Shooting at LA Fitness in Collier Twp, Near Pittsburgh, PA - 4 Dead, 10 Wounded

[MountNittany]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/08/04/pennsylvania.gym.shooting/index.html

5 die in gym shooting near Pittsburgh

* Story Highlights
* NEW: Witness says shooter targeted Latin dance class
* Shooting at LA Fitness gym leaves as many as 15 hurt
* Shooter reportedly among the dead (would be sixth)
* Gym is in Collier Township, Pennsylvania

(CNN) -- A shooting at an LA Fitness gym outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, killed five people and wounded as many as 15 on Tuesday, a local official said.

The shooter is among the fatalities, said Gary Vituccio, manager of Collier Township.

Allegheny General Hospital reported receiving two wounded patients at its trauma center, Mercy Hospital had six and St. Clair had one. No other details were immediately available.

Perry Calabro of nearby Bridgeville said he was between racquetball games at the gym when he suddenly heard screaming and multiple gunshots. He said he ran out and didn't see the gunman or others.

Witnesses told CNN affiliate WTAE that a man unrecognized by the gym's staff shot people in a Latin dance class.

A witness identified as Nicole told WTAE that about 30 women were in the class when "a middle-aged white male walked into the class. He had a big gym bag."

"He looked out of place in a class full of women," according to the witness, who told WTAE the man put down the bag, turned off the lights and opened fire.

Apparently, his girlfriend broke up with him, and he knew that she was going to the fitness club that night. He went into the club with a duffle bag, turned out the lights in an aerobics room, and opened fire.

My condolences to the families and victims.

Update: Four confirmed dead, and they believe that it is six.

Too close to home for me

 

[Feralpeg]

How very sad.

 

[betsywdw]

I am so sick over this right now. We live about 10 minutes from this facility.

My DH is a member there and I canceled my membership a few months ago. DH normally would have went tonight around 9:30 but obviously did not.

What is wrong with people

 

[MountNittany]

I am so sick over this right now. We live about 10 minutes from this facility.

My DH is a member there and I canceled my membership a few months ago. DH normally would have went tonight around 9:30 but obviously did not.

What is wrong with people

Ah

All over a person breaking up with his girlfriend.

 

[betsywdw]

Ah

All over a person breaking up with his girlfriend.

No kidding...just disgusting! You just never know when/where something like this will happen

I agree...way too close to home!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I just heard about this. I missed the news tonight . We were out tonight since its DH's birthday. I live about 1/2 hour from where it happened, but work at St. Clair hospital which is right up the road.

I agree what the heck is wrong with people.

 

[Starbrite]

I stayed up all night watching the news coverage, but they weren't releasing too many details yet. Any new updates this morning?

Did they learn the condition of the instructor? Did she make it? Apparently, she just announced to the group that she was pregnant & this would be her last class.

Very sad all around

 

[browneyes106]

I read about this awhile ago and I read some of the shooter's online site and it seems he had planning for a long time.

 

[Cantw8]

What a sickening piece of crap he was The coward even turned out the lights, I'm guessing he didn't have the cajones to look his victims in the eyes while he shot them

 

[Heidict]

He didn't have a girlfriend. At least, according to his blog.http://georgesodini.com/20090804.htm

He had serious mother issues and a father who wasn't there. He had been planning on this for a long time.

 

[mickeylove2]

That's crazy!!! We had a scary situation here over the weekend that could have ended up very bad but thankfully didn't. I was out at a local bar with a couple of friends on Saturday night and this guy was getting obnoxious so he was escorted out, in the parking lot he refused to leave and was carrying on. Well, My 2 freidns and I were completely sober and getting ready to leave anyway cuz it was pretty much closing time. We go out into the parking lot and guy is there my 2 friends try and help the bouncers talk the guy into leaving, he starts to come close to me and friend 1 says get in the car and throws me the keys. I go to unlock the door and crazy guy comes walking towards me, his car was apparently right behind ours.

So I walk backwards away from him and around my car. Everyone sees that he is leaving and kinda go on about their business, I go over to my friends and something had me shook. I tell them (both men, 1 going for his Pro MMA) I say I think he's getting something out of his car. They keep watch on him but assure me that he's just trying to leave. They both move widely around the car to make sure he causes no more trouble. Then he gets out of the driver's seat and opens the back door, my (almost) Pro MMA friend goes to tackle him and I see him reach in and grab a rifle out of his back seat!

I yell GUN and all hell breaks lose, they grab the guy and wrestle the gun away and he jumps in his car and pulls off.

Fast forward about an hour and I get a phone call from (almost) Pro MMA friend that the guy was arrested IN FRIENDS DRIVEWAY (yeah, he followed him home) and in his car, the police found 7 guns, including an AK 47!!!!

 

[Heidict]

That's crazy!!! We had a scary situation here over the weekend that could have ended up very bad but thankfully didn't. I was out at a local bar with a couple of friends on Saturday night and this guy was getting obnoxious so he was escorted out, in the parking lot he refused to leave and was carrying on. Well, My 2 freidns and I were completely sober and getting ready to leave anyway cuz it was pretty much closing time. We go out into the parking lot and guy is there my 2 friends try and help the bouncers talk the guy into leaving, he starts to come close to me and friend 1 says get in the car and throws me the keys. I go to unlock the door and crazy guy comes walking towards me, his car was apparently right behind ours.

So I walk backwards away from him and around my car. Everyone sees that he is leaving and kinda go on about their business, I go over to my friends and something had me shook. I tell them (both men, 1 going for his Pro MMA) I say I think he's getting something out of his car. They keep watch on him but assure me that he's just trying to leave. They both move widely around the car to make sure he causes no more trouble. Then he gets out of the driver's seat and opens the back door, my (almost) Pro MMA friend goes to tackle him and I see him reach in and grab a rifle out of his back seat!

I yell GUN and all hell breaks lose, they grab the guy and wrestle the gun away and he jumps in his car and pulls off.

Fast forward about an hour and I get a phone call from (almost) Pro MMA friend that the guy was arrested IN FRIENDS DRIVEWAY (yeah, he followed him home) and in his car, the police found 7 guns, including an AK 47!!!!

Wow, that must have been scary, especially for your friend. Glad the cops got him. Hopefully, they won't just slap him on the wrist and release him back out onto the streets.

 

[RAZ24]

My DH was in the gym when this tragedy happened. He helped a woman out a side door. She had a gun shot wound to the shoulder.
Fortunately, he had left a message on my phone prior to me hearing about this, or I would have been a mess.

Christine

 

[MountNittany]

He didn't have a girlfriend. At least, according to his blog.http://georgesodini.com/20090804.htm

He had serious mother issues and a father who wasn't there. He had been planning on this for a long time.

I've heard that he didn't also. They must have been wrong when they first started reporting.

My DH was in the gym when this tragedy happened. He helped a woman out a side door. She had a gun shot wound to the shoulder.
Fortunately, he had left a message on my phone prior to me hearing about this, or I would have been a mess.

Christine

That's way too close

 

[Starbrite]

My DH was in the gym when this tragedy happened. He helped a woman out a side door. She had a gun shot wound to the shoulder.
Fortunately, he had left a message on my phone prior to me hearing about this, or I would have been a mess.

Christine

Thank God he made it out OK.

I imagine it will be hard for all those who made it. Also hard to ever step foot in this (or any) gym again.

http://georgesodini.com/20090804.htm

This man was sick! Did people actually read this blog & nobody did anything about it

 

[MosMom]

Jody Billingsley was my aunt's great niece. So so very sad and senseless.

 

[sherabby]

My neighbor's daughter was shot in the hip. She may come home today. Her description of the event is very similar to what you hear on the news. She said they were doing the routine and turning around when the lights went out and then the shots fired. She went down on the ground because she thought it would be better to be hit on the back than in the front. Her friend was hit in the shoulder. She was released that night. One girl was hit in the front and has had to have some major surgeries. She is now wearing a colostomy bag.

 

[MountNittany]

Seems like they took down his website now, that's good.

I am watching the news now, and it seemed like he had a lot of trouble with women. He made hidden entries in the code of his blog that talked about young women that he saw and liked. What a psycho.

MosMom, my prayers are with your family.

 

[Starbrite]

They are now saying he called (or texted...I missed that part) his mother hours before & told her what he was going to do & said good-bye. Between that & his website, I just don't understand why nobody stepped in??? Maybe this whole tragedy could've been prevented.

 

[Kycha]

Seems like they took down his website now, that's good.

Website is still up. I just clicked on it.