Killer of 8 in California had talked of workplace attacks

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JOCELYN GECKER and MARTHA MENDOZA

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — An employee who gunned down eight people at a California rail yard and then killed himself as law enforcement rushed in had talked about killing people at work more than a decade ago, his ex-wife said.

“I never believed him, and it never happened. Until now,” a tearful Cecilia Nelms told The Associated Press on Wednesday following the 6:30 a.m. attack at a light rail facility for the Valley Transportation Authority.

“When our deputies went through the door, initially he was still firing rounds. When our deputy saw him, he took his life,” Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith told reporters.

The sheriff’s office is next door to the rail yard, which serves the county of more than 1 million people in the heart of the Silicon Valley.



An emergency responder stows a bomb squad robot following a shooting at a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) rail yard on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, in San Jose, Calif. A Santa Clara County sheriff's spokesman said the shooting left at least eight people, including the gunman, dead. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/california-business-shootings-2ac840b7cc77cc9e408a5d6daa7e7e30

[hookaleft]

1. A ninth victim has succumbed to his wounds nt.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Perhaps we need hyper-vigilance. If you see something, say something kind of thing.

What's with the journalism? I read this three times, three ways. "When our deputy saw him, he took his life". I finally decided he means to say 'he took his own life'. But it could be read as either one of them shot the other. It really begged interpretation.

[PatSeg]

5. I've encountered that a lot lately

Some really sloppy, unprofessional writing, as if journalists are just writing a message on Facebook, without proofreading it before they post it. I often find myself rereading a sentence several times, because the meaning is unclear. What kind of journalism class did some of these writers take? I worked on school newspapers and this kind of writing would have never gotten printed. I can picture all the red pencil corrections on some of these articles.

This wasn't just a careless mistake, it was really poor writing. When a person is reading a newspaper article, they should never have to guess what the writer is trying to say.

[llashram]

13. Americans

for the last two decades have been seriously dumbed down. Critical thinking skills, all classes learned not as in my day. Now skills seriously diminished. Journalists are no different nor outside that 2-decade parameter...

[PatSeg]

20. Oh yes, I agree

It does seem to be generational. I had some really tough teachers when I was young and though I might have found it irritating at the time, I am truly grateful today. Even without the influence of good teachers though, I do try to make a conscious effort on my own to be clear and concise with my words. It doesn't come quite so easy as I get older, but I still put in the effort.

There are a lot of really intelligent people on Democratic Underground and that encourages me to try harder!

[llashram]

21. +

[Kid Berwyn]

17. It's a quote.

They are the words the sheriff used.

[bucolic_frolic]

19. True

but journalists must hear ambiguity and close it off. Usually they do this by adding a clarifying word in parentheses or a (sic). I only mentioned it because I don't think they're proofing, or the editor is not editing, or perhaps English is not a native language.

[PatSeg]

22. Yes

If something is a quote, it should have quotation marks and the quote attributed. Basic journalism 101.

I remember a really old movie with Clark Gable and Doris Day. He was an experienced newspaper guy and she was a journalism teacher. It was called Teacher's Pet and I learned more from than movie about news reporting than some of these writers have evidently learned in college.

[PatSeg]

23. Okay, it appears that someone corrected that sentence

There were three bylines on the story. I would hope someone would have caught it and apparently they did.

[Skittles]

24. the way people speak, too

increasingly I am hearing "I SEEN" and "THEY WAS" - WTF

[captain queeg]

3. There was a guy at work, probably 10-15 yrs ago that used to "joke" about shooting up the work place

One of my coworkers told him that kind of talk made her uncomfortable and he laughed it off. She finally went to management and reported him. He got called in, I don’t know the details, but he was unapologetic. They fired him, which I was glad to see. More people need to be willing to say something.

[BradAllison]

10. Thankfully he was not triggered to return and carry out the threats n/m

[Sancho]

4. People Control, Not Gun Control

This is my generic response to gun threads where people are shot and killed by the dumb or criminal possession of guns. For the record, I grew up in the South and on military bases. I was taught about firearms as a child, and I grew up hunting, was a member of the NRA, and I still own guns. In the 70’s, I dropped out of the NRA because they become more radical and less interested in safety and training. Some personal experiences where people I know were involved in shootings caused me to realize that anyone could obtain and posses a gun no matter how illogical it was for them to have a gun. Also, easy access to more powerful guns, guns in the hands of children, and guns that weren’t secured are out of control in our society. As such, here’s what I now think ought to be the requirements to possess a gun. I’m not debating the legal language, I just think it’s the reasonable way to stop the shootings. Notice, none of this restricts the type of guns sold. This is aimed at the people who shoot others, because it’s clear that they should never have had a gun.

1.) Anyone in possession of a gun (whether they own it or not) should have a regularly renewed license. If you want to call it a permit, certificate, or something else that's fine.
2.) To get a license, you should have a background check, and be examined by a professional for emotional and mental stability appropriate for gun possession. It might be appropriate to require that examination to be accompanied by references from family, friends, employers, etc. This check is not to subject you to a mental health diagnosis, just check on your superficial and apparent gun-worthyness.
3.) To get the license, you should be required to take a safety course and pass a test appropriate to the type of gun you want to use.
4.) To get a license, you should be over 21. Under 21, you could only use a gun under direct supervision of a licensed person and after obtaining a learner’s license. Your license might be restricted if you have children or criminals or other unsafe people living in your home. (If you want to argue 18 or 25 or some other age, fine. 21 makes sense to me.)
5.) If you possess a gun, you would have to carry a liability insurance policy specifically for gun ownership - and likely you would have to provide proof of appropriate storage, security, and whatever statistical reasons that emerge that would drive the costs and ability to get insurance.
6.) You could not purchase a gun or ammunition without a license, and purchases would have a waiting period.
7.) If you possess a gun without a license, you go to jail, the gun is impounded, and a judge will have to let you go (just like a DUI).
8.) No one should carry an unsecured gun (except in a locked case, unloaded) when outside of home. Guns should be secure when transporting to a shooting event without demonstrating a special need. Their license should indicate training and special carry circumstances beyond recreational shooting (security guard, etc.). If you are carrying your gun while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you lose your gun and license.
9.) If you buy, sell, give away, or inherit a gun, your license information should be recorded.
10.) If you accidentally discharge your gun, commit a crime, get referred by a mental health professional, are served a restraining order, etc., you should lose your license and guns until reinstated by a serious relicensing process.

Most of you know that a license is no big deal. Besides a driver’s license you need a license to fish, operate a boat, or many other activities. I realize these differ by state, but that is not a reason to let anyone without a bit of sense pack a semiautomatic weapon in public, on the roads, and in schools. I think we need to make it much harder for some people to have guns.

[Thunderbeast]

6. Mandatory insurance to cover a stolen gun!

If you fail to secure your gun, and it is used for a criminal act, YOU, as the licensed owner share civil liability. The required gun insurance policy must cover the civil liability (including victim settlements) for unauthorized use of the gun.

Let's let the insurance actuaries do the math to determine the true cost of gun culture. Let's stop socializing the financial burden of America's gun fetish.

[Sancho]

8. The whole idea of insurance is to gather statistics on what prevents problems...

...unlike gun control laws, insurance companies would be free to ask questions on applications, set rates due to risk, and demand various safety measures in order to get the policy.

It would not take long for them to figure out how much it costs well beyond the purchase price.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. Many pseudo-libertarians purposely duck liability. True libertarians take responsibility

Responsibility is at the core of libertarian philosophy but the RepubliQons who espouse libertarian ideas when it is convenient go to great lengths to obfuscate and evade liability for their actions.

[Rebl2]

9. Didn't they

just do away with these common since rules in TX?

[Dial H For Hero]

11. None of those rules were in effect in TX. Most of them aren't in effect anywhere in the USA.

US.

[llashram]

14. +

a workable beginning

[BarbD]

15. Excellent.

Most of the American public wants these restrictions. We need more Dems in the House and Senate to pass meaningful gun legislation.

[Wild blueberry]

18. Thoughtful ideas

Thank you.

[AllaN01Bear]

7. sad. a friend of mine is a licensed faa part 107 drone captain.

any drone that is over 50 pounds you have to take a full blown written test.
" if you are using your drone for any sort of business activity you need a license . also if the drone weighs above a certain weight it must be registered with the faa @ 38.00$ , it used to be $5.00. they are afraid of the spinning propellers that might hurt people . no sort of thing for guns . freedub and gun rights !!!!!!

[Ziggysmom]

16. Wow, I was not aware of drone licensing. Been living under a rock the past couple years 🙃

Thanks for the information.