Bloedbad in Alabama (VS) - 12 doden

quote:

Zeker tien doden bij schietpartij Alabama



Een man heeft in de Amerikaanse staat Alabama vandaag zeker negen mensen gedood. Daarna bracht hij zichzelf om het leven.

Dat hebben de autoriteiten in Alabama bekendgemaakt. Ze vermoeden dat de schutter bij zeker vier schietincidenten betrokken was. Ook de moeder van de schutter is onder de doden.

Het motief van de dader is niet bekend. De identiteit van de man is niet vrijgegeven. De politie houdt er rekening mee dat de man meer dan negen slachtoffers heeft gemaakt en dat er nog andere lichamen worden gevonden.

De schietpartij begon in de plaats Samson, een kleine stad in het zuiden van Alabama. De man bracht daar in een caravan vijf mensen om. Onder de doden waren de vrouw van een hulpsheriff en haar drie maanden oude baby. In Samson en daarbuiten maakte hij meer slachtoffers.

De schietpartij eindigde bijna 20 kilometer verderop in Geneva, waar de schutter de lokale politiechef ernstig verwondde. De gewapende man pleegde zelfmoord in een fabriekspand in Geneva. Hij zou daar zelf ooit hebben gewerkt.

quote:

10 killed in Alabama rampage, including gunner
A gunman's rampage through southeastern Alabama left nine people dead Tuesday before the gunman fatally shot himself, the Alabama Department of Public Safety told FOX News.

The gunman, Michael McLendon of Kinston, began his day by burning down his mother's house in Kinston where officials found her body, raising the death toll to 10.

Officials located the woman's body inside the house, but they had not been able to get inside the still-burning house to determine if he shot her first.

From there, McLendon then headed east where he shot and killed five people — four adults and a child — at a home in the nearby town of Samson.

Police told FOX News that the rampage in Samson started at about 4:05 p.m. CDT, a small town in southeastern Alabama just north of the Florida panhandle.

Samson police dispatcher Jim Stromenger told the Associated Press that McLendon started firing at a gas station in Samson, shooting a woman there, and then went to a home where he reportedly shot five people.

The identities of all the victims were unknown, but Coffee County Coroner Robert Preachers said they included other members of the shooter's family.

"He started in his mother's house," Preachers said. "Then he went to Samson and he killed his granny and granddaddy and aunt and uncle. He cleaned his family out."

"We don't know what triggered it," Preachers added.

Two fatalities were reported in nearby Kinston.

Stromenger said McLendon then drove east to Geneva and continued his shooting rampage there.

Police pursued him to Reliable Metal Products just north of Geneva, about a dozen miles southeast of Samson, where he fired an estimated 30 rounds. One of the bullets hit Geneva Police Chief Frankie Lindsey, who was saved by his bullet proof vest, the safety department said.

McLendon then went in the plant and shot himself, FOX News confirmed.

The gunman had worked at Reliable Metal, state Rep. Warren Beck, a Republican whose district includes Geneva, said.

"My secretary heard gunfire everywhere," he said. "This is one of the most tragic events ever in Geneva County."

State Sen. Harri Anne Smith, R-Slocomb, said some of those killed in Samson were sitting outside.

"He was just driving down the street shooting at people sitting on their porches," she said. "A family was just sitting on the porch and they were shot."

Smith and Beck were at the Statehouse when state troopers came to get them and took them to Geneva County. Smith said the governor's office is sending resources and state troopers are setting up a command post.

Reliable Metal Products makes grills and vents for heating and AC systems, mainly for hotels. A call to a person who answered the phone at the plant said no one could talk about the shooting.

The towns of Geneva and Samson are roughly 30 miles south of Fort Rucker, near the Florida border in southeast Alabama. Geneva's population is about 4,400 and Samson 2,000.

Samson Mayor Clay King said he knew the gunman but declined to comment on a possible motive.

"What I'm focusing on is people here in the town, making sure they feel comfortable," said King, who added the town opened a crisis center at the First Baptist Church with counselors available.

King said he's the "most shocked person in the world" about the shooting.

"I've lived here 44 years and never, never dreamed of this happening," he said.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 maart 2009 09:53 schreef waht het volgende:

[..]

Das wel erg kortzichtig.

Wij hebben hier ook vrijheid om fout te doen, dan mogen wij ook niet klagen als iemand ervoor kiest fout te doen.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 maart 2009 11:11 schreef buachaille het volgende:
Ik lees net dat in Duitsland bij een schoolslachting in Stuttgard 9 doden zijn gevallen, baas boven baas.