# RO: Gunman Kills 8 at a North Carolina Nursing Home **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 30, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-gunman-kills-8-at-a-north-carolina-nursing-home/491252 "2009-03-30T03:06:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-gunman-kills-8-at-a-north-carolina-nursing-home/491252/1 "2009-03-30T03:06:56Z")
[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/us/30shooting.html?hpw](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/us/30shooting.html?hpw) I’m glad to say this time that the piece of shit didn’t off himself or get killed by police. I’m genuinely interested in why a “seemingly” normal person can go off their rocker and do something as shitty as this. What a fucking scumbag. The lowest common denominator. I hope his cancer kills him slowly and painfully in a dark, cinder-blocked cell. If he has any shred of dignity, he will tell his story. What he was thinking, and why that switch went on for him to commit this act. What a punk-ass bitch. People’s Gammies n’ shit. Damn. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-gunman-kills-8-at-a-north-carolina-nursing-home/491252/2 "2009-03-30T03:15:38Z")
This is terrible, but I have to say that this [QUOTE=Shooter’s ex-wife] “He did have some violent tendencies from time to time,” Ms. Griffin said. “I wouldn’t put it past him. I hate to say it, but it is true.” [/QUOTE] is somewhat refreshing to read. Usually you read something like “He was a nice guy, quiet, kept to himself.” To live a good long life is a good thing, but how sad to spend your last moments in terror and pain. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-gunman-kills-8-at-a-north-carolina-nursing-home/491252/3 "2009-03-30T03:21:58Z")
Shooting sprees in general are bizarre, but at least you can _sort of_ understand why a deeply disturbed person might shoot up his place of work, or even his school. But a nursing home? Who the fuck shoots up a nursing home? Really really weird. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-gunman-kills-8-at-a-north-carolina-nursing-home/491252/4 "2009-03-30T10:07:43Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Shooting sprees in general are bizarre, but at least you can _sort of_ understand why a deeply disturbed person might shoot up his place of work, or even his school. But a nursing home? Who the fuck shoots up a nursing home? Really really weird. Considering the line about him “going away”, I’m assuming he was trying for suicide-by-cop. Whether he picked that place at random or assumed that his choice of target would bring a whole ton of pissed-off cops or what, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-gunman-kills-8-at-a-north-carolina-nursing-home/491252/5 "2009-03-30T10:46:22Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > This is terrible, but I have to say that this > > is somewhat refreshing to read. Usually you read something like “He was a nice guy, quiet, kept to himself.” Well, they did manage to work that angle in as well-- I think it’s mandatory: > [@](#): > > Bobby Hyman, 48, who lives a half-mile from Mr. Stewart’s residence, said Mr. Stewart rented the house and 10 acres of land and moved in about a year ago. > > Mr. Hyman described Mr. Stewart as “just a good old country farm guy.” “He’d let me know if anybody went on my property he didn’t recognize,” Mr. Hyman said. “–and then offer to kill them for trespassing. Right neighborly of him.” I think the real question here is why none of the nursing home residents immediately returned fire. Possibly they were still in the process of drawing their weapons. Arthritis is a bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-gunman-kills-8-at-a-north-carolina-nursing-home/491252/6 "2009-03-30T16:48:10Z")
My outrage is just a bit more than recreational on this one. One of the patients killed was a cousin of my grandmother’s and the incident had my sister trapped in lockdown in the ER for most of the day. From what I understand, he had no apparent connection to the nursing home, any of the patients, or any of the relatives of patients, or any of the employees. The guy just fucking flipped it. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-gunman-kills-8-at-a-north-carolina-nursing-home/491252/7 "2009-03-30T16:55:20Z")
> [@Hockey\_Monkey](#): > > From what I understand, he had no apparent connection to the nursing home, any of the patients, or any of the relatives of patients, or any of the employees. The guy just fucking flipped it. From here: > [@](#): > > Authorities are investigating whether a gunman accused of killing eight people at a North Carolina nursing home may have targeted the facility because his estranged wife worked there, police said. > > Carthage Police Chief Chris McKenzie said the woman, whom he did not name, worked at the nursing home. I’m very sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-gunman-kills-8-at-a-north-carolina-nursing-home/491252/8 "2009-03-30T18:40:22Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > From here: > > I’m very sorry for your loss. Thanks Bricker. I had not seen any news today that gave any further details than they had last evening when they had no connections. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-gunman-kills-8-at-a-north-carolina-nursing-home/491252/9 "2009-03-31T05:54:46Z")
Curiously, the injured cop who took this guy down had the same last name as one of the elderly victims. Can’t help but wonder if there’s any relation.