by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
With the abrupt closure of most US schools a couple of months ago due to the coronavirus pandemic, we have been spared the regular headlines regarding school shootings. But in a country as overly armed as ours the danger of malcontents with guns never totally disappears.
Last night there was a shooting at the Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, Arizona. Fortunately there were no deaths - yet - but one person was critically injured and two others received non-life-threatening wounds.
The shooting was reported on Twitter late last night by Arizona State Senator Martin Quezada, a Democrat from the community of Maryvale who happened to be at the center and witnessed the shooting. In a pair of connected tweets, Senator Quezada had this to say:
Glendale police arrived shortly after the shooting and an arrest was made. Information regarding the shooter and his motive(s) have not been released.
Westlake is home to a large cinema complex, many individual shops and restaurants, as well as the Gila River Arena where the NHL Arizona Coyotes play hockey and the State Farm Stadium where the NFL Arizona Cardinals play football and a couple of Super Bowls have been held.
The Westgate had only recently reopened after a couple of months of being closed due to the pandemic.
My last official residence in Arizona was in military housing on Luke Air Force Base very close to the gate that opened onto Glendale Avenue - and just about a mile from the Westgate Entertainment District. Westgate was where I generally went to see movies and sometimes to dine or shop. I remember my granddaughter Olive playing in the fountains at Westgate when she was about two-years-old. So the shooting last night had a bit of a personal connection for me. I am hoping that none of my Arizona friends were in the vicinity of the trouble.
As soon we get the coronavirus pandemic under control, attention needs to shift toward controlling the gun pandemic. Contrary to popular malarky, guns do not make people safer. Raging microbes and raging morons are both plagues on society that must be defeated.
Be well, Arizona.
Citizen Journalist
With the abrupt closure of most US schools a couple of months ago due to the coronavirus pandemic, we have been spared the regular headlines regarding school shootings. But in a country as overly armed as ours the danger of malcontents with guns never totally disappears.
Last night there was a shooting at the Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, Arizona. Fortunately there were no deaths - yet - but one person was critically injured and two others received non-life-threatening wounds.
The shooting was reported on Twitter late last night by Arizona State Senator Martin Quezada, a Democrat from the community of Maryvale who happened to be at the center and witnessed the shooting. In a pair of connected tweets, Senator Quezada had this to say:
"I just witnessed an armed terrorist with an AR-15 shoot up Westgate. There are multiple victims."
"I saw 2 victims with my own eyes. Not sure how many others. I saw the shooter. Being told not to say anything about details 'til I speak to police. I'm okay. Lots of shaken up people."
Glendale police arrived shortly after the shooting and an arrest was made. Information regarding the shooter and his motive(s) have not been released.
Westlake is home to a large cinema complex, many individual shops and restaurants, as well as the Gila River Arena where the NHL Arizona Coyotes play hockey and the State Farm Stadium where the NFL Arizona Cardinals play football and a couple of Super Bowls have been held.
The Westgate had only recently reopened after a couple of months of being closed due to the pandemic.
My last official residence in Arizona was in military housing on Luke Air Force Base very close to the gate that opened onto Glendale Avenue - and just about a mile from the Westgate Entertainment District. Westgate was where I generally went to see movies and sometimes to dine or shop. I remember my granddaughter Olive playing in the fountains at Westgate when she was about two-years-old. So the shooting last night had a bit of a personal connection for me. I am hoping that none of my Arizona friends were in the vicinity of the trouble.
As soon we get the coronavirus pandemic under control, attention needs to shift toward controlling the gun pandemic. Contrary to popular malarky, guns do not make people safer. Raging microbes and raging morons are both plagues on society that must be defeated.
Be well, Arizona.
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