Six dead in Crandon shooting

[gypcasino]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/07/wisconsin.shooting/index.html

 

The gunman is supposedly a 20 year old sheriff's deuputy named Tyler Peterson.

 

-edited title to reflect number of victims

[DougJones43]

Man, it just never seems to end. I wonder what video game or musical artist will be blamed for this one.

[gypcasino]

Sounds like a domestic dispute. The ex girlfriend of the shooter was allegedly hosting the party.

http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=7180667

[hawing]

As much as I try not to jump to conclusions, upon seeing the first posts (and not gypcasino's second post) in this thread, I was thinking some kind of relationship dispute.

[gypcasino]

Yeah, how crazy would that be if a cop went to break up a party and completely overreacted and just started blasting away.

[jason21nl]

they just did a news break, and 6 people are now dead.

[brettac1]

The shooter is one of them, so maybe that's the 6th they speak of?

[gypcasino]

The mayor of Crandon says the shooter was killed by a sniper.

http://www.wisn.com/news/14287494/detail.html

[PeaveyFury]

Channel 3 in Madison says 7 dead, including the shooter.

[dadofandrew]

I can't believe you can be a cop at 20. I realize you can defend our country at 18, but for the most part, small town cops handle a ton of domestic disturbances and the like, and need a calm, steady hand.

[PeaveyFury]

And clearly no one at age 20 has that?

[TracyThom]

Tragic, tragic situation. Most of the dead were high school students. Not only was the shooter 20, but he was a local kid just graduating from high school a couple years back.

 

I firmly believe that there should be a minimum age limit for law enforcement officers. It should be at least 21, preferrably 23-24. Some people here know what I do for a living. I started when I was 21. Looking back, I was way too immature at that time.

[brettac1]

The problem isn't that he's a cop. The problem's that he shot a bunch of people.

 

I think he would have done that regardless of his profession, guns are really easy to get.

[dadofandrew]

My point is Brett, if he showed that poor of judgement in his social life, it's easy to see him losing it on the job. Cops work with kids all the time. You get my point.

 

I would defer to Tracy's experience and agree 23-25 would be a range I would feel comfy with as well.

[jason21nl]

anyone could lose it on their social life. doesn't matter how old you are. if you're a cop, 35, and your wife cheated on you, you just might lose it.

[RyDogg66]

I can't believe you can be a cop at 20. I realize you can defend our country at 18, but for the most part, small town cops handle a ton of domestic disturbances and the like, and need a calm, steady hand.

A poor choice of words perhaps?

 

[jason21nl]

I can't believe you can be a cop at 20. I realize you can defend our country at 18, but for the most part, small town cops handle a ton of domestic disturbances and the like, and need a calm, steady hand.

A poor choice of words perhaps?

 

 

I left that alone. it was there up on a Tee

[hawing]

One of the very first thoughts I had upon reading this was, "20 year old deputy?" Maybe Forest County has trouble recruiting for law enforcement, or maybe this person had law enforcement in the family (kind of like a legacy). To have someone that young work out, maybe especially in a community that small, I think you need an especially mature individual - which certainly can be found as early as age 20; but like Tracy, I'd generally feel more at ease with someone a bit older.

 

But Jason has a point too: there seems to be no age immune anymore to 'snapping' under the right (or wrong) circumstances.

 

Anyway - none of us knows enough about the story yet. Though I'm sure the media will do their level best to change that.

[molitor fan]

A second victim was Bradley Schultz, 20, a third-year student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee who was home to visit his friends, said his aunt, Sharon Pisarek.

I know that their are some on this board that go to UW-M, so I just wanted to pass this info along.

[RockCoCougars]

Sounds like the kid was some sort of part time deputy. Probably one step up from a Burger King security guard up in that area. I agree that he shouldn't be able to be involved in law enforcement at that age. Heck, our government won't even let 20 year olds drink, and this guy was cruising around packing heat.

[TooLiveBrew]

"He graduated with my brother," she said. "He was nice. He was an average guy. Normal. You wouldn't think he could do that."

Do newspeople just interview until they come across someone who says this (or some variant)? Of course you wouldn't think he could do that - that's why it happens. If you think someone is off-balance enough to go slaughter people, you put them in a mental health facility to try & help him/her. Why do people think 'people can't do stuff like this'? I understand the sentiment, but man - there have been so many examples of people crossing over the edge, and it's nearly always 'the guy you'd never expect.'

 

This is such a tragedy. I honestly can't comprehend what kind of cold-blooded, hateful, deranged mental state into which you'd have to slip to mercilessly gun down teenagers like this. I only wish he'd have been apprehended so we could get at least a small understanding of what led to him doing this.

[Roscoe Chill]

If you think someone is off-balance enough to go slaughter people, you put them in a mental health facility to try & help him/her. Why do people think 'people can't do stuff like this'? I understand the sentiment, but man - there have been so many examples of people crossing over the edge, and it's nearly always 'the guy you'd never expect.'

 

You just put them in a mental health facility? I know what you're trying to say, but it's not always the people you'd never expect, and it's not as easy as just going and putting someone in a mental health facility...see Virginia Tech shooting.

[mothershipconnection]

20 year-olds can be mature and cool-headed. However, my big problem is that it's a very important job that requires a ton of knowledge and skill that I just don't think someone can acquire in 2 years after high school. Unless you're a hard working and exceptionally smart person who grew up in a family of lawmen, you're unlikely to be competent that quickly. Heck, you need a year after high school just to be qualified to cut hair. Teaching requires 4 years, and I don't think it's any easier or less important than law enforcement. This can't do anything to curb police corruption and incompetence, as you just can't be trained and prepared for such a complicated job, especially in a position of power like law enforcement, with such minimal training. I'm sure many very good cops started young with minimal training, but I'd feel a lot more comfortable knowing that departments were a bit more demanding and had some better quality control standards.

[TwinsBrewersWorldSeries]

Wow... it seems like Wisconsin has been the "state" in which these mass murders keep occuring. Granted, my perspective is different living here my whole life, but lately it seems like 2-3 times a year (or more) we're the lead story on CNN for shooting spree.

 

My prayers and thoughts with the families of the victims. I am a school administrator in a small town of 3500, and can only imagine the psychological damage a shooting like this would do to our community.

[TooLiveBrew]

I know what you're trying to say, but it's not always the people you'd never expect, and it's not as easy as just going and putting someone in a mental health facility...see Virginia Tech shooting.

 

You're right in that I don't think it's as easy as just 'locking up all the 'crazies'," but I didn't say it was "always the people you'd never expect." I said it was almost always, and I (think I can) stand by that statement. I'm really aware that you can't (most times) account for or predict anything that happens in a situation like this. Sorry that I came across as being so glib! http://static.yuku.com//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/smile.gif

 

p.s. - There was actually a lot of discussion by VT admins about seeking in-patient care for the VT shooter prior to his actions, iirc. While I'm not suggesting that we simply incarcerate every unstable/suspicious person before something may or may not happen, had the entire mental health background of that particular shooter been fully available (which is unfortunately in the hands of the individual and his family to disclose) to university officials, there is a chance that tragedy could have been prevented.