Community Chat

[JobGirl]

what does that mean?

he belongs to the demograhic that claims to care about crime///

[gabstoomuch]

A 15 year old kid. I absolutely blame the parents. In these times we are living in, where stress is so high, you can't just punish a kid for bad behavior and call it a day. It is so important to have kids screened for mental health problems when they are behaving out of character.

A 15 year old was not outside happily playing basketball with his friends 2 or 3 days before this happened. His behavior probably changed and no one noticed. There are signs something is wrong. Parents cannot just sigh and say "oh, it's the teen years. You know how teens act". NO! Not anymore. If your kid is acting out, or is isolating, not talking and chatting with family, spending hours on their phones, not doing well in school, has no friends....the list is endless on behavior that can be subtle, but are warning signs a kid is in trouble then we, as the parent need to help them, even if they kick and scream and call you names.

Our court system needs to be fixed. Abusive (physically, emotionally, or mentally) parents need to be held accountable. Children should have right to be protected. Yet the courts do not protect the children any more. They protect the parents citing something in the Constitution that trumps "best interest of the child". It is crazy that parents can just keep on abusing a child and it is almost impossible to get the child out of their torture. How are children supposed to thrive, grow and become a stable functioning adult when they live day to day throughout childhood living in fear? They become the adults that can't cope with life and take their rage out on innocent people.

I watched the FL school shooter penalty trial and seeing him get sentenced to life without parole for the Parkland High school incident in 2018 was heartbreaking all around. He is now only 24 years old and has not had one normal functioning day in his life. Now he will spend his life in prison.

He was 19 when he did it. His childhood was abysmal. If one person had taken him under their wing when he was young and helped him it never would have happened. And he is only 1 of the thousands of teens in trouble in our country.

When it gets to the point where people cannot enjoy a parade, or go grocery shopping, or go to the mall, all the places that usually feel safe then our country needs to do something. Guns don't work by themselves. People, adults and teens, need to work them. The access to mental health help in this country is terrible. Insurance doesn't pay much. People don't have the money to pay out of pocket. I believe mental health should be included in the medical portion of insurance, not be a seperate category of coverage for 10 therapy visits (which is the usual coverage).

Then we have the dark web where people can buy weapons with no serial numbers on them so they can't be traced. The instructions on how to make a laser printed weapon are right there on the internet for troubled people to make themselves one. As much as I use the internet I truly believe it has destroyed society as a whole. No one talks to each other anymore. Kids can go places without even leaving their bedroom. Adults can destroy their own lives by browsing in places they shouldn't be. Regular web, dark web, it doesn't matter. The "human interaction" part in society is now missing.

I could go on but these mass killings will never stop if as a whole country we do something. Oh, I forgot, the country as a whole is a mess too, so there is that. I honestly do not know what the answer is but we can do better, I know that much.

*steps off her soap box* Sorry.

[GenXmuse]

I'm in the same area as OP and our area is not affected by it. No door to door searches or need to lock yourself in the house. I'm also not surprised that it happened in NC. We are at the same risk as anywhere else. 

[RespectLife]

Let's wait for the results of the investigation before we start throwing blame around!

They are still working on the case and haven't revealed any info yet to start to accuse parents, guns etc.

[Greeneyedlady21]

He reportedly killed his own 16 year old brother.

A 15 year old with two guns kills his own brother and a woman walking her dog and three other people just because...well I'd say there can be questions about parental responsibility. How did a 15 year old have those guns? Parents and guns, yeah. 

Witnesses said he looked like "a baby".

[Mersha]

No one is safe from these horrific murder sprees.

NO country on earth experiences these frequent shootings and killings like the US.  I am sure there are mentally ill and angry individuals all over the world but they do not have the gun rampages and violence that we do.

Perhaps the next generation will address the issue and put a stop to it.

It is heartbreaking.

[chiclets]

Everyone watched as we saw cities burn, and looters just doing what they want.

No one went to jail.  It has become a pastime and an everyday occurrence. 

When you defund police, lessen their authority and have a revolving door for criminals then that too becomes an easy habit for criminals and any crime by anyone.

There is no law and order. 

Kids learn what they see and live.  Respect and consequence is not often seen.

It is a technical world.  Communication and relationships are not verbal.  People skills and associations are not easily learnt. 

Cartels not only bring drugs but also very powerful guns into this country and these items are available.  Crime rages on all over.

None of us are safe anywhere and kids live seeing it as a normal thing and a way of doing something because they are completely off the radar concerning what life really is about and the values they should feel.

What happened is awful.  I am not defending nor excusing nor blaming anyone, but observing.  Violence is awful.  I was about 10 years old the first time when I saw a body of a man shot in the head. 

Be thankful for the police.  Be thankful for the firefighter.

[Greeneyedlady21]

532nd mass shooting in the US this year according to NPR, but keep the whataboutism going.

Speaking of police this 15 year old killer murdered a 29 year old police officer who was on his way to work.

[reiki604]

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@Jaspertimes wrote:

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@Stelladorable wrote:

Guns are marketed to kids. Politicians make ads holding ar15s. We allow nuts to carry them openly and use self defense excuses to set them free after they kill. You get what you pay for.

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They are also pouring over the OPEN borders.  

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These domestic terrorists are home grown. Look it up.

[Mersha]

@tansy   Yes, more home grown terrorists...frightening.