Saturday, January 14, 2006

So, Who Do You Blame?

A while ago, a tragic incident occured.

An Arab youngster in Jenin who was holding what appeared to be a real rifle was shot, from a distance, by Israeli troops who presumed they were being fired on. He died and his family contributed his organs to Jews and Arabs.

It seems that these situations are not due soley to the reality of what many prefer to refer to as "the occupation".

It can happen in other places not occupied but due to special circumstances usually involving the child involved.

Here's what happended in South Florida:

Police shoot teen in school standoff

Student pointed pellet gun at deputy
January 13, 2006, 11:26 PM EST

LONGWOOD -- A Milwee Middle School eighth-grader, who last year threatened to blow up a school bus, showed up for class Friday with a pistol in his backpack.

However, classmates of Chris Penley, 15, didn't know it was a pellet gun.

Neither did a veteran Seminole County deputy sheriff, who made a split-second decision to open fire when Chris pointed the weapon at him.

The deputy's single shot gravely wounded the boy, who was on life support Friday at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

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Chris raced into a bathroom and was confronted by Lt. Mike Weippert of the SWAT team.

"They pleaded with him to drop what appeared to be a 9 mm Beretta handgun," Eslinger said.

Chris then aimed the gun at Weippert, who was between the boy and two occupied classrooms.

The deputy fired once.

The pellet gun is powered by a carbon-dioxide gas cartridge. Barrels on such guns are normally red or pink, to distinguish them from real guns, Eslinger said. But the barrel on Chris' gun, he said, had been painted black and was virtually identical to the real thing.

Friday's shooting left parents questioning security at the school and the safety of their children.

"These kids have gone crazy," said Cheryl Bratcher, who has two children at Milwee.

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