Pokemon Go...

[Bruin Fisher]

Flabberghasted, I am...

I found this BBC News website article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-36818384

... and my immediate reaction was: householder shoots at innocent teens who were minding their own business in their car, and the police issue advice to Pokemon Go players on playing the game safely??? Where is the advice to householders not to shoot at teenagers on the flimsiest pretext??? Aaargh - no wonder the police have an image problem.

Here is the news article from a local Florida source:

http://www.news4jax.com/news/pokemon-go-hunters-shot-at-while-searching-for-pokemon

[ChrisR]

A surprisingly poorly written story by the BBC. The local TV station makes it clear that charges will likely be filed, and I presume they will be against the man who fired the gun; shots that hit the tailpipe and rear tire are unlikely to support the imminent fear for one's life. It's possible, though, that trespassing charges could be filed against the kids. Remains to be seen.

But this Pokemon game craze has the potential for disaster, particularly in the aftermath of so many high-visibility shootings. There's a bit of edginess in the air. The police are rightly warning players not to be stupid -- something, of course, that no 16- and 19-year-olds would ever be!

[Bruin Fisher]

One of the comments below the News4Jax article reads this way:

The guy is an idiot and probably a psycho but it's more disturbing that the Sheriff used this opportunity to post guidelines that seemed to put the blame on the kids. "Do Not" etc. whereas the homeowners get an "Avoid" and "if at all possible". Can't we just have straight up guideline that say "DO NOT open fire on cars filled with teenagers"? That seems to be the most important one. Only in Florida could the attempted murder of children be viewed as the fault of the children. What a sick place.

That's much the sentiment I had on reading the article.

The guy is an idiot and probably a psycho but it's more disturbing that the Sheriff used this opportunity to post guidelines that seemed to put the blame on the kids. "Do Not" etc. whereas the homeowners get an "Avoid" and "if at all possible". Can't we just have straight up guideline that says "DO NOT open fire on cars filled with teenagers"? That seems to be the most important one. Only in Florida could the attempted murder of children be viewed as the fault of the children. What a sick place.

The guy is an idiot and probably a psycho but it's more disturbing that the Sheriff used this opportunity to post guidelines that seemed to put the blame on the kids. "Do Not" etc. whereas the homeowners get an "Avoid" and "if at all possible". Can't we just have straight up guideline that says "DO NOT open fire on cars filled with teenagers"? That seems to be the most important one. Only in Florida could the attempted murder of children be viewed as the fault of the children. What a sick place.

The guy is an idiot and probably a psycho but it's more disturbing that the Sheriff used this opportunity to post guidelines that seemed to put the blame on the kids. "Do Not" etc. whereas the homeowners get an "Avoid" and "if at all possible". Can't we just have straight up guideline that says "DO NOT open fire on cars filled with teenagers"? That seems to be the most important one. Only in Florida could the attempted murder of children be viewed as the fault of the children. What a sick place.

[Chris James]

From the state that gave you Trayvon Martin...what did you expect? Senile citizens with guns or behind the wheel is our worst nightmare. This will all end when someone playing this game dies and the Pokémon people are sued for 25 billion dollars.

[colinian]

Isn't "Open Carry" just wonderful?

Colin