Shooting and hostage situation in Binghamton NY

[cali]

Source: CNN

Man with a high powered rifle in a building with 41 hostages. Reporting that some people have been removed from the scene on stretchers.

No link yet.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

1. I think there is very irresponsible reporting going on MSNBC

Contessa Brewer is reporting the number of people in the building and also went on to disclose 2 places where I think they might be HIDING! Good job, Contessa - what if they have flat screen TV's in the lobbies, like they do so many places and now you have just told the shooter where people are?! Even giving the number of people in the building is wrong, I think.

[pattmarty]

2. Fire the dumb bitch, she can always get a "job" at Fox.

[Kittycat]

5. WTF is wrong with her?

[bluestateguy]

42. Talk about giving aid and comfort to the enemy

I don't think she'll be on the Pentagon's invite list for embedded reporters in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[AngryOldDem]

99. Pete Williams was about to lose his patience with her.

While explaining the possible reasons why they led two guys out in plastic restraints -- she kept saying what SHE wanted to hear while Williams was trying to explain the situation with the KNOWN facts. She wasn't listening to him -- only to herself. Just shut the fuck up, please.

I think until there is some official confirmation, news anchors who are a million miles away from the scene should **not** speculate on the number of dead and wounded. Kyra Phillips, are you listening?

Coverage of these types of events brings out the worst in the all-news-all-the-time genre. Because facts are slow to come out, after awhile the people in the studio begin to put their own spin on things just to keep things going. After awhile they're running around in circles and nobody knows just what the hell is going on.

[Born_A_Truman]

120. Please contact MSNBC

If you heard this, please contact them. I missed this because I was in and out of the house this morning. I think this needs to be addressed!!

[DrDan]

3. you know - a headline you rarely see - "Man with a six-pack in a building with 41 hostages"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x208904

[dorkulon]

75. right... or "car-wielding lunatic runs over 13 ex-coworkers" /nt

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. link...

http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20090403/COMMUN05/90403027&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

People are currently being released from the front of the American Civic Association at 131 Front St., the site of a shooting this morning. At least four people have been taken out on stretchers.


Four people left the building with hands on their hands. Police were searching some of them.

Four people have been taken to hospitals. The Binghamton and Broome County SWAT teams are on the scene, along with a negotiator.

The SWAT team is getting ready to re-enter the building. The shooter is still inside, police said.

more....

[Bill219]

6. Shooting and Hostage situation in Binghamton, NY

Source: MSNBC

Breaking right now on MSNBC...

There is a standoff with a gunman at the American Civic Association

according to reports...4 people have been shot and requests for 10 ambulances

Local schools have been locked down


No link yet.

[PA Democrat]

7. CNN says up to 20 people still being held hostage.

[fascisthunter]

8. this country is extremely violent

and tough times are bringing out the worst...

[Marrah_G]

41. The planet is violent.

[aquart]

52. You really have no idea what day to day violence is like, do you?

[Hugabear]

82. Huh?

What would drive you to say something like that? Or are you yet again spouting off a bunch of nonsense?

[liberalhistorian]

92. Some people around here will say anything

to protect and promote the NRA, damn the cost in human lives and peace of mind. Our kill toys are so much more important!!!!

[LanternWaste]

116. It's all relative.

"You really have no idea what day to day violence is like, do you?"

It's all relative.

[Mike Daniels]

113. Funny, I seem to recall reading about this type of shit when times were booming as well

It's quite possible that the ecomony had absolutely nothing to do with this situation.

[cali]

9. The American Civic Association

is an organization that helps immigrants.

[Bill219]

11. according to MSNBC reports

streets around the area are now blocked off and people are being told to remain in their homes and buildings

The gunman may be Asian

There might be 30 people barricaded in the basement

[SpookyCat]

45. The gunman may be Asian

If that's true, that is not what I was expecting. I thought Freeper who watches too much Lou Dobbs, something like that.

Tragic and horrible, no matter what. :cry:

[jwirr]

12. Okay I was wondering about that.

[bulloney]

83. Do you think the gunman was encouraged into doing this by listening to Beck, Hannity & Co.?

[FudaFuda]

89. Probably not. A vietnamese interpreter was called in.

ABC news reports a Vietnamese interpreter was called, presumably to enable LE to speak with the shooter.

[soothsayer]

10. Binghmamton is home to Rod Serling if I'm not mistaken

[alcibiades_mystery]

31. That's correct

There's a statue of Serling outside Binghamton High School. It is also the former carousel capital of the world, which explains the use of carousels in the Twilight Zone.

[Barack_America]

13. CNN reporting up to 12 dead. (unconfirmed) nt

[PA Democrat]

14. The center hosts classes for immigrants wishing to learn English

and immigrants who are preparing for US citizenship exam.

CNN reporter is giving this info.

[iamthebandfanman]

15. sounds like a freeper

looks like rush, beck, and hannity finally got to one of them.

grab ur guns boys! we're gonna stop them there emmy grants!

[Ian David]

19. I would bet money on that, but we still don't know for sure yet.

It could be a marital dispute for all we know.

[cali]

21. reportedly the shooter is of asian descent

and although that doesn't mean he's not a freeper, it makes it more likely that this had little to do with politics.

[iamthebandfanman]

25. sorry, i dont use race to judge motivation.

just political ideology.


haha.



i stand by my statement that it sounds like a freeper.

notice i didnt proclaim it WAS a freeper, just that it sounds like one.

[cali]

26. please. you're just jumping to conclusions. And sorry the vast number of freeps are WHITE, genius.

[smoogatz]

28. Yeah--the prevalence of racist language in freeptard land kind of self-limits

the number of minority members there. That and the fact that American conservatism is, in itself, inherently racist.

[superconnected]

59. Yes most are white but there's a big proportion of other races that think the same way.

I've ran into minorities too many times to believe it's a "white" mentality that believed in Bushes autocracy and corporation should run unchecked idealogy, as well as the, "kill everyone who doesn't think like you", mentality that accompanies that.

Really, you don't have to go far at all to find a minority person that has freeperville views. For the asian population I know, I would say those views are dominant. And don't even get me started on the "men in control and women obey" crap. I see that from my best friends family. She's Vietnamese. But I've seen this with the Japanese like crazy too. Btw, the Japanese-American side of my family hated Clinton and are die hard bush supporters.

[slackmaster]

79. Would that make him a "fleeper"?

:hide:

[Tim01]

23. Just a clarification.

Most Americans respect legal emigrants. It is a long hard process.

[FudaFuda]

32. and I can add, from experience

that most legal immigrants aren't too thrilled with illegal ones. My wife and oldest child are both Japanese, and it was hard work to get them their visa, green cards issued even with the marriage. We spent thousands on the process. We have plenty of friends in our community who are also legally emigrated asians, not all japanese, and they are all pretty hardcore on the illegal immigration issue. I usually just stand back from the conversation when they get going.

[hlthe2b]

46. just to clarify...

When speaking to other Americans: emigrants are Americans moving elsewhere. Immigrants are non-Americans, i.e., those coming to the US from other countries... Sometimes spelling errors actually are important...:shrug:

[Tim01]

72. Good point, thanks.

I'm usually pretty good with this kind of thing, not so much this time.

[AlphaCentauri]

100. Humans are more important than labels

[PA Democrat]

16. From the website of the American Civics Association their mission:

"Assists immigrants and refugees with immigration and personal counseling, resettlement, citizenship, family reunification, interpreters, and translators. Fosters cross cultural understanding for the entire community."

http://www.unitedwaybroome.org/pages/Member%20Agencies/American_Civic_Association.htm

[bluestateguy]

17. Everybody needs to get the facts before making political rants (I know that the OP is not doing so)

nt

[iamthebandfanman]

24. lol

yeah, because im a news source
and my accuracy on this subject matters.

sounds like a freeper to me. i stand by that. mite not be, who knows.

im just sayin', it sounds like a whackjob on the right.


isnt there another subject you should be policing?

[rickford66]

18. the situation

We were turned back from our lunch time walk by police. We were downtown on the east side of the Chenango River. The American Civic Association is on the west side of the river on Front Street and very close to Binghamton High School. We got some info from a post woman who was also turned back from going over the Court Street bridge. She said what we see being reported as of now.

[Barack_America]

22. I'm sorry that this happened in your community.

It must be very distressing.

:hug:

[Adelante]

29. Stay safe, rickford nt

[rickford66]

34. Ok

Our place of business is a few blocks away from the situation and I go home in the opposite direction. Right now we don't know any more than anyone else. All we can do is hope no one else is injured.

[SpookyCat]

47. Please stay safe rickford66...

we just got you here, we don't want to lose you! :hug:

[Quantess]

91. Keep us posted! Most of all, stay safe!

[alcibiades_mystery]

33. I used to live on Murray Street

Very close by to all this.

[Critters2]

55. Thank you for this. I'm glad you're safe. Please be careful.

I hope for the best for everyone in Binghamton.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[ConcernedCanuk]

123. LOL - ur three years late - "Member since Jan 31st 2006 "

.
.
.

Not EVERYONE here posts like crazy . .

[H2O Man]

114. I live a short

distance away. My cousin lives in Port Crane. One of my best friends works very close to the site of the horror; he's on vacation.

I'll call a friend at WBNG to see if there's more he knows.

[Barack_America]

20. CNN reporting the shooter as a male of asian descent. nt

[smoogatz]

27. Then nothing to do with politics, probably.

Most likely a marital thing, a workplace thing, or a perceived personal slight. I just hope the guy's not Hmong.

[Barack_America]

30. We'll have to see. Right now the info come out about this is really sketchy.

Not sufficient to draw any conclusions, IMO.

[smoogatz]

35. Yep--prayers for the victims, and those whose lives are still in danger.

Is it just me, or does it seem like there's been a LOT of these spree-killing events lately?

[liberalhistorian]

94. Hey, just another month in

gun-happy, guns-uber-alles America!

[smoogatz]

54. Link to AP/Yahoo story:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/hostage_shooting

[Flagg]

36. Another day, another mass shooting

[Vinca]

38. But don't take our guns away . . .

[smoogatz]

43. We are a society that urges crazy people to arm themselves.

It's an extraordinarily strange phenomenon.

[FailureToCommunicate]

63. You're right. There are MUCH stricter gun laws in Mexico, for crying out loud. Always

the hand wringing is usually about "what caused the guy to over the edge" And not enough "Why can almost anyone get a gun, or rifle,
or worse, in America that wants one?" I'm sure a lot of Second amendment will say "Oh but you can kill people with a kitchen knife. True, but it's
damn hard to kill a lot of people all at once with a kitchen knife. So much easier with an assault rifle...

[superconnected]

66. Actually it's often crazy people urging crazy people to arm themselves.

I've met a few first hand. The paranoia mixed with stupidity is terrifying. The worst part is my brother brings these nuts into our house. He's never been good at choosing friends. Not ones that stay out of jail anyway.

[smoogatz]

74. The paranoia is fueled by gun manufacturers and their plants in the RW media.

It's pervasive and clearly manipulative. And yeah, terrifying. Sorry about your brother.

[Pavulon]

111. Just ban guns, like the murder ban

that is working out. I believe it is illegal to make tatp in you home and blow yourself up in public.

Someone intent on killing will find a way.

[bigworld]

37. 13 dead says BBC

quoting local media

[Renew Deal]

50. CNN says 4 dead, 12 injured

[DS1]

39. Execute the fucker in public, don't even let him get 10 feet out the building

And don't give me any of that hippie "but he might have mental problems" horseshit. Put him down on live television, then dump the body in a fire.

[Mz Pip]

44. I know I sure get tired

of people who use "mental problems" as some kind of excuse for murderous rampages. Lots of people are nuts and don't go on shooting rampages.

I seriously doubt he will be getting out of there alive and that's fine by me.

[smoogatz]

56. Okay, but shouldn't they torture him a little first?

Maybe take a power drill to his eye sockets, or chop him up with a chainsaw while he screams and begs for mercy? Then I think for sure they should chop off his head and put it up on some kind of pole, as a warning to other mentally ill people that the sane people aren't going to put up with their crazy-ass shit anymore. Then I think we should pull out all of the crazy people's intestines and decorate our houses with them, just because it'd be pretty.

[DS1]

58. You forget the part where the victims wear his skin as a suit

But no. None of those things. Just a bullet through the brain will be fine.

[smoogatz]

60. Pansy.

I thought the idea was to teach him a lesson. Or was it to get revenge? Anyway, just shooting him seems hardly sufficient in either case. How about cutting out his liver and feeding it to his children, then?

[DS1]

62. You're confused. It wasn't about lessons or revenge, just ending his time on Earth.

:)

[smoogatz]

68. So, that "dump the body in a fire" thing?

What, you were just kidding about that part? Very disappointing. How about feeding his body to hyenas and then killing the hyenas? That would certainly teach all the crazy people not to be so crazy, wouldn't it?

[DS1]

73. Why waste any more money on him? Hyenas sounds expensive, anyway.

And why do you have such a hard-on for people who go on killing sprees?

[smoogatz]

77. It's not my hard-on, buddy.

You're the one calling for summary execution--not to mention burning the body.

[U4ikLefty]

122. LOL...well played!!! n/t

[Arrowhead2k1]

40. Fox News just fell for another prank from that Howard Stern guy.

:rofl:

[Renew Deal]

48. Fox

:dunce:

[rcrush]

49. So is cable news just spewing anything that pops into their head?

Jesus the death toll goes from 4 to 20 to 4. They report where people might be hiding. This is when cable news really REALLY makes me sick.

[Sewsojm]

61. Yes, they are.

[lilyreally]

88. Pretty much.

CNN has been ALL over the board with numbers, places plus rumors rumors rumors

[Marrah_G]

51. They said there was a citizens test going on at the time

And that the gunman blocked the back door with his car before going in the front.

This is so so sad.

[lilyreally]

53. CNN says two were caught

both appeared to be Asian. May be over.

[FudaFuda]

65. Two? hmmm. n/t

[slackmaster]

90. That would make it probably a gang situation

:argh:

If it turns out to be three or more, that would make it a terrorist attack.

:nuke:

[Reader Rabbit]

57. Wonder if it's one of those ex goes on a rampage things.

So often it's some guy going after his ex-wife or girlfriend.

The mother of one of our students was just murdered by her husband because she was planning to leave him. He beat her to death with a hammer in front of the two youngest kids.

[FailureToCommunicate]

67. Yes, but again, one hammer one murder, horrible as that must of been. Not "Assault

rifle shooting husband kills wife, two kids and four others as he's chased by police..."
Sorry for your student.

[Barack_America]

64. CNN confirming 12 dead. nt

[Barack_America]

70. And now unconfirming that information.

Or maybe not.

Sheesh, they can't seem to get their facts straight.

[Sewsojm]

76. 4 dead, no 12 dead, no 4 dead, no nobody dead, 4 dead, 12 dead , we don't fuckin know!!!

[Barack_America]

86. Pretty much.

Lol.

[RebelOne]

71. ABC & CBS are reporting 13 dead. n/t

[Aviation Pro]

69. I guess....

...we're waiting for the inevitable, "the gunman took his own life as police entered the facility."

[RebelOne]

78. Yup, I'm sure that will be the outcome. n/t

[RebelOne]

81. ABC reporting that gunman killed himself.

[Mz Pip]

84. Good

Too bad he just didn't start his day out with that and forego the killing spree.

[lilyreally]

87. Not a word about gunmen killing himself on CNN

Just that two were taken out in handcuffs. This is per the congressman and the governor.

Sorry to keep bringing up CNN but that's all I can get on this tv.

[FudaFuda]

93. abcnews website

check abcnews.go.com

lots more info than i'm seeing elsewhere

vietnamese interpreter was called in

9mm pistol, one other unspecified weapon

gunman has shot himself

[RebelOne]

96. CBS also reporting the same thing.

[FudaFuda]

101. Thx. Wonder when/if we'll ever get full facts.

ABC story says one 9mm pistol, and another unspecified weapon.

CBS says 2 pistols. That's according to an anonymous LEO.

But the same CBS story says the Mayor (cuz he's 'on it' and in charge, ya know) told reporters the gunman had a 'high-powered rifle.' O RLY?


Another thing is motive - especially with the gunman dead, and quite possibly foreign and a non-English speaker, we might never really know.

[lilyreally]

107. The two men are not suspects.

The gunman is dead.
Perhaps up to fifteen dead.

That's the newest from CNN

[underpants]

80. American Civic Association---info

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5384093&mesg_id=5384093

American Civic Association, Inc.

131 Front Street, Binghamton, NY 13905-3193

Assists immigrants and refugees with immigration and personal counseling, resettlement, citizenship, family reunification, interpreters, and translators. Fosters cross cultural understanding for the entire community.

Areas of Community Service: Responding to Emergencies (including fighting hunger and homelessness), Strengthening Families

United Way 2009 allocations: Casework and Technical, $26,670; Refugee Program, $5,195

[BrightKnight]

121. They are going to need a new facility.

I hope that the United Way and other organizations can make that happen quickly.

[lilyreally]

85. Two Asian men were taken out in handcuffs

but no one is formally calling it over. Possibly another gunman CNN is saying.

[underpants]

95. The police don't know who is who. They have to secure the location and then filter the people inside

anyone inside, until debriefed or confirmed by staff, could be someone involved either as a gunman who is trying to blend into the crowd, a foreward-type observer who gave the "let's go" call from inside, OR a would-be gunman inside who changed their mind-ditched their weapon(s)-and is trying to blend in with the victims/hostages.

[Muttocracy]

103. local newspaper (below) says more still being held at gunpoint. nt

[global_traveler]

97. Is it a white shooter?

Any news on the shooter yet that is confirmed? I'm betting it was a white male.

Global Traveler

[FudaFuda]

98. Did you read anything before posting? Even the posts above?

Asian male, very possibly vietnamese.

[Muttocracy]

102. Local Binghamton news site:

Someone posted it upthread, but thought I'd repeat it (might be better than national/international news)

Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

http://www.pressconnects.com/

[RedCloud]

104. Now more than 15 dead in this hate crime

Did the killer follow hate talk radio?
Did the killer hate non Caucasian immigrants?

[RebelOne]

105. Where did you get the 15 dead figure?

All the news Web sites are still reporting 13 dead.

[RedCloud]

106. I saw it on the HLN? network. I was flipping through

Seems like many more wounded now. Not enough ambulances. The logic is bizarre.

They mentioned 14 and I added the gunman.

[RebelOne]

108. Once all the media gets their facts straight,

we'll know the real story and motive behind this.

[trashcanistanista]

109. Rick Sanchez (CNN) says gunmen is dead.

Total dead 13. The victims were preparing for their US citizenship test. VP Biden wil speak now on shooting.

[Muttocracy]

110. CNN saying Front St. not a major street (sigh)

:eyes:

[alcibiades_mystery]

117. Ridiculous

What a bunch of idiots. They can't coordinate with local press?

[Muttocracy]

118. they can pull up Google Earth for kicks but not a basic street map! nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

119. LOL

I lived on Murray between Ayres and Leroy when I was in school. We had a blast.

[Muttocracy]

112. CNN says there will be a news conference at 4pm. nt

[Muttocracy]

115. correction - mayor at 5pm. nt