EDIT: At Midnight EST, ABC News now reporting that one of four victims was a conductor on the train. Not good. At least no fatalities are being reported.
“The suspect was in custody Friday night and police said all four wounded people were taken to hospitals with varying degrees of injuries. Police were still trying to figure out what motivated the attack.”
I’ll say it. Now that we have states allowing elementary school teachers to carry firearms, perhaps it’s time to extend the same privilege to railroaders, if they so choose.
Hate to argue with you brother, but the Post Office certainly thought so when they armed their railroad postal employees back in the Twenties after a rash of mail robberies. Marines were put in the cars as well with an admonition from the Secretary of the Navy Edmund Denby: “I want the mails to get through or a dead Marine in the mailcar!”
The mails got through.
Now if some folks think guns are a bit much, how about supplying train crews with a good assortment of non-lethal weapons? Tasers, stun-guns, Mace, pepper spray, things like that, and giving them some good solid training and guidelines on when and how to use them. We’re only kidding ourselves if we think they won’t be needed at some times.
Today, the USA is swarming with postal carriers who do not carry guns or have Marine escorts. The mail still gets through.
I hate to hyjack the thread, but I have been to too many incidents where someone shot through a door because they thought they heard someone on the porch late at night. Too many incidents where someone shot into the woods behind their house because they thought someone was spying on them. To many children who found the gun. Too many domestic incidents where an intoxicated family member used his gun to settle an argument. Yesterday, here in charlotte, a person shot several rounds into a car because the driver blew the horn at him.
I will believe that the ever loosening laws concerning where guns can be carried and the circumstances governing their use are about the second amendment when they pass a law allowing assault weapons and concealed carry in the visitors gallery of the legislature. Until that day I will continue to believe they are just pandering to a large campaign donor who controls a big block of voters.
I am now done with this argument. I know that you and I will never agree on this subject.
One photo shows the assailent laying in the car’s floor, face down, and handcuffed. Can find nowhere with his identity??? The Train’s Conductor was one of the individuals stabbed;four were transferred to area hospitals.
Comments at the end of the article from Face Book postings add interesting commentary: “Even at one point when The Salvation Army came with some refreshments for the passengers.”
I guess the assailant’s reasons for the attack will be coming at a later time.
I hope the injured will be alright. As a response to a couple of other posters on this Thread…My response is, This is a good reason for permitting individuals to practice ‘open’ or ‘concealed’ carry.[2c]
We have seen what a mess the TSA has made of air travel. I don’t want to see that level of security to board Amtrak trains. I do believe that Amtrak should allow its conductors to carry both pepper spray and or mace while on duty. I have traveled Amtrak when the conductor has had to remove an unruly passenger more than once. The Federal Government should bans ALL weapons from Amtrak trains including knives and personal pepper spray and mace by passengers. I believe that railroad conductors had the authority to arrest unruly passengers before Amtrak; does that exist today?
I don’t believer Amtrak Conductors have police powers, however, they have the power to request local police meet the train at a specified point and have them remove a ‘unruly’ passenger - that specified point is not necessarily a regular station stop.
Amtrak policemen are a fairly common sight on the Pacifc Surfliners. One of the regulars is about the size of an NFL linebacker and a very pleasant fellow as well.
You’re a former officer, right? There are many people in law enforcement who would like to be the only ones with guns. A logical-enough position – it would make their job safer.
However, they are not in law enforcement to be safe, but to protect the public. Unfortunately, they can’t be everywhere at once, and sometimes criminals, who would also like to be the only people with guns, get there first. Then, it’s handy for citizens to have guns of their own.
The National Rifle Association can tell you – which I suspect you know for yourself – how many criminal plans are disrupted every year by citizens with guns.