How's that gun control working for ya?

[bcj1755]

UK taxi driver kills 12, wounds 25 in England
AP

UK gunman goes on shooting spree, many victims Play Video AP – UK gunman goes on shooting spree, many victims
June 2, 2010 of Derrick Bird, 52, from Rowrah, northwest England, who police wa AP – This is a undated handout photo issued by Cumbria Police on Wednesday June 2, 2010 of Derrick Bird, 52, …
20 mins ago

SEASCALE, England – British police say a taxi driver went on a shooting spree across rural northwestern England, killing 12 people and wounding 25 others before turning the gun on himself.

The rampage in the county of Cumbria is Britain's deadliest mass shooting since 1996 and shocked a country where gun ownership is tightly restricted.

Police Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hyde says the rampage "has shocked the people of Cumbria and around the country to the core."

Officers found the body of 52-year-old suspect Derrick Bird in woods near the Lake District village of Boot. A gun was found alongside the body.

The shootings took place Wednesday in the town of Whitehaven and nearby Seascale and Egremont, about 350 miles (560 kilometers) northwest of London.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

LONDON (AP) — A taxi driver described as quiet but friendly went on a shooting spree across a picturesque rural area of northwestern England on Wednesday, killing at least five people and wounding 25 others before apparently turning the gun on himself, officials said.

The rampage, in a region famed for its tranquil beauty, shocked a country where handguns are banned and multiple shootings rare — it was Britain's deadliest mass shooting since 1996.

Officers found a body believed to be that of 52-year-old suspect Derrick Bird in woods near the Lake District village of Boot, Cumbria police said. A gun was found alongside the body.

"I regret to report that a number of people have been shot and that at least five people have died," Prime Minister David Cameron told lawmakers in the House of Commons. "I can confirm that a body of a gunman has been found by police."

Police said that as well as the deaths, 25 people were wounded in shootings in the small town of Whitehaven and nearby Seascale and Egremont, about 350 miles (560 kilometers) northwest of London.

The BBC reported there had been shootings in 11 locations, not all of them fatal. Witnesses described seeing the gunman driving around shooting out the window of his car.

His victims included a woman on a bicycle, a farmer in his field and at least two fellow taxi drivers.

Barrie Walker, a doctor in Seascale who certified one of the deaths, told the BBC that victims had been shot in the face, apparently with a shotgun.

Witness Alan Hannah told the Whitehaven News that he saw a man with a shotgun in a car near a taxi stand in Whitehaven. Photos showed a body, covered in a sheet, lying in a street in the town.

Local lawmaker Jamie Reed said people in the area — popular with hikers and vacationers — were in shock.

"This kind of thing doesn't happen in our part of the world," he told the BBC. "We have got one of the lowest, if not the lowest, crime rates in the country."

Deadly shootings are rare in Britain, where gun ownership is tightly restricted and handguns are banned.

In 1987, gun enthusiast Michael Ryan killed 16 people in the English town of Hungerford. In 1996, Thomas Hamilton killed 16 children and a teacher at a kindergarten in Dunblane, Scotland.

Glenda Pears, who runs L&G Taxis in Whitehaven. said one of the victims was another taxi driver who was a friend of Bird's.

"They used to stand together having a (laugh) on the rank," she said. "He was friends with everybody and used to stand and joke on Duke Street."

Sue Matthews, who works at A2B Taxis in Whitehaven, said Bird was self-employed, quiet and lived alone.

"I would say he was fairly popular. I would see him once a week out and about. He was known as 'Birdy,'" she said.

"I can't believe he would do that — he was a quiet little fellow."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100602/...itain_shooting

Yet more proof of how well gun bans work

Why is it that the liberals can't seem to figure out that some whackamole bent on killing people WILL find a way regardless of what the law says

More proof that the whole "public safety" line that the liberals always use is nothing but a load of BS used to cover the real reason for more gun laws...making it easier for the gov't to take total control and it's always the innocent people of the world that suffer and die so the liberals and progressives can have more power.

[springerbuster]

Wow, looks like the UK better ban guns again.

[Marlin T]

Good God, what a horrible story.



Maybe they should ban those evil weapons all over again, maybe LOUDER this time.


Did you see the armored car robbery in France? It looked like the cops were right there, but those criminals had rifles. They got away.

[pinecone70]

It's because all the mental institutions have been deemed inhumane and closed, that's one reason things like this happen.

[graehaven]

Well there's that (wacky people on the loose), and, an unarmed citizenry. Had there been an armed citizen nearby, he could have been stopped before doing so much damage. Then again, it sounded mostly rural.

So sad.

[kingchip]

With the laws in place over in the UK, this obviously never happened.

[RJD]

I'm sure that gun can be traced to Mexico and then to the U.S. where it was bought at a gun show. So it's our fault.

[bcj1755]

Originally Posted by RJD

I'm sure that gun can be traced to Mexico and then to the U.S. where it was bought at a gun show. So it's our fault.

And it's Bush's fault

[Eddie N]

I knew somebody was going to beat me to it. Saw this earlier and was going to post the link.

[deadin]

The problem is, is that it sounds like it was done with a shotgun.
Shotguns aren't on the banned list in Britain........yet.

[Teejay9]

Horrible tragedy. How did gun control stop the guy? It is truly a farce, gun control that is, to think that some nut job won't get their hands on something lethal. This is precisely why we, the law abiding citizens, should have the God given right to own fire arms and protect ourselves from the unstable, the criminal, and the doped up robbers amongst us. I'll bet Tranter could have taken him out, if only he were armed. Gun control doesn't work. TJ

[graehaven]

Originally Posted by deadin

The problem is, is that it sounds like it was done with a shotgun.
Shotguns aren't on the banned list in Britain........yet.

That was exactly my point. Had the other cabbies been armed (which they should be) with handguns, this would have ended differently. The fact that the people there allowed their government to outlaw concealed carry of handguns, lays a bit of the blame at their feet.

[Teejay9]

There was a Brit Lady cop on "Cops," the other night and she had been an LEO in Britain, and now CA. She made the comment that she wouldn't like to go back and be unarmed. Even If 6 or 7 "Bobbies" did show up, they have to brave fire to get their hands on the guy. No way to run a police force. TJ

[jack404]

a mate of mine married a english girl and became a cop ( ex aussie army) , he says there are now 10 times the ammount of illegal hand guns than before the ban , funny we have the same story here now

all the criminals have guns while honest folks dont

lesson to be learned

gun control

DONT FRIGGIN WORK

[bcj1755]

Originally Posted by jack404

a mate of mine married a english girl and became a cop ( ex aussie army) , he says there are now 10 times the ammount of illegal hand guns than before the ban , funny we have the same story here now

all the criminals have guns while honest folks dont

lesson to be learned

gun control

DONT FRIGGIN WORK

Tell us how you really feel

[Silencer]

Turns out this guy was a 'hobby' shooter. He had one of only 100,000 firearms for legal ownership. How long before that ends? 4 seconds, perhaps?

Sad situation.

[Silencer]

Bump

Man shot in the face does interview: Video! http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/10232739.stm

[pawn]

Originally Posted by Teejay9

Horrible tragedy. How did gun control stop the guy? It is truly a farce, gun control that is, to think that some nut job won't get their hands on something lethal. This is precisely why we, the law abiding citizens, should have the God given right to own fire arms and protect ourselves from the unstable, the criminal, and the doped up robbers amongst us. I'll bet Tranter could have taken him out, if only he were armed. Gun control doesn't work. TJ

+1

[rentalguy1]

Deadly shootings are rare in Britain, where gun ownership is tightly restricted and handguns are banned.

They don't have any drug dealing, home invading thugs in that country? I remember hearing that London has a high crime rate. Probably another case of reporting only on the legal gun owner going bonkers, but never reporting on the bad guys that kill people with guns on a daily basis.

[carver]

I just did the math. The homicide rate for England is 1.6 per 100K, and 5.6 for the U.S. 50Million people in England, and 60million in the UK
The U.S. is estimated at 308 million at this time, and that does not include those that are here illegally. The U.S. has over six times the number of people that England does, so that means that if England had the same number of people that the U.S. does, it's homicide rate would be 9.6 per 100K.

[Trouble 45-70]

I believe Trantor said that only about 20% of the crime in England is officially reported because the Govt. doesn't like the real numbers reported especially where it involves youth gangs and the Muslims. They don't even report home invasions.

[carver]

The source I got my numbers from mentioned this. It would appear that good ole England isn't the only Nation that does not report all crime. Nobody wants to look bad!

[Teejay9]

They all carry knives and/or group stomp the whatever out of their victim. They have cameras everywhere, yet the high crime rate as Carver mentions. There wouldn't be enough money to get me to join their police force. The gangs are armed, knives, and the "Bobbies" are defenseless. No thanks. TJ

[lentz]

"I can't believe he would do that — he was a quiet little fellow." Quiet little fellows' can be the most dangerous

[rentalguy1]

Originally Posted by lentz

"I can't believe he would do that — he was a quiet little fellow." Quiet little fellows' can be the most dangerous

they usually are the dangerous ones. I like all of my quiet friends