Binghamton

[H2O Man]

The gunman apparently was just laid-off from IBM.

[cali]

1. who knows what triggers such rampages.

All I know, is that people who do these things are insane. Not excusing it, by any means, but they all seem to be people who fell over the edge.

[MineralMan]

3. It does seem so. I suppose we won't find out the motivation

for this, unless the shooter spoke to others before acting.

[Lyric]

2. *sigh*

I'm guessing that violence toward immigrants is going to start escalating to levels we haven't seen since 2001--if not higher.

:(

[cali]

6. He evidently is an immigrant.

[H2O Man]

8. Correct.

There is reason to suspect he was familiar with the target site; possibly knowing who would be there. But this is apparently distinct from a person who selects a target because he hates "those people."

[malaise]

9. Did I just hear 15 dead or 18 dead

Good grief!!

[H2O Man]

13. Yep.

I think that reports will show things are worse than first reported.

[malaise]

12. Did I just hear 15 dead or 18 dead

Good grief!!

[TahitiNut]

15. I'm dubious about whether he himself was an immigrant.

Without better information, I tend to believe it's more likely he's a first generation American of Vietnamese immigrant parents. His age is reported to be in the 30s. That would make his birth to be about the same time as the influx of Vietnamese refugees in the mid-70s. Thus, he'd either have been born here or immigrated as an infant. It's more likely that people currently immigrating and studying for citizenship are Eastern European. Thus, a racial/ethnic 'divide' may play a role in the motivations. Clearly, having just been fired from IBM -- a company off-shoring jobs -- suggests some sense of resentment.

[H2O Man]

16. I think he was 42.

You could certainly be right. I think it's curious that there are reports that the ID he had on him was for an alias.

[TahitiNut]

24. If he was a child when he came to the US, it's probable that his first name ...

... was "Americanized" from his birth name (or the name on his immigration papers). That'd be normal. I don't know whether I'd call it an "alias" but I also doubt he'd bother formally changing his name.

I was peripherally involved in doing volunteer work (ESL) with Vietnamese refugee families in the Rochester area in the 70s when I lived there. Western New York was one of the of the regions actively resettling "boat people." Due to my "tour of duty," I was particularly inclined to support ANYTHING this country could do to offer a home to the boat people -- a human tragedy I find impossible to describe.

[H2O Man]

34. If it were/is

just his first name, I'd agree. I do not know if that is what it was, though. Reports are saying he had an alias.

I suspect it will be some time before it becomes clear what really took place today. Of course, the deaths and number of people wounded is known.

I called one son to see if he wanted to drive down to the vigil. I'm hoping to talk to the other son soon.

[RamboLiberal]

20. If he's 42 as reported and his sister says he's been in US for 28 years

then he has to be a naturalized citizen.

Police also contacted Voong's sister to say her brother was dead. She told police that Voong was attending language classes at the civic center. She said Voong is a U.S. citizen and has been in this country for 28 years.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=7249853&page=1

[SemiCharmedQuark]

26. A naturalized citizen.

Police also contacted Voong's sister to say her brother was dead. She told police that Voong was attending language classes at the civic center. She said Voong is a U.S. citizen and has been in this country for 28 years.

[EFerrari]

4. Oh, no.

:(

[malaise]

5. Oh My!

Too sad.

[eleny]

7. People killed were in a room where citizenship exams were being taken

How dreadfully sad.

eta: Reported on MSNBC by a reporter on the scene just a minute ago.

[mod mom]

11. :(. Hate radio fuels this anger. They should be stopped.

[Liberal_in_LA]

38. The hate over in Topix, comments page, is stunning. People happy the gunman killed 'illegals'.

shocking.

[Warpy]

10. We're glad you checked in

This is an incredibly sad story from all angles.

The worst part of all is that it's not an unusual one any more.

[H2O Man]

14. Thanks.

It isn't uncommon. I guess that makes it worse, though. Not worse than the other people killed in other places, but worse in that this is what we are coming to.

There is confusion about his identity -- an alias, the news is reporting, may have been on the ID he was carrying. Curious.

[H2O Man]

17. Vigil tonight.

I may be there.

[robertpaulsen]

18. Good.

My Dad is trying to find out if our relatives out there are OK. I'm glad you and yours are.

[EFerrari]

19. Thoughts and wishes for your family, robertpaulsen.

:grouphug:

[robertpaulsen]

30. Thanks.

:hug:

[malaise]

36. Glad you and yours are OK

:grouphug:

[Renew Deal]

21. IBM is big in upstate NY

And I've heard a lot about layoffs.

[alcibiades_mystery]

32. Hell, IBM had already laid off most of its Broome County workforce

when I was there in the early-to-mid 1990's.

I'm surprised there's any IBM left in Broome County.

[Fleshdancer]

22. 37 people removed safely, 4 wounded, 14 dead

I'm getting this info from the press conference right now. :(

The woman who called the police was shot and played dead until the police arrived. She's at the hospital right now.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Blue_Tires]

25. so why shoot up the immigration office rather than IBM?

not trying to be glib; just trying to understand the shooter's mindset...unless he felt that somehow the people in the immigration office were to blame...

[malaise]

28. Because those 'imgrunts'

have come to take his job for cheap labor. Lou Dobbs and Rush told him so.

[H2O Man]

29. Hard to say.

We may never really know the answer to that.

[slackmaster]

31. IBM probably has armed security guards and controlled access

That's my guess.

[Blue_Tires]

37. that could be it...

[Bluenorthwest]

27. My thoughts are with a region I hold dear

I have great friends who are from Binghamton and who live in the area. My heart breaks for you all.

[Catherine Vincent]

33. Oh my!

Aren't you in New York state? Thanks for the info, I hadn't heard he was laid off.

[Dennis Donovan]

35. Jeebus , Pat...

In our backyard, so to speak (I'm in Auburn now)...:(