# At least 7 Baton Rouge cops shot. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 17, 2016, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123 "2016-07-17T15:50:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/1 "2016-07-17T15:50:17Z")
[Breaking news](http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/17/us/baton-route-police-shooting/index.html). Ambush, at least 3 dead. Ongoing. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/2 "2016-07-17T16:00:01Z")
Was napping on the sofa with CNN on. Heard the reports, and in my fog thought I was listening to a re-run of old news. Took me a minute to gather my wits and figure out this was new. _sigh_ 3 dead, 4 others shot. Some reported n critical condition, so the death count may go higher. Note that just a few days ago, Baton Rouge police [arrested three people](http://freebeacon.com/national-security/baton-rouge-police-arrested-3-people-suspected-plotting-dallas-style-assault/) believed to be plotting to kill cops. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/3 "2016-07-17T16:05:40Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > [Breaking news](http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/17/us/baton-route-police-shooting/index.html). Ambush, at least 3 dead. Ongoing. He was walking in the road with a rifle visible. That is not an ambush. If someone else opened fire from hiding, that would be an ambush. And may have happened, I’m surprised he was able to hit 7 officers that were responding to a call about someone with a rifle. After Dallas I would think they would be even more careful then before. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/4 "2016-07-17T16:11:59Z")
> [@Lok](#): > > **He was walking in the road with a rifle visible.** That is not an ambush. If someone else opened fire from hiding, that would be an ambush. And may have happened, I’m surprised he was able to hit 7 officers that were responding to a call about someone with a rifle. After Dallas I would think they would be even more careful then before. I heard (on CNN) he was carrying a handgun. It was only mentioned once so it may have been inaccurate. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/5 "2016-07-17T16:18:05Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I heard (on CNN) he was carrying a handgun. It was only mentioned once so it may have been inaccurate. Multiple shooters being sought. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/6 "2016-07-17T16:19:10Z")
> [@Lok](#): > > He was walking in the road with a rifle visible. That is not an ambush. If someone else opened fire from hiding, that would be an ambush. And may have happened, I’m surprised he was able to hit 7 officers that were responding to a call about someone with a rifle. After Dallas I would think they would be even more careful then before. At 8:58am PDT, CNN’s headline was a 150-point font “ **AMBUSH**.” I went with their lede. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/7 "2016-07-17T16:50:20Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I heard (on CNN) he was carrying a handgun. It was only mentioned once so it may have been inaccurate. Their story says the caller reported an assault rifle, so the typical confusion of breaking news reporting. > [@running\_coach](#): > > Multiple shooters being sought. > [@silenus](#): > > At 8:58am PDT, CNN’s headline was a 150-point font “ **AMBUSH**.” I went with their lede. They had changed it by the time I got there. But if it was multiple shooters, they may need to put it back. I really hope there was only the one. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/8 "2016-07-17T17:00:05Z")
Don Lemon on CNN reporting one suspect down and three suspects at large described as dressed in black. Says someone called 9-1-1 about a man with an assault rifle walking down the highway. When officers arrived multiple shooters opened fire. Time will tell once investigation progresses. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/9 "2016-07-17T19:37:16Z")
> [@Lok](#): > > He was walking in the road with a rifle visible. That is not an ambush. If someone else opened fire from hiding, that would be an ambush. And may have happened, I’m surprised he was able to hit 7 officers that were responding to a call about someone with a rifle. After Dallas I would think they would be even more careful then before. Probably the assumption was of just some lone individual brandishing, that could be managed by merely outnumbering/outgunning him conventionally. Because the alternative is that from now on any call of some individual brandishing is to be responded with SWAT as a potential organized ambush. Were I a police chief I’d be investing in a fleet of drones to be first eyes at any scene. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/10 "2016-07-17T20:54:49Z")
> [@Lok](#): > > He was walking in the road with a rifle visible. That is not an ambush. If someone else opened fire from hiding, that would be an ambush. And may have happened, I’m surprised he was able to hit 7 officers that were responding to a call about someone with a rifle. After Dallas I would think they would be even more careful then before. Unless the cops were lured to the site by a fake phone call, possibly made by the perp. If that turns out to be the case, then it’s definitely an ambush. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/11 "2016-07-17T21:46:36Z")
That brings the total to over twenty law enforcement officers shot just since police shot Alton Sterling at that store two weeks ago. So many shootings that I’ve lost count. Thirteen in Dallas. Single shootings of officers in Tenn, Atlanta and others I can’t specifically recall. Now Baton Rouge. We may be almost at two dozen by now. We got a crises on our hands. ☹ A lot of it is the emotions and rage stirred up on the web. Most of us vent in postings and extended debate. But there are crazy mf’s that take physical action. The pot has been getting stirred constantly since Ferguson. Now we’re getting the results of that. I suspect this is only the beginning of the killing. The web has opened Pandora’s box of rage and insanity. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/12 "2016-07-17T21:54:01Z")
I neglected the 24 news cycle. That’s the engine that drives the anger. The web amplifies and distributes it everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/13 "2016-07-17T22:51:23Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I suspect this is only the beginning of the killing. The web has opened Pandora’s box of rage and insanity. Well, maybe if the web is Pandora’s box, we should remember that the last thing that came out of the box was Hope. Folks could try using the web for a positive movement, rather than venting frustration, or pointing the finger of blame. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/14 "2016-07-17T22:57:40Z")
I wondered if anyone would pick up on that. Yes, hope remains. That somehow we’ll ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/15 "2016-07-17T22:58:53Z")
Find a solution Sorry, I hit send fumbling with this tiny phone keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/16 "2016-07-17T22:59:23Z")
Latest report says an eyewitness says there was a gun battle going on **before the cops even showed up.** The participants then turned on the police in an effort to get away or get back to only one enemy. Curiouser and curiouser… ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/17 "2016-07-18T00:02:42Z")
One thing about the news coverage that irks me is that when there’s nothing new to say that commentators speculate wildly or repeat, over and over, the same thing. Another thing is that since there’s still one officer in critical condition, the news service say things like “the hospital has not responded with the name or condition of the officer” and speak about how officers are standing around, waiting for word, acting as security. WELL OF COURSE THEY ARE! This is one of their own that’s been hurt, and all the media outlets want to do is scoop the others on what’s going on. At this point they should step back from sleuthing out this information, and leave the family and doctors to deal with it in privacy. If and when the officer gets better they’ll have all the time in the world. I was once acquainted with a woman whose BIL died in a prominent airline accident. Local TV stations(he didn’t die near his home) were all over trying to contact the family, and one even got pushy when the family told them to back the heck off. As she vented “the only reason they cared was because BIL died with a bunch of other people. If he’d died in a car accident they wouldn’t have given a damn.” ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/18 "2016-07-18T02:17:04Z")
It was a former military guy. Same as Dallas. Inaccurate reporting as usual. You don’t retire from the military after 5 years! You are discharged. It takes 20 years to retire and get a pension. Retirees, spouses and under age dependents keep their ID cards and have base privileges to shop at the Commissary and Bx. This guy had a valid point that it’s disturbing the Cops have been witholding the release of store camera footage and body cams. The case has National interest and theres no excuse for withholding it. But, there are peaceful ways to address this. Shooting isn’t the answer. > **[Baton Rouge shooter Gavin Eugene Long — retired Marine — was outraged at...](https://www.nydailynews.com/2016/07/18/baton-rouge-shooter-gavin-eugene-long-retired-marine-was-outraged-at-police-for-alton-sterling-death/)** > > The gunman behind a deadly rampage that killed three cops in Baton Rouge Sunday was a retired Marine with an online trail of rants complaining about the treatment of African-Americans by police aft… > [@](#): > > The gunman in the devastating Baton Rouge shooting that killed three cops has been identified as Gavin Eugene Long — a retired Marine who reimagined himself as a life coach. > > Long, 29, died in a gunfight with police after fatally shooting two officers with Baton Rouge Police Department, one deputy with East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office and wounding three others. > > The alleged gunman from Kansas City, Mo., carried out his horrific attacks on police on his 29th birthday on Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/19 "2016-07-18T17:09:15Z")
The widow recently released a statement which mentioned that their son will learn that his father “died with honor”. He died shooting at cops for no reason other than thinking he’s above the law. Where’s the honor in that, bitch? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-7-baton-rouge-cops-shot/760123/20 "2016-07-18T17:13:21Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > The widow recently released a statement which mentioned that their son will learn that his father “died with honor”. > > He died shooting at cops for no reason other than thinking he’s above the law. Where’s the honor in that, bitch? Yeah, like the woman who said the Dallas shooters were martyrs.