The Denver killer is clearly a very very sick young Man.

[El Presidente]

Yes, I think that if you combine long hours living in a fantasy game universe where you're encouraged to ignore "normal" rules, a deranged personality and the ready availability of drugs then that's an explosive cocktail

You're talking a normal Friday night on NSC then.

 

[Acker79]

so you're going to blame computer games when someone goes on a shooting spree at a film based on fantasy and violence? how many explosions and guns are there in the Dark Knight Rises, whats the body count? utterly absurd position you've taken.

Somewhat ironically, Batman is a hero who doesn't like gun, he has a very anti-gun policy (in the third film he even takes a gun away from catwoman while they are fighting together)

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Will be interesting to see if he has been radicalised in some way or is the intelligent but 'loner' type trying to find some validation in his life and either way knowing the media will all too readily plaster his images across the world.

All the time that guns remain so readily available in the US only continues the possibility of such incidents in the future, especially given the ease with which US citizens indulge this constitutional right to bear arms. A real hot potato and would be a brave politician who goes down the route of banning this right.

 

[Woodchip]

Sadly society created the monster. How it proposes to deal with it may well be part of the problem.

Call me a reactionary old fool but I worry about shoot 'em up computer games where reality and fantasy merge. Any right thinking person understands that you don't get shot and blown apart and just get up and go again but as learning disabilities become more and more common clearly not everyone is right thinking.

Moors murders, Jack the ripper, the Wests, Yorkshire Ripper, etc. Were they all just computer game addicts.

I've played computer games since I was about 5. At no point have I ever thought eggs could walk and talk, out hedgehogs and foxes by family, or that stealing a car and trying up kill as many people as possible was a good idea.

Some people are nut jobs, some aren't. Simple really. Computer games have sod all to do with it.

 

[El Presidente]

He's not the Messiah.....

 

[Rich Suvner]

He's playing the system. I would argue that he was in full control of his mind and actions. He booby-trapped his flat with 30 IEDs, bought gas canisters, two handguns, a shotgun and assault rifle, with 6000 rounds, and dressed in body armour, ballistic vests and a gas mask. He knew what he was doing, and in court he's deliberately playing to the judge and to the cameras to give across the impression that he's crazy. By acting out "insanity", he's effectively saving his own skin as that would mean he will not face the death penalty. In this case, as in the majority of these violent crimes, the culprit is evil. Simple.

Besides, how do you define "sick"? Legally, clinically, it's all down to the subjective decisions of teams of doctors and lawyers. Everyone's opinion is different, but ultimately you get two groups of people: one type who say he's an evil SOB and has to fry, and others who say he's a poor, sick little puppy who needs rehabilitating and nurturing back into society. One of these does not wash with me.

After something this violent I simply don't see why anyone should have the right to rehabilitation. Sick or evil, the acts are fact, and probably worthy of a death sentence.

 

[Rich Suvner]

Somewhat ironically, Batman is a hero who doesn't like gun, he has a very anti-gun policy (in the third film he even takes a gun away from catwoman while they are fighting together)

Not really ironic considering he is playing out the role of the Joker, the violent criminal (latest incarnation) who is Batman's enemy

 

[Rich Suvner]

so you're going to blame computer games when someone goes on a shooting spree at a film based on fantasy and violence? how many explosions and guns are there in the Dark Knight Rises, whats the body count? utterly absurd position you've taken.

What about blaming comic books?

No, I don't buy the video games excuse either I'm afraid. Cheap argument used to provide reasoning because many need an excuse, a validation, a cause.

History is awash with stories of violence without reason

 

[Brightonfan1983]

TwitLonger When you talk too much for Twitter

This is a very intelligent response to their gun issues.

 

[melias shoes]

The Denver killer is clearly a very very sick young Man.

There are no winners here.

Clearly.

 

[oldalbiongirl]

The influence of upbringing and society and the subsequent brain development is the reason that a person turns out the way they do. This is therefore very very complex. What influences one person will have no bearing on another. As a society, what do we have to do about this sort of case? We lock him up and throw away the key. We have to protect the public from this sort of thing in the future. This doesn't mean we have to stand outside shouting and screaming abuse at the perpetrator because we all play a part in the society that has helped to create him. We then have to look at what may have contributed to this person becoming the way they have and then try and minimise the risk for the future. For example controlling gun sales etc or looking at his profile/background upbringing so we can get an understanding of what contributes to such a person.
My thoughts are always with the poor families in these situations. Must be horrendous.

 

[Rich Suvner]

This doesn't mean we have to stand outside shouting and screaming abuse at the perpetrator because we all play a part in the society that has helped to create him.

Please explain how we have ALL played a part in the society that has created this murderer.

 

[oldalbiongirl]

What I mean is - you get people turning up outside courtrooms etc who have no idea of the facts of the case or what has led to this horrible crime shouting abuse. ( I am not talking about family / friends of victims btw) They are often the same people happy to go along with the purchase of guns or those who turn a blind eye to things happening in society that they don't agree with because someone else should sort it out. I'm not blaming them for the actual crime as obviously ultimately blame has to rest with the perpetrator but i'm just saying that rather than shout and scream every time something goes wrong and then after 5 minutes all settle down and go back into apathy, perhaps as a society we need to really start to get to grips with the causes of this sort of terrible crime.

 

[Rich Suvner]

What I mean is - you get people turning up outside courtrooms etc who have no idea of the facts of the case or what has led to this horrible crime shouting abuse. ( I am not talking about family / friends of victims btw) They are often the same people happy to go along with the purchase of guns or those who turn a blind eye to things happening in society that they don't agree with because someone else should sort it out. I'm not blaming them for the actual crime as obviously ultimately blame has to rest with the perpetrator but i'm just saying that rather than shout and scream every time something goes wrong and then after 5 minutes all settle down and go back into apathy, perhaps as a society we need to really start to get to grips with the causes of this sort of terrible crime.

I think society has a right to make this guys remaining time on this earth unpleasant.

I simply cannot accept this action has any acceptable cause - and IF it is the result of accute mental illness, then I still think the crime is so serious I see no benefit in any form of rehabilitation. For who's benefit?

 

[oldalbiongirl]

As I said before I agree that we cant rehabilitate such a dangerous offender. We have to protect the public from any more such obvious threat. But we need to try and work with him whilst he is in a mental institution to try and understand what led to it. I would never say that there is an acceptable reason for this happening. I would never excuse it. But failing to try and understand it is just making the chances of it happening it again in the future even more likely.

 

[Rich Suvner]

failing to try and understand it is just making the chances of it happening it again in the future even more likely.

Fair point. I just feel nowadays there are too many people who try to justify these type of outrageous actions and reduce it to simple society-based excuses.

 

[fataddick]

Americans just accept this sort of incident as a price for their freedom. Was Stateside for a previous shooting spree - the Asian kid Georgia Uni I think one, and it was on in bars 24/7 and when talking to me they said it was their equivalent of football hooligans

 

[binky]

It's "societies" fault.
It's violent computer games
It's violent films
It's a poor upbringing
The social workers failed him/her/it
They were led astray
The gun made him do it
They are "sick"
They are "evil" (Is this a genetic condition?)

Can we not just create a world where we are responsible for our own actions, and it's nobody elses fault.
This murderer stepped outside of the acceptable range of behaviour, (by some way), and now has to pay the price.
It's nobodies fault, and attempting to apportion blame, and then ban everything which could possibly have "caused" the behaviour, and trying the "fix" the rest is not only an excercise in futility, but will impinge on other peoples liberty.

"Sick", (in the head), or "Evil", it makes no tangible difference what label you chose. All it boils down to is that this individual has proved himself "non functional" in the context of the modern urban environment, and therefore needs to be removed from it.

The right to bear arms is clearly contributary to the outcome of this incident.
Personally, I like shooting as a sport, (Sadly no longer available in this country as a result of knee jerk reaction legislation), but get freaked out when in the USA on business, and see US citizens striding about with 9mm openly displayed on their belts.
But guns are not a cause of these killings. (They do make it easier though)

The trick is in finding these misfits before they flip out and "go postal".
...but then what? Arrest someone for a crime they might commit?

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

There are no winners here.

You obviously haven't seen some of the classy 'tribute' memorabilia on sale;

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Here's a nice letter, published in the Colorado Springs Gazette:-


Punishing everyone else

What a shame that some people including New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg are already exploiting the movie theater shooting tragedy to stoke their long-standing gun ban agendas. Sadly, their warped view is that the heinous actions of one lone nut justify punishing everyone else with a slippery slope of harsh new restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms. But the tens of millions of peaceable gun owners in this country and our representatives have done nothing wrong. Those who level their vitriol at us can be assured we will fight tooth and nail any attempt to erode our rights.

Gun control is never the answer. Someone intent on harming others will always find a way and it is incredibly naïve to assume any amount of legislation can prevent such attacks. A safer society depends upon empowering citizens to use whatever means available to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Reid Lusk

Englewood


Read more: 'Batman massacre'; Mayor Bloomberg and gun control; and more | latest, reasons, attributed - LETTERS - Colorado Springs Gazette, CO