VICTIM ZONE: 3 wounded, 1 killed in Michigan day-care shooting
The Associated Press is reporting that a man opened fire at an in-home day-care center Tuesday, critically wounding two people, and killing a 3-year-old.
Police are searching for the shooter, described as a black man in his 20s, about 6 feet tall, between 200 and 230 pounds, wearing dark clothing, and carrying a blue, steel semiautomatic weapon. Ploice say the man came to the door of the house on the city's northwest side, exchanged words with someone, entered and opened fire.
In addition to the shooting victims, a 7-month-old child reportedly suffered injuries after being dropped from the arms of an adult. The infant was listed in serious condition, according to Detroit's NBC4.
"It appears as though this was not random," Chief Ella Bully-Cummings told the AP.
According to the news account, the Family Independence Agency, which oversees day-care facilities in Michigan, listed the address where the shooting took place as a licensed facility serving up to 12 infants, toddlers or school-aged children.
Apparently the shooter wasn't aware that under Michigan law (MCL 28.425o(b)), firearms are prohibited at public and private day-care centers...
Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.
We tried to warn the Ohio Senators who forced the same day-care victim zone language into HB12:
Gun prohibitions won't stop criminals:
--->Vehicles outside Delaware-area day cares targeted by robber
--->Purses being stolen outside day cares
--->''Victim Zone'' exclusions are BAD for law-abiding Ohio citizens
But they weren't listening...
April 30, 2003: Senator Teresa Fedor presses for day-care victim zone at HB12 committee hearing
May 14, 2003: Toby Hoover advises day-care victim zones at HB12 Senate committee hearing
June 19, 2003: Senate OKs concealed-carry bill
July 19, 2003: Plain Dealer editorial: Bring on the victim zones
February 23, 2004: 'Million' Mom spreads the word about victim zones
In his 2003 State of the State address, Gov. Taft told Ohioans he wanted to promote policy which would aid in the protection of 'our most vulnerable populations'. Certainly, children who are the victims of violent attack would qualify under that category. So why didn't Taft object when the Senate added language in HB12 preventing such protections for defenseless innocents?
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In floor testimony before passage of the Senate version of HB12 (where day-cares were first added as victim zones), Sen Steve Austria (R) stated "...Of all the changes made by the Senate, as a father, I am most proud of the work we did to ensure the safety of Ohio children under this bill."
When HB12 was passed, State Sen. Eric Fingerhut (D) complained provisions that allow reporters to learn permit-holder's names, keep guns out of places like schools and day-care centers and allow police to see the weapon of a motorist in a traffic stop will not be in the law for long. He's not right often when it comes to his rhetoric on guns, but we can only hope he was right this time.
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