Gunman holding hostages in Edmonton building

Tags: News, Canada, Hostages, Edmonton, Gunman
Email this Topic • Print this Page

Read Discussion
Reply to All

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/topstories/2009/10/21/tp-edmonton-hostage_1.jpg

Police are seen outside the Workers' Compensation Board building in Edmonton where a gunman is said to be holding hostages. (CBC)

Police surrounded the Workers' Compensation Board building in downtown Edmonton Wednesday morning where employees say an armed man is holding hostages on the eighth floor.

An employee from the third floor told CBC News reporter Trish Estabrooks that as many as nine hostages were being held.

Police have been busy securing the building, and have not confirmed the report about hostages.

One employee who got out of the building told CBC News reporter David Gerow that a tall bald man entered the building with a gun, and that one shot was fired, but no one was injured.

Police are making no comment.

About 1,000 people work in the building and many of them streamed out to call friends and relatives to tell them they were OK.

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link/Embed

Type: Discussion • Score: 11 • Views: 542 • Replies: 28

@djjd62,

Not a surprise. The only surprise (to me) is that it's getting coverage.

2 Replies

@ehBeth,

Could you be a bit more expansive on that? Why is it no surprise that there is a hostage situation? Why would this not get coverage ordinarily?

2 Replies

@Merry Andrew,

Lots of incidents with guns/other weapons and worker's comp offices across the country. They rarely get any coverage.

Similar to subway jumpers. There are several a day in Toronto. There is coverage of MAYBE a dozen a year. The other 500 - 600 are pffft not news.

0 Replies

@Merry Andrew,

i'm not so sure about the coverage comment, but as for the no surprise, well workers compensation and coverage (or lack of) can be a pretty contentious issue

1 Reply

@djjd62,

Insurance generally, workers comp specifically.

There's a reason workers comp offices are usually in high security buildings.

0 Replies

That guy can THANK the gun control laws
for his continued life beyond a few seconds
after he took hostages; some of them
might well have defended themselves.

David

1 Reply

@OmSigDAVID,

Yeah, some guy is pointing a gun at you (maybe from behind you at your head) and you're going to reach around and grab your weapon. No way he would shoot you first? Let's be real.

2 Replies

@Green Witch,

c'mon
that's why all the guys have mirrors at their desks
isn't it?

0 Replies

Quote:

a tall bald man

Yikes, that's pretty scary. I would have assumed short, dark and italian but certainly not tall and bald.

0 Replies

@ehBeth,

Locally, I'm still surprised at the relative security at government offices. Social Security office has an armed guard. Internal Revenue Service - nothing.

0 Replies

Workers comp. is the most evil organization in Canada. I've never had to deal with them thankfully, but my ex-mother in law worked there for years. That says a lot, believe me.
Workers comp is an insurance program all employers, in each province, must contribute to. It was set up to protect the worker in times of injury - and protect the employer from a law suit.
However, the is a privately owned business, is privately run under the auspices of the government. They have no competition and are notorious for screwing workers around.
This in hardly the first time hostages have been taken, at least in Edmonton. The last one happened in Calgary a few years ago. There used to be a permanent stickers and signs of discontent on the property, but they successfully had these demonstrations blocked.
EVIL

0 Replies

On a happier note, George W. was in town last night and was met with 200 protesters.

1 Reply

@Ceili,

... and a standing ovation.

1 Reply

@engineer,

engineer wrote:

... and a standing ovation.

Alberta is Canada's Texas. Can't spout statistics but I suspect it is also the most politically conservative.

1 Reply

@Tai Chi,

Something about the oil & gas business?

1 Reply

@roger,

roger wrote:

Something about the oil & gas business?

And cowboy boots and hats Very Happy

0 Replies

@Green Witch,

Green Witch wrote:

Yeah, some guy is pointing a gun at you (maybe from behind you at your head)
and you're going to reach around and grab your weapon.
No way he would shoot you first? Let's be real.

The reality IS
that some of the folks have better things to do with their time
than to hang around being hostages. While he has his gun pointed
as u described, other armed guys woud take his flank and take him out, fast.

One bad guy with his gun
does not amount to much,
when a lot of good guys (his victims), with their guns,
are ready to defend themselves: good bye to him.
The whole idea is a contest of power.

David

0 Replies

Yup, it's conservative alright. Had the same party in gov. for the last 40 years. Alberta has 16 million cows, 4 million people. Oil, gas, tar sands, forestry and so on. Very wealthy. Edmonton has always been more left than the rest of the province. Calgary was the first place to book Bush after he left the White House @ $400 a pop. In Edmonton, seats were $100 and not all were fans, most were just curious it seems.

Gunman holding hostages in Edmonton building

Related Topics