[kebsfroggy]

Day before yesterday a man walked into a nearby Wendy’s and opened fire. He shot 5 people then committed suicide. One of the shooting victims died on the scene.

This was not some disgruntled x-employee, or a troubled young person; this was a 60 year old man with no apparent ties to Wendy’s or the people inside.

Since when did it become the fashion of the day that when you want to commit suicide you take as many people with you as you can.

The irony of the entire situation, if the Wendy’s associate had done their job in the first place this family man would still be alive. He had returned inside Wendy’s to get the free toy missing from his kids meal.

Now a man in his 30’s with a full life ahead of him is dead and his children will grow up with out a father.

For those of you with children, think about how many times you have gone back into a McDonalds, Wendy’s or any restaurant to get the toy missing from a kids meal. Then give your children any extra hug while you are still alive to do it.

((((((((Keb)))))))))))))) There is no understanding that.......ppl have to wake up and care for each other....awwwwwwwww

"For those of you with children, think about how many times you have gone back into a McDonalds, Wendy’s or any restaurant to get the toy missing from a kids meal. Then give your children any extra hug while you are still alive to do it. "

What a wise person you are............

[DocClyde]

Its all so sad in many levels...that guy who killed the firefighter probably had family who are grieving now...the person at Wendy's probably feels so horrible now, wishing they could go back in time and put a toy in a bag...and of course, God bless the fire fighters man family too...

When a person kills another--they don't just kill that person, they kill the hopes and dreams that others have for that person and they steal pieces and parts from those involved who did not die...

Wish I could stop it at this moment--I wish ANYONE could stop it all at this moment.

[Perna]

The slain firefighter's four year old son got a toy with his meal, it just wasn't the "right" toy and his father went in to exchange it for the one his son wanted, when he was shot in the back. There's a four year old that will be having therapy later, you think? I'd never want anything ever again.

Looks like the shooter had relationship and money problems and he'd abruptly quit showing up to a job he'd been performing ten years, three weeks ago with no notice. The only thing the police took from his apartment was a bag of pills.

[I_WMD]

.. Yea ,,, us all here say same thing like .

WHY? .

But then reasons appear and we think what if ? >>> or What For ??? >>>

When this was first reported it was as said ,,, Man [ no age],,, Walks into Wendys in South Florida.

Kills self after killing one and wounding several.
Everything that is a WTF ??? Killing with multiple weapons ,,, perps ,,, and victims . Seems to have almost a sameness of " last straw " .

Reckon why we are lucky to have someone >>> or more <<< to help us when we wish The not wish to care anymore land.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuT....... .

wow that is a crazy scary story

[Danialla]

Is stuff like this happening in any other countries besides the US? Just curious

[pachyderm]

> Is stuff like this happening in any other countries besides the US? Just curious

Me too.

But then, there are things like suicide bombings and stuff happening in a number of countries. Not identical events, but...

[Perna]

Wendy's and fast food are generally U.S. institutions. This shooter use to go with his family to this Wendy's, it was near where he lived many years ago. I imagine someone in another country would do things in their own culture's way rather than in an American fast food place; it wouldn't make sense in another country I don't think unless they were protesting the U.S.

We don't generally blow marketplaces up like a lot of other countries have happen.

[Danialla]

Actually I was thinking of the bigger picture of violence that has seems to have gripped the U.S.

Shootings in schools, colleges, fast food resturants, etc. People who decide to end their lives, but feel they need to take other people with them. Not in the name of religion, but because ........... who knows

Is this type of violence happening other places besides the U.S.?

[splitimage]

With respect to does it happen other places than the US - the answer is yes. But not as frequently. I'm in Canada and there was a college shooting a couple of years ago where a guy walked in openned fire and killed a bunch of people before killing himselr. I think one reason it's less common elsewhere is that gun controls are a lot more restrictive almost everywhere in the western world than in the US - it's simply harder to buy guns. Sure a lot of criminals buy illegal guns here, most that are smuggled out of the US and we do have lots of violent crime but not to the same level.

I also think that access to mental health care is a big issue. I mean obviously someone who shoots a bunch of poeple and then kills himself has problems - with regular medical care or more accessible access to crisis care, without having to worry about cost, helps mitigate the risk of something like this happenning.

Suicide bombers I put in an entirely different class or action as they are always politically or religiously motivated. Still despicable but at least there's more of a context of understanding.

--spliitmage

[Perna]

It's very culture-specific I think. We're more individual than most other places in the world, don't have Eastern family ties or Arab religious convictions. So there are different reasons for or against individuals taking their lives.

When I was in group therapy in the mid-1970's, there was a Japanese boy in our group who was seriously depressed because he was living in the United States instead of Japan and because of that, was getting "behind" in his education. Japanese education is very competitive and he needed to be going to special schools and have special tutoring they only have in Japan and when his diplomatic father's tour of duty was over and they moved back to Japan, he'd have no hope of getting into university. If he couldn't get in, he'd kill himself.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_.../20040527.html

That seems very odd to us, I'm sure like our gunmen in schools and malls or Wendy's/restaurants on shooting sprees does to them.

[pachyderm]

> That seems very odd to us, I'm sure like our gunmen in schools and malls or Wendy's/restaurants on shooting sprees does to them.

Those seem "odd" to me too.

[kebsfroggy]

The reason I wrote this post was to bring attention to the fact that this man was 60 years old. I have no idea what caused him to do what he did. However, we have been led to believe by national media that these incidents were limited to teens and young adults having problems with drugs and mental illness…… I don’t think so.

The other reason was to point out that a father was killed needlessly. I’m not accusing any one of not doing their job. What I’m trying to point out is that something as simple as taking all of 30 seconds to make sure the job was done right could have saved a life.

How many times have you rushed to get something done, submitted, finished……with the mind set of speed counts. Maybe the next time you rush to get something done you can take an extra 30 seconds to make sure it’s done right.

Remember 30 seconds could save a life.

[Danialla]

Sorry Krebs if I hijacked your thread.

Your right, it isn't usually an older person who does this type of act, although mental illness can strike at any age.

I do feel though that focusing on the fact that the father was killed due to someone not doing their job is a bit harsh. I am not sure if the worker was killed in this senseless act, but to put the burden of the father's death on their shoulders seems wrong. Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone carries a gun into a fast food restaurant and shoots up the place.

Everyone should take a few seconds to tell those people you love that you do love them, out loud, or in a way that says that to them, don't assume they know. Because it could be theirs or your last few seconds on earth.

[chalmette70043]

Very good point.