Suspect Opens Fire Outside Gay A.A. Meeting

[951-Riverside]

(CBS) PALM SPRINGS Police are seeking a gunman who opened fire outside Palm Springs City Hall before a gay Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

The shooting occurred about 8 p.m. Saturday as people waited outside the City Council chambers for a weekly gay Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

"It's a gay AA meeting and somebody shot at the meeting," said Palm Springs resident Rick Heidorn.

"We were sitting there and all of a sudden, we heard, `Pop, pop, pop,'" said Paul Granatos. Granatos and Heidorn were seated 15 feet away from the victim when he was shot.

http://cbs2.com/local/local_story_120133601.html

[dsc]

1. wow

That is really scary to me.

[SoFlaJet]

2. yea

they'll be burning in hell for sure-probably get hit by a drunk driver next time they try to make a getaway-why else do you carry pistols in your car?Protection?

[readmoreoften]

3. "when the victim was shot"

there were victims???

[rodeodance]

9. well, we know that a certain person does buy drugs in the city.

[rodeodance]

10. "a gay AA meeting"--Is this for people who no longer want to be gay?--

Or?


....The shooting occurred about 8 p.m. Saturday as people waited outside the City Council chambers for a weekly gay Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

"It's a gay AA meeting and somebody shot at the meeting," said Palm Springs resident Rick Heidorn.

[Frank Cannon]

12. There are lots of gay/lesbian AA meetings

AA requires rigorous honesty and openness in meetings. A lot of gay and lesbian people don't feel comfortable with being that candid in front of straights.

[Mythsaje]

4. Victim?

Anyone else think this story is a little light in the details, and the victim is brought up almost as an afterthought?

[anitar1]

5. Was the victim male or female! did he survive or die?

I kept reading this over thinking I missed something but I guess it is a sort of newsletter paper , short on details, or cannot hire a reporter---or they don't know them selves. Very odd.

[anitar1]

6. To add--I do see that the victim was male. n/t

[readmoreoften]

7. maybe someone in the area would know... /nt

[rodeodance]

8. a 'trancient' digging through trash can in Palm Beach gave a report:

But a transient told police that just minutes before the shooting outside City Hall, he was shot at while digging through a trash can at the Vons Rimrock shopping center in South Palm Springs, said Sgt. Phil Parker of the Palm Springs Police Department.

"The bullets and casings used there and at the City Hall shooting were very similar," he said. "I can't say they were the same ones, but since the shooting occurred only two or three minutes from each other, it's pretty coincidental."

Zingg couldn't remember another shooting at City Hall. "It's the first time I can remember in my 28 years here," he said.

The victim shot outside City Hall was in stable condition at Desert Regional Medical Center.

[zanne]

11. If you can't be yourself at an AA meeting...

Where can you go? I'm a recovering alcoholic who's been sober for 27 years. During those first few years, AA saved my life. I can't imagine having to fear attending meetings because of my sexual orientation--it was hard enough just being an alcoholic woman. To all my gay and lesbian friends out there--be proud, be strong and be brave.

[noonwitch]

13. Do they think it was a "hate crime" or

was the shooter someone with a personal issue with someone at the meeting?