My Friend, the Shooter ...

Jason P

I spoke up about this on another thread that was locked for unrelated reasons ... but today I found out that one of my friends ... a friend I've grown distant from in the last few years ... went to his ex-girlfriends house with two handguns, broke in, and went on a shooting spree.

:(

Thankfully, his ex-girlfriend, her daughters and her boyfriend were not at home at the time.

I don't want this thread to become a political who-ha-ha. There are multiple threads to engage that issue.

I just want to type some thoughts to come to some terms on someone I knew who ... would drop to these depths. Especially in light of the Newtown incident.

This is a guy a spent many a nights having a good time with. He was very popular ... someone I nicknamed The Mayor because he knew what seemed like everyone in the county and was loved.

Now he is probably going to spent over a decade in the state pen.

Thank God no one else was hurt.

Jason P

The sad part is that the shooter has progressively had a problem with alcoholism abuse. About three years ago he showed up at one of my friends house. He was getting out of his truck and slipped in the mud and broke his ankle.

When we got him to the hospital, they couldn't operate because his BAC was .361.

:(

After he recovered, we staged an intervention.

He went into rehab. He met his ex-girlfriend there ... and then it seemed like he had finally seen the light.

Jason P

He entered AA. And to what surprised us all ... he seemed committed to staying sober.

It was after that I lost contact from him. I advised him to find his new life and stay away from his former life for fear that he would stumble into his own ways. And he did. I thought he had made it.

About a year ago I started to hear rumors that he was hitting the booze.

I started to get random nonsensical text messages that I would ignore.

At Thanksgiving, I heard he broke up with his girlfriend. He borrowed my brothers trailer to move his stuff into his parent's place.

I would have never suspected he would do what he did Monday ...

mickeyrat

Not sure if old Maxwell White Jr is still alive , but he is or was a resident of Ohio's death row for his conviction stemming from murdering a state trooper who pulled him over one while he was esentially fleeing a kidnap/assualt on his mother and sister.

He had been sentenced to be on antabuse stemming from multiple DUI's.

He and I used to shoot pool together. I still think the guy I knew is a good guy.

I have another friend from childhood who will not be eligible for a parole hearing until 2033 I think? 1st or 2nd time loser when he was convicted of posing as a cop during a "drug bust" and the buyer was shot to death. He proclaims his innocence but I know he's capable of the act and I think he is guilty. He plays to coy about it.
Love this guy like a brother.
Hes alky like me too. Got mixed up in pills much later.

Humans are a weird animal. Capable of so much goodness but an equal amount of evil too. Just never know what you are going to get.

Jason P

I used to spend weekends with my friend shooting bottles and popcans. He was a very big gun fan. His drinking led to him having to sell a majority of his guns to my other friends. My brother has his Marlin .22 rifle. Another friend has his Magnum .357 and Bushmaster AR-14. Another friend has one of his Glocks.

In a rural community, the population scoffs at gun violence for the most part because we are so responsible.

In the end, thank God he was deprived of the majority of his arsenal due to having to sell them to pay for dept caused by alcoholism.

...

The news didn't say it ... but I know he was super drunk when he did this. So drunk, I bet he didn't even know what day it was. Thank God it was a Monday when everyone was at work and school.

I shudder to think if this had happened on a weekend.

Jason P

mickeyrat wrote:

Humans are a weird animal. Capable of so much goodness but an equal amount of evil too. Just never know what you are going to get.

Well said.

Keep up the peace and the good path, mickey.

mickeyrat

Jason P wrote:

I used to spend weekends with my friend shooting bottles and popcans. He was a very big gun fan. His drinking led to him having to sell a majority of his guns to my other friends. My brother has his Marlin .22 rifle. Another friend has his Magnum .357 and Bushmaster AR-14. Another friend has one of his Glocks.

In a rural community, the population scoffs at gun violence for the most part because we are so responsible.

In the end, thank God he was deprived of the majority of his arsenal due to having to sell them to pay for dept caused by alcoholism.

...

The news didn't say it ... but I know he was super drunk when he did this. So drunk, I bet he didn't even know what day it was. Thank God it was a Monday when everyone was at work and school.

I shudder to think if this had happened on a weekend.

its really strange to me persoanlly how destructive alcohol and drugs are to some people (me) but at the same time it somehow saves us and others too. Sometimes anyway.

hedonist

This is so sad...I've never had anyone close to me commit crimes of that nature.

How horrifying for his ex and her family - even if they weren't there - having the evidence of such violence around them, in their home.

At least (I hope) he'll find sobriety while serving time.

DS1119

This is sad and I feel for you guys. But let me ask, if no one was home who did he go on a shooting spree with? And I'm not trying to be a wiseass but did he shoot up the house or did he enter another residence?

Jason P

hedonist wrote:

This is so sad...I've never had anyone close to me commit crimes of that nature.

How horrifying for his ex and her family - even if they weren't there - having the evidence of such violence around them, in their home.

At least (I hope) he'll find sobriety while serving time.

That's the same feeling I've had along with a lot of my friends I've called tonight ... maybe ten years in prison will allow himself to heal from his disease. We have tried and failed to help him.

A couple of my friends were shooting targets on Sunday night. My buddy had got his wife a handgun and they were teaching her the basic safety and respect that needs to be applied with guns.

She hadn't shot guns before, and after she realized the destructive power they had, she exclaimed, "I can't believe Troy (the shooter) is allowed to have these!"

This statement was made the day before the shooting ...

Jason P

DS1119 wrote:

This is sad and I feel for you guys. But let me ask, if no one was home who did he go on a shooting spree with? And I'm not trying to be a wiseass but did he shoot up the house or did he enter another residence?

DS, avoid this thread. You have already demonstrated that you lack empathy.

The police report noted that he left a trail of blood (from cutting his hand while breaking in) while canvasing the entire house looking for her and shooting objects along the way.

That said, you've been added as a foe.

Good day, sir!

dancepartner

This thread hit a bump. I hope you will move it beyond as it's a good thread; it relates in a personal way probably to everyone here. We've all lost someone in some incomprehensible way. But, with a little luck, maybe most of us will live our lives without knowing someone personally who became a victim.

dignin

I also have (or had) a best friend like this. Great guy but is a slave to the bottle.

I see him every once in a while, like on holidays when I go back home, but I have moved on and we have drifted apart. Mainly because of his drinking. It's hard to see him because its usually in the setting of all the boys going for a beer to catch up. But he's that friend that just cant have one beer, so sometimes he doesn't get invited.

He has served some time for stupid shit he has done but nothing really violent, yet. We all hope it stays that way.

I tell you this to let you know you're not alone (as I'm sure you know). Everyone of us has friends past or present that are troubled in some way or another. Just glad your friends story ended with no one getting seriously hurt and maybe he will get the help he needs.

DS1119

Jason P wrote:

DS1119 wrote:

This is sad and I feel for you guys. But let me ask, if no one was home who did he go on a shooting spree with? And I'm not trying to be a wiseass but did he shoot up the house or did he enter another residence?

DS, avoid this thread. You have already demonstrated that you lack empathy.

The police report noted that he left a trail of blood (from cutting his hand while breaking in) while canvasing the entire house looking for her and shooting objects along the way.

That said, you've been added as a foe.

Good day, sir!

I thought I had a legitimate question. Just wondering who he shot. Apparently no one so that is good news. I also agree he needs to be locked up like you stated and I'm glad he's in custody for himself and others.

catefrances

i think this thread shouldve been titled.. my friend, the drunk.

riotgrl

Drugs and alcohol can do strange things to the people we love and care for. I have a cousin who has been diagnosed as bi-polar and was raised by two alcoholics. I remember goofing off with my uncle and him getting really mad and grabbing me and was so rough he terrified me. Neither of my parents ever drank and I'd never been around anyone while they were drunk. I still shudder to think how my cousins grew up with not one but two parents who were always wasted. It's a tough thing, good thoughts to you Jason.

mickeyrat

catefrances wrote:

i think this thread shouldve been titled.. my friend, the drunken shooter.

here ya go, all fixed up.

catefrances

mickeyrat wrote:

catefrances wrote:

i think this thread shouldve been titled.. my friend, the drunken shooter.

here ya go, all fixed up.

thanx mickey.

Jason P

catefrances wrote:

mickeyrat wrote:

catefrances wrote:

i think this thread shouldve been titled.. my friend, the drunken shooter.

here ya go, all fixed up.

thanx mickey.

Perhaps so. I hope ( in a strange way ) to get the confirmation that he was in fact drunk. If he wasn't ... man, this is going to screw me up.

I'll keep everyone posted on the events.

mickeyrat

well if he had started drinking again, he can likely find his way back to AA while inside.

Not all, but many jails and prisons have meetings brought in by outsiders or former prisoners. If nothing else he can write to AA World Services loner and internationalists program. Many in prison or in jail have found what we have been seeking all along and the internal freedom that comes with it.

Keeep hope alive!!

catefrances

Jason P wrote:

Perhaps so. I hope ( in a strange way ) to get the confirmation that he was in fact drunk. If he wasn't ... man, this is going to screw me up.

I'll keep everyone posted on the events.

not strange at all jason. i think itd be easier for you to understand his actions if it turned out he was drunk cause we all do stupid shit when were drunk that theres no way wed do sober. so for you to find out that your friend did this whilst sober would make it more difficult to understand.