# The Toulouse shooter, now that we know who he is . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 21, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423 "2012-03-21T17:05:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/21 "2012-03-22T01:53:04Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Not sure it’s that different, really; I suspect most illegal immigration opponents in the U.S. would give a reason much like the one you ascribe to the French. > > “Just because of the color of their skin” is a convenient shorthand we all apply, but it’s seldom meant literally. Most people aren’t innately horrified by the color brown. American culture, such as it is, is a hodge podge of different cultural mixes. German, Brit, African, Asian, Hispanic, etc etc. French culture is FRENCH…and they expect everyone to BE French, regardless of the color of their skin. It’s a completely different attitude over there. It’s much less about ‘brown people’ than it is about conformity. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/22 "2012-03-22T02:35:14Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > They don’t guillotine any more, do they? > [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > [Not since 1981.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillotine) It was abolished in 1981 but not used since 1977. I recall participating in a pub quiz here in Bangkok in which one of the questions was: “What has not been used in France since 1977?” Someone shouted out: “Soap!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/23 "2012-03-22T02:41:01Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > “What has not been used in France since 1977?” Someone shouted out: “Soap!” 😃 Moses and Aaron on a stick. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/24 "2012-03-22T03:11:20Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > …I do think it’s hilarious that his lawyer is named Christian. Given the fact Christian doesn’t even make it onto the list of popular given names in France, it’s probably even more of a long-shot than seeing the first 2 respondents to a shooter themed thread being armed. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/25 "2012-03-22T03:19:16Z")
A series of explosions at the apartment indicate the special forces are going in. Residents fear he has enough explosives to blow up the nearby district. They want to take him alive. Perhaps I watched too much Man from Uncle when I was a kid, but can’t they squirt some kind of odorless gas into his flat to knock him out? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/26 "2012-03-22T03:22:21Z")
> [@JohnBckWLD](#): > > Given the fact Christian doesn’t even make it onto the list of popular given names in France, it’s probably even more of a long-shot than seeing the first 2 respondents to a shooter themed thread being armed. Please run that by again, you lost me. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/27 "2012-03-22T04:08:41Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Please run that by again, you lost me. Look at the usernames for post #2 and #3 in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Chen019](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@Chen019](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chen019)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/28 "2012-03-22T04:29:21Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Yeah, I’m a bit surprised by this turn of events. I was reading an article on the shootings the other day and the person who wrote it was pretty sure this was the work of the French right wing, or someone associated with it anyway. Which shows there are some truly stupid or (more likely) biased people writing articles and [jumping to conclusions.](http://www.economist.com/blogs/lexington/2012/03/murders-france?fsrc=gn_ep) It reminds me Mayor Bloomberg suggested the attempted car bomb in Times Square a year or so ago was due to someone disgruntled with Obamacare! If you read[EU reports](http://www.adl.org/PresRele/ASInt_13/4473_13.htm)about attacks on jewish people in Europe over the past decade or so, they increasingly tend to be by people with an Islamic background. Presumably this is fueled in part by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and issues concerning Palestine. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/29 "2012-03-22T04:29:33Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > A series of explosions at the apartment indicate the special forces are going in. Residents fear he has enough explosives to blow up the nearby district. > > They want to take him alive. Perhaps I watched too much Man from Uncle when I was a kid, but can’t they squirt some kind of odorless gas into his flat to knock him out? Unfortunately that doesn’t work so well in real life. The lines between ineffective/unconscious/deadly dosages are just too narrow. Remember the [Moscow Theatre Siege](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Theatre_Siege)back in 2002? > [@](#): > > 39 of the attackers were killed by Russian forces, along with at least 129 of the hostages (including nine foreigners). All but a few of the hostages who died during the siege were killed by the toxic substance pumped into the theater to subdue the militants ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/30 "2012-03-22T04:32:09Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > Unfortunately that doesn’t work so well in real life. The lines between ineffective/unconscious/deadly dosages are just too narrow. Remember the [Moscow Theatre Siege](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Theatre_Siege)back in 2002? In that case the Russians felt everybody would die if they didn’t use the gas. In this case, well are there any hostages? Because I don’t care if this guy dies. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/31 "2012-03-22T04:45:10Z")
True enough but do they know for sure that he’s the only one in there? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/32 "2012-03-22T05:40:56Z")
He’s been surrounded for hours, but has refused to surrender. Obviously, he’s not really French. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/33 "2012-03-22T10:39:53Z")
He’s dead. ---
**Author:** ![MickNickMaggies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@MickNickMaggies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MickNickMaggies)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/34 "2012-03-22T11:00:44Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > He’s dead. Reported dead, yes. And three policemen injured, as well. I may try to go hang about the temple today- curious to see how it’s affecting France in general at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![MickNickMaggies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@MickNickMaggies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MickNickMaggies)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/35 "2012-03-22T11:11:14Z")
Confirmed dead by the interior minister. France 24 reporting that he went out a window onto the balcony and became a risk to public safety. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/36 "2012-03-22T12:09:09Z")
Hope the bastard is enjoying his 72 virgins while the faces of those kids he murdered appear in front of his eyes. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/37 "2012-03-22T12:14:26Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Hope the bastard is enjoying his 72 virgins while the faces of those kids he murdered appear in front of his eyes. So heaven, basically? ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/38 "2012-03-22T12:18:44Z")
Putting it that way, you are right. Not what I meant though. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/39 "2012-03-22T12:20:35Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > He’s dead. Are you saying ‘He’s dead’, jjimm? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423/40 "2012-03-22T12:38:37Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Putting it that way, you are right. Not what I meant though. Easily enough fixed. May the 72 give infrequent, toothy blowjobs, have incurably bad hygiene, and kvetch constantly about his inability to satisfy them while the series finale of \*Seinfeld \*plays on an endless loop. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toulouse-shooter-now-that-we-know-who-he-is/616423.md?page=3)