Psych Patient Killed after attack on Mass Gen Doc

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I was right near MGH when it happened. I couldn't see anything, but there were a bunch of helicopters flying around.
 
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Now I am really looking forward to my psychiatry rotation next semester! Perhaps I should brush up on my martial arts skills.
 
Look at this poll they have on the site:


Herald Pulse


Which is more terrifying: A psych patient with a knife or an armed off-duty security guard?
The psych patient with a knife, you can’t know his motivation

The off-duty guard. Does he have the right training?

Neither, the doctor is lucky the guard didn’t hesitate

The real question is how many others are packing?
 
How crappy is MGH security?? I was under the impression that the man who shot and killed the patient was a security guard who worked there. I find it a little odd that a random guy with a gun shows up and just starts firing. How'd he even get in there??
 
Chops369 said:
How crappy is MGH security?? I was under the impression that the man who shot and killed the patient was a security guard who worked there. I find it a little odd that a random guy with a gun shows up and just starts firing. How'd he even get in there??
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weirder things can happen, cops are in the hospital all the time (although he was off duty though). maybe he was like the cop (matt dillon) from crash and he was checking up on a relative. i wouldn't say its too ludacris
 
brooklynblunder said:
weirder things can happen, cops are in the hospital all the time (although he was off duty though). maybe he was like the cop (matt dillon) from crash and he was checking up on a relative. i wouldn't say its too ludacris
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He wasn't even a cop, just a random joe-schmo security guard.
 
Class2014 said:
why do they have to post where she lives and describe her home? Is that important?
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They didn't. The google maps thing is the location of a previous incident:

"On Thursday, a Level 3 sex offender allegedly attempted to rape a 27-year-old female employee of the hospital, located near today’s attack on Staniford Street. "
 
Chops369 said:
He wasn't even a cop, just a random joe-schmo security guard.
Click to expand...
wrong. he is special operations, usually contracted in the private sector, and had completed police academy training. It is unreported at this time whether or not he had a concealed weapons permit.
 
MGH security is fantastic. At least in my experience, people are rarely searched for weapons when going into research clinics, so it does not really reflect on security either way.
 
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Psych patients are unstable and can be a danger to others? No way! At least this vindicates the fact that he was locked up - too bad they couldn't/didn't prevent him from hurting the doctor.

Nikki2002 said:
Look at this poll they have on the site:


Herald Pulse


Which is more terrifying: A psych patient with a knife or an armed off-duty security guard?
The psych patient with a knife, you can’t know his motivation

The off-duty guard. Does he have the right training?

Neither, the doctor is lucky the guard didn’t hesitate

The real question is how many others are packing?
Click to expand...

I know, that poll is ******ed.
 
Hoody said:
wrong. he is special operations, usually contracted in the private sector, and had completed police academy training. It is unreported at this time whether or not he had a concealed weapons permit.
Click to expand...
Would you mind enlightening me with the source that you got this from? I didn't see it in the linked article, which clearly says that he was an off-duty security guard.

MGH security is fantastic. At least in my experience, people are rarely searched for weapons when going into research clinics, so it does not really reflect on security either way.
Click to expand...
I'm not saying everyone should be frisked on their way in, but I think there should be some kind of way to prevent just anyone from walking into their psychiatrist's office with a knife.
 
Slack3r said:
The guy was 6'4" 300 lbs. That's NFL linebacker size. A female doctor isn't going to have much of "guard" against a guy that size regardless.
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Uh, yeah, neither would most guys. That's huge. Need fat-seeking missiles for that one, j/k.
 
Ehh. I used to volunteer at a State Hospital and found most of the population to be non-hostile and just wanted to go about living their life just like everyone else. But, just like in the "normal" population, there will be those with hot tempers and who are prone to violence. So, when you couple that with a disorder in which one is paranoid you get this. I never felt in any sort of danger when I volunteered. However, if I ever came across specific individuals I would keep an eye out for myself and others. It's those ones that give the population a bad rep. You're most likely to experience violence from people within the "normal" population than you are from someone within the psychiatric population. That is from multiple studies and not just some random b.s. that I made up.
 
guess their wages go up with the sudden drop in supply of psy doctors.

:p

hope the doc gets well soon!
 
Hoody said:
wrong. he is special operations, usually contracted in the private sector, and had completed police academy training. It is unreported at this time whether or not he had a concealed weapons permit.
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He may or may not have completed the academy, but it's not a requirement for being a Boston special, and no such training is noted in this article:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/10/mgh_slaying_to.html

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/10/boston_police_r_1.html

Hopefully he had CCW license for that gat, otherwise, righteous or not, he's done.
 
ILikeDrugs said:
Ehh. I used to volunteer at a State Hospital and found most of the population to be non-hostile and just wanted to go about living their life just like everyone else. But, just like in the "normal" population, there will be those with hot tempers and who are prone to violence. So, when you couple that with a disorder in which one is paranoid you get this. I never felt in any sort of danger when I volunteered. However, if I ever came across specific individuals I would keep an eye out for myself and others. It's those ones that give the population a bad rep. You're most likely to experience violence from people within the "normal" population than you are from someone within the psychiatric population. That is from multiple studies and not just some random b.s. that I made up.
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lol, I'd like to see the design of those studies. Of course you're more likely to be victimized by a "normal" person, they're not socially isolated. But I'm nitpicking a bit. I would not be surprised if there was a correlation between propensity for violence and some mental illness, but I would also be surprised if it was a strong one. As far as being less likely to be violent than the regular population, that I highly doubt, though this is largely based upon my own anecdotal experiences. Need proof. :)
 
tkim said:
Hopefully he had CCW license for that gat, otherwise, righteous or not, he's done.
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My first thought was well that guy's f*cked.
The family of the guy he shot is going to sue him and probably the hospital.. Hey, maybe even his psychiatrist for not predicting the violent attack.
 
Well, I am glad that I am 6'2" and athletic, although I never imagined that would confer any kind of advantage as a doc. But I guess, if a patient is trying to kill you, survival of the fittest in hand to hand combat.
 
tkim said:
He may or may not have completed the academy, but it's not a requirement for being a Boston special, and no such training is noted in this article:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/10/mgh_slaying_to.html

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/10/boston_police_r_1.html

Hopefully he had CCW license for that gat, otherwise, righteous or not, he's done.
Click to expand...
I'm looking for the article that said he did complete the academy....in some quotes his dad made. I'll post as soon as I find it. I know appearances aren't everything (or anything for that matter) but he doesn't look like a dude that would be intentionally breaking the law packing heat like that.

Any update on how the Doc is doing?
 
bannie22 said:
guess their wages go up with the sudden drop in supply of psy doctors.

:p

hope the doc gets well soon!
Click to expand...

I don't know if you're joking, but I'm continuously surprised by how many people, and pre-meds especially, think that medicine actually works on a supply and demand basis. True market forces are nowhere to be found in the American health care system.
 
sustentacular said:
My first thought was well that guy's f*cked.
The family of the guy he shot is going to sue him and probably the hospital.. Hey, maybe even his psychiatrist for not predicting the violent attack.
Click to expand...

You're probably right... and thats what's ****ed up about this country.

What should he have done? Call the police and watch while this guy kills the doc?
 
Nikki2002 said:
Look at this poll they have on the site:


Herald Pulse


Which is more terrifying: A psych patient with a knife or an armed off-duty security guard?
The psych patient with a knife, you can’t know his motivation

The off-duty guard. Does he have the right training?

Neither, the doctor is lucky the guard didn’t hesitate

The real question is how many others are packing?
Click to expand...

you must be a democratic? who cares. I'm sure he has a license to carry it around and good thing he was carrying too. I just got my license for carry for reasons like this. You never know what/who you'll run into and you have to defend yourself.
 
Nikki2002 said:
Look at this poll they have on the site:


Herald Pulse


Which is more terrifying: A psych patient with a knife or an armed off-duty security guard?
The psych patient with a knife, you can’t know his motivation

The off-duty guard. Does he have the right training?

Neither, the doctor is lucky the guard didn’t hesitate

The real question is how many others are packing?
Click to expand...

Seriously...who cares? It's not like everyone who carries is looking to be Johnny Cowboy all the time; it's about being prepared in the event of a violent encounter instead of being caught off guard with no means of defense.
 
dukemed22 said:
You're probably right... and thats what's ****ed up about this country.

What should he have done? Call the police and watch while this guy kills the doc?
Click to expand...


The security guard did the right thing, blow the guy away. Give him a medal. Sure there will be lawsuits, given our system, but in this situation, protect the poor doc, and end this guy's miserable existence with a head shot.
 
Hoody said:
I'm looking for the article that said he did complete the academy....in some quotes his dad made. I'll post as soon as I find it. I know appearances aren't everything (or anything for that matter) but he doesn't look like a dude that would be intentionally breaking the law packing heat like that.

Any update on how the Doc is doing?
Click to expand...

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/21452266/detail.html

"Langone graduated from a Special Police Officer training program in April, according to John DeGutis, of John A DeGutis Jr. Consulting Services. The course is certified through the Boston Police Department Academy.

The 160-hour program included verbal judo, use of deadly force, use of pepper spray, handcuffing, use and defense of edged weapons, firearm safety and prisoner control, DeGutis said."

It's a course certified by the academy, but it is not academy training, and certainly not the equivalent of a full police academy program.
 
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