lol ... what ??? he was pointing the gun at himself and calling for police to shoot him.
...
strong empathy for fellow man. I bet you're an arm rest hog too.
And what empathy did that man show for his fellow man? He clearly still had the capacity to have it, because he felt it for his kids.
I heard reports (perhaps in conflict) indicating that he pointed the gun at himself
and others (and I believe the latter one first, I believe at some elderly people).
He was endangering the well being of other people. He only called for police to shoot him
after most of the mall was evacuated and police actually arrived. In another sliding doors moment, we could've had a Port Arthur situation (of course not to that extent, but who is to say there could not have been casualties). This is not like some bloke on the top of a roof about to throw himself off it.
Also, if some of the last few massacres have shown us, in most cases the gunmen take their lives after disposing of their victims. Who was to say at the time that this man was not primed to do the same thing (kill himself rather than give himself up)?
Fair enough giving him the benefit of the doubt as it were, but at the time that the situation occurred, he caused a situation which amounted to that which could endanger the lives of many people. If it were a situation only to endanger himself, that does not demand an entire mall to be evacuated.
Having had mental problems before, I don't know about others, but I may expect others to understand I have mental issues but I do not expect them to excuse me for any consequential damage I cause to others (e.g. physical threats, property damage, etc.). I could never forgive myself if I physically harmed or killed someone in the course of experiencing a mental episode. Truth be told (and I say this now as having "recovered" from my condition), I'd probably want to take my life too. I couldn't live the rest of my life with that kind of shame, let alone the social condemnation of being a criminal.
People can have mental conditions and issues - that does not dissolve them of their responsibilities. (It also stands to reason that many criminals who have clearly been malicious have used mental illness as a court defense but with malice; that is truly sad and is more insulting to the understanding of mental illnesses compared to the lack of understanding at all).
In the end, there is no excuse for that kind of conduct. He endangered other people's lives. And at the time when this incident was reported, the only information at hand was that he had a gun, the mall was being evacuated and he had pointed the gun at others. It only transpired later that he was mentally disturbed, and I'm sure that if he had managed to shoot someone I'd be very surprised if you would be prepared to "forgive" him for that act of manslaughter due to his mental condition.
And for whatever it is worth, I am not an arm rest hog - quite the opposite. But... I'm sure I've burned a prejudgement of myself into your mind which I can't change, so be it.
I've been depressed before. I know mental illnesses are not well understood nor accepted by society. I recognise the stigma. But depressed people are still people of society. They have their rights and responsibilities. It does not give you a "free pass" to flout the law. And it certainly doesn't give you the right to threaten the lives of others. So for one moment don't any of you think I know nothing about being mentally ill. (In fact, in a sliding doors moment, I may not even be here to type this post.)
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well done!!! but sadly now...the police will be subject to an inquiry 
(just for doing their job to protect society)!! and no doubt there will be a lawyer out there (with dollar signs in their eyes) willing to defend this guy!! 
