More information than I need
If you have a queasy stomach, don’t bother checking out National Newswatch for a while. The headlines are gruesome.
Paul, if I wanted to know what body parts were found in Li’s pockets, I’m sure I could have found the information.
Unlike many of my fellow conservatives, I’m not a big fan of capital punishment.
However, after hearing that Vincent Li uttered the words "Kill me now" in court today, I’m warming up to the idea.
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Warning: All links on the story are graphic and disturbing.
August 5th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
I can’t believe this happened here in Canada. What I’m more afraid of though is our legal system and that this monster deserves any rights at all!!
What really, really bothers me in all of this is that there was a bus full of people. How could this have happened and no one challenge this nut or take him down??? With the description of how folks just filed calmly out of the bus…..what’s wrong with that picture?
August 5th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
How could this have happened and no one challenge this nut or take him down???
Sol, I was thinking that too, and there was a lot of chatter on blogs about that. US bloggers were calling us cowardly for not acting like the brave folks on 9/11.
However, I think that until you are in that kind of situation (and God willing we won’t), then you have no idea how you would act. This kind of horrific act would likely just turn off any kind of rational thought in the onlookers. They would just want to get away as fast as possible.
Also, the guy is huge and he had a large knife. He could have killed many more people by just slashing out at them.
August 5th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
It drives me nuts when I hear/read people slamming the other passengers for “not doing anything.” They did the only thing they could - they got away. Several people *did* go back in, armed with crowbars, and they got chased off.
I’ve traveled this route by bus. One of the things these buses are notorious for is lack of space. There’s no way any group would be able to overpower a person because no matter what, it’s always one-to-one. There’s no room for any group attack. The seats are also quite high, so there’s little room to maneuver for anyone that isn’t above average height. The only way someone could have stopped the attacker would be with a distance weapon, like a gun or a taser. As it was, with the victim and many passengers sleeping, the victim was probably mortally wounded before anyone even knew what was going on.
A horrible situation, but one where I just can’t see how the other passengers could have responded any differently.
August 5th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
It drives me nuts when I hear/read people slamming the other passengers for “not doing anything.” They did the only thing they could - they got away. Several people *did* go back in, armed with crowbars, and they got chased off.
Me too! I think it’s incredible that they went back in at all.
A Good Samaritan in Vancouver is in hospital with life-threatening stab wounds after trying to help a teenage girl on the street who was being attacked by her boyfriend. The cops are all over the news saying that people should not get involved in violent altercations.
Also, by the time anyone could have done anything, the victim was already fatally wounded. Nothing they would have done would have helped, and it only would have made more victims.
August 5th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
A martial arts expert commenting in the Wpg. Sun said the other passengers did the right thing by leaving, therefor limiting the body count to one. As others stated it was too late for Tim McLean. And Joanne, as to the death penalty, sorry not in Canada. A better fate would be to make him Paul Bernardo’s cellmate.
August 5th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Capital punishment does not deter insane people from doing the insane things that they do. Is there any doubt this fellow is crazy? It would just be revenge-killing on our part, endorsed by the government.
August 5th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
A better fate would be to make him Paul Bernardo’s cellmate.
Good point. Euthanasia would be too easy.
August 5th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
I’d like to see him locked up in a mental institution, doped into submission, for the rest of his life. Of course, that’s assuming he’s insane, but frankly, that’s not much of an assumption!
Those places are hell. And there’s no getting out. No faint hope clause, no parole, nothing.
August 5th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
I think that this guy was attempting ’suicide by cop’ when he killed his unfortunate victim so I really don’t support the death penalty in this case.
Fortunately we can’t read each others minds, unfortunately many mental illnesses go untreated and innocent people die as the result.
Ask any long haul trucker how many times they are faced with someone with suicide on their mind pulling out in front of their rig when they have no opportunity to avoid the ensuing crash.
August 5th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
I think that this guy was attempting ’suicide by cop’ when he killed his unfortunate victim so I really don’t support the death penalty in this case.
Very interesting theory, Joe. I don’t think there is any question that this man has mental illness. What concerns me is will he be locked away from society for the rest of his life, or will he be released at some point to ‘rehabilitate’ and ‘reintegrate’ with society?
August 5th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
I agree with the others here; A group of guys (lead by the ex-military guy) and I think the bus driver and the trucker went to go help the guy after pulling over and getting everyone else off the bus; but at that point the victim was already decapitated so it was clear he was dead. The witness explained that in the interview. Then they locked him in the bus (although he almost got out). They did everything they could and I’m amazed they had the courage to go back in that bus. If they hadn’t done what they did getting everyone out and locking him in there; more people would have been killed. I’m hoping he gets puts behind padded walls because as Luna already mentioned; there is no faint hope clause there.
August 5th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
I’m hoping he gets puts behind padded walls because as Luna already mentioned; there is no faint hope clause there.
I agree, May. That would be best for him and for the rest of us.
August 6th, 2008 at 8:40 am
One time I agree with Joanne - I don’t want to know the horrible details. This may sound weird, but I keep thinking about the dignity of the victim and his family.
I know blood and gore sells but doesn’t there come a time when in real life the victim and his family should be considered?
I’m not for the death penalty…..I think being locked up, in isolation, etc. is harder on the criminal - let him suffer.
August 6th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
This may sound weird, but I keep thinking about the dignity of the victim and his family.
Lynne, you are so right. Can you imagine the nightmares his family and friends must be having? To have MSM give us all the gory details like this is so horrible.
I tuned in yesterday evening to the local news at 5:30 and was greeted with the list of body parts found in Li’s pocket.
Yikes! Kids are still up then. Hel-lo-o-o?