NEW YORK CITY — A man opened fire shortly after an outdoor choir stopped singing and began packing up. He had two handguns, and it didn’t seem like he was there to do any harm to others. Rather, he wanted out, and he wanted out in a scenario where someone else shoots him.
A gunman shouting “Kill me!” opened fire from the steps of New York City’s Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine just after an outdoor choir performance there on Sunday, and was himself shot dead by police, according to police and a Reuters photographer at the scene.
The man got his wish after being shot in the head at least once by officers who were already at the location providing protection.
But was he really just looking to die? After the shooting, police found multiple items in a bag that beg the question: Did he have more planned?
Police recovered two semiautomatic handguns from the scene, and a bag apparently belonging to the suspect that contained a full can of gasoline, rope, wire, several knives, a Bible and tape, according to Mr Shea.
Those possible events didn’t unfold, because police acted quickly to stop a deadly threat.
Every single citizen in the line of fire, however, was likely ill-prepared for such an encounter. It’s extremely rare for an average citizen to have a concealed carry permit within city limits, unless of course you’re a politician or have piles of cash laying around to buy your way into the Freedom Club.
