Me neither. It gets even more bizarre, his license for a firearm was confiscated by police after an alleged assault and then returned to him.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknew...ehp&li=BBoPWjQ
This kind of tragic story is where journalism really has gone down the tubes in recent times with its desire for instant answers.
In this case, take what is most likely to be a very complex situation that may have developed over many years, possibly from early childhood and most likely attributable to a deep-seated mental illness of some kind, with all sorts of contributing factors, and 'package' it to the public in less than 24 hours with a few simplistic, buzzword conclusions and, ideally, someone to blame for him being given a gun.
I'm not saying these things weren't factors, nor claiming that someone (beyond him) isn't worthy of blame for this eventuality. I don't know. However, establishing those facts will probably require weeks/months of careful background investigation which doesn't give the media the instant conclusions they crave. The object is to sell papers and establish simplified narratives regardless of whether they have relevance or basis in fact.
There's a big difference between what's in the public interest, which is to find the facts, and what's interesting to the public, which is often no more than speculation and gossip. By all means report what has happened, because that obviously is news, but then let professional investigators do their work to establish why, and once that work is done, there will hopefully be things that can be learned to lessen the chances of a repeat.
Blimey Bohinen, I've not seen you post in ages! Nice to see these old names making a comeback!
Cher, do you have an answer to this problem? Sadly, this is the way the world is going. I don't think the internet can be totally blamed but it certainly hasn't helped. A good point has been made above about people wanting instant news, but again that is fuelled by social media. The police were appealing that stuff was not out on social media immediately after the incident. And of course, not forgetting the perpetrator who it seems was very active on social media.
****ography is now apparently widely available, online gambling is an increasing and really dangerous problem. Day after day the gunman seems to have been reading and contributing to social media sites. A marriage I know of was ripped apart by one partner increasingly involved in social media with someone elss.
Maybe misuse of the internet is to blame for far more than we realise.
It has to start with education in our homes and schools at a young age stressing that abuse of anyone in any way is not acceptable.
I agree, although the main thing imo is at home. If that isn't in place then what is taught at school becomes so much more difficult. School ought to be reinforcing.
When I was growing up, parents, grand-parents, schools (and church in my situation) taught the same moral values. Now youngsters growing up often get such mixed messages.
Who needs a pump-action shotgun? Apart from the military and law enforcement, there is simply no reason for these things being sold to members of the public, not even the ones without mental health issues.
The guy shot his own mother and a 3 year old child. Someone needs to take the blame for allowing him to hold this weapon. The government needs to examine the law that allows sales of such weaponry.