Saudi former student charged with CROSSBOW attack on lecturer

[ForSnappySwan]

Just read this horrific story about the University of Surrey. A 21-year-old Saudi ex student has been charged with attempted murder after shooting a campus safety officer (in his 50s) with a crossbow at Manor Park Student Village.

The poor man was airlifted to hospital but is stable, thank goodness. The student has also been charged with possession of an offensive weapon and other bladed weapons.

How on earth does someone get hold of a crossbow and bring it onto campus? Along with blades? Universities are supposed to be safe places for our kids to live and study, not places where staff get shot with weapons while doing their jobs.

How many more incidents like this before proper action is taken on weapon possession and enforcement? The soft approach clearly isn't working. Anyone else's kids at uni feeling the change in atmosphere? Or am I being unreasonable for thinking campus safety is getting worse?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgzg417yxno

I don’t know what the rules are on crossbows but nationality is surely relevant. Rules on shotguns are v strict, DH has one and you have to explain why you need it and prove the security of where you keep it - someone inspects that- so you can’t move to the U.K. and randomly buy a gun

You sound very blasé about the sport you do. The "pointy stick you enjoy flinging around" can be lethal.

Oh believe me, I know that. Probably better than you do. Which is why there are rules to how you are allowed to transport your equipment, when you are allowed to assemble it, when you are allowed to openly carry it, i.e. at the site of the competition only. It was the same when I fenced competitively, because a fencing weapon can readily be made lethal if the owner wants to.

But none of that means that archery or fencing should be banned. Unless you also want to ban all knives, because some people stab people. You bring in sensible regulation backed up by criminal penalties. It's not hard.

And that is the entire point. The rules are there, the consequences for breaking them are there.

I didn't say it should be banned, but I think it needs to be licensed and owners vetted the same as gun ownership.

I wouldn't have a problem with that at all. But then it shouldn't be limited to crossbows - an English Longbow is just as deadly in the wrong hands. Although it does take more skill to hit a target accurately with a bow other than a crossbow - using a crossbow is akin to using a rifle.