By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
The tragedy of the deaths and wounding of students and faculty of Umpqua Community College was without doubt a terrible event. We first and foremost must center our prayers and attention towards the victims and their families who have endured suffering and pain that we hope to never experience ourselves.
But if anything can be praised it is the police, emergency crews, and community members who took upon the risks and the responsibility to protect the victims and provide at least a measure of comfort to the survivors and those who did not make it. One person in particular truly caught my attention and I am sure everyone else as well. He is Chris Mintz, who undoubtedly saved several lives but as a result became one of the shooting victims himself.
His actions are truly heroic as you may certainly agree.
Chris Mintz was attending class at Umpqua Community College when he heard shots ring out in an adjacent room. Instead of running for safety, the ten year military veteran went toward the scene, directing people away from the danger. He found and walked toward the shooter, trying to prevent him from entering another classroom by blocking the doorway. He attempted to calm the shooter by talking to him and trying to buy time and life for the other students. Mintz certainly knew the great risk of facing this armed attacker alone and it did not go well for him.
Chris was hit multiple times from gunfire and went down. As the gunman walked toward him, Chris told his assailant that today was his son’s birthday. Showing no mercy his assailant shot him again.
In all Chris was shot seven times trying to protect others. Authorities credit Chris with delaying the shooter and in doing so likely saved numerous lives. Though exact details of the events are still in flux with reporting information, it is clear Chris Mintz’ actions were heroic and lifesaving.
Police arrived six minutes after the active shooter dispatch went out. Every second in distraction of the shooter helped law enforcement arrive and be able to more quickly confront the gunman, who then committed suicide.
A hospital spokesperson stated that Chris suffered hits to his hands, arms, back, stomach and both legs were broken. Despite this he is expected to recover but he will need extensive rehabilitation.
I cannot stress how brave his actions were and how inspiring his story can be for many.
His cousin sponsored a GoFundMe petition to help defray the costs of his medical bills. Social media took hold and contributions from seventeen thousand donors rapidly poured in. Initially ten thousand dollars was requested in the fund drive, but in the first twenty two hours over half a million dollars poured in from grateful citizens. It is certainly enlightening.
I have to stress that Chris Metz was not the only victim and that others suffered as much or worse as lives were tragically lost. Other victims now have similar pages started but have not yet garnered such large donations. Those also deserve contributions as well. Since it is only the beginning of such things I will at a later time attempt to compile a list of other victims’ pages or sources where funds may be directed in their direction.
UPDATE:Officials announced the shooter committed suicide during the shout-out with police.
By Darren Smith
Sources:
CNN
Chris Mintz GoFundMe Page
Northwest Cable News
The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other weekend bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays or art are solely their decision and responsibility.
Humanity, in medicine, demands the ability to discuss terrible things without becoming irrational.
When one loses their humanity, one should not work in the medical field.
That’s why overly emotional people should not work in surgery or in the ER. They are unable to be rational, and make situations worse.
David, I don’t care if it’s not “appreciated” by those obsessed with guns. The First Amendment comes before the Second, FYI.
“What is wrong with this picture? ”
As your answer demonstrates, you are unable to discuss guns rationally, only emotionally.
That is, irrationally.
“Rational discourse”? Seriously? ‘Let’s talk about our favorite subject, guns!’ In a thread about a hero who was almost killed by a gun in the hands of a gun nut who owned 14 guns. What is wrong with this picture? There is a commenter here who uses any excuse to talk at length about the subject of guns in lovingly technical terms in almost every single thread about gun deaths, that’s revolting in such a thread as this about this hero.
“How does is it not induce disgust when discussing gun violence…”
Oh, that’s called rational discourse, something all reasonable adults can engage in.
In contrast, you and Max are all emotional rhetoric, and such subjects are literally too visceral for you to think about rationally..
SJWs cannot do the dialectic work (rational thought), only rhetoric (emotional).
They can’t do it it at all, so they should not have a voice in the eventual decision.
*Kill and maim.*
What I find insulting is when in a thread about a hero who took bullets to save others, we have a commenter, DBQ, who gleefully jumps in with a long post about all about guns, all the lovely technical chit chat about weapons that kill and make. Such fun! How does is it not induce disgust when discussing gun violence and gun deaths and hero’s who were almost killed by a gun in the hands of a gun nut?
Annie wrote: “What I find insulting is when in a thread about a hero who took bullets to save others, we have a commenter, DBQ, who gleefully jumps in with a long post about all about guns, all the lovely technical chit chat about weapons that kill and make. Such fun! How does is it not induce disgust when discussing gun violence and gun deaths and hero’s who were almost killed by a gun in the hands of a gun nut?”
Elspeth Hunt, an Australian, asked a sincere question to those of us in the United States: “Although, someone please explain why you need a semi-automatic for general use. That one I do not get!!”
DBQ answered this sincere question. If she had not, I would have. Your tone of insincerity and laughter is not appreciated.
Annie got your gun – Jezz women, you are just cuttin and pastin as fast as you can. What socialist website are ya usin? Ctrl C Ctrl V is mightier than even the pen.
Some folks should learn the difference between spamming and challenging. DBQ, you are free to challenge any remark made by any commenter here. No one is stopping you, you come across here as whining about being challenged. I don’t see why charts and graphs are “spamming”. I believe we still enjoy free speech here.
In response to my post a few days ago about the difference between semi automatic and fully automatic weapons and why people use semi automatic weapons
1, October 4, 2015 at 7:13 pm in this thread
There was this response Because it’s sooooo important to know all about gunz.
I know this was meant to be some sort of uber brilliant cutting remark, but YES. When you are discussing anything and proposing laws and restrictions it IS important to know -wtf- you are talking about. Those who have reflexive knee jerk reactions about ANY topic, including guns, have the responsibility to know what they are talking about. Otherwise you might as well be playing a trumpet with the vapors from your rear end.
Arguing from ignorance is typical of those who refuse to see any side to an argument other than the one that they have ensconced in their brains and who refuse to be educated.. You would think that those who like to consider themselves superior would at least make the effort to know their topics. You would think………
Spamming other people’s thoughts, spamming videos that have nothing to do with the topic and making jokes about a serious issue are just evidence of a large poverty of intellect. Those people should be summarily ignored and laughed at.
John Oliver: Calling American Mental Healthcare A Clusterf*** ‘Is An Insult To Clusterf***s’
Posted: 10/05/2015 05:57 AM EDT | Edited: 5 hours ago
Whenever a shooting becomes national news, certain politicians will inevitably bring up mental healthcare.
But as John Oliver pointed out on Sunday’s episode of ‘Last Week Tonight’, this can be a dangerous and misleading mentality.
“The aftermath of a mass shooting might actually be the worst time to talk about mental health” he said. “The vast majority of mentally ill people are nonviolent and the vast majority of gun violence is committed by non-mentally ill people. In fact, mentally ill people are far likelier to be the victims of violence rather than the perpetrators.”
Oliver said that mental illness deserves to be part of the national conversation, though, because our mental healthcare system is need of major reforms.
“It is a clusterfu*k, except that’s an insult to clusterfu*ks,” he said.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/john-oliver-mental-health_56124040e4b076812702757e
https://youtu.be/F4gGXRuvGv4
Suicides account for 60% of gun deaths. And, there is no evidence that gun laws restrict suicides. Japan has some of the strictest gun laws in the world, and a suicide rate double than in the US. The Washington Post gave Obama 2 Pinnochios for his lie about gun laws preventing deaths. They analyzed the deceptive and flawed charts that the President based his dissembling statement. And you know what, those charts have been shown here. Liberal lie.
That is: Death rates for homicide by sex, race
CDC: Deaths per 100,000 resident population 2013 All ages
White male 4.4
Black or African American male 31.6
Asian or Pacific Islander male 2.3
American Indian or Alaska Native male 8.2
Hispanic or Latino male 7.3
15–24 years
White male 7.1
Black or African American male 57.9
Asian or Pacific Islander male 3.5
American Indian or Alaska Native male 7.1
Hispanic or Latino male 15.3
25–24 years
White male 6.5
Black or African American male 66.6
Asian or Pacific Islander male 2.7
American Indian or Alaska Native male 15.4
Hispanic or Latino male 11.0
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2014/032.pdf
That Hillary announcement is a good example of attention seeking behavior by someone foundering.
The NYT just did a piece stating Hillary will be making an announcement that she will use executive orders to control guns. She just shot herself in both feet.
Well adjusted people seek attention by being positive and doing good, excelling @ something. Great artists, athletes, professionals, get noticed for being superb @ what they do. They key is to find something you love, make it your life work, and you will almost certainly excel.
This murderer, like the Aurora shooter, Virginia Tech, and most of the mass killings are done by lonely, disaffected people looking for attention. People act out in a wide range of behaviors trying to get attention, to be relevant. We all see people that fit that profile daily.