We don’t know anything more than there are multiple news agencies reporting this…
PORTLAND — There were multiple reports of an active shooter around 8:30 a.m. at a high school in Troutdale, Oregon.
via LIVE BLOG: Injuries, shooter reported at high school near Portland | Q13 FOX News.
“…Jerad Miller was confronted by Joseph Robert Wilcox, 31, of Las Vegas. Wilcox was legally carrying a concealed pistol. Wilcox was unaware that Amanda Miller, who was pushing a shopping cart, was involved in the incident and “lying in wait,” the official said.
She slipped behind Wilcox and shot him at close range.
“He had no idea the wife was walking behind him,” the police official said of the murdered man. “This guy (Wilcox) was not some idiot with a gun. To me, he was a hero. He was trying to stop an active shooter.”
via Shooters carried arsenal, supplies into Sunday rampage | Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Mr. Wilcox, we salute you!
-GM
“…I think more awareness is very important so women can learn how to protect themselves. Myself, as a fourth-degree black belt, I learned from a young age that you need to be confident and be able to defend yourself. And I think that’s something that we should start to really implement for a lot of women.”
via A hard question about campus sexual assault for Miss Nevada, the new Miss USA.
When asked what should be done about campus assaults, Nia Sanchez, the newly crowned Miss USA, responded with a well thought out and personal answer that once would have been heralded as the ultimate feminist answer. But, it seems that feminism has gone so far into to the extreme that it has gone into full on hatred toward men. The feminine and liberal ends of the Twitterverse were enraged and insulted by Ms. Sanchez’s comments. Instead, the believe we should just teach men not to rape or some how find a Utopia where self defense is unnecessary. News flash folks, self-defense has been a necessity since Cain slew Able and rapists have been universally considered vermin for most of modern history! Simply teaching men not to rape is not going to solve your problems.
Sorry, Miss USA. Tae Kwon Do is great, But it’s not the solution to campus rape: http://t.co/YExKdmweQbpic.twitter.com/5P0yY0t0jt
— Slate (@Slate) June 9, 2014
-GM
Two Las Vegas police officers and a civilian have been reportedly killed in a shooting spree that started at a pizza restaurant and spilled over to a neighboring Walmart store. Two suspects – a man and a woman – are reportedly down.
via Three killed, suspects commit suicide after Las Vegas shooting spree — RT USA.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the fallen officers and civilian in Las Vegas. There is an unconfirmed report that the civilian may have been a concealed handgun permit holder who engaged the bad guys. Whether that is the case or not, we are thankful this wasn’t worse than it is.
-GM
Police Chief Charles McClelland leaves after speaking to City Council at City Hall regarding the police department’s budget, Thursday, June 5, 2014, in Houston. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle)
We, the people, are on our own. The police have no responsibility to provide personal or property protection to you as an individual citizen except with limited exceptions of a special relationship such as being in custody/under arrest. This ruling has been handed down multiple times in recent years with Warren v. District of Columbia often cited as one of the leading cases in this area of law. And for once, a police chief (Chief Charles McClelland, of the Houston Police Department) has gone so far as to publicly state that the police can’t and won’t actively respond to every case.
“We work violent crimes first. If someone steals your trash can or your lawn mower out of your garage, there are no witnesses, there’s no evidence, there’s nothing for a detective to follow up on, it’s not assigned,” McClelland, a 37-year veteran of HPD, told City Council members during a budget hearing. “There has never been a time that I have been employed there that the Houston Police Department has had the capacity to investigate every crime that’s been reported to the agency.”
via Chief: HPD can’t investigate every crime and should not try – Houston Chronicle.
Don’t misunderstand this as a “gotcha” or indictment against HPD or any other agency. To be fair, the Chief is just stating a reality. And I highlight it only as a call to recognize the fallacy of the idea that the government will protect you. It simply can’t be done. Agencies will always struggle with their budgets and the availability of resources/officers. They cannot be everywhere at all times and that means some calls for help will go unanswered and may never be investigated after the fact. In short, you’re on your own.
-GM
