Monday, June 1, 2009

How Sad is This?


GI Killed at Arkansas Recruiting Office


LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A new soldier helping to attract others to the military was shot and killed outside an Army recruiting office Monday and a second soldier was wounded, and a suspect was arrested, police said.

A man inside a black vehicle pulled up outside the Army-Navy recruiting office in west Little Rock and opened fire about 10:30 a.m., said police Lt. Terry Hastings.

The two soldiers were outside the office when they were shot. They were taken to a hospital, where one died.

The vehicle was stopped on Interstate 630 a short time later and a suspect was taken into custody. Hastings said the suspect pulled over and surrendered without incident. Police found an assault rifle in the vehicle.

Hastings said investigators had not yet questioned the suspect. Hastings said he did not know whether the recruiting office was specifically targeted or randomly chosen.

Authorities did not immediately identify the victims or the suspect.

As a precaution, police called in a bomb squad after packages were found in the vehicle. Hastings said a robot would be used to open the packages.

Lt. Col. Thomas F. Artis of the Oklahoma City Recruiting Battalion, which oversees the Little Rock office, said the victims had just completed basic training and were not regular recruiters. He said they were serving two weeks in the Little Rock office.

As part of the Hometown Recruiting Assistance Program, the soldiers were sent to "talk to friends, folks in the local area. They can show the example, 'Here's where I was, and here is where I am,'" Artis said.

Artis said neither of the soldiers had been deployed for combat.

Eight other people work in the Little Rock recruiting office, including one civilian, he said.

June 01, 2009
Associated Press

21 comments:

Utah Savage said...

How right you are. It is terribly sad.

Unknown said...

utah...thank you for taking the time to read this story.

Coffeypot said...

There are crazies everywhere, even in the homeland. It’s a shame the coward gave up without a fight. Four hundred well place rounds would have served him about right.

Unknown said...

coffeypot...Somebody's son is gone and all I can do is ask, "Why?"

Mike Golch said...

Bummer.
Cofeepot,only 400 rounds??

Unknown said...

mike...thanks for stopping by!

Mary Ellen said...

How absolutely horrible. This kind of thing makes you wonder what's wrong with the human race. Thank God there are so many decent people out there who restore my faith.

Kathleen said...

Ive been away from your site for awhile, and I just want to say, as usual, you have kept us apprised of what is going on. This is so far beyond my understanding, all I can say is pray for the family of this young soldier. It is bad enough to lose a son in combat, but this is senseless and for nothing, and worst of all, from one of our own citizens.

MightyMom said...

well ain't that a hell of a thing.

Unknown said...

ME...I heard on a newscast this morning, the killer was upset with the military. Our nation is need of lots of prayers!

Unknown said...

kathleen...it is a senseless, unnecessary loss of a soldier. Sad.

Unknown said...

mighty mom...wrong on so many levels!

Kat said...

I saw this last night when I was reading the news..I read the story out loud to my husband and then asked him "What the heck is wrong with this world of ours?"

Unknown said...

kat...My heart hurts for this family!

USA_Admiral said...

Tragic and depressing.

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

I saw this on the news!! What is the world??? Upset at our military??? What in the world is wrong with some people girl? Where do these people come from and what has happened to them in their lives to make them do something so dastardly and COWARDLY??
Thank you for putting the whole story out there.
Thank you for your compassion in your posts. You are awesome Airman Mom. Just awesome.

Steady On
Reggie Girl

Unknown said...

usa admiral...so true!

Unknown said...

hammer...so very tragic! I am sickened by every aspect of this story!

Unknown said...

RG...my son was in RAP last summer! I have no doubt My John stood in front of the recruiter's office on more than one occassion. I cannot even begin to know the pain of this mom and the familiy of the soldier who they love so deeply.
I do not understand this world, Reggie Girl! My heart hurts today.

Anonymous said...

This is truly sad. My prayers go out to the family.

Unknown said...

citizen..I'm praying along with you!