German High School Shooting

March 11, 2009

Comments

A shooting spree at a German high school has killed at least 10 people and wounded untold others.

This tragedy will come as a shock to most in the United States, as our media treat rampages by gunmen as a uniquely American phenomenon made possible only by our lax firearms laws.

AP‘s timeline, though, reveals only nine incidents in thirteen years, including this morning’s — all tragic, of course, but hardly an epidemic. Of those three each were in Germany and the United States, two in Finland, and one in Scotland.

5 responses to “German High School Shooting”

Triumph

March 11, 2009 at 7:53 am

AP’s timeline, though, reveals only nine incidents in thirteen years, including this morning’s — all tragic, of course, but hardly an epidemic.

This is right on–it’s not like we’re Iraq or something.

In terms of sheer savagery and senseless violence, they have us beat–big time.
James Joyner

March 11, 2009 at 8:03 am

So . . . people going crazy and shooting up schools leads to international conflict?
Bithead

March 11, 2009 at 8:29 am

In the words of Otter, in Animal House:

“Forget it; He’s rolling.”
Mark Thompson

March 11, 2009 at 9:48 am

While I agree with your underlying point, it’s worth noting that the AP list is not a comprehensive list of school shootings, only “some of the worst school shootings in recent years.” I can recall several shootings in the US not on that list that left one or two dead, and I am quite certain that there are a number of gang-related shootings that got little media attention outside their immediate locale. Either way, this is hardly an epidemic and as you point out, it is hardly limited to the US.