Health care costs are finally falling
In May, health care costs fell for the first time in almost four decades, the Wall Street Journal reports. Read more at Counterparties
Reuters Photojournalism
Our day's top images, in-depth photo essays and offbeat slices of life. See the best of Reuters photography. See more | Photo caption
The Afghan Army
The many faces of the Afghan National Army, which has taken over security of the country from NATO. Slideshow
Sponsored Links
Tucson shooting victim held after alleged threat
TUCSON, Arizona |
TUCSON, Arizona (Reuters) - Prosecutors have formally charged a victim of last week's Arizona shooting rampage with threatening a Tucson leader of the Tea Party political movement during the taping of an ABC News town hall-style television program.
James Eric Fuller, 63, who was taking part in the televised forum, was involuntarily committed for psychiatric evaluation on Saturday after he grew agitated, stood up to snap a picture of Tucson Tea Party founder Trent Humphries and shouted, "You're dead," police said.
Fuller, a U.S. Navy veteran, will be held for at least 72 hours under observation at the hospital, authorities said.
The incident came during a taping of a special edition of the ABC News program "This Week" scheduled for broadcast on Sunday.
Charges of making threats, intimidation and disorderly conduct were filed against Fuller with the Pima County Attorney's office, but it is up to Humphries to decide whether to press for prosecution, sheriff's department spokesman Jason Ogan said.
Humphries could not immediately be reached for comment on Sunday.
Fuller's outburst came exactly a week after he and others were caught in a hail of bullets fired by a gunman outside a Tucson supermarket. Six people were killed and 13 others were wounded, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot through the head and remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Fuller was struck twice -- in the knee and back.
A 22-year-old college dropout, Jared Lee Loughner was arrested and has been charged with five federal offenses, including the attempted assassination of Giffords. What might have motivated the shootings remains unclear.
But the rampage intensified a national debate about gun control and civility in politics, and whether the vitriolic tone of partisanship in the United States may have contribute to violence.
In a raw televised interview on the CBS "Early Show" three days after the shooting, Fuller's dazed description of the bloodbath touched on the debate over the right to own guns, enshrined in the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
In Arizona, anyone at least 21 years of age is allowed to carry a gun in their pocket without special training or permits.
"It was a dream-like sequence, a bad dream-like sequence," Fuller said. "I didn't quite know how to react. I felt like we were in for more, and possibly to be given a coup de grace by this madman that was so vigorously exercising his Second Amendment rights."
Fuller, who backed Giffords for her support of veterans and reportedly worked on her campaign, interrupted the town hall debate after Humphries rose to suggest that any conversation about gun control should be put off until after the funerals for all the victims.
The news and commentary program "Democracy Now" reported the day before Fuller's arrest, how, after being hospitalized for his wounds, he stayed up most of the night, writing down the Declaration of Independence as he tried to organize his thoughts and reactions to the trauma.
"How many other people? How many other demented people are out there? It looks like (former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah) Palin, (radio and TV commentator Glenn) Beck, (defeated Nevada Senate candidate) Sharron Angle and the rest got their first target. Their wish for Second Amendment activism has been fulfilled."
(Editing by Steve Gorman and Jerry Norton)
- Tweet this
- Link this
- Share this
- Digg this
- Reprints
We are all part of the same planet so it would be better to come to a middle ground than throw digs at each other. I certainly recognize your right to bear arms. However, I would be more comfortable if less people had guns. I also recognize that my opinion is my own, as is yours. I will offer this. The right to bear arms was written in a time when this was a very different world. Since our current world is vastly different, perhaps we should revisit the issue so that both you and I can exist in a community that belongs to us both.
I certainly appreciate all of the comments, and I do agree that Eric has handled himself poorly. Additionally I am not an anti-gun person. I personally do not have an interest in guns but I do believe that if you indeed choose to have guns as a part of your life than more power to you.
That being said, I offer you this. Just this morning I went to the local Circle K to get some coffee, and lo and behold, two middle aged men came in to shop. Both men were armed. Why do we need to be packing heat to go get a cup of coffee? And why as a patron of the Circle K am I not entitled to shop without the worry or random customers (who are strangers in my eyes, who is to say they may not snap) carrying firearms. Why did these individuals feel the need to be armed at a Circle K. Was there a threat of some kind?
I am not a political radical, or a left wing extremist, I am just an average citizen who does not understand the need for everyday citizens to carry guns, just because they have a right to.
And also, I have done my best to be respectful in my posts and I ask that you do the same. We are all entitled to our opinion.
Last I checked, killing people was still illegal, and the 2nd amendment only guarantees individuals’ rights to bear arms — not any supposed “right” to go on rampage killings, as is being insinuated by Mr. Fuller. Jared Laughner wasn’t exercising his rights when he shot and killed 6 people. In fact, he was acting against the law of the land and violating the constitutional rights of all those he harmed. Let’s not use this tragedy to enact even more laws that we don’t need and that are just going to be ignored by future mad men.
From the looks of the show, there are a few more down there.
Follow Reuters