‘TRAGEDY AVERTED’: Feds Say They Have Thwarted a Mass Shooting Plot In Lubbock, Texas

[Sanguine]

TEXAS — A Lubbock man allegedly contemplating a mass shooting has been charged by criminal complaint with making false statements to a federally-licensed firearms dealer.

The potential shooting has been averted.

William Patrick Williams, 19, was arrested by special agents of ATF and FBI Thursday, following a brief hospitalization.

According to a criminal complaint, on July 13, Mr. Williams allegedly told his grandmother he had recently purchased an AK-47 rifle and planned to “shoot up” a local hotel and then commit suicide by cop. Sensing he was both homicidal and suicidal, she convinced him to allow her to bring him to a local hospital instead...

https://breaking911.com/tragedy-averted-feds-say-they-have-thwarted-a-mass-shooting-plot-in-lubbock-texas/

This is how it should work.

[roamer_1]

This is how it should work.

Wishful thinking.

[Sanguine]

Wishful thinking.

Not in this case. 

Who peed in your Cheerios?

[jmyrlefuller]

Not in this case. 

Who peed in your Cheerios?

They can stop a black guy but countless white guys are left to murder and discredit the rest of us?

Screw'em. I have my honor to defend.

[roamer_1]

Who peed in your Cheerios?

What do you mean? It was a simple statement.

[Sanguine]

What do you mean? It was a simple statement.

I thought it was a positivish story, you were pessimistic.

No biggie; I can understand how a person would be pessimistic now.

[roamer_1]

I thought it was a positivish story, you were pessimistic.

No biggie; I can understand how a person would be pessimistic now.

Not really pessimistic. It is unusual for a person to confess before the fact. That's what I meant.

[Cyber Liberty]

It is a positive story.  The Feds didn't "thwart" anything, the grandmother did...for which we can be thankful.  She talked him out of it.  Leave it to the press to assign thanks.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

This is how it should work.

Yep.  All terrorism.

It is one reason we will have a difficult time reigning in Islamic terrorism.  We cannot identify readily the terrorists, but those closest to them like friends and family can.  We have to depend upon Muslims to stop Muslim terrorists.

Muslims who do not stop them must be treated as our enemy as a consequence.  There can be no middle ground.

[mountaineer]

Not really pessimistic. It is unusual for a person to confess before the fact. That's what I meant.

Yes, least of all to make it clear to one's grandmother. Thank goodness for her response.

[roamer_1]

Yes, least of all to make it clear to one's grandmother. Thank goodness for her response.

That's right.

[sneakypete]

WTH wrote that headline?

Shouldn't it have read "Grandmother Prevented Mass Shooting",with maybe a subline stating "cops show up after being called"?

The grandmother is the hero here,not the cops. Why isn't SHE being praised as a hero for saving lives? Especially given that she had to drop a dime on her grandson to do it,and THAT took guts as well as a strong sense of decency?

[sneakypete]

Not really pessimistic. It is unusual for a person to confess before the fact. That's what I meant.

@roamer_1

You seem to have "confessing" confused with "bragging".

[Sanguine]

@sneakypete, yes, you are right - grandma is the hero here.

@roamer_1

You seem to have "confessing" confused with "bragging".

Does it make even a tiny bit of difference?

[roamer_1]

@roamer_1

You seem to have "confessing" confused with "bragging".

@sneakypete
No, between actual criminals who have the support network and determination to carry out such a thing, and would never spill a peep, and braggadocios tough guys that pimp their rep and don't mean a damn thing otherwise, it would be extremely hard to winnow the field and find a perpetrator before the fact. This guy is a fluke...

[austingirl]

It is a positive story.  The Feds didn't "thwart" anything, the grandmother did...for which we can be thankful.  She talked him out of it.  Leave it to the press to assign thanks.

 

[GtHawk]

Funny, all I could think was that this was not possible, that boy aint......................White!

[andy58-in-nh]

Our society and culture are broken. They have been shattered into shards by 100+ years of Progressive  ideology, leaving far too many of our citizens atomized and isolated, faithless and rootless, angry and alienated. Further, our increasing reliance on electronic devices as primary means of communication have distanced us from actual human contact, substituting avatars for actual three-dimensional beings. 

Guns are not the problem. We are.

The President of the United States would do well to address the real causes of our senseless and violent behavior, and make it plain that we will not ever save our nation unless we work together to rebuild the interpersonal connections that used to keep us centered and united: families, neighborhoods, communities, civic organizations, churches and synagogues. 

We need to put down our cell phones and iPads and rediscover each other, just as we need to rediscover the power of God's mercy and His grace.

[godblessRonaldReagan]

Our society and culture are broken. They have been shattered into shards by 100+ years of Progressive  ideology, leaving far too many of our citizens atomized and isolated, faithless and rootless, angry and alienated. Further, our increasing reliance on electronic devices as primary means of communication have distanced us from actual human contact, substituting avatars for actual three-dimensional beings. 

Guns are not the problem. We are.

The President of the United States would do well to address the real causes of our senseless and violent behavior, and make it plain that we will not ever save our nation unless we work together to rebuild the interpersonal connections that used to keep us centered and united: families, neighborhoods, communities, civic organizations, churches and synagogues. 

We need to put down our cell phones and iPads and rediscover each other, just as we need to rediscover the power of God's mercy and His grace.

I'm a big fan of LivePD. Every time I watch it, I'm stunned by how many broken people we have in this country.

[sneakypete]

@sneakypete, yes, you are right - grandma is the hero here.

Does it make even a tiny bit of difference?

@Sanguine

It should,but you do make a point.

[sneakypete]

@sneakypete
 
This guy is a fluke...

@roamer_1

Maybe,but the grandmother sure is. It is VERY unusual these days for a family member to do something like this,even though the truth is she saved her grandson's future,and maybe even his life by doing the right thing. Most mothers and grandmothers these days would never think of admitting their son or grandson was anything less than human perfection.

I have zero evidence,but I also THINK the grandson went to granny because he knew she would turn him in. I suspect he felt a compulsion to do it,but knew it was wrong and wanted to be stopped.

IF this is so,good for him,good for her,and good for all of us.

[dfwgator]

Funny, all I could think was that this was not possible, that boy aint......................White!

I could see someone saying that the fact they stopped the black man, but not the white guys, is racist.....or something.

[Wingnut]

I could see someone saying that the fact they stopped the black man, but not the white guys, is racist.....or something.

Looked muzzie to me.

[roamer_1]

@roamer_1

Maybe,but the grandmother sure is. It is VERY unusual these days for a family member to do something like this,even though the truth is she saved her grandson's future,and maybe even his life by doing the right thing. Most mothers and grandmothers these days would never think of admitting their son or grandson was anything less than human perfection.

I have zero evidence,but I also THINK the grandson went to granny because he knew she would turn him in. I suspect he felt a compulsion to do it,but knew it was wrong and wanted to be stopped.

IF this is so,good for him,good for her,and good for all of us.

@sneakypete

That's right.

[PeteS in CA]

WTH wrote that headline?

Shouldn't it have read "Grandmother Prevented Mass Shooting",with maybe a subline stating "cops show up after being called"?

The grandmother is the hero here,not the cops. Why isn't SHE being praised as a hero for saving lives? Especially given that she had to drop a dime on her grandson to do it,and THAT took guts as well as a strong sense of decency?

The headline seems to be that of "Breaking911", whoever they are. As for what was said by someone from the Federal government, quoted in the OP article:

“This was a tragedy averted,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “I want to praise the defendant’s grandmother, who saved lives by interrupting this plot, as well as the Lubbock police officers and federal agents who investigated his unlawful acquisition of a deadly weapon.

Credit was given where credit was due.