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The Guardian reports that the woman who was accidentally shot dead by her two-year-old son in an Idaho Walmart is described by those who knew her as a gun lover, a motivated academic and a successful nuclear research scientist who worked for Battelle’s Idaho National Laboratory and wrote several papers there including one on using glass ceramic to store nuclear waste (PDF). Rutledge was raised in north-east Idaho and always excelled at school, former high school classmate Kathleen Phelps said, recalling her as “extremely smart. … valedictorian of our class, very motivated and the smartest person I know. … Getting good grades was always very important to her.”
Veronica Rutledge and her husband loved everything about guns. They practiced at shooting ranges. They hunted. And both of them, relatives and friends say, had permits to carry concealed firearms. “They are painting Veronica as irresponsible, and that is not the case,” says Terry Rutledge, her husband’s father. “… I brought my son up around guns, and he has extensive experience shooting it. And Veronica had had hand gun classes; they’re both licensed to carry, and this wasn’t just some purse she had thrown her gun into.” Many locals don't discern anything odd with a 29-year-old woman carrying a loaded gun into a Wal-Mart during the holiday season. “It’s pretty common around here,” says Stu Miller. “A lot of people carry loaded guns.” More than 85,000 people, 7 percent of Idaho's population, are licensed to carry concealed weapons (PDF), “In Idaho, we don’t have to worry about a lot of crime and things like that,” says Sheri Sandow. “And to see someone with a gun isn’t bizarre. [Veronica] wasn’t carrying a gun because she felt unsafe. She was carrying a gun because she was raised around guns. This was just a horrible accident.”
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 04 2015, @01:19PM
Please don't be disingenuous. Your analysis is too binary to accurately represent the reality.
The injury report showed two minor lacerations and no contusions.
The amount of risk he had in this situation does not qualify as likely to be fatal.
(Score: 3, Informative) by CirclesInSand on Sunday January 04 2015, @06:43PM
Well, then let's be genuine.
Zimmerman had a broken nose, black eyes, cuts on the back of his head, and grass stains on the back of his clothes.
Martin had only 2 injuries: a bullet wound, and bruised knuckles. We can infer he did the second to himself, and that the first occurred after Zimmerman's injuries.
Zimmerman, while on neighborhood watch, was watching someone in public in the neighborhood.
The fact that Zimmerman had so many injuries after being punched is amazing. After getting punched in the face and suffering a broken nose, while armed with a loaded gun, he still yelled for neighbors for help before shooting Martin (verified by witnesses), and then says he only did so after Martin went for the gun first. How much Zimmerman must have wanted to not injure Martin completely shames the lack of mercy any other person would have had. Zimmerman should be given respect for waiting as long as he did to shoot Martin, because I doubt any of the self righteous bastards slandering him would have done the same.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 05 2015, @03:52PM
Especially after stalking Martin through the neighborhood, even after the police told him to stop stalking him. I really don't know why Martin would have a problem with having some creep following him through an unknown neighborhood at night, then confront him as to who he is and what his business is. When Martin told him to fuck off (which I don't know if he did nor not, but my reaction would be "first, who the fuck are you and what business is it of you if I'm walking down the street. And fuck off too."), I'm sure Zimmerman politely said "I'm sorry to have bothered you sir, it really isn't any of my business" instead of escalating the situation, perhaps by pulling a gun and demanding answers. It is funny how you use "self righteous" in the same sentence as "Zimmerman", but you don't use the first to refer to the second.
Seriously, put all the gun rights issues aside and put yourself in Martin's shoes. You're alone at night in an unknown neighborhood being stalked by someone with a gun making demands of you. You wouldn't feel threatened?