness_the_big_lie_that_always_follows_mass_shootings_by_white_males/ http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/almost-link-mental-health-gun-violence An interesting bit from that last article: When Swanson first analyzed the ostensible connection between violence and mental illness, looking at more than ten thousand individuals (both mentally ill and healthy) during the course of one year, he found that serious mental illness alone was a risk factor for violence—from minor incidents, like shoving, to armed assault—in only four per cent of cases. That is, if you took all of the incidents of violence reported among the people in the survey, mental illness alone could explain only four per cent of the incidents. When Swanson broke the samples down by demographics, he found that the occurrence of violence was more closely associated with whether someone was male, poor, and abusing either alcohol or drugs—and that those three factors alone could predict violent behavior with or without any sign of mental illness. If someone fit all three of those categories, the likelihood of them committing a violent act was high, even if they weren’t also mentally ill. If someone fit none, then mental illness was highly unlikely to be predictive of violence. Is is totally unconnected? No, of course not. But it's not the bulk of violence in this country, gun related violence or otherwise. Mentally ill people are far more likely to be victims of violence themselves than to be shooters. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albeto. Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Thanks for sharing that, Lucy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 What's the percentage of mentally healthy mass shooters? What's the percentage of shooters that are mentally healthy when compliant with their meds, but unstable if they decide to stop taking their necessary dosages? It's a complicated issue. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 My children's school was locked down. They didn't talk to them about it, so I had to tell them when I picked them up. They said it was sad and tragic but didn't understand why everyone was so upset. "People get shot every day, Mom." My 10 and 11 year olds live in a world in which they expect there to be a mass shooting EVERY SINGLE DAY. What the heck is wrong with this??? One of my dc had almost the same reaction. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 What's the percentage of shooters that are mentally healthy when compliant with their meds, but unstable if they decide to stop taking their necessary dosages? It's a complicated issue. Of course it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 My children's school was locked down. They didn't talk to them about it, so I had to tell them when I picked them up. They said it was sad and tragic but didn't understand why everyone was so upset. "People get shot every day, Mom." My 10 and 11 year olds live in a world in which they expect there to be a mass shooting EVERY SINGLE DAY. What the heck is wrong with this??? There was a uniformed policeman at the YMCA around noon, visiting child watch and the teen center and handing out stickers and pencils. I didn't put it together until DH said he was probably there as a precaution. There are NEVER uniformed police officers in the Y. My kids don't know. They've probably seen Alison on the news, so they might recognize her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom25girls Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 My children's school was locked down. They didn't talk to them about it, so I had to tell them when I picked them up. They said it was sad and tragic but didn't understand why everyone was so upset. "People get shot every day, Mom." My 10 and 11 year olds live in a world in which they expect there to be a mass shooting EVERY SINGLE DAY. What the heck is wrong with this??? One of mine too. It hurts my heart quite honestly. I expected the world to be a safe-isn place when I was growing up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 So if I understand correctly, folks here feel that as long as any gun ownership is legal in the USA, mental illness should not be a factor in eligibility to own a gun. If it can be shown that there is really no significant risk implication, then fine. But if they start taking guns away from my nonviolent, responsible family members because of the way some other people misuse theirs, I'm not going to be quiet about it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted August 29, 2015 Author Share Posted August 29, 2015 So if I understand correctly, folks here feel that as long as any gun ownership is legal in the USA, mental illness should not be a factor in eligibility to own a gun. There are always going to be people who don't want anyone to be able to own a gun, no matter what. I was just listening to Greta Van Susteren's interview with Alek Skarlatos, one of the young military guys who stopped the terrorist on the train heading to Paris. Skarlatos said that while he was holding the terrorist's gun and they had the terrorist on the ground an employee of the train came up to him and wanted him to put the gun down. He said he refused because at that point they still didn't know if the terrorist was acting alone and they hadn't been able to check the other cars. Even when a good guy is holding a gun there's still going to be somebody who thinks he shouldn't have it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 The thing with mental illness is there is medical mental illness such as depression etc and social mental illness. If a person does something way outsidw of what society deems acceptable they are deemed to be mentally disturbed because people who aren't disturbed simply don't behave that way. It is a social judgement. There is a 79 year old in my town to has just been arrested for a particilarly nasty and odd crime (google attack on Lewis Stanton). It is my opinion that the person needs treatment of some sort because sane 79 year olds do not behave like that - this does not mean he ia suffering from a diagnosable mental illness althpugh he might be, just that his behavior is too odd to be understood. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 So if I understand correctly, folks here feel that as long as any gun ownership is legal in the USA, mental illness should not be a factor in eligibility to own a gun. If it can be shown that there is really no significant risk implication, then fine. But if they start taking guns away from my nonviolent, responsible family members because of the way some other people misuse theirs, I'm not going to be quiet about it. While there are some people who feel that way, at least among people I know that is not the majority opinion. Most people I know who advocate stricter gun laws want them to be more like vehicle laws - registration, licensing, test, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 While there are some people who feel that way, at least among people I know that is not the majority opinion. Most people I know who advocate stricter gun laws want them to be more like vehicle laws - registration, licensing, test, etc. We have that but we also don't have handguns and owning a gun it not the norm unless you are a hunter. Sure we have shootings but most people don't have access to weapon and if they do it is large and hard to conceal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albeto. Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 So if I understand correctly, folks here feel that as long as any gun ownership is legal in the USA, mental illness should not be a factor in eligibility to own a gun. Yeah, as long as they don't have shoes or tvs. That's exactly what folks here feel. :huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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