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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPark ranger shooting suspect was mentally unstable gun owner with a history of domestic violence.
Barnes, who was believed to be carrying a cache of weapons, has had a troubled transition to civilian life, with accusations he suffers post-traumatic stress disorder and is suicidal.
He was involved in a custody dispute in July, during which his toddler daughter's mother sought a temporary restraining order against him, according to court documents.
The woman told authorities he was suicidal and possibly suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after deploying to Iraq in 2007-2008, and had once sent her a text message saying "I want to die."
She alleged that he gets easily irritated, angry and depressed and keeps an arsenal of weapons in his home. She wrote that she feared for the child's safety. Undated photos provided by police showed a shirtless, tattooed Barnes brandishing two large weapons.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/02/benjamin-colton-barnes-_n_1179815.html
antigone382
(3,682 posts)Iraq vet with a history of violence and alcoholism went on a rampage and killed one person, critically injured a second...so many parallels.
riverwalker
(8,694 posts)My brother is on VA disabilty for PTSD ( and chemical poisoning http://www.gulfwarvets.com/ijom.htm) from the first Gulf War.
I remember when guys were first coming back, the isolated incidents of violence, personality changes, suicides and murder in the news, but no one paid much attention. Then Tim McVeigh, and D.C. sniper, others made headlines.
I hope there will be no more tragedies, no more Margaret Andersons, no more Benjamin Barnes, but I know better. When will we learn?
annm4peace
(6,119 posts)a police officer died the other day who was shot by National Guard who came back from Iraq.
he then shot himself. I wonder if there is a site that keeps track of these shooting/killings/suicides.
Then there are the ones who try to committee suicide by crashing their cars into others, but sadly they sometimes kill others instead of them selves.
rfranklin
(13,200 posts)At least, that's what the NRA says.
Watch, there will be NRA trolls here in minutes.
Ron Green
(9,821 posts)and 8 minutes.
rfranklin
(13,200 posts)It's a good job with benefits.
RegieRocker
(4,226 posts)Far better to be strangled, beat to death or chopped with an axe. Guns are the problem.
REP
(21,691 posts)Ichingcarpenter
(36,988 posts)might explain a lot and then why the DOD didn't follow up on him.