News - Shootings in Cumbria

[Wisey]

I don't know if anyone is watching/listening to the news right now, but this is all over it:

 

http://news.bbc.co.u...nd/10214661.stm

 

I hope he is caught soon, and my thoughts are with those family's who lost someone to this man.

 

But I can't help but think if this is going to result in some kind of reaction from the government that may affect us airsofters (selfish I know), I sure hope not...

[Azubi]

*fruitcage* me, I wonder why he is doing it?

[Elliot]

Well its happening right on my doorstep. I live in the Penrith area, and skirmish in Aspatria and Annan, all very close to the areas the shootings happened.

 

With regards to potential legislation resulting from this incident, I believe real steel shooters may have more to fear than skirmishers. A lot will

ride on what type of firearm he used, and weather or not it was legally held.

 

For example if it was an illegal handgun, chances are no legislation will result, however if it was a legally held shotgun then I could see legislation being proposed to place shotguns into the section 1 firearms category. If it was an illegally converted replica (Like a blank-firing handgun) then I could see potential legislation

concerning airsoft replicas.

 

Like I said I think a lot will depend on what type of firearm was used, and weather or not it was held legally.

 

Elliot.

[Chimpy]

Crikey, not good. Looks like the Police think they have his body now though.

[Wisey]

Azubi, good point, maybe we'll find out soon enough...

 

Elliot, another good point - lets hope nothing more has to become of this.

 

Chimpy, oh really? Back to the BBC news I go!

 

EDIT: So they have, glad it's to an end now. Shame he took people with him :/

[Stealthbomber]

At the risk of stating the obvious, it's probably not wise to be leaving your RIF's lying around your house where a postman or window cleaner might spot them for a little while.

 

Condolences to the families of the dead but let's not do anything careless to make airsoft appear in the newspapers alongside this event, eh?

[Wisey]

Indeed, completely agreed.

[TbirdX]

Scary stuff, I was on holiday in that region just a few months back, went shopping in Whitehaven too.

[AceOfSkulls]

thats crazy and very sad.

[The General]

My thoughts go out to those who have suffered as a result of this.

 

Now the bit that makes me feel rather ashamed of myself. I always see the cynical side of things. I looked at several eye witness reports and TV channels on line as well as news coverage. No where is the type of gun mentioned. So I will go out on a limb and say its a legally held shotgun or legally held rifle.

 

If it were an automatic rifle, machine pistol or handgun, the kinds of weapon you are not permitted to own, it would be a media frenzy right now about gun control and what not.

 

Again, I feel bad saying this as people have died but I needed to say it. I am also thinking about how this could impact airsoft. This kind of thing always puts firearm and anything looking like a firearm in the public eye.

 

Be safe everyone and keep those RIF out of the public eye.

[cool-breeze87]

There go my plans to check the new scope I've got is ok. I'm glad that he was caught but he took a lot of innocent people with him. This heinous crime is the worst case of a shooting that I can think of since Dunblane. My thoughts are with the families of all the victims and hope that something like this never happens again. I feel sorry for the victims because I feel that they are now going to be used as numbers used by anti gun activists. They will become a statistic which is what they should never become, they were real people with real families and I feel that is forgotten when something like this happens.

[Wisey]

TheGeneral, I read on the BBC website that someone saw a "a huge sniper rifle" and "At first, he said, he thought it was a toy". Could have been anything though, my mum heard on the TV something about two guns, not just one.

[docs90]

Hungerford again ?

 

A very sad day for my relatives who live in whitehaven and egremont

[AceOfSkulls]

TheGeneral, I read on the BBC website that someone saw a "a huge sniper rifle" and "At first, he said, he thought it was a toy". Could have been anything though, my mum heard on the TV something about two guns, not just one.

 

according to the Telegraph he had a shotgun and a .22 rifle. So im guessing both legaly owned. It always baffles me why someone would do this, especially when they always commit suicide at the end. Saves an expensive trial and more greif i suppose.

[Cyber Soldier]

*tinfoil hat goes on* is it surprising this happens when the PM has his first question time and why is it that they always shoot themselves afterward?

[demoncase]

My prayers go out to the families and communities involved....And may the coward who commited such acts burn in hellfire for all eternity.

 

As to the potential consequences for our sport, I think it shows a monumentally selfish attitude that anyone could even voice such thoughts right now....

Let the investigation happen and then deal with whatever the outcome might be....

[spetsnazdave87]

I think this a tragedy on all sides, but part of me is glad that the one remotely good thing that has come out of this terrible event is that it's knocked that self promoting sick *fruitcage* from Bradford off the news. I have a lot more sympathy for someone who clearly had some kind of psychotic break than I do for a man who clearly engineered a campaign to make a name for himself as a serial killer.

[Wisey]

I have no sympathy for anyone who is willing to kill innocent people. I do get where your coming from though...

[cool-breeze87]

Thing is we'll never know what drove him to it. People can theorise but we will never truely know. Look at Columbine people are still debating what drove those kids to do that.

[buzzsaw]

For example if it was an illegal handgun, chances are no legislation will result, however if it was a legally held shotgun then I could see legislation being proposed to place shotguns into the section 1 firearms category. If it was an illegally converted replica (Like a blank-firing handgun) then I could see potential legislation

concerning airsoft replicas.

 

I fail to see all 'shotguns' going to S1 category. Aside from the complete outrage this would cause in the legal firearms community, there is no way that the Government has the resources to carry out such a massive overhaul at a time when spending cut are spending cut is being announced.

 

We may see something come along to affect current S1 shotguns however, generally used for the sport of 'practical shotgun'. In my opinion, the wide range of the shootings mean that the type of firearm has very little bearing...but the general public won't see it that way.

 

The Libertarian Alliance believes that if UK citizens had the right to bear arms, the entire situation would have been over far quicker. I support their view, and speak as a legal shotgun owner.

[AceOfSkulls]

alot of situations would be over alot faster if everybody had guns, but few in a way that would be good. Things like this are an inevitability of humanity, if guns didnt exist then people would find a way. However i think guns make it ALOT More easy, he wouldnt of got nearly as far without a gun.

[Chimpy]

Thing is we'll never know what drove him to it. People can theorise but we will never truely know. Look at Columbine people are still debating what drove those kids to do that.

 

Apparently it was over a will. His brother and the solicitor were some of the first victims.

[Chimpy]

The Libertarian Alliance believes that if UK citizens had the right to bear arms, the entire situation would have been over far quicker. I support their view, and speak as a legal shotgun owner.

 

Prize for the quickest to find political capital out of the tragedy goes to the Libertarian Alliance!

 

At the risk of starting YAGCT that entirely depends on the saturation of firearms in the country. A citizen exercising that ability would need to be on scene and able to react.

[sandstorm]

I wonder... If everyone has a gun, how many wannabe heroes shoot everything that moves at a sound of a loud bang?

 

And how many people won't listen to a cop until MAYBE when they are still alive and being patched up when cops come to scene of a shootout and tell everyone to put their guns down?`And when will it be acceptable for cops to shoot everyone holding a gun first, then sort out who started what?

 

The kind of 'vigilante protector' scenario is a tactical nightmare from policing perspective and insurance companies would ahve a field day with declaring any gun-carrying corpse as 'liable to happen - no compensation to family'.

 

Total anarchy doesn't work even in computer games, how would it work in real world?

[Chimpy]

I wonder... If everyone has a gun, how many wannabe heroes shoot everything that moves at a sound of a loud bang?

 

And how many people won't listen to a cop until MAYBE when they are still alive and being patched up when cops come to scene of a shootout and tell everyone to put their guns down?`And when will it be acceptable for cops to shoot everyone holding a gun first, then sort out who started what?

 

The kind of 'vigilante protector' scenario is a tactical nightmare from policing perspective and insurance companies would ahve a field day with declaring any gun-carrying corpse as 'liable to happen - no compensation to family'.

 

Total anarchy doesn't work even in computer games, how would it work in real world?

 

The problem with your argument is that no one has suggested arming everyone.

 

Lets not get sidetracked into a ludicrous gun control debate based on imaginary situations to defeat arguments no one has actually made.