“Planned Parenthood shooter Robert Dear was inspired by previous abortion clinic attackers and the promise of being met at the gates of heaven by aborted fetuses who would thank him,” theatlantic.com reports. “Dear, who is charged with 179 criminal counts . . . was particularly incensed over allegations that Planned Parenthood clinics across the country were supposedly selling ‘baby parts’ —claims that circulated after anti-abortion activists released heavily edited videos last year, which became a campaign talking point for Republican presidential candidates.” Yeah, I blame the Republicans. And SKS . . .
Along with the three people killed in the November attack, Dear also injured nine people using, among other weapons, four Soviet-style SKS semi-automatic rifles, according to court documents. Police also found a shotgun, a rifle, and two handguns in his truck. From within the building, Dear also shot at propane tanks in the parking lot, hoping they would explode, the documents reveal. Before the standoff with police even began, Dear approached a woman outside the clinic and told her, “You shouldn’t have come here today,” before shooting her multiple times in the right arm, according to the court documents.
Well, Dear wasn’t lying — about that anyway. Gun control advocates are sure to seize on Dear’s “arsenal” while the real question is whether or not the court rule he mentally competent to stand trial. We are talking about a man who wore a ballistic vest made of silver coins and duct tape. I wonder if here had been a missed opportunity to intercept Dear before the shooting.