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.
CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Life Stages and Populations>Deaths
Deaths and Mortality
•Number of deaths: 2,596,993
•Death rate: 821.5 deaths per 100,000 population
•Life expectancy: 78.8 years
•Infant Mortality rate: 5.96 deaths per 1,000 live births
Number of deaths for leading causes of death:
•Heart disease: 611,105
•Cancer: 584,881
•Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 149,205
•Accidents (unintentional injuries): 130,557
•Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 128,978
•Alzheimer’s disease: 84,767
•Diabetes: 75,578
•Influenza and Pneumonia: 56,979
•Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 47,112
•Intentional self-harm (suicide): 41,149
Let’s see 10 divided by 2,596,993 = .38 millionths of a percent.
Wow. That’s a whopping figure that all Americans should obsess over.
I wonder if Max and Company are radical extremists, incapable or rational thought, debate or life.
Duh!
Christian hater black man…. Pardon me..
The “atheist Christian black man” was a self identified conservative Republican.
http://i2.wp.com/www.addictinginfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/000000000000001.png
DBQ,
Every gun owner thinks themselves moral, honorable, responsible…
… Until they aren’t.
Nick
These Christians didn’t die by a crucifix, did they?
Forget
Would you agree to have to take a gun license test and retest every two years?
A white hater kills black people, and we learn all about his hate[as we should], we have history revised w/ the confederate flag’s historical context being obliterated and banned, and the President shows up for the funeral and give a eulogy about racism.
An atheist black man kills white Christians, we have the press being virtually silent about the killer, not even mentioning his race, and “GUNS, GUNS, GUNS” is all we hear. This guy was as much a hater as the white, racist, church shooter.
More gunz = More safety
Is like suggesting more heroin = less overdoses.
More gunz = more safety
Is like the passengers on the Titanic celebrating the good news; More icebergs ahead!
Ban cars – 35,000 highway deaths last year.
Americans have the right to keep and bear cars.
More gunz = more safety
Is like thinking more water in a tidal wave is the solution to the subsequent drowned bodies…
SUPPORT THE SECOND AMENDMENT
…. Demand lawmakers enforce the well regulated access of gunz.
Annie
You and I know what the answer to America’s gun problem… More gunz. ‘Cause after all, the best solution to an over medicated society is… More pillz. ‘Cause the solution to drunk driving is… Another beer. ‘Cause the solution to AIDS is… More unprotected sex. Yes?
Believing that a gun is responsible for death and wounding is similar to believing a fountain wrote war and peace or Les Miserables or crime and punishment.
A firearm is an inanimate object, the human mind is the animator. Only the human mind is capable of good and evil. Most likely evil acts are the result of poor mental health or illness.
What we need to do is address the issue of mind altering drugs that we are giving to young people for ADHD and other so-called problems. Many of these things should be addressed by teaching children how to control their minds. If you have trouble focusing then learn to stop and refocus. Eventually you will train your mind to focus on a task.
Have anxiety? Take a pill. Have some fears? Take a pill. Can’t focus? Take a pill. Upset that your girlfriend left you? Take a pill.
At some point there needs to be some personal responsibility.
Max, there are so many guns out in our population already, that I wonder if very stringent gun laws would even matter. I think we as a society are so screwed and we will see these mass shootings happen regularily, probably with even greater frequency as time passes. What a shameful face we present to the rest of the world. The NRA can hold themselves accountable when one of their children or loved ones get gunned down.
Davidm
Like I mentioned earlier, stick to theist and other ethereal subjects. Using statistics of Luxembourg and Germany in 2002 to support your position would be laughable if it weren’t so sad. I am surprised you haven’t referenced the carnage that happened in Norway or in Australia, years and years ago. You can always find a statistic or event to reference but compared with the consistency and level of carnage in the US you defeat your own argument as well as diminish your standing.
issacbasonkavich wrote: “I am surprised you haven’t referenced the carnage that happened in Norway or in Australia, years and years ago.”
Those obvious examples are in the article too. I was just quoting a few of the lesser known issues.
Typical America solution:
Talk about the victims and the shooter waiting for people to change their behavior and then sit back waiting to act surprised and sorry this tragedy ever happened because the last time it was too soon to do something to prevent the next one.
Maybe tricornered hats will come back into fashion.
Need more GUNZ
~ N. R. A.
“The latest SCOTUS ruling advanced this argument in its finding against DC when it stated reasonable regulations are constitutional.”
__________
To be sure, the latest SCOTUS ruling of import is the ridiculous abomination of commingling the definitions of “state” and “federal” to uphold a mortally flawed piece of unconstitutional legislation, the ACA. How will barristers argue state and federal, or is it federal and state, in the future – will all parties politely ignore the “anomaly?” “The Emperor has no clothes.” No, I know. Litigants will simply ask the SCOTUS which definition of state and federal it is using today. “Your Honor” they will inquire, “which is the definition du jour of state and federal?” Perhaps that will vary by case. Who knows?
2nd Amendment
“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
That states, the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, and people should join a militia because it is necessary to the security of a free state.
Armed people join militias. You take your own hockey stick to the game. Maybe they change teams or militias and take their sticks or arms with them.
There are two completely separate sentiments.
Some people can’t read very well or they are deliberately disingenuous (i.e. fraudulent).
__________
Let’s be clear. The SCOTUS has no credibility. It may have sufficient political “support” to impose its will, but it has no credibility as pertains to law and the founding documents. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The SCOTUS exists in a vacuum and decides without scrutiny and with impunity as a monarch or dictator. The tool of impeachment is ignored by Congress.
Most major American law and programs are unconstitutional and are most reflective of the principles of communism such as “social engineering” as affirmative action. Nowhere does mandated bias exist in the founding documents.
Everything from Lincoln’s “Reign of Terror” and “Reconstruction Amendments” to the Mexican invasion by omission (a dearth of enforcement and no deportation) of “amnesty” beneficiaries, illegal aliens, “anchor babies” et al. who abuse the U.S. Constitution without standing and vote as liberals, is unconstitutional;
Maybe the next President will “fundamentally transform” America back to the Preamble, Constitution and Bill of Rights of 1789.