2 marshals shot, gunman apprehended in shooting at federal building in Las Vegas

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.the33tv.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-federal-building-shooting,0,4880106.story

By Associated Press
10:37 AM CST, January 4, 2010

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A deputy U.S. marshal says at least two federal marshals were shot and a gunman was apprehended after gunfire broke out in the lobby of a federal courthouse in downtown Las Vegas.

Chief Deputy Marshal Roxanna Lea Irwin said Monday she didn't have immediate information about the condition of the marshals. But she says authorities had a shooter in custody.

[Don Caballero]

1. Another clear reminder that aggressive gun control

must be a part of the President's first term agenda.

[liberal N proud]

2. Agreed but..

The gun nuts would just go nuts as they will on your comments and mine.


:popcorn:

[Don Caballero]

4. How do people really think that we don't need more gun control??

I have never heard a good argument from those who love to own firearms. The whole "I want to protect my family" meme would not apply if all guns were banned. The "Only criminals would have guns if they were illegal" argument would be such a small number it really would not matter. Only those sworn to protect us should be allowed to possess firearms.

[here_is_to_hope]

5. I am sworn to protect my family...

"Only those sworn to protect us..."

Is it too early for some rational thought?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

6. So you honestly believe that criminals would pose no threat without firearms?

[Don Caballero]

9. They would pose much less a threat if they were not armed with a gun

[dmallind]

12. How would this be done?

Since most gun crimes are committed by those who are banned from owning them already (murder is only rarely a first felony) how would we remove them? Let's say we stop the importatioon or manufacture of guns today. We have about 300 million of them out there. Billions of rounds of ammunition (and thousands of people who make their own). We can assume they will not all be handed on in any amnesty - even by previously legal and safe owners. Much less so by violent criminals who commit most of the murders and to whom a gun in a gunless world will be enormously valuable as they can essentially impose their will unopposed. How do we gte the rest? House to house searches including metal detectors to get them hidden under ground or inside walls? Under what legal and constitutional authority and at what cost?

So we do the police state thing and get most of them, maybe, if we're lucky, with few deaths. Now you only have to contend with the fact that you can manufacture a 1911 (standard military sidearm for decades) from easily available and widely disseminated blueprints from stainless steel in a reasonably equipped machine shop. In fact the best gun I have ever owned was made just that way. Hundreds of gunsmiths have this down to an art. Thousands of people have the skills to develop that art. Do we kill them so they forget it? Or do we ban stainless steel?

Other countries had nowhere near the inventory of guns we do, nowhere near the gunsmithing knowledge and pro/amateur Shade Tree industry of making guns and ammunition we do. Also nowhere near the shared history and ethos of civilian gun ownership. England's guns were limited to the rural farmers, landed gentry and some highly specialized hobbyists. Australia's guns were much the same except for the landed gentry. They were not a routine part of the mainstream culture for the masses of common people.

The US gun genie is not going back into the bottle.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

30. What do you supposed they would arm themselves with if gun were unavailable?

Not that guns will ever be unavailable to criminals but for arguments sake we'll go with your hypothetical situation.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

14. Police officers and agents of the state have NO obligation to protect or assist

citizens. Unless you are in thier custody, they are not required to provide you with assistence or protect you. There have been several cases affirming this fact and all are easily researched. I suggest you rethink your position before entrusting your protection to people not obligated to protect you.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

18. Your reasoning is clearly flawed, look at the UK

Guns were seriously restricted and the bad boys turned to knives. Know they are look at banning knives. Clue to the UK...its not the weapons, its the bad guys.

The meme of "if we only banned guns, no one would need to protect themselves or their family" is clearly discredited.

[proteus_lives]

25. And I've never heard a good argument from a gun grabber.

As a gun owner, why should I be punished from someone else's crimes?

"Only those sworn to protect us should be allowed to possess firearms."

Careful, your authoritarianism is showing. What other rights do we not deserve?

[Pavulon]

37. Good luck with that law

it would be the last one passed before those who passed it were ejected from office.

[arcadian]

3. Here we go!

Strap in people, it's gonna be one hellava ride. :rofl: :popcorn:

[no limit]

7. Every time a deadly car accident happens thats a reminder we must ban all cars!

[Iggo]

8. This was no accident.

Thanks for playing.

[no limit]

10. Thanks for missing the point entirely

[Iggo]

13. Oh I didn't miss it.

As a licensed driver, I drove around it in my registered car.

[NutmegYankee]

15. Yes, your car is registered...

But every idiot out there owns one and uses it regularly!

[X_Digger]

16. And as a licensed CHL holder, I take my gun out in public..

.. but my dad doesn't register his farm truck that only drives on farm roads, nor does he 'register' the guns that he has that he only takes hunting or target shooting.

Hey, did you get a background check when you bought your car? No? Did you get fingerprinted when you got your tags?

[Iggo]

17. I got a background check and I got fingerprinted (thumbprint)...

...when I got my license.

[X_Digger]

22. Did the state DMV run an FBI background check on you?

Did you have to list every address you've had in the last five years so that they could do a criminal records check on you in every county / state where you lived in that time? Did the car dealership refuse to sell you a car because you had a DUI or refuse to sell you a sports car because you weren't 21?

[Iggo]

28. Nope.

[no limit]

20. Clever. But still missing the point entirely

everytime someone drives drunk and kills someone you can say that's also no accident. More people die each day from cars then they do from guns. People will be idiots always, you can't start banning things based on that alone. If you did we would live in a very dull world.

[Iggo]

I didn't call for a ban on anything.

Just pointing out that murder is not an accident.

[no limit]

26. That's fine, and you are right. But you are completely changing the topic from my point

using this incident as an argument for banning guns is the same as using a drunk driving "accident" as a basis for banning booze or banning cars.

[Iggo]

21. Oops...extra click...sorry.

[fascisthunter]

33. except weapons and vehicles are quite different

in that one is designed to kill and the other isn't. Also, this was no accident and comparing murder with intent to an accident to make your point is extremely disingenuous. Guns aren't the problem, people are, that's why most sane individuals want better regulation on guns. A gun takes away no just life, but your right to live, therefore it should be regulated, just like a well armed militia.

[Pavulon]

38. List the regulations you would add..(nt)

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

11. If it's a part of Obama's first term agenda...

it will be is last term.

How soon we forget the repercussions of actions taken in 1994.

[slackmaster]

19. You want him to be a one-term President?

:crazy:

[newspeak]

23. it's on the news now

one US Marshall shot and one retired police officer, 65, who is a guard at the federal courthouse. The gunman is dead-he was shot, apparently while fleeing. One witness said she saw four men in black coats, but the news is attributing the shooting to one lone gunman. The news is saying he was wearing combat boots and maybe some camo clothing. They've closed off a couple of streets near the building.

I've been at the building reporting for jury duty--I remember the elder guard--he was nice and was very helpful when I had questions on where to go (it may be the same person who was shot.)

The US Marshall has been rushed to the hospital--no news on him, yet.

[X_Digger]

24. Best wishes for the Marshal & condolences for the officer's family. n/t

[Shell Beau]

34. Sad it took that long for someone to say that. And I agree.

[marmar]

27. K&R.....I see the pro-gun spin control is already at work in this thread.

nt

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

31. Actually the gun control crowd got on the soapbox, others just responded.

[Name removed]

36. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The Straight Story]

32. Over one hundred million Americans own guns - biased much? (nt)

[Libertas1776]

29. One officer has died

http://www.lasvegassun.com/

[Shell Beau]

35. Sad. What a shame. My prayers are with his family.