LA Fitness Shootings

Posted By Cliff Tuttle | August 5, 2009

Posted by Cliff Tuttle (c) 2009

Nobody was suspicious when a gym bag was brought into a health club by a man dressed in workout clothes. Chances are, most of the people at LA Fitness were carrying them. This made the shooting spree that occurred at the Collier Township facility for all practical purposes, unpreventable.

It has been only a few months since three City of Pittsburgh Police officers were gunned down while responding to a routine domestic dispute call. And this latest event took place not far from the site of some of the Baumhammer multiple killings, still fresh in the memory of Pittsburghers. Is this going to become a regular event? Will we cease to feel that wave of shock and disgust when we first hear about it? Will it become so common that it will effect too many of our lives, like casualties in a war of attrition?

Security stations have multiplied. You cannot go into the courthouse or PNC Park or Heinz Field without passing through some kind of security check. But there are many more places where people congregate by the hundreds or thousands. Too many to cover them all.

So, what else are we to do about security? Put in metal detectors everywhere? Search bags at the door everywhere?

The truth is, that as devastating as such a tragedy is, the chances of it happening at this or at any other specific location are incredibly small. We will just have to live with the risk and go on with our lives.

CLT

Welcome

CLIFF TUTTLE has been a Pennsylvania lawyer for over 45 years and (inter alia) is a real estate litigator and legal writer. The posts in this blog are intended to provide general information about legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus. However, this information does not constitute legal advice and there is no lawyer-client relationship created when you read this blog. You are encouraged to leave comments but be aware that posted comments can be read by others. If you wish to contact me in privacy, please use the Contact Form located immediately below this message. I will reply promptly and in strict confidence.

Subscribe to our feed