We just discussed yesterday the lifting of the injunction on the “Doc for Glocks” law in Florida — a law barring doctors from asking patients about weapons in their home as a general practice. Now Pennsylvania Dr. Lee Silverman has taken the “Docs for Glocks” approach in a more literal direction. After patient Richard Plotts, 49, (left) pulled out a gun and started shooting people, Silverman pulled out his own weapon and engaged Plotts in a gun battle — leading to the wounding of both men but stopping Plotts. Plotts by the way was reportedly upset by the hospital’s gun free zone policy.
Notably, Silverman violated the policy at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in bringing the weapon. However, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan praised the pistol-packing psychiatrist: “If the doctor did not have a firearm, (and) the doctor did not utilize the firearm, he’d be dead today, and I believe that other people in that facility would also be dead.”
Even police chief Donald Molineux showered him with praise: “Without that firearm [Plotts] could have went out in the hallway and just walked down the offices until he ran out of ammunition.”
Plotts was standing next to caseworker Theresa Hunt across the desk from Silverman when he suddenly pulled out the gun and shot Hunt point blank in the head. Silverman then took out his own .32-caliber semiautomatic Seecamp and unloaded on Plott.
Plotts was reportedly used a rather old weapon to kill Hunt and injure Silverman. It was a .32-caliber Iver Johnson revolver circa 1940. These guns were once advertised as safe for babies to play with. It is not a gun that you see often today outside of a museum.
Plotts appears to have intended to kill Silverman over the hospital gun policy and both men emptied their weapons. Silverman had graze wounds like Plotts that required hospitalization. Plotts has been a patient of Silverman for 20 years. He is now charged with murder and attempted murder.
Source: Philly
In Chicago or DC they would have charged the doc. He is fortunate he ran into a prosecutor w/ common sense.
That’s one crazy situation. 1z, 2z situations. Here’s 2 for record books.
Adam Lanza: Prior to driving to the school, Lanza shot and killed his mother at their Newtown home.
Fort Hood: Nidal Malik Hasan, a U.S. Army major and psychiatrist, fatally shot 13 people and injured more than 30 others.
“George Zimmerman’s New Job: Security Guard At A Gun Store”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/29/george-zimmerman-security-guard-job_n_5630516.html
What I do not understand is that Hunt was trying to kill someone over the hospital gun policy and he was trying to kill the one person who was violating the policy?
When everyone carries a gun, there will be many more instances of death and destruction. One lucky circumstance does not confirm the crazy notion that going back to the Wild West will make humans any safe.
Who gets to decide which guys are good and which are bad? What criteria are used?
If guns were outlawed they would not be available to outlaws.
No one has yet mentioned it so I will – the N.R.A. has it right that a good guy needs to have a gun in these settings. Why do we acknowledge the necessity of courthouse security? The same reasons make sense in a lot of other settings.
Dr. Silverman of course will have to be admonished and lose his job due to violating the hospital’s safety policy prior to his receiving whatever awards for heroism the community will certainly want to bestow?????
So a good guy with a gun stopped a bad guy with a gun?
ringhals
I am very interested to know how and where Mr. Potts acquired his weapon.
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he had it since he was a child
Well, he certainly proved he’s mental.
I’m reminded of Michael Moore’s interview with that other mental case: “Well, you know, there’s a lot of crazies out there.” Indeed, indeed. Carry on, carry on.
It’s tragic Theresa Hunt had to die like this. Fortunately Dr. Silverman prevented further loss of life. Kudos to him for his bravery.
Oops. I am dyslectic after one a.m. The right to bear arms is what I meant to say. I am not sure that is what the Framers meant. They too were dyslectic. The Swiss understand the bear thing.
Every shrink should have a gun on him/her at all times. One never knows. But a shrink knows more than we know. A shrink can see the wrapping coming off a wacko. He can see the eye of a beholder–and whether the beholder is holding a gun or a lessor included offense. The right to arm bears is our most important right.
Metal detectors and arm security officers (or police officers) in every public and private facility’s entrances? X-ray machines?
Although we praise the psychiatrist for stopping Plotts, employees carrying weapons to their cubicles/desk and/or work area is a disaster waiting to happen, especially if it’s performance evaluation day.
i entered a comment about gaza what happened to it?
If that had happened in Britain what would have happened? The patient would have shot people until he ran out of ammunition. There would have been an uproar in the press about guns. Gun controls fail to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and nuts. Self-defence (and defence of innocent others) is THE fundamental human right. Which doesn’t exist without the means to carry it out.
Wow! A foiled mass murder rampage by excercising the 2nd Amendment. Thanks for covering it. The ban guns brigade will try to hush it up or discredit it. Too bad about the one murder and injuries but such a better outcome than it could have been.
Anything on Gaza on this blog?
Or is this typical of America’s attitude on the issue. If the opposite happened(Palestinian organized army killed 1000 kids and women in Israel) we’d be talking about evil up to destroy planet earth…!!!
Soldier Shalit gets taken hostage: we get to know all about his aspirations and love cards he sent his mom.
And we dare talk morality, doing the right thing at school, in the playground, in our politics…..?
People’s lives and blood are simply not the same, regardless what we all spew on each other about values, James Madison, Mark Twain….
it’s all BS really!
Keith, I retrieved your comment at 12:56. It went to spam for some unknown reason.
I am very interested to know how and where Mr. Potts acquired his weapon.