There are reports of another major shooting incident in Crandon, Wisconsin; Apparently the town has been locked down with little information being released since the shootings started earlier this morning. The suspect is believed to be a law enforcement officer. All the victims are believed to be children/teenagers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7032971.stm

Story is on CNN at

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/10/07/wisconsin.shooting/index.html#cnnSTCText

First, you've got a problem with your statement. "[A]nother major shooting incident in Crandon, Wisconsin" makes it sound like this something that has happened before possibly with some frequency. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time Crandon Wisconsin has made international, or even national, news for a while.

It was a domestic issue. More than that, I won't speculate- we don't even know if killed himself or his fellow officers were placed in a situation where they had to fire on him. Not enough data yet. *shrugs* Stuff like this happens every day in every country on the planet. It is sad that happens at all, but the disgrace is that the only reasons this is making news is becuase (a) the freak in question was a cop, and (b) the US is heading into election season.

Otherwise, it would just be another domestic violence incident that escalated and in the process included others, and it would only be local news. I'd say out of respect for the dead, and the officers of Crandon and the surrounding country, it should have stayed that way.

"...the only reason this is making news is becuase the freak in question was a cop and the US is heading into election season..."

I am kind of dense sometimes, but what could this possibly have to do withan election season???

I'll send you a PM.

PM answered, with another question...

Does the edit make it make more sense?

For everyone: While risking putting my head in the politics bear trap, that it was a cop or that it is an election season makes it more likely for what should be a local matter into a national one. That it is both makes it a given that this will grabbed by the national media.

I still contend that a cop going postal and killing six would be national news anytime...

You're probably right, but that doesn't mean it should necessarily be "national" news. Most major news networks have an agenda on the table, in my opinion, and their inattention to what's right and what's wrong shows in the quality of people they hire and in what they choose to feed us as news.

I also agree that going in to an election year has everything to do with the way the news is reported, even when the issue seems to have nothing to do with "politics". I can't see a connection in this case, but crime, weather, adultry, the cost of gasoline (and milk), and a million other things are going to be argued about soon enough.....the media knows it has more power in suggestion and in the way they frame their news stories than any politician will ever have.

Someone gunning down 6 teenagers is going to be national news. Why would it not be? It's a major tragedy. The fact that the shooter was a policeman certainly adds impact to the story. Seeing a media conspiracy in the reporting of the story is a bit of a stretch.

Kevin B.

OKAY. So how can you become a "Police Officer" or "Deputy" at age 20????

In all the states that I have ever heard of you have to be atleast 21 years old to even apply, unless you are a detention deputy at some county sherrifs office. Or a dispatcher.

Looks like a good cop hunted that bad apple down and took care of business.