Over the weekend, we had two horrific incidents on opposite sides of the country, with an eerie parallel.
On the North Carolina coast, south of Wilmington, there was a sail-by shooting of a dockside bar/restaurant. From CNN,
Marine veteran in custody after 3 killed, at least 8 injured in shooting at a waterfront bar in North Carolina, officials say.
Nigel Edge, age 40, f/k/a Sean DeBevoise, reportedly served in combat in Iraq and received a Purple Heart. CNN reports,
Edge was a sergeant who served in the Marines from 2003 to 2009, a United States Marines Corps spokesperson told CNN. He deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
In Michigan, another horrific scene unfolded at a Mormon church. From the New York Post,
Iraq War veteran Thomas Sanford ID’d as gunman who attacked Grand Blanc LDS church, killing 4 and setting it ablaze.
The Post reports,
Thomas Jacob Sanford rammed his Chevy Silverado truck into the building before opening fire on worshipers at a Sunday service at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan.
Sanford, also aged 40, also served in the Marine Corps,
A Facebook post by Sanford’s mother says the gunman — who died at the scene in a shootout with cops — served in Iraq from 2004 to 2008.
I’ve mentioned a couple of times in reference to what appears to be a recent rash of shootings with either political or terroristic undertones that the shooters appear to have been activated, as opposed to motivated or inspired by events.
