Turns out there isn't a Gunman with long rifle and body armor at MIT

The Something Awful Forums > Main > General Bullshit > Turns out there isn't a Gunman with long rifle and body armor at MIT

cheezit: Jan 9, 2004; sleep?

From the MIT Emergency page:

quote:

This morning information was received from Cambridge Police that there was a person with a long rifle and body armor in the Main Group Building of MIT. Multiple law enforcement agencies have responded. Stay indoors and shelter in place and report suspicious activity to the campus police dispatch at 617 253 1212 or dial 100 from a campus phone. More updates to follow.

http://emergency.mit.net/emergency/

There isn't much information, but it seems an email was sent out at MIT warning students to stay inside as a gunman with a long rifle was reported.

There are some other twitter announcements, but nothing else. Let's hope it's nothing.

http://www.breakingnews.com/topic/g...mit-feb-23-2013

# ? Feb 23, 2013 14:59

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# ? May 24, 2013 22:59

onemanlan: Oct 4, 2006; I HAVE A MAN CRUSH ON YOU TOO, YOU LOVABLE FAGGOT!

I hope this gets diffused soon. Hopefully this isn't a crazy professor like in Huntsville, AL.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 15:03

Young Freud: Nov 25, 2006; My old avatar sucked anyway.

Bet it's some dumbass college airsofter that got spotted going out to a game.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 15:04

thehumandignity: Aug 17, 2011; You see? 10 bucks. I could have bought 2 new titles with that.

What on earth is going on over there? I'm starting to believe the tinfoil hats about fluoride in the drinking water.

Is this one of those things where a fairly common thing suddenly becomes widespread in public perception, therefore the media reports on it more frequently and thoroughly, thus increasing said perception?

# ? Feb 23, 2013 15:14

Nessus: Dec 22, 2003; robot whores
come before
a cure for
cancer

thehumandignity posted:

What on earth is going on over there? I'm starting to believe the tinfoil hats about fluoride in the drinking water.

Is this one of those things where a fairly common thing suddenly becomes widespread in public perception, therefore the media reports on it more frequently and thoroughly, thus increasing said perception?

I think research has demonstrated that widespread gala news coverage actually increases the chance of more shootings because the people who might do so figure (I abbreviate heavily here), "Hey, then I'll get to be on the news, and everyone will know who I am and talk about me!"

But hopefully, yeah, it's just an airsofter someone saw.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 15:16

tentawesome: May 13, 2010; COULD THEY REALLY BE WANTING OF AN ABSENCE OF NATURE?

thehumandignity posted:

What on earth is going on over there? I'm starting to believe the tinfoil hats about fluoride in the drinking water.

Is this one of those things where a fairly common thing suddenly becomes widespread in public perception, therefore the media reports on it more frequently and thoroughly, thus increasing said perception?

I think it's this. Mass shootings happen about 20 times a year in the US (source).

MIT is a cool place, though, I hope it's just a mistake

# ? Feb 23, 2013 15:16

mdemone: Mar 14, 2001; DEATH FART PITY FUCK

thehumandignity posted:

Is this one of those things where a fairly common thing suddenly becomes widespread in public perception, therefore the media reports on it more frequently and thoroughly, thus increasing said perception?

No, I'd say there are just more fellas walking around these days in body armor with a long rifle on school campuses. Plus the copycat effect, as mentioned above.

Edit: Apparently also more paranoid people?

mdemone fucked around with this message at Feb 23, 2013 around 15:26

# ? Feb 23, 2013 15:16

Luigi Thirty: Apr 30, 2006; Emergency confection port.

thehumandignity posted:

What on earth is going on over there? I'm starting to believe the tinfoil hats about fluoride in the drinking water.

Is this one of those things where a fairly common thing suddenly becomes widespread in public perception, therefore the media reports on it more frequently and thoroughly, thus increasing said perception?

It's a combination of the copycat effect and 24 hour news media. Like the SUMMER OF SHARKS a few years ago where 4 shark attacks in 6 months was the end times apocalypse. Before you would have read an article about this after it happens, now they poo poo themselves to get ratings and moral panic out of it.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 15:21

Colonel Pancreas: Jun 17, 2004

https://twitter.com/CambridgePolice...335980125212672

Police just ruled the scene clear.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 15:23

seventeen: Jan 2, 2005; Do not try and score on the powerplay. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth.

What truth?

There is no powerplay.

Im working at mit right now. This is nerve wrecking

# ? Feb 23, 2013 15:25

Mercrom: Jul 17, 2009

Thank's for the heads up. Now I can watch the news like a ~~hawk~~ vulture in anticipation for some action.

Also I sincerely hope nothing bad happens, honest.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 15:37

The Bananana: May 21, 2008; This is a metaphor, a Christian allegory. The fact that I have to explain to you that Jesus is the Warthog, and the Banana is drepanocytosis is just embarrassing for you.

Here we go again.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 15:40

cheezit: Jan 9, 2004; sleep?

Colonel Pancreas posted:

https://twitter.com/CambridgePolice...335980125212672

Police just ruled the scene clear.

Call was unfounded. I hope these don't become the new bomb threats.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 15:44

octoroon: May 8, 2010

cheezit posted:

Call was unfounded. I hope these don't become the new bomb threats.

I'm sure there are tons of false alarms all the time, the national media just wouldn't pick up on them as readily outside of the current climate.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 15:47

Zeno-25: Dec 5, 2009

Young Freud posted:

Bet it's some dumbass college airsofter that got spotted going out to a game.

You'd think everyone at MIT would be conscious enough to not do something like that after that one guy caused a panic carrying a 7' replica Halo sniper rifle down the street.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:00

Beach Bum: Jan 13, 2010

I got the cops called on me once riding my bike to church with a cased UNLOADED long gun and a backpack on over it down the street to church (we had a church clay-pigeon shoot every year... I grew up in the South, shutup).

People are probably just paranoid and calling in anything they deem remotely threatening because of all the coverage of late.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:02

Omnicarus: Jan 16, 2006

A Long rifle? Like a rifled musket? I've not heard the term long rifle used in regards to modern weaponry well..ever.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:03

seventeen: Jan 2, 2005; Do not try and score on the powerplay. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth.

What truth?

There is no powerplay.

I can't present this as 100% fact but my boss at MIT has me under the impression this was a prank call rather than a case of mistaken identity

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:03

Wooten: Oct 4, 2004

Omnicarus posted:

A Long rifle? Like a rifled musket? I've not heard the term long rifle used in regards to modern weaponry well..ever.

Long rifle or long gun is a common term for rifles and shotguns, its actually the term used on the 4473 form you fill out for your background check.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:04

VectorSigma: Jan 20, 2004; Transform
and
Freak Out

I hope this is just a false alarm. I'd be disappointed in the lack of robots and/or lasers being involved with a shooting at MIT.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:07

ClemenSalad: Oct 25, 2012; Can't post for 6 days!

Omnicarus posted:

A Long rifle? Like a rifled musket? I've not heard the term long rifle used in regards to modern weaponry well..ever.

A long rifle is the correct term.

edit beaten

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:12

Ashenai: Oct 5, 2005; You taught me language;
and my profit on't
Is, I know how to curse.

seventeen posted:

I can't present this as 100% fact but my boss at MIT has me under the impression this was a prank call rather than a case of mistaken identity

I like that a prank call can easily make national news these days, if you pick the right angle for it.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:25

slomomofo: Apr 14, 2001

Might want to update OP now that the show's over.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:27

Tornado Lazers: Mar 4, 2008; VAGINA AVOIDER; LEADER OF THE BIBLE STUDY GROUP; WETTEST BLANKET

I prefer my rifles to be extremely short

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:28

NoodleBox: Jul 11, 2009

Tornado Lazers posted:

I prefer my rifles to be extremely short

It ain't the size of the pole that matters, its the size of the hole

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:30

Harrower: Nov 30, 2002; Putting small sons in the dumpster.

Omnicarus posted:

A Long rifle? Like a rifled musket? I've not heard the term long rifle used in regards to modern weaponry well..ever.

This is because the sensationalist media usual defaults to ASSAULT WEAPON or HIGH POWERED RIFLE regardless of what is actually being used.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:34

Omnicarus: Jan 16, 2006

Ah, well, I learned something today.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:35

KilGrey: Mar 13, 2005; You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? Just put your lips together and blow...

VectorSigma posted:

I hope this is just a false alarm. I'd be disappointed in the lack of robots and/or lasers being involved with a shooting at MIT.

This was my first thought as well. Come on, you're a MIT student, you gotta step it up!

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:48

Dolphin: Dec 5, 2008

NoodleBox posted:

It ain't the size of the pole that matters, its the size of the hole

So you're saying you're into sounding.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 16:48

Rujo King: Jun 28, 2007; I say old chap have you any of the good sort of catnip if you know what I mean... harrumphaarmaammhhhmm

Tornado Lazers posted:

I prefer my rifles to be extremely short

As stipulated in the National Firearms Genitalia Metaphor Act, mine falls under the category of "Any Other Weapon" (AOW).

# ? Feb 23, 2013 19:05

Spacedad: Sep 11, 2001; We go play orbital catch around the curvature of the earth, son.

Yep - News is calling it a hoax from multiple sources.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 20:16

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# ? May 24, 2013 22:59

Blast of Confetti: Apr 21, 2008

seventeen posted:

I can't present this as 100% fact but my boss at MIT has me under the impression this was a prank call rather than a case of mistaken identity

Isn't that a felony? False reporting, especially about a gunman, is a pretty loving big no-no.

# ? Feb 23, 2013 20:19

The Something Awful Forums > Main > General Bullshit > Turns out there isn't a Gunman with long rifle and body armor at MIT