Montesano, WA - judge attacked and deputy shot

ATCclears · Mar 9, 2012

A breaking news email from the Seattle Times.
"A judge has been attacked and a deputy shot at the Grays Harbor County courthouse in Montesano. The conditions of the victims are not yet available. The location of the suspect, who is believed to be armed, was not immediately known."

nwwoodsman · Mar 9, 2012

This is an outrage! We need to ban guns now so that law abiding citizens quit turning into criminals and commiting acts like this! I read that one of the victimes was stabbed. We also need a ban on sharp kitchen utensils to prevent another ginsu knife from being used in such a heinous act

deen_ad · Mar 9, 2012

nwwoodsman said:
This is an outrage! We need to ban guns now so that law abiding citizens quit turning into criminals and commiting acts like this! I read that one of the victimes was stabbed. We also need a ban on sharp kitchen utensils to prevent another ginsu knife from being used in such a heinous act

Then we'll have to have knives like GB has, They can't even have knives that could stab someone!!

coyote223 · Mar 9, 2012

"Criminal safe zones" don't seem to be very effective,,, :s0077:

Dave Workman · Mar 9, 2012

Grays Harbor courthouse shooting; no rush to judgment

It will take some time to sort out the events Friday afternoon in Montesano where a suspect tentatively identified as Michael Thomas allegedly attacked a judge and shot a Grays Harbor County sheriffs deputy.

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19 Adam · Mar 9, 2012

There must be some mistake. It is against the law to take a firearm or knife into a courtroom in Washington. There is no way this could have happened since the legislature enacted a law preventing possesing weapons in court almost 17 years ago. Don't laws against guns make people safer?

RCW 9.41.300

Weapons prohibited in certain places — Local laws and ordinances — Exceptions — Penalty.

(1) It is unlawful for any person to enter the following places when he or she knowingly possesses or knowingly has under his or her control a weapon:

(b) Those areas in any building which are used in connection with court proceedings, including courtrooms, jury rooms, judge's chambers, offices and areas used to conduct court business, waiting areas, and corridors adjacent to areas used in connection with court proceedings. The restricted areas do not include common areas of ingress and egress to the building that is used in connection with court proceedings, when it is possible to protect court areas without restricting ingress and egress to the building. The restricted areas shall be the minimum necessary to fulfill the objective of this subsection (1)(b).

For purposes of this subsection (1)(b), "weapon" means any firearm, explosive as defined in RCW 70.74.010, or any weapon of the kind usually known as slung shot, sand club, or metal knuckles, or any knife, dagger, dirk, or other similar weapon that is capable of causing death or bodily injury and is commonly used with the intent to cause death or bodily injury.

(12) Any person violating subsection (1) of this section is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

Dave Workman · Mar 9, 2012

It now appears the whole incident occurred outside the courthouse. I'm updating my column to reflect that

jollygreen · Mar 9, 2012

According to a report on KOMO, the female deputy was investigating a report of an unidentified man on the second floor of the courthouse. When asked what he was doing, the man took out a knife and stabbed her. She drew her .45 caliber service weapon. The suspect then threw her to the ground, grabbed her gun and shot her with it. The judge was apparently running to aid the deputy when he was stabbed. KOMO reports that the suspect then fled the courthouse with the Deputy's gun. The deputy and judge have both been treated and released from a local hospital.

oldbrass · Mar 9, 2012

Felons don`t have to try and buy guns now on the black market, they can just get one at the courthouse HAHA

ATCclears · Mar 11, 2012

It appears Mom turned him in.

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Peter

mjbskwim · Mar 11, 2012

She obviously missed a few classes on approaching people and self defense.

Misterbill · Mar 13, 2012

mjbskwim said:
She obviously missed a few classes on approaching people and self defense.

Ya, if only she'd taken that psychic Ninja class...

Blitzkrieg · Mar 13, 2012

220 + million firearms in the USA and there is no way even were it logical or right (and it isn't) that the genie is going back inside the bottle

Misterbill · Mar 14, 2012

Blitzkrieg said:
220 + million firearms in the USA and there is no way even were it logical or right (and it isn't) that the genie is going back inside the bottle

Actually it's 290 million according to several large arms control agencies. (I only remember because I have the quote on a slide for my classes

You're absolutely right and this is the thing that kills any effective gun control in the US, EVEN if you wanted to make all guns illegal tomorrow. IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. Even if lets say for the point of being agreeable, you had a 80% compliance rate. (Which would be truly remarkable).

That leaves damn near 60 million guns on the street. Guess who will have ALL of those guns? (Hint, it's not the good guys). If that doesn't destroy any anti's arguments, they aren't being honest. -Unless of course, they think the country is better off with 60 million armed criminals and a totally disarmed populace.

Blitzkrieg · Mar 14, 2012

Misterbill said:
Actually it's 290 million according to several large arms control agencies. (I only remember because I have the quote on a slide for my classes

You're absolutely right and this is the thing that kills any effective gun control in the US, EVEN if you wanted to make all guns illegal tomorrow. IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. Even if lets say for the point of being agreeable, you had a 80% compliance rate. (Which would be truly remarkable).

That leaves damn near 60 million guns on the street. Guess who will have ALL of those guns? (Hint, it's not the good guys). If that doesn't destroy any anti's arguments, they aren't being honest. -Unless of course, they think the country is better off with 60 million armed criminals and a totally disarmed populace.

In Cali the compliance rate for the banned semi auto long guns was (last I heard) 10%

The anti can say "criminals" but many are patriots who have simply had enough