Down Terre Haute way, the big story alleges that a TV station "Master Control" operator -- the guy who orchestrates the final product 24/7/365, and tries to keep the robots out of trouble -- got fired and then came back in the middle of the night (when there would be one or two people in the place, one of them doing his old job) and put several rounds through the front door and cars in the lot.
The suspect is in jail now. "Criminal recklessness with a firearm," a felony charge.
I'm tempted to file this under "stupid pranks," except it reflects a level of heedlessness that goes well past a mere "prank."
Rumor claims the suspect either wanted to carry at work or had simply proceeded to do so -- and even the smaller outposts of the Giant Oldstream Media Complex are not, generally, comfy with that. While a degree of apprehension is understandable (the place looks to be a short drive from the middle of nowhere -- scroll down to "about our stations"), carrying firearms at work is not protected by state law; employers have a right to tell you what you can or cannot be having on or about your person while on their dime.
Gun locked in your car at work? Legal as church on Sunday (with a few Fed-type exceptions) and you have recourse if you get the ax for it. On your belt at work, not so much. Don't like it? Find other work. (Or, I suppose, learn that "concealed is concealed" and it's your rules-scoffing rump if you get caught; I wouldn't roll those dice, but I have house payments.)
All that aside, returning after termination and sending a few rounds into the building doesn't do anyone any good; it's just grist for the anti mill. (For example...) Way to go, stupid; not only have you almost certainly put yourself in a world of hurt (and lifetime disarmament), you've done gunnies dirt, too.
I knew that station well in its WIIL incarnation. The news director was a companionable loony. Sometime soon, in the hours of dark-thirty, I'll wake up recalling his name.
ReplyDeleteI don't sympathize with the shooter's actions either. But I would at least understand his motives if he had blasted away at control room gizmos. One shot, one CRT. :)
"well regulated militia... security... free state... bear arms... shall not be infringed."
ReplyDeleteNope, don't see anything about the right to be an idiot.
Speaking of idiots on the prarie - do people ever take shots at tower lights? I've been designing electricity meters for years and we go to great lengths to make them not draw the attention of good ol' boys with rifles. When I was a kid there was a substation outside of town that took a rifle round to the transformer now and then.
Ol' "I just love to sell guns" Don (from the linked story) is starting to sound senile.
ReplyDeleteDon's been senile for years. You're just catching on to that?
ReplyDeleteRelated Note: It doesn't make much Air Time, but a friend of my does Contract Security Guard Work for Pinkerton and their Sub Contractors. He gets payed Big Bucks just to guard large Multi-State Businesses whenever they have a "Disgruntled" Former Employee who was just Fired.
ReplyDeleteIt seems a few years back, someone got a nice chunk of change from an Insurance Company when someone went "Postal" and Wounded him. That guy won because the Company had a "No Guns Allowed" Policy. He successfully argued that since he couldn't carry on the Job, then it was the COMPANY'S Responsibility to ensure a "Safe Working Environment."
But this put this Insurance Company into a "Catch-22." They couldn't advocate allowing the Peasants to exercise their RKBA in the Workplace, but they couldn't keep paying out the Bucks because of their own Policy. So they Hired Pinkerton.
And trust me, my Friend has more Work than he can shake a Stick at.
RE Don: (para) "We didn't have these Guns 35 years ago." Let's see, 2012 minus 35 equals 1977.
ReplyDeleteFunny. Colt AR's, M1 Garands, Bolt Guns,.22 LR Rifles, "Dirty Harry" .44 Smith Magnums, NONE of them existed in Indianapolis back in the '70s?
How did you guys get your own Personal "Twilit Zone," may one ask?
Ol' Don isn't senile. He just wants the guaranteed business for his "authorized" indoor range, eliminating the competition.
ReplyDeleteMakes me glad I never bought a damned thing from him (I did most of my shopping at Bradis down in Camby).
Dear former "Master Control" operator": Thank you SO MUCH from the CCW's and others in Tennessee that have been fighting for "Safe Commute" laws for the last two years.
ReplyDeleteOl' Don is a real piece of work.
ReplyDelete