LEO/Ciminologists/Psycs, question please:

[BigBear]

Saw this: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/10/31...lloween-party/

Sentences in question:

... with "everybody diving for cover" when the shooting began. A man who was wounded in the back is believed to have been the target.



Questions/thoughts for those "in the know": What leads people to do drastic shootings like this? Serious question. How hard would it be to wear a mask (halloween party) and walk up to your victim, put the gun to the head and pull the trigger? Why the need for spray and pray? Why the need for even a gun if it's a true hit? I can think of four chemicals off the top of my head that can be put in a drink or injected to cause rapid heart failure. A little prick and walk away. Victim will think they bumped into someone/thing... Hit complete... Can someone expliane the pyscological aspects of spray and pray "gangsta" type hits? Just seems awefully messy to me.

[KevDen2005]

Yeah, it was Oakland, where the gangstas are!

[BigBear]

.... oh-kay.... No other thoughts?

[Byte Stryke]

.... oh-kay.... No other thoughts?

Pie

[BigBear]

mmhmmm.... pie is good. That time of the year for Pumpkin pie too!!!

(I might have to send you one if you like pumpkin, wifey makes 'em from scratch! Good stuff)

[TFOGGER]

The gang bangers are, at the root of it, cowards. They don't want to be up close and personal, they don't give a sh!t about reducing collateral damage, they just want to sit at a distance and wreak havoc, and maybe take out their target, without being in actual danger themselves. Poison would require them to get up close to their victim, and it doesn't seem "manly" enough to them.

[Irving]

Gangsters know about guns. They are not educated and poison wouldn't even occur to them.

[ghettodub]

Someone who could walk up and shoot someone in the head, or anything without any regard, pretty much demonstrates a textbook psycho/sociopath, which in essence is a total lack of empathy without concern for the consequences.

[rockhound]

hollywood, monkey see monkey do

[BigBear]

The gang bangers are, at the root of it, cowards. They don't want to be up close and personal, they don't give a sh!t about reducing collateral damage, they just want to sit at a distance and wreak havoc, and maybe take out their target, without being in actual danger themselves. Poison would require them to get up close to their victim, and it doesn't seem "manly" enough to them.

Getting up close doesn't seem manly to them, but sprayin' and usually not even hitting their target is? How do they rationalize that?... interesting.

Gangsters know about guns.

Do they? Holdin' it sideways and squeezing off rounds while they point it at an object 100 yards away?! HAHA. I understand what you're sayin' though.

Someone who could walk up and shoot someone in the head, or anything without any regard, pretty much demonstrates a textbook psycho/sociopath, which in essence is a total lack of empathy without concern for the consequences.

Rgr, and wouldn't that be what people would want in a hit man? Usuing alterante weapons (poisons, razors, etc) would be quite/quick and the perp would be easily able to slip away into a crowd...

For a hit man, you want someone without emotions, who can do teh job quickly and effieciently without drawing undue attention to themselves.... not someone that sprays and prays....

I was just wondering what the difference would be between a "hitter" and an anctual "assassin" if there is something going on in the mind.. etc...

I don't know. Just something that caught my eye with the OP news story. So many better/easier ways to do that.