June 20, 2007

Say what?

Guard opens fire outside Walter Reed

WASHINGTON (AP) — An armed security guard at Walter Reed Army Medical Center opened fire at another guard Wednesday outside a busy entrance to the hospital, police said. No one was injured.

The guards had been arguing at about 8:30 a.m. when one of them fired as many as 10 shots, Lt. Jimmie Riley said. [...]

The guards are employed by a private security firm, which is under contract to Walter Reed. [...]

Now I realize there are certain economies available when you have private contractors, but still, it seems odd that Walter Reed Army Medical Center doesn't have, oh, I don't know--MPs, maybe--walking around. And if they do decide to stick with private security, one would hope that the next batch has a bit better marksmanship training.

Posted by Terry Oglesby at June 20, 2007 12:22 PM
Comments

On the flip side, there is the convenience factor of causing life-threatening injuries right outside a hospital.

Certainly should make the company proud to see an employee slashing costs so efficiently and saving everyone an expensive ambulance ride.

Posted by: skinnydan at June 20, 2007 01:19 PM

And one assumes further cost cuts could be utilized by using blanks instead of live rounds, seeing as how this furious fusillade resulted in no injuries. I tell you, it's a win-win-WIN!

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 20, 2007 01:26 PM

But wait - no bullets also means no lawsuits from criminals over lost wages and "mental suffering"!

This only gets better, doesn't it?

Posted by: skinnydan at June 21, 2007 07:46 AM

Indeed!

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 21, 2007 08:39 AM