Ghastly
By Mitch Berg
A robbery led to the shooting deaths of five women at a Lane Bryant store in Tinley Park, Illinois, in suburban Chicago.
When police arrived, they found multiple victims shot and killed in a back room of the store, Tinley Park police Sgt. T.J. Grady said.
As of 6 p.m., police confirmed that the motive in the case was robbery. In a press conference Saturday night, Grady said there is no indication that the suspect is still not armed.
“They are taking it very methodically,” Grady said about the search for the suspect, including working with a witness to try to get a composite of the shooter. Police have also pulled video from stores and establishments in a mile and a half radius around the store to see if the shooter stopped in anywhere prior to the shooting.
I hope the police find the shooter, although it looks like the first ten hours of manhunt have gone unrewarded.
It’s worth noting that while, unlike the Westroads Mall in Omaha where a shooting on December 7 of last year claimed eight, the Lane Bryant in Tinsdale Park was not posted against concealed carry permit holders. The reason, of course, is that Illinois has the toughest state-level gun control laws in the country – and Chicago is worse still. And while there was a private-property case to be made for Westroads (and other stores) being able to bar the law-abiding gun owner from their premises, it’s the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago that keeps the locals disarmed and helpless in this case.
The upshot another disarmed population being slaughtered like sheep.
When will the brain-dead cretins who legislate gun bans (against the law-abiding) learn? Or, better yet, be held accountable for the rivers of innocent blood on their hands?
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:14 pm
A Lane Bryant store seems an unlikely robbery choice. Also unlikely, anyone in one carrying a weapon even if they were allowed. Aren’t they mostly for women who are a little bit on the “plus size”?
Are Lane Bryant stores known for having lots of money on hand or what? Strange. And then why shoot a bunch of women?
February 2nd, 2008 at 11:18 pm
You’d be surprised who carries, Colleen. It’s not just middle-aged white guys, honest.
As to why the perp shot people, I dunno. If he’d been stopped dead in his tracks — so to speak — we’d be more likely to have a clue by now than we are.
February 2nd, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Most customers pay by credit. This is puzzling – perhaps the target was in a relationship with a clerk? I wonder how many will start bringing their guns inside regardless of those signs. Lord knows the shooters do.
February 3rd, 2008 at 7:40 am
Most customers pay by credit.
Most crimes aren’t “Oceans Eleven”, and most criminals aren’t the brightest lights on G-d’s christmas tree.
I wonder how many will start bringing their guns inside regardless of those signs.
Remember – this Lane Bryant wasn’t posted. The whole state is posted.
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Yup. As a cop friend of mine pointed out to me years ago, violent criminals aren’t typically terribly bright. “You don’t find a lot of Lex Luthors in prison,” he said.
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Intelligent people are usually able to find legal ways to support themselves.
February 3rd, 2008 at 2:14 pm
My aunt (who graciously let me join her shooting a Tommy gun last fall), carries everywhere – even in posted places. I’m gearing up for my C&C training this year.
February 3rd, 2008 at 2:20 pm
In MN, it’s easier for women to carry posted or not because they can carry lawfully in their purse. If someone pulls a gun in a store which is posted, they’d have have to decide whether it really is better to seek forgiveness or permission. It would probably depend on the county and the result. In this case, without concealed carry, a woman would probably be breaking several laws and it certainly would have been an interesting case, which would have to have been prosecuted no matter what the outcome.
This criminal wasn’t necessarily dumb, he could have been young or inexperienced or especially desperate for the cash. And more and more it seems like robbers are robbing restaurants or groups of people and focusing on their wallets–cash, credit cards, etc. They are just going where they see a bunch of people they can rob all at once, they aren’t actually targeting the business’ money. A Lane-Bryant which is likely to be patronized with middle aged moms or grandmas? That’s a soft target.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Again another tragic example of why gun control only aids the person willing to break the law.
I would also echo the comments that many middle aged and elderly women do indeed carry. Tragically Illinois doesn’t allow self defense.
Neither would the two Senators from IL running for President.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Colleen asked: “A Lane Bryant store seems an unlikely robbery choice. Also unlikely, anyone in one carrying a weapon even if they were allowed. Aren’t they mostly for women who are a little bit on the “plus size”? ”
Easier to hit.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Very classy AC.
February 4th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
AC oozes class from every pore on his clownly torso. At least that’s what he claims it is.
November 11th, 2009 at 7:33 am
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