Wisconsin cop snapped after being called a 'worthless pig'

[Roon]

CRANDON, Wis. - A young sheriff's deputy who opened fire on a pizza party and killed six people flew into a rage when he was rebuffed by his old girlfriend - and others called him a "worthless pig."

A longtime friend told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel yesterday that 20-year-old Tyler Peterson came to his door in the hours after the rampage and calmly explained what he had done.

"He wasn't running around crazy or anything. He was very, very sorry for what he did," Mike Kegley told the paper, adding that he gave Peterson coffee and food and then called 911.

Peterson told Kegley that he had gone to his ex-girlfriend's house early Sunday morning in hopes of patching up the relationship after a recent breakup.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime_file/2007/10/09/2007-10-09_wisconsin_cop_snapped_after_being_called-1.html

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Because that's like calling him an Iowan - had he been called a worthless cow, might have been okay.

Oh, man, that was awful of me, I know. But I grew up in Wisconsin, so I can say that kind of stuff.

[Redstone]

2. Dude. He fucking killed six people. I'm pretty thick-skinned, but that ain't funny.

Redstone

[PeaceNikki]

3. Seven.

But I "got" his joke.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. It's because the tragedy hits close to home for me that I am so flippant.

'nuff said. (no, I didn't know anyone, thank God, but it hits close to home anyway for other reasons).

[Redstone]

13. I understand. One of those "If I don't laugh, I'll cry" things.

Happens to meny, may people.

Redstone

[Lethe]

5. Who keeps an AR-15 in their car?

I mean, seriously.

This guy obviously went over there with intent.

[PeaceNikki]

7. A 20 year-old sheriff with issues missed during screening.

It also appears that the AR-15 was likely a police issued weapon.

We need to better screen these people before we give them the authority and weapons of that caliber.

[Lethe]

11. why does the average cop in Wisconsin need an assault rifle?

they gotta keep those cheese producers in line?

[PeaceNikki]

12. Some reports say he was member of the Forest County SWAT team

Unconfirmed.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-na-crandon9oct09,1,4541885.story?coll=la-headlines-frontpage

...The AR-15 rifle was the type used by the Forest County SWAT team, of which Peterson was reportedly a member, though Crandon Police Chief John Dennee told reporters his office had not confirmed whether Peterson had used a gun issued by police....

[benEzra]

15. Small-caliber rifles have been replacing patrol shotguns for a long time.

They don't recoil as much, offer a lot less chance of ricochet and injury to bystanders, and (unlike typical police shotguns) are not useless at range. The consensus that small-caliber carbines are both safer and more suited for police use than .729 caliber shotguns was already well developed by the late '90s. For example, see Roberts G.K., "Law Enforcement General Purpose Shoulder Fired Weapons: the Wounding Effects of 5.56mm/.223 Carbines Compared with 12 ga. Shotguns and Pistol Caliber Weapons Using 10% Ordnance Gelatin as a Tissue Simulant, Police Marksman, Jul/Aug 1998, pp. 38-45.

INTRODUCTION

Until recently, the 12 gauge shotgun has remained the universally accepted shoulder fired weapon for United States law enforcement use, despite the shotgun's limitations as a general purpose weapon--short effective range, imprecise accuracy, downrange hazard to bystanders, small ammunition capacity, slow reloading, and harsh recoil. While 12 gauge shotguns still have a valid law enforcement role, especially to deliver specialized munitions and possibly in close quarters combat (CQB), recent recognition of the shotgun's significant limitations as a general purpose weapon have prompted many American law enforcement agencies to begin adopting the more versatile semi-automatic carbine for general purpose use.(12) Semi-automatic carbines offer more accuracy, less recoil, greater effective range, faster reloading, and a larger ammunition capacity than the traditional shotgun.

...

Less well known is that 5.56mm/.223 rifle ammunition is also ideally suited for law enforcement general purpose use in semi-automatic carbines.(5,6). It offers superb accuracy coupled with low recoil, and is far more effective at incapacitating violent aggressors than the pistol cartridges utilized in submachineguns and some semi-automatic carbines.

...

CONCLUSION

A 5.56mm/.223 semi-automatic carbine with a minimum of a 14.5" to 16.5" barrel may be the most effective and versatile weapon for use in law enforcement. When used with effective ammunition, the 5.56mm/.223 carbine simultaneously offers both greater effective range and less potential downrange hazard to bystanders than a 12 ga. shotgun, handgun, pistol caliber carbine, or SMG , as well as far greater potential to incapacitate a violent criminal than any handgun, pistol caliber carbine, or SMG.

...

The routine issuing of 5.56mm/.223 semi-automatic carbines for general purpose use to all law enforcement officers would significantly enhance officer safety, increase police effectiveness, and decrease dangers to innocent bystanders in all situations requiring the use of firearms.

I'm not sure if the gun the officer had was a civilian, non-automatic AR-15 or a military/police restricted automatic weapon, though. If he was on the SWAT team, he may have had the restricted automatic version.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

16. Apparently, there was not screening...

It's not required. I'm guessing that it is now.

[MrScorpio]

6. Don't they have psychological profile testing to prevent this kind of shit?

Or am I way off base here?

[PeaceNikki]

8. VERY different standards depending on department.

I've HEARD no standards at the state level.

That needs to change.

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. In Wisconsin, sadly, no, that isn't part of the process.

It's one of the few states that doesn't require a psychological test for cops.

Methinks it's time for the state to reconsider that policy.

[Connonym]

10. you're absolutely right

hopefully this will force the issue but how awful that it would take a tragedy to do so.

[TheMightyFavog]

14. And I would go a little further...

Require going through a four year police training program at the university level instead of a two year program offered at the tech schools.

[KG]

17. another one of those wonderful 'law abiding' gun owners. until he wasn't

oh, well, just 6 more sacrifices on the alter of 2A. let us pray.

[dembotoz]

18. the screening thing bothers me a bit

My oldest son is at UW milwaukee and wants to be a cop. Senior year, grads in dec then onto police academy for further training.
So lets say he passes all that(excellent grades so far) and then he does not pass some bull shit screening--does he get his money for 4 plus years back????
Screening can be bull shit (excuse me I DO have a degree in psychology with a backround in testing)

If you are out to administer some pass fail can't study for screening-shouldn't it be done early in an academic carrer so that if there is an artificial wall that can not be climbed the person can choose to major in something else.

do not know if a screening would have uncovered this "tendency"
Prior to the event he apparently seemed as normal as can be

Hell look at that astronaut lady-the one with the diaper.
to get that far at nasa i would assume she passed a screening or two.