Gunman opens fire at Mo. public meeting


A gunman opened fire at a city council meeting in this St. Louis suburb Thursday night, hitting the mayor and several city officials, a newspaper reported. There was no immediate word on whether anyone was killed.
Police shot the gunman, who had hit Kirkwood Mayor Mike Swoboda, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which had a reporter at the meeting.

Also shot were a police officer, council members Michael H.T. Lynch and Connie Karr, and Public Works Director Kenneth Yost, the correspondent, Janet McNichols, told the newspaper.

The victims were taken to St. John's Mercy Hospital, but Kirkwood police t
old The Associated Press no one was available to provide information. St. Louis County police did not return several calls.

The reporter said the 7 p.m. meeting had just started when the gunman rushed into the council chambers yelling and opened fire with at least one weapon. He started yelling "shoot the mayor" while walking around and firing, hitting a police officer first, the reporter said.

McNichols also said the shooter fired at the city attorney, who tried to fight off the attacker by throwing chairs. The gunman then moved behind a desk where the council sits and fired at council members.

About 30 people were in the council chambers, the reporter said.
Dozens of emergency vehicles were on the scene, and an area of several blocks was cordoned off along a busy north-south corridor around City Hall.

Kirkwood is about 20 miles southwest of downtown St. Louis. City Hall is in a quiet area filled with condominiums, eateries and shops, not far from a dance studio and train station.

Mary Linehares, a teacher who lives about four blocks from City Hall and who walked down to the scene with her husband, described the town as quiet and eclectic.

"It's like a small town in St. Louis," Linehares told The Associated Press. "You can call it Mayberry."

Maybe it is just me, but people seem to be snapping with increasing frequency in America.

Who said "... you can't fight city hall ..."? It's unfortunate, and we'll never learn what the shooter wanted.

more money? less taxes? clear up his parking tickets? who knows?

As long as 'right to bear arms' is interpreted as it is-dont worry about it.
It will happen again and again and again...............

Well what the hell are we supposed to do, Paul? Not let anyone have guns? If no one had guns these madmen would just make homemade bombs, the instructions for which are easily found on the internet.

I'd much rather know that our populace is armed for protection against invasions and against our own government, should it take a dramatic turn for the worse, then take all our guns away and be lulled into a false sense of security.

Take all the guns away NO
Take most of the guns away YES

America has a gun culture and the country is swamped with readily available weapons.

The piece about keeping weapons in case of invasion and protection against government-c'mon DF, you can do better than that.

Thats something Id expect from the NRA.

Its a sad truth,nations with slack gun control have high gun crime.

The piece about keeping weapons in case of invasion and protection against government-c'mon DF, you can do better than that.
Well the protection from the government is the reason we have the 2nd amendment, unlikely as it seems now.

As far as invasions... How enthusiastic will another country be to invade us if they know that there are 9 guns for every 10 people in this country? (Might not be the real statistic, didn't feel like looking it up.) We are an armed populace, capable of raising a militia and protecting our country.

And Paul - most criminals who have guns don't get them legally anyways. The only thing restricting gun ownership does is restrict the ownership of guns by good people. Making guns harder to get will just drive the gun industry underground, into organized crime, and make it so that a smaller proportion of gun owners will know how to use them safely.

I think that gun safety should be an elective in high school, as well as certain military training like classes. This would go a long way towards reducing gun accidents and creating a better protected populace.

Take all the guns away NO
Take most of the guns away YES

America has a gun culture and the country is swamped with readily available weapons.

The piece about keeping weapons in case of invasion and protection against government-c'mon DF, you can do better than that.

Thats something Id expect from the NRA.

Its a sad truth,nations with slack gun control have high gun crime.

I'd wager that if you moved to the U.S., you'd not be here 90 days without owning your own bullet launcher.

Well the protection from the government is the reason we have the 2nd amendment, unlikely as it seems now.

As far as invasions... How enthusiastic will another country be to invade us if they know that there are 9 guns for every 10 people in this country? (Might not be the real statistic, didn't feel like looking it up.) We are an armed populace, capable of raising a militia and protecting our country.
And like apart from illegal Mexicans-who in their right mind is gonna invade a country of 300 million,3000 miles wide,about 2500 miles long,a with the most advanced weapons systems in the galaxy.

And Paul - most criminals who have guns don't get them legally anyways. The only thing restricting gun ownership does is restrict the ownership of guns by good people. Making guns harder to get will just drive the gun industry underground, into organized crime, and make it so that a smaller proportion of gun owners will know how to use them safely.

I think that gun safety should be an elective in high school, as well as certain military training like classes. This would go a long way towards reducing gun accidents and creating a better protected populace.
DF most criminal have guns because they steal them from gun shops and peoples homes, if that wasnt available there would be less guns around to steal.

I'd wager that if you moved to the U.S., you'd not be here 90 days without owning your own bullet launcher.
Actually I dont like guns es-Ive seen what they can do,close up.

DF most criminal have guns because they steal them from gun shops and peoples homes, if that wasnt available there would be less guns around to steal.
I don't think that's true. It's far easier to buy them on the black market illegally, including guns that have been banned here and are imported from other places.

I don't think that's true. It's far easier to buy them on the black market illegally, including guns that have been banned here and are imported from other places.
Certain types of assult rifle are banned,but how many are still in circulation.

Some of these rifles are manufactured in USA, for export,by companies whose home country bans or greatly restricts firearm ownership.

Smyth & Wesson
Springfield
MA

Taurus
Miami
FL

Glock
Smyrna
GA

Beretta
Accokeek
MD

Browning
Morgan
UT

Winchester
CT

and last but not least

Para Ordnance
Scarborough
Ontario
Canada

a major exporter of semi automatic assult rifles.

As long as 'right to bear arms' is interpreted as it is-dont worry about it.
It will happen again and again and again...............


i just wish people would stop shooting innocent people. people who are just there. workers, etc.. leave em alone.
if you want to blow away a fucking politician, go right ahead. try to take out a few corporate leaders while you're at it.
the weapon gives equilibrium to remind the rich and/or powerful to treat people well, don't cheat them, or lie to them, because YOU can catch bullets for being a dick.
might get these cheatin rotten sons of bitches to think, "eventually i'm gonna piss off the WRONG person."
OR they institute laws to make themselves feel safe.
the majority of people who use peace now always turn out to fuck a poor man somehow. sacrifice himself, and his kids to be nothing but a bunch of yes men who don't think.
sometimes you have to fight back. but you had better accept responsibility for your actions and don't go whining about something . like, "the devil made me do it."


label me, OFF RADAR.

I'd wager that if you moved to the U.S., you'd not be here 90 days without owning your own bullet launcher.

Why do you say that? I've lived here 35 years and I haven't felt the need to get one.

First, fear of the "natives". Next, a novelty - fruit of the forbidden tree. The freedom to make such a purchase, even if it is never shot even once. JMO.

You need responsible people to handle a big thing like freedom, some fail.

The pre-eminent threat to our safety is not Al-Queda.
We have seen the real enemy, and it is us.