A quiet place like Iowa is not where you expect a former city manager attending a meeting in a courthouse to whip out a handgun and attempt to shoot the County Assessor.
Oh I don't know about that.
Me and LarryP knew a feller that might could be capable of such behavior.
I don't recall the feller's name but I'm sure Larry does. . Larry had way more dealings with him than I. He was only in our offices a few times when I was not in the field yet those days.
He was a very large individual with an obnoxious way about him you can't miss. He would talk on his cell phone while in our office so loud as if he needed everyone to hear how important [he thought] he was.
I got no use for people like that.
We had something similar happen in our courthouse (rural town population of around 7000), only this one involved a court case.
It prompted major security upgrades on ALL county buildings.
First of all the courthouse now has a very expensive walk through metal detector. There are 2 sheriff deputies (working overtime shifts) there during all work hours. You have to shed yourself of all metal objects and leave your pocket knife with the deputies.
The second thing that happened is that all of the people working in other departments, now feared for their lives because this happened around 2001. Now all of the receptionist hide behind bullet proof glass and there are security cameras everywhere.
Really changed the atmosphere of the work environment. I think it is all knee jerk reactions, but the consensus is that it is worth every penny if it saves just one life and it makes everyone feel safe.
> He would talk on his cell phone while in our office so loud as if he needed everyone to hear how important [he thought] he was.
Whenever I hear someone talking in the office or a public place real loud like that, I have always been tempted to talk back to them real loud as though I thought they were talking to me. you know: him: hey, how ya been? me: not so bad, and you?, him: did you get those plans I sent you? Me: What plans? I don't remember anything about plans.
I think it would be real funny, but I am sure I would want to at least be a lot bigger than the guy I was mocking...:-)
As to loud, obnoxious people with guns living in small rural communities; I agree, what's so odd about that?
