WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Authorities said at least two people are dead and five injured after a shooter entered a West Palm Beach Wendy's and shot several people.

A shooter entered the restaurant and shot several individuals around 12:10 p.m. Monday, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue spokesman Don Delucia told WPBF-TV.

The shooter killed one person and wounded at least three others.

They were in critical condition, said a Palm Beach County sheriff's spokeswoman.

Two other people had minor injuries, but it was unclear if they had been struck.

The shooter then shot and killed himself, Delucia said.

Investigators said an off-duty Palm Springs police officer was in the restaurant at the time of the shooting.

Authorities have closed a nearby road while they investigate.

Traumahawk was responding to the area, WPBF reported.

Why? I just don't understand why people do this!

We don't need to fear foreign terrorists.....

This is why I carry/conceal..... ya never know who the next crazy to walk through the door is gonna be....

MoniGram said:

Because mass stabbings are too troublesome, and folks are evil.

Imago said:

Breaks my heart!

Awful!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

We never have had to

They live in our states and neighborhoods

Born and raised

Corn fed baseball loving simple folk

pardonme4livin said:

Empress said:

You're Canadian too, right?

That kind of logic is just so far from anything we could ever understand.

JustErin said:

Yes, I am. Carrying and concealing weapons is just plain wrong. IMO - it makes these people every bit as bad as the criminals and it's how innocent people get killed too!

JustErin said:

i don't see it either. you're far more likely to kill someone innocent than be a hero.

JustErin said:

Which part Erin? The carry/conceal part?

Well let's see if your tone would change if it were you or a loved one sitting in that Wendy's or whatever and someone comes in blasting without warning and without predjudice....with no one to balance the table...that number could easily have been 20 or 30 dead.... is that better? What would you suggest as a better alternative?

I appreciate your position... I really do....as I would have had the same position 10 or 15 years ago....but times they are a changin' ladies...and if you wanna be the victim go right ahead....I won't be standin' there with my my thumb up my ass... I will be trying to save you or your loved ones...not to mention me and mine...

pardonme4livin said:

and if you accidentally shot my baby sister in the head trying to get to a gunman? what then?

evenstar said:

It's not like we don't have to go through training classes and believe me when I say this....we don't wanna draw down any more than you....but the facts are that if someone, in this case an off-duty cop, would not have been there to interfere... it would have been much worse and people like you three could have sat in your living rooms questioning why no one did anything....

evenstar said:

Exactly! People just don't get it. In my city, there have been several innocent people shot by thugs carrying guns. It disgusts me! It is illegal in my country and I'm glad that it is. Although, it still doesn't stop the thugs from killing each other every week along with poor innocent people.
[Edited 3/3/08 11:51am]

evenstar said:

Don't go getting all defensive Laurel.... do you the math here....what if someone wasn't there to stop this guy... your "baby-sister" was in the line fire anyways...at least with someone wanting to put themselves in harm's way to save innocent lives, she could have stood a chance....

pardonme4livin said:

have to love how all the canadians responded to this.
my heart sank when i read it ken.

pardonme4livin said:

more guns = more opportunities for people to die, best intentions or not. it's that simple.

pardonme4livin said:

Defensive much? Gonna shoot me?

Seriously, times are changing in your country...but not so much in mine. We don't have even remotely the same gun violence that your country has and I am pretty sure that has a lot to do with our gun control laws. The only people walking around with concealed weapons in this country are, for the most part, criminals. We don't have Joe Blows packing heat here, like you do in the US.

Empress said:

That is your opinion and I respect it... I just don't agree with it...

The law-abiding trained people who carry/conceal are not the problem...the "thugs" are....they don't follow the rules...

Incidentally.... I don't carry for pleasure.... I don't carry because it's cool... I carry because one of my occupations occasionally takes me in to hostile environments....

JustErin said:

I'm not defensive..... ya damn canuck...

Does this make you feel safer?

Here in the U.S. violent crimes involving guns are an epidemic....but not because the law-abiding citizens can carry if they want... it's because this is the land of opportunity and all the bad people seem to wanna congregate here and get theirs.... with that being said.... I'd love to not have to feel the need to carry...but my life means a lot to at least a few people (maybe no one here) so I do what I can to keep it going....

pardonme4livin said:

Your response was way more defensive than evenstar's was and yet you said she was defensive.

Sorry to break it to you but Canada is considered the land of opportunity for many, many, many as well.

So what makes you guys so different?

You're trying to say that all the bad guys come to the US and are the ones creating all the crime there?

All I kow is I feel less safe knowing there are people carrying guns around, period.

pardonme4livin said:

In all due respect, cuz I do respect and love the living hell out of you.....it isn't just criminals totin guns that you have to fear. Many of these freaks that are shootin the hell out of innocent folks, stores, and towns got the guns legally. We really do need to have a dialogue in this country on how we can institute real checks and balances when it comes to guns. I don't understand the irrational fear that gun owners/lovers have to regulation of guns. There should be waiting periods and stringent background checks and just because crooks can just pick up a gun on the street without waiting or whatever does not mean we should allow that to legally happen (gun shows etc....)

JustErin said:

Yeah... what's your point....

Maybe my response was a bit defensive...but it's easy to throw stones when no one you care for has ever been in harm's way... I can't say that... I can't even say that I have never been in harm's way.... when you are in that moment... there is only one thing you are thinking... "I wish I had a gun"...

I am not trying to sound holier than thou.... my experiences are different than yours Erin.... that's all...

evenstar said:

You are over-simplifying your position Laurel....

Maybe if you said, more guns in the hands of criminals = more .....

pardonme4livin said:

i live in a city of 200,000. last year we had 5 murders. very rarely are the deaths as a result of gunshots. more commonly they are stabbings or beatings. and frequently the victim and the accused know each other and substance abuse is involved.

so yes, that makes me feel perfectly safe.

and i hate that you feel you have to carry to protect yourself for work. wish it weren't so.

pardonme4livin said:

don't patronize me. accidental death is still death. criminals aren't the only ones who kill people with guns.

pardonme4livin said:

This is not true. This is the line that the NRA has trained gun lovers/owners to say in relation to arguments against guns. Many of these people that are shooting the shit out of innocent folks got their guns legally. IMO, guns gives some people a mentality and emboldens them in ways they wouldn't if they didn't have the guns. And yeah they can get them illegally but it shouldn't be legal for psychos to get guns and support this industry to even more and more deaths.