# Teen opens fire at school in Germany, 10 dead

[Oliver]

BERLIN, Germany (CNN) -- A 17-year-old former student dressed in military gear killed at least 10 people when he opened fire at a school in southwest Germany on Wednesday morning, police said. Police launched a manhunt for the 17-year-old gunman who was said to be heavily armed. Citing police sources, German media reports said the gunman was later killed by police...

Source: http://us.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/03/11/germany.school.shooting/index.html

Given the lack of a Second Amendment over here, I wonder how these Teens going ape get their weapons in the first place. All in all, another sad story about guns.

 

[DC]

its sick.

 

[240-185]

16 died, including the gunman.

 

[arthwollipot]

Crap.

 

[WildCat]

IMHO these types of shootings are contagious. Some suicidal asshat sees all the publicity similar shooters get and they decide to go out in a blaze of "glory" also. It's not like you can tell the media to not cover such a big story, I have no idea what the answer is.

 

[DC]

IMHO these types of shootings are contagious. Some suicidal asshat sees all the publicity similar shooters get and they decide to go out in a blaze of "glory" also. It's not like you can tell the media to not cover such a big story, I have no idea what the answer is.

I dont know if it is the glory, doubt it. but what do i know, i cannot understand such actions, and i can understand alot crazy things, but thats beyond me...

is there an answer?

 

[Marquis de Carabas]

Amok.

 

[dann]

School Massacres: Normal Insanity.

 

[Georg]

Given the lack of a Second Amendment over here, I wonder how these Teens going ape get their weapons in the first place. All in all, another sad story about guns.

According to "Bild", not the most reliable source though, the father owned 18 weapons.

IMHO these types of shootings are contagious. Some suicidal asshat sees all the publicity similar shooters get and they decide to go out in a blaze of "glory" also.

I agree.

It's not like you can tell the media to not cover such a big story, I have no idea what the answer is.

Well, less weapons around would certainly help, but as far as I know, there already exist maybe one or two threads about that topic........

 

[Oliver]

According to "Bild", not the most reliable source though, the father owned 18 weapons.

While Bild certainly sucks to make any argument whatsoever, I thought that German regulations regarding any weapon are one of the tightest in the world. So how did his father get all the guns?

 

[arthwollipot]

Well, less weapons around would certainly help, but as far as I know, there already exist maybe one or two threads about that topic........

And what does that can contain again?

 

[Georg]

And what does that can contain again?

One or two worms?

 

[Damien Evans]

And what does that can contain again?

Crap beer?

 

[Georg]

While Bild certainly sucks to make any argument whatsoever, I thought that German regulations regarding any weapon are one of the tightest in the world. So how did his father get all the guns?

I read that his father is a rich businessman. Those guys get the permission to have weapons if they can show that concrete endangerment for them exists. Why he is allowed 18 guns then, I do not know. Latest report on SPIEGEL said that indeed one of the weapons is missing.

ETA:

§ 19 Erwerb und Besitz von Schusswaffen und Munition, Führen von Schusswaffen durch gefährdete Personen
(1) Ein Bedürfnis zum Erwerb und Besitz einer Schusswaffe und der dafür bestimmten Munition wird bei einer Person anerkannt, die glaubhaft macht,

1. wesentlich mehr als die Allgemeinheit durch Angriffe auf Leib oder Leben gefährdet zu sein und
2. dass der Erwerb der Schusswaffe und der Munition geeignet und erforderlich ist, diese Gefährdung zu mindern.

(2) Ein Bedürfnis zum Führen einer Schusswaffe wird anerkannt, wenn glaubhaft gemacht ist, dass die Voraussetzungen nach Absatz 1 auch außerhalb der eigenen Wohnung, Geschäftsräume oder des eigenen befriedeten Besitztums vorliegen.

 

[Oliver]

I read that his father is a rich businessman. Those guys get the permission to have weapons if they can show that concrete endangerment for them exists. Why he is allowed 18 guns then, I do not know. Latest report on SPIEGEL said that indeed one of the weapons is missing.

ETA:

Which means that not only did his son die because of his fanatic hobby, but he probably will face a legal "kick in the butt" as well.

And what is this all about ... ? :

"Die ganze Stadt gleicht einer Festung", berichtet ein Augenzeuge. "Es herrscht blankes Entsetzen." Auch auf dem angrenzenden Gelände einer psychiatrischen Klinik fallen Schüsse. "Ich habe sechs bis sieben Schüsse gehört. Ich darf meine Station nicht mehr verlassen", sagte eine Sprecherin der Klinik.

 

[Georg]

Which means that not only did his son die because of his fanatic hobby, but he probably will face a legal "kick in the butt" as well.

I´d think so, yes.

And what is this all about ... ? :

I´m not sure I get the question, sorry.
ETA: Maybe I do. The part you quoted happened before the teen was shot. He just kept on shooting while he was running away, and the hospital was on his escape route.

 

[Aepervius]

@olivier I guess that because the psychiatric clinic was near the school, some bullet flew in that direction.


ETA: he shooted somebody near the clinic.

Dann flüchtete er, erschoss einen Menschen vor der nahegelegenen Klinik

 

[Bikewer]

In line with Wildcat's statement, I've felt for some time that these well-publicized and traumatic incidents get into the general consciousness. A "meme" if you will.

Disturbed individuals fixate on them....

The same with the very similar "rage killings" and whole-family murder/suicide incidents.

 

[Aepervius]

I can't right now research it on wiki, but I think those mass murder rampage in reality don't even make a blip on the radar in comparison to the total number of murder.

On the other hand it make for great shock value.

Murder in germany : ~800 to 900 murder per year (for example in 2005 : 794 murder out of 80 million inhabitant). Comparison : 17000 in the US per 300 million inhabitants.

 

[Oliver]

I´d think so, yes.

I´m not sure I get the question, sorry.
ETA: Maybe I do. The part you quoted happened before the teen was shot. He just kept on shooting while he was running away, and the hospital was on his escape route.

@olivier I guess that because the psychiatric clinic was near the school, some bullet flew in that direction.

ETA: he shooted somebody near the clinic.

Yep, I just read that as well. Thank you, Georg and Aepervius ...

I can't right now research it on wiki, but I think those mass murder rampage in reality don't even make a blip on the radar in comparison to the total number of murder.

On the other hand it make for great shock value.

Murder in germany : ~800 to 900 murder per year (for example in 2005 : 794 murder out of 80 million inhabitant). Comparison : 17000 in the US per 300 million inhabitants.

Which is almost 5 times as much murders as over here. I thought it was less in Germany, though.