Random Stupidity

A man died yesterday after being shot at a Greyhound station in Springfield, MO.  Neither shooter nor victim was a Springfield resident, but had stopped at the station while taking a break on the drive.  According to the primary witness, he was speaking with his friend and a man got in line behind them.  The next thing he knew his friend was on the ground, shot in the back by a 25-year-old passenger.  They did not know the shooter, the best police can tell this was an utterly random attack.

As pressure increases, we may see more of this as people on the edge lash out.  Of course this got my attention because I live so close to the place this happened.  But in the end, we all need to remember to be on top of our game when we mingle in a crowd.  You never know when the person behind or beside you decides that This Is It.

The gun jammed and the shooter was "subdued by the crowd."  Thank goodness the bystanders took action and thanks to a bank robber police were already in the area.  That station does a brisk and steady business, and it's possible that several people were at risk.  Also, thank goodness this didn't happen going down the road where it could have become even more dangerous.

A man died and nobody knows why.  That's unacceptable, and while I have no doubt the shooter will pay for his crime, there is no punishment that can bring back what has been lost.  Kudos to the people who took action and kept an already bad situation from going worse.