Shots fired at Capitol in Austin

[Mike1951]

Not much known now.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34978187/ns ... nd_courts/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AUSTIN, Texas - One person was in custody after gunshots were fired on the south steps of the state Capitol on Thursday, police said. It wasn't immediately clear if anybody was injured.

More than half a dozen Texas Department of Public Safety cars descended on the Capitol Thursday afternoon, and officers toting rifles surrounded the building in Austin.

Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Lisa Block said the building was on lockdown.

A witnesses said he heard about three or four shots fired.

No other details were immediately available.

Check for more details on this developing story.

[Keith B]

Apparently Capitol Security swarmed the guy immediately and took him into custody. So far there were no injuries reported.

[STI Shooter]

Is there any information on what the shooting was about?

[John112709]

on the steps of the Capitol? I hope this doesn't stir up any anti gun stuff.
For the law abiding citizens of course.

[joe817]

More news coming in:

http://www.kxan.com/subindex/news/texas" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hot ... 28450.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100121/ap_ ... ol_gunfire" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Keith B]

Let's hope Fausto dosen't have a CHL.

[OldCannon]

Let's hope Fausto dosen't have a CHL.

If nothing else, you can be certain he doesn't have one now

[Oldgringo]

on the steps of the Capitol? I hope this doesn't stir up any anti gun stuff.
For the law abiding citizens of course.

Anti gun stuff in Austin, surely you jest?

[Mike1951]

It will probably turn out that he bought the gun from a private seller at one of the Austin gun shows.

Setup, anyone???

[GhostTX]

http://guanabee.com/2010/01/shooting-at ... e-capital/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The stupidity of the press never ceases to amaze me.

[John112709]

on the steps of the Capitol? I hope this doesn't stir up any anti gun stuff.
For the law abiding citizens of course.

Anti gun stuff in Austin, surely you jest?

I was on the sarcastic side.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

When this story had just broken, I brought it up
with a guy and he said "Just another dissatisfied voter!!"

SIA

[stevie_d_64]

Republican Senator Dan Patrick stated that we need to revisit the security and screening of visitors to the capitol, including the use of searches, metal detectors, additional security personnel, etc etc etc...

Needless to say that is wrong from our standpoint...And this is going to be an issue needing resolution before it gets out of hand...

I would urge those to get a hold of their elected officials and tell them that jumping to conclusions runs both ways...

People worked very hard to get SB501 back in 2005 into place, and it needs to be reinforced, and not reversed just because of something like this...And the workarounds that Houston put into place at their facilities does not need to be implemented at the State Capitol...

We should stand strong and united on this...No exceptions!!!

I do not accept the additional scrutiny or infringements that are being suggested just because we carry a firearm for lawful self-defensive purposes...Nor do I accept special badging, disarming or other measures that call special attention to myself because of this incident!!!

We need to communicate this to those folks, and make it stick before the "reasonable" gun-control crowd gets into their discussions...And we need to move fast, faster than the opposition...

[joe817]

Republican Senator Dan Patrick stated that we need to revisit the security and screening of visitors to the capitol, including the use of searches, metal detectors, additional security personnel, etc etc etc...

I don't know if a revision of security would have done any good in this case. Wasn't the guy shooting a rifle? I thought I saw one news account that he was.

Somebody, please correct me if I'm in error.

[stevie_d_64]

Republican Senator Dan Patrick stated that we need to revisit the security and screening of visitors to the capitol, including the use of searches, metal detectors, additional security personnel, etc etc etc...

I don't know if a revision of security would have done any good in this case. Wasn't the guy shooting a rifle? I thought I saw one news account that he was.

Somebody, please correct me if I'm in error.

No, it was a handgun of unknown type and caliber (AFAIK)...The shooter went to go visit a girl that worked for Dan, and when he (shooter) didn't get anywhere with her, he (shooter) took it outside and on the pink granite of the capitol walls...

Whether the shooter was going to do something (bad) to the girl has yet to be determined...The shooter from what I heard was from Houston...

Bottom line...We need to make sure the gun control reaction doesn't get any traction because of this incident...

If Dan feels like he is in danger while working in his office...Well, I know some reputable folks that can help him figure out a more direct solution for that "fear" or concern...He knows better than this...

And we need to get his compadres down the hall from him to help him see this in the right way...

His call for reviewing the security and screening procedures needs to be redirected, at best...