How can someone walk in Manhattan like that and no one took action?

[question everything]

[Diraven]

1. A lot of places you can carry an assault weapon

And it's totally legal until you point it at someone. Probably not Manhattan though. But people have been trained in this county to just ignore gun nuts.

[sarisataka]

2. I am never surprised by most people's lack of observation

Most are focused on their phones or some personal matter that they could miss a freight train.

Even if someone did notice, what would one expect them to do? Calling 911 is about the only sane option

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

4. This is actually the most important thing by far.

I'm old, as in trombones year old (think of the song) and I'm constantly amazed that people think their phones are the most important thing in their lives. They don't read books. They don't watch good documentaries. They just watch crap, or post endlessly on FB.

But yeah, in almost any big city in this country someone can walk the streets carrying an assault rifle.

The real question to ask is Why On God's Green Earth are people allowed to have assault rifles.

I only wish that all those who support such ownership are themselves or their loved ones killed or at least maimed by someone with such a rifle. The truly sad thing is that those murdered had nothing at all to do with him or why he thought it would be a terrific idea to shoot people.

[RockRaven]

3. Because 'Murica.

This is the country and society that Americans have chosen to have.

Every single vote for a Repug for any office in DC since 1980 has been a vote for this.

[Princess Turandot]

5. Perhaps because he wasn't actually *walking around* NYC?..

The guy drove to his chosen location, double parked his car in front of the building, and then walked about 110 feet across a small interior plaza to the building's doors.

(From Time via Yahoo)
Surveillance video, Police Commish Tisch said, showed that a lone male exited a double-parked black BMW outside the building between 51st and 52nd streets. He carried an M4 assault rifle in his right hand and entered the building’s lobby, where he opened fire on and killed an NYPD officer and a woman who was taking cover.

[LudwigPastorius]

7. Also, it's easy to think "somebody should have stopped him" before he walked into the building, but...

critics should consider whether they would have accosted a man with an assault rifle and a crazed look in his eyes.

[stopdiggin]

8. thanks. it probably is better to talk the real situation .. -(nt)-

[Silent Type]

6. Could have been ICE or something, who knows nowadays?