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Issaquah Shooter ID'd, Still no word on CPL holders shooting at him

amlevin

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
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5,937
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North of Seattle, Washington, USA
Information on this shooting incident seems to be scarce and slow in coming. He's finally been ID'd but no word on WHY?

http://heraldnet.com/article/20110929/NEWS03/709299877#Shooter-near-Issaquah-school-identified

The newspaper reported that people who knew Ficker say he was socially awkward and was prone to paranoid rants about the government.

Wonder how many here on this forum could have this last statement said about them? At what point does one's displeasure with the government become a "paranoid rant"?
 

tombrewster421

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Roy, WA

Metalhead47

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Apr 20, 2009
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Location
South Whidbey, Washington, USA
Information on this shooting incident seems to be scarce and slow in coming. He's finally been ID'd but no word on WHY?

http://heraldnet.com/article/20110929/NEWS03/709299877#Shooter-near-Issaquah-school-identified



Wonder how many here on this forum could have this last statement said about them? At what point does one's displeasure with the government become a "paranoid rant"?

Socially awkward... yup that's me all right. Paranoid rant? Well I rant all the time. But it's not paranoia if they really ARE out to get you. The government sure is out to get me. Starting with a great big chunk of my money I never even see.:banghead:
 

Sharpender

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Sep 27, 2007
Messages
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University Place, Washington, USA
The morning this happened my wife and I had an argument about why I needed to carry (conceal in bottom of backpack) my gun with me to my daughter's soccer game. I coach U13 girls soccer. Yes, the game was at a school, and as soon as the SWAT team accompanies my team to the game to ensure their safety I'll stop breaking the law. Half way through the game my wife heard about the Issaquah shooting. She was told that the shooting happened at a youth football game. She apologized to me (a rarity) and said she would never question my decision to carry anywhere again. It's nice to see that she finally understands that anything can happen, to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Maybe she'll finally let me get a new AR for the zombie apocalypse. ;)
 

FMCDH

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Nov 9, 2008
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Location
St. Louis, MO
The morning this happened my wife and I had an argument about why I needed to carry (conceal in bottom of backpack) my gun with me to my daughter's soccer game. I coach U13 girls soccer. Yes, the game was at a school, and as soon as the SWAT team accompanies my team to the game to ensure their safety I'll stop breaking the law. Half way through the game my wife heard about the Issaquah shooting. She was told that the shooting happened at a youth football game. She apologized to me (a rarity) and said she would never question my decision to carry anywhere again. It's nice to see that she finally understands that anything can happen, to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Maybe she'll finally let me get a new AR for the zombie apocalypse. ;)

I'm assuming your wife is in control of the backpack at all times you are not? I ask only for clarification.
 

BigDave

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Nov 22, 2006
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3,456
Location
Yakima, Washington, USA
The morning this happened my wife and I had an argument about why I needed to carry (conceal in bottom of backpack) my gun with me to my daughter's soccer game. I coach U13 girls soccer. Yes, the game was at a school, and as soon as the SWAT team accompanies my team to the game to ensure their safety I'll stop breaking the law. Half way through the game my wife heard about the Issaquah shooting. She was told that the shooting happened at a youth football game. She apologized to me (a rarity) and said she would never question my decision to carry anywhere again. It's nice to see that she finally understands that anything can happen, to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Maybe she'll finally let me get a new AR for the zombie apocalypse. ;)

And of course you are some how found out, it will cost you dearly to get back where you are now. If the weapon was secured in your vehicle and you retrieved it during an incident then there is the defense of necessity to help your position.
 

RetiredOC

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Dec 21, 2009
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though completely legal under the constitution of these united states, if you are going to break the laws of your state I don't suggest advertising it online...
 

Sharpender

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Joined
Sep 27, 2007
Messages
74
Location
University Place, Washington, USA
And of course you are some how found out, it will cost you dearly to get back where you are now. If the weapon was secured in your vehicle and you retrieved it during an incident then there is the defense of necessity to help your position.

During games my car is typically 100+ yards from the field on which we are playing. I understand your point, but it's just not an option. Trust me, I hate doing anything illegal, but I'm not going to risk the lives of the people I care about because the government chooses not to protect them and than won't let me do it legally either.
 

boatswain

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2010
Messages
36
Location
WA
Several sites have reported the shooter had problems with 'hearing voices', so it's likely he was suffering from a mental illness more severe than just paranoid rants.

http://www.kirotv.com/news/29320281/detail.html

KIRO 7 Reporter David Quinlan was able to verify the authenticity of a Facebook profile run by Ficker. The profile included links to comments made on a website by someone under the username Ronald Ficker that mentioned hearing voices and "going to the stars." The poster also referred to himself as "Supreme Commander."

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2011/09/ronald_w_ficker_issaquah_gunma.php

A week before abandoning his car in an Issaquah intersection, grabbing two rifles, and going on a shooting spree that ended with his own death, Ronald W. Ficker posted a link on his Facebook page to a support group for people who "hear voices."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4469303...-battled-mental-health-problems/#.TolxOrKaWuI

Mark Risdon, Ficker's best friend, said he saw warning signs and tried to help.

"I'm sure he wasn't shooting to injure anyone. It was some sort of cry for help," said Risdon. "That's why when we talked Thursday night, I knew something was wrong. That's why I tried contacting his doctor that night."

Risdon said Ficker was talking about going to space and seemed delusional. He said he knew Ronald was depressed, but had no idea it would come to this.


http://www.seattlepi.com/local/sound/article/Details-released-in-Issaquah-shooting-but-2194905.php

Police first interacted with Ficker Sept. 15, when he walked into the Issaquah Police Station openly carrying a sidearm at his hip. He told the officer that he had concerns for his safety, because he had an invention that would save the planet.

Ficker willingly surrendered his firearm to police, while they checked to make sure he possessed it legally. It was a peaceful conversation, and the officer had no legal way to detain him.
 
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amlevin

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Feb 16, 2007
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North of Seattle, Washington, USA
Several sites have reported the shooter had problems with 'hearing voices', so it's likely he was suffering from a mental illness more severe than just paranoid rants.

Most married men also "hear voices" too. It's usually their wife and/or kids telling them to do something like mow the lawn, wash the car, take them to school, etc. Just because someone "hears voices" does it mean they are suffering from a mental illness? Some of us, when this occurs are just "suffering from marriage";):):(
 

1911er

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Sep 9, 2009
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Location
Port Orchard Wa. /Granite Oklahoma
Most married men also "hear voices" too. It's usually their wife and/or kids telling them to do something like mow the lawn, wash the car, take them to school, etc. Just because someone "hears voices" does it mean they are suffering from a mental illness? Some of us, when this occurs are just "suffering from marriage";):):(

You know what they say "If momma aint happy nobody's happy, And if Momma aint happy long enough youll be happy with half your stuff"
 

hermannr

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Mar 24, 2011
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Okanogan Highland
I know probably none of us would have the guts to do so, but everything I read about this guy, what he needed was a good person to talk to so he could get some help. I remember my wife's step father passing out and doing some biszar things before he died. His problem was caused by a compination of drugs for his heart problem. The "side effects" sheet on one of the drugs specifically stated do not use with XXXX it WILL cause you to pass out and/or do strange out of character things.

IMHO: There is a good possibility that he was improperly reacting to some medication rather than being totally off.

The type of illness he was displaying sounds like schizophrenia, but real schizophrenia normally shows up when a person is quite young (teen early 20's) and this guy was 50's. Some of the drugs they have can create schizophrenic like symptoms...especially some anti-depressant drugs, and those used for Parkensons. I would like to know "the rest of the story" (medical history). I know, it is water under the bridge for this guy because of some trigger happy LE, but it might help someone else.
 
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amlevin

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Feb 16, 2007
Messages
5,937
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North of Seattle, Washington, USA
I know, it is water under the bridge for this guy because of some trigger happy LE, but it might help someone else.

Trigger Happy????? Perhaps you would prefer that they wait until this guy, who was shooting randomly, actually hit someone??

Strange view.

If he was just sitting in his car and they shot him, or if he standing on the street and they shot him, I might agree on the "Trigger Happy" accusation.

Did you actually read what this guy was doing?
 
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