Gang Attacks Australian School

It has been reported that five teenage boys armed with machetes and baseball bats stormed a Sydney high school. They were bent on destruction of classrooms, glass windows and whatever. Eighteen students and one teacher were injured.

The five youths were from 14 to 16 years old. When confronted by the police, they dropped their weapons and did not resist arrest. The rampage only lasted about six minutes and the motivation remains a mystery.

When I read this, I was immediately struck by the uniqueness of this attack. In the U.S. such acts of school violence have always involved guns and loss of life. Why would these five youths adopt such an agenda of violence, and then not use guns? Was it too difficult to get guns, or did they really not want to kill anyone?

Finally, shall we just assume that they wanted to go to jail? In other acts of school violence, I think the perpetrators expect to lose their life in the mission. I don't think these five had any thought of dying.

djbtol

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Who knows what these kids

Submitted by Toad on Wed, 2008-04-09 00:56.

Who knows what these kids were thinking...But I'm sure they will blame their parents some how....
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We have strict licensing of gunowners...

Submitted by huttriver12 on Tue, 2008-04-08 16:49.

in NZ. If you have a criminal background you wont get a licence; I presume that Australia would have a similar licensing regime. As Elly said, criminals can get hold of guns if they want them.

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Guns are hard to get in Australia

Submitted by Elly on Mon, 2008-04-07 23:59.

since the Port Arthur massacre, but criminals, as is always the way, can get them. And do - but I'd suspect from the ages of these stupid kids, they had neither the brains nor the where-with-all to get guns. Thankfully. People need to have licences to legally own guns and there are restrictions.

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What I'm hearing

Submitted by djbtol on Tue, 2008-04-08 05:46.

is that it is harder to legally own a gun in Australia and NZ. Is it possible? Do people enjoy hunting or target practice as hobbies?

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Guns are available but not to...

Submitted by huttriver12 on Mon, 2008-04-07 21:06.

the degree of the US. Aussies dont have the right to bear arms anymore than in NZ, but they do have armed patrolling police. NZ police do not carry arms, but they are available in patrol cars.The big difference is that "right to bear arms" in the US and therefore the amount of guns available. I think Elly will qualify my comments.

But armed with machetes is bad enough, especially if you are liable to be on the receiving end.

As far as school violence goes, its increasing in schools; some kids were suspended in an Auckland school for being involved in 'fight clubs'.

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