College St.: Young girl stabbed in fast-food restaurant

[seamusTX]

In College Station Monday around 7:30 p.m., a 12-year-old girl was stabbed in a McDonald's restaurant in the 100 block of George Bush Drive West. The girl is in ICU, currently in stable condition.

A suspect was arrested Tuesday in Houston.

Allegedly the suspect ate alone in the restaurant and then stabbed the victim as he walked out. No motive is known.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/met ... 77702.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Earlier story with surveillance photo: http://www.theeagle.com/police/Stabbing ... l-at-large" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't know what can be learned from this incident other than violence can strike anywhere without notice and for no sane reason. Also that kids are (obviously) the most vulnerable members of society, not physically capable of defending themselves in the face of an attack, and (of course) denied most means of doing so until they are out of school.

IMHO probably the guy was taking orders from the voices in his head.

- Jim

[gigag04]

That same McD's was robbed my a man with a gun at like 6 am that morning. I won't be going there...ever.

A&M was blasting out Code Maroons all day.

[RPB]

I saw this on the news; I'm hoping they don't ban knives or McDonalds will go out of business.

Every single one of these crazy nuts who tries to kill others randomly wears shoes .... they help them get from place to place to hurt MORE people, and sometimes are used in escapes ...

Legislators .... are you reading this?

[seamusTX]

That same McD's was robbed my a man with a gun at like 6 am that morning. I won't be going there...ever.

I don't know College Station at all well. Is it in a bad neighborhood? Is that the only place in College Station where a crime ever occurred?

The alleged stabber probably is going to be in the gray-bar hotel for a while

- Jim

[bnc]

I don't know College Station at all well. Is it in a bad neighborhood?
- Jim

Not really, it is right across the street from the sports complexes on campus.

[seamusTX]

Suspect was a 23-year-old male college student who lived in the area. Still no motive known. Possibly alcohol involved.

Victim is now in stable condition and able to talk to police.

http://www.wtaw.com/2011/01/12/finding- ... -stabbing/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Video: http://www.wtaw.com/?p=15795" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(I dislike watching video and didn't watch this.)

http://www.kztv10.com/news/caught-on-ta ... xas-aandm/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[BTin]

This seems shocking to me! What motive would anyone have to do this? I have never heard of anything like this. What a crazy world.

[seamusTX]

It's basically insanity.

Some people have voices in their head telling them to do violence. Often they say "the devil" is in someone or similar nonsense. This kind of mental illness emerges in the late teens to early twenties.

Alcohol and other drugs can also put someone into a violent, impulsive state.

- Jim

[ELB]

I don't know College Station at all well. Is it in a bad neighborhood?
- Jim

Not really, it is right across the street from the sports complexes on campus.

From what I see on Google Maps street view, I have been by there several times, altho I didn't eat at that McD. (I do visit the one on 801 University for the free internet connection). No it is not a "bad" part of town.

be ready 24/7 or guess right. Tough to do when you are a 12 y.o. girl.

[reality99]

It is not a particularly bad part of town, but all types of people are in there-it is a very popular fast food place likely because it is the only fast food place in the immediate area. (Another McDonalds, Taco Bell, etc on the other side of campus.) It is right at a pretty busy intersection and CS is always crawling with officers so I was surprised to hear about the robbery that happened there less than 24 hours before this, then this stabbing. Just goes to show, no matter how crowded or "safe" a place may seem, you can't drop your guard. Sad to hear this happened in my town but hopefully the girl will fully recover.

[seamusTX]

... hopefully the girl will fully recover.

We all hope so, and the médicos probably will get her patched up physically.

I shudder to think how long it will take before she feels secure and not threatened by every random stranger.

Suspect was reportedly schizo and had previous arrests: http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/113348114.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This article contains the usual stupid comments about "feeling" safe or unsafe where you live.

- Jim

[seamusTX]

In slightly related news, a suspect was arrested in the robbery that occurred the same day as the stabbing.

The suspect is described as ""heavy black female with a white shirt and purple shorts" who was seen carrying what appeared to be a handgun.

She returned to the restaurant several hours after the robbery to use the phone.

She had not been charged with the robbery as of Monday, and I didn't see a later story.

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/lo ... ode-maroon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Did McDonald's have a half-price special for nutcases that day?

BTW, it was not shorts weather in the Houston area this week. The temperature was in the 20s to 40s.

- Jim

[BTin]

Gems of wisdom from a person in "condition white": (from the article)

Lough added, "You think you're safe, and then, really, maybe not."
Lough, a Callaway Villas resident, said, "With a gated community you feel a little safer...If he has the key to get in, then it makes it not so safe."

Seriously, it is a reminder that now matter where you are, or what you are doing, to be aware!

This is also interesting:

Statement from McDonald's Franchise Owner
“Providing a safe restaurant environment for our customers and employees is always a top priority.

Just how do they do that? Personally, I think it is up to the individuals to protect themselves.

On another note, I read an interesting article that said scizophrenics are not normally dangerous, unless mixed with drugs or alcohol. Something to think about if you know some scizophrenics that are messing around with mind-altering substances.

[seamusTX]

Statement from McDonald's Franchise Owner
“Providing a safe restaurant environment for our customers and employees is always a top priority.

Just how do they do that?

They don't. Almost no place does. Anyone can walk in the door and do just about anything until the cops get there.

Even when they have security guards, the security guards are usually unarmed. And even when they have armed security, the guards are either asleep on their feet or trying to get dates with store employees.

He just needs to say that for legal and public-relations purposes.

On another note, I read an interesting article that said scizophrenics are not normally dangerous, unless mixed with drugs or alcohol.

The majority of mentally ill people are not dangerous, or are dangerous only to themselves in terms of not taking proper care of themselves.

Statistically far more violent crimes are committed by people who do not have a diagnosed mental illness.

- Jim